Someone Else (Part 1)

The air in this black sedan is a bit stuffy. I could slide open the windows here in the back, but that would mean disturbing the driver. It’s quiet also, but I can’t ask him to turn on the radio. Only the shuffling of the tires cruising along the bumpy highway breaks the silence ever so often. It makes me uneasy.

I notice the driver glancing at me through the rearview mirror. Every so often, he splits his attention from the road in front of him to glare at my reflection. I notice the tension in his broad shoulders as his fingers grip the steering wheel tighter. I can tell that he’s sizing me up. Fortunately, we both know he can’t touch me. That’s because I have an important assignment, and he’s been tasked with escorting me to the destination.

At the same time, it makes me wonder if this was how they felt. Being taken to an unknown location in a sketchy mode of transportation. When they walked into that elevator, I was certain they would never see the light of day again. Terry guaranteed that would be the case for many of them.

Fortunately, I was given this opportunity. I’m told that this assignment isn’t for the faint of heart. Which sucks for me because I am just that. When I asked why they couldn’t get someone else for this job, they told me I was their first choice. It wasn’t like I had a real choice either. It was either agree to this or spend a lifetime in prison, and the driver knows this too.

The man who gave me the ultimatum was his boss, and he was very particular about how I should be treated. Now, exactly who his boss is isn't something I know myself, but he does consider himself to be a third-party between me and the justice department, which is the reason he was able to break this deal. A once in a lifetime deal, he called it. Those who were put away for less weren’t even given the same opportunity.

The car stops.

“We’re here.” the driver says to me while looking through the rear-view mirror.

I open the car door and notice that I am at the side of the road. Standing in front of me is a large red shrine gate. The walls that surround the massive plaza inside are even more daunting, as they’re at least twenty meters high and seem to go on forever on either side. Despite the size and delicate design, the walls look rather sturdy. The lighter ornate trimmings running along the dark wood looked both deliberate and carefully crafted. It must have taken whoever built this a long time, because they for sure had an eye for detail.

“This is as far as I can take you, so you’re on your own for here on out.” the driver says with a blunt tone. “Do you need a reminder of the mission?”

“No thanks, I remember.”

“For your sake I hope you do. A job like this is too good for someone as irredeemable as you.”

As he spoke, his tone of voice grew bitter, like he’s raring to take actions into his own hands. His dislike of me is clear, confirming my suspicions that he hates me with all his heart.

While my safety is assured, I still feel myself trembling. I never thought I could bring such anger out of a person. It wasn’t until what I did that I started to see this side of people.

You're looking at a twenty-five-year prison sentence, says the director. His fist crashes against the metal table of the interrogation room. I refuse to talk. I can see the writing on the wall, I know how I got here. I refuse to look at him, so I keep my head down. It’s the only thing I can do at this point.

Everyone in the courtroom begins to murmur. He doesn’t look like the type to do something like that, says an older man. Look at him holding his head down, says a young woman, he isn’t even showing remorse. Didn’t he have a chance to contact the police, asks an older woman, he had to be more than just an accessory. That man isn’t my son, my mother yells from her seat in the courtroom. Hearing their assumptions makes my head spin, but I take a deep breath. It’s not like they were there.

Each time I think about what happened in the courtroom, I realize that it wasn’t what I did that made them angry. It was what I didn’t do.

The driver clicks his tongue and turns back towards the steering wheel. He starts the car and drives away, leaving me alone on the side of the road. There isn’t a single person around and I figure that’s the exact reason why this place was built. Now that I think about it, this place must have been built a long time ago.

The wood looks beaten up, like it has taken its fair share of heavy weather during its time. That goes for the large gate and the cobblestone ground of the plaza as well. It doesn’t look like an area that would go unnoticed, so I wonder why someone would want to operate in a place like this. It makes me think, how dangerous are these people to be operating in plain sight?

I straighten my brown jacket while running my hand through my blonde hair, in preparation for what's to come. Walking through the gate, my phone starts ringing. Seeing as how I am on everyone’s shit-list at the moment, who on earth would be calling me right now? And as far as anyone else is concerned, I’m awaiting my sentence in jail right now. Strangely enough, it's an unknown number too. Out of curiosity, I answer.

“Hello, Spencer.” says the man over the phone.

“Huh, it’s you? Wait, when did you get my number?”

The man laughs, “What, did you think you were a free man or something? Your whereabouts are my responsibility until the job is done.”

“I assume this is why I wasn’t given a way to communicate with you.”

“Wow, you pick up on things quick! Now if you had done the same earlier, you wouldn’t have gotten yourself caught up in that mess of yours…”

This condescending voice belongs to the man who calls the shots from his so-called “third-party”. It isn’t every day that I get to cross paths with someone like him. I can remember the look in his eyes. It was as if he had his sights set on me from the beginning, like a predator confronting its prey. But he didn’t devour me, no, he came bearing an offer I couldn't refuse. That man is Jonathon Peak.

“Anyways, I was informed by Edgar that he dropped you off at the spot. I hope he wasn’t too rough with you.”

“I just walked through the gate, and no he didn't do anything to me, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t tempted too.”

“Strange, he usually doesn’t show that much restraint. He often considers my instructions to be mere suggestions.”

My throat tightens, as I take a deep breath “So I got lucky?”

“Maybe, or perhaps he realized how important this job is. You’d look suspicious with a black eye.”

“I’m finding your lack of care for my well-being to be a bit worrying.”

“Why should I? This is the same respect you showed those victims.” he snaps. “In any case, it’s up to you to find the target, along with the building they’re held in.”

“Figures you wouldn’t give me that much.”

“If we knew any of that, we would’ve handled this ourselves. Luckily for you, you get a chance to earn a get out of jail free card.”

The sound of that is gut wrenching because I shouldn’t even be involved in any of this. It was the only choice I had. I was only doing my job, someone else was handling all the dirty work.

“Another thing, your signal is getting weaker. A-are y-you wa-w-walking through the p-plaza...”

“Yeah, I am...hello?” I say before looking at my phone. Weirdly enough I’ve run out of signal. How is there a dead zone in a place like this?

Looking around the wide-open plaza, it’s like this place has been stuck in time for quite a while. I walk over to the stone fountain at the center and look at the bottom. There isn’t even a drop of water, and it looks like that has been the case for a long time. I touch the stone to confirm and it’s bone dry. Perhaps it’s the heat of the beaming sun above that dried it out. How long would something like that take?

Further in is a slew of heavily decorated residential buildings. The construction of each house looks uniquely Elven in their design, which explains the craftsmanship of the walls surrounding this place. Along the wooden columns of each house, is some sort of design that calls back to nature. Whether its woodland carvings etched into the columns or a series of vines that snake around the sturdy construction, no one could confuse such elaborate architecture.

It’s common to find Elven buildings here in the country of Humanity, but it’s not every day that you'd find this many in one place. Let alone completely forgotten.

I knock on one of the front doors. The sound of each knock ring’s a bit hollow, so it’s unsurprising that no one is answering. After a couple of minutes, I knock even louder, expecting someone to stumble over to answer the door. But it never happens. What is this place? It’s unthinkable to consider a place this huge to be empty, and what’s strange is that everything here is a bit too organized.

The marketplace is abandoned but the baskets seem to have been set upright. The fountain looks worn, but it doesn’t look as weathered as one might expect being in the middle of the deserted plaza. Then there’s the houses. I’d expect at least a window or two to be broken or for the doors to be unlocked, but that isn’t the case.

Now that I think about it, if someone does live here, they could jump out from any of these buildings and do anything. They could be the same person that’s holding my target captive. Due to the chilling feeling of the unknown, my shoulders begin to tremble. Glancing through some of the windows, I’m met with my reflection. If the ID card Jonathon gave me isn't convincing enough, I could be as good as dead. An outcome like that is something I want to avoid.

Walking down the streets paved with stone, I get to an intersection. Between the three paths in front of me, are more abandoned shops and stands at the street corners. On the path straight ahead is a seemingly never-ending path of the same houses on each side, while the other paths are to my left and right. Either have the potential to lead me towards the place I need to go. Wherever that may be.

I decide on the path to my right. There wasn’t any reason behind it, but it somehow felt right.

After a few minutes of walking down this path, I realize that I am lost. Or maybe I am going in the right direction? I honestly can’t tell. Each time I turn another corner, the row of houses before me start to look the same. No, they are the same.

Maze-like streets that have no end in sight. How could anyone live in a place like this? With how similar each building looks, I can imagine someone mistaking someone else’s home for their own. Everything just melds together. I’m starting to lose my sense of direction, but It’s too late to turn back. Because what feels certain is that I’m walking forward.

Chills start to run down my spine, as the memories of the events that brought me here begin to surface. Is that how it felt for them? No, that’s impossible. I was told that they wanted to be there, that they wanted to become famous. That they wanted to become stars of the aquarium. I didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes, since I work at the front desk. Terry was a hardworking man after all, he had a knack for finding that diamond in the ruft. He never mentioned how he found them, but I just assumed that he had an eye for talent. He was the director's son after all.

“Dammit, I need to focus.” I say to myself, taking a deep breath.

If I’m hoping to find the target, I should start looking for places that look a bit different. Although, that seems to be easier said than done. Maybe that’s why Jonathon had such a hard time finding them himself.

I’d like to think that they’re someone important, but if he’s sending me to help, I doubt that to be the case. Has the police been informed about any of this?

My phone rings again. I look at the caller ID, it reads unknown. Maybe it’s Jonathon again, but then I notice that my phone service is still unavailable. Not knowing what to make of this, I answer the call.

“Hello…”

“Who are you?” answers an unfamiliar voice. It’s a young girl.

“Who-”

“Don’t answer my question with another. Tell me who you are.”

She must be sensing the shakiness in my voice because her tone is growing more impatient. How can I answer a question like that to someone I don’t even know? Then I remembered the ID card.

“M-my name is Alan Clover.” I respond with a slight stumble of words.

“Who?” she snaps back.

“Alan-”

“I heard your name you dolt; I’m asking why you’re here! How did you find this place?”

Has this person been watching me? I had a feeling someone might be, but for them to be so upfront about it isn’t something I expected. Looking over both my shoulders and up in the air, I found nobody in sight.

“Why are you looking around like some weirdo? You’re acting real suspicious right now?” she says in disgust, like she’s watching an insect wiggle around.

From the sound of her voice, I can tell she isn’t the type of person who would let this go. If she has something to do with my objective, then I just need to stick to the identity Jonathon made for me. If she’s not, well that isn’t something I want to think about.

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting to speak to you like this. I’m the new hire. I was told to go to your facility, but it seems that I’m a bit lost.”

“New hire...I think I might have heard something about that. Well, if you are the guy Ms.Oppix is expecting, why are you acting so strange?”

I chuckle, “Forgive me, it's just that today is my first day on the job. Cut me a bit of slack.”

“What are you laughing for? Ugh, why does she only hire weirdos. Fine, I’ll tell you where to go since you’re lost.”

While she did sound disappointed, she told me the directions towards her facility. All I need to do is take the next left and walk down four blocks before taking another left. She mentioned something about her boss only hiring weirdo’s. I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, but if someone like her is working at this facility, I’m sure it’s going to be trouble.

It’s been thirty minutes since I got that call. I thought she might call me again at some point, but I haven't heard anything since then. Even my phone signal is still unavailable and the call itself isn’t in my call history. How was she watching me the entire time? I haven’t seen any cameras anywhere, but she knew enough about where I was to give me exact directions. Who are these people? Could I be walking into a trap?

It’s not like I would be able to tell either since each of the buildings I’ve walked past still look identical. Though to my surprise, down the next street corner is a unique looking building. It shares the same design as the rest, but it’s much wider and looks to have more floors. That must be the place.

Walking up to the large wooden door, I hear shouting from the balcony above.

“Finally, you're here, it took you long enough.” yells a young woman from the balcony above. Judging from her voice, she’s responsible for the mysterious call I got earlier. Standing on the balcony with her hands on hips, she points downwards at me. She sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the repetitive buildings with her red and white plaid dress. To my surprise, she takes a sudden leap to the ground below. Her heels clicking as she lands on her feet, proving that she’s used to these kinds of stunts.

“Hmm…” she says while looking at me up and down. “You’re almost my type, but you look a bit too nerdy.”

She crosses her arms in disapproval, as if I was looking for her approval in the first place.

“Well, you’re a bit too forward for my tastes. Besides, what’s up with that dress? You look like a child.” I shout back to her while pointing at her twin brown ponytails.

“Well, that’s too bad. Everyone tells me that my youthful appearance is my appeal, so only a weirdo like you would think that” she says, while confidently resting her hand on her chest.

“For both your sake and the guys that are ‘fawning over you’, I really hope you learn to grow up.”

Too angry to utter another insult, we look at each other in disdain. Though now that I’m getting a good look at her, she’s pretty. I can tell by her pointy ears that she’s an elf, so its hard to discern her age. Elves can live far longer than humans and at the same time their youthfulness never fades. It’s a shame her attitude doesn’t match her natural beauty.

The large door of the building creeps open.

“Oh my, Arisa, who is this man?” asks an elven woman coming from inside.

“You don’t recognize him? He said he’s the new guy you hired.”

“Oh, that’s right, Mr.Clover, was it? I’m sorry, with so much going on recently I’d nearly had forgotten. My name is Cynthia Oppix, and this unruly girl is my assistant, Arisa Keap.”

Finally, I thought. Someone with natural charisma and class, unlike the girl who continues to stare at me. Judging by the way she carries herself, it’s safe to assume that she’s much older than Arisa. What’s even better, is that she seems to be the person in charge here.

“It’s nice to meet you Ms.Oppix. I know it’s my first day on the job, but I’ll be sure to not disappoint. I am in your care.” I say to her while giving a soldier’s salute.

“Aren’t you overselling it too much?” Arisa asks, still giving me the same look of disdain.

“Oh my, it’s been a while since we’ve had someone so enthusiastic join our team. Come now, let's go inside so we can get you started.”

Arisa runs to Ms.Oppix’s side as we head inside. The cherrywood stained floors creak ever so slightly as we walk, causing the woman at the front desk to lift her head. Just like the two I just met, she's an elf as well. Nothing about her looks out of the ordinary, so she must’ve been tending to his work. It reminds me of my job as a receptionist before all of this.

Ms.Oppix waves her hand at her, signaling her to press a button on the front desk. As the thick wooden door closes behind us, we make our way down the long hallway. I notice that most of the rooms are empty, with complicated-looking equipment set up inside. A group of researchers walk out of one the rooms ahead. As they’re walking past us, their white lab coats shuffle about like a blown curtain. They look more like doctors, but why would they be practicing here in the first place? I haven’t seen a single patient either.

We stop at the entrance at the end of the hall.

“Alex, through this door is where we do most of our research.” Ms.Oppix says before opening the door.

Beyond the entrance, is a huge room with a large device in the center. Its presence feels almost ominous because of the various blinking lights, and how much it resembles an enormous missile. Then there's the dark metallic walls, which make the atmosphere feel cold and confining. Groups of the same researchers are working on huge computers around the center while conversing amongst each other. Their keyboards flicker away like a laser light show as they’re hard at work typing away.

What’s surprising to see is that most of them are elves and dwarves. I expected to see only elves here, since so much of the architecture outside looks Elven. I never expected to see this many people working here either, given that this place is hidden away amidst all those buildings. Is my target one of these people?

“What’s wrong? You got cold feet?” Arisa asks with a smug look.

“What, No! I just didn’t expect you to have such state-of-the-art technology.”

“It’s impressive right? We’re currently conducting experiments on dwindling species.”

“What is there to figure out? It’s like that one philosopher said during that age of “old humans”, it’s survival of the fittest. Those that can’t adapt will be devoured by the strong.” I say to her with a shrug of my shoulders. Arisa’s eyes light up.

“That is a rather good observation Mr.Clover, and it’s one that has already been tested. Vampires currently reign supreme because of that same concept. However, no matter the odds, that shouldn’t have become the case.” Ms.Oppix explains while leading us through the lab, with her head tilted back.

Her statement didn't make much sense, but she sounds confident. As far as I know, vampires have always been a dominant force since the war, so it’s no surprise that when their leader wanted to claim peace, every other race was forced into submission. Even those that still had existing conflicts were compelled to squish it. It was a blessing for humans like me because it meant that we would no longer get caught in the middle of the conflict. Although, the constant abuse from other races hasn’t stopped.

“As researchers, we’re trying to figure out how the vampires broke their latent taboos.” Arisa leans in, adding to Cynthia’s explanation.

“Precisely. No species on this planet can bypass their given taboo, no matter how strong they might be. This is what led to our examination of the other species that are almost extinct, because unlike vampires, those species abided by the taboos that bind their species together. Even when it meant their certain demise.”

“You’re saying that you’re seeking a way to undo a species' taboos?” I asked in bewilderment, as it sounded like the impossible. Even the notion that vampires managed to do it sounds crazy enough.

“That’s right! And who knows, it might cure those human qualities you have.” Arisa says with a shake of her head, taunting me while pointing her finger.

“What Arisa means to say is that if our research succeeds, the mark on your tongue could someday disappear.”

Even after they explained it, my mind couldn’t comprehend it. The mark on my tongue signifies that I am in fact human. An average, bog standard, run-of-the-mill human. It’s been the same for all of us for generations, so if there's a chance that could change, it would be something out of a dream.

When I was younger, I asked my mother why I was different from everyone else, she told me “Because some have to live with the choices made in the past.” Us, the remaining humans, are a byproduct of our ancestors' indecisiveness. When they were faced with the option to evolve, they remained reluctant. The result of their hesitation is the “X” mark we forever bear on our tongues. It signifies our punishment for wasting that precious opportunity, making it impossible for us to evolve.

As I’m thinking about it, a burning resentment surfaces. I can’t help but think that if I was met with the same choice, I would have chosen to become something strong, like a werewolf or an ogre. That way, my descendants wouldn't have to bend a knee to those whose ancestors made the right choice. But with the help of Ms.Oppix and her team, that could soon be possible.

“That sounds like an excellent cause, I’ll help in any way I can!” I say with a burst of enthusiasm.

“That is great to hear,” Ms.Oppix says with a smile. “But your job isn’t with R&D. Your employer informed us that you have great people skills, so we have a special assignment just for you.”

Dammit Jonathon, what lies did you tell them? I thought to myself, with a nervous smile.

“None of us have had any luck, but she’ll open up to you. You seem harmless enough, I bet you wouldn't even hurt a fly, right Ms.Oppix?” Arisa says with a sly grin, attempting to get under my skin yet again.

“Would you quit it already!” I shout, to which she then laughs even harder.

Ms.Oppix laughs, “Now, now, Arisa, Alan seems like a nice man, remember to go easy on him.”

Even though she came to my defense, it wasn’t how I hoped. With both of them laughing at my expense, I’m beginning to realize that this mission is going to be harder than I thought.

As I’m led further into the facility, this entire situation finally starts to set in. I’ve successfully infiltrated a secret facility, and have gotten to this without much effort, but it all happened so fast. Was that Jonathan's intention from the start? If so, it’s scary how easily he set this up. Although now that I think about it, he hasn’t been forthright with telling me the identity of my target. Has this been just a wild goose chase from the start?

What’s also concerning is this feeling that my presence isn’t welcome here either. I keep getting these weird looks from the scientists when I pass by them. Maybe they’re onto me? Perhaps they aren’t used to new faces. Whatever the reason might be, I try not to look them in the eye.

“Okay Mr.Clover, the subject is through this door.” Ms.Oppix says, standing before a large mechanical door.

“It all depends on how she reacts to you. No pressure.” Arisa says, patting me on the back.

I take a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll do my best!”

I’d hate to fail this late in the game, so all I need to do is enter the room with confidence. I hope she isn’t anything like Arisa, because that’ll just make keeping the act up a lot more complicated.

Ms.Oppix enters a passcode on the small keypad set up next to the door and it opens. At the corner of the room sits a small bed and chair. The walls are painted a soft pink with a lineup of stuffed animals sitting on the fluffy pink carpet. Unlike the rest of the facility, it looks like a place someone would want to live in. However, I didn’t see anyone inside.

Walking to the center of the room, the sunlight hits my eyes through the small window. If I was to raise my arm, I could touch the ceiling, but it’s cozy enough for someone to live here. In the upper left corner of the room, I notice the ears on the pink stuffed bunny shift around as if moving away from me. Strangely enough, in a world where I’m surrounded by fantasy creatures, I’ve never seen a stuffed animal move before.

Moving closer to the bunny, I end up finding something else instead. It’s a little girl holding onto the stuffed animal. Her eyes dart side-to-side, like she’s attempting to evade eye contact. This must be the sort of difficulty Arisa was referring to too. As she’s peeking from behind the stuffed animal, she seems like a very shy and quiet girl, but I notice something strange when looking at her eyes. The movement of her pupils are unnatural, as it’s like a camera lens moving in and out of focus.

“She’s a robot…” I mutter, as she squeezes her stuffed animal tighter.

If I never noticed her eyes, I would think she was human. Her peach-colored skin looks real along with her dark hair slightly covering her eyes. Considering how natural her features are, it would be more accurate to consider her an android.

“Oh Valerie, what are you doing in that corner?” Ms.Oppix says walking up to her with a click of heels, before grabbing her arm. Seemingly using all the strength, she has in her small frame, Valerie starts pulling back, but is easily overpowered.

“No! No!” she shouts, dropping her stuffed animal.

I don’t understand. Ms.Oppix is the nicest person I’ve met here so far, so why is she scared? The entire time Ms.Oppix is grabbing her arm she is holding her usual firm expression. However, the look on Valerie’s face was all too familiar. I’ve seen that look before, but unlike before, I needed to act.

“It’s okay Ms.Oppix I can handle this,” I say, taking Valerie's hand myself. “Hey, my name is Alan, Nice to meet you, Valerie.”

When she lets go of Valerie's arm, she immediately calms down. Although, I can tell she’s still uneasy. The way she’s looking up at me is the same as the other children. The same look that I pretended not to see.