Arc 3 - Chapter 9: Running Into You Know Who...

(Octavian 29, 59 / 7:22AM)

“Don’t tell me you’re still mad at me. It’s been well over a year.”

Sean had his hands at the height of his shoulders, as sweat trickled from his temples. Tracing down his porcelain skin, it didn’t take long before it traveled into his jacket.

Having his hair block his right eye, a simple frown curved his face. As his friends hovered behind him, Luke still couldn’t look away from Sean’s green eyes.

“Luke!”

Hope tugged against his left shoulder, as her hands tried to teeter away his growing frustration. Tugging him again and again, she felt like her whole body was about to shake itself apart.

“It’s ok. I got over it. You could leave Sean alone.”

“See Luke, be like Hope. At least she moves on, you know, move forward.”

“Some things I can forgive, some things I could accept … but what you pulled…”

“Like I told you guys a hundred times, it was an accident.”

Luke felt his fingers twitch, as he desperately held those feelings back. Wanting to yell, all of his vocals grumbled and shifted inside his throat. Despite Sean being four inches taller than him, his own hellish glare pushed Sean to such nervousness.

“How does an ‘accident’ summarize you groping Hope’s boobs?”

“That was my lowest, yes … but people have done so much worse…”

Sean lowered his hands down to his sides.

Softly raising his hand up to his head, he scratched the back of his nape while staring at Luke. Seeing that his breathing softened, he even felt Luna and Miles glared at him.

“Where’s everyone else? If you know where the others are, then can you reach Gwen? I want to talk with her about something.”

Luke subsided his anger.

As if someone had extinguished his flames, all of his face grew pale, along with the others. Hope and Miles averted their eyes, and Luke bit his lower lip at the mere sudden request.

All except for Luna, who put on a casual face.

“She died during the attack on Lagefor.”

“Wait what…?”

His entire tone snapped.

Feeling all his hands and shoulders slump with static, his fingers stationed on his thighs. Unable to move his arms, or gleam his muscles, both of his lower eyelids swelled in tinges of darkness. Being burdened in this heavy news, he turned his attention back onto Luke.

“Is this true…? You’re not pulling my leg are you…?”

“It is true … she died peacefully, surrounded by all of us. It was … beautiful. Really beautiful. But before she passed, she wanted me to be next in line as commander.”

Sean glanced around the diner, as he peered into empty tables and seats filled with nothingness. Analyzing the corners, he had his eyes on a random one for a second, before pulling his eyes forward.

Luke let his lower lip loose, as he scratched his jacket with one of his hands. Feeling some of the leather be scraped against, his nails only scratched softer for every second that passed.

“I’m sorry you didn’t hear this sooner.”

“So then … How did she die? Is she really dead?”

“She was killed by someone stronger, someone smarter. We didn’t know what she was dealing with.”

“But that’s impossible…”

Sean glanced at the dark corners again, as his eyes grazing the shadows that didn’t lay bare. Doing this repeated motion several times, Luke and the others couldn’t make due of it.

“She was the strongest woman I knew…”

“Hey … what’s done is done. For now, all we can do is move on. Gwen would’ve wanted us to do that.”

“Move on? In what exactly?”

“You’d understand what she meant. If you were there with us, then you’d could’ve—”

“Excuse me?”

In no time, he grabbed Luke’s collar and brought him close.

Holding whatever he had in his body, Sean only allowed his lips to scoff out chuckles. Dry laughing from his parched throat, he then stared straight into Luke’s eyes, ones that were melded in red. Feeling his knuckles ache, everyone else hovered behind Luke, or to the sides of them.

“So what you’re saying … is that I should’ve gone up there to give her sunflowers?”

“I-I didn’t mean it like—”

“Then what exactly?!”

Having his face centimeters from his, his dry laughing stopped. Feeling his knees about to buckle, the strain of his body weight worsened for every second. While Luke frowned, as his eyes narrowed down at the red-cheeked elf.

“No no, tell me! What do you propose that I could’ve done? You already knew that I had no means of contact. If I was still in, and if I was there … then …”

Pushing Luke away, he lowered his right hand onto his right thigh. Keeping it there, he pushed his left into his leather jacket, while his eyes glanced at the corner again. This time, he kept his attention there, and he didn’t break it for not even a second.

“Don’t say anything … I already know that talking to you would be a waste of time…”

Once he pulled his eyes away, he glanced to his left at the whiskey shot near him. Sitting perfectly on the cocktail bar, he grasped the shot with two fingers, and closed his eyes. Taking in the abhorrent brown liquid, it burned his gums and tongue, until it swept down his already sandy throat.

Scrubbing away any bit of moisture inside his mouth, he lowered the shot onto the table. Pointing at Luke, all of his joints and bones relaxed under its effects.

“Because Gwen died, all of you are lacking a team member. You were assigned to recon, same as me, but now that you’re commander…”

“I’m still recon.”

“But you’re not recon material. And do you want to know why?”

Luke glanced at Sean’s right hip, which showcased a small assault rifle with a circular barrel. Looking like a Tommy gun, its waxed metal gleamed under the soft lights from above.

Lifting his eyes up toward his face, Luke felt his hands shiver as both men made eye contact. Like they were in the middle of a standoff, Luke felt his boots glue to the hardwood.

“Your only power is to dodge attacks. You may be lucky, and a good survivalist, but a recon is used to recover intel, not live off the grid.”

Something walked from one of the corners of the room.

Stepping into the light, the figure had the sun’s rays be cast against. Turning their eyes at the figure, it had its hands in its pockets. Wearing a leather jacket, black pants, the figure also had green—

—It was Sean.—

“What are you doing…”

Sean let out a chuckle, as they all bare witness to the figure that looked like him. Pushing his eyes on Luna, he noticed that her fingers trailed her batons, her hands already quivering in anger. With the doppelganger having a smile upon its face, it had the same uncanny resemblance to Sean.

No. It was an exact replica.

“How about we play a game of tag. You know, the game where you try to catch whoever is not it?”

“Why tag?”

“Because if I win, I want to return into the group.”

“... and if you lose?”

“Then I would request another round.”

Luke scrunched up his face, and found his eyes to traverse down to the ground. Feeling like he was already outwitted, his hands quivered.

Luna took out both of her batons, as she stared dangerously at Sean. Her thumbs hovering over the buttons, it made Sean take a step back, while having his right hand on his hip.

“I see Luna is down.”

“I’ve been wanting to punch something for a while. I’m too hungry to even think straight.”

“Good luck, because I ain’t easy to catch.”

But instead of taking out his Tommy, like how everyone expected, he thrust his hand into his pocket. Taking out something metallic, all of it clasped around his palms and fingers.

Luna lunged forward, her batons not unleashed despite her eyes clouded in red.

“Come here!”

Unfortunately for her, Sean had thrown the device downward.

—Unleashing a plow of smoke to be set free.—

In one-fourths of a second, the cloud of smoke enveloped half of the diner. Being in the epicenter, the four of them shielded their eyes, as all of their senses were clouded in bad air. Coughing out horribly, Luke swayed batches of dust from his face.

“Sean! Sean!”

“Cough cough … shit, where did he go!?”

As Luna yelled out through a hardened throat, the cloud itself began to subside drastically.

Giving them the freedom to open their eyes, his cheeks and lower eyelids puffed red. As if the smoke had robbed them of oxygen, they tried desperately to inhale virgin air.

Until Hope looked down, her eyes still mesmerized in tears. Noticing a bootprint, its size was small.

“F-Footprint! I found a footprint!”

“Then that’s probably Sean’s! We got to—”

“Hello.”

Sean stood right in center.

Without laughing, nor moving, he remained stationary like a deer in headlights. Having no smoke, no dust against his clothing, the only person who didn’t analyze Sean intently was none other than—

“There you are!”

She didn’t click those two buttons, but she did crackle the metal she held.

With her right boot, she lifted herself to glide forward, as the creaky wood snapped beneath her. Thrusting back her right arm, all she really needed was to hit him with the edge of her baton.

While Sean continued to smile with folded arms. Like a javelin, she hunkered down her baton, hoping that it’ll—

—It passed through him.—

Stumbling forward, the suddenness of it all couldn’t help herself from the fall. Slamming her knees onto the wood, she grounded her teeth, as drool salivated from her lips.

“What’s the matter? Can’t hit me?”

“You … fucker …”

“Wanna catch me? You got to earn it senorita.”

His whole body began to fade away, like candle wax melting under a flame.

Feeling all of his body squeeze, Luke raised his right hand up to his forehead. Pressing his palm above his eye, he turned his eyes toward the front door, and noticed a huge hole already taking shape. Rubbing his forehead back and forth, all that he could do was strain his body in frustration.

“Sean … why now …”

Pushing their feet to work, their boots clamped down against the old wood. Without eating breakfast, or even knowing the layout of the city; they had to track Sean down.

Even if an audience would be gathered.

________________________________________________________________________

(Octavian 29, 59 / 7:28AM)

“Shouldn’t we be hitting the road?”

“We could, but Boris told us specifically to stay put. Don’t ask me why, but he told us so.”

“Great…”

Parking near the edge of the gas station, they softly glanced at the many antique cars fueling up and going. Carrying on with their day, Stan and Jack nodded at each car, as if they allowed the unique sights to grizzle their eyes.

Walking toward the van, Fred, Gary, and Diego carried stacks of boxes. Looking like snacks, they carried them all the way toward the back. But for the five of them, they all were sweltered in sweat, as the sun began to swell their faces.

“Spending six years in Lagefor really does something to the body.”

“I’m going to miss those warm summers … guess we’re going to be dealing with Satan’s scrotum for now.”

“But imagine Miles. He was raised near the Tundra, and he told me it was like an icebox up there.”

“Yeah, he’s going to hate it here…”

Just as the two finished their conversation, Stan glanced to his right. With a furrowed brow, he noticed a crowd of people walking fast.

Like they witnessed something they shouldn’t see, their footsteps doubled and their numbers tripled. Noticing this strange behavior, other citizens did so, leaving them to be one with the sheep.

“Something’s not right…”

“You tell me.”

As Fred, Gary, and Diego unloaded the rest of their boxes, they also turned toward the nervous crowd.

Meanwhile, Jack had his eyes pinned on a random building, his gaze sticking on a random window. His hands numb to his sides, it was like he was hypnotized by the darkened window.

“Hey Jack? Did you remember the path Luke and everyone else took?” Questioned Stan.

“Eh … most likely where everyone is running away from.”

“Maybe it’s a trap…” Muttered Fred.

Having his hand rub his chin, he allowed his fingers to scrape off any dead skin.

If the government can, they would separate them one by one. But being in two big groups, it would be harder for them to pluck them off. Regardless if they stuck together or not, whatever approach the government would take … would be dealt quietly.

“Doubt it. If they knew where we're going, they would’ve rushed us by now.”

“That's what they want you to think. Governments can be shady.”

“Fred has a point. They’re not just going to make a scene, you know what they said right? They want life to be … jocular…”

‘Then that means they want to be discrete … entirely…’

Having his hands pressed on his waist, he let them drop to his sides before snapping his fingers. Turning his eyes toward the crowd, he continued to see them run, which left him to snap his right hand fingers.

Feeling like his toes were twitching, the adrenaline of a sprint soaring within him.

“Damnit … let’s just—”

A ringtone blared through the seriousness.

All four men turned to look at Jack, whose jacket vibrated from the ringing of his flipphone. Out of everyone, he had the most unique tone, considering the language wasn’t English but Japanese. Playing the melody of the song, the lyrics whistled into everyone’s ears.

Pulling the flipphone from out of his pocket, he placed the speaker right into his ear.

“Hello?”

“Where are all of you?”

“Underneath the edge of the rainbow, eating lucky charms with goat milk.”

“Wait what!?”

“It’s sarcasm you fat—... forget it. We’re waiting near the gas station, all by your command.”

Jack felt his words draw breathless, but that didn’t mean he would stop. Tightening his grip on the phone, the metal slightly crackled by what little strength he had. He didn’t pay any mind to Stan and the others, who all hovered behind him like shadows.

“Where’s Luke?”

“Treating Luna to some cheap breakfast. Let me tell you, she’s really moody when she’s hangry.”

“Did they go to the old diner near downtown?”

Jack turned his attention onto the crowd of civilians, who continued to run away from the commotion. Wearing a deadpan face, he felt his cheeks sag, before bringing his ear to use once again.

“Probably.”

“Then go after them now! They’ll run into one of your old squadmates!”

“Wait, you don’t mean—”