Ten Down, Ten to Go

Amber woke up in a white room. White ceiling, white walls, white blankets. The same infirmary as when she lost her eye. She looked at her arm, which was still attached with a few stitches. Everything was almost blinding, with the exception of Micah next to a white water cooler, casually taking sips from a white mug. His light green polo shirt was a welcome change from everything else.

"What are you doing here?" She groaned.

"You needed a blood transfusion." Micah replied calmly, getting a second mug and filling it with water. "Nobody else wanted to do it, so here I am."

"You're telling me Vanessa doesn't want to donate blood?"

"She was scared that whatever came out of you would have attacked her." He shrugged.

"Oh right, that." Amber groaned, feeling where her eye should be.

"By the way, what was that?" Micah asked, casually drinking his water. "Power research is my specialty, and I've never seen anything like that."

"You mind telling me what happened? My mind's kinda blank."

"Basically, a bunch of shadows covered your body, your eye started glowing, and then you killed Valentina with no issue."

"Yep, that sounds accurate. So how come you aren't scared?"

"Can't afford to be. You're my ticket out of here."

"Yeah. Micah, you have yet to tell me what your end goal actually is." Valentina's theory was still ringing out in her head. Ulrich was the mole, so everything Micah said until now was a complete lie. If any of this was true, she wouldn't be letting him leave this place alive.

"Look, I can't tell you due to my crime not being revealed yet, but the second it is I'll tell you my plans, okay? It's a revolution in science destroyed, and I'm the only one who can replicate it! Not to mention, it's a little something your organization could get something out of."

"Got it." Amber affirmed quietly. This was probably another lie, but keeping him around might serve some purpose. "Look, it seems nobody besides you wants to work with me, so sure, I'll protect your dumb ass."

Micah got a message on his watch, making a surprised face as he did so.

"What happened?" Amber asked.

"It's from Leonie. She just told me to 'get the fuck out if the room if I like the idea of having two working kidneys.' Jokes on that bitch, I don't. But anyway, I should probably get going. Have a safe recovery!"

Before the door even closed as Micah left, Leonie was in the room.

"God, I thought that guy would never shut up." Leonie sighed. "But anyway, Miss Amber! Congratulations on passing!"

"Passing?" Amber asked, her eyes darting around the room.

"Yes, my dear. You happened to pass. Congratulations."

The smooth man's voice rang out throughout the room, Amber not being able to place where it was coming from. Until she felt something wet at the end of her hospital bed.

"Leonie, this isn't funny." Amber muttered, looking at the pool of blood at the end of her bed.

"What isn't funny, dear?" She asked, her lips edged with innocence.

"The pool of blood you put there! What the hell even is that?"

"Miss Amber, hell is a reasonable place if you give it a chance."

Out of the puddle of blood, a human body started emerging. Except with crimson red skin, neat black hair, and a calming black suit.

"Good day, miss Amber." He said coolly, sitting at the end of her bed.

"Leonie, who is this?" His green eyes piercing through her very soul.

"Oh, him? He's my boss. Runs the game, studio, and the city. Amber, allow me to introduce you to Mersache!"

"The pleasure's all mine." Mersache replied calmly, standing up and giving Amber a small applause. "As my wonderful subordinate said, I am the man who rules Nova, and the creator of the criminals gauntlet. I made this gauntlet for a very specific reason. And you my dear, happened to pass."

"Okay, what test did I pass exactly?" Amber asked, getting more frantic by the second. "I'm assuming this is something to do with whatever happened a while back?"

"Correct, miss Amber!" Mersache replied. "It has long been rumoured that humans are capable of surpassing their limits and tapping into a divine state of being. Which is you, my dear! Meaning all my efforts were worth it!"

"Okay, so let me get this straight." Amber asked. "You started this game to get a bunch of people to kill each other, and hoped that someone would awaken?"

"A less nuanced way of saying it, but yes." Mersache nodded. "But I must congratulate you. You are now guaranteed to win this gauntlet. In return, I ask that you assist me in future projects."

"Like what, hosting another game? Absolutely fucking not! I'm not working for you for any of your murderous…"

Mersache pointed a finger at her, scowling as he did so. Without any chance of warning, he launched a shot of blood into her forehead. Amber felt all of her body's energy drain, watching as Mersache flattened his palm in front of her. He raised his thumb, and Amber's right hand moved up. He raised his middle finger upward, and Amber leaned forward. Mersache wiped the blood of her forehead, and Amber felt the life return to her body. Her body was overcome with a cold sweat as she gasped for air.

"I won't ask for much. Until I need you, you are free to live your life. But disobey my orders, and I will take actions into my own hands. Anyway, goodbye."

"Wait, am I the new mole?" Amber asked.

"No. The old one is still here." Mersache replied, turning his back before melting into a pool of blood which crept away.

"Well, good luck with the new work, I guess. Also, date him. Do it for me." Leonie whispered.

"I don't owe you shit." Amber replied coldly.

"Got it." Leonie replied excitedly. "Anyway, I'll see you later."

Odebode knocked on the door to Cyrus room, and Andrei opened it.

"Oh hey, you're Cyrus friend, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." Odebode sighed. "How's he holding up?"

"He's…" Andrei glanced at Cyrus staring into the ceiling. "…Not the best. He's just been doing that since he came back."

"Figured." Odebode replied, glancing at Cyrus body. "Mind if I come in?"

"Sure thing, man." Andrei nodded, walking out. "I'll go get myself something to eat."

Odebode slowly walked into the room, looking over Cyrus.

"Hey." Cyrus said calmly.

"How you doing?" Odebode asked.

"Better than I thought I'd be." Cyrus replied, without a hint of emotion in his voice.

"That's good, I guess." Odebode nodded slowly.

"I'm just…thinking, I guess. About Valentina."

"How long did you know her, anyway?"

"I was assigned as her guard at fifteen. So four years. She wanted to change the system. Talk to the people following her rules and challenge the main people in power. She was the smart one, and I was the one who acted on her orders. But now I need to act on my own orders."

"So…are you gonna do it?" Odebode asked.

"There's the issue." Cyrus sighed. "I gave myself the go-ahead to do something, and my first thought was murder. I don't exactly consider myself the most trustworthy of individuals."

"So what you doing if you get out? Working for another Nova?"

"Nah, the rest of them are the most insufferable bastards I know." Cyrus grunted. "Besides, I can't work for them anyway."

He removed his hat and lifted up his fringe. Below it was a capital T burned onto his head.

"Woah, the hell is that?" Odebode asked. "Does that hurt?"

"After two months, not really." Cyrus replied calmly. "But when a family guard breaks the trust of the Nova Families, they are branded a traitor. Valentina got it too, I think she was the first direct family member to get it."

"Damn." Odebode sighed.

"We went against the greater Nova's and were dealt with accordingly. It appears they are halfway through accomplishing their goals."

"Right." Odebode replied. "So what are you doing now?"

"For starters, I'm getting out. At this point, I don't care who here I have to hurt to win this."

"Does that include me?"

"Valentina liked you, so if I can, I'll keep you alive." Cyrus responded. "But on to Valentina's goal, reforming the Nova families. I'm unfortunately not cut out for that type of activity, so destroying them seems to be the next best thing."

"Des…wait, what?!" Odebode yelled. "How the hell are you planning on doing that?"

"Nova City contains roughly a hundred million people. Level four and five combined make up roughly fifteen million. So if we get level three to agree, we should be fully capable of overthrowing what towers above us."

"And then?" Odebode asked.

"We'll destroy the concepts of 'levels'. We'll grant everyone in Nova access to an equal playing field, and usher in a golden age of innovation."

"Got it." Odebode answered uneasily. "I'm guessing this means ability type discrimination will be dealt with?"

"Naturally." Cyrus nodded. "If all goes well, then all types of discrimination will be dealt with."

"Right. That settles it, I'm coming too." Odebode replied, his eyes loading up with determination. "If that's your plan, then I'll follow you to the end of this city."

He hadn't the faintest idea on what Cyrus was talking about, but it sounded good. Equality was good, and ending discrimination was definitely good. So if Cyrus was right, he'd help him. The time to destroy Nova was coming, and he was ready.