Arc 3 - Chapter 28: Spartan Gabriel

(Reverence 3, 59 / 11:45AM)

On the outskirts of the sandy city, was a factory. Built out of brick, it laid on the hills that overlooked the city. But near the brick building, a van parked near the main entrance.

Stepping onto the loose sand, the driver slammed the door shut to take the view. Four stories high, windows all shattered and smashed, it looked to be abandoned. Both of his hands on his hips, he outlined the debris that stuck to the cracks.

‘Well … it’s perfect to lie low in.’

Luke had already opened the back doors, allowing everyone in the back to exit out. Settling their boots on the sand, the very last person to exit was none other than Luna. Her hands to her sides, her eyes were barely open.

Tapping his left foot, Jack finally glanced at the main entrance. Two metal doors stood like guards, its hinges nailed to the brick.

“Luna. Do your thing.”

“Oi. You ain’t Luke.”

“Come on Luna, at least listen to him.”

“Sighs … fine.”

Once everyone settled behind Luke, Luna stomped her way to the pair of two doors. Cracking her head to the right, she stood a meter away, and surged her right foot with a hindrance of strength. She struck the two doors with equal parts to her foot, which caused the hinges to loosen.

“It’s open.”

Pulling back her right leg, she swayed her hair with her head. Being the first to open the loosened doors, Luke noticed—

—It’s hot…

Oven air blasted against their faces.

Wiping his forehead with sweat, he used his leather sleeve that was soon soaked with it. Wrinkling their faces, only Sean, Christian, Pacifica, and Chris didn’t pay the air no mind.

“Sure is warm here.” Said Sean.

“I think I’m dying…” Muttered Miles.

“Water … need water…” Said Luna.

“AC…” Muttered Benn.

“There’s got to be a freezer or something in here. At least an ice chest.” Said Luke.

Luke began to trail the outline of the industrial building. Metal and iron was all he could perceive. Along with lines of industrial equipment near the walls, it looked to be used for manufacturing small objects.

Orange dust painting the floor and walls, Luke ventured more into the building. Although they were in the main room, which was open for the lines of equipment, there were a few rooms in the back.

And Luke ceased his walking.

“Is that…”

He stood in front of an unlocked door, making him grapple the handle. Gently opening it, the oven air that molested his skin was soon replaced with—

Ice.

Frozen air swept into his clothes, making him close his eyes in pleasure. Sighing out through his mouth, he took another step in, and felt his boots crunch the ice below. And it wasn’t long before the rest of them noticed. Walking where Luke dwelled in the cool, Jack was the first to reach where Luke was.

“This room will do.”

Jack allowed the frozen air to shingle his skin. Feeling the ice glue to his pants, reached a frozen wall, before settling his head and back against it. Luna raised her right eyebrow.

“You really going to sleep in here?”

“I’ve been up all night cupcake. Just going to catch some wings.”

“What the actual hell did you just—”

He closed his eyes. And within that single second, a loud snore assaulted their ears. Like it was supposed to tick her off, her right hand balled into a fist, with knuckles jumping within her skin.

“I’m going to scalp him…”

“Relax Luna, let him rest.”

Patting her shoulder, Luke began to rub it with soft fingers. Oozing her to relax, she did so but slowly, as her cheeks and forehead blemished in pinkish red. While he did this, he turned to look at everyone, except for the pouty puffed Hope.

“Anyway, we should look for anything we can find. Food, clothing, even a shower. Let me know what you all could find.”

“Copy, but I highly doubt we’re going to find a shower.” Said Miles.

Once everyone began to exit out the freezer, except for Jack, they were left to deal with the oven air. Luke, who stayed behind, took note of a box of bottles near the door.

Walking toward it, he traced what he remembered inside the building. Rows of rolling stations, machines aging in rust, some of them carried the same bottles right in front of him.

—From what I could gather, this building used to manufacture medicine bottles.

Bending down, he grabbed a single bottle from the box.

Looking at the chemicals and ingredients it had, lines of text littered down the sides. Without shaking the bottle, he was lucky, once he allowed his eyes to take in the big words saying the title.

—In order to stop a moving train, I would have to do it by force. Trains don’t stop for anyone, especially one that has a rich name to it.

A small shiver ran down his back. Like he was playing with liquid fire, he slowly pushed the bottle back into the box.

Clapping his hands back and forth, he soon felt the ice-box air prickle his lips. Pushing his hands in his pockets, he ventured out of the freezer, and into the oven.

—But … it would be better if I help Miles find that shower.

________________________________________________________________________

(Reverence 3, 59 / 10:14PM)

Long while after sunset…

The city lights dazzled amidst the sand and ocean. Throughout it all, the wind howled, filling the darkness with impending doom. And above it all, was the hill that overlooked what horizons could perceive.

Inside the abandoned building, men and women lay on cardboard mattresses, with plastic bags being their pillows. Their necks aching from the state they were in, they still wore their uniforms. On the back end of the building, where the South was, was a single man who stood in front of a broken window.

His hand clenched the bottom, as his eyes sparkled on those city lights. Even when shards stabbed his palms, the sight literally took his breath away.

“Wow…”

“Can’t believe I’m seeing this.”

Luke jumped, and turned to notice a teen walking near him. Seeing the city in vibrant display, he too placed his hands on the bottom of the broken window. Both men had no regard to pain.

“Look but uh, your siblings don’t have to follow us you know. I don’t want to burden you guys with our problems.”

“But if it weren’t for you guys, I wouldn’t be able to see this.”

He could only smile at the warm wind blowing at his face. Feeling it dry his skin, and especially his eyes, he felt the shards prickle his palms the more he stared.

“I don’t care if I’m called a criminal. I’m going to enjoy every last bit of this journey. To me, memories make the person.”

Chris’s eyes glittered. Lowering his hands away from the shards, he ignored the stinging pain, one in which dribbled off red liquid. Turning toward Luke, a warm smile had drawn on his face.

“A person with happy memories will make them happy. A person with sad memories will make them sad. If a person were to stay in their room all day, what memories will they—”

“What happened to your guys’ hands?”

Hope stomped toward the two of them, and had her eyes on their hands.

Luke and Chris took a glance at their palms. The shards making cuts deeper than they thought, Luke shyly smiled, whereas Chris rubbed the back of his head.

“Oops. Guess the lights really did hypnotize me.”

“It’s ok Hope, we’ll just—” Before Luke could speak, Hope had already pouted her cheeks. Like a chipmunk, she raised her left hand out, and pushed her finger in between his lips.

“Don’t speak. Push out your hands.”

With no other option, the two young men gave her their hands. Both Chris and Luke felt the nervousness reach to heightened levels.

Until a yellow light drew from her hands, like the sun’s rays were dancing on their knuckles. All warm like hot chocolate on Christmas day, her gentle touch soothed their sweat-filled faces. It didn't take long before the pinching pain subsided.

“There. That should do it.”

Pulling back her hands, not a single trace of sweat was seen. Giving the two men a warm smile, she turned around, and walked back to where she was last seated. Chris looked at the ex-wound, and noticed no scar or scratch seen on his palm.

“You know, she reminds me of an overbearing sister.”

“Older sister huh…”

“Have you ever had one? Or were you an only child? Because Pacifica always picks on me for the dumbest reasons.”

Luke turned his head toward the floor.

Throughout his first twelve years of life, he never shared any siblings. But with his second family, there was one woman who matched most of the criteria. Black hair, freckled cheeks, cheeky smiles, she stood out like a sore thumb.

“I used to have someone like that…”

Pushing his hands in his pockets, he began his walk toward the others as well. Leaving Chris to furrow his brow, what Luke focused on was the rustic ground beneath his boots.

—Memories… is that what I wanted all along, or was it to be a leader?

He remembered the vow he was given; two vows to be precise. Trying to live for her, and to be someone’s bestest soldier, he fulfilled the two of them, partially. Wanting to achieve something greater, he only worsened his stare on the ground.

—Or was it a simple life? To slave away with my hobbies? That was what I was doing up until that day… wasting life like a fly.

A hand grabbed his shoulder.

Without pushing her nails into his collarbone, it was a tug that shook him off of his thinking. Turning to his right, he noticed Luna’s barely awake eyes, with eye burgers resting on her lashes.

“Oh hey Luna. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“Aren’t you going to sleep? I can’t snooze without some company.”

Luke blinked twice, as he began to scratch the back of his head. Staring at Luna with slanted eyes, he felt his knees buckle.

Luna in return folded her arms, and scoffed out an angry growl from her throat. Cocking her head to the right, her frown sulked deeper, and her glare only worsened.

“So…”

“Well?”

But another hand, someone different, patted his back. As soon as that happened, the woman wrapped his waist with only her arms.

Luna glared as she took note of the blonde-haired woman’s presence. Letting go of her folded arms, both of her knuckles began to crackle.

“You better back off.”

She stuck out her tongue, creating a ‘bleh’ sound. Luke gulped, once he noticed veins sprouting on every crevice and corner of Luna’s face. She bulged with frustration, her breathing already ramped up to eleven.

“You’re … on … thin … ice …”

“You’re just jealous because I slept with him a month ago. And besides, I don’t want Luke to be slobbered in saliva like a—”

“That does it!”

Unwilling to hold back any longer, she lunged forward, her hands already wrinkled and strained. Too fast for even Luke to blink, she snatched Hope’s collar, but Luke had himself in the middle. With Luna trying to grab Hope’s hair, he had both of his hands pressed on her front shoulders.

Everyone else tried to go to sleep, while the conversation from afar grew. Christian, who jostled himself up, glanced at Luna and Hope’s little argument.

‘Poor Luke. I hate to be in the middle between those two. Especially Luna.’

He grinded his teeth. Narrowing his eyes, a bit of venom had infiltrated his words.

“If you two don’t quit it, I won’t be sleeping with—”

—The door imploded.—

All of its nails bursting out, it flew across the building. Once its bottom began to scrape the floor, it swung and jumped without stopping. Landing into one of the rooms, a cloud of dust and rust swirled around the implosion zone.

They all glared at the main entrance, their hands hovering over their holsters. Nothing moved, and not a trace of breath swept from their noses, until a black boot took form.

“You decided to take shelter in here? Seems off putting.”

He was laced with black. Black slacks, black tuxedo, a cross was worn around his neck. Having a goatee pressed on his chin and mouth, several wrinkles latched onto his temples. Black hair, golden eyes, eagle-shaped eyelids, he had a bun stacked on the top of his head.

“Then again, sinners can’t be choosers.”

The sibling trio shuddered on the single man. Their knees buckled to the ground, Christian gulped down the saliva that parched his mouth. Jittering his throat, it didn’t take long before he muttered the words…

“S-Spartan Gabriel …”

________________________________________________________________________

He stood silently. Trailing the many men and women in uniforms, the last person he locked eyes on was Luke. Keeping his eyes warm, he softly nodded at the way the young man stood.

Christian took a step forward, placing himself in front of Luke and everybody else. His tanned face being replaced with white, his whole body shook.

“G-Gabriel sir. W-What purpose do you have?”

“So you know my name … I take it the old man taught you all about me.”

As he began to walk toward them, his boots squeaked like mice. Everyone held their breath, their fingers trickling their holsters and guns. Pulling both hands from his tuxedo, he laid them to rest against his sides.

“I ain’t going to harm you all.”

From his waist, he brought out two glocks. The barrels jammed with suppressors, he had them aimed at the ground, with both fingers on the side of his guns.

In unison, everyone brought out their weapons in return. Pointing their barrels at him, it led Gabriel to stall his walk completely. Letting out a soft chuckle, he brightened his face.

“Woah woah woah, I said I’m not doing anything. Jeez, everyone just chill.”

“Then why did you take out your guns?”

“I was testing you all.”

Out of everyone in the group, Sean had his finger on the trigger, rather than on the side. Pinning his attention on a back wall, one shrouded in darkness, he kept his eyes there as sweat released from his neck.

Gabriel took note of Sean’s anxiety.

“For a bunch of criminals, ya’ll don’t seem trigger-happy. I take it your sanities are still intact.”

“Who sent you here?” Questioned Christian.

“There’s two reasons. Someone ratted you all out.”

They all blinked. That single statement, that single line, it shackled their toes up to their calves. Like it was supposed to cage them to the ground, only one man whispered the words from his lips, the same one who tattered in a pale face.

“What…”

“One of your comrades was taken in for questioning. The group kidnapped him without a warrant, but after some struggle … well, I don’t know what Briggs did to him.”

Christian felt his left hand ball, his knuckles beginning to turn white. Holding back everything, the sudden frustration he felt grew within his throat.

Feeling his stomach beginning to boil, feeling his skin beginning to dribble in sweat, he just stared. Continuing to stare, he couldn’t speak let alone yell.

“Briggs? The ‘Wintry Agent’?” Questioned Miles.

“Yeah him. Hate to break it to you, but that rat won’t give you issues no more. The second reason we found you lot is because of that call. Did anyone speak to Johnny around midnight?”

—No … don’t tell me …

Luke glanced down at his pocket, and he familiarized his eyes with the phone he had. Blocky yet small, it was constructed for simple use, and it worked like a charm.

Feeling all of his vocals stim and quiver, he held his breath. If he had spoken to Johnny about intel, then they would’ve … tracked the phone lines.

“But here’s the coolio. The true culprit, or villain in all of this, is that ginger-haired elf. He forced you, or manipulated you to raid that ranch for money, is that it?”

He had his head tilted to the right, while he furrowed his eyebrows. The grip on his glocks still steady, still firm, he clicked his tongue once he hadn’t been given an answer.

“Not to sound doom-filling, but Mr. Zirardge kept tabs on that elf. He knew that he was up to no good, so he bugged his talking device with a tracker.”

Taking a few steps forward, his shadow wasn’t large, but it was overarching in dominance. Trying to cast a dark spell on them, he had his eyes only on Luke, no one else.

“I know that you didn’t want to raid that ranch, and you have no choice. Money is a valuable thing, a concept made for those in power. But for the love of money…”

—He didn’t blink; once he noticed a barrel aiming right at Sean.

“Is the root of all evil.”

A ginger-haired individual was behind Gabriel, with the outline taking the resemblance of Sean. Without moving his finger toward the trigger, he kept it on the side, but it was enough for the elf to drop his Thompson.

Hearing the rifle dent, Sean’s fingers couldn’t grasp anything. The clone from behind vanishing, Gabriel didn’t need to glance in back of him.

“But you all have some good in you. I can tell. You all are just accused of being criminals.”

“W-Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I have a deal.”

Pushing two of his glocks onto his holsters, he clapped his hands twice before settling them on his sides.

Everyone still had their barrels pinned at him, but their fingers remained on the sides. Holding their breath, holding their buckled bodies, they rode on whatever words that he'd spew out.

“If you decide to surrender, that is to stay in this building for the next two days, my battalion of agents will pick you up.”

“But wouldn’t we be sent to the Dome.”

“Here’s the twist.”

His boots clamped to the ground, he pushed his right hand into one of his pockets. Taking out a simple handkerchief, he began to rub the soft cotton with his fingers. Like he was drying them, for whatever reason, it was a nibble habit of his that no one knew.

“I really don’t like how Reed controls the government. He’s too controlling, almost like some big brother who does what he wants. But there’s one country he wouldn’t step foot in. Khazuan territory; the most lawless territory on Earth. The four nations never claimed it on their own, and none of them will.”

“W-What is it you are proposing?”

“I’ll relocate your entire group there. Away from Reed’s hands.”

Luke finally lowered his uzis. Along with everyone else, the tension blew out like a balloon, as Gabriel’s words rang in their ears. But out of everyone, only Sean kept his barrel firm on the Spartan.

“Don’t you get it? You could live your lives anew, restart memories and make new paths. I mean, you’d have to deal with the jungle but still, you could return to everyday life. But if you decide to raid that train however…”

He turned his eyes on the elf.

By just seeing his frown, by just feeling his presence and stare, Sean felt the grip on his Thompson loosen. Almost dramatically, his shoulder felt the sensation of fire ants all nibbling his skin.

“I won’t be responsible for what happens then.”

Sean averted his eyes, as his teeth grinded against one another.

Meanwhile, Luke slowly nodded slowly yet surely, his eyes somewhat tainted in red. Rubbing the grip of his uzi, his thumb scraped across the endless metal that he tainted in sweat.

“I understand.”

“No. Don't understand. Follow it. Believe me when I say raiding that train would give you more issues. You could run, you could hide, but Reed has a grudge that can’t be satisfied with death…”

His hands against his thighs, he glanced at the main entrance he barged into.

Turning his body away, he began his walk toward where he entered. Keeping his back straight, and his legs brimming with confidence, he didn’t heed to their gawking mouths. Once he was a few meters away from the doorframe, sand nestled underneath his boots.

“The number of guards doubled as a result of the ranch raid. That 300 Johnny said? Multiply it by 2. I don’t think luck will save you this time; Luke Fenix.”

Just as he was taking another step…

“W-Wait!”

Christian extended his right arm out. Taking a step forward, his boot thumped the ground, and reverberated the soundwave throughout the building.

Glancing from behind, Gabriel continued to keep his imposing posture. Hearing the howling desert from outside, he darkened his eyes, and allowed the young man to speak his mind.

“You were close to David and Kenichi. Ever since the beast-human skirmishes, you joined the Spartans because of a fallout. I don’t know much, but … what happened?”

He had his right hand balled. On the border of releasing blood, he kept his knuckles jumping, and his bones creaking. His face darkened, and he finally took the initiative to relax his muscles.

As he trailed his voice.

—“I found out the truth…”—

Without saying farewell, he stepped into the howling night.