Hollowed

That night, the air was bitter and cold, entangling itself in the early morning hours. It nipped at Luke's nose and chewed at his skin. But he couldn't feel it, his body was processing the meth he had snorted a few moments earlier. His nostril still burned. Luke was stepping through rubble, all composed of the buildings that used to line the abandoned streets he was slinking through. Every once and a while, he would notice bodies among the broken community. Smell the sickly sweet scent of decaying flesh.

He had almost forgotten the two earthquakes that ravaged the world not long ago, his sanity so decayed. One had happened on the other side of the country and the other happened in an ocean, somewhere far from Luke and a location he didn't care to investigate. The aftershock shook the entire planet. Every human being on Earth was affected, some in smaller ways than others.

WHO predicted that it would be catastrophic. Even the earthquake that took place deep within the ocean would create a tsunami the likes have never been seen before. All their predictions came to life, reminding the human race of their own mortality. The estimated loss of the population was around 1.7 billion. They hadn't gotten to rebuilding society yet.

Luke was forced to walk from the nearest airport, which was miles and miles away, though the mental hospital was on the edge of the catastrophe. He admired the Blackblood's for their wits and their secrecy.

But there was one question that disturbed him. If they were so formidable and prepared, how did it come to be that a lesser operative than himself was able to locate and follow a member to their headquarters, even return uninjured? There had to be cameras, somewhere. The agent had not gone unnoticed, Luke was certain of it. It bothered him in the back of his mind like an alarm that refused to fade.

As he began to draw closer, Luke hid himself in the shadows. He almost seemed to wear the dark like a cloak, becoming an inconspicuous shade. He had timed it perfectly, as only a moment afterward, he spotted a man who came into the light of a flickering street lamp. That man stood still for a moment underneath the intermittent illumination, motionless, raising Luke's suspicion.

Luke reached into the man's mind, but his memory was hazy. He was only able to barely grasp the concepts in his memories, the visualizations were missing pieces of time and therefore questionable. Luke fidgeted in the dark, becoming uncomfortable. He had no idea what was going on and Dibbuk did not intervene. He felt in his soul that this was a key in the devious game Dibbuk had constructed. But the abstract theory came to Luke as he watched this stranger, what if Dibbuk had only a small part in this game?

He had no time to debate on this idea, as the man took a moment to glance at his wristwatch and began to walk away at once. His eyes passed over Luke entirely, as if he were just another shadow.

Follow him. Dibbuk whispered in Luke's mind, the pitch high and jittery. He could tell Dibbuk was thrilled by whatever was going on, but he neglected to give Luke any information on the series of events that were unfolding.

Luke did as he was told, as always. He began following this object of oddity through the streets. It didn't take long before Luke's eyes were drawn to a certain spot on the ground. He felt as if he had no choice but to glance. Sitting there was a small piece of yellowed paper, burned at the edges, and it could have easily been missed. He snatched it up off the ground and stared down at the elegant script on the parchment. It read, "Be on the corner of Main St. at 2:34 AM and not a second later. Then come see me."

This bewilderment, this feeling of loss of control. It sent Luke into a rage. He crushed the parchment in his fist viciously and glanced up at the man, who was still walking away as if nothing had happened. If he had intentionally dropped this, Luke hadn't seen it.

But as much as this pissed him off, he didn't have a choice in the matter. He was made to follow this stranger. Where the man would take him, he didn't know. He didn't bother to guess either. Things would go as they're meant, whether he liked it or not.

- - -

Eventually, the two came upon a building that stood looming on the edge of a fenced in area that held smaller buildings within its metal net. As Luke processed the scene, he couldn't help but notice that the fences were adorned with barbed wire. The smell of blood permeated the air and Luke's nostrils. He noticed the subtle stains of dull crimson on the wire and the dark spots on the ground beneath it.

He turned his dead eyes to the stranger he'd been following, who stopped at the metallic double doors. He turned away and toward Luke. The man's eyes trailed over the vast expanse of abandoned buildings in search of whatever he believed was out there.

He seemed uncertain and apprehensive as his eyes scanned the damage among the dark. After a moment, he opened his coat and reached in for something. Luke watched as the man withdrew a card from within his jacket, the lamenated plastic flashing.

He turned to swipe it across the access pad, shrugging off the feeling of being watched. Luke came out from hiding at that moment and, suddenly, he was standing behind the man in his visible form. The light shone green at Luke, permitting his entrance.

You've arrived at the Blackblood headquarters, my boy! Thank this helpful young man for leading you all that way, Lukey. He heard Dibbuk's voice in his mind and it was almost as if he could feel his intentions darken in his chest. Before the man could turn back around, Luke's hand closed around the back of his neck and he slammed him up against the doors. The act caused a concussion in which his blood poured from grievous open wounds, the man's skull cracked and broken.

Luke spun the stranger around, the act uncomplicated now that he was incapacitated. It seemed as if the injury he had sustained immobilized him, he didn't seem to realize he was in danger yet. That gave Luke time to brandish a knife he kept hidden in one of the pockets of his jeans. Swiftly, Luke propelled the wicked blade through the air and into the bottom of the stranger's jaw. Luke held him there for a moment, watching the life fade from his eyes, before removing the knife and watching the body hit the ground awkwardly. He glanced at the corpse before he began to move to enter the building.

Wait, wait, wait, Lukey! Where's the fire? Dibbuk giggled. Take the access card before you go in! This is the looney bin with looney rules, you know!

Luke stole the access card from the pavement and entered the main building. It was surreal seeing the inside of the place, so pristine and untouched in this world of desolation. Though he could see the destruction outside with a glance at the windows, he could pretend for a moment that none of it had happened.

There was another set of heavy double metallic doors at the other end of the building and, in the middle, what looked like a receptionist's desk. There were sections of the tiled floor that were cut away and replaced with dirt, in which rested beautiful greenery. Dwarfed tropical trees and exotic flowers. Yet the place was still vacant of any human life.

See that door, my boy? Luke felt Dibbuk's claws close around his skull and snap his attention in the direction of said door. It was on the left, mere feet away. Enter there and take the last door on the left.

Luke swiped the card over the panel and opened the single metal door. He was faced with a short hallway, which contained six doors. Three on each side. He couldn't hear a sound within any of the rooms, which struck him as a bit odd. But he went on.

When he approached that closed office door, he opened it without knocking or honking his horn. Even the way he turned the doorknob was silent. The room he entered was pitch black, as he didn't hesitate to close the door as soon as he'd slipped inside. All it seemingly contained was an abyss of shadow. But as Luke's eyes adjusted, he noticed a male figure sitting at a desk in the middle of the room. The silhouette faced away from Luke, his attention focused on the papers that spread across his desk. Papers that Luke wasn't even certain he could see.

When said figure noticed Luke's presence, his arm snapped up and slightly toward Luke with his pointer finger in the air. Luke wore a blank, stricken expression as he took in the second oddity of the night. He didn't know what to do or say as the man kept scribbling with the medieval ink and quill he was using to write, his other arm lowered back onto his desk.

After a moment, the figure set his writing utensil down and spun around in the office chair to turn his attention to Luke. This new stranger struck Luke as exceedingly strange. He was wearing sunglasses, but other than that, Luke couldn't see much. He reached over to the light switch and waved his hand in front of the motion sensor in an upward gesture, which turned on only dim lights. A contrast to the blinding fluorescent lighting everywhere else.

Luke barely had a moment to analyze this man. He had noticed, before this off-putting man began to speak, was that he had messy black hair and movie-star good looks. Pale skin contrasting an ebony designer suit. He was almost too pale, as if he had never seen the light. Much like Luke himself.

"Well, well, well, Luke Wolfe..." This man's voice was deep and dark with a light British accent. Luke's expression was heavy with bewilderment and his eyes focused on what he assumed to be the stranger's own eyes hiding beneath his sunglasses.

"How the f**k do you know who I motherfuckin' am!?" Luke's own voice was animalistic. It warned the man of the danger he was facing. But the stranger only cracked a smile and motioned toward a crisp black loveseat on one side of the room.

"My name is Mordecai Prada and I am Boss of this criminal organization... known as the Blackbloods, as you've been informed. Sit and I will explain myself."

Luke stayed where he was, the only difference being that he was grinding his teeth and clenching his fists. He was prepared to butcher this stranger, calling himself Mordecai, for what he had pulled tonight.

Mordecai's smirk fell and he adjusted his sunglasses casually, heaving a deep sigh. Luke noticed his legs were crossed as he continued to eye Mordecai down. This man meant business and he was not intimidated by Luke in the least, which only fueled his rage.

"Didn't you wonder about the man who led you here? Why you couldn't recall his memories, why you could only barely grasp his thoughts?" Mordecai became intense as he rested a hand on his elevated knee. Otherwise, motionless.

"What the f**k joke do you think you're all tryin’ to have here?"

"It's not a joke, Luke. Now sit and I will explain."

Reluctantly, Luke stepped over to the loveseat, never taking his eyes off Mordecai. Stiffly, he sat on the ebony polished leather couch. His posture was still poised for strife at any moment, his body slightly leaning toward Mordecai. But he stayed silent. Then, Mordecai cracked another smile.

"That man, Luke, was used as a test subject for the infamous illegal substance identified as Tetrasil. He was but one of the twelve percent of the test subjects who suffered significant brain damage. That man was disposable, he lacked any depth after his testing..." Mordecai adjusted his sunglasses once again as the smile grew into an mirthless grin, "That's why I sent him to lead you here. I knew you would dispose of him for me."

"Keep talkin'." Luke demanded, a growl adorning his voice. His confusion was only increasing and, consequently, so was his rage.

"But, of course, not all the subjects exhibited such damage. Most of them died, while others used the drug as a sort of 'medium' between the spiritual world and our own... If you believe in such things."

"GET TO THE F****N' POINT, YOU BLABBERIN' M**********R." Luke roared, the scream guttural and powerful. At this, Mordecai began to laugh in a way that revealed his mischievous intent. He stood up swiftly from his office chair and took a few steps toward Luke, who tensed.

"Tetrasil is integral in the game, you see. It has allowed me to travel into the realm that some believe is the greatest lie ever told! But of course I wouldn't know all this without my demon, Abaddon." Mordecai leaned into Luke's face, a stricken expression now taking over his painted features. "I spoke with Lucifer himself! He spoke to me of you, Wolfe."

That was when Luke lost his composure. This had to be a trip, this had to be happening in his mind from a drug-induced hallucination. This had to be an illusion. Yet he could hear Dibbuk's laughter in the back of his mind and a part of him was made to believe this raving lunatic. "What the motherfuck?"

"That's right... Lukey," Mordecai chuckled, dark and intense, as he patted the side of Luke's face. He backed off. Luke didn't react, only staring up at the man in blatant shock. "Lucifer spoke your name and he told me, oh you'll get a kick out of this..."

"You see, he told me that you were to be recruited for the Blackbloods. That the only way to get your attention would be to become a threat to the Shades." He took a few steps away before he fell back into his chair and crossed his arms, staring at Luke from underneath his shades. That smug smirk never leaving his expression.

As this all processed in Luke's mind, he suddenly realized what Mordecai had said. His demon. That was the clue Dibbuk had left Luke. He was silent as the thoughts passed through his drugged mind and Mordecai waited patiently for it all to click.

"Did you all f****n' say in your rambling that you had a demon?"

"Wonderful, I was afraid you hadn't heard me..." Mordecai turned his head slightly toward his desk and gestured in Luke's direction. "Show yourself, Abaddon."

Luke stared at Mordecai with a stunned look and he soon noticed that from the shadows underneath the desk, a figure was emerging. He watched in awe as a gargoyle-esque creature prowled out from the darkness and crouched beside Mordecai's chair. He was a shadow himself, much like Dibbuk, only he kept swaying side to side in a disturbing motion. You could see the outline of his ancient form, but it was the glow of his devilish amber eyes that truly drew you in. Luke couldn't bring himself to do anything other than stare.

"Pay attention!" Mordecai leaned forward and snapped his fingers at Luke in an attempt to capture him. It seemed to have worked, as Luke's glassy blue eyes tore away from Abaddon and over to Mordecai at once.

"Listen," Mordecai commanded as he, once again, leaned back in his chair. "You are one of the six humans that are meant to bring the apocalypse to this world. You were handpicked by Lucifer, as was I. We are meant to be brought together, as the chosen Harbingers of the End Times."

Luke was silent as his eyes fell to the floor. He searched for some kind of reaction, but this experience had shocked him into an almost catatonic state.

"At last, at last we are truly beginning the game!" Dibbuk's delighted, shrill voice entered the atmosphere off to Luke's side. He'd practically snapped his neck to look at Dibbuk, whose manifestation stood next to him. He was wringing his clawed hands as he ran his snake-like tongue over his fanged maw. "Years and years we’ve waited! Isn't that true, Abaddon?"

There was an answering grunt from the figure who stared straight at Luke, still swaying. Mordecai's tightened lips broke out into a wicked grin as he swiveled his chair around to face his desk. He pushed the papers off to the corners, revealing a computer built into the center of the stainless steel worktable. He tapped the screen and a dim glow lit up his desk. Luke was still, his empty gaze still staring at the back of Mordecai's head as he worked with the facility's inner system.

After a moment, a beep sounded and Mordecai spoke, "Come, Seth. Don't make me find you."

He tapped the screen once more and it went dark. Mordecai was still for a moment before he swiveled around and met Luke's gaze. Something about that set off a spark in Luke's chest. No one had ever so fearlessly looked into his eyes before. Even Jericho would sometimes seem unsure of himself. It sent adrenaline pumping through his veins and he tensed. He still forced himself to sit and watch, yet his every instinct was screaming at him to slaughter this man and paint the walls with his blood.

Mordecai leaned in a bit closer to Luke and something about the ghost of a smile that haunted his lips told Luke that he knew. His fingers dug into the cushions of the couch, he fought to control himself. Luke was so focused on this that he didn't notice when Dibbuk leaned in close to his face, his dripping eyes wide open and his tongue lolling out of his mouth. "You feel threatened, don't you, boy?"

Luke had no response.

Dibbuk came closer until his lips were at Luke's ear and only he could hear the demon's harsh whisper, "Play your cards right, Lukey, and don't let your guard down. We're in the crazy house, remember? They're all mad here..."

Mordecai cleared his throat and Dibbuk turned his gaze ever so slowly to him. Luke remained still, his eyes never leaving Mordecai's face. "I do have to warn you about Seth Moore before you meet him. I've known him for years now and all I can say is that he's only a cruel idiot."

At that moment, the door abruptly swung open and a man stepped into the room. His eyes connected with Luke's as well, but instead of the steady sureness of Mordecai's demeanor, Seth broke eye contact for a moment before steeling himself and looking back into Luke's empty irises. His chest inflated only slightly, but Luke had noticed. A smirk turned up one corner of his lips.

"You expect me to believe that this f****n' sad sack of bones is the guy we've been waiting on?" Seth scoffed in distaste, his dark brown eyes glimmering with his wrath. Seth, himself, was a man who clearly took pride in his physique. He was in stark contrast to the other two, his skin darker and his muscles more toned. He had short dark brown hair and a cold look in his eyes. He swung around to look at Mordecai, whose face was stoic.

"Correct. Do you not see the demon?" The question was rhetorical.

Seth narrowed his eyes as he stared down at his boss, his lips tightening and his brow furrowing. He turned to look back at Luke as he stepped in and pushed his hand off the door, effectively closing it with a slam.

"Seth, this is Luke Wolfe. He is not one of our thugs and to treat him as such would paint you a bloody fool." Mordecai's voice was no-nonsense and he paused as though he wanted it to sink into Seth's mind, "Do you understand?"

"Uhuh," he said in a quiet, yet fully confrontational tone, "Anything you f****n' say, Mordecai."

Mordecai did not look pleased. He grimaced as Luke stared at Seth. There was something strange about him. The more Luke looked, the closer he was to figuring out what was off about this man. It was his shadow. It didn't look as a normal person's did, it was anthropomorphic. It was the figure of a wolf, though it had beady white eyes. As soon as Luke realized what it was, it seemed to crawl out of Seth's own shadow.

It crouched down on the white tiles, a demonic growl tearing through its throat and echoing in the frigid air. It's lips pulled back to reveal sharp thin fangs that jutted out in all directions and seemed as though they couldn't possibly fit into the creature's mouth. Luke stared it in the eyes, his expression dispassionate and yet his body language daring. The demon gave one last vicious growl before it prowled to Seth's side, yet it never took its eyes off Luke.

"We don't have time to begin the plans, not yet," Mordecai regarded Seth with a patronizing tone, carelessly hidden as he continued. Seth's jaw clenched, his muscles coiled, the rage bubbling underneath the surface. "The fourth of us is on her way. When she arrives, Seth, you will leave to break out the fifth. Failure is not an option.”

Mordecai turned his gaze to Luke, who tore his eyes from the wolf-like shade and met his look with a silent challenge. He smirked, yet dismissed it casually, and spoke in his matter-of-fact voice. "As Seth is doing this, Luke, you and I will depart to destroy the Shades before they cause… complications."

Luke looked as if he was going to say something, but Mordecai interrupted before he could say a word, "I will pay you in drugs, as Jericho does. You don't have a choice, Luke, and Dibbuk will assure you of that."

A sound that vaguely resembled laughter emitted from Dibbuk, though it sounded like a throaty reverberating growl. Luke kept his blank expression and he did not break eye contact with Mordecai. The man stood, slowly this time, and turned to pull his desk drawer open. They both listened to the audible cluttering noises as Mordecai searched through his things, neither of them attempted to steal a glance at the other. Yet Luke could sense Seth's wrath, boiling underneath his skin and darkening the air around him.

"Wear this. It's a communication device, a GPS, a planner--" Mordecai stepped over to Luke, fumbling with the wristwatch in his hands. Without a warning, he snatched Luke's arm and clipped the watch around his wrist. Luke didn't have time to react, but when he realized what happened, his animalistic growl engulfed the room and he violently stood. His face was mere inches from Mordecai's, his lips pulled back in a snarl. Yet Mordecai did not flinch. "When she arrives, I'll be calling you here with it.”

"Now, both of you, get out." Mordecai turned away from Luke and strolled back over to his open desk drawer, resuming his noisy search. Seth threw up his arm and presented his middle finger to Mordecai's back before he turned, yanked the door open, and stiffly stalked out of the room. His demon was at his heels, still baring its teeth and snarling at the two men. Luke took a moment to look lost and confused, still staring at Mordecai as though he expected the man to say something else. But he was preoccupied, pulling something out of his drawer and setting it on his desk, leaving Luke to himself.

After a few seconds of standing there awkwardly, he sauntered away, leaving through the open door and shutting it noiselessly behind him. There was only silence now as Mordecai shoved the drawer closed and sat heavily in his chair. On his desk was a mahogany box. He reached his fingers into his breast pocket and withdrew a tiny silver key. He unlocked the box, revealing vials of a cloudy white liquid sitting perfectly in a custom-made spongy casing. There were needles there as well, one of which Mordecai plucked from the sponge, and filled it halfway with the smoky liquid that was in the vials. Abaddon swayed excitedly, his amber eyes never leaving Mordecai, watching in silence.

Without hesitation, Mordecai brought the needle to his throat. He felt for his jugular and, once found, he injected the needle into his artery. He didn't flinch, no indication that he was in discomfort. He pushed lightly on the syringe and as soon as the cloudy drug was in his bloodstream, he lurched forward. He felt the rush in his brain, heard the roaring in his ears, and he felt blindly for his desk so as to not fall forward. The needle fell from his hand and clattered on the floor. Mordecai grunted as he fought to stay in his rolling chair, but he fell and hit the floor with a thud when his hand found nothing. Then, everything went black.

The moment Luke stepped into the hall, he was grabbed by his hoodie and thrown up against the door on the opposite side, causing a resounding BANG. The air was knocked out of him. He heaved and choked as he fought to take a breath. Seth held him there, his eyes lighting up with a vicious gleam as he got in Luke's face, "You think you're hot s**t, don't you? I saw that smug f****n' look on your face."

Luke gasped, unable to respond.

"You and Mordecai can get fucked, you hear me? Mordecai sits in his fancy chair and pretends he's the Boss, but who's really in charge? Who gives the brothers the orders? Who has all the street smarts?" Seth snarled, like a wild animal with rabies, and he pulled Luke forward by his jacket a little only to slam him against the door again. "ME!"

Luke's head snapped back and, before Seth could react, he snapped it forward with brutality. Seth felt the impact before he knew what had happened, he stumbled backward. His hand flew to his nose and he felt warm, slippery liquid. Upon inspection, his hand was coated in fresh blood. His expression was a contortion of agony and outrage as his black eyes snapped up to Luke's face. His fingers clenched into a fist, but before he could throw it, a chill rattled his spine.

Seth felt as if his flesh was tingling. He was suddenly reminded of Mordecai, he saw him in his mind's eye. With that disapproving, vaguely disappointed look on his face and the sunglasses that obscured whatever there was to hide beneath them. In that moment, he recalled what would happen to him if he didn't get away. The tingling would cause his flesh to numb and he would feel his energy drain until he was floored. Unable to physically force himself up for hours, nearly lifeless. He stopped.

"You'll see... you'll all see when I light some poor b*****d on fire and they have to thank me for it." With a sneer, Seth spun around and fled down the hallway, slamming up against the metal door's inner handle and bursting into the vestibule without another word. Luke blinked and turned his head to watch Seth kicking the shadows down the hallway as he ran. He could feel the charged energy in the air, but otherwise, he didn't understand. Slowly, he turned and began to follow the path Seth took, the strange energy still engulfing the hallway.

When he glanced back warily, he thought he caught a glimpse of Mordecai strolling away. Going through the wall. Luke rubbed his eyes softly, careful not to smudge the black paint, and looked again. Nothing was out of the ordinary, the door to Mordecai's office still closed. Luke shook his head, as if to shake out the thoughts cramming into his brain, "I need some motherfuckin' sleep, can't be tweaking like this. That or I'm f****n' crazy."

Luke started walking away, his pace languid as he mused to himself.

"It's probably all and both of those motherfuckin' things."