20) Las Vegas

The group reaches its destination. The end.

20) Las Vegas

The lift doors ping open. We step out onto the 80^th floor. Dawn leads the charge through the floor.

I stare out a window, looking out over the roofs of New York. It’s a sight to behold. Far below us are thousands of people, all with no clue of what’s happening. The sky above us ripples.

Dawn bursts through a door. I follow behind her.
“Ah, Dawn took your time.” A man says. Dawn freezes in her tracks,
“Sir?”
“Yes. Who else were you expecting?”
“You knew I was coming.” She says defeated,
“Of course we did. We knew from the very start.” The man, who speaks, is a tall, slender man, who has long brown hair pulled into a ponytail. He wears a tight fitting suit. “And you must be Artemis Kaliaski.” He says looking over Dawn’s shoulder at me, “I’ve heard many great things. Too bad about what happens.” He looks over my shoulder at Dante, “And Dante Smith.”
“If you knew, why send us on this mission?” Dawn mutters.
“Sit.” He gestures to a conference table, “All of you.”

 “If that’s your choice, you know the door.” The man says. Chloe does know the door; after all, she has been through it five times. This time would be her sixth. 
“Is there a greater meaning?”
“To what dear?”
“My life.” Chloe says. The man looks sorry,
“Yes. You’re death began a chain of events, that must happen.”
“So you made me to die?”
“My sweet, you misunderstand. I never made you. I didn’t make humanity. I didn’t even make the universe. Earth created itself. Evolution created you. This isn’t my plan. I have no control over the events that happen.”
“What must happen?”
“You needn’t burden yourself with such things. Go enjoy your rebirth.”

We sit around the table, the man at the head, Dante, Dawn, and I, sat on one side.
“If you knew. Why send us?” Dawn demands,
“Now, Dawn, we mustn’t skip formalities.” He looks at Dante and me. “I am Frank Miller. Leader of The Children of Eden.”  He looks back to Dawn, “Now you may speak.”
“Why the f**k did you send me and Blue on this mission, if you knew she was going to die?”
Frank takes a deep breath, “Because, as you well know Dawn, certain things must happen, and cannot be avoided.”
“What does her death accomplish, sir.” She spits out the sir,
“More than you will ever know.”
“Enlighten me.” She sits venomously,
“Don’t forget who you are speaking to.” Frank says, “What’s our motto?”
“Jovir cy jotir.” Dawn says quietly, “hijo mitta wer.”
“And what does it mean?”
“To raise or destroy. No matter what.” She mumbles,
“And?”
“That no matter what happens, we shall do our best, and not ask questions.”
“Correct.” Frank says harshly,
“I deserve to know.” Dawn demands, slamming her hand onto the table. Cracks spread across the glass,
“Maybe in the future. But as of right now, you don’t.” Frank raps his fingers against the glass, “I want you on the first flight back to base. As of now, Dawn Hoppensburg, your mission is complete. You preformed exemplarily, and will receive a hero’s welcome.”
“But I failed?” Dawn says confused, “The world is still going to end.”
“No. You did what your mission required you to do. And completed it without question.” Frank smiles, “Now, if you will excuse us, I need to speak to Artemis and Dante.”
Without question, or argument, Dawn leaves. “Do you have any questions?” Frank asks.
“Yeah. What the actual f**k is going on?” Dante shouts. Frank just stares at him,
“After all of this, you still don’t know?”
“No. And I’d like to.”
“Fine.” Frank leans forward, “Artemis is part of a group called The Four, who were prophesied at the start of time, to either save or destroy the universe. God, created eight beings, The Elders. These Elders each have a part of the universe, Love, Destruction, Life, Death, Land, Water, Time, and Creation. The Elder Destruction, decided to try to destroy the universe. The other seven, stopped Destruction by splitting themselves, forming the deities we know today. Every God you’ve ever heard of, is real. I lead a secret organisation that works to protect the universe, by any means necessary. We work for any government and operate all over the world. We also protect The Four.”
“You’re not lying are you?” Dante asks,
“No.” Frank says softly, “Now, it’s time for you to go.”

“What’s this?” Dawn asks as Frank hands her something,
“A plane ticket.”
“McCarran international? That’s in Las Vegas. Why there?” Dawn questions, “Right, right, no questions.”
“Better get a hurry on if you want to make your flight.”

We step out into the mid-afternoon sun that fails to shine down on us. The initial panic after this morning has subsided. The crowd has thinned, but there are still hundreds of people walking the streets. The sinkhole has been closed off. Cleaners work to wash the symbols off windows.
“We really need to hurry.” Dawn says, “The drive to Vegas is forty hours. The plane leaves in forty-eight. Good thing we have nothing to pack.” She laughs, for what I believe is the first time.

I stare out the window. The rain pours down. On the floor, there’s about five centimetres of water already. I look up to the sky. The lightning bolt sizzles. Zeus’ Tear as people had taken to calling it. Meteorologists still have no explanation for it. Unbeknownst to them, the name is a lot more fitting then they think.
“Nothing interesting happens on the drive to Las Vegas. We barely even speak.”

David Kaliaski’s phone rings. He looks at the caller ID.
“Yes?” He says,
“They’ve been seen in Las Vegas, with Dante, and a red haired girl.”

Las Vegas sucks. I can whole heartily say that with all my heart. It sucks. We arrive in Las Vegas in forty-two hours. Leaving us six hours to wander and explore. Not that there’s much we can explore,
“Anything here take coin?” I ask,
“No, this entire place is human. Monsters avoid this place as best as they can.”
“Why?”
“In the past two minutes, I’ve counted ninety-three Satuska soldiers.”
“Oh.”
“I suppose it’s a good thing Frank gave me some cash.” Dawn says smiling,
“How much?”
“Enough for a good meal.” Dawn says. In all of this, Dante just listens in. He’s turning into a right Shadow Person. Not speaking, just watching and listening. Speaking of Shadow People. Where are they? I look around for them. The ball of light hovers above me. I can’t see The Shadow People. They’re nowhere to be seen.

David turns on his sirens. That should make the trip quicker, he thinks to himself. Hopefully he can make the four hour drive, in under that. Hopefully. Any longer and he risks missing Artemis again. And he refuses to miss them again.

He speeds across the motorway. “I will not miss them.” He says.

- Four hours later �"

 “Well, I guess this is goodbye.” Dawn says, “I’ve never been good at goodbyes.” She laughs nervously, “I hope to see you again. Hopefully not on another mission.” She hugs me, “And Dante. Keep an eye on Artemis for me.”
“Will do.” He laughs,
“Now, you two stay safe.”
“With Zeus watching me. What could go wrong?” I laugh.
“True. Watch out for him though, he’s a tricky bugger.” She takes a deep breath, “Goodbye, Artemis. Goodbye, Dante.” She says with one last smile. Then she steps through the gates.
“Goodbye, Dawn!” I shout after her. But she’s already gone. Boarding the plane to wherever. I look at the departure board; I scan for Dawn’s plane. There. New York. That makes no sense. Why?

“Now what?” Dante asks.
“I guess we make our way home.”
“Is the adventure over?”
“I think so.” I smile, “I hope so.”

Making our way home. That’s the new plan. How? I don’t know. We just need to get home. Back to Parlor. Then we can call it quits. Forget about all this. About Dawn. Blue. Gods. The Four. The Children of Eden. All of it.
“No, Artemis.” The voice says, “You can’t forget about this. There is no escape. There is no plan. There’s one way home.”
“I know.” I whisper to the night.
“What was that?” Dante asks. I give him one last look. I look into his brown eyes. And for a brief moment there’s peace. Then he realises what’s about to happen. He must see it in my eyes. His eyes widen. Pure, unbridled fear. “No, Artemis, please.” He begs. I push him. He tumbles backwards. A lorry honks. It tries to swerve. I will it not to. I see the drivers face contorted in fear, surprise, and fear.
“One last soul.” I say as Dante connects with the lorry.

Chloe stands looking at the doors. To her right, the afterlife. To her left, Heaven. A hand taps her shoulder, she turns,
“Blue?” She beams in surprise,
“Hiya Chloe. Long-time no see. What life’s it now?”
“Going into my seventh. How about you?”
“Eighth or ninth. I’ve honestly lost count.” Blue smiles, “How’s the world treating you?”
“Alright I guess. I can’t complain. I just keep ending my life.”
“I feel you.”
“I can’t explain why, y’know.”
“I do. I was the same for my first few.”
“How do you keep ending up here?”
“Long story.”
“We’ve got time.” Chloe says sitting on the floor,
“We do, don’t we?”

“So you aren’t dead?” Chloe gasps,
“Well, I wasn’t, but I am now.” Blue laughs. Then she stops abruptly, she looks down at her hands, which are shaking,
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” Blue sighs.

I stare at the fountain in front of me, marble in hand, facing a choice. I know the correct choice. But can I really make it? After all, I could have my one wish. No. This is the right one. I drop the marble into the water.

Blue stares at her hands as the start to vanish. “Looks like I’m not dead after all.” She smiles, “I’m sorry, Chloe, I truly am.”
“It’s okay. Go back to Earth. Kick its a*s for me.”
“Aye, aye Captain.”
“And tell Artemis. I love them.” Chloe says. Then Blue’s gone. Chloe looks at the door. “I hope you join me.” She whispers to nothingness. She stands. Opens the door. And looks into the light. “I can’t wait to see you again.” Then she too is gone.

Dawn stands looking at the mirror. The girl who stares back at her isn’t the same one who left for this mission… what is it now? Three months? Coming up to three. She had left Eden three months ago, Blue in tow. And now, she’ll return with a hero’s welcome, minus a Blue. She looks at herself in the mirror. Her red hair, tatty. It used to be blood red, she thinks; now look at it. Barely red. Dawn lets out a sob.

“Dawn?” A voice says, pulling her from her tears. She turns to face it.
“Blue?” She screams.
“Yeah?”
“Holy s**t?” She weeps. She rushes towards Blue and hugs her,
“Uh, hi? How long was I dead for?”
“Five days.”
“A record.”
“Don’t you try to break it.” Dawn sobs.
“I won’t.”

I watch as the marble sinks and hits the floor. Will it work? I wonder. I hope it does. A siren pierces the night.
“Here they come.” The voice whispers. I have a name for this voice. Shadow. It’s always been with me. I remember it clearly now. It was this voice that warned me of Chloe. That gave me correct answers during tests. The first voice I ever heard. It’s always been with me.

Dawn and Blue step out of the bathroom. “You’ve got to be shitting me.” Blue mutters,
“What?”
“What’s Frank doing here?”
“What do you mean?” Dawn says. Blue points, Dawn follows the finger, “F**k off.” Dawn shouts. Several heads turn towards her, all of them shooting her distasteful looks.
“Dawn, Blue.” Frank says as they approach, “Glad to have you back Blue.”
“You knew.” Dawn scolds,
“Of course I did.” Frank smiles, “I think you’ll be needing this.” He says handing Dawn a passport. Dawn takes it, two tickets slip out, Blue notices.
“Where we going?”
“Home.” Dawn replies.

I watch as the officers step out of their cars. They surround me.
“Put your hands up.” A man shouts through a megaphone.
“Follow their instructions. Wait for mine.” Shadow says. I raise my hands. Three officers approach me,
“Hands on the back of your head.” The man shouts. I obey. One of the officers grabs my hands,
“Now.” Shadow says. I obey.

I stare at the scene before me. Forty or so officers stare back at me. Well, they would, if they were alive. More sirens pierce the night. Not police. Satuska.
“Time to go.” Shadow says,
“One last thing.” I say. I step over several bodies, until I stand over the one I want.

David Kaliaski stares at the person standing over him. It isn’t his child. It might look the same. But it isn’t Artemis.
“Goodbye, David.” The person says. The devil standing behind them raises its claw.

“And that brings us to today.” I say. I look at Desk-Head, who stares at me… in fear. The Shadow People watch as I stand. “That’s my story. You asked to hear it. I told it.” I walk towards the door, stopping just before it, “Goodbye.” I open the door.

Two doors face me.

One on my left.                                                                             One on my right.