Chapter 19

Chapter 19

 

 

            “I thought I told you not to come to my house!” complained Gneiss. “Do you realize the whole damn Ark is after you!”

            Adam entered Gneiss’s house as if it were his own and threw himself comfortably on his leather couch. “I think you forget my entire purpose,” said Adam in a why-are-you-surprised tone. “Did you expect any different?”

            Gneiss hovered over him angrily. “Our agreement was, I help you, you let me live. If you just do whatever you want and show up in my house whenever you want, you might as well have killed me yourself!”

            “Relax. They haven’t stopped me yet. What makes you think a couple extra people are gonna stop me now?”

            “You don’t know what you’re dealing with anymore. These aren’t Ark Police or your typical Ark Hunters that are coming after you now. You’re dealing with a Knight straight from the Court of Royals and Aquamarine’s personal execution squad, the Reapers. They will tear Sector Three inside out to find you and when they do, we’re both dead!”

            Adam stood up and placed both his hands on Gneiss’s shoulders to calm him down. “So they got a better investigation squad. They still don’t know what I look like or that I even have help for that matter. I mean they’re out there looking for a blue haired demon. The last thing they would expect is a golden homunculus. You’ve seen me walk the streets. No one has a clue thanks to your fake exoskeleton.” Adam gestured at his arms, ankles, and chest.

            Gneiss had created a false exoskeleton for Adam as part of their arrangement for Adam sparing his life during his attack on one of the labs. Gneiss had begged for his life and promised to aid him any way he could in return. Adam, having become bolder with his attacks, gladly accepted the help. Gneiss created a disguise for Adam so that he could blend in with the homunculi. Being a scientist, he easily made a believable exoskeleton that illuminated crystal fuel without actually being surgically attached to the body. Dyeing Adam’s hair blonde and getting gold contacts to hide his ocean blue eyes was as easy as going to a store and buying some supplies. As long as Adam refrained from using his Faith, his cover wouldn’t be blown.

            Adam’s disguise was full proof given he didn’t engage with many people. If he tried to get a job anywhere or purchase something, not that Adam needed either, he would need identification, which he didn’t have. If he as little as drove suspicion to himself by being places he didn’t belong or doing things out of the ordinary, the already cautious Ark Police would bring him in for a background check and he’d instantly be discovered for having none. If he lingered in the same areas too long it’d catch people’s attention enough for them to grow curious which could eventually lead to suspicion given his unfamiliarity with anyone in the area. Adam avoided these red lines in public rather easily so when he wanted to relax it wasn’t much of a hassle like before the lab attack.

            Unfortunately the entire Sector had become something of a ghost town and nearly everyone looked suspicious since the Sector was quarantined.  It happened sometime after Adam started killing homunculi in the Living District. That’s when Gneiss started panicking. More than half the media was shut down and no one was allowed to leave Sector Five anymore. People started to cower in fear and hide in their homes or hotels in the Town District. Adam was forced to hide in Gneiss’s home more often because nearly everyone walking the streets was questioned. Gneiss didn’t like having Adam in his house because he wasn’t known for visitors and it brought suspicion to him. A pity for him Adam was the type who didn’t give a f**k. He did what he wanted when he wanted how he wanted.

            Gneiss threw his hands in the air in utter rage. “You’re mad! Have you taken a look at the town? You think they care what your hair color is?”

            “Weren’t you the one that told me that they arrested every homunculi with blue hair, eyes, crystal, and anything else that might be blue? So yes, I think they care.”

            “That’s beside the point. Once you throw everything blue in a cell and the killings don’t stop, where do you search next? I’ve already been interrogated six times. Six times! If not for my credible standing in Sector Three I would’ve probably long since been thrown in a cell as well.”

            “So what exactly do you want me to do?” asked Adam. “You think if I stopped now everything will be all nice and dandy and everyone will just forget?”

            “Run away,” Gneiss said quietly. “You can do it. You have the power. They’d know you ran away too. They’d be forced to chase after you and then Sector Three can return to normal.”

            Adam laughed mockingly. “You say it as if that’s what I want. What part of I’m going to destroy the Ark from the inside out don’t you understand?” Gneiss gazed with hopeless hate. “Let them send their Reapers or Knights or whoever. Let them come. I’ll pick them off one by one until all that’s left is the Imperator.”

            “You’re crazy…”

            “And you’re in debt to me. For as long as you live it is your job to help me.” Adam sat back down on the couch; legs crossed and arm on the armrest. “So tell me about these guys that are after me. How are they any different from the other incompetent dead people that chased me?”

            Gneiss sat on the sofa across from Adam and sighed. Gneiss argued with Adam constantly but never for long. Adam was as stubborn as they came. Adam knew nothing could stop him and it reflected on his attitude. Gneiss perhaps once believed that for a bit but his admiration and respect for the Ark clouded that idea quickly. Adam didn’t mind this though. It was nice having normal conversations with someone other than the Serpent.

“Well, one is a Knight,” said Gneiss. “The Knights are part of the Court of Royals, governors of the people. There are two Knights like all other positions in the Court of Royals. Each Knight controls a half of the Ark Hunters. Not only are Knights exceptional in battle themselves but whenever they attend a case themselves expect the highest divisions of the Ark Hunters to be there. Knights are also given practically any jurisdiction to succeed on their mission. Once they’re on the playing field expect all civil rights to go out the window. The Imperator won’t care if they kill half the civilians here to find you.”

            Adam yawned. “Sounds scary. Don’t sound too different from all the other idiots who thought they could kill me though. They always get some new head honcho that’s supposed to do what the others can’t. What about this execution squad? These Reapers, or whatever they’re called.”

            “The Reapers,” repeated Gneiss. “F**k the Ark Hunters, it’s them you should be worried about. They’re a new breed of people. You’re tricks probably won’t be so handy on them.”

            “Haven’t met anyone who could survive my tricks yet. Sometimes I wonder if you remember the day you pissed your pants and I killed all your colleagues and single handedly fended off an entire group of Ark Police and Hunters.”

            “These aren’t homunculi. There’s no crystal fuel for you to suck out of them. If you run into them your best bet is running.”

            “Okay I get it,” Adam snapped. Gneiss’s lack of faith started to get under Adam’s skin.  “You f*****g love these guys. This was probably like that dream project you wanted to work on as a scientist but never got the chance.”

            “This IS my dream project!” shouted Gneiss. “It was my idea, my theories, my blueprints that led to the start of the Reaper Project. Until Aquamarine took it all away from me that is. She took everything from me. My creation. My credit. My glory. My one regret in life is her. Everything she has now is thanks to me. But even so, I can’t take away from her talent. She succeeded in making my idea a success. Believe me when I say, running is your best bet.”

            Adam yawned. “What a heartfelt story. So, how big is this Reaper squad?”

            “Eight. To my knowledge.”

            “That’s it?” Adam burst out laughing. “I can’t wait until all the killing starts.”

            Gneiss shook his head in disbelief. “Your hubris will be the end of you.”

            “So you got any names? This Knight or leader of these Reapers. I’m looking to make a big statement to the Ark.”

            “The Knight goes by the name of Judas and the leader of the Reapers, Solius.”

            Adam’s whole world converted in that one instant. Illusions of the past and dreams long since faded brought back to reality. Without any sense of control Adam tackled Gneiss into the coffee table. “What did you just say?” he demanded.

            “The f**k is your problem?” argued Gneiss while failing to push off Adam.

            “Their names! What did you say they were?”

            “Judas and Solius…”

            Adam let Gneiss. A series of emotions and questions started running through Adam. Was this the same Solius and Judas from ten years ago? His brothers. It was too big a coincidence for them not to be. But why would they be working for the Ark. The same people that tore their family apart. It didn’t make any sense. But if it was them, they had to know that the blue haired demon is none other than Adam. Who else would it be? And if so, how could they accept such a mission? Everything was too much to take in all at once. Adam had assumed his family for dead. He’d heard nothing in ten years. For them to reappear now out of nowhere as leading figures in society just made no sense. He tried to process his thoughts together. This changed too much. It changed everything.

            Adam rubbed his head trying to assess what was going on. Truth was he really didn’t know where to begin. For ten years he lived alone. Surviving day-to-day scared, unable to trust anyone. He never once had the luxury of searching or even asking about his family. He had no friends. It was only natural for him to conclude they were all captured and killed having stayed back at the house when he escaped. Every authority that saw him tried to kill him so why would it have been any different for the rest of his family. Then he suddenly remembered something Gneiss said once that seemed insignificant at the time.

            Adam pointed at Gneiss, “You once told me that I was the one that got away. The blue-haired Messiah. It’d been so long since I thought about my family that I hadn’t thought to ask about what happened to the ones that didn’t. You knew my family.”

            Gneiss regained his footing and stood up. “A couple of us did. After Judas informed the Ark Hunters of Gem’s dark secret, the children we managed to capture were sent to the labs. But you misunderstood; only two kids were captured that day. Lilith and Solius. Both alive and well. As for the rest, your guess is as good as mine.”

            Lilith is alive! The thought brought more joy to Adam’s heart than he knew was still possible. The memory of how he abandoned her was a dark omen in the early years after his escape. He’d never let himself live it down, it was one of the first reasons he sought revenge on the Ark. He felt if he repaid the Ark with blood it would cleanse his guilt of the blood spilled in their hands because of him. It did indeed cleanse his guilt, or filled it with so much blood his guilt became overshadowed. But now that he knew she was alive something returned to him. Not guilt, she was alive so there was no guilt left to be had, but hope. He could literally save her. And why should it end there. Solius was alive too, in Sector Three at that very moment, along with Judas. But wait, what was that that Gneiss said about Judas?

            “You said, ‘after Judas informed the Ark Hunters.’ What did you mean?” he asked Gneiss.

            Gneiss raised an eyebrow. “Judas was the one who gave away Gem’s secret. If not for him you’d all probably still be living in a basement. No one had a clue about Gem. She was quite the figure amongst scientist too, no one would’ve suspected her.”

            “But why would he do that? We were his family?”

            “Who knows? Tell you one thing though; soon as he did he started getting showered with praise for one thing after another. Before you knew it he was a Knight. I reckon he wasn’t feeling the whole family thing.”

            Thoughts of the past started rushing through Adam’s head. He recalled mother’s loving hugs, Eve’s innocence, Dustin’s constant eye watching over them, Lilith’s unyielding support, Solius’s antagonizing but secretly loving attitude, and Judas’s spiteful resent. Judas never once demonstrated any affection towards any of them. In fact he expressed how much he didn’t like them quite loudly whenever he argued with mother and they were in the basement. Adam was never a fan of Judas; he was a constant thorn in his rebellious attitude. But he did respect Judas as an elder brother. With this recent revelation though, he just jumped to the top of Adam’s hit list.

            Adam started pacing back and forth in the living room contemplating what his next plan of action would be. It wasn’t just about killing whatever the Ark sent him anymore. It was much bigger than that. The revenge was much more personal now, and there were people to save. That meant he wouldn’t be able to be as reckless or he might put them in danger.

            Gneiss noticed the worried expression on Adam’s face and lost his breath for a second. “Don’t tell me you actually still care about them?” asked Gneiss in a mocking tone.

            Adam glared at him. “I don’t know, you tell me. Do you care about your family?”

            “Don’t have any. Never had a mom. My dad only purchased me to continue his legacy. The one woman I loved took everything away from me and left me behind. So to answer your question, no.”

            “Well, I’m sorry you had such a miserable family. I didn’t though. I had people that loved me. People that would risk their lives for me. If they’re still alive somewhere out there I have to save them.”

            Gneiss laughed in disbelief. “You really are crazy. That was ten years ago! The family you knew is gone. Solius has gone through so much psychological training that he probably doesn’t even remember you. Lilith has been raped to the point of insanity. And your so-called mother killed herself!”

            Adam burst into a light of blue and slammed Gneiss towards the wall holding him by his neck obliterating everything in his path. The walls cracked from the impact of Gneiss’s body. Adam choked the defenseless Gneiss as he slowly started sucking out the crystal fuel from his heart.

            “You’re going to kill the only ally you have…? You’re even dumber than I thought,” insulted the Serpent.

            Adam released Gneiss into the floor. “You’re lying,” said Adam in a low murderous tone. “My mother would never kill herself. Especially if she knew some of us were still alive.”

            Gneiss gaped for air on the floor. Fear lit widely in his bright hazel eyes. “You a*****e!” he yelled. “Do you know how many years you might’ve just sucked out of my life?”

            “Consider it a warning.”

            “A warning for what? Telling you the truth!”

            “And what if you’re wrong?” shouted Adam.

            “I’m not! It’s the truth whether you accept it or not.”

            Adam felt his fingers twitch. “This conversation is done. From now on you’ll only speak when I ask a question. Is that clear?”

            Gneiss eyes shot open in utter disbelief. “What…?”

            “Is that clear?!” shouted Adam.

            Adam felt his vision turn into a haze of blood. His dark urges creeping in. He hadn’t killed today, and Gneiss looked ever so vulnerable on the floor. Gneiss gazed in fear at Adam’s blank and heated expression. As Adam took a small tempting step forward he felt the grip of the Serpent bring him back to reality. Gneiss let out a deep breath as Adam took a step back and nodded glumly.

            Adam sat back on the couch with his elbows on his knees and hands folded. “Do you know where I will be able to find Solius or Judas?”

            Gneiss stood up hesitantly. “They’ll probably find you before you find them.”

            “That’s not what I asked you.”

            “I have no f*****g clue. They’re both in the Town District probably. Near the President I wouldn’t doubt. But chances are they’ll constantly be moving searching for your a*s. If you’re so eager to meet them why not just walk up in the middle of the Town District and announce yourself?”

            “I wanna talk to them,” said Adam. “If I walk in the middle of town every gun in the Sector will be aimed at me. I want to find them, alone. That’s the only way I’ll get my own answers.”

            “Mine aren’t good enough for you?”

            “I don’t remember asking you a question.”

            Gneiss shook his head and threw his hands in the air and left for the kitchen. “I’m getting something to eat. You’re impossible.”

            Adam remained on the sofa.

            The Serpent uncoiled itself from Adam’s arm. “What truth are you trying to find exactly? Let’s say you are right. Your mother is alive, Solius still remembers you, Lilith is perfectly sane, and Dustin and Eve are somewhere safe out there. What then? You reunite your family, find a basement, and everything will be like it was before?”

            “Shut up,” said Adam. “You’re the last thing I want to talk to right now…”

            “Maybe. But as usual, I’m the only one who can snap you out of your stupidity. I know it’s a lot to take in and accept, your family being alive and all, but we have to think logically here. It has been ten years. Things aren’t how they were before. And as of right now we gotta work with what we know. You’ve started a war with the Ark you can’t undo and both Solius and Judas are coming to kill you.”

            “I’ll make sure I kill Judas with my own two hands when I get the chance. I know Solius doesn’t want this though. They must be forcing him into this. If I can just meet with him alone I’m sure I can save him,” explained Adam.

            The Serpent banged his head on his tail. “So what’s your game plan here, Mr. Hero? You meet with Solius in private and tell him, what? ‘Hey, remember when I beat the s**t out of you ten years ago and dragged your twin sister with me and then abandoned her?’ Yeah, I bet he will be real happy to see you. Even if he is a prisoner I’m sure he wouldn’t mind having a go at you.”

            Adam felt his throat contract as he remembered beating his way through Solius and Dustin to run away from the house. The guilt he felt the years after abandoning Lilith returned. He left two of his brothers and his sister in a silver platter for the Ark to dine in. And Eve! What could’ve happened to her? If not for her he may be a prisoner himself.

            “I’m such a f**k up!” cried Adam.

            “You got that right,” agreed the Serpent.

            “But that’s the reason I have to make things right.”

            Gneiss entered the room with a sandwich in his hand. “Are you still talking to me?”

            Adam turned his attention towards him. “No. I was just contemplating what my plan of action should be.”

            “And?”

            “I’m sticking to my plan. I’ll meet with Solius, and save him”

            Gneiss shook his head and rolled his eyes. “And Judas?”

            “I’ll ask him where I can find the rest of my family…before I kill him.”

            “Oh, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to tell you everything.” Gneiss laughed and took a bite out of his sandwich.

            Adam glared at Gneiss. “Why are you even talking?”

            “Who else am I gonna talk to? Not like I got any friends or family left. And I rather like throwing in my two cents. Plus, if you want a chance at this retarded plan of yours, you will probably need my help as usual.”