Chapter Three: The Hideout

Brandon and Katelyn end up at the bottom of a sewerage system. They are led by Xion through the under belly of the city and lead to his home where eventually they are informed something tragdic

Chapter 3: The Hideout

 

It wasn't long until Katelyn and I were able to see the light of the bottom of this giant slide. I was scared out of my mind, feeling the sweat and adrenaline run through the course of my body. And when I thought this crazy slide wouldn't end, I found myself on the floor if light pain, but then there was a large amount of pain that then surged through my body. I felt a lot of weight on me as I lay there on the floor of where ever we were.

“Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” I heard Katelyn's voice shout out as the weight suddenly went away. I later realized that Katelyn had landed on me after the little slide-ride. I coughed and stood up, letting her know that it was ok.

“Well, wasn't that fun,” I heard Xion's voice say as he stood there with a smile on his face, starring down at the both of us.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I replied sarcastically, getting up and helping Katelyn up. I swung my bag over my shoulders, hoping that nothing was damaged inside. “So where are we?” I asked Xion.

“We're down in the sewers.” Xion explained. “From here we could go towards the north and reach my place in about an hour's walk.” His voice was calm now, but still uneasy, as if filled with suspense, anticipating something to happen.

“Well, anywhere is better than here.” Katelyn responded. She dusted herself off, looking at me after she did. “Brandon, I need to get to school.”

“There's no time for that, I'm afraid.” Xion spoke before I could. “Now that they've seen your face, they'll be looking for you and Brandon as well, so right now things aren't safe.” He began walking down the path that the sewage provides, towards the north I'm assuming.

“Wait, what do you mean?” Katelyn said, as we followed Xion.

“It’s very simple miss. Now that Daystar has seen your faces, you and Brandon will be on their most-wanted lists. I have a feeling that things aren't going to be as easy from now on as you think.” Xion was firm with this.

After this, we walked in silence for about ten minutes, hearing the droplets of water fall from the roof and hit the concrete and stream in the middle. The air was thick and mucky, smelling like rotten food and other wastes of the world above. You could hear the squeaks and scratching of the rats as they walked on the floor below us. Once or twice, Katelyn almost screamed at the sight of one, but was able to keep her cool. I wouldn't have blamed her if she did; it was in fact, rather disgusting down here, and every corner we turned seemed to look as the previous did.

“So tell me, where are we going again?” I asked Xion.

“Well, first we're going to stop at my house, and then I'm going to take you somewhere that you'd be rather familiar with.” Xion replied. “Don't worry, Mr. Brandon, when we get everything sorted out, you'll have your memories back. I know I would, but do you believe that you are ready for such a shock?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean that if we were to extract your father's research and plant your memories, do you think you'd be ready to see what you were to see? Remember, your father was a strange man; he did some pretty bizarre things when I was around him back when I used to work in his lab, back at Arch-Angel.”

“I suppose so.” I looked at Katelyn; she looked uneasy. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” she replied softly. “I'll be ok. I'm just disappointed that I wasn't able to go to school and finish my finals.”

“Don't worry, little Missy,” Xion interrupted once again, before I could speak. “You'll be able to go back to your regular life once we sort everything out.”

“And what are we going to 'sort out'?” Katelyn sounded skeptical.

“Well, little Missy, we're going to fix this commotion and conspiracy between Daystar and Arch-Angel.”

“What do you they want?” I asked this time.

“I'm afraid I'm not sure. It could be many things, money, power, or respect, but there is one thing that they've been wanting, according to some articles, and other sorts of calculations have lead me to, your father's research. Your father had some interesting theories and discoveries that would have made him a target towards infiltration.” Xion sounded uneasy. “I can't discuss what he discovered right now, but what I can tell you that it’s the location of the original sound of the universe, the center of everything, the place where we were all born.”

“Well, doesn't that answer what he discovered?”

“No...”Xion signed. “I'm afraid it's a lot more complicated than that.”

“Do you have a real name?” Katelyn asked staying next to me. We walked in a triangle formation that reminded me of the way birds fly through the sky for some reason. Maybe it was because I found the silence relaxing, but of course I was still plagued by what my father could've discovered. I almost had spaced out wondering what it could be, but then Xion spoke again.

“Yes, I do, but everyone has a name, but right now, I can't tell you that, Little Missy.” He said this in such a way that I began to wonder why he chooses to pick a different name. I'm sure it was to protect himself from his pursuers, but then again, people change their names for many more reasons.

“So are we almost there?” I asked several minutes later to break the left over silence.

“Yeah,” Xion looked up towards a manhole lid and replied. “We should be under Arch-Angel right now. I don't live that far from here. About ten more minutes and we should be there.”

“Alright. So what do you think is going to happen?”

“To what?”

“Well, Us.”

“I'm going to be honest with you, Brandon. I don't know, but what I can tell you is that you can't get a hold of you or Little Missy here. I've heard some messed up things about Daystar, and it ain't pretty.” Xion's tone was firm and serious by this point.

“Like what,” Katelyn asked.

“Let's say to start you off they make sure you won't be able to escape.” Now that was rather dark for someone to say. I didn't feel comfortable him talking like that to Katelyn, mainly because of how she reacted. She shivered and her face suggested that she was filled with fear as of that moment. Katelyn frowned and looked towards the floor and didn't look up for a while.

The Sewage began to reek of human waste and other sorts of rotten food as we came up to an opening where light entered from beyond. We were at a perpendicular segment of the sewage now. On the left was a fall that dropped into an endless cavern. Towards our right was another tunnel, much like the one that we were walking through, and in front of us was what appeared to be an opening towards the outside world.

“We're almost there. Just a few more meters and we're out of this sewer, then we'll be at my place.” Xion continued on forward towards the light.

“How do you know that they haven't raided your home?” I asked walking slightly forward to catch up to him. I was shoulder to shoulder by this time, and I was looking Xion in the face for a direct answer. I wanted to capture his emotion since Katelyn and I have been behind him for most of the walk.

“My boy, if there's one thing you don't know about me is that I've already thought of that, and what they don't know is that I've used some 'Old-World' techniques to stay hidden for most of my life.” He chuckled at the end of that. “Here, this will aid you.” He pulled out a holophone gave it to me. “Just tap it with yours and Little Missy's. I've programmed mine to keep Kardon's Camera System at bay while we walk around the streets in safety. As long as your holophones are on, then we should be hidden from the system. It will also make your programs, notes, text messages, videos calls, audio calls, etc. hidden from the service providers. You'll be under the grid.”

I got his phone and tapped it against mine. Soon after that, there was green screen as my wallpaper, and then I got Katelyn's phone and did the same. The layout of my holophone's main screen glitches and then stuttered. “What's going on to my phone?”

“Like I said before, it'll be completely anonymous. The glitches mean that it’s installing the required files and then as the wallpaper turns blue that means that part is done, then it'll turn green again to start calibrating the signals that way the service providers don't intercept your calls and try to easy drop on you.”

“That's crazy. They don't do that.” I said to him, as I watched my screen turn blue once again.

“You'd be surprised as to what they do that the common person isn't aware of. I'd like to say you're kind of lucky, Brandon.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, you're part of the '1%' in the country, and since your company provides thousands with jobs and brings in income for the economy, they don't really pay you much attention, but since you've been going into websites that you weren't supposed to see, and start learning about the 'truth',” Xion then chuckled. “Ha, listen to me, sounding like a paranoid conspiracy theorist. I'd never thought that I've get to that.”

So this was Xion, a wacky, but intellectual character. I found him rather interesting, but there were still things that I couldn't seem to trust about him. I assume it was because I had just met him, and who could blame me. If you were in my situation, then I'm more than sure that you'd be suspicious of this guy, who claims to know your father, and worked with him.

What was more interesting was the path that he chose to take. Why would he take us through the sewers when we could've gone through the alley ways that we don't have to smell the filth that was obviously not just bothering me, but Katelyn as well? Who ever knew the answer to that was beyond me, but from what I can tell he might have been precarious, but then again there's always an explanation.

“So how did you find my home?” I asked Xion as we finally entered into the light of day. The sun was just hovering over the horizon by now, and it gleamed gently off the buildings and glass that was placed all over the city. I can honestly say that I was always in awe when I saw the way Parthenon looked in the morning. It always had brought me hope and comfort to know that this was my home, however, now all I see it as a place filled with mysteries and lies. For all I know, everything that I've ever lived for was a complete lie.

Anyway, getting back to what Xion was saying. “Simple, I just asked around and looked on your website. It had a contact information part. I've got to say that I'm very impressed by your resume. Keep that up and you'd be just like your father.” I didn't know what he meant by that, but I wasn't ready to ask why.

 

“Are we there yet?” Katelyn asked about after ten minutes of silence and walking through a carved out ditch that I assume was supposed to have water directed through.

“Yes,” Xion said. “It’s that one.” He had pointed out a small home like structure on the top of a hill. It looked rather isolated, since it was surround by a thick dense of taller buildings that I assumed were banks and other business typed establishments. “It's rather small, but we're not here to be fascinated by my house. What were here for” By now, we were walking up the small hill that leads up towards Xion's home. “A simple, briefing if you will. My team should be here soon.”

“How many are we expecting?” Katelyn asked from behind me.

“Well, if everyone is present, including us, we should have about three or four more characters coming soon.”

As we reached the top of the small hill, I noticed how small Xion's home was. It looked about two to three bed rooms and was only one story in height. The grass was still green and well-kept as for the rest of the yard, but there was something different about this place than from my home. Maybe it was because it was the lower side of the city that I haven't seen, but come to think of it... I looked around for the street signs. “Daylight” one of the signs read... Wait a minute. Daylight was basically on the other side of the city. Why was I this far from home? How far did we travel?

“Hey, how far are we from my apartment?” I asked in concern.

“It’s about three to four miles.” Xion replied. “Good thing I came when I did, if not they would’ve done something to you, and it would’ve been too late.” He said this as he tossed his boots all the way to the porch.

As we’ve gone towards the door, the smell of moist grass and other sorts of lawn commodities. The place was, I assumed, what you call homey, and though Katelyn and Xion seemed to be at ease, my mind, however, wasn’t. I could sense that we weren’t supposed to be here, but by what I just went through, here is better than going back home. I had a feeling that they would be following me. I wanted to know why they were after me and my father’s research. What did he discover that caused these people to go and drive my mother into insanity, and make my father disappear?

We entered the house not to long after we crossed the lawn. It was your average little living room with the TV and living room furniture that filled the half of the house and then a hallway leading into what appeared to be rooms, about two-three, and maybe a bathroom as well. The kitchen was on the side of his home. The way that everything was organized made everything seem so old fashion and very comfortable. It wasn’t like my ‘new-age’ apartment in the rich part of the city. It couldn’t help but space out and just glance around as Katelyn did the same. I honest was shocked at all the cool looking pictures and all that memories that were all over the walls and all of that.

 “So,” Xion said interrupting my thoughts. He sat himself on the couch putting his feet on the coffee table. “Welcome to my home.” He smiled. “Now, let’s begin; please take a seat.”

I sat on the couch across the coffee table. Katelyn sat next to me. We looked at Xion from across the room and just waited for him to say something, but as the seconds start passing by, it felt as if time would soon be standing still.

“Well, I guess you all are aware of what Daystar and Arch-Angel Incorporated by now?” Xion finally spoke up. I looked at him. “I believe it’s about time that you all know the truth.” Xion stood up and then pulled out a pen like object and placed it on the coffee table, but it was standing straight up, as if it were being held vertically. As he walked around the coffee table he pulled out his holophone and then pressed something on the screen. From there the tip of the “pen” lit up and then holograms were projected all over the room and the lights went down.

“It was from the founding of civilization that men began to conspiracy against one another. This place was known as the Cradle of Civilization, or Mesopotamia. This is where everything was founded, and this is where everything began. In this land of ancient Babylon there were two societies that came to be from the arguments and disagreements that would occur. Some choose freedom, other chose to obey. From this came the two societies that have come to rule the world. One of them was known as the Knowing. They are the ones who have been in control over the last few years, but both groups take up power every so often over the war. It all depends on who’s in charge. The other side of the story is called the Brotherhood of Light. They are the ones who basically run the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Russia.”

As he spoke this, the room was filled with holograms displaying the countries and symbols of the societies. The ones that he called the Brotherhood of Light had this golden like scepter with an owl perched on the top, its eyes gleaming like fire. The Knowing had a square and compass much like that disbanded society called the Freemasons, but except this time, it didn’t just have those basic things. It had more detail to it. There were these wings, like bat like wings that looked to be engulfing the logo and the eye was in the between the square and compass. It found them intriguing, but I’m not sure why they choose these signs. Normally, they have their reasons, but I couldn’t really connect what the symbolism for these particular symbols meant, mainly because I hadn’t seen them before.

“What even more interesting, is that no matter where you look, these people have been there thousands of years. Everyone has gotten it in their head that the Freemasons and the Illuminati have been behind everything under a ‘new world order’.” Xion continued as the hologram changed to more symbols. “You see this.” He pointed his laser pointer towards the center of the hologram of an old former president. I believe his name was Bush. “As you can see here by his cufflinks, there is the symbol of the Knowing.” The picture zoomed in and revealed the cufflinks had the Knowing symbol. To be honest with you, dear reader, I didn’t quite understand where he was getting at with all of this, but I had a feeling if I asked, I wouldn’t like it one bit.

This is when the TV turned on with the news saying. I found it rather odd that that happened because it only happens in a time of great distress. “Breaking news,” The lady said. “Soon-to-be CEO of Arch-Angel Industries, Brandon Alexander Johnson, is recently has been issued a global threat to the world’s security.”

“Wait, what?” Katelyn nearly shouted.

“Johnson had hacked into the United States Defensive Servers and administrated this threat. I must warn you, what you are about to see is rather shocking.”

The video then flashed on displaying a video of me. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. I was standing in a dirty room with blood on the walls and dead bodies on the floor. It was a gruesome sight to see. There was messages written in body on the walls that read: “Obey, Reproduce, Consume”. The lights were flicking in the background as the light bulbs swung down on a wire hanging from above. In the background was a man still tied up, and he looked rather familiar, but who was he.

My eyes widen as the replica of me began to talk in my voice. “Good evening, now as you may be wondering, why have I gone to such lengths as to making such a ‘surprising’ announcement? And if you’re wondering why I had committed to speaking in such a frequency, it was merely to instill as much fear as I can unto the world leaders and the public masses. Now, don’t fret over what I am about to say.” There was a slight pause of disbelief among us as we sat there, eyes fixed on the TV. “There are those who have assumed power, and with power came with great responsibility. There was from there that these men have come to assume the power that they have come to hold gives them the…authority to abuse the public masses. These groups are the ones who called themselves the ‘Elite’.” My replica on the TV gestured his fingers on that word elite. “Now, come this day, I will begin to take out the masses one by one until the day comes that these Elite submit to my power. You see, I have come across the vastness of space and discovered something far more grand that anyone could possible begin to comprehend. There are those who have chosen to allow our disgusting, over-populated planet, swarmed by plague and famine by those who choose to call themselves human, to live. Now, I am taking charge to go about and eradicate the useless masses over the course of my blessed, and enlightened life.” He walked back and gestured towards the man who was on his knees behind him. “This is Senator John W. Booth. He has committed crimes on the vastness of occasions, causing pain and suffering among the people of Parthenon and the United States. He has taken the very blood of America, money, and used it to fill people’s minds with propaganda and, in forms of simplicity, lies. Lies of great magnitude, leading the people to starve among the streets as the gap between rich and poor gets wider and wider, but yet, as the people watched him go on about his speeches on change and tranquility, we all began to ponder, why this man has not done what he has promised?” My replica pulled out a gun and cocked it. “Merely, because we haven’t filled his pockets up with the blood he needs to do so. Now, Mr. Booth” he put the gun to his head. “Do you believe in God?”

You can tell that his eyes were in fear and as the sweat ran down his face, you could feel the way the fear and terror ran though his body. Sweat and tremors covered the Senator’s body. “No?” the replica said. “Well, let me give you a little quote.” He removed the gun from his head and then said to the camera. “Deuteronomy 28: 47-48. Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, there for you shall serve your enemies who the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything.” He pointed the gun towards the Senator. “And he will put yoke of iron in your neck until HE HAS DESTROYED YOU!” The gun began spitting fire and the bullets splashed against the skin of the man, who screamed just in as the bullets entered him.

Katelyn was gasping, and covered her eyes as the explosions came from the gun. I watched in terror as the fake gunned down the man in cold blood. The flashes of lights came from the TV were pounding against me, making my heart pump faster, and faster as the terror was swept through my body.

The fake looked at the camera and muttered ever so slightly. “The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for regarding your servants the prophet and your saints and those who reversed your name, both small and great --- and for destroying those who have destroyed the earth.”  He picked up a small remote- like object from the table that was just a few feet away and pressed the button. Then the video ended and went to the news reporter who was trembling in fear.

“I have never seen such brutality as that. Brandon Alexander Johnson has jumped to the World’s Most Wanted. His capture will be rewarded greatly. The bounty is one million dollars if you could capture him alive. He has been reported to be dangerous and most likely well hidden under the streets of Parthenon. Please be wary, and stay safe.” The TV turned off.

 

 We all sat there in shock. The silence’s ringing was piercing our ears. The holograms were hovering around the room in such a manner of freedom. There was nothing we could do. I didn’t do such a thing and never have thought of doing such a thing. I could only look around the room waiting for something to happen, but yet there was nothing that could happen. I was expecting the door to be broken down and a group of trained SWAT members would then arrest us and take us to wherever it is they take wanted fugitives, but that never happened either. We just sat there in shock, letting the time surround us and then consume everything that our soul had to offer. I had never been in such and intense form of silence such as that.

“Now, what?” I asked. I couldn't really believe what I had just seen on the TV. I wondered what would happen. “What do we do?”

“Well, what can we do?” Katelyn asked.

Xion spoke up this time. “The only thing we can do.” Katelyn and I looked at him in curiosity. “I show you to the base.” He got up and walked towards the hallway, as he pressed the button and turned off the hologram projector. “Normally I don't show this to people who I just met, but this is an exception.”

Katelyn and I got our stuff and followed him towards the back of the room. The back smelled like old books and dust that has been collecting for a while. I wasn't prepared for what Xion had in store for me, and I'm more than sure that I'm not prepared to this day as I tell you my story, but one thing was for sure, it is still an eye opener.

“This is my room, but under it lies something far greater.” Xion looked at us and pressed a button that was hidden under a coffee mug on his desk. “This is my legacy, Brandon, your father's and yours.” He turned around as the wall suddenly opened up revealing a hidden staircase. “It’s a little old fashioned, but it helps stay hidden.” We walked down towards the stair case. “What I am about to show you must never leave this house at all. There are many things that have to be learned, and discussed, before we could trust you completely.”

“We?” Katelyn asked staying close to me as we went down the spiraling staircase that seemed to lead to nowhere.

Xion laughed as we reached the bottom of the stair way. “Well, the Knowing, of course.” a few seconds passed and we were all at the bottom of the stair way. There was nothing more than an empty room with concrete walls that was a dead end. On the wall was the symbol of the Knowing with a small coffee table with candles on it. “For thousands of years, we have kept this secret from mankind in fear of what they will do if they found out. An example of what happens when they find it, is the holocaust. It gives the viewer great power over the masses. It’s not an unlikely source for evil though. There have been cases were people use it for good, but not for the right reasons. For example, Jesus of Nazareth used this power for good and resurrected the dead, but was unaware of the powers really at hand.” Xion walked up to what I’m assume that you can call a shrine. “Welcome to the Lair of the Knowing.” On the table there was a jar, a purple like jar that had the insignia of the Knowing on it. He twisted the jar's top three times to the right and then twice to the left, then pressed it down.

That's when the wall began to open from the middle, breaking the seal of the Knowing and it then noise started to bleed through the crack until it finally revealed a large room with people dressed in suits walking around, discussing business and other types of conversations. I couldn't really make out what they were talking about, but it sounded like they were talking about politics, life and what sounded like other forms of aliens. It was strange just watching the conversation.

I watched in awe as the holograms and lights flicker on and off as they displayed different pictures of symbols, creatures, and men and woman. They floated around until someone 'picked' out of the air and placed into a tablet like device that they were carrying. The way that holograms floated around reminded me once again of that sense of freedom.

“This is our base,” Xion said. “You can say that all of our important information comes through this lobby.” We walked down towards an open room at the end of the hallway that was encased in glass. “Down here is the head of the organization's office. He'll brief you in on what you have to know.”

As we entered the Head's office, I could hear yelling. Once we entered, we encountered a man that was standing there on the phone. “What do you mean that they want him dead!? Who authorized this? ...What do you mean that it wasn't us? Then who the f**k was it?” I was surprised on how mad this man was. I'm sure it was important. “This doesn't add up Intergra. Get a hold of Xion and tell him to meet me here right now!” He turned around and had an expression on face that gave off some bit of confusion and other bits of shock. His eyes were dark brown as his hair that was combed back and kept neat, but I assume when you have to wear suits all the time, I'm sure that you'd have to slick it back and look “professional”.

“Good afternoon, Javi,” Xion said, putting his fist on his left palm and bowing slightly towards this Javi character.

Javi did the same to Xion. “May peace bring you further,” he muttered. “How are you my friend? Please, take a seat.” We all sat around the desk and look at this Javi character. “As you may have been informed in, this is the lair of the Knowing. Anything that is spoken in this room remains in this room and only this room. Am I clear?” Javi looked right at me and Katelyn. We nodded. “Now, normally we don't just grab random strangers and then throw then into our building, but today we're going to make an exception.” This Javi character looked right at me. “Brandon, you may not remember me, but I worked with your father, just as Xion did back in when you were merely an infant and young lad. What I'm going to tell you in really important, so if you please come with me, and you too miss.”

Javi (pronounced Ha-Vi) got up and lead all of us into the back room. “In this room, there are no ways of communications to get out, there is not signal, there is no Wi-Fi, and there is absolutely no way for our voices to escape.” He said this while holding the door open as we walked in and took our seats.

Now you may be wondering how I feel about all of this. Well, to put it simply, without having to use filler to describe how I feel, it was a combination of confusion, fear, and a severe case of anxiety, but then again, if you’d experience what I had just gone through, then I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t the happiest of campers. So as it turns out, I have noticed that Katelyn wasn’t doing so well either. Her foot was shaking and her eyes were glancing everywhere. It wasn’t until that I placed my hand on hers that she looked calm at me.

“It’ll be ok.” I muttered lightly.

“How do you know?” She asked, her eyes filled with concern.

“Because I trust these guys.” I said with a light smile. Of course, I didn’t trust them, but I had to do something to keep her at ease. She had taken to biting her nails and by the looks of it, I could tell that she had already began to draw blood.

“Alright,” she looked down to her lap.

“Well now, Mr. Johnson, I’m not going to share everything with you, but I am going to inform you on a little secret that you’ve probably have already heard about.” Javi explained. “As you are aware there are two sides to every story, three if you count your own perspective. We are known as the Knowing, a secret organization that has help sculpt the very fabric of this nation. The nation that your family and mine have helped sculpt.” I looked at him unsure what to say. “Over the last five thousand years, we have been known by many names, some of which you may have already heard. The Ancient Covenant, the Knights Templar, the Freemasons, the lists goes on. What you are unaware about is the magnitude of power that we possess, but where there is a good, there is an evil, but don’t let me be the bias of your description of good and evil, Mr. Johnson.”

Xion sat on the left side of me, and Katelyn was positioned to my right, so I was in the middle only to be left in the gaze of Mr. Javi Knowing-something. “I don’t know if you know it, but Xion here brought you here because he saw something in you that most people don’t.” Javi said this firmly. “You have that look that your father would always give me when he has had his mind set on something, and don’t worry, we know what you’re after, Brandon.” Javi leaned back on his chair and placed his fingertips together. “Of course, it won’t be easy to obtain. I’m willing to make you an offer, but you’ll have to promise me, under the witness of my head Scouter, that what I’m about to inform you with will be disclosed only for our purposes and our purposes only.”

I didn’t know what to say. Everything was happening so fast that I couldn’t really comprehend that it was reality. What seemed to be a normal day of breakfast with a friend and then class, ended up being one of the most dramatic and intense events of my life. To be honest with you I didn’t know what was going to happen at this moment in time, but what I was aware of was it was going to be the most chaotic thing ever. So with that in mind, I did what any other logical person would do to keep my skin alive… “Ok, you have my word.” I agreed, extending my hand out for a hand shake.

Javi smiled and then looked directly at my eyes. He looked like he just won the lottery. “Good, Mr. Johnson. Now for the business proposition.” Javi snapped his fingers and then, like clockwork, a lady waltzed in through the door with a clipboard in hand. She looked like the typical secretary with the suit jacket, and silky like skirt with her red hair pulled back in a bun. Her makeup was done properly, and her scarlet lipstick contrasted against her light skin. She handed Javi the clipboard. “Thank you Sarah.” She was what you'd call beautiful.

She nodded and replied. “Don’t worry about it. I have some new captives coming soon. So be sure to be there when you confront them.” She chuckled lightly and then headed out of the door, swaying her hips as she did. To be honest with you I could tell that she was the flirtatious kind, but then again I didn't like to make assumptions about people until I had gotten to know them, and that's if I even talked to them. I couldn't help but look as she passed by me, but that little scene soon ended when Katelyn pinched me on my arm.

“Now that I have the information in my hands,” Javi looked through the papers that the lady had brought him. There was a small pause. “Katelyn Blake, age 17, Andromeda University, Psychology major. Lives at 402 North Lights Lane, apartment 25, floor two.” Javi read this thoroughly and clearly. “Your father is a mechanic at Parthenon Motors International, and you're mother is a Clinical Psychologist at the Cypress University. You come from a pretty a stable home and recently your parents have moved to the country side for a change of scenery. You're brother's Nathan, and Carl, both twins are enrolled a one of the top private schools. And last but not least,” Javi read aloud as Katelyn began to pant and bite her nails as she is starting to have a anxiety attack. “Your brother Brent who was just sentenced to ten years in federal prison for capital one murder.” I could hear her breathing getting intense. “Now according to this you've done a lot to help out your brother, but as you may have noticed, it has failed you, over and over again. As harsh as it sound, it is the true, but there is still is hope for your brother. If you aren't aware of it, he was sentenced to about 50 years to life, possibly the death sentence.” He looked at Katelyn directly as she was beginning to tear up. “However, I've got to say that I was pretty impressed with the assassination; it was quite astounding how he did it. He should have just ran and he would've been fine, but his integrity got the best of him.”

Javi then looked at me. “Brandon Alexander Johnson, age 19, Andromeda University, Physics department. Lives at 55 East 51^st Street, apartment 200, the pent-house suite. You're summer home is at 1010 Brenton Avenue in Watchers lane, over at the suburbs. You come from a wealthy family, good upbringing. You're father worked with me and Xion during the first establishment of Arch-Angel Industries. He was the head of the research department, and head of the paranormal studies and experiments department. Your mother was an accomplished author and motivational speaker for depression and business strategies. There's not much else to say about you, Brandon, only that you are an only child, and brilliant mind among your peers, however you do have one flaw.” He looked directly into my eyes. “You have your memories wiped since the age of five through 13, now why is that? You can't seem to remember what you were told or seen, but yet you still show symptoms of some rather interesting features. You have a very interesting mind from what we can tell from your test results of your MRI scans and Internal Consciousness Scan (ICS), however, yet no one has been able to extract your memory. Do you have an idea of what happened there?” Javi smiled a mischievous smile.

“Uh,” I didn't know whether to tell him that my father had locked the memories, or I should just tell him I had no idea. It was a hard decision for me. I felt afraid and confused. “Xion told me my father locked away my memories.”

Javi laughed and clapped his hands. “So you do know.” Javi looked extravagantly happy. “Do you know how?”

“No,” I responded; a little too quickly if you ask me.

“I wouldn't be surprised,” Javi assured me. “Your father was a very secretive man when it came to his personal life. I didn't know about his wedding until after he had gotten married.” He laughed at this. “But that was your father for you, always keeping secrets. Now, the reason I brought up your backgrounds was for a reason, and that reason was that I'm willing to help you all out if you all are willing to help me out. It’s a rather simple task.” Javi was firm on this. “Brandon, I could help you get your memories back, and Katelyn, I could get your brother off as a free man.” And once he said that, I was automatically hooked, however, it almost sounded to good to be true.

“What do you mean help us?” Katelyn asked with a scared tone of voice. I looked at her. She had the most serious face that I had ever seen. Her eyes were forward and her face was firm. I had never seen someone that serious when she asked the following question. “What do I have to do?”

That's when Javi smiled with his mischievous. “Well, my dear, you don't have to do anything, but I am going to ask you if you could assist Brandon; he's the one whose going to be sent in.”

“Sent in, sir?” Xion asked confused, who I had forgotten was to the right side of me.

“Yes, Mr. Xion, you heard correct. We're going to send them into the Brotherhood of Light's main base.”

“But, sir,” Xion stood up. “They're not even ready, so how could you even consider such a thing?” He sounded really concerned, so much so that it could have been mistaken with anger. Katelyn jumped up when she heard Xion's voice rise.

“Don't worry, Xion, everything's going to ok,” Javi assured him. “That's why you're going to go with them, but first you'll need to find something for me to prove your loyalty.” Xion sat up on his seat and looked directly at Javi. “I want you to find the Black Emerald.”

Xion who had just been writing down something on the table, dropped his pencil. “What did you say?”

“I want you all to find the Black Emerald. Is there a problem?” Mr. Javi said, elbows on table and fingertips together.

“Are you crazy?” Xion looked directly at him.

“Insanity is only defined by those, who claim to be sane, Mr. Xion,” Mr. Javi was smiling mischievously. “In order to prove insanity, you'll need to disprove reality, and since you can't do that at this moment, I'm more than sure that you can't prove sanity.” His face turned serious now. “I need you to find the Black Emerald. Brandon's father was already on it. Show him his room.”

I was looking at Xion; his eyes were wide. “Are you sure the boy is ready for that?”

“Yeah, he's more than ready.”

“Fine.” Xion looked at me. “Let's go.”