Arc 3 - Chapter 43: Daring Escape

Back to the present…

“After reading those files of your daddy, I also took the liberty to keep tabs on his wife. Why do you think you had such a hard life?”

Benn felt his whole body grow numb. Like a cold had swept around his body, it tickled his skin, along with his face. Despite having handcuffs pin around his wrists, he breathed heavily through shaking vocals.

“You knew about me the whole time…”

“And also your twin sister. To be honest, she’s one of the few good shark-humans I’ve seen. If there are more like her, maybe you’d guys be actually useful.”

“You leave my sister out of this.”

“Or what? Going to shoot me?”

Doug noticed his shivering body. From his shoulders down to his feet, he took note of the frustration he had.

Walking toward the shark-human, he still had that trench gun pressed on his chest. Having his finger on the side, and the butt of it stuck on his shoulder, he made sure all eyes were on him.

“You’re daddy wasn’t a saint, nor was he some preacher from God. Everyone knew what he did.”

Luke and the others stared at the two of them, but Luke had his eyes only on Benn. Seeing the state he was in, seeing how he was twitching with frustration, who wouldn’t?

Looking down at the ground, looking at it with quivering eyes, he continued to hear Doug speak. They all did.

“And that crime you commit? That repeat of what happened to your father? I made sure that the judge pushed you behind bars.”

“So that’s what it was…”

Everything began to make sense. From the way the judges and the courts treated him, to the way it was all planned out, he was doomed by those above. That jail, that lonely cell that he collected and grobbled in the dark, it was all playing in some crackling record.

“You set me up from the very start.”

“You were about to follow in your father’s footsteps. You wanted to be a preacher, a man who speaks from the bible at heart. I wasn’t going to let another kid be touched by your grayish hands.”

Benn’s whole face began to contort in veins. From his forehead, all the way down to his neck, his grayish blue skin didn’t turn red. Feeling his stomach and soul burn in flames, burn in the rage that he was about to unleash, he didn’t need his hands.

No. All he needed was a running—

“But Benn isn’t like his father.”

He turned toward Luke. Everyone else did.

Doug laid his eyes on him, his fingers loosening from the hold he had on his trench gun. Raising his right eyebrow, he wrinkled his forehead, once he saw Luke stand. Still having the cuffs dig deep into his wrists, his posture said it all.

“Say what you want about his father, but Benn is nothing like him. He would never touch kids.”

“Oh really? Do you sleep well next to the son of a child predator? Do you honestly feel relaxed?”

“Benn’s our friend.”

Another voice spoke out. This time, it was the blonde woman, her eyes all narrowed.

By hearing her words, Doug almost bit down on his cheeks. Darkening his cheeks, he kept his eyes all slugged in exhaustion, rather than anger.

“We don’t see him as someone less than human. We see him for what he is. I can’t believe people like you, or your family, could treat people less by their looks.”

“I agree with her too.”

Another man stood up, and his height dawned over all others.

A trickle of sweat formed on his temple, as Doug looked at Miles. He stared at his calm eyes, eyes that held no anger.

“It’s been a while since I went to church, but didn’t it say to treat those different with love?”

“We the Zirardges are not a religious family.”

“Do you think we already know by now? Your family is filled with sin.”

Jack also stood up, but he didn’t say anything. As Luna and Sean kept close to the ground, they couldn’t stand even if they wanted to.

Doug pushed his fingers into the gun, as his grip on it creaked the wood and metal. The guards kept their barrels firm, as their giggles and laughs worsened and loudened.

“I know child molestation is a very serious crime. In fact, I really don’t care about the lives of pedophiles. But lumping Benn into that category… that’s unforgivable.”

Luke began to cloud his face in a slight tint of darkness. Using his mind, he remembered a time where he heard a girl’s cry.

When he peeked through that door, it was after finishing The Array. He heard her wails, tears that rain down her cheeks. But next to that girl, was a shark-human who had a box of kleenex.

[I wish … I wish I was never born…]

Sitting on her bed, and patting her head, it was only a few seconds before Luke walked off.

The memory ceased, and he glared with strangling eyes. He ignored Kenichi’s cold stare, and he didn’t care if he had many barrels pointed at him. Walking forward, he made his way toward Doug.

“So why label someone a predator, if you have no clear evidence at your disposal. You said it yourself that you set him up for failure.”

Benn loosened the anger he had, the rage he boiled in his heart. Seeing his friends, seeing them stick up for him even against loaded barrels, he kept his cheeks in check. If not, he would’ve broken that cold frown he always had.

Luke stopped his walk, and stood a meter away from the richest man in the world.

“If people like you could sit down, listen, and speak to one another’s perspectives, the world could be a much better—”

“Zip it hippie.”

All of his hair rose. From his back, down to his calves and thighs, all of his hair acted like porcupine needles. Lowering his glare, he knew that voice, and Doug only had to take a step to his right.

As he noticed a woman wearing the Zirardge guard attire.

“Rimy, you’re late.”

“So is your honey bunny. Don’t worry sir, I have this liberal right where I have him.”

Luke felt metal press on his back, and all of his friends sealed their lips shut. He couldn’t glance black, or rather he wouldn’t. Seeing that Doug slowly smirked, the chubby man began to walk to his left.

As he made his way toward the guard.

“Open up.”

Without question, Doug leaned forward, and pushed his lips into hers. She didn’t fight back, but leaned forward.

Luke turned around, as the metal of her sniper rifle crashed onto the grass. All the Dark Angels stared in utter surprise and shock. For such a serious scene, such dire steaks, they saw the two crash saliva with their tongues.

Pulling away, Rimy licked the saliva leftover. Taking it in, savoring it, it wasn’t long before she straightened her back. Closing her eyes, inhaling the air… the blood on her shoulder began to heal.

“Oh that feels good~”

“Glad you like it. You’re lucky Betty wasn’t seeing that.”

Doug looked over at the unconscious woman, her body still laying on the grass. Her arms and legs spread out, she stared at the sky, the darkened blue that only grew.

“Let’s get them into the train. We’re taking them somewhere where the sun doesn’t set.”

“You don’t mean…”

“Exactly.”

The guards began to walk forward, their barrels lowering to the grass. As they set their destination on the group, Doug calmed himself, and opposed his attention on Luke.

Luke felt his instincts flare intensely, as if he was riding a rollercoaster with no brakes. If he stepped out of line, he would be stomped like a summer ant.

“Luke Fenix. Although your friends will be serving their sentences elsewhere… what I said earlier still rings now.”

The barrel of his trench gun took aim.

Luke stared at the gun, and he felt his body slightly quake out of fear. Everyone else near him, all of his friends, they clench down their jaws. Unwilling to do anything, rushing forward would get them shot, or killed.

“I’ll give you the liberty to deliver your last words. Would that be better for your friend’s sake?”

“... These last words could be for anyone right?”

“Last words are last words.”

“Then let me tell you this.”

The wind began to blow against his face. His hair truffling against his forehead, as well as his cheeks, there was no sunlight above to guide them. Staring at the barrel, and not at Doug himself, he took a step back.

“All of your guards, all of those barrels they have on me, it would be impossible to flee. I know that I have limits, and I know that I’m not strong or fast. So bare with me when I say this…”

His breath was calm, and his lungs relaxed with the wind. Loosening the strain he had on his shoulders, he made sure his knees weren’t buckled.

—“I don’t think I have a limit with luck.”—

Luke bent down, his body postured 90 degrees. And at the same time…

A bullet thundered the air.

He didn’t know how it felt, but he wiggled his fingers while spinning around backwards. All the guards, including Doug and Rimy, failed to comprehend what had happened. But it wasn’t long before they all quickly raised their barrels.

While the young man zipped through the air, his rocket boots gave him a boost.

“F-Fire at him!”

He heard the bullets roar. Zig-zagging with all the momentum he had, his mind was dead set on the van. While he did this, he narrowed his eyes on a particular trail of gunsmoke.

Pulling back his pistol, Chris waved his hand.

“Luke! Come on!”

Pacifica was right by his side, as the two of them took cover near the train’s engine. Hearing the bullets roar, they somewhat clenched their eyes away from the noise. They were all so focused on Luke, that they ignored one of the members who ran with him.

Having his handcuffs still wrap around his wrists, the tanned man with the cowlick had a face filtered in sweat.

‘Shit shit shit! Don’t shoot, don't shoot! Please don’t get me shot!’

As the guards failed to put a strike in, Doug nearly wanted to explode. For the Dark Angels that watched with quivering eyes, they saw Luke run with luck on his sleeve. They could’ve joined on their run, but it was clear Luke had a plan.

‘Come on Luke… you got to think of something fast.’

Taking a corner in front of the train’s engine, he licked his lips, and laid his shins against the tip of the train’s coupler. Taking out his uzis, he grappled the grips with so much strain, he heard the metal slightly creak.

As Christian followed him, none of them were shot. The four of them being a small group, the trio of siblings laid eyes on Luke.

“We have to get to the van!”

“How!? You don’t suggest we’re just going to—”

“Of course not! We still have those nitroglycerin bottles! We could use those to blow up the train!”

Luke pointed his uzi toward the van, that same brown van that was parked dozens of meters away. Seeing that it was immobile, as well as noticing there were no bullet holes, Luke focused his eyes on that automobile.

Barely able to hear his words, Chris ducked his head, as the pressure of the situation dawned on his shoulders.

“Believe me when I say that we will fight our way out! Even if it means we’ll bring down Doug himself!”

“I… you’d better be ready!”

“Always!”

Although Christian was skeptical, he nodded, and stood with a straightened back. So did Pacifica, while Chris kept his head low.

Luke bolted forward, and drew their attention to the guards. For a split second, he noticed most of them were reloading, but it was more than enough for them to sprint.

Christian and Pacifica were both in front, clearing a path toward the van’s back doors. As Chris was in back, sweat trembled down his temples, and especially down his forehead and cheeks. With every squish of the grass, he felt like he was about to—

He slowed his run. Wanting to tumble forward, the gunshots that pounded his ears turned to background noise. Static stung his ears, and he turned his head left and right. It was white. Everything was white. But when he lifted his hand, and pressed it against his stomach… it felt sharp.

He crashed onto his knees.

Both Pacifica and Christian turned and stopped their run. They held their breath, and saw Chris look at the ground lifelessly.

—As a spear stuck out through his stomach.—

Blood gushed from his lips. Coughing inside his mouth, his saliva and blood joined together to throttle his throat, while a puddle formed below him.

Without thinking, Christian and Pacifica sprinted toward him. Carrying his arms, and cradling his shoulders, he lifted him toward the van that was a meter away. Luke turned to see the three of them…

—Wait…

But from a distance, he saw a woman barely standing. Her legs acting like jello, she pulled back her arm, while her chest upheaved wet air. From the way the siblings carried Chris, to Vivy pulling back her arm, Luke tightened his right uzi…

And immediately thrusted his body at Vivy.

—No no no no no no no no…

Aiming down both barrels, he allowed the uzis to throttle the metal. Firing aimlessly, Vivy tumbled down, but with no injuries being taken. Sprawling on the ground, she failed to conjure up another javelin.

—That can’t be … that shouldn’t have happened…

The guards began to follow him.

Shooting at him once more, he zipped through the tall humid grass. Feeling the lead barely scratch him, all of his eyes were on the trio that reached the van.

Opening the back, Pacifica cradled Chris into the van, while Christian closed those doors shut. Reaching the driver door, he saw Luke, and he pulled out his Thompson. If he was going to assist Luke, he would—

“CHRISTIAN!!”

Even through the barrage of metal rain, his message of unbridled command reached his ears. Stalling both of his feet, Christian felt both of his eyes stall.

“GET THEM OUT OF HERE!! GO!!”

Barely able to look at Christian, he kept his eyes on the barrels that spewed out lead.

For a split second, Christian looked toward the guards, and as well as the Thompson he had. He could disregard that Luke… but comparing one’s luck to Luke… he would suffer an injury. No. Something worse—

‘Chris… Chris is going to… d-damnit…’

He holstered his Thompson into his jacket.

Closing the driver’s door, he turned on the ignition, and let the engine scream to life. Making the dust and rock scrape off, as well as dirt, he sped South.

With no nitroglycerin at his disposal, Luke was utterly hopeless. Giving Christian the chance to run, to avoid getting captured, their reason was Chris. If he got speared through the stomach with a javelin—

He couldn’t think like that.

—How can I… how can I save them?

—His boots failed to deliver those flames.—

Falling onto his knees, he quickly got up, but the bullets of rain didn’t stop. Showing a brittle amount of fear, all of his back hairs rose like a cat-human. Pushing his uzis into his holsters, he did the only thing that he could do.

Run.

Running through the tall bladed grass, he didn’t care about the muddied dirt beneath his boots. Unable to look back, unable to turn around and stand up, he was given…

—Miles… Jack… Benn…

Memories began to flash in his mind. Hearing their voices, those warm and yellow laughs and chuckles, he squeezed his eyes closed. Trying so hard to push those legs, he already felt them swell in pins and needles.

—Luna… Hope…

Huffing out through parched lips, he heard their arguments, their excuses to be crude to each other. Those two women, those two that tried their best to get close to him… he was moving farther away.

As the memories stopped.

—Gwen…

Seeing darkness in front of him, the bullets that tore against his ears began to slow. No. They began to cease. Being only but a memory, a dark one that matched the same color forward, he failed to look back.

Although he was looking forward, if he looked back, he would see the same color. The same abyss.

—I’m sorry.

That abyss that was now tearing apart his soul.

________________________________________________________________________

The van prowled against the muddied ground.

Both of his hands grappling the steering wheel, he pushed his foot deep into the gas pedal. His scleras growing reddish pink, he clenched down on all of his teeth.

“I don’t wanna die… sis… I don’t wanna go…”

Pacifica cradled him in her arms, as he leaked out a large puddle of blood. That javelin, that same one forged out of bleach, it dissipated but didn’t explode. Leaving behind a pinkish wound, the stench of his intestines ruminated the metallic walls.

“Brother… b-brother…”

Tears rolled down from her eyes, and her soft rocking couldn’t cure him. There was no Hope, and there was no hero anywhere to save him. Instead, he found the closest one he could count on.

“Please say something… anything b-brother… I don’t wanna go… I don’t wanna go…”

Feeling his warmth burn, feeling it spread and exalt like some heater, Pacifica made sure that her body took it in. Like a jumper cable, she took in all of his heat, but Christian couldn’t.

—“I haven’t explored this world yet…”—

He breathed his last breath.

Without taking a blink, he stared into space with fearing eyes. Both of his hands as cold as night rain, his body heat was exalted. Despite the lake of blood he formed, Pacifica still had him cradled.

While she cried.

Wailing in a soft tone, it traveled toward the driver who still kept his foot on the pedal. He scrunched his cheeks, and he let his right hand let go of the wheel. Keeping his left on there, he sniffed once, then twice.

Before thrusting his right hand toward the dashboard.

Banging his knuckles repeatedly, he growled with all the anger he had. He didn’t care if he cracked open his fingers, or his own knuckles, all he had in his eyes were frustration. Saddening rage. Once he stopped, he thrusted his fist down onto the seat.

Continuing to drive, tears wailed down his cheeks. Looking forward into the dead of night, he allowed the darkness to enter in; all the way until they hit home.