《Come Sevenfall》


 The boy named Seven - 1.1

    A Record in Regards to Number 7 --


    In the year 2236 CE, the timeline of the Earth ended. That is, the Earth ceased to exist. The events that lead up to such an unfortunate conclusion all hinged on the existence of Alicia Whitehill, the daughter of the 17th president of the Confederate of North America.


    Born an albino with certain health defects caused by mutations in several of her genes, she had caught the interest of a certain secret scientific research organization, Pandora, which had a long standing association with the United Social-Communist Union. The USCU, after WWIV, had entered into a cold war and arms race with the CNA and its allies. This situation was very reminiscent of the events after WWII.


    Read more...Quite by accident, Pandora came across Alicia''s medical records on the black market, and due to the unique nature of her genetic mutations, they kidnapped her for their research in enhanced abilities. As such, this action lead to the beginning of WWV and the rise of the photon bomb.


    The photon bomb was a bomb 10,000,000 times the radioactive power of the atom bomb with none of the destructive capabilities.That meant it could wipe out the population of an entire country the size of England without destroying any buildings. This bomb had begun development two months after the end of WWIII, when scientist Evan Allen Stinoch had a major breakthrough in splitting a high-energy photon.


    As a national scientific researcher of the neutral country of New Poland, and due to the stipulations of retaining neutral status as stated in the International Relations Code of Conduct, Stinoch was required to release any and all scientific research he may have conducted to the Interweb. However, to prevent the consequences if such research was known worldwide, Stinoch wrote his research finds in such a way that he was the only one able to decipher them. As a result, he was the target of many nations when WWIV broke out. After several months of being pursued, he accepted asylum from the CNA where he continued his research. He completed it only months before WWV.


    The abduction of Alicia Whitehill did not have a graceful conclusion. While President Whitehill spared no effort in finding her, no results were to be had. Pandora had covered their tracks to perfection. No trace of her was to be found. Nine years were spent in a fruitless search for her before finally, at the end of the ninth year, Alicia reappeared dead on the President''s doorstep almost unrecognizable if not for her white hair. Along with her body was a short note:


    "Thanks for the gift, but we''re done playing with it. You can have it back now." - Pandora


    Enraged, President Whitehill demanded that the USCU hand over the members of Pandora to be tried. The United Social-Communist Union refused, and President Whitehill, in return, declared war.


    WWV lasted for a surprisingly short amount of time, around two months, but the war had devastating and unexpected consequences. By its end, 68% of the world''s population had been decimated. The photon bomb had been heavily utilized, and now, both countries were on the verge of collapse.


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    In the nine years that Alicia went missing, Pandora performed a myriad of experiments on her. However, to Pandora, the experiments they were able to perform were not nearly enough. Due to her weak constitution, Pandora spent more time trying to keep her alive than experimenting on her. As such, they were only able to use her as a basic reference. Her health defects, when combined with the research they were able to conduct, shortened her lifespan by a massive degree.


    Pandora was forced to turn to another source utilizing the culmination of their research on Alicia''s DNA. A clone with various modifications was created from her genes, a test tube baby that they hoped to be able to experiment with to their pleasure.


    Born five years after Alicia had been kidnapped, Number 7 was the only successful clone of the batch. By this time, Alicia had been dead for almost two years, She had been preserved for the sake of her genes, only for Pandora to later use her corpse to incite a war.


    Six other clones had been attempted, but none had survived past the six month mark. Initially, females were created, the thought process being that the same gender as Alicia would produce similar results. Strangely enough, they discovered that males that had a higher success rate.


    Number 1 and 2, both females, lived only weeks before dying of genetic instability. Number 3, also female, lived for a month before dying of the same reasons. Number 4, the last female, slowly went insane due to her limited mental capacity being overloaded and dying of stroke two months later. With Number 5, the first male, they had greater success as he was able to handle greater mental loads. However, after five months, he also died of stroke. Number 6 lived three months before his brain shut down into a vegetative state. Five months later, his heart stopped even with the various advanced medical technology that had so long kept him alive. Number 7 was the last.


    There was substantial pent up frustration, anxiety, and desperation within Pandora at his birth. If Number 7 died, that was it, the end of everything they had worked for. There wasn''t enough time or money. The CNA''s investigations were getting too close for comfort, and the USCU wasn''t willing to provide funding any longer if they weren''t producing results.


    The most important factor, however, was that Alicia''s DNA had gradually broken down over the years and was no longer able to be utilized in the cloning process. She, after all, had been dead for quite some time now.


    Number 7 was, in all reality, their last scrap of hope in the bottom of the box. The six month mark was the critical point where Number 7''s ability to live was decided. Only after Number 7 had lived past those six months did Pandora dare let out their breaths.

 Pandoras Boy - 1.2

    Alicia''s clones grew fast, both in body and in mind. By the time Number 7 was two years old, Pandora found that he hisbody and mentality wereseveral years older. It was at this time that he started to take notice of the world. He was a very quiet child. He preferred watching others and would sit very still when any examinations were done. It, quite frankly, unnerved the doctors.


    Even when Seven was very young, he hardly ever made a sound, unlike his sibling clones. It almost seemed as if each one were noisier than the last. It got to the point where Number 5 once cried for four days straight, nearly driving everyone in the complex mad. Having gotten used to loud infants, Number 7 was... unnerving, to say the least.


    All of Alicia''s clones had similar coloring to her, extremely pale skin, white hair,watery blue eyes. Except Seven. He had a set of bright greeneyes. Julia Parkins, the resident secretary and personal assistant of the Director of Pandora, was often jealous of those eyes that reminded her of emeralds. They seemed to swallow everything into a world of his own making.


    It was also at this time that strange things began to happen around him, things that Pandora could have never predicted. It was first noticed by Doctor Johan Hektate, the lead scientist overseeing the conspicuously named Whitehill Project, when he found Seven in the morgue where Pandora stored the preserved bodies of Alicia and her clones.


    When relating the incident later, Dr. Hektate said he had been walking past the morgue when he heard voices. Finding it strange, he opened the door to find Number 7 standing in the middle of the room talking to himself.


    "Seven," Hektate said, "What are you doing here? In the first place, how did you even get out? Your room is always locked. It should have been impossible for you to... how?" He stared at Seven, who seemed momentarily startled before a strange gleam appeared in his eyes. All of a sudden, he darted over to Dr. Hektate and pulled on his sleeve, leading him further into the morgue.


    "Jo! Jo, look, look, look! I found them!" Seven spoke as excitedly pointed his small finger at the dimly lit, glowing tubes of liquid. "That''s Mama isn''t it? They''re here like they said they were!"


    At first, Hektate was surprised. He had never seen Seven act this way. The boy was a dull child. There were a few that even speculated whether or not he was mentally disabled. To hear more than one word out of him at a time was as rare as finding diamonds on the side of the road.


    Only after his initial surprise passed did Seven''s words register.


    Confusion filled Hektate''s eyes. Where had Seven learned about Alicia? This breach in information highly concerned him. He would very quickly need to plug this breach. If Seven was ableto find out such things, then who knows who else it might have leaked to.


    "Seven, who told you about your mama?"


    "They did," Seven stated simply. Hektate''s brows wrinkled.


    "Who is they?" Seven looked at the doctor like he was stupid.


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    "They did," Seven said again, this time emphasizing it with the point of index finger. Hektate''s followed the direction he was pointing. He found himself looking at the bodies peacefully floating in the vats of yellowish-green liquid.


    Hektate shuddered quite forcefully.


    "You mean t-them?"


    Seven wasexasperated. Who else could he have meant? Carefully studyingthe boy, Hektate felt a bit silly. He let what Seven said shake him up, and now, he was annoyed at himself for it.


    "Explain. How did they tell you?"


    Number 7 paused for a moment, as if debating whether or not to tell the doctor.


    "I found Two first," he paused once more before continuing. "She''s really nice to me and talks to me the most. Then I met Five and Three and Four and One and Six. Six, he''s the one that told me about this room. Two helped me find it."


    Hektate was quiet. His mind swiftly calculated the possibilities that arose from Seven''s words. His eyes lit up when he settled on a conclusion. Number 7 was watching him during this, watching the changes in his expression as his thoughts ran. When Seven saw that sparkle, the corners of his mouth pulled up slightly. He took a deep breath and asked the question that had been burning through his veins.


    "Jo, why didn''t anyone tell me about them? Why didn''t anyone tell me about my Mom and brothers and sisters?"


    "They''re dead. That''s the only reason. Who cares aboutdead people," Dr. Hektate said in a distracted manner. His mind was obviously elsewhere. Seven''s heart frosted over. His fingernails dug sharply into his small hands. A dark look passed over his eyes.


    All of a sudden an alarm soundedand green lights began to flash, swiveling like search lights hanging from the ceiling. Both of them started. Dr. Hektate sighed in relief when he noticed the color that was flashing. Threat level green was a low level threat, an internal problem that was usually of an inconsequential nature.


    A second later his old fashioned comm crackled to life. He refused to use any of the updated meta-links. Having something inserted into his brain was just asking for the government to come digging. Julia was the only one who put up with it. As such, she was the only one who ever talked to him over the old thing.


    "Dr. Hektate, I was told to inform you of the current situation."


    "Green, huh? I think I know the reason. But go ahead and tell me, Julia."


    He motioned at Seven to not move anywhere and stood blatantly in front of the morgue door. Seven''s face grew grumpy. Clearly, Dr. Hektate was not allowing him to go anywhere.


    Seven turned and stared at the glowing tubes. A sad expression flitted across his face. He wished he could stay here for just a bit longer.

 Pandoras Boy - 1.3

    "It seems that Number 7 has somehow disappeared from his room. We''re not sure how he managed to, but Director Nero would like to have him found as quickly as possible. We need your permission to search your labs."


    "About that, there''s no need to continue searching. I just happen to have him right here next to me. I don''t know the reason, but I found him just now in the morgue."


    "The morgue?"


    "Also, Julia, tell Nero I need to speak with him."


    "Will do, Dr. Hektate, though i would appreciate it if you told me how you found him afterwards. It sounds like an interesting story. The morgue, really. Anyway, I''ll send Manti up for Number 7. Go ahead and make your way to Director Nero''s office. I''ll inform him you are coming."


    "Thanks Julia."


    "Jo," Seven said quietly, "I don''t want to go."


    "You have to, though."


    "Then, can I stay for just a bit longer?"


    "Seven, this is a nonnegotiable matter. You already snuck out of your room. Enough is enough. I can''t allow you to stay here any longer."


    Seven stared at Dr. Hektate. His eyebrows drew together, his eyes watered, and his lips bunched up. He took a deep breath, allowing the crocodile tears to spill over in waterfalls before beginning to cryat the top of his lungs.


    Hektate was appalled. He didn''t know what to do. Seven had never thrown a tantrum before. Not once. Hektate couldn''t haveimagined that his first would be as ear bursting as this.


    "Seven! What on Earth has gotten into you?"Hektate yelled over Seven.Almost impossibly, Seven''s screaminggrew louder and more grating in response.


    Finally having had enough, Hektateroared, "BEQUIET NOW, SEVEN!"Seven flinched and grew silent. He stared at the floor without daring to look up at Hektate.


    "You will go to your room, and you will stay there. You will reflect on your actions. You will not be receiving dinner. If you still cannot behave yourself, then I will have to rethink providing your breakfast and lunch tomorrow as well. Understood?"


    The morgue grew silent as Hektate stared at the boy.


    "Two," the boy whispered. He looked overto the small body floating in the capsule. "Jo hates me."


    The silence grew to a stifling point.


    "Doctor," a voice sounded, and the unnatural silence shattered. Hektate twitched, then turned towards the opened door.


    "Manti. Good. You''re here. I''ll leave Number 7 to you, then. I''ll be taking my leave."


    "Yes, sir."


    Hektate walked out of the room with a frown on his face. Gathering his thoughts, he walked to Director Nero''s office, He took a deep breath to settle himself and entered after knocking briefly.


    "You never wait for me to respond, always barging in like that."


    "Sorry," Hektate said as he padded across the thick carpet and slid into a leather cushioned couch.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident."We both know you''re not. You manage to do it every single time. What are you here for this time?"


    "Blunt as always, are we, Nero? What happened to the friendly chats we used to have?"


    "Friendly chats? You and I have very different memories, apparently. Talk. You''re wasting my time."


    "Yeesh. How harsh." Nero glared at him. "Alright, alright. I''ll talk. You''d think I was being tortured. You heard that I found Number 7 in the morgue, right?"


    "Yes," Nero said. Hektate paused for a second.


    "Nero, are you sure we should be doing this? I mean, we''re starting the more active experiments tomorrow. We haven''t gotten this far with a clone before, and it''s not going to be pretty. That little boy is going to be in a lot of pain from now on. He may even break from it. Are you really sure that we should be playing with life like this?"


    "Johan. Stop stalling. Get on with it."


    "Not even listening to my heartfelt pleas, huh? Fine then. Nero, do you know if anyone has told Number 7 about the other numbers or even Alicia?"


    "No. No one has spoken about it. They were ordered not to. It was determined that it would have too much of a detrimental impact. It would just be a hassle to deal with."


    "He knows about them."


    "What do you mean?"


    "He was in the morgue where their bodies are stored. Nero, he went specifically to that morgue. We have plenty of other morgues, several of which are much closer to his room. He could have gone to any of them. In fact, why did he even go to a morgue? Any other room would have been just fine. But no, he chose to travel across the compound to the only morgue where the numbers are kept. Do you think that is just a coincidence?"


    "Honestly, it very well could have been. That doesn''t tell me he knows about them."


    "No, you wouldn''t think that was enough. There mightbea leak."


    "Johan Hektate. I will not have you implying that one of my employees is selling information." Nero''s eyes grew very cold.


    "Nero, hear me out. When I found Number 7, do you know what the first thing he said to me was? He told me he found them. Then he pointed at Alicia and told me it was his Mom."


    "What?"


    "He even listed off the other numbers. Every single one of them. Does he even know how to count? I don''t think we ever taught him that. But even stranger was that he used them like names. He told me Two liked talking to him and that Six told him about the morgue. He even got their genders correct. Nero, how do you explain that?"


    Nero grew very still. "You think it''s a leak? Why tell the boy?"


    "It could be. But honestly, that''s a good question. I do have another theory, but you''re not going to like it."


    "Tell me."


    "Number 7 might be psychic. He might be a medium."


    "Johan. You think he can talk to the dead," Nero said in a monotone voice.


    "I don''t know how else to explain it. Do you? And if it''s true, it''s infinitely better than a leak."

 Pandoras Boy - 1.4

    Nero sighed, rubbing his temple.


    "Fine, Johan, I''ll have Marcy look into him being a medium or whatever. As a favor. Do you understand? You owe me for this."


    "But Nero-"


    "No buts, Johan." Nero cut him off. "Look, I know that you are interested in this, but it''s not something that will produce any quantitative results. We''re on a strict schedule, and with all the set backs we''ve had, we''re barely keeping it as it is."


    "Nero, there could be something here, though. Just think of it! It could be the breakthrough we''ve been waiting for!"


    "What are you expecting to find, Johan? That the boy can actually speak to ghosts? That he is some kind of freak psychic? And how, Johan, would that help us? Even if I did believe in that kind of thing, which I don''t, you know it''s not the type of result the USCU is looking for. They''re breathing down my neck enough as it is, and it''s enough of a problem already that Number 7 got out. Now I have to find a leak. I don''t need this on my plate right now."


    Johan scowled. "Look, Nero. I know this isn''t something you''re interested in," Nero snorted, "but I don''t think you''re looking at the possibilities here. Imagine an assassin who not only has super human capabilities, but can talk to the dead! There''d be no need to torture anyone for information! Just kill the guy and talk to his ghost!"


    "Interesting proposal, but I''d like to get back to work now."


    Now, Johan Hektate was truly angry. This was not what he wanted to hear when he came to this office. He had hoped Nero wouldplace some importance on Seven''s actions. He did not expect his wordsto be belittled.


    "I''d rather you not degrade me," he said through clenched teeth.


    "Johan, look, I''m sorry. I know you''re angry and disappointed with my answer, but this is just the way things are. If we had more time, I''d love to explore this possibility with you, but we just don''t."


    "If you would just-"


    "Need I tell you the schedule? Need I tell you the specifics that we are trying to create, specifics that the USCU designated? I can''t deviate from it! Johan! You don''t realize just how much my hands are tied!"


    "And what are those specifics, pray tell, Nero," Johan said out of spite.


    "You really want me to go there? Fine, I''ll go there just for you. We''re trying to create a freakingsuper soldier for the freaking USCU. Just one soldier, and it''s taking us years to do it! A soldier whose body can function perfectly normal for extended periods of time even when being practically bathed in nuclear radiation. One with strength and a durable body, able to take high amounts of stress, with an advanced immune system. One with a freaking higher regeneration ability and that''s just the basics! The only reason we went through the hassle of kidnapping Whitehill is because of her abnormal regeneration ability. Without it, there''s no way she''d live past a year old. And of course you know all about how hard it''s been to get her clones up to her level of regeneration, not to mention stabilizing it! You were there! For all of that! Frankly,Number 7 was a miracle, pure chance, a never-to-be-seen-again result of a lifetime! We can''t mess this up. All our hard work is just finally paying off. So, just please, help me keep the schedule."


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    Nero''s tirade of word slowly calmed down the more he talked, and it in turn, cooled Johan''s anger. He couldn''t help but be sympathetic to the director. Nero was the one that bore the full force to the USCU''s annoyance at every setback.


    "Are you feeling better now?" Johan asked. Nero looked at him sheepishly.


    "And you''re happy, I assume?"


    "To see you acting like a child and ranting your worries off to me? I must say I am. I do find it rather amusing. It''s such a rare occurrence."


    "I''m glad I could entertain you," Nero said wryly.


    Johan sighed and rose from his seat. "I suppose I should get back to work now. Must keep the schedule and all." He walked towards the door.


    "Johan, wait." The doctor paused with his hand onthe handle. "Thanks. For you know. Listening to me. I really needed it. And sorry about not being able to help."


    "You''ll still have Marcy look into it for me?" Nero nodded, and Hektate left the room.


    Director Nero sat still in his office, thinking back on the encounter. It probably wasn''t what Johan thought it was. He had always had an unusual interest in the supernatural despite being a scientist. Nero, in contrast to his friend, felt himself a practical man. It was impossible for him to believe in ghosts.


    For now, he had to keep the situation under the carpet. It wouldn''t due for the United Social-Communist Union to find out that not only was their a leak in their information, but that Pandora was unable to keep their little experiment under control.


    It was just his luck that the USCU was sending a sergeant of the People''s Army to supervise the increase in Number 7''s ''training'' regiment. So, yes, he would be looking into the matter, just not quite in the direction that Johan had wanted.


    He called several people into his office to be questioned about the information leak, but no results turned up. Either they wereso adapt at lying that the cynicalDirector couldn''t spot it, or they really didn''t know anything. Asking them how Number 7 escaped proved just as fruitless. It worried him that no one could figure it out.


    As a stopgap measure, he planned to have Number 7''s door be reinforced, his room thoroughly inspected, and a security camera place within. It would be costly. Previously hehad been trying to save on money as they were running dangerously low, but hopefully it would help solve the problem. Once the USCU witnessed Number 7''s current capabilities, Nero was sure the country would increase their meager budget.

 Pandoras Boy - 1.5

    Seven, at the moment, was rather miffed. He pouted the whole way back to his room while slung over Manti Johnson''s shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He was too mature to throw a tantrum, though. He would consider it an insult to his pride if he were compared to the bratty children he saw recently on reality TV shows. Rather, he pictured himself closer to children in fantasy novels he also recently discovered, the ones who, when confronted with a problem, especially one possibly affecting the fate of the world, would brilliantly solve it in a way that no adult could.


    Yeah, he was much more like those kids. He tried to suppress a grin that crept up as he thought of his recent escapade. It was a major success! And it was all because of his power. It was like he was a spy or a secret agent the way he had pulled everything off. From escaping his room to finding the morgue, everything went without a hitch. Even when an unexpected element waltzed right in when he least expected it, his superior acting skills worked like a charm. He had received some very delicious information, and to top it off his brilliant show of tears topped it all off. He was sure that Jo was completely thrown off the scent, and in turn everyone else as well. They might have figured out he had a power due to him escaping and turning up in the morgue. They might even have an idea of what power he had, but of course, it would be completely wrong. A protagonistshould always have a few cards up his sleeve, after all.


    Only, he was reminded that his faux tantrum landed himonce more locked in his room. And without dinner.


    Seven''s mood once again soured. Hestared angrily at the floor, his arms crossed and his bottom lip quivering. These were definitely not tears. Some dust got in his eye, that''s all. Manti must have kicked it up. Stupid Manti.


    And he definitely wasn''t moving, he decided. It was just that the floor was running away from his scorching glare in deathly fear. Only, the floor stopped running, and a quiet beeping came from behind him. The mechanical whoosh of a door opening signaled the end of his brief taste of freedom. Seven felt like he could breath anymore. That small experience of the freedom to decide what he wanted to do made him realize something.


    He would never be able to go back to being told constantly what to do and how to live. It was a rather terrifying life. He never knew how compliant he was before, how complacent he had been with his situation.


    In the midst of his self discovery, Manti deposited him on his thin mattress once again like a sack of potatoes. A second later the door whooshed behind him, and a loud clunk indicated the heavy lock falling into place. That sound made itfeel like heavy chains were wrapping around him.


    Freedom would now be a thing that he craved. He made a resolve that he would get it back by any means necessary. He would learn how to escape his room once more, a way that would work more than once.


    Honestly, it was just pure luck that Sevenhad managed to get out. He simply followed the ditsy and constantly distracted Marcy Simmons, his personal psychiatrist, out the door. Except, it hadn''t occurred tobefore he discovered his power two weeks ago. It wasn''t being able to talk to ghosts like he made Jo think. It was being able to see in any wavelength and to be able to manipulate those waves to a certain extent.Only, Seven didn''t know that was what his power was.


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    One night, he was woken up by a light. He found himself looking at a blue screen floating in the air. Curious, he touched it. A slight ripple like a rock thrown in the pond spread out from his finger. The screen changed and the light turned white. A long, skinny, rectangular box popped up. It had a circle with a line connecting to it at an angle inside it. He pressed the box and buttons arranged in rows appeared below the glowing screen. He discovered that each button had a letter inside.


    He had seen letters before. In the hall ways he''d pass huge ones painted on the walls whenever he went to the testing center. Thinking about those letters, he pressed the buttons for A and 24. What popped up astounded him. So many letters!


    It was a gateway to a wonderful world. Seven had discovered the interweb!


    If anyone were to ask, and if he was willing todescribe it, to him at that moment, his power was a floating blue screen. With it he taught himself many things. First was how to read. It was a difficult process, but this was where his intellect shined. Seven figured out he was a genius. While it might take most kids at least three years to read, it took him three days. His memorization skills could only be described as scary. He was very good at it.


    His power taught himabout TV shows and wonderful fantasy novels.It taught himabout how kids were supposed to be, and how abnormal he was compared to them. He learned about what a family was, and it made his heart ache. And most important, he learned about Alicia.


    First it was small mentions of her name in news casts several years back. Her picture caught his interest. She looked a lot like him. He began to look further into her and found that she had been kidnapped. Her last name bothered her. Whitehill. Project Whitehill. He had heard it several times.


    Searching for several days, he stumbled upon a a tightly tucked away report. It included a brief overview of theProject Whitehill. He learned about what he was. He learned about Alicia and the other clones. He learned about the morgue.


    The interweb had absolutely no restrictions for him. There was no such thing as a fire wall that could block him. He could get to anything he wanted, and it led to a thirst for answers, and in turn, to his first taste of freedom.


    <hr>


    Sorry about the different font sizes in the chapters, they''re giving me trouble :p - koallary

 Pandoras Boy - 1.6

    A week and a half after he discovered his power and a day after he had learned about the morgue, Seven began planning. Marcy would be coming in three days, and he knew that she was his best bet. But before then, he wanted to run some tests with his powers.


    First, he waited until Manti came to bring him dinner. Once Manti was in the room, he made the blue screen appear behind his back. He already found out earlier that he could make the blue screen appear, disappear, or even move however he wanted. He could even make multiple windows.


    He knew that it was a risky move. If Manti found out about his power, then all of Pandora would know, and of course, they would try and limit his overwhelming access to knowledge. He knew that knowing too much would make him difficult for them to control him. But this test, he had to know the result. It would mean everything.


    When Manti didn''t notice the suspicious glow that emanated from behind his back, Seven gathered more courage. He slowly inched his screen from behind his back as he took a bite of food. Manti continued to watch Seven eat with no obvious reaction to the screen. He would stand there until the boy had finished.


    Soon, Seven had the screen out in full view. Either Manti had an amazing poker face, or he couldn''t see the glowing blue screen. Seven broke out into a grin. He was willing to bet that no one but him could see it.


    "What are you smiling about?" Manti scowled. It further confirmed Seven''s suspicions.


    "Food''s good, " Seven said as finished his last bite of food. "Here. You can take the tray now."


    Manti grunted. He scooped up the tray and left the room.


    Three days later, Marcy came for Seven''s monthly mental checkup.


    Marcy always seemed strangely distracted to him. Today was no different. Following her out of his room would be a cinch. He patiently sat through all of her tests, a bit nervous about his upcoming escape attempt. Marcy didn''t seem to notice. Seven thought for the first time that she was rather incompetent at her job. Just what was distracting her?


    Suddenly, he had a thought. He didn''t know why he didn''t think of it before. The meta-link, she must be messing with her meta-link.


    He had read about the meta-link a few days ago and found that one thing it did was connected people to the Interweb. That gave him an idea. Could he connect to Marcy''s meta-link?


    After a few failed attempts, Seven found a path that allowed him into Marcy''s link. He nearly cried for joy. This was a huge find. Now that he could connect to meta-links, he had access to everything they had seen. This put him at a huge advantage. Everyone in Pandora had a link. Well, everyone except Jo. That old fogey.


    Only, he was a bit dumbfounded. Marcy was playing the link app, Furious Figs. What kind of idiot plays a game while doing a checkup on a patient? Didshe do this every time she came? Seven didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. Because of this, following her out the door was even easier than he had expected.


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    Finding his way to the morgue was a bit difficult before he figured out that he could pull up the security camera feed for all of the compound as well as the building''s blueprints. This had the added bonus of him being able to keep to the security camera''s blind spots. He soon found out it wasn''t much of a bonus when he came to his third security camera. Unlike the first two, itdidn''t have a blind spot that allowed him to pass through undetected.


    Slowly figuring out aspects of his power allowed Seven to realized something. His power wasn''t just the practicality of being able to connect to the internet through the blue screen. A lot of the time it was instinctual, with lots of tugging and pulling at the electromagnetic waves he sometimes caught glimpses of when he was concentrating. If he pulled and pushed hard enough at these, sometimes it would produce better results than searching with the blue screen.


    This instance was once such case. In frustration at not being able to move forward, he angrily tugged at the feed coming from the camera and shoved it back into it. Contrary to his weak expectations of the camera blowing up in a shower of sparks or doing nothing at all, Seven found that the camera''s feed began to loop back on itself. He smiled at the happy accident and waltzed down the hall. The camera showed the same empty hall it always had.


    Seven''s discovery made making his way to the morgue much easier. Whenever he came across a security camera, he''d use the same trick of making the feed loop. It made him feel extremely pleased with himself. Yeah, he was a great spy.


    When he found the door that led into the morgue, he felt nervous. He was scared to open the door. He didn''t know what he''d find. The morgue was one of the rooms that didn''t have a security camera installed.


    Seven took a deep breath and opened up the door. His heart skipped a beat when he found seven bodies floating in yellow-green liquid containers. Six of them were little, looking to be two or three years old. He knew those were his siblings. The name plaques in front of the tubes confirmed it. The seventh was a pale woman with white hair. Her plaque readAlicia Whitehill. Seven walked over and stood in front of her tube. Looking up at her, he noticed the multitude of scar tissue covering her body.


    "Y-you''re my mom, right?" he said. "Pandora kidnapped you to make me, to make all of us. You never knew about me. You were long dead before I was born." Seven felt himself choke up.


    "Would you have loved me if you had known me?" A silent tear slipped down his face.


    Suddenly, the door creaked open. Seven spun around to see a surprised Johan Hektate.


    "Seven? What are you doing here?"


    End Of Chapter One


    <hr>

 Blood Wode - 2.1

    <hr>


    Dr. Hektate held true to his promise. Number 7 did not get dinner that night. It didn¡¯t matter though. It wasn¡¯t his stomach that made for a hard night. While what he saw in the morgue answered many of his questions, it turned his mind into a mess. He couldn¡¯t think properly. His thoughts ran in circles and up walls before leading to dead ends and tangling up on themselves. Then they¡¯d start all over, running in circles.


    The only answerhe managed to come up with was that he was too lacking in information, and the interweb wasn¡¯t much help. All night long he continued to search for anything related to the Whitehill Project, but other than that one file, he came up with nothing. It was a miracle that he found it in the first place with how deep it had been tucked away. But, even with how lucky he had been, it hadn¡¯t given him very much information on the Project itself. The only real information was the names of the test subjects, death dates, amount of money, and a connection between the USCU and Pandora. It looked almost more like a receipt than anything else, and it was only because Seven had been looking for it that it had made any sense.


    Why was Pandora working for the USCU? What made Alicia special enough to attract the attention of Pandora and the USCU?Why were clones of hermade? Would those clones really give the USCU an edge over the CNA, which had the technology of a photon bomb? If not, then weren¡¯t clones just a waste of money? Wouldn¡¯t that be put to better use creating other weapons like guns or bombs? The moneywas wasted anyway when all but one clone died. Then, was it really worth it? Was he worth it?


    By the next morning, his stomach finally began grumbling in protest. To distract himself from his hunger and still tumblingthoughts, he tracked Manti¡¯s progress through the halls using both Manti¡¯s personal link and the security cameras. It seemed as if Dr. Hektate deemed Number 7unworthy of having breakfast as well if Manti¡¯s wandering actions were to go by.


    Seven sighed and flipped through the channels of the compounds cameras. He could watch TV or read a book to take his mind off things, but his mind wouldn¡¯t settle. Plus, the strange amount of activity today in the compound made him curious.


    Something was definitely happening. The cooks were rushing about in the kitchen making more food than usual. Scientists were scattering papers about and nearly panicking their heads off. Only Johan Hektate had any semblance of normalcy. He was drinking coffee at his desk with a bemused smirk, but even with the awkward camera angle, Seven could still see beads of sweat on his forehead. Even Julia was rushing down the hall, and she never ran.


    Thinking all this very strange, Seventried to peek into Director Nero¡¯s office. Having never felt the need to, he discovered that even though Nero¡¯s office did have a security camera, at the moment it was turned off. Nothing he did turned it on again. Trying Nero¡¯s link, he found the same problem.


    Frustrated, he pounded his fist into his bedroom wall. It stung. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall. He was really regretting that punch.


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    Suddenly, Seven¡¯s eyes lit up. He found another meta-link signal coming from Director Nero¡¯s office. It was well protected, though, and it gave him some difficulty to crack into, but after about fifteen minutes, he found his way in.


    The information contained within gave him a shock, or the amount he couldn¡¯t read did. Each file was marked ¡®USCU Top Secret Information,¡¯ with almost every word blacked out. It reminded him of the government files from two hundred years ago when they still paper. It was rather funny that these files still used the same process. Only mundane words like ¡®the¡¯ and ¡®a¡¯ were unmarked.


    It disappointed him that he couldn¡¯t read the information. He tried unencrypting it, but it seemed that the information wasn¡¯t actually there. Seven found it strange to have a file but have most the information missing, not just encrypted. It told him that whomever this meta-link belonged to, they had a high enough position within the USCU to have knowledge of the files, but not enough to access the information within. But, still, with this little he found out, he felt that he was getting closer to his answers.


    With that done, he switched over to camera view on the link and found himself moving down hallway A-24 with Director Nero beside him. Seven was startled. They were already at his doorway. Quickly he closed out of all his windows. He knew people couldn¡¯t see them, but he couldn¡¯t risk being distracted. Whoever it was that traveling with Director Nero was important enough to send Pandora scrambling, and that meant that person could have a very big impact on Seven¡¯sfate. If there ever was a time to concentrate on being useful, it was now. His life depended on it.


    The door to his room slid open, and two men walked in. Nero stood slightly behind the man in a crisp, blue uniform. The directorshuffled nervously and adjusted his sleeves. The man stared at Number 7, and the boy stared back. Nobody spoke for several minutes before Nero hesitantly cleared his throat.


    ¡°Sergeant, here is the culmination of our research, Number 7.¡± The man gave a grunt in reply then turned to Seven.


    ¡°Boy,¡± he said, ¡°I am Sergeant Andan Bach of the People¡¯s Army of the United Social-Communist Union. Furthermore, I am now in charge of every aspect of your life.As of this moment, you are to hearby follow my orders. Should you resist or disobey any of my orders, you shall be punished accordingly. Am I understood?¡± Seven nodded.


    Srgt Bach scowled. ¡°Am I understood?¡± he repeated. Seven grew nervous. He hurridly looked to Director Nero. Nero stared hard at him, and Seven grew more confused.Srgt Bach saw this. He swung his fist. It connected with Seven¡¯s cheek and flung him into the wall.


    ¡°You are to answer with ¡®Yes, Sir!¡¯ and only ¡®Yes, Sir!¡¯ Moreover, I am the ultimate authority here! You are to look to me. If I catch you one more time, believe me, your punishment will be much harsher. Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± Seven replied weakly.


    <hr>


    AN- oh my gosh! so sorry about the duplicate chapter. Didn''t notice til now. I feel like an idiot.Here I updated it. Thanks :p

 Blood Wode - 2.2

    ¡°Get up,¡± the sergeant said. ¡°We begin the intensive testing now,¡± he said to Seven. He then turned to the man beside him. ¡°Director Nero, I¡¯d like to see the test subject¡¯s comprehensive files. I need a complete overview so that I can know the best way to train him and test his limits.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get those to you right away, Officer,¡± Nero said as they walked out the door.


    ¡°Andan will do just fine, Director Nero. There¡¯s no need to be formal.¡± Bach turned and looked at Nero, as if gauging his reaction. Nero could only laugh awkwardly.


    ¡°Really, I couldn¡¯t, sir. You¡¯ve done so much for our country. It¡¯s the least I could do to call you officer. Let me give you this bit of respect.¡± Bach nodded and continued walking.


    Seven¡¯s jaw throbbed where he had taken the punch, and his anxiety rose at Andan¡¯s words. Testing. He didn¡¯t know what kind of tests, but intensive tests didn¡¯t sound good.


    Andan turned and looked back at the boy on the ground. ¡°Test subject!¡± he barked, ¡°Follow. Now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Seven hurried to catch up to the two men. He was beginning to be afraid of Bach, afraid of a person in a way that he had never been before. A fear he knew would probably only grow the longer he knew the sergeant.


    Seven shuddered. He didn¡¯t think a man that refered to him as test subject would care about his feelings. In fact, seven had a suspicion that Bach would be happy if he knew the boy was afraid of him.


    Director Nero took them down the long twisting hallways to a room Seven had only ever been in to get his blood drawn. From the look on Nero¡¯s face, that wasn¡¯t what they were there for. His jaw was clenched, and the skin over his forehead was stretched tight. Doctor Hektate rose from his chair as they walked in. His face reflected Nero¡¯s. Julia stood clutching her transparent tablet in the corner with a worried look.


    A one-way window showed into a room that contained a white padded chair. Straps hung loosely from its arm rests and legs. A group of scientists milled about inside, fiddling with various instruments. Seven stared at the straps. They weren¡¯t there last time. Several instruments were new as well. The foreboding feeling in his heart grew stronger.


    ¡°Director Nero, the room is set up according to the sergeant¡¯s specifications,¡± Hektate said.


    ¡°Good. Julia, would you show Number 7 into the room. Make sure he¡¯s properly set up.¡± Julia knodded. She gently took a hold of Seven¡¯s wrist and led him through a side door. From the window, the three men could see him placed in the chair. They watched as the straps were tightened around his wrists and ankles.


    ¡°Sergeant Bach, are you sure that we should start out with the pain tolerance test? It is a bit further along in our schedule. Whether or not Number 7 can withstand it¡­¡± Johan spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯d ask you not to question me, Doctor Hektate. Due to your kindness,¡± he said the word with a slight hint of sarcasm, ¡°we are very much behind schedule. We need to push ahead. The United Social-Communist Union is anxiously awaiting results.¡± Hektate scowled but didn¡¯t say anything. Andan smirked.


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    ¡°Whenever you are ready, Doctor.¡±


    Nero¡¯s face cramped. This man. His words were littered with traps. Say the wrong thing, and they¡¯d be labeled ¡®Against the State¡¯. They¡¯d not only loose the project, they¡¯d loose everything.


    Bach had been testing Nero earlier. If Nero began calling him by his name, that meant that Nero disregarded his position as an officer of the People¡¯s Army. Position was everything in the USCU, and the army controlled the nation. A private in the army could order them, a private organization, to do anything, and no one could question it.


    Even now, Bach was laying bait for Johan, taunting him to see if the Doctor risked stepping out of line. Hektate had been perilously close with his previous words, and the director knew his friend held strong opinions, especially in regards to project Whitehill. He hoped his subordinate wouldn¡¯t take the bait. Nero sighed in relief when Johan backed of.


    ¡°No, sir, I¡¯d like to invite you to do the honors.¡±


    ¡°Please, call me Sergeant,¡± Andan said as reached over and pressed the button for the microphone on the room¡¯s control panel. ¡°Begin.¡±


    During this conversation, the scientists in the room had placed a number of rubber neural readers across Seven¡¯s body. This process wasn¡¯t too unfamiliar to him. Pandora had checked his neural impulses several times over the course of his life. The rubber ticked each time they stuck one on, and the wires him feel like an alien.


    The thought made him laugh inside, and the familiarity of the situation helped calmed him down. He must have been wrong. It was just a routine test. All his anxiety was pointless. He smiled slightly at a scientist. The man gave him a strange look in return, which confused him.


    The man turned away from him and picked up a divice from one of the sterilized tables. Thin metal wire had been grafted into what vaguely resembled a frame for a plaster bowl. Small spikes poked out about half an inch from the inside, and a bundle of electrical wires exited from the rim of one side. The man stepped over to Seven¡¯s chair, and placed the wire device on the boy¡¯s head.


    Seven gasped. It hurt. The spikes dug into his scalp and drew blood. Trickles of it ran down his forehead.


    ¡°Begin,¡± he heard through the stinging pain.


    ¡°Kid, I¡¯m sorry,¡± the man beside him whispered.


    All of a sudden, liquid fire poured through his veins. His body spasmed, and he choked on a scream. His vision turned red, and blood filled his mouth from where he bit his tongue. The straps on his arms and legs tore his skin off from his body jerking about.


    It hurt so much. Seven tried to let out a sound, but nothing would come. Blood just dribbled down his chin.

 Blood Wode - 2.3

    Sergeant Andan Bach watched as machines fed electricity through the clone strapped to the padded chair. He noted the spasms and the blood. A small smile formed on his lips. This is what he enjoyed. There was only one problem. Screams would make the scene much more enjoyable, but the test subject refused to make a sound. It soured the whole experience.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do,¡± Bach muttered to himself. He turned to Doctor Hektate. ¡°Turn it up.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me, turn up the machine. Give it more electricity.¡±


    ¡°Sergeant, I wouldn¡¯t recommend-¡±


    ¡°Turn it up, Doctor.¡± Johan gritted his teeth and turned a dial.


    Bach returned his gaze to the clone. Instead of large, sporadic flailing, the tremors the wracked its body were now small but constant. Its head was tilted back and its spine was arched at an unbelievable angle even while strapped to the chair. Foam formed from the mouth and nose tinted red from blood. Grooves formed in the armrests from torn nails that would soon flake off, leaving exposed nail-beds. No part of its body was still.


    This was a much better scene than before, but it was not enough. The abomination was still conscious. That mug could be seen from all of its struggles. Why, then, did it not scream. If it was in pain, it should scream. That it did not frustrated him to no end.


    Once again he addressed the doctor. ¡°Not enough. Turn it up.¡±


    ¡°Sergeant Bach, the electricity being sent through him is enough to make two men collapse several times over. Any more and I can¡¯t guarantee that he¡¯ll survive. Hasn¡¯t him enduring to this degree already fulfilled the test objectives? Please, Officer, I recommend that we stop for the subject¡¯s safety,¡± Nero interjected. Bach ignored him.


    ¡°Doctor, give it more,¡± he said.


    ¡°The director is right. Seven is at his limit. Anymore than this and we risk permanent brain damage. He most likely had already suffered some,¡± Johan replied.


    ¡°Are you refusing me?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Doctor Hektate, I advise you to think very carefully about what you are doing.¡±


    In response, Hektate reached over and flipped the off switch. Seven slumped in his chair.


    ¡°Doctor, you have made a very grave mistake. I hope you understand what will happen to you and your experiment when I-¡±


    ¡°Let me cut you off there, Sergeant. You are here because the United Soviet-Communist Union is expecting something out of this project, out of Number 7 specifically, not to torture him by being overly sadistic. Your performance and our success in this experiment will affect your standing in the People¡¯s Army. Yes, you can make our whole organization disappear, but that would look very badly upon your record. After all, the USCU has spent a great deal of resources for this success of this project, and, well, you haven¡¯t even been here five hours. In that regard, it would be better for the both of us to reach an understanding. So, let me suggest a deal.¡±


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    Bach¡¯s face grew unpleasant. ¡°Speak,¡± he said curtly.


    ¡°I know everything about Number 7. I know better than anyone about his abilities, his limits, and most importantly, how to keep him alive and in his best possible shape. I will give you complete control over what tests are administered and any course for his training. I will not object and I will make sure that no one in Pandora objects to anything you chose. This will give you a much easier time doing whatever you need to do.¡±


    He continued, ¡°In return, you let me determine Number 7¡¯s absolute limits for both the tests and the training as well as give me full control of his recovery.¡±


    ¡°So, you decided to define our roles.¡±


    ¡°His performance will naturally increase the better his health is.¡±


    ¡°And if I decline? The prime minister gave me the right of full control over this project. Your clone is considered property of the government.¡±


    ¡°If you decline, I will oppose you ever step of the way. You can expect no cooperation from me or my scientists at the expense of our lives.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d go that far?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve devoted everything to this project. It means everything,¡± Johan grew a bit emotional, ¡°If you don¡¯t compromise with us on this matter, even if you replace us, it¡¯ll just mean you¡¯ll end up killing Seven.¡±


    The room grew chilly as Andan stared hard at Hektate. The doctor was right, and Andan hated him for it. He had to respect the man for willing to risk not only his career but his life. But the one Johan opposed was himself, and that was rather irksome. Andan¡¯s temper was demanding that he not stand for this kind of insubordination, but no matter how he looked at it, his more rational side realized that Hektate had a point. Continuing on like this, relieving his stress through needless torture, held no benefit for him except momentary pleasure. He had a career to advance.


    ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯ll let you have your deal.¡± Dr. Hektate nodded his head in thanks.Bach gave him one last look before leaving the room. Director Nero let out his breath.


    ¡°Dr. Hektate, I ask you not to shorten my life like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to in the future. But, still, it was something that needed to be done. He¡¯s the kind of man that would tear open old wounds and pour salt in them so he could see a person cry. Honestly, I¡¯m glad he¡¯s only a sergeant. If he were any higher of a position, I don¡¯t think that would have worked.¡±


    ¡°I hope he¡¯ll move properly from now on. The success of this project depends on it. Please watch out though, Johan. He definitely hates you now. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll target you in revenge.¡±


    ¡°For now, the most he can do is petty things that will just make my life annoying. I can handle that. If he chooses to do something drastic, though ¡­ I can only hope that his greed for power will keep him in line for Seven¡¯s sake, and mine.¡±


    <hr>


    AN - Another chapter today for you lovely people.

 Blood Wode - 2.4

    Seven was having an incredibly hard time waking up. Every time he came close, pain would swamp him, and he would slip back into unconsciousness. When he finally woke up, he found that he was sore. Not sore as in working out for a few hours or lifting some heavy boxes, sore as in it felt like his body was on fire. He could hardly move, and doing so made his limbs turn to jelly and shot sharp stabs of pain through his nerves.


    All of his body¡¯s wiring was fried. Some places felt overly numb. Others were tingling fiercely like they had grudges against him. Mostly, it hurt just laying there, and now that he was fully awake, there was no way on this planet that he could fall asleep again. So, Seven laid there on his bed confused and fuming.


    He was mad. He was mad at stupid Andan Bach for showing up out of nowhere and ordering him to be strapped to a chair and treated like a lightning rod. Mad at Director Nero for acting friendly with the stupid Bach. Mad at the scientists who kept their distance, and the fact that he couldn¡¯t even curse their unknown names. Mad at Johan, the Johan who was the only one who ever smiled at him. Who brought him little trinkets and sweet things. Who joked with him and got mad at him like dads got mad at their kids. Who betrayed him and let Andan do those things to him and would probably keep letting the stupid man do whatever he wanted.


    But, most of all, Seven was mad at himself for being caught off guard, for even letting his guard down in the first place. He knew something was off, and even more than that, he knew thatthese people thought of him as an object. He had hoped that Johan was different, but he had been wrong, and now he was paying the price.


    Tears were sliding down his face now. They burned, leaving stinging tracks across his checks and forming hot pools in his ears. He stared up at the ceiling unable to do anything about them, and in the end, not wanting to.


    Seven¡¯s body started to itch. It was an uncomfortable feeling. It also signaled that his advanced regenerative abilities were beginning to heal his body. Bruises faded, cuts closed, torn muscles re-knit themselves together, burns lost their heat, new skin regrew, and nerve endings began working properly. Even his missing fingernails began to develop. In a few hours, the trauma his body received from the tolerance test would be completely gone.


    The process was still painful, though, and honestly, it was hard to tell if it was any less painful than when he woke up. It was also the first time he had been hurt more than a simple cut. Seven¡¯sself healing abilities surprised him. He didn¡¯t know he had them. He found it rather disturbing as he watched new nail pushing out from his nail bed at a slow but noticeable pace.


    To distract himself from his pain and unease, he looked up stupid Andan¡¯s background. The man had told the truth. He was a sergeant of the People¡¯s Army of the USCU. He didn¡¯t have the best reputation. In the few skirmishes he had been in at the borders of the USCU and the CoalitionNations of New Poland, he had created quite a stir, enough to be mentioned quite extensively on the interweb for being only a sergeant. People talked of how brutal he was and of his sadistic nature. Not only his enemies, but often the men under his command he would torture.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    One incident in particular was brought up quite often. The commentators on the subject held Bach with fear and revulsion. It was then he earned his nickname,Blood Wode. After incapacitatinga soldier from the opposing New Poland, he then proceeded to break the man¡¯s limbs to the point where the man could no longer move. While that was bad enough, Andan made sure to video tape the whole thing. Watching the poor man scream his lungs out as his bones were ground to dust sent chills down Seven¡¯s spine and made him dry heave.


    Seven soon found out that this was mild compared to what came next. Andan leaned over and whispered something in the man¡¯s ear to quiet for the feed to catch. He did it while slipping a knife from his belt, which he then placed against the man¡¯s neck. Ever so slowly, Andan began sawing off the soldier¡¯s head, a process that he purposefully took twenty-fiveminutes to complete, smiling all the while.


    Seven threw up. His body shook. It was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen. He wished he had stopped watching the video when Andan had first started breaking bones, or rather, not even watched it at all. The whole thing was utterly disturbing.


    The man was sick, and Seven had the pleasure of being his guinea pig. Seven had to wonder how Bach kept his rank. Surely, no army would keep such a person in a position, even a lowly one, of command.


    Looking around, he found that Andan had risen fast in the army. In a little under twoyears, he went from private to sergeant. Soon, Seven found the reason. It was a simple reason, really, and rather obvious if one looked into it.


    Andan¡¯s great uncle was one of the four generals of the People¡¯s Army, General Vorcious Bach. They had the same last name, so there couldn¡¯t have been just a few people who had connected the two. The fact that hardly anyone on the interweb mentioned it told Seven that the People¡¯s Army was trying to cover it up. Why they would hide Andan¡¯s relation with the Vorcious was probably to keep up the general¡¯s reputation. Having a sadistic killer for a nephew wouldn¡¯t help others see you in a better light.


    Only, the USCU didn¡¯t try very hard in hiding it. It was a bit too easy to figure out. Seven¡¯s guess was they only recently began trying to cover it up. Andan had released that video only weeks ago, and it a huge impact throughout the interweb. Andan¡¯s punishment must have been being sent to Pandora.

 Blood Wode - 2.5

    Putting aside his thoughts about the disturbing Andan Bach, Seven stretched his sore muscles. He healed a lot in the time he researched the sergeant. He felt much better. Though stiff and frail, he no longer had the debilitating pain.


    It worried Seventhat just one experiment reduced him to such a state. If he stayed in Pandora to experience any more of them, he might wind up dead. He had to escape. He had to get as far away from that man as possible.But, to where? Where should he go to be safe?


    New Poland. Not the main country, just one of those in the coalition. Somewhere where he wouldn¡¯t stand out, but a country with little ambition, he decided. Nordsland was a viable option. People had fairer skin there. He could probably blend in better. But, could he really travel the some 3,000 miles from the USCU to Nordsland? And, alone at that? No, not likely. Seven bit his lip, worried about what he should do. It was just so risky.


    A post popped up suddenly aNew Poland social media website he had pulled up on one of his blue screens. The thread was entitled, ¡°Anyone know these guys?¡± It showed a short clip of several people around one man eating a massive cake. While normally this wouldn¡¯t interest Seven very much ¨Cthough a man downing the cake was pretty funny¨Cthe replies to the video made him pause. Slowly, he read.


    ==========================================


    Anyone know these guys???? ¨C by @axenicecream


    ==========================================


    }@nick-da-cmndr¨C[8:25pm] nope no clu. kno a guy that faceplanted ina cake once tho. EPIC FAIL!! lollolol.


    ¡ª->>[email protected]</a>[___] \(b3d)/


    }} @stixman¨C [8:32pm] dude lol. not dasam, not same @ all. sucks roat haha. &what dajeck is dat moji????


    Ssuuckkkssssss trite.


    }}}@nick-da-cmndr¨C[8:35pm] u sucks trite roat


    }@hoolerv¨C[8:27pm]don¡¯t know them. hey what is he wearing though? what the jeck, are you guys seeing this?


    }}@hoolerv¨C[8:27pm] that¡¯s a top hat right/ like jecking dated. stoneage status. here we got a caveman!!! wahaha.


    }}@rxx88¨C[8:28pm] woah you¡¯re right! and look look look got on a jeking tux vestto. betcha he stole it from some dead guy. wootwoot!


    }@Manchesthair¨C[8:29pm] Know him!


    }}@_vixen9014¨C[8:32pm] know him, too. crazt roat of a guy. one kantedgamin.


    }}@axenicecream¨C[8:36pm] So, Who is he???


    }}}@Manchesthair¨C[8:40pm] Mercenary. Big jejune of the association.


    }}}@hoolerv¨C[8:42pm] wah mercs eatin cake?? haha


    }}}@rxx88¨C[8:43pm] jejune?? jeck?


    }}}}@stixman¨C[8:43pm] means jeckin child, ignorant roat


    }}}@axenicecream¨C[8:46pm] Mercs? All of them? Or just the dude eating cake?


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    }}}@Manchesthair¨C[8:47pm]All of them, cept a few round the edges, I think. All part of the same merc group. Guy eating cake the group¡¯s leader, Lex Palming. He¡¯s a quirk alright.


    }}}}@axenicecream¨C[8:49pm] Why? He dag crazy? What¡¯s the group name?


    }}}}}@Manchesthair¨C[8:51pm] He¡¯s best known for doing suicide missions.Ships people out of uscu for practicallynothin. Course does normal jobs tomake up for it. Then he eats acake if he finishes a job. Cause he does that,people call him thecakeman. So his group gets called the Cakemen too.Somebody musta took a vid.


    }}}}}}@axenicecream¨C[8:54pm] Weird roat.


    ===========================================


    This guy, Lex Palming, he might actually be crazy enough. Considering that he routinely slips people past the USCU¡¯s border, and doesn¡¯t ever get paid for it, he might actually attempt sneaking into Pandora if Seven could persuade him. Why would he risk crossing the border, though? No one else ever did. They¡¯d get killed in an instant. Yet here were several people who did it and did it often. It was weird. This called for more digging.


    A couple of minutes later, Seven found the Cakemen¡¯s niche in the interweb. It was a little known hole-in-the-wall website with not much on it, nothing at all incriminating. With a bit a of maneuvering, Seven managed to find a hidden link. The password took a bit of thinking ¡ª it was a code word usually only passed on by word of mouth ¡ª but once he unlocked it, he found at a page titledThe Cakeman¡¯s Walk ¨C Underground Road.He smiled.


    There was only one button on the page. Itpinged the user¡¯s location and afterwards brought up a map of safehouses and meeting places. Seven saved the map. Then he tried something he wasn¡¯t sure if he could do. He followed the ping.


    It was difficult, but the ping brought him to a personal, military grade meta-link that luckily enough belonged to Lex Palming. He was proudthat he managed to pull it off. He couldn¡¯t stay long in the meta-link. The distance was too far, and the security measures were scrambling to shut him out once more. In the end, he could only leave a discreet message. It included the name of the secret site, the code word, the name Pandora, and a simple cry for help as well as an out of the way place online to contact him. He hoped it would be effective. Sevencould only wait and see.


    He sighed and closed all his browser windows. Might as well sleep now. He was sure that tomorrow would scary. A single tear slipped down his cheek. He hadavoided thinking about it, but now it was overwhelming him. He was scared. The electricity hurt. It hurt so bad. Tomorrow, would they do something worse?


    He curled up in the corner of his bed and the wall and sat there shivering. Now, he wasn¡¯t sure he could sleep. Tears began to flow, and he sobbed in great gasps, soakingthe knees of his pants. He was so scared.


    He sat there crying for several minutes before he heard a clack. He paid it no mind and continued shivering, swallowed by his own thoughts. A second later he heard another clack, then another and another and another. Finally, his curiosity got the better of his fear, and he raised his head.


    Something was flying around the room, hitting the walls and bouncing off the walls like a bouncy ball. Seven watched it for a second in confusion before standing up in an effort to catch whatever it was. He jumped several times and either missed, slipped, or dove face first into the wall. The last time, though, he managed to grab it.


    He opened it hand and found a small, rough, and dark colored stone about the size of a marble. It would be perfectly ordinary if it weren¡¯t for the fact that it was floating four inches above his palm.


    <hr>


    AN- sorry about the weird forum thing, I just wanted to try it out for fun, though there''s no way I''m going to attempt to make a table. Way to complicated for me.Also, sorry about all my funky curse words, also for fun. Hey, I figured, this is like 200 years into the future. I should be able to come up with newer curse words. hehe. Sorry to all of you that it doesn¡¯t jive with. Well, if either really bothers you, just tell me. I¡¯m really trying not to use curse words in my story though. Just personal preference. Thanks

 Blood Wode - 2.6

    AN- try listening to the Assassin¡¯s Creed II soundtrack song calledSanctuary</a>while reading. I think it sounds cool with this page. And so you guys know and stuff, I don¡¯t own that song or anything. Nor the video I linked.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Seven touched the rock, and it shifted slightly in the air. He pressed down on it, feeling it resist his efforts to touch it to his palm. What the heck was this? What kind of rock defies gravity?


    He did a quick search for anything similar to it on the interweb, but he only came up with things out of the supernatural like supposed poltergeists moving pencils through the air and other similar hoaxes. Nothing else really stuck out.


    He started it bouncing once more about the room, watching it¡¯s path through the air. It was kind of fun, and it almost looked like it was in zero gravity. Where did it come from, though? Seven looked around the room. There wasn¡¯t any obvious places it could have come from. Maybe the air vent? He moved his head to look closer at it.


    From the slight movement of his head, a distortion stood out in the corner of his eye. If he hadn¡¯t moved, he wouldn¡¯t have seen it at all. It was floating about eye level about a foot from the wall near the end of his bed. Looking directly at it, he almost couldn¡¯t even see it, but there was a definite slight warp to the air at that place.


    Seven crawled closer to it, looking through it to see how the background distorted as ifthrough a fisheye lens. It made him feel disoriented and a bit nauseous. He reached up and put his hand through it and was horrified to find his hand had disappeared. Quickly, he pulled it out, breathing in relief when it reappeared. He took a few seconds to calm his shaking before repeating the process a little more calmly.


    Was it some kind of portal? What was it doing here? He reached through it again, this time feeling around. It didn¡¯t really feel like much, just empty space. It felt weird moving his hand around and not being able to see it. Then, something brushed against the back of his hand. It felt light and cold. If Seven had known what snowflakes had felt like, that¡¯s how he would have described it. Several of whatever they were touched his hand, making him shiver. It felt good, though, so he sat for a while with his hand through the warp feeling the little things flurry against his skin.


    Finally, he pulled his hand out and looked at it. Little dots covered his hand. They looked white, but at the same time they looked black. Somehow, they were both colors at once. As, Seven stared at them, they started lifting into the air like ash and dissolving into nothing. The portal then faded away as well.


    What was going on? Where did it go? Seven waved his hand through the place the warp had been. It really was gone. Then, he remembered the stone. Was it gone, too? No, it was still there. It had come to a rest floating in acorner of the ceiling. He threw his pillow and knocked it spinning closer to the ground. He cupped it into his palms and watched it as it spun.


    Suddenly, Sevenheard the door woosh open, and he panicked. He stuffed the rock into his mouth, only to accidentally swallow it.


    ¡°Seven, you¡¯re up! That¡¯s good, that¡¯s very good. How are you feeling? You seem to be doing much better¡­¡± Johan trailed off. He noticed that the boy was making strange movements almost like he was trying to swim upright in nonexistant water. Confused, his gazed traveled down the boy¡¯s body, only to stare in shock at his feet which were swinging sixinches off the ground. The boy was floating.


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    ¡°Jo! Jo, help! Help me. I can¡¯t stop it. Help. Please. I can¡¯t feel the ground! I can¡¯t move, Jo! I¡¯m going to disappear!¡± Seven said with the beginnings of hysteria. Johan rushed over and latched onto the boy. He was startled again. Seven was extremely light, almost like he didn¡¯t have any weight. No wonder he felt like he was going to disappear. To suddenly feel your weight vanish, it must feel like you were slipping away into nothing. Seven was beginning to hyperventilate.


    ¡°Seven. Seven, calm down. It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve got you. You¡¯re not going to disappear.¡±


    ¡°Jo, make it stop! Make it stop. Please. The rock. It¡¯s inside me. Make it go away!¡± Seven almost screamed as he clung to Johan for dear life.


    ¡°A rock? What rock? Calm down. Take deep breaths, and then tell me about this rock.¡± Seven did as he was told. He gulped air as he tried to take several shuddering breaths.


    ¡°A rock. It came here. Just appeared out of nowhere. And it floated, Jo, it floated. And there was a portal. Cold stuff inside. Then, it was gone and you came and I swallowed the rock. It was an accident. I didn¡¯t mean to, Jo, I swear. Jo, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be good now. Make it stop, please, just make me stop!¡± He started to become hysterical again, and to Johan, he wasn¡¯t making any sense. Johan started to panic as well. How do you calm a floating boy? He didn¡¯t know what to do, so he tried the only thing he could. He tried to talk Seven out of it.


    ¡°Seven, listen to me. You¡¯re heavy, you hear. You¡¯re not light, you¡¯re heavy, so heavy you sink to the ground, you got that? You¡¯re not going to float away, so just keep telling yourself that you¡¯re heavy,¡± as he spoke, Johan felt the boy become heavier and heavier. By the end of it, Seven was so heavy that Johan couldn¡¯t support his weight anymore, and they both crashed to the ground.


    ¡°There, look. You can control it. You¡¯re just fine. Though, maybe be a little lighter next time,¡± Johan laughed.


    <hr>


    AN - changed a couple of pretty minor things. Seven can no longer hack per say. I realized it was pretty illogical, and that wasn''t what he was really doing in the first place. It was already illogical enough that he learned to read so fast, so I felt I was pushing it with the hacking. He found most of his information freely floating on the interweb anyway. Plus, I couldn''t come up with a good reason why he couldn''t just hack open the door...


    Also, change how WWV will last for. It was just too hard to keep the time line straight when the war lasted two years. I''d have two much time on my hands. So, now it lasts two months, and I realized I had an extra year and a half that appeared from no where in terms of the time from when Alicia was kidnapped and when she was found again. So, now Seven was created five years after she was kidnapped, instead of six and a half like I originally had. (Lol I honestly thought it was five and a half until I went back and read it. Whoops :p ...) And Alicia had been dead for two years when he was created instead of four. Yeah, fixing timeline stuff...


    Sorry, they''re pretty minor changes, but I wanted you guys to know that I did change it in case you got confused later. If you are confused about the start of the story where I mentioned that the time line of the earth ends, don''t worry, it will, just not because of the war. Foreshadowing, dun dun dun!!!!!!

 Map of WWV (Not a chapter sorry)

    Hey guys, if you''re curious, I made a map of how Earth would have looked during WWV, which is coming in chapter 4. Unfortunately, I wasn''t able to figure out how to upload it to RRL, so you''ll have to follow this link to check it out. I''m also further in my story on my wordpress, than on RRL, so if you want to read further ahead, please do so!


    https://comesevenfall.wordpress.com/2016/09/10/map-of-the-world-in-wwv/</a>


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    And tell me what you guys think of my story so far. I need feedback!!!!!


    I hope you''ve enjoyed your time with Seven so far. He''s my precious cupcake and adorable cinnamon roll. :9


    Thanks for all the readers so far!!! I appreciate you guys.

 Blood Wode - 2.7

    ¡°Are you better now, Seven?¡± Johan asked, helping the boy sit up. Seven nodded. He had calmed down. The whole experience shook him up, but now that he had a chance to breathe, he started to become excited.


    That was flying, right? He could fly! How freaking cool was that?


    ¡°Can you do that again? Can you float? I mean, you came down just fine. Would you be alright trying again, or are you going to panic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try, but I don¡¯t know how.¡±


    ¡°Try doing the opposite of what we did to get you down. Think that you¡¯re really light, lighter than air.¡± Seven tried. He tried really hard, scrunching up his eyebrows in an effort to concentrate. At first, nothing seemed to be happening. A long couple of minutes passed, and Seven began to give up. Suddenly, Johan burst out into laughter, and it startled Seven. Because of that, his legs uncrossed, knocking against the floor. He started floating towards the ceiling. Johan laughed again.


    ¡°Jo! Help me get down!¡± Johan reached up and pulled on one of Seven¡¯s legs. He set him hovering just above the bed with a bemused grin.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you laugh?¡±


    ¡°Your expression was funny. You were concentrating so hard you didn¡¯t notice you had already started floating. It wasn¡¯t much, just a few inches off the ground, but that made it that much more hilarious,¡± Johan chuckled.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that funny,¡± Seven muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Seven! Do you know what this means? It wasn¡¯t a one time occurrence! It opens up so many possibilities! I have to get started on this once a way. We need to come up with ways of testing this. Is it only floating, or can you actually move through the air? How long does it last for? How high? Does it have to do with gravity or is it something else?What mechanics makes it work? There¡¯s so much to do!¡± Johan said as he waved his arms about in excitement. He leapt up and exclaimed, ¡°Oh! I have to tell Nero about this. He¡¯ll be ecstatic. Seven, wait here while I tell him.¡±Seven almost started nodding in response before he realized what Johan said.


    ¡°No! Jo! You can¡¯t tell Director Nero!¡± Seven dropped out of the air and settled hard on the bed.


    ¡°What? Why not?¡±


    ¡°You just can¡¯t!¡± Johan frowned.


    ¡°Seven, this is a really important discovery. Nero needs to know about it. You better have a good reason for insisting for me not to tell him. Now, tell me why not.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll tell him.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°That man. He¡¯ll tell that man.¡±


    ¡°What man?¡±


    ¡°Jo! That man can¡¯tknow! He¡¯ll kill me! He¡¯ll chop off my head and kill me!¡± Seven was becoming hysterical once more. He knew in his head that Andan wouldn¡¯t really kill him for having such a power, but his fear of the man had grown to astronomical proportions, so much so that he could no longer think clearly when it came to the sergeant.


    If he hadn¡¯t researched the man, he wouldn¡¯t have been quite so afraid of him. After all, it was hard to associate Andan with the electrical experiment when he had been behind a mirror the whole time. But because Seven had watched that video, he knew what the man was capable of, and a deep set fear of the man sprouted within him. Having a man like that within the complex, a man who had complete control over his life, was terrifying.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Seven! Shut up! Who will kill you? Tell me right this instant.¡± Johan was beginning to become annoyed. This was the second time in several minutes that he had to deal with a hysterical Seven. It was strange. Why did the boy keep having these outbursts. He never gave so much trouble before.


    ¡°It¡¯s Andan. He¡¯ll kill me,¡± Seven said quietly, hardly breathing at all now. Johan frowned once more. So, that was it. The boy had a phobia of the sergeant now. Not completely unreasonable, but really, was it enough to think the Bach would kill him?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot, Seven. Sergeant Bach would never kill you, and certainly not because he found out you could levitate. That is not a valid reason. Now, be quiet and stay here while I tell Nero.¡± Johan turned to walk out of the room. Seven made a grab at Johan¡¯s clothes, but he missed.


    ¡°No, Jo! Please! Don¡¯t!¡± Johan shook his head as he walked with the door swooshing close behind him.


    Seven sat on his bed in shock. He was devastated, and at that moment he felt very alone. Johan would tell Director Nero, and Director Nero would have no choice but to inform Andan. He didn¡¯t know how, but the man would surely torment him then.


    He sat there on the bed for a long time, numb, before finally crawling over to his pillow, which was still on the floor from when he threw it. He gathered it up and wrapped his blanket around himself. He curled up in a corner and cried hot, silent tears.


    He was scared. How was he supposed to live when that kind of monster had free access to do what ever he wanted? Seven wasn¡¯t even sure if he wanted to live. Not after the electricity had given hima taste of what was to come. There was no one that would help him.


    Or, maybe there was someone who could help him. One person who was crazy enough to rescue him from the pocket of the USCU, crazy enough to snatch him from the jaws of the sadistic Andan Bach. Just maybe, just maybe, that man who was crazy enough to cross borders, sneak people out again, would be crazy enough to come for him. Seven could only hope. He gathered his resolve to live once more, to live just long enough for the Cakeman to take him out of this place.


    In desperation, he sent another message to Lex Palming. A more urgentone.


    Please. Hurry. I¡¯ll be killed.


    End of Chapter 2


    <hr>


    AN - Decided to Change chapter 2''s title from Blood Demonto Blood Wode.Blood demon as a nickname felt too chuni for my tastes. I like thedefinition</a>for wode better, and just how it sounds.

 Pain and Cake - 3.1

    The next two years were agony for Seven.


    Everyday some kind of test was preformed on him. He had strange, glowing solutions and noxious poisons injected into him, ones that attacked his lungs so he couldn¡¯t breath and burned his veins. His bones were broken to see how fast they would mend, and electricity became his constant partner. Andan seemed to enjoy that test the most.


    If he was not in that white room strapped into a chair, he was either unconscious in his room or forced into a room alone with Andan for ¡°training.¡± Only, for Andan, it was more of a venting spree. Seven couldn¡¯t tell if which was worse, the testing or the training, and if he learned anything at all from those lessons, it would be how to dodge.


    When Andan had seenSeven¡¯s levitating ability, his sadistic grin was so ferocious it gave chills to everyone that saw it. The sergeant, by nature, was a hunter, and now he felt he had been given the perfect prey, one that could move in ways he could never have imagined previously. He was going to have fun.


    Suited up with guns and knives, Andan was disappointed that the first lesson hadn¡¯t even lasted two seconds. Seven was down the instant a bullet punctured his lung. The boy hadn¡¯t even moved. He had stood there in confusion as the bullet came flying at him. Andan stalked over and picked the boy up by his shirt, then said in a low, angry voice, ¡°Next time dodge, you cur.¡±


    Though Seven had only ever hear those words once, they became ingrained in him for every lesson that followed. Even if you¡¯re tired, dodge. Even if you¡¯ve been given poison only an hour ago, dodge. Even if your limbs are burning with exhaustion, and you haven¡¯t been allowed to sleep for days, even if you feel live you would never be able to move again, dodge. It¡¯s the only thing you can do to make your world hurt less.


    The personnel of Pandora slowly grew more and more disquieted over the years. If Seven had been quiet before Andan had come, now he was dead silent.Hektate had not heard a word out of him in seventeen months, and that was just a simple, indifferent, ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡±after a difficult testing period.


    The look of betrayal Seven had given him when hehad returned with Nero and the sergeant was so palpable he could feel the bile rise in his throat. The guilt had caused him heartburn. He forced it down and berated himself for feelingashamed. Now, he was not so sure his decision had been correct.


    Seven¡¯s eyes were dead. He had lost the light of curiosity and innocence. He no longer used his blue screen. At first, he tried to use it to escape reality, but there was no hope to be had there. Lex Palming had never responded. After a while, he gave up. He became numb and couldn¡¯t gather the motivation to do anything but stare at the ceiling. Even sleeping became hard. He¡¯d stay awake until his body couldn¡¯t take it anymore and forced him into unconsciousness. In a way, it was a boon. He didn¡¯t have to dream.


    Every person in the complex knew he was fading away, but no one tried to stop it. A type of apathy had inundated Pandora. It was a shame, they would think, but it was impossible to do anything, not with the USCU hovering over their shoulders.


    Late one night, something sparked the beginning of a change for Seven. He was curled up in his bed, staring at nothing inthe dark room. A bullet hole that went straight through his thigh was steadily healing along with the various cuts and bruises that covered his body.


    All of a sudden, his blue screen popped up and a notification dinged at him. It took him several minutes to surface from his desensitizing state, but the incessant dinging forced him to. He read the words.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Communication Request.


    Accept/ Decline


    He pressed accept. Instantly, new words filled the screen. Seven stared at them for several minutesbefore he could reply. A feeling he couldn¡¯t identify filled him. It contained shock and confusion, but mostly it swirled with hurt and betrayal.


    <hr>


    Cakeman entered the group (1:20am).


    You entered the group (1:20am).


    Cakeman (1:20am):You still alive?


    You (1:27am): you never came.


    Cakeman (1:27am): You¡¯re alive!


    Cakeman (1:28am): Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m coming to get you now. There were some complications, that¡¯s why it took two years. Forgive me.


    Cakeman (1:28am): We¡¯re getting close though, a few days from where you are. Be ready.


    You (1:29am): you¡¯re here?


    Cakeman (1:30am): Yeah, it took a while. You¡¯re in the middle of freaking Siberia. Not an easy place to get to. Don¡¯t have much time, or else gonna run out of battery.


    Cakeman (1:30am): Will contact you when we get there.


    Cakeman left the group (1:31am).


    <hr>


    Seven sat in shock. Lex had come for him. He felt an emotionhe hadn¡¯t felt in a long time bubble up from with in him, excitement. He also felt anticipation and anxiety, but it couldn¡¯t overshadow the euphoria he felt. It was overwhelming after feeling numb for so long, he couldn¡¯t hold it in. Lex was coming for him! He accidentally floated up to the ceiling.


    He felt that something that had always heavily weighed on him had finally been lifted off his shoulders, something that he hadn¡¯t noticed until now. It was the feeling of being betrayed and abandoned by everyone he had ever tried to reach out to, but now, even though he was hesitant to put his trust in a man whom he had never met, who he hadn¡¯t even had a conversation with until this moment, he couldn¡¯t help but have hope kindled within him.He read through the conversation once more. He wanted to make sure that it had really happened. Someone really was coming to take him away from this nightmare.


    And so, he sat on the ceiling deep into the night shivering with excitement.


    <hr>


    AN- Sorry it took a while to update. School and stuff caught up to me.

 Pain and Cake - 3.2

    Julia Parkins was the general secretary of Pandora. She kept all the files in order and was the coordinator for everything that happened within the complex. Her schedules had schedules.


    Normally, she considered herself a practical woman not easily swayed by emotions. That is until the arrival of Andan Bach. He was a very handsome man, late twenties, just around her own age. He had a low, smooth voice and chocolate brown eyes that seemed to swallow you whole. She had a thing for eyes. It was always the first thing she noticed.


    He was different than any man that she had ever met. He had a dangerous air about him that made him hard to resist. She had fallen for him the first moment she saw him.


    Andan notices her flittering around him in an effort to make him notice and promptly wrapped her around his finger. He found that she would do anything for him. While a bit annoying, she was a useful little play toy. He amused himself with their jaunts in dark rooms.


    But, it was all coming to an end now. Tension between the United Social Communist Union and the Confederate of North America had risen. Project Whitehill was almost complete. One super soldier was never the plan, though Number 7 had undergone ¡°training¡± just in case. Andan laughed whenever he thought about it. That training was just a farce.


    In the end, the USCU needed an army, and now they would get it. Several days ago, a serum based on Number 7¡¯s DNA had proven successful. His regenerative powers could be passed on to others. All that was needed was to mass produce the product. With the project over in just a few more days, Andan hoped that he would be allowed to deal with the clone however he saw fit.


    In the mean time, he decided to enjoy himself with Julia one last time in a way that would be most pleasurable. He smirked as she eagerly followed him to the quiet, seldom used morgue, unaware of what he had in store for her.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Seven had taken to watching Andan¡¯s meta-link over the past few days. It allowed him to see where the man was in the complex, and if he wanted to, see directly what the man was seeing.


    It made him feel safer, being able to track the man without him knowing, and it gave him a feeling of being in control, however slight it was.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    More importantly, Seven knew that he needed to know where the man was when Lex came. Andan was by far the most dangerous person in Pandora. So, he kept a mini map of the complex open at all times, tracking everyone in the building through their links. A heavy emphasis was placed on Andan. His dot was by far the biggest.


    Seven glanced at his map while practicing bouncing off walls. His eyebrows scrunched up when he noticed Andan and Julia were both in the morgue that housed his mom¡¯s body.


    Normally, he wouldn¡¯t change to Andan¡¯s view. He accidentally did that once, and though he couldn¡¯t see much, the sounds that Julia gave him the creeps. He never looked again. This time, however, he had an uncomfortable feeling that he couldn¡¯t place. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he switched views.


    Screaming assaulted his ears. This wasn¡¯t at all the sounds that had come in the past. It was full of pain and horror. The only other time he had ever heard screaming like this was from the soldier Andan had killed in the video.


    ¡°Calm down, love. No need to get worked up. It will only hurt at first,¡± he heard Andan say. Seven was horrified. The sergeant was going to kill her.


    Seven never had much of an impression of Julia. She was nice, but distant. Most of the time, he forgot that she even existed. But this was wrong. Nobody deserved to die at the hands of a psychopath.


    He discovered for the first time that he had a deep ingrained sense to helping those in danger. He never noticed it before because nothing like this had ever happened. Maybe he gained it when the world turned his back on him. Maybe he had an inherent need to prove that he was different from them. However it came to be, there was no question that Seven would help Julia.


    He¡¯d have to use his escape route, the one he had been planning on using when Lex arrived. It was the air vent on his ceiling. Every night since Lex contacted him been working on getting it open. He¡¯d loop the security feed of the camera they installed two years back and slowly work the screws loose with his fingers. It was hard and sometimes made his fingers bleed, but it was well worth it. He had finally gotten it off last night If he leafy the screws lightly attached no one would notice. It disappointed him that he probably wouldn¡¯t be able touse the route anymore after this.


    Quickly, he pulled off the vent cover, not even bothering to loop the camera feed, and swooped through the vents towards the morgue.


    Traveling through the vents was harder than he thought. Even when making himself weightless and pushing off walls, he still found himself getting stuck at random corners and curves it slowed him down substantially.


    His map showed that Andan and Julia were still there when he finally got to the morgue. He was glad he made it in time. Except, he hadn¡¯t thought far enough ahead to figure out how he was going to get the vent cover off.


    He hadn¡¯t even thought about what he was going to do if he did get it off. Should he surprise attack Andan? Wouldn¡¯t that just get him killed? Did he even have any other options? He should have gotten someone to help him, but who would? And he couldn¡¯t now when he was stuck in a vent.


    Then he heard Julia give a weak cry, more of a gurgle than anything else. Seven felt desperation wash over him. He leaned on the vent grate, and it collapsed underneath him. He fell through the opening.

 Pain and Cake - 3.3

    Director Nero was frustrated. The mass production of Number 7¡¯s serum was taking longer than was planned. Unexpected difficulties continued to crop up one after another. The People¡¯s Army wouldn¡¯t be pleased with the set backs. They were getting more and more annoyed with Pandora as time passed. Even though Pandora¡¯s recent breakthroughs had been significant, especially within the last four years, it wasn¡¯t enough to pacify their growing displeasure.


    He looked through the manufacturing statistics. If things went well, it would be three days until the first batch of one hundred was done. The USCU wanted at least a hundred more such batches. It would be difficult, but once they got the first batch out, they would have gotten all the kinks out of the manufacturing line, and the process would then be completely automated.


    On the bright side, Number 8, the man they had injected Number 7¡¯s serum into three months ago, continued to be preforming well. His regenerative abilities and his resistance to radiation were both extremely high, proof that the serum worked better than he had hoped.


    When all this was over and the USCU got their serum, Director Nero hoped he¡¯d be allowed to see his family again. It had been so long since he last saw them. The People¡¯s Army kept them close by to make sure he worked properly. Thinking about his wife and little daughter in their hands made him clench his fist.


    He sighed as he looked about the mess of papers scattered about his office. Normally, Julia would help him keep it organized and read various reports to him so he could create a better picture in his head. It just wasn¡¯t the same when she wasn¡¯t there. He was annoyed that she seemed to have disappeared once again. Recently, she was gone more and more often. What could she be doing that would take so much time away from her actual responsibilities? He¡¯d have to call her out on it when he saw her next.


    He jumped, startled when a ding sounded in his ear. It was his meta-link informinghim of a message from the security room. Ignoring his feeling of embarrassment for being startled, he answered the call.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Sir, Number 7 seems to have disappeared from his room.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, disappeared?¡±


    ¡°He went through the air vent, sir?¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Around five minutes ago?¡±


    ¡°And you chose to inform me of this now?¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°It was only just noticed, sir.¡± Nero clicked his tongue in annoyance at the blatant incompetence of his staff. What was the point of installing a security camera?


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, sir.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. We can¡¯t tell which way he was headed when he went into the air vent. It branches in a couple different directions not far from his room. There¡¯s no security cameras in the vents, so we don¡¯t know which path he chose.¡± Nero rubbed the bridge of his nose. His annoyance was rapidly reaching peak level.


    ¡°Just find him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°No, never mind, tell Dr. Hektate instead. He might have a better time finding him that any of you incompetent idiots.¡±


    ¡°Sir, We¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t call us incompetent idiots. We¡¯re doing the best we can. We¡¯ll keep looking for him. As for asking Dr. Hektate, it will take a few moments. Getting in contact with him is hard since he doesn¡¯t have a meta-link. Ms. Perkins is the only one that carries around a comm to contact him.¡±


    ¡°Just hurry up.¡±Nero ran his fingers through his hair. This, so far, had been a very long day. It was only getting longer. A few minutes later, his link beeped once more.


    ¡°Sir, We¡¯ve checked several places and Dr. Hektate has as well. Number 7 hasn¡¯t been found yet, but Dr. Hektate thinks he may be in the morgue containing the bodies of the other numbers. He¡¯s headed there now, but-¡± All of a sudden, a large commotion sounded through the line. Nero frowned as he heard a couple of crashes and several people yelling all at once. He stood up, and his chair fell down behind him.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s happening? Someone tell me,¡± he yelled. Receiving no answer, he pulled upthe video feed of the security roomthrough his link. The feed popped up, and he saw the room in chaos. Chairs were tipped over. Bullet holes had punctured through the sleek videos screens, making them go black or shatter in to tiny pieces. The corpse of a Pandora security guard was slumped over one of the control panels and another was against the wall. Five guards were pushing against the door to the room, struggling to keep it closed.


    ¡°Director Nero,¡± one of them said through his link, ¡°We have intruders. They burst in suddenly. We managed to push them back out, but it¡¯s not going well. None of the other guards are responding to their links, and from the look of the camera feeds, many of them are down. We don¡¯t know how many we have left. Your orders, please.¡±


    ¡°Do we know who they are? Why are they here?¡±


    ¡°So far, we haven¡¯t been able to identify who they are other than that there is a high likelihood they arefrom New Poland from their combat style. We do know that they seem to be looking for something from the way they are moving about the complex. It¡¯s probably one of the reasons they are targeting the security room.¡±


    ¡°How many are there?¡±


    ¡°Roughly twenty or so.¡±


    ¡°Only twenty?¡±


    ¡°We were caught by surprise, sir. Most of our men were out looking for Number 7. Since he disappeared so suddenly, most left their equipment behind. The intruders are highly skilled. Our men didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Try and hold them off for as long as you can and act as you see fit.I won¡¯t be able to come up with a good plan to turn this all around. Can Sergeant Bach be contacted? He would be more suited for this.¡±


    ¡°No, sir. His meta-link is turned off. We haven¡¯t been able to reach him.¡±


    Nero almost never swore, but this was a rare time that he let out a string of curse words.

 Pain and Cake - 3.4

    Andan admiredhis handiwork. Julia was still alive, barely. Her limbs were twisted and mangled and several fingers had been ripped off. Thin scratches from his knife covered her body. Her neck had a large gash from which her life blood slowly drained and puddled around her body. It was beautiful. Her breath came in slow, ragged gasps, and she struggled to say something. It made her seem even more lovely.He leaned over and placed a finger on her lips.


    ¡°Hush, it will be alright,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m here. You don¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡± A bit of life returned to her eyes, and she shied away from him. The action caused her to make a pained noise as blood rushed out quicker. Andansmirked.


    Then, he heard a sound from above him. He turned and looked up. Something fell. As it passed by, it clipped his forehead, and his knife slipped out of his hands. The skin split open, and blood rushed down, flooding his dominate eye. He growled at the stingingpain and attempted wipe the blood awayto no avail.Andan searched for what had hit him. He found Sevenstaring back at him in horror.


    ¡°You!¡± Seven scooted backwards as fast as he could. Then, he noticed the prone, blood covered Julia behind the sergeant.


    ¡°Y-you killed her?¡± Andan looked at her. She really was dead now. Her heart stopped beating, and the blood from her neck slowed to a trickle. Andan was angry. He had missed the best part. The whole point of it was to watch that last little bit of light fade from her eyes, and this thing made him miss it! He pulled his gun and swirled on Seven, immediately pulling the trigger.


    Those two long years of lessons with Andan had made dodging an instinct for Seven. He used the walls, the ceiling, anything as a platform to get out of the gun¡¯s path. Fear raced through him. The only thing he could think about was to dodge. Andan grew angrier as he found it impossible to put a bullet through him. It didn¡¯t help that the blood pouring into his eye hindered his aim.


    A loud sound filled the room, and both of them froze. One of Andan¡¯s bullets had punctured a hole in Alicia¡¯s tank. They watched as water began pouring about of the hole. Several more cracks formed because of the pressure. Then, in a burst of water and flying glass, the tank shattered. Alicia¡¯s body flowed out along with the water and settled on the ground near Andan¡¯s feet.


    Both of them were drenched by the torrent of water and had several lacerations from the shattered glass. Andan got the worst of it. He had been closer to the tank than Seven. With a shaky hand, the man reached up and touched his non-dominate eye. Sticking out of it was an inch thick shard of glass. It han completely tore up his eye. Andan screamed. At the moment, he was completely blind. The cut on his forehead continued to bleed, continuously obscuring his vision, and now his other eye had a piece of glass sticking out of it.In rage and pain, he whirled about in a blind search for Seven.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Where are you, boy?¡± he yelled. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Seven remained cowered in fear. Andan took a step and tripped over Alicia¡¯s body. He stumbled slightly and then whipped out one of his three other guns and blindly shot Alicia several times in the face. Bone shattered and fragments flew. She was now unrecognizable. Seven felt his body slowly grow cold.


    ¡°Mom?¡± Andan spun around and put a bullet through his shoulder just below his collarbone. Seven was oblivious to the pain. He could only see Alicia¡¯s body at Andan¡¯s feet. That was his mom. She was perfect and beautiful, glorified in Seven¡¯s imagination. Though, he had never met her in life, she had filled his heart due to the kinship of shared experiences. To him, what Andan had just done had killed her. Burning fury consumed him.


    ¡°Mom!¡± he screamed as he rushed low to the ground at Andan, scooping up the man¡¯s discarded knife along the way. More bullets shot towards him. He dodged and bounced up to the ceiling. Pushing off, he increased his weight and shot down towards the sergeant. It was the first he ever attempted to attack Andan. He felt his knife slide through the muscles of the man¡¯s back, tearing them open. Andan grunted in pain, and another bullet pierced into the flesh beside Seven¡¯s hip.


    Seven screamed and stabbed Andan in the ribs. He felt the knife graze a bone as it continued to slip on through. It had been a very lucky stab. Not only did it puncture the lungs, but it had nicked Andan¡¯s heart. Seven ripped it out and stabbed him again.This time, the knife glanced of a rib, leaving only a slight gash, but by then, Andan had already fallen to his knees.


    Andan could hardly breathe. His lung had collapsed and blood was pouring out of his side. Still, he pulled up his gun and pointed it in the general direction of Seven. He pulled the trigger. The bullet completely missed. The man slumped to the ground.


    Seven tore the gun from Andan¡¯s hand and aimed it at his head. The boy took a few shuddering breaths. He glanced at Alicia, then screamed as he shot the man. The bullet slammed into his skull. Seven pulled the trigger again, but it clicked and clicked and clicked. Thegun was empty. He grabbed the other gun and unloaded into Andan¡¯s head. He was sobbingby the end of it.


    Seven threw up. He stared at Andan¡¯s body, then the gun in his hand in disgust. He threw it as far across the room as he could. Then, he crawled over to Alicia and cradled her ice cold hand in his. Tears ran down his face. He sat there shivering for a long while.


    His blue screen popped up suddenly in his vision. It was a message from Lex.

 Pain and Cake - 3.5

    The Cakemenhad been waiting outside the complex for four days. They were waiting for the right timing, but the longer they waited, the more Lex¡¯s men were growing anxious. It was a delicate operation. The compound has a complex system of heavily armed guards. There was no apparent gap in their rotation. A watch tower lorded over the area.


    Those four days were grueling. The weather was terrible. Snow fell for hours on end, but they couldn¡¯t move about freely to keep warm else they be spotted by the watch tower. In the end, they kept to their small snow dugouts, trying their best not to freeze to death.


    Lex sat on watch, keeping track of the movements of the guards through the telescope and infrared feature of his military grade meta-link. He was glad that he had invested in heat cloaking material for his men¡¯s equipment to prevent the guards from doing the same. It was expensive and hard to get a hold of, but after all the stealth missions they had undertaken, it proved well worth it.


    As he watched, he felt himself grow grateful to his men for putting up with his selfish desires. Most of their missions into the USCU held little profit. They could earn a little from people requesting their family members to be brought over to New Poland, but most of their income came from guarding private companies or state sponsored missions that usually involved fighting in skirmishes with the USCU. That made it easier to pick up the volunteer work.


    This mission in particular profited them even less than usual and held substantially more risk. They had never delved this deep into USCU territory. They were deep in Siberia, and it made the men tense. That his twenty-four men came with him on such a suicide mission showed how much faith they put in Lex.


    Pandora. It had always been an elusive organization. Only those in the right circles knew about it, and those that did could only guess at their links to the USCU. The rumor mill said they kidnapped kids off streets and experimented on them until they died. The scientists at Pandora were said to be some kind of evolvist fanatics, striving to discover the way humans were meant to involve by looking especially at genetic mutations. As such, many children with different mutations were taken, some speculated even into the thousands. Some even thought that the abduction of Alicia Whitehill nine years ago had been the work of Pandora, maybe even through the influence of the USCU.


    Lex had a soft spot for children, and with every mission into the USCU, it only grew. Anyone who hurt a child was a monster, and he wouldn¡¯t let them go unpunished. When he received alocation pin that was in the middle of the Siberian wasteland, he could only come up with three possibilities as to why. A secret prisoner of war concentration camp, a very complex and difficult to preform prank, or the all elusive Pandora. He had a hunch it was the third, and he was willing to risk it all if children were involved.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    And yet, even with this risk, his men still followed him. It caused a lump in his throat. When he offered his gratitude, his men brushed it off. Mevin, his second, even said with a laugh, ¡°Well, if it happens to be Pandora, we could always sell off the location and whatever else we find to the highest bidder. It¡¯d make all of this jecking cold worth it.¡±


    Lost in his thoughts, Lexwasstartled when lights began flashing in the compound. The guards moved quickly, but almost with confusion. At first, Lex thought they had been discovered, but then he became confused as severalrushed inside.


    Something¡¯s happening in there,he thought. He watched for a few seconds more, then stood up.


    ¡°The guards are distracted. Here¡¯s our lucky break, you roats. Grab your stuff. We¡¯re headed in,¡± he said over their closed-circuit meta-link transceiver. He watched as his men clambered out of their dugouts. They checked silent gunsand loaded cartridges, snapped on rapid vibrating bayonets, and secured their poly carbon fiber armored-skins. They looked to Lex and nodded, then moved all as one towards the complex.


    The guards remaining outside went down without a sound. They quietly slipped in and immediately came to an intersection. Lex signaled that they should split up. Traveling down the long hallways, they took down every guard they came across with silent precision. The longer they remained unnoticed, the greater chance they had of getting out alive with the target of rescue.


    ¡°Hime,¡± Mavin said over the link. He was in a different group than Lex.


    ¡°I told you not to call me that. Who wants to be called something that means ¡®princess¡¯ of all things,¡± Lex responded as his group turned a corner.


    ¡°Hime, just listen. You mentioned earlier that we should take out the security feed room if we came across it. It went worse than we thought. We caught them by surprise, but they acted fast and barricaded the door. There was eight, but it looks like we only managed to take down two. They got David and Oliver, and Venny is hurt pretty bad. It¡¯s probably safe to assume they know about us now.¡±


    Lex gritted his teeth. ¡°Alright, full force then. No holding back. Try to keep Venny alive if you can, butprioritizeyour own lives. I don¡¯t want anyone else dying one me.¡± Several guards rushed at them. He grunted in annoyance and waved his group forward.


    ¡°Yes, Hime,¡± his men responded.


    ¡°Shut it,¡± he said while pushing his bayonet through a guard¡¯s heart. ¡°Venny, you hanging it there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They got in a shot at my stomach, but I can handle it. Thanks, Hime. You know I hate being a burden,¡± Venny laughed weakly.


    ¡°Try not to die. I¡¯ll treat you to some cake if you make it.¡±


    Venny laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll be holding you to it, Hime.¡±


    ¡°Mevin, I¡¯m punching you after this for that ridiculous nickname.¡± Mevin laughed. Lex motioned his group to move forward once more. They passed by the corpses of the guards they had just met.Please be alive,he thought as he sent a message.He grew anxious as minutes passed. Then, a location ping popped up on his link. He grinned.


    ¡°Alright, you roats. We got our target location. This is where the real fun starts.¡±

 Pain and Cake - 3.6

    ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m only in this for the fun,¡± Mevin said.


    ¡°Shut up, you roat.¡±


    ¡°Do you need me?¡±


    ¡°Stay where you are. It¡¯d suck triteif they got organized. We¡¯llrendezvous where we entered.¡±


    ¡°Alrighty, Hime. Will do.¡± Lex rolled his eyes and waved his men forward.


    ¡°Lead on, Hime!¡± Sven, a man in his group said. ¡°I need some gezicafter this is all over.¡±


    ¡°You and your jecking liquor, Sven. You¡¯re already drunk as it is. You don¡¯t need anymore,¡± Josem said as he smacked Sven¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Am not! I haven¡¯t drunk a drop since we crossed the border.¡± They rounded another corner as the two men bantered in quite voices.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t see you sneak a drink of that flask of yours when you were on watch two days ago.¡±


    ¡°Tch. You saw that? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m a better fighter drunk anyway, and better than you any day,¡± Sven said.


    ¡°Hey, I take offense. You may be better in hand-to-hand, but I¡¯m a dead shot. Never miss. Not like some roat here.¡±


    ¡°You calling me a roat?¡±


    ¡°Jeck right I am.¡± Their ribbing lightened the pressure on the group, and made it so they could concentrate with more ease.Even with the horsing around, the group moved quickly and with extreme vigilance, their steps smooth and flowing.Lex smiled as he listened. His men, who had been strained because ofinaction these last couple of days, were livening up quite nicely.


    ¡°You, I¡¯ma beat you rancid when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Not, likely. You can¡¯t even get close. I¡¯d whip a gun on your piscine face so fast you wouldn¡¯t even-¡± Lex raised his, cutting Josem off as they came before a door. He signaled them to get into position, then swung open the door.


    The room was dark.The only was a faint glow emanating from somewhere within.They waited for a few seconds for their eyes to adjust before moving forward cautiously. The group noticed the puddles of water on the floor first. It squelched with each step. They paused and looked at each other briefly, confused that there would be water.


    Lex had an uncomfortable feeling. There was something wrong. He realized he could smell blood, and gunpowder as well. He hoped nothing happened to his contact.


    ¡°Lex,¡± Josem whispered. Lex turned to him. ¡°These glowing tubes. There¡¯s babies inside. I think they¡¯re dead.¡± Lex moved to them and saw the pale little bodies floating peacefully in the liquid. He slowly moved down the row, reading the labels.Number 6, Number 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.He paused at the last.Subject 55783. Given name, Alicia Whitehill.He looked at Josem, his eyebrows crinkled, then turned back to the broken glass case.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°The water came from here. Heva, Gen, take pictures of these, especially this name tag. Looks like Pandora really did kidnap Alicia Whitehill. Caleb, see if you can find her body. The rest of you, look for the contact. The location ping came from this room. Something happened here. Whatever it was, I have a feeling it wasn¡¯t pretty.¡± He studied the case once more as his men spread out.


    ¡°Hime, over here,¡± Caleb called.


    There were three bodies on the ground deeper into the room. The light from the glowing cases was dim enough that they missed the corpses at first glance. The closest was near the shattered case. Lex came closer.


    ¡°Holy roat,¡± hesaid softly. It was a man in a USCU military combat uniform. He had multiple stab wounds to the chest, and his face had been mutilated by too many bullet holes to count. It left his face an unrecognizable mess. He reached over an pulled out the man¡¯s dog tags.


    ¡°This kanted gamin.¡±


    ¡°Who is it,¡± Caleb said.


    ¡°Andan Bach.¡±


    ¡°The sadistic roat?¡± Josem said.


    ¡°Yeah. Met him once in a skirmish a few years back before he posted that creepy video. Was just as mephitic back then. I never wanted to meet him again, but I never thought I¡¯d see him dead, especially like this.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s he in Pandora?¡± Heva asked.


    ¡°Punishment? If I had to guess, I¡¯d say it¡¯s ¡¯cause of that video,¡± Lex said


    ¡°Serves him right, this kind of death,¡± Caleb said. Lex grunted in reply.


    ¡°He was a talented killer. Not many people would be able to get the better of him. Just who could of¡­¡± Josem trailed off. ¡°Look, he¡¯s got glass shards in him, as well.¡± Lex looked around the room.


    ¡°There¡¯s bullet holes all over in the wall. I¡¯d say they¡¯re from him just looking at the angles. Must have shot the case. Pressure would have made it explode.¡±


    ¡°Lex, look at this corpse. It¡¯s even nastier,¡± Blick, the dark humored Cakeman, said. Sven was standing next to him looking faintly pale.


    Lex walked over. This one was a female corpse. Limbs were twisted and broken until it looked like they no longer housed bones. A couple of ripped off fingers lay scattered about. A massive knife gash streaked across her neck, and a flow of drying blood ran down from it to the floor. She lay in a thick puddle of blood, her face frozen in despair. Lex stepped forward and closed her eyes, in the process kicking a vent cover. He looked up and frowned.


    ¡°She¡¯s not Alicia, is she?¡± Sven said.


    ¡°Alicia¡¯s albino, you moron. Does this look albino to you?¡± Blick smacked him.


    ¡°She¡¯s over here. Alicia. And it looks like our client, too,¡± Gen said.


    Alicia was leaning against a wall, her wet hair just beginning todry. Her face was in a similar condition as Andan¡¯s, with bullet holes completely disfiguring it. Other than that, her body was pristine.


    A boy that looked about eleven or twelve sat on the ground next to her, her hand cupped in his. From the water trails on the floor, it looked as if he had, with difficulty, dragged her body from near the shattered tube and propped her up against the wall.


    He looked a lot like her, fair skin and white hair. Lex turned an looked at the bodies in the tubes once more. They had white hair as well. He frowned again.


    The boy stared with unblinking eyes at the floor. His smock had tears and bullet holes, as well as blood splatters, but his skin looked strangely unmarred. He didn¡¯t seem to notice the men in the room.


    ¡°Shock?¡± Heva asked.


    ¡°Probably,¡± Gen replied.


    ¡°Hey, kid? You still alive?¡± Lex asked. Light slowly bled into the boys eyes. He looked up at Lex. A spark of recognition registered.


    ¡°Cakeman?¡± he said. Then he slumped over, unconscious.


    ¡°Looks like we found our boy. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Do we take Alicia with us?¡± Gen asked


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t have the time. I feel bad saying this, but her body would be too much of a burden. Heva, did you finish taking pictures?¡± Heva nodded.


    ¡°Alright, Mevin, we¡¯re headed out.¡±


    End of Chapter 3

 Biscotti - 4.1

    Director Nero stood in his office, fuming at the aftermath of the sneak attack. The man in front of him stood as still as possible without making any sound in hopes that Nero¡¯s wrath would not be directed upon him. It was a pointless hope.


    ¡°Second Officer, where is your commanding officer?¡±


    ¡°Dead, sir.¡±


    ¡°And the First Officer.¡±


    ¡°Dead as well, sir.¡±


    ¡°So, the chain of command falls to you then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Tell me why you and your men are so incompetent.¡±


    ¡°I have no answer to that, sir.¡± Nero slammed his fist on his table. He breathed for a second, then flung the table on its side, spilling the contents about the room. The officer jumped. He cautiously stared at the wall behind the heaving director.


    Nero took a few deep breaths, and then said calmly, ¡°Officer, tell me the damages.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Forty-nine dead, and twenty-three wounded. Five of the dead and thirteen of the wounded were scientists. Of the intruders, only two were found dead. Dr. Johan Hektate was last seen in hallway B-16 headed towards the morgue in hallway C-14. Sergeant Andan Bach was found dead in said morgue along with Julia Parkins, both bodies mutilated. Alicia Whitehill¡¯s body appears to have been mutilated as well. The experiment Number 7 is no where to be found.¡±


    ¡°Bach is dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. He appears to have been shot in the face multiple times, and his side has several stab wounds.¡±


    ¡°Bach is dead,¡± Nero repeated. He grew more and more agitated. Suddenly, the door to the office burst open.


    ¡°Nero, tell this man to stand down! I¡¯m safe, and this whole ridiculous thing is over. I don¡¯t need his protection anymore. It¡¯s frankly annoying. I have work to do. Someone tell me where Seven is, and that stupid man, Bach.¡± Dr. Hektate walked across the room with a security officer trailing behind him.


    ¡°Johan,¡± Nero¡¯s voice cracked, ¡°Bach is dead.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± Johan Hektate stared at Nero¡¯s pale face. A look of realization crossed the doctor¡¯s face, and he let out a string of profanity.


    ¡°If I may ask,¡± the second officer said, ¡°Sir, why is it a problem for Sergeant Bach to have died. He didn¡¯t have a very high position in the People¡¯s Army. Surely, they won¡¯t be that concerned.¡±


    Nero head whipped to stare at the man, looking about ready to murder him. Johan raised his hand at Nero, then turned towards the officer.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that much of a problem if that¡¯s all he was. If that were truly the case, all that would have happened is a slap on the wrist and a pay reduction. But no, Bach had to be the grand nephew of General Viscous Bach.¡±


    The officer paled. ¡°We¡¯re all going to die,¡± he said.


    ¡°Director Nero,¡± another officer said as he hurried into the room, ¡°A status update.¡±


    ¡°Report.¡±


    ¡°We have a soldier who identified the attackers. He said that they are probably the highly skilled mercenaries who are referred to as the Cakemen.¡±


    ¡°The Cakemen? I know they cross the border all the time, but why would they be all the way out here?¡± Johan said.


    ¡°It appears they were looking for Number 7.¡±


    Johan grabbed the soldier¡¯s collar and shook him. ¡°What do you mean, they were looking for Seven?¡±


    ¡°Sir, they were seen carrying the experiment as they fled, sir!¡±


    Johan shoved the man to the floor, then spun on Nero. ¡°Did you know about this?¡±


    ¡°I knew he was missing,¡± Nero said shakily. Johan punched through a wall. The room grew still for several minutes.


    ¡°Tell them to leave,¡± Johan said quietly, his fist still in the wall.


    ¡°What?¡± Nero said.


    ¡°Tell everyone to leave.¡±


    Nero looked at him for a second, then nodded to the three soldiers in the room. They left the room hurriedly. Nero turned back to Johan.


    ¡°You have a plan?¡±


    Johan sighed and took his fist from the wall, shaking off the loose plaster. He walked over and settled on the couch.


    ¡°It¡¯s completely ludicrous. It probably won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Tell me anyway. Either we go with whatever crazy plan you¡¯ve got or wait for the USCU to come kill us, and honestly, your plans tend to work no matter how ridiculous they are.¡±


    Johan took a few deep breaths and said, ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple, actually. We start a war.¡±


    ¡°What? Johan, even for you, this plan is messed up. We can¡¯t just fight the USCU.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about, Nero. The CNA and the USCU have been at odds for a long time now. They¡¯re practically dying to have an excuse to go to war with eachother. The only reason they haven¡¯t is that they don¡¯t have an excuse, and more importantly, they¡¯ll only start one if they¡¯re sure they have the upper hand, especially the USCU.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going with this? How is this relevant to our situation, now?¡±


    ¡°Look, the USCU isn¡¯t ready, but the CNA is. Everyone knows they¡¯re on the last stages of testing the photon bomb. All they need now is a spark, a spark which we just so happen to have. And if we can get the CNA to start the war, the USCU can¡¯t possibly have time to track us down when we go into hiding.¡±


    ¡°You mean Alicia?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The CNA know¡¯s that we¡¯ve been working for the USCU. If we drop off her body on their doorstep, along with a note that confirms their suspicions that we were the ones that kidnapped her, then the CNA¡¯s bound to demand that we be handed over to them.¡±


    ¡°Johan, that¡¯s not any better than letting the People¡¯s Army get us.¡±


    ¡°No, the USCU wouldn¡¯t hand us over.¡±


    ¡°And why is that?¡± Nero said, getting annoyed at Johan¡¯s roundabout way of describing his plan.


    ¡°You should be able to figure this out. You¡¯ve dealt with them so often.¡±


    Nero glared at him. ¡°Just tell me already.¡±


    ¡°For one, we¡¯ll be gone by then, and it¡¯ll hopefully take time for them to find us, time they don¡¯t have when dealing with an enraged CNA, who will have just been handed the perfect excuse to start a war on the pretense of justice, something the CNA loves. Two, we know all the USCU¡¯s secrets when it comes to Project Whitehill and experimentation on regeneration, something just about anyone would die to get their hands on. The USCU won¡¯t want to just give that to the CNA. Of course, I doubt the CNA would just accept it if the USCU tried to hand us over to them dead.¡±


    Nero sat still for a few seconds, mulling it over. He rubbed his face as he sighed.


    ¡°Alright, looks like this is our best shot.¡±


    Johan laughed, ¡°Looks like we¡¯re starting a war.¡±


    <hr>


    AN - I think I''m ready to start trying to publisize a bit more. Anyone know a good way of doing that? Also, hey, tell me if there''s any inconsistancies or plot holes or grammar stuff of what ever. I''m also open to suggestions for cool futuristic techy stuff.

 Authors Note

    Ack. I realized that with the new update that there isn''t an author''s signature anymore (or at least I can''t find it) which is a real bummer but it explains some things.


    And well I had a link to my blog on my signature. Hm. Anyway here</a> it is again for those who are curious. It has a few more pages than here does. Up to page five of chapter four at the moment. I''m going to try and keep it ahead kind of as a treat for those who come and look at it.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Sorry this isn''t an update, but I''ll get one out later tonight.

 Biscotti - 4.2

    Seven stood in a large field. Wind flowed past him, making the long grasses sway like waves. It was quiet except for the wind. He briefly thought it strange. His whole life there had always been something buzzing in the background. He tried to pull up his blue screen, but nothing happened.


    ¡°&%$*#]@,¡± a sweet voice called out. It was a name, he realized. His own name. Not a number, a real name. If only he could have heard it clearly. He turned towards the voice and saw Alicia standing a ways behind him. Suddenly, he was very little. He cried in delight and ran towards her.


    ¡°Mama!¡± he laughed as he wrapped his short arms around her leg. She chuckled and ruffled his hair before planting a kiss on his head.


    ¡°How are you, my little imp? Did you have a good day?¡±


    ¡°It was scary, but Mama¡¯s here, so it¡¯s okay now,¡± he showed her a toothy grin.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to here. Look, &%$*#]@, Daddy¡¯s here.¡± Seven tried to look where she was pointing, only, the world turned on its head. Darkness began to eat up everything.


    ¡°Mama!¡± he cried. Then, he found himself back in the morgue. Andan was splayed out on the ground in front of him. His head turned and looked up at Seven. Huge, bloody, gaping holes where his eyes once were bored into him. Seven screamed and tried to scramble back. Andan¡¯s arms grew in length. His fingers stretched and wrapped around Seven¡¯s neck. He brought his mangled face next to Seven¡¯s.


    ¡°You!¡± Andan¡¯s voice gurgled, ¡°You killed me! You¡¯re a murderer!¡±


    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t mean¡­ You were¡­ She was¡­ You hurt Mom!¡±


    ¡°You killed me for that thing? It was a corpse! Dead! You killed me for that? What are you?¡±


    ¡°But you killed Julia, and you were going to kill me, too. D-don¡¯t talk about Mom like that.¡±


    ¡°You justify yourself? You think yourself better than me?No, you are far worse. You aren¡¯t even human. You were made by humans, toyed with by humans. You think you are her son? You are fake. You aren¡¯t real. You are nothing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong! I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have a name, clone! And now you¡¯ve become a murderer. What are you now? A monster! You¡¯re a monster!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Seven yelled. A gun appeared in his hand. Seven pulled the trigger again and again. Andan flailed back as bullets pierced through his skull. ¡°Shut up shut up shutupshutupshutUP!!!¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The gun clicked. No more bullets come out. Seven breathed heavily. He stared at the broken Andan on the floor. Only, now it was Alicia. Seven stared at her body in horror. She turned and looked at him with her empty eye sockets.


    ¡°Why &%$*#]@? Why did you kill me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t¡­ Mom!¡±


    ¡°You! What are you? You¡¯re a monster!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± He cried as he reached down and touched her arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, you disgusting thing!¡± Seven jerked back.


    ¡°You horrible creature. You destroy everything you touch. See, now I fade. It would have been better if you never had existed.¡± Her body crumbled into pieces and blew away.


    A hand roughly jerked Seven awake. He made a startled sound.


    ¡°You okay, boy? You seemed like you were having a pretty rancid dream there.¡± A man leaned over and lightly slapped Seven¡¯s face.


    ¡°Sven, lay off. Give the kid some room. He can¡¯t breath with you all up in his face.¡±


    ¡°I was not, you roat scum! Stop lying through those piscine teeth of yours, Josem!¡± Sven said.


    ¡°They¡¯re prettier than the stumps you have rotting in your mouth.¡±


    Seven looked around groggily. The two men, Sven and Josem, stood in front of him. Several more people were scattered about a small, snow filled clearing. Seven shivered, just realizing how cold he was.


    ¡°Hime! Kid¡¯s up!¡± Josem said. A tall man turned and looked over at him. Seven recognized him from the pictures on the interweb. It was Lex Palming, leader of the CakeMan Mercenary group. Seven vaguely recalled seeing Lex in the morgue, but he immediately shut down that thought process. His dream was still fresh in his mind. It made him shudder.


    ¡°You alright boy?¡± Lex said as he walked over to Seven.


    ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°About fifty or so miles from the Pandora base.¡±


    ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°Two and a half days.¡±


    ¡°You sure are amazing though, kid,¡± Sven butted in. ¡°Blick tried to patch you up a couple of days ago. You had some bullets in you, but you must have some crazy roat magic or something. Blick nearly peed his pants when he saw them bullets dropping out of the holes in your gut like crap. Next day, you ain¡¯t got nothing but scars, and even those are fading.¡±


    ¡°Stop being so jecking disgusting, Sven! Kid don¡¯t want to hear about no crap. Was pretty creepy, though,¡± Josem scratched his jaw and turned away.


    ¡°Ignore them,¡± Lex said. ¡°What are your plans now, kid?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Lex! It¡¯s official! Gen says CNA dropped a nuke on Moscow,¡± Another man called.


    Lex swore. ¡°Mevin, we need to get moving now. Everyone pack up. We need to move fast. We have to get out of USCU territory as soon as possible. This place¡¯ll be roasted soon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Seven asked.


    ¡°War, kid,¡± Josem said. ¡°USCU and CNA are at war, and it¡¯ll be a bloody one.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll still take us more than a week to get to the border,¡± Mevin said. ¡°At this rate, we won¡¯t make it before the real putrid jeck comes crashing down on us. And it¡¯ll just get worse the closer we get to the border.¡±


    ¡°Change of plans. We¡¯re not going to the New Poland border,¡± Lex said.


    ¡°Then where we going? Moscow?¡± Sven said sarcastically.


    ¡°No, you idiot,¡± Lex slapped him. ¡°We¡¯re going to India.¡±


    ¡°India?!¡± Josem said.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with India? Isn¡¯t it part of New Poland?¡± Seven asked.


    ¡°India is a mad house, kid. It¡¯s technically part of New Poland, but it¡¯s where all the world¡¯s undesirables are sent. Why else do you think that there¡¯s a massive wall separating it from the rest of Asia?¡± Sven said. ¡°India is a murderer¡¯s paradise.¡±

 Biscotti - 4.3

    Seven¡¯s face paled.Murderer, a voice echoed in his head. He shivered.


    ¡°Perk up, kid. No need to be scared. No one there¡¯d mess with Hime. He¡¯s got connections,¡± Sven said as he slapped Seven on the back. ¡°Here let me help you up.¡± He grabbed hold of Seven¡¯s wrist and pulled hard. Seven was launched a couple of feet, and he stumbled to regain his balance.


    ¡°Connections?¡± Seven said.


    ¡°Ever heard of Ahmed Mubai?¡± Josem asked. Seven shook his head. ¡°Major crime lord. King of the Camellia House Mafia Group. Owes Hime here a favor.¡±


    ¡°And I was hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to use it. The man¡¯s mad. Never know how breathe around him. More trouble than he¡¯s worth. Ug, I¡¯ve been avoiding India for years simply because of him. Let¡¯s move. We still have to get to our launch point by dark. Here kid, put these on. It¡¯s going to be a long walk.¡± He threw over a heavy coat and a pair of thick boots before marching off. The people around him began to move.


    ¡°Launch point?¡± Seven whispered to Sven as he quickly slipped on the rather over-sized, but very warm boots and coat. He hurried a little to catch up to the group.


    ¡°Where we stowed our bird. Couldn¡¯t get too close to Pandora without them noticing it, even with all the crazy roat mods Mevin managed to cram onto it.¡±


    ¡°What kind of mods?¡±


    ¡°Stuff like nitro, jet turbine, sick autopilot and navigation system, lots and lots of guns, a stealth cloak, super roat by the way. Way lot of other stuff I don¡¯t know the technical terms to, but hey, Mevin even put in a jecking roat theater. That surround sound. It¡¯ll blow you away, that¡¯s for sure. But my all time favorite is the endless espresso machine,¡± Sven grinned.


    Josem snorted at him. ¡°Of course it would be.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of it, you jecking roat. It¡¯s the only thing that gets me going in the mornings.¡±


    ¡°More like the only thing to get you over a hangover. I know how much you drink at night. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t keeled over yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a light weight.¡± The two continued to bicker as their pace slightly increased. They seemed to have forgotten Seven in their argument.


    Seven¡¯s own pace slowed. Was it really alright to go with these people? A sense of apprehension flooded over him. He had been so focused on trying to find a way to leave Pandora that he hadn¡¯t considered why these people had helped him. What was their reason for doing so? There was no way that it wasjust out of kindness.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    He realized then that his whole life had been centered around people who always had an ulterior motive. If, by some chance, these people were really acting out of goodwill, he wasn¡¯t sure if he knew how to deal with it. On the other hand, he was scared that he might have once again put his trust in someone bent on trying to use him.


    A hand touched his shoulder. He jumped slightly, then turned and looked up at the tan female face staring at him. She had a strong but silent aura about her, with a heavy gaze that seemed to look into every corner of him. He shook slightly under its load. She blinked, and the feeling of weight behind her gaze disappeared. Then, she slowly nodded, making it seem like she approved of whatever she had seen. She looked away as she moved on ahead.


    ¡°That¡¯s Heva,¡± a voice said. Seven turn towards it. A man with kind eyes stared back. ¡°She¡¯s a quiet one, but everyone trusts her more than just about anyone. I¡¯m Caleb. This all must be overwhelming to you.¡± Seven nodded slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Lex. He¡¯s a good guy. You made the right call getting a hold of him. He¡¯d go through just about anything to help out a kid. You don¡¯t have to look so surprised. It¡¯s just the type of man he is. If it¡¯s alright, can I ask your story?¡±


    ¡°My story?¡± Seven stumbled over a hidden rock in the snow as he walked. Caleb reached over and steadied him.


    ¡°That might be a bit too much to ask all at once. Let¡¯s start with a simpler question. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really have one,¡± Seven said. Caleb raised an eyebrow in question, and the group grew quiet. Seven could tell that while most of the others had their backs towards him as they all marched, they where all listening intently to what he was saying. It was a little unnerving to have so many people interested in what he had to say.


    ¡°I mean. I kind of have a name, but it¡¯s more of a number. Number 7. I¡¯ve always been Seven.¡± The air grew tense, and Seven was afraid he had said something wrong. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quickly, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean-¡±


    ¡°Kid, they¡¯re not angry with you. You did nothing wrong, so don¡¯t apologize. Your story might be a hard one for them to hear. It makes all of us angry to hear about those who abuse children. Pandora is¡­ it¡¯s not a nice place. Just know that their anger is not directed at you. Can you still go on?¡± Caleb said.


    ¡°Yes. I can try. But, I¡¯m not really sure what to say.¡±


    ¡°How old are you, then?¡±


    ¡°Four. Almost five. Well, in a couple of months anyway.¡± Caleb choked and began coughing.


    ¡°Did you say four? You can¡¯t be less than eleven years old. Kid, why are you lying?¡± A man walking behind them said.


    ¡°Blick, shut up. You can tell from his face he¡¯s not lying. Let him speak. Don¡¯t mind him. My name¡¯s Tegan. Can I call you Seven? You said you were four? How does that work?¡±


    ¡°Um, yeah. You can call me Seven. It-it¡¯d really be easier just to show you. I have a couple of data files that explain it. They¡¯re about Project Whitehill. I wish I had them more in depth. They¡¯re only surface files, so they don¡¯t explain all the in depth stuff.¡± Seven pulled up his blue screen and sent the files to every meta-link in the vicinity. ¡°Here.¡±


    The group froze.


    ¡°You. How?¡± Tegan said.

 Biscotti - 4.4

    ¡°No wait! That wasn¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­ It just¡­an accident! It was an accident! I didn¡¯t mean¡­ I didn¡¯t do it! Really, I didn¡¯t¡­ please¡­ Just¡­ could you forget about it?¡± Seven panicked. He shrunk back as every eye bored into him.


    He hadn¡¯t meant to expose his weird ability. He had successfully kept it a secret this whole time, and in one moment of relaxation, he let it slip. Now, he didn¡¯t know what was going to happen to him. When Pandora found out that he could defy gravity, it only made his life worse. He was worried that these people might do the same.


    He stared with wide, fearful eyes as Lex made his way over to him. When the man reached Seven, he knelt down, making himself a level lower than the boy. Seven flinched when Lex looked up into his eyes.


    ¡°Hey. It¡¯s alright,¡± the man said in a gruff voice. ¡°No one here is going to hurt you. I promise you that. I know it¡¯s a hard thing, and I won¡¯t ask you to trust us just yet, but I hope that one day you will be able to. So, to start, we wont ask about your little trick since you don¡¯t want us to.¡± He made sure to glare around at his men. ¡°But in exchange, let¡¯s keep moving. We¡¯re almost there, and you look like you need something warm in you.¡±


    He stood up and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair before moving off once more. The group began moving once more. Seven hung back with Caleb and after a while began talking about some of his favorite books. A collective sigh was released when he spoke animatedly to Caleb. The others in turn read the files Seven had sent.


    ¡°We should have killed more of them,¡± Blick muttered as he read.


    Mevin moved closer to Lex. ¡°Hime, what are your plans with the kid?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning on hiding out for a while, trying to avoid getting drafted for the war as long as possible. I don¡¯t know. Maybe hide out in India for a while.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do with him, though? He doesn¡¯t have a home. He¡¯s a clone, for trite¡¯s sake. You can¡¯t just drag him around with you. The war¡¯s going to catch up with you. Either that or Toluene will. Just drop him off somewhere.¡± Lex smacked him.


    ¡°You cold hearted demon. You think I could do that to the poor kid. After what he¡¯s been through? You know it¡¯s deeper than what he¡¯s shown. I bet his scars have scars. It¡¯ll wreck him if I did that to him. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever had someone to depend on. I intend to be just that.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Why are you going so far for him? You¡¯ve never went this far for someone. Not once even though all the crazy stunts we¡¯ve done through all the years. Look, Lex, I¡¯ve been with you for this long now. Listen to me just this once. That kid¡¯s a ticking time bomb, and you¡¯re going to get killed because of him. Just give him to a shelter like you normally do, and call it good.¡±


    Lex slowed and looked back at Seven. The kid almost laughed as he spoke with Caleb, but quickly smothered it, almost like he was afraid it would come back and bite him, like he would get beaten for it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t Mevin. Look at him. Look at what they¡¯ve done to him. I know he¡¯s a strong kid. I mean he made it through whatever it was they put him through. Made it out on top even, but Mevin, jecking roat! He¡¯s only four years old! No matter how old he may seem, he¡¯s only live in this world for four measly years. Almost five,¡± Lex gave a sad laugh, ¡°And every single one of those kanted years he¡¯s been treated as nothing more than an object. I just can¡¯t stand that fact, and if it ends up killing me, so be it.¡±


    ¡°Lex-¡±


    ¡°He reminds me of myself, Mevin. Back then, I was completely alone. For years, I struggled just to survive just by myself. Without any help even, not even when it was offered. At least he had the courage to reach out to someone.¡±


    Mevin sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not budging, are you? Fine, I¡¯ll help you out. I just hope he doesn¡¯t take as long to crack open as you did. It was annoying how you refused to open up back then. I don¡¯t want to have to go through that again.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mevin. You know how much this means to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll owe me for this, though.¡±


    ¡°Admit it. He¡¯s growing on you, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Mevin punched him. ¡°Not yet, he isn¡¯t.¡±


    They walked in silence for a few minutes.


    ¡°Think he has anymore tricks?¡± Lex said after a while.


    ¡°Like that one? I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯d be cool if he did though.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? He doesn¡¯t have a meta-link right?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Nothing showed up when we scanned him for bugs or a tracker.¡±


    ¡°How do you think he did it? And that high-speed regeneration too! That was amazing. How many bullet holes did he have in him? That¡¯s just crazy roat! I wish I had that.¡±


    ¡°Trite, Hime, you¡¯re just like a jecking kid. I¡¯ll admit it is pretty cool though. Be nice to have someone like that on our missions. Maybe you could recruit him.¡±


    ¡°Only if he really wants to, but even then. I wouldn¡¯t want to push him into anything, and I¡¯d rather he not get into anything like that. He¡¯s had enough of people using him and that face of the world. He needs to be a kid now. I just hope we can give that¡­¡± Lex trailed off. He signaled everyone to pause.


    ¡°Get down,¡± he said as he flashed a hand signal to those behind him. The group dropped to the group and turned on their cloaking devices.


    A few minutes ticked by. Seven was tempted to ask what was happening when off in the distance he heard a low drone. All of a sudden, three aircraft shot by over head ¨C two small fighters and a carrier. The group waited in a heavy silence as planes passed. They didn¡¯t move until the crafts were long gone.


    ¡°They¡¯re headed towards Pandora,¡± Josem said.


    ¡°We need to move. Now!¡±

 Biscotti - 4.5

    "Josem, grab Seven," Lex said. Josem nodded and scooped Seven up. The group of mercenaries ran at a fast pace through the snow covered forest. Seven grunted as he bounce around on Josem''s shoulder.


    "Basalt, how is Venny holding out? Can he make it?"


    "It''ll be rough on him, but he should be fine."


    "Mevin, how far''s our bird?"


    "We''ll hit it in a little over fifteen minutes at this speed."


    "Did you ever get around to installing that remote control feature? Those fighters aren''t going to stay in Pandora very long. If those roats haven''t left by now, they''re gonna be maggot bags."


    "The system''s all hooked up, just never got around to actually making the portable remote part."


    "Remind me to dock your pay later."


    "You wouldn''t!" Mevin gasped.


    "Maybe. I can. Try," Seven said. Slamming down on someone''s shoulder every time they took a step did nothing for coherent speech. Seven was having a hard time keeping himself from slipping off. He closed his eyes in an effort to concentrate. He felt around for electromagnetic waves.


    Other than the twenty or so meta-links, and the massive glow a few miles off that must be Pandora, there was a fairly thick, dormant wave in the direction they were headed. That must be the Cakemen''s airship.


    He tugged and woke it up. He felt the wave thrum to life. Looking closer at it, it was actually a collection of waves woven together. It was really beautiful to look at. Looking through the different colored waves, he found theengine, the remote control system, the navigation system, the piloting system, and the cloaking system.


    He almost lost connection with the ship when he activated the cloaking system. It managed to hide all electromagnetic waves emanating off the ship. If he hadn''t been holding tightly to the piloting system, he would have lost control of the ship. Slowly, he lifted the bird into the air, and guided it towards the Cakemen. It was hard to do considering his rough ride.


    "Got it. Coming. Now," he said through gritted teeth.


    "What?" Mevin said, but his words were drowned out by a low thrumming sound that appeared suddenly.


    "Down!" Lex yelled, and everyone dove to the ground. Seven came up with a mouthful of snow. He spat it out and stood up. Josem pulled him back down.


    "What are you doing? They''re gonna see you! They have movement trackers on those birds."


    "But it''s your bird, isn''t it? It''s alright."


    "What do you mean, it''s our bird? Our birds still..." he trailed off as Seven disabled the visual portion of the cloaking system. A huge aircraft hovered in the air above them, thrumming quietly at a low frequency.


    "How?" Josem said.


    "Seven, did you do this?" Mevin asked.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Yeah."


    "I must say, Seven. You are quite the kid," Lex said. "Alright, stop gawking. Let''s board this kanted gamin. Seven, bring her down."


    Seven landed the bird and dropped the hatch. He looked around curiously as he followed the Cakemen aboard.


    "You''re Basalt?" He whispered to the man next to him.


    "No, that''s my twin. I''m Basilisk. Basalt''s over there helping Gen carry Venny."


    "Oh. What''s the ship''s name?"


    "TheBiscotti."


    "Uh. Like the food?"


    "Hime''s got a horrible sense of humor. And a major sweet tooth."


    "Hime!" A man yelled as ran from further in the ship. "The ship moved on it''s own! It was like a ghost!"


    "I told you a million times, Barry. Mevin installed a remote control. He probably just moved it using that." Another man followed him out.


    "We''ll talk about this later. Some fighters flew over us earlier. We gotta get moving. Good to see you, Barry, Howll." Lex said. He patted their shoulders as he walking past them.


    "They are?" Seven asked.


    "Here, let me just introduce everyone to you," Basilisk said as the hatch ofBiscotti closed up behind them.


    "Offa! Where are you?" Lex yelled. "Start her up. We''re leaving this dump!"


    "Offa, you haven''t met him yet, he''sBiscotti''shelmsman. He, Barry, Howll, and Juleka stayed behind. Barry''s our cook. He''s a bit neurotic, but he makes the best food. Don''t get on his bad side though. He holds a grudge like no other. You''ll get salt in your food for weeks. Howll and Juleka are our mechanics. Howll''s over equipment and Juleka''s overBiscotti. Try not to damage the ship."


    "Why?"


    "Juleka''ll get jecking crazy on you. It''s her baby, and she is freakishly strong. Too valuable to take on missions though. Yra and Lois also stayed behind. They consist of our medical team. Who knows how many times we would have died without them. Hime doesn''t like anyone messing with them. They''re also a couple, so don''t try and get between them."


    "Who else?"


    "Let''s see. Lex, you know. He''s the captain. Mevin''s his second in command, and Rowan is his third. Mevin''s the technician, too. He comes up with the craziest roat inventions. The Cakemen wouldn''t function without him. Rowan''s probably the best hand-to-hand combat martial artist we have. Can take down a group of ten men in five seconds flat without any kind of weapon. Gen, on the other hand, I''ve never seen him wield a gun."


    "Really?"


    "Nope, not once. He''s jecking trite with a sword though. Those two are our weirdest. Other than them, we''re divided into three different combat groups. Close-range, mid-range, and sniper. Each one has a captain that also serves as the tactician for the group. Oh, and the special operations group. They''re in charge of random things like information and infiltration."


    "Which one are you?"


    "I''m a sniper."


    "Are you a captain?"


    "Nope. Deheu is captain of the snipers."


    "Who''s all in which groups?"


    "In the snipers, there''s me, Deheu, Klark, and Oliver. It''s sad, but he and David, who was the mid-range captain, died storming Pandora. We''ll have to pick a new captain for them."


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean-"


    "Don''t apologize. Death is a frequent thing for us. They knew what they were getting into. Don''t worry about it, kid. Let''s continue, alright?"


    "Alright... and the mid-range? Who''s in the mid-range?"


    "That''s Venny, my brother Basalt, Tegan, and Caleb. As for the close-range, there''s good old captain Froi, Josem and Sven, ever together, Blick, and Heva. Our quirky people like Mevin and Rowan and Hime all get grouped into the special operations group. And well I already mentioned our stay-at-home group. That should be everyone. Welcome to the gang, kid."


    <hr>


    AN - Yay! You''ve officially met all of the Cakemen now! and the shipBiscotti! Sorry it was kind of an information dump. I''m really trying to avoid them. But, well, there''s a lot of names, twenty-four in fact. I hope it doesn''t bog you down to much. I don''t really think you''ll need to keep track of them.


    Here, I''ll list them for you:


    Special Operations: Lex (captain), Mevin, Rowan, Gen


    Close-range combat group: Froi (captain), Josem, Sven, Blick, Heva


    Mid-range combat group: David (captain/dead), Basalt,Venny, Tegan, Caleb


    Snipers/long-range combat group: Deheu (captain), Basilisk, Klark, Oliver (dead)


    Stay-at-home: Offa, Juleka, Yra, Lois, Howll, Barry,

 Biscotti - 4.6

    Seven found himself sitting on a couch and sipping hot chocolate inBiscotti''s common area. He felt strange. He couldn''t quite take in the situation in which he found himself. He watched as the crew members bustled about. The ship had been flying for about four hours now, and severalwere either in their cabins or helping out elsewhere.


    He heard Barry clanging pots and pans in the kitchen. Blick was asleep on the couch across from him. Juleka kept running around grabbing random equipment and opening different access panels. Her excessive amount of energy made Seven tired. She had a tendency of shouting at the top of her lungs whenever she talked. He wondered how Blick could sleep through it all.


    Every once in a while, someone would pop their head in and speak a few sentences to him, mostly about how he was doing. He would force out an adequate reply, and then they would move on.


    He wasn''t really in the mood for talking. Or doing anything really. For now, he was content staring at the wall in a sort of daze and taking a sip now and again.


    "What are you thinking about?" Seven started. He looked over to find Blick staring at him. When had he woken?


    "I''m not," Seven mumbled.


    "Ah." They sat in silence. Seven returned his gaze to the wall, but he could feel Blick''s eyes on him. It began to grow uncomfortable.


    "What? Why are you staring at me?" he finally said.


    "No reason."


    "Then, why do you keep doing it? Look somewhere else."


    "No. Don''t feel like it." Seven scowled at him. Another few secondspast.


    "Just stop it! Am I really that strange to look at to you?" He waited for a response, but it never came.


    "Stop looking at me! I already know! You don''t have to make it obvious! I''m a monster, alright! No one else is like this. No one can just get shot and walk it off. No one grows up this fast. No one gets born in a lab or treated like a lab rat or... or..." He felt tears begin to slide down his face. "N-no one feels happy about murdering someone, feels glad that they did it, or relieved that he''s dead. I''m nothing more than a monster. You don''t have to tell me."


    Seven broke down. He cried the hardest he had ever in his life. It came with great heaving sobs and shuddering that wracked his whole body.


    Blick continued to watch as the boy cried. He made no move, but he was well aware that others had gathered silently outside the room. He could feel their need to rush in and comfort the kid. He flashed them a signal to stay put. That wasn''t what Seven needed right now.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "So what?" He said. Seven froze.


    "I said, so what? You think you''re the only one with problems?" Blick felt several people outside tense up in anger at his words. "You think you''re oh so special? That everyone else''s lives are hunky dory? Suck it up kid."


    "You! What do you know?" Seven yelled. Blick suddenly stood up.


    "Me? I know nothing. I only killed someone when I was seven. I only saw my father and the rest of my family shot right in front of me. I only joined a child army and murdered hundreds of innocents for pointless reasons and stupid politics. But you know what? I enjoyed it anyway. No, I don''t know anything. So tell me, kid, if I''m not a monster, then what is?"


    He stormed out of the room and forced his way past the people crowding the door way. He shot them death glares when the tried to criticize his words. Heva took command of the group and pushed people away from the common area.


    "You''ve all got jobs to do," she said. "No need to loiter around here."


    "Heva, but Blick-" Sven said.


    "Leave them both be. They need space. Seven especially. He''s been through a lot. Crowding him won''t help at all." With that, she shooed the group off, and then entered the room.


    Seven sat in shock. He wasn''t expecting either his or Blick''s sudden outbursts.


    "Don''t mind Blick," Heva said.


    "Huh?"


    "It''s just his way of telling you not to be so hard on yourself." Seven stared at her. Heva sighed and sat down next to him.


    "I''m sorry. I''ve been selfish, haven''t I?" Seven said.


    "Selfish? I think you''ve had every right to be, if that''s what you call selfish. You haven''t had very many chances to let your feelings out, have you? It''s fine to let them come bursting out. It''s healthy."


    "Oh." Seven fiddled with the handle of his mug. Heva waited until he spoke again.


    "What happened to Blick? He called himself a monster."


    "Blick, he... Well, he''s had a hard life, too. Many of the Cakemen have. Lex can''t help but pick up strays after all." Seven''s eyes urged her on.


    "Blick grew up in Mumbia. In India. His father owed a debt to the local mafia, and eventually, the debt grew so big that he couldn''t pay. So, one day, a man from the mafia killed his father, his mother, and his older sister, but not before raping both of them. And they did it in front of him. He was hiding at the time. His mother put him in the fire place and covered him in ashes."


    Heva fell silent for a moment before continuing on.


    "After it was over, Blick followed the man. He followed him until he was stumbling drunk in an alley and slit his throat. With no where else to go, Blick joined the children''s army, and that''s where I met him. The Little Black Hawks, they called us."


    She turned to him.


    "I won''t ask you about your story. Just know that Blick, no, everyone here, we want you to know that you''re not alone anymore. We all have our pasts. But that doesn''t define who we are. We are what we make ourselves to be. Don''t let guilt or your past get the better of you."


    She sighed once more and stood up, reaching over to help Seven up as well.


    "It''s probably bed time for you. Been a rough day for all of us. Come, let''s find Lex to see where you''re sleeping."


    "Heva?"


    "Yes?"


    "Can you tell Blink thanks?" Heva nodded.


    <hr>


    AN- sorry, this got really real.


    On a side note.... Finals... Ug.

 Biscotti - 4.7

    They found Lex inBiscotti¡¯snavigation theater. He was carefully charting the ship¡¯s course on the holoscreens while researching weather forecasts and projecting recent events.


    ¡°Is that Moscow?¡± Seven asked as he and Heva walked in. Lex turned to them.


    ¡°Yeah, it is. Surprising, right?¡±


    ¡°I thought it would be more¡­¡±


    ¡°You would think, huh? But no, it looks perfectly normal after the nuke. Only way to tell it even got hit is all the bodies that collapsed where they stood. It¡¯s almost scarier that way.¡± Seven could only nod.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Hime, he needs a place to sleep. I thought of putting him up in Oliver¡¯s room, but I wanted to ask you first.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Right. Place to stay. No, don¡¯t put him in Oliver¡¯s room. Don¡¯t touch his or David¡¯s. We didn¡¯t manage to bring back their bodies. The bestwe can do is leave their rooms untouched if only for a little while. I don¡¯t want to feel like they¡¯re gone just yet.¡± Lex gave a pained look and then sighed. ¡°Seven can stay in my room. I¡¯ll just sleep on the couch in there. He can have the bed.¡±


    Heva nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll scrounge up some clothes for him. Probably be over-sized,¡± she said as she left the room.


    ¡°When are we getting to India?¡± Seven said after a second.


    ¡°Probably tomorrow, mid-afternoon. By the way, kid, you never told me what your plans are.¡±


    ¡°I-I hadn¡¯t really thought about it. I was just so focused on getting out.¡±


    ¡°No need to rush. If you want, stay with us for a while, just so can get your bearings.¡±


    Seven thought for a bit, then said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Lex smiled, ¡°Good! You¡¯re gonna enjoy it here. I promise.¡±


    The boyhesitated. ¡°Lex, can I trust you?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really say. That¡¯s up for you to decided.¡± Seven pursed his lips, but nodded again. ¡°Let¡¯s close up shop for tonight, though,¡± Lex continued. ¡°Come. I¡¯ll show you my room, just don¡¯t laugh.¡±


    Seven gave a confused look as he followed Lex through some short passageways to another room. He looked within. He was greeted with a fairly normal room with a large holoscreen, a sleek coffee table, and a comfortable leather couch. Clothes were strewn about in a haphazard manner, but that wasn¡¯t what caught Seven¡¯s eye.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°A canopy? Is that really a princess canopy?¡± Seven awkwardly laughed.


    ¡°I told you not to laugh. It¡¯s not a princess canopy for roat¡¯s sake. Why does everyone always think that? It¡¯s a mosquito net!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not any better, Lex. There aren¡¯t any mosquitoes inside.¡±


    Lex sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a habit. I spent a lot of time in places swarming with mosquitoes, and for some reason the habit of putting up a mosquito net stuck. If it bugs you that much, I¡¯ll take it down.¡±


    ¡°No, you can leave it up. I think this might be a reason why they call you that one word. Hime, right? It means princess or something?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.Go lay down, you punk.¡±Lex laid down on the couch.


    Seven smiled as he pulled back the net and slid into the bed. The strange sense of security that the net and Lex¡¯s presence brought caused him to feel a warmth within him. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but a good one. It wasn¡¯t long before tiredness overtook him, and he drifted off.


    Lex, however, had a hard time sleeping on the couch. He knew it would be hard. He always had a troubled sleep when he wasn¡¯t surrounded by the mosquito net. His sleep was always light without it, which wasn¡¯t a bad thing when on missions. But he never had this much difficulty just falling asleep.


    After staring at the ceiling for a few hours, he pulled out a glass tablet and browsed the interweb. News coverage on the war was updated every few minutes. Several more important cities in USCU territory around the world had been bombed by the CNA. Devastating to the populous, but not detrimental to the country at whole. The USCU¡¯s government and military operations were all holed up in top secret underground facilities. The war would continue.


    Lex refreshed the page. He was surprised by the next article. The CNA had begun sending forces to invade. Many New Poland mercenaries were hired by both sides as contract workers. However, a vast majority signed under the Confederate. That was to be expected. The scenes from key battles were strange, though. They did not seem to follow the usual flow of war.


    Lex zoomed in on the scene. The soldiers on the Social-communist side were acting strange. They seemed to disregard defense completely, allowing potentially fatal blows to rain down on them without moving to block. And yet, even with these wounds, they still managed to continue to push forward at an unimaginable rate. The CNA was loosing ground. Lex paused it and looked closer. It was almost as if¡­ He glanced at the bed.


    He zoomed in on a People¡¯s Army soldier. Crazed eyes greeted him. They reminded him of the eyes of suicide bombers. He looked at several more soldiers. Each had the same eyes. Shivers crawled down his spine.


    ¡°They don¡¯t feel pain, do they? And regeneration? Is this what Pandora was trying to do? They¡¯re basically zombies.¡±


    He heard Seven begin to toss in his sleep. The boy suddenly jolted up.


    ¡°No! Mom! Please! I¡¯m not a monster! I¡¯m not!¡± he screamed. Lex scrambled off the couch and ran to the bed. He jerked aside the curtains and wrapped Seven in his arms.


    ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just a dream. Just a dream. You¡¯re here now. You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re okay.¡± He cradled Seven as the boy bawled.


    ¡°It was the same. It was that dream again. Only before Momdisappeared, she-she was choking me. She kept calling me a monster, a monster, over and over and over again. And he just laughed in the back ground. He wouldn¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°Who? Who was laughing?¡±


    ¡°I killed him. I killed him, and now he won¡¯t leave me alone! He keeps bringing Mom into it! Make him stop! Please!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s alright. He isn¡¯t here. Can you tell me who it was, though? Was it Andan Bach? Were you the one that killed him?¡± He felt Seven shudder.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s alright. Seven, he¡¯s dead. He isn¡¯t coming back. Yes, you may have killed him, but realize that that guy is better off dead. He¡¯s different than you are. He killed many people and took pleasure in it. He was insane.¡± Seven¡¯s shaking lessened.


    ¡°Killing someone is something that you have to deal with, but don¡¯t let it drown you. You¡¯re a good kid, Seven. You¡¯re no monster. You¡¯re no monster.¡±


    End of Chapter 4

 Paradise for the Insane - 5.1

    ¡°Hime, you lazy roat! Get up. You sleep like a hog. It¡¯s noon already,¡± Mevin said as he ripped Lex¡¯s blanket off.


    ¡°Five more minutes,¡± Lex groaned as he waved Mevin off.


    ¡°Nope, not going to happen. Now get up before I dump this bucket of ice water on your head.¡± Lex bolted up. He glared at the bucket in Mevin¡¯s hands.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I would. I still haven¡¯t gotten my revenge on you threatening my pay yesterday.¡± He held the bucket aloft in a position to launch its contents.


    ¡°Stop! I¡¯m up. I¡¯m up. Why are you attacking me this morning?¡±


    ¡°Two things. We¡¯re in sight of the boarder wall, and, well it¡¯d be better if you just see it. Seven¡¯s having a bit of a problem. And I¡¯m not attacking you.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡± Lex said as he stood up. He grabbed a shirt and combed his hair with his hand. Then, he headedout of the bedroom.


    ¡°In the engine room,¡± Mevin said, following Lex.


    ¡°Why is he in there?¡±


    ¡°Sven was giving him the grand tour.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen? Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s sort of stuck at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Stuck?¡± Lex sped up his pace. ¡°Stuck how? He better not be hurt.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just, well, he got stuck on the ceiling?¡±


    ¡°Mevin, what the jeck are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just it. He¡¯s stuck on the ceiling. There¡¯s no other way to describe it.¡±


    They turned the corner and opened the door to the engine room. Several Cakemen stood staring confused up at the tall ceiling. Lex pushed his way into the room and then looked up. It was just as Mevin said. Seven wasstanding upside-down on the ceiling. His position defied gravity.


    ¡°Lex!¡± the boy called, ¡°Lex, I can¡¯t get down!¡±


    ¡°Seven! What? Are you alright? How did you get up there?¡±


    ¡°Hime, we¡¯ve been trying to get him down, but there isn¡¯t a good way to get up there. He¡¯s too high, and there¡¯s not spot to reach him,¡± Rowan said.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not really sure.¡±


    ¡°I was showing him around in here. He was fine one moment, but I turned around the next minute, and he had disappeared. I look up and he¡¯s floating high up to the roof,¡± Sven said.


    ¡°Lex! I accidentally touched that thing. Sven called it the generator. I got shocked,¡± Seven shuddered.


    ¡°You touched the generator? Are you alright? You¡¯re not burnt are you?¡± Lexsaid, slightly panicking.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m not hurt at all. Just can¡¯t get down right now.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? The generator has a lot of electricity going through it.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with why you¡¯re on the ceiling?¡± Blick frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s my other ability. I can float. Well not exactly that, but something like that. I didn¡¯t want to say anything ¡¯cause Jo¡­ Anyway, normally I can control it, but on occasion it¡¯ll glitch and go haywire. It¡¯ll only happen when my body¡¯s stored up too much electricity.¡±


    The whole room was quiet for a few seconds trying to process the absurdity of what he said, but the fact that he was standing on the ceiling made it hard to dispute his words.


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± Sven broke the silence. ¡°How do you do that? I wish I could!¡±


    ¡°How long does it usually last?¡± Josem asked.


    ¡°Usually four or five hours. Three at the shortest. I¡¯ve had it go on for as long as ten hours once before I got back in control. Depends on how much excess electricity I have in my body. I can build up a lot before I glitch,¡± Seven said.


    Lex sighed. ¡°Alright Seven, we¡¯ll find a way to get you down, so just hand tight. But we¡¯re talking about this later.¡±


    ¡°Lex, it looks like he completely switched his gravity around. Look, his hair isn¡¯t even hanging. I think Tegan might have a grappling gun that he picked up from somewhere,¡± said Basalt.


    ¡°No way, Jos¨¦! You are not putting a hole in my ship! Find some other way, but don¡¯t you dare make a dent in anything, you hear, or I¡¯ll smash your face so hard that you won¡¯t even see Pluto with how fast you¡¯re shooting out of the solar system,¡± Juleka said.


    ¡°Seven!¡± Mevin suddenly said, ¡°Can you reach that air duct over there? If you can climb along it over to the wall and down a little, you might be able to grab onto the cooling unit. Rowan could climb the access ladder, and with a little work, he could reach you.


    ¡°Ah, that might work. I think I can do it!¡± Seven made his way over to the air duct. With difficulty, he climbed up it using the slight ridges and bolts along it¡¯s side. Occasionally he slipped and slid back to the bottom, tearing up his hands. Those on the groundflinched every time it happened. After those few failed attempts, he made it to the top.


    Seven looked at the cooling unit. It was a bit disorienting looking up at it, considering his world was flipped. It was several feet above him and off to the left. It would be a hard jump to grab a hold of the railing, he missed, it was a thirteen foot drop back to the ceiling. He didn¡¯t fancy that drop.


    He looked over at Rowan who was climbing the access ladder. His stomach flipped. Rowan looked like he was climbing head down first. It didn¡¯t feel right watching him. Seven swallowed. He was afraid he would fall. Even if he made it, he would have to climb the cooling unit dangling only by his hands.


    He decided to wait until Rowan climbed as far as he was able. Only, Rowan had already reached that point. He really couldn¡¯t stall anymore. He gulped, then made himself back up to get a running start. Seven hesitated.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just wait up here until it wears off?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to wait up there for five hours?¡± Blick said.


    ¡°How good¡¯s your control when it does?¡± Lex asked.


    Seven thought for a moment, then admitted, ¡°Not very good.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll fall then?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Then, no. I¡¯m not having you fall thirtyfeet.¡±


    ¡°You can do it, Seven!¡± Sven yelled.


    Seven gritted his teeth, then jumped.

 New Cover

Changed the cover. I worked on that for way too long, guys.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Well, tell me what you think :D


    Is it too much....?

 Paradise for the Insane - 5.2

    He wasn¡¯t going to make it. He felt it the moment his feet left the air duct. He reached out as far as he could, stretching his limbs to their utmost, but fell just a few centimeters short. His hand brushed the rail as it slipped past his grasp. A spark of electricity ran through his fingers when it did. He felt his stomach drop as he fell.


    ¡°Seven!¡± He heard Lex yell.


    Then, the world flipped.


    Seven hung in the air for a second before slamming into the cooling unit. It hurt. The railing caught him right in the gut. His stomach crawled up his throat, and he vomited.


    ¡°Seven! Are you alright? What happened?¡±


    It took him a second before he could respond. ¡°It went back, I think,¡± he said hoarsely.


    ¡°Stay there. I¡¯m headed up!¡±


    ¡°Hime, calm down! He¡¯s alright,¡± Basalt said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad of a fall. Let Rowan do it. He¡¯s already up there. It¡¯s not that simple of a climb, and knowing you, you¡¯d just fall.¡±


    Lex gritted his teeth. ¡°Rowan, hurry up and get him down.¡±


    ¡°Hime, this is as far as I can go. He¡¯s going to have to come to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lex,¡± Seven said. ¡°I think I can move now.¡± He forced himself up and stumbled to the edge of the cooling unit. The whole unit was rounded on either end, while tapering together in the middle, reminiscent of an hourglass. Seven looked over the edge. Rowan was stuck at the bottom end of the cooling unit. He couldn¡¯t climb any higher due to the concave sides.


    ¡°Lex, how am I supposed to do this?¡±


    Lex cursed. ¡°Juleka? Why the jeck doesn¡¯t this rancid kant gamin cooling roat have a jecking access ladder on it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one that suggested getting second hand parts. Something about saving money. I built it with what I had. The whole engine room is like that. You expect it to have all the necessary access routes when it¡¯s been built from stuff straight from the garbage dump? How was I supposed to know that a snot nosed brat would get himself stuck on top of it? You¡¯re lucky anything works at all in this room. Don¡¯t come complaining to me about access ladders! Why if it wasn¡¯t for me, this whole system would have blown up in your face ages ago!¡± Juleka ranted, but a hint of concern surfaced in her eyes as she looked up at Seven.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Seven took a step closer to the edge, looking for a way down. Lex was still fuming at Juleka, when Blick suddenly yelled, ¡°Seven! Stop! Anymore and you¡¯ll fall! You¡¯re leaning! Back away from the edge!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lean-¡± Seven stopped. He hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but he was. He was leaning quite a bit. He was at quite an oblique angle when compared to the ground. He hadn¡¯t noticed it due to the curved surface he was standing on.Normally, someone at the angle he was standing would have fallen by now. Only¡­ Seven took another step forward.


    ¡°Seven! Stop!¡± Several people yelled as they watched in horror, only to be confused when Seven still didn¡¯t fall. Seven climbed over the edge and onto the side of the cooling unit.


    Mevin frowned. ¡°It¡¯s like the cooling unit is a mini planet or something. He¡¯s walking on the side.¡± It was disconcerting to see.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, he can get to Rowan by just walking,¡± Sven said.


    ¡°But, it¡¯ll be a problem getting him down. Before, if I¡¯m right, instead of gravity pulling him down, it was pulling him just up, but now, it¡¯s pulling him towards the surface of the cooling unit. It¡¯ll be hard to get him out ofthe room and around the ship. I guess it¡¯s not all that different of a problem than when he was upside-down. The bridge would be a good place since it¡¯s directly above the engine room, but getting him there¡­ I¡¯m just glad it¡¯s not something like magnetism instead. That would be a pain.¡±


    They watched as Seven made his way to Rowan, who led him to the access ladder to the ground. Seven climbed up it while Rowan climbed down. When Seven got to the top¡­ or bottom ¨C it still hurt his head trying to think about directions when his gravity changed ¨C Rowan grabbed a hold of him to keep him from falling. The man grunted as he walked with Seven out of the engine room. He set the boyon the wall of the hallway, and Seven slid to the ceiling, his gravity still connected to the cooling unit. Everyone shuffled out of the engine room as well.


    ¡°Hime,¡± Mevin said looking at his meta-link, ¡°Looks like we¡¯re at the boarder. Offa says they¡¯re hailing us.¡±


    Lex nodded. ¡°Here, Seven. Grab on. I¡¯m not letting you out of my site.¡± He reached up and grabbed a firm hold on the boy, carrying him off to the bridge. Halfway to the elevator, Seven¡¯s weight suddenly shifted.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Seven said surprised, ¡°It¡¯s back to normal. Lex, I can walk now. It wore off.¡± Lex set him down on the ground, but still kept a hand on him.


    ¡°You can control it now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯ll be a while before I can. Feels like it takes time to charge whenever the flip is switched. Shouldn¡¯t go haywire again unless I get shocked, but after I get control, it shouldn¡¯t flip unless I build up enough electricity again. That won¡¯t happen for a while.¡± Seven winced, gripping his stomach.


    ¡°Mevin, call Lois to come have a look at him up at the bridge.¡± He picked up Seven¡¯s hand and held onto it as they walked into the elevator. It seemed as ifhe was afraid the boy would float off if he didn¡¯t keep a hold of him.


    ¡°Hime seems more shaken than Seven does,¡± Basilisk said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s gotten weirdly attached to Seven? I mean, the kid is likable and all, but Hime almost seems needy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it does seem that way,¡± Basalt came and stood beside his brother as he watched the elevator doors close. ¡°I think Hime¡¯s been looking for someone to take care of for a while now. I guess he felt a connection with Seven. Must¡¯ve felt like family to him.¡±

 Paradise for the Insane - 5.3

    ¡°Lex. You can let go of my hand now. It kinda hurts.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right sorry.¡± Lex hurriedly let go of Seven¡¯s hand. ¡°H-how are you feeling, kid? You¡¯re not hurt are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Seven said. An awkward silence spread out between them.


    ¡°Um, I-¡± ¡°Well, if you-¡± They both began to say at the same time.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Lex said, ¡°you go first.¡±


    ¡°Uh, well. It¡¯s just. Lex! I wanted to say thank you! With-with out you, I¡¯d still be back at the compound, and I¡¯m not sure how much longer I could¡¯ve lasted. But you came and, well I wanted to say thanks and everything so¡­ Thank You!¡± Seven bowed his head towards Lex. He felt his face heating up.


    Lex looked away in embarrassment. ¡°Sure thing, kid. It wasn¡¯t anything you needed to thank me for.¡±


    The doors of the elevator opened, showing the bridge. It had wide windows that wrapped around the edges of the room and doubled as monitor screens. A few couches crouched around a coffee table, their feet nestled into thick carpet. Offa sat behind a row consuls near the back of the room. He rested his hand on a thick, polished wooden pole jutting out from a complex system of gears behind a glass panel in the wall.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t exactly what I was picturing when I thought of the bridge,¡± Seven said.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told. But I¡¯m one for comfort and style rather than practicality.¡±


    ¡°Whys he holding onto that stick coming out of the wall?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the tiller. It drives the ship. I wanted a full on steering wheel like in those really old massive sailing ships, but Juleka said no. It apparently wouldn¡¯t work to well with the steering mechanism we have right now. I had to go with my second choice. Juleka didn¡¯t like it much better, but she gave in once I pestered her enough. Looks cool, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ maybe,¡± Seven said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll grow on you. Maybe we can convince Offa to let you take her for a spin.¡±


    He ruffled Seven¡¯s hair and then padded into the room with a confident air. ¡°Offa, status.¡±


    ¡°Glad you could finally make it. They¡¯ve been getting annoyed at the elevator music I¡¯ve been playing to keep them patient. Done playing around now?¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Hey come on. That was a full blown crisis. It totally gave me a viable excuse.¡±


    Offa rolled his eyes and scratched his beard in annoyance.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lex said once he settled into a sofa. He motioned Seven to one of the others. ¡°Bring them on screen.¡±


    A video feed popped up of a man in a faded military uniform. A nasty scar cut across the side of his face, nearly missing his eye.


    ¡°Are you the captain of this ship?¡± he said in a gravelly voice.


    ¡°I am,¡± Lex said with an uncharacteristic seriousness.


    ¡°It would be appreciated if you responded to our hail in a more prompt manner.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry for the delay, but some unexpected difficulties arose. I hope that your organization will be forgiving.¡±


    ¡°I presume that said difficulties-¡±


    ¡°Yes, it has been dealt with.¡±


    ¡°I see. And your purpose?¡±


    ¡°We would like to plead for entry into the Free State of India.¡±


    ¡°I am sure that you can understand my position, Captain. I cannot just allow anyone to enter as they please.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard, uh-¡±


    ¡°Specialist Gahara Vedic.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Specialist Vedic. But you see, I have a special agreement with a mutual friend of ours. I believe that his good name will help to resolve matters.¡± Lex pulled out a coin embossed with a Camilla flower. The man¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Very well then, you may proceed. I hope you enjoyed your stay here in India.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much, Specialist Vedic.¡± Lex signaled Offa to cut the transmission and let out a breath of air.


    ¡°You alright,¡± Seven asked.


    ¡°Yes. I always hate doing that, but the Wall¡¯s a tricky organization.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They are completely autonomous. They don¡¯t listen to anyone in the world, not even the limited government of India, but they do their job very well.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s their job?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh. It¡¯s s regulating the wall. They¡¯re very strict on who comes and who goes. Almost no one can get through unless they have connections. Luckily for us, I know Ahmed Mubai. Hate the guy, but his name is useful.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t he a mobster? Why would that help you get through the wall?¡±


    ¡°Well, Mubai primarily deals with weapons as his main good. He sells to anyone and everyone as long as they¡¯re willing to pay the price. He¡¯s created some of the best guns in the world. Nearly a whole third of the ones on the international market come from him alone.¡±


    ¡°So, the Wall buys guns from him?¡±


    ¡°You got it. Need weapons to defend such a large barricade. They don¡¯t want to get on his bad side. And well, Ahmed only gives out these coins to those he owes a favor.¡± Lex flicked the coin into the air and caught it.


    The massive wall stared at them from outside the window. Offa navigated Biscotti closer to it as an opening just big enough for the ship yawned open. It was an uneventful passage. Once they got to the other side, the land of India spread out before them. Seven¡¯s eyebrows crinkled.


    ¡°Lex, I thought India was green. Why is the land black?¡±


    ¡°Do you know much about World War IV?¡±


    ¡°A little bit. Not a whole lot.¡±


    ¡°Well, sometime ask Howll about it. He was a engineer in the war for the Confederate of North America before he defected to New Poland. He probably knows the most about what happened. But, let¡¯s just say that India was razed. Everything. All burnt right to the ground. It¡¯s slowly coming back though, especially in the mountains.¡±


    Lex stood up and stretched. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you kid, but I¡¯m going to find something to eat. Haven¡¯t even had breakfast yet. It¡¯ll be a few hours before we reach Delhi.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Um, I guess I¡¯ll go wander around, if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Yup, you go do that. Just don¡¯t go getting stuck on some ceiling again.¡±


    Seven smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡±

 Paradise for the Insane - 5.4

    Biscottiwas smaller than Seven had thought. Every inch of space was taken into account. Bedrooms were only a few paces wide, and hallways were narrow. Even major rooms like the bridge, the mess hall, and the navigation theater could only hold a few people at a time. The sole exception was the engine room, which sat in the back of the ship. But even then, itwas more tall than wide, spanning three of the ship¡¯s four floors. It made for a strange contrast with the rest of the ship. Then again, the bridge was strange enough for being the only room on the forth floor.


    Seven felt cramped and underfoot. Immediately after leaving the bridge, he bumped into at least eight different people moving about the ship¡¯s interior. No matter where he stood, he always seemed to be in someone¡¯s way.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about it. All his life he had been the center of attention. Or at least, his abilities and physique had been. His thoughts and feelings, less so. When that overwhelming amount of attention hadn¡¯t been piled on him, he had always been placed in an isolated corner, a specific spot he was meant to reside until he was sought after once more.


    But now? He wasn¡¯t sure how to deal with not having such a place. A feeling of not belonging arose inside of him, and it made him feel uncomfortable. He pushed it down, ignoring it as he instead looked for a place to quietly occupy.


    Half an hour later, Seven found himself in a turret cockpit. It was tight and cramped, but surprisingly cozy. Lex had gotten him curious about India¡¯s wall, so he was browsing random documents on the web. It was surprisingly linked all the way back to back to World War III.


    Back in 2044, the country known America was in the midst of collapse. Political intrigue saturated the government. As such, nothing could be accomplished. Crippling debt affected the whole country. To make matters worse, with the country being over dependent on the production of corn for almost every food product on the market, thecorn famine that began in 2043 and raged until 2051 had disastrous effects.


    The amount of fresh water in the world at that time had reached an all time low. As such, farmers could no longer water plants with fresh water, and the water they had to resort to happen to be contaminated with a new strain of bacteria which was highly resistant to antibacterials. On it¡¯s own, it had no ability to affect humans, but it attacked most strains of corn. However, this bacteria had an unusually long incubation period, and so most plants infected in the initial stage of the plague had already been shipped to various food suppliers.


    America was hit by surprise. The plants had almost no defense against the bacteria, which surprisingly stayed alive even during multiple refining processes. The corn, in all it¡¯s various forms, was eaten and absorbed by livestock and by humans, and the bacteria hidden within the corn cells, which otherwise would not have a way to enter into the blood stream, well, it came along for the ride.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Everything that ate it died within days. It took months on end for the world to figure out the cause, and by then, America and several other countries were almost completely demolished.


    Even then, political rivalriesstill raged within America. With the help of the United Nations, the situation might have been resolved, but any help that was sent was stopped by one party or another in a seemingly meaningless bid for more political power. Seven found their blatant greeddisgusting. In all that chaos and constant bickering, the famine seemed all but ignored.


    It was then that American President, George Albacore, shocked the world. The only reason that America was able to stay afloat as a powerhouse during this detrimental time was the fact that it had, over the years, stock piled a massive amount of nuclear weapons.


    On October 14, 2044, 8 a.m. in the morning, the president was found missing. Six hours later, a video was released from the Russia Federation. In it, Albacore made an appearance announcing his dissolving of the United States of America and his appointment as the as vice president of Russia. He had sold out his country.


    Within five minute after the video was released, every top secret sight containing nuclear resources was attacked by Russian operatives, most of which were sleeper agents or turn coats. When the UN discovered this, World War III began,and the first shot was the official collapse of America.


    The war lasted almost one hundred and twenty years, mostly due to an intense desire to ¡°never surrender¡± that permeated the world. Over that time period, countries rose in power, only to later collapse and disappear forever. It finally ended with simple attrition. No country left had the resources to continue, and so cease fire was finally, and begrudgingly called.


    The result, the UN and Russia had long since collapse, and the three major powers, the Confederate of North America, the Coalition of New Poland, and the United Social-Communist Union, all made their first appearance.


    The sixty or so years followingwere marked by a period of intense expansion and colonization between those three powers. This period came to be later called The War of Expansion, or World War IV.


    The defining hallmark of World War IV was the discovery of Uranium, thought to be completely depleted during WWIII, in a newly dug mine in India in 2193. The three superpowers rushed to secure the supply. India was caught in the cross fire, and the country burned as a result. In the end, it was discovered that the amount of usable Uranium from the mine was almost negligible, and the superpowers retreated chagrined.


    New Poland accepted India into its coalition as an apology of sorts, even though what was left of India was almost nothing. Over the years, India slowly became a place to send the unwanted criminals of the world, and to keep them in, a wall was built. Crime lords grew within, and a basic underground government between the major mob parties was built. It¡¯s power grew without the superpowers noticing.


    A revolt occurred in 2213, in which that government surfaced and forced any outsider belonging to the superpowers out of the country. As quick as it began, it was over, and before they could send troops, the new government of India sent them a proposition:


    ¡°Leave us our autonomy. Let us govern ourselves. Interfere no more with our workings, and we¡¯ll accept any and all of your criminals.¡±


    The proposition proved favorable for all parties involved. India gained it¡¯s independence from interference, and the superpowers no longer needed to waste resources and manpower in maintaining the place.

 Paradise for the Insane - 5.5

    Seven frowned. It seemed most wars started with greed, didn¡¯t it? Even the one happening right at this moment. Someone¡¯s, or more accurately, several someones¡¯ greed had sparked it. He felt a strange sort of relatability that caused him to give a twisted grin. His very existence was only because of someone¡¯s greed.


    The door to the turret cockpit suddenly slid open. Seven jumped and lost control of the interweb¡¯s electromagnetic waves. Without thinking, he grabbed for them to accidentally grab the turret¡¯s waves instead. It¡¯s startup sequence began.


    A hand roughly seized him from behind and pulled him out of the cockpit. He landed heavily on the ground.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Mevin glared down at him. Seven scooted backwards until he hit the wall of the hallway.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to turn it on. It was an accident.¡±


    ¡°That,¡± Mevinsaid, ¡°just alerted anyone within ten miles that we¡¯re here, armed and possibly dangerous. If we¡¯re unlucky, they¡¯ll have begun swarming after us now, hoping to rob anything valuable we have aboard. Our cloak is useless now! Because you just happened to start it up, and without the proper screening either!¡±


    He reached in and shut the sequence down.


    ¡°It really was an accident.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. I thought I could get along with you, maybe even like you, all for the sake of Lex. I tried to tell him of my misgivings about you, but he completely blew me off. So, I decided to try at least, fake happy that you¡¯re here, but every time I see you, the creepier you get. Why are you even here?¡±


    ¡°I-I-¡± Seven was shocked.


    ¡°Shut up! Do you know what Lex had to go through for you? Well, do you?! That first cry for help you sent, he turned it in to the mercenary union to check its authenticity. They said it was unlikely, that it was a scam or a trap. Do you know how often he gets those? Every day people mess with him. He gets false messages and death threats. He¡¯s too famous for his idiotic attempts. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to keep him alive.¡±


    ¡°But what-¡± Mevin slammed the wall.


    ¡°But this time was different! For some reason, for him, this message was different. He just couldn¡¯t drop it. It kept plaguing him. He said it was a hunch, so he brought it to that famous information broker, Toulene. No one goes to him. His prices, they¡¯re too painful. And everyone knows Toulene keeps in contact with the Reds, but he¡¯s just too powerful to prove he¡¯s working for them. Any one that messes with him mysteriously disappears. But he knows everything, so Hime brought it to that kind of man! Because of you!¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Mevin swallowed, clenching his jaw.


    ¡°Why am I even telling you this? I only found out later that he went. If only I had stopped him. Toulene took one look at your message and told Hime it was real, and Toulene never lies. Toulene knew all about you, all about Pandora¡¯s little plaything.Only a price had to be paid for that information, and Lex, for some reason, was glad to pay it. Before I knew it, he was sold off to the People¡¯s Army.¡±


    ¡°Lex. He-he was sold?¡±


    ¡°Two years he was there. That¡¯s how long it took us to get to him. We almost weren¡¯t able to. He still has scars that haven¡¯t healed yet! And right after all that, right after we risk our lives just to get him out, he turns around and asks to go back! To go back and get you! Do you know how close I was to knocking him out and tying him up somewhere he can never escape? But how could we say no? Not after all he¡¯s been through, all we¡¯ve been through. Not with that look in his eyes. He¡¯s my hero, how could I say no to him. So we went back, and for what?¡±


    Mevin looked down at the boy in front of him. The rage returned rapidly to his eyes. He grabbed Seven by the collar and slammed him up against the wall.


    ¡°You! There¡¯s something wrong with you! I heard about Andan Bach! What kind of kid can murder a man just like that? What kind of person can remote control a ship with nothing or hang upside-down from the ceiling? There¡¯s somthing about you. You, you¡¯re not human. You¡¯re a monster. You¡¯ll bring catastrophe to anything and everything around you. Can¡¯t you seen it¡¯s already starting?¡±


    ¡°Mevin-choke,¡± Seven forced out, ¡°Can¡¯t-breathe.¡± Mevin dropped him. He slumped on the ground, dry heaving.


    ¡°You too are dangerous. I suggest you leave this ship. Leave as soon as you can. Or I¡¯ll kill you. I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll keep Lex safe even if it means he¡¯ll hate me for it, I¡¯ll kill you if I have to.¡±


    He gave Seven one last poison filled glare, and then marched off.


    ¡°Hime,¡± Seven heard him say, ¡°the clone sent off a beacon by one of the turrets. The cloak¡¯s not going to work anymore. I think some nasty roats will be headed our way.¡±


    Seven shivered. Mevin calling him clone reminded him of Andan.


    ¡°What was Seven doing in a turret?¡± He listened in on Lex¡¯s meta-link.


    ¡°Who knows, but I better not find him again.¡±


    ¡°Calm down Mevin. What¡¯s got you in a bunch? Well, meet me at the navigation theater. Offa, put her on auto and come too. We¡¯ll see what evasive routes we can take.¡±


    Seven unlinked from the conversation. He sat on the floor, not daring to think. He concentrated on his hands and found them shaking. His whole body shook almost uncontrollably.


    He hadn¡¯t found the place he was meant to be after all. Not the turret, not Pandora, notBiscotti,not the Cakemen, not Lex. Where? Where should he go? Where could he go? Mevin was right. He wasn¡¯t human. He was a monster. Nothing could change that. Monsters only hurt people. Maybe it would be better if he just wasn¡¯t anywhere. Would death be better for someone like him?

 Paradise for the Insane - 5.6

    Lex looked up as Mevin entered the room.


    ¡°You look sour. Don¡¯t be mad at Seven. It was just an accident. Though, I probably shouldn¡¯t let a kid wander around on second thought. Haha, sorry,¡± Lex rubbed his head.


    ¡°Just mad that we got noticed.¡±


    ¡°Half the time we get noticed anyway. You know open land like this doesn¡¯t go well with a stealth cloak. Adding a turret beacon to the mix doesn¡¯t change very much.¡±


    ¡°Fine. What have we got?¡±


    ¡°Wow, you really are sour today. Make up with Seven soon, okay?¡± Mevin shot him a glare.


    ¡°Hime, I¡¯m not a middle schooler with a grudge. Shut up, will you? You¡¯ve got worse things to worry about than my attitude.¡±


    ¡°Alright alright. Offa, you see anything yet?¡±


    ¡°Something moved on the radar a second ago.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it look like?¡±


    ¡°So far, only a blip about fifty miles southwest. A bit too far to pick up anything more. Considering how these groups usually work though, that¡¯ll be a big ship.¡±


    ¡°Decoy right? They won¡¯t get close, but they¡¯ll fire at us. That¡¯s why I hate India. They have to easy an access to almost any kind of missile,¡± Mevin said as he sat down on the couch. Helooked up at the terrain map on the holo-screen.


    ¡°Gotta love those marauders. Soon, we¡¯ll hit the ant¡¯s nest. It always amazes me how they swarm,¡± Lex said.


    ¡°Where will they ambush us?¡± Offa asked.


    ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d set it up right about there.¡± Lex zoomed in on an area of the map where crags rose up. A narrow pass threaded it¡¯s way through them, with high cliffs on either side.


    ¡°Pikeman¡¯s Pass? Lex, were you planning on taking this route anyway? Everyone know¡¯s you¡¯re just asking for an ambush going through Pikeman¡¯s Pass.¡± Mevin frowned.


    Lex¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°A hunch. It¡¯s a hunch. When I talked with Toulene, he almost seemed eager to give me information on Seven. He¡¯s interested in him, I know it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good. It¡¯s a bad idea to catch the interests of that vampire,¡± Offa said with a shudder.


    ¡°He¡¯s not a vampire,¡± Mevin rolled his eyes.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that. He¡¯s been around forever. Even when I was a boy, he was infamous. You wanna explain how he¡¯s been around for so long, kid?¡±


    ¡°Who says they¡¯re the same person?¡±


    ¡°Sick, pale man in a wheel chair with a permanent smirk and eyes too blue to be natural. They give you the willies, like he wants to suck out something from you. How many men fit that description?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There could be a lot!¡±


    Lex laughed. ¡°That sounds just like him!¡±


    ¡°What does Toulene have to do with it anyway?¡± Mevin said with an annoyed look on his face.


    ¡°Ah, well, I think he was using me when he gave me the information.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise,¡± Offa muttered.


    ¡°He knew I¡¯d escape the People¡¯s Army. He probably fixed it so it¡¯d be easier.¡±


    ¡°It would make sense if he used you to make a deal with the Reds,¡± Offa said.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past him. Anyway, Toulene wanted us to get Seven out, and when we dropped him off someplace, he¡¯d go and pick him up.¡±


    ¡°Hime, how long have you been thinking that?¡± Mevin asked


    ¡°Since¡­ well, since right before<del></del><del></del>we raided Pandora. Maybe even earlier, now that I¡¯m thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this!? Didn¡¯t you think it was important?¡±


    ¡°It was a hunch! It wasn¡¯t even solid enough to be called an idea until recently, more of just an unsettling feeling. I wasn¡¯t sure, but I kept an eye on Toulene anyway. He started moving right when we crossed the Wall, and he wasn¡¯t being discrete about it either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t want to drop the kid? That¡¯s why you were acting so weird when it came to him? Lex, just give him to Toulene! He¡¯s bringing more trouble than he¡¯s worth!¡±


    ¡°Mevin, shut up! You jecking roat!¡± Lex yelled. ¡°I will not! Toulene tricked me with the price of that deal. It was much heavier than he normally deals with. Who knew if I would have stayed alive long enough for you to come. I will not give him the satisfaction of handing him what he wants! I will not have you questioning my decision.¡±


    ¡°Hime, we have birds headed our way,¡± Offa said.


    Lex glared at Mevin. Without turning his head, he said to Offa, ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°Around two hundred plus individual fighters and maybe three bunker class just hanging on the walls. Looks like they sprung their trap earlier than I would have. They must be the impatient type. Still have that heavy weight squatting behind us. Hasn¡¯t moved an inch.¡±


    ¡°Lex, why are we doing this?¡± Mevin finally said.


    ¡°I¡¯m making a bet. Fastest way to Delhi is through that pass. We make it though, and be in and out of Delhi as fast as we can. Make no mistake, Mevin, I¡¯m not leaving Seven behind. If it comes to it, I¡¯ll protect him with my life.¡±


    Mevin sighed. ¡°I hate this about you. You¡¯re so stubborn once you decide on something. I won¡¯t argue with you anymore then, but don¡¯t expect me to be happy about it. But, I won¡¯t just leave him somewhere on the side of the road, either. You¡¯ll owe me a favor for it, though.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mevin.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan? Toulene¡¯s bound to know we¡¯re headed to Delhi. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these roats headed our way have connections with him.¡±


    ¡°Burst through the front and snipe them from behind. Won¡¯t be too hard going through the canyon. Basilisk always likes that kind of easy target practice.¡±


    ¡°I meant once we¡¯re in Delhi. I know these jecks don¡¯t even count as aproblem. They¡¯re too stupid.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that. I¡¯m going to cash in a favor,¡± Lex grinned.


    ¡°I hate Mubai,¡± Mevin rubbed his face.


    ¡°Hime, they¡¯re getting juicier by the second,¡± Offa said. ¡°Might wanna call it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hit it! Mevin, get everyone in position. I wanna see those roats swarm!¡±


    End of Chapter 5

 Pikemans Pass - 6.1

    A man sat in a quiet, well decorated office, rubbing his hands nervously. He looked up at the ornate clock ticking on the wall every few seconds. He hurriedly stood to face the door as it began to open.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Johnson. Did you have to wait long?¡±


    ¡°No, sir, not long at all. I had just sat down actually before you came in.¡± Mr. Johnson shuffled his feet.


    ¡°Well, sit, sit. No need to stand for me. I heard you had a business proposition to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, Mr. Simmons, what my benefactor wants is rather simple,¡± Mr. Johnson said as he sat down once more.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Mr. Simmons raised an eyebrow. He sat across from Mr. Johnson. ¡°And what would that be?¡±


    Mr. Johnson liked his lips.


    ¡°You see, my benefactor managed to obtain recently a particular drug ¨C a serum, per say ¨C and he was wondering if you would be interested.¡±


    ¡°A serum.¡± Simmons rolled a pen in his hands. ¡°It would depend. What are it¡¯s effects?¡±


    Mr. Johnson reached down into a briefcase and handed a package to Mr. Simmons.


    ¡°Inside is everything you need to know about it. My benefactor included a sample of the serum, though I would only suggest testing it on a subject you consider disposable.¡± Simmons open the package and glanced at the sheets of paper within. His eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°This¡­ While it is interesting, are you positive it does what you say it does? Forgive me, the effects sound¡­ quite unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°It works exactly as described. We have a source that says the clinical trials were very successful.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, am I the first you¡¯ve come to with this?¡±


    ¡°You mean, is it already in circulation? You are the first. My benefactor was very insistent that you be the first I present this deal to. However, I must be honest with you. You are not the first to come in possession of the drug.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Simmons frowned.


    ¡°I am not at liberty to say. You¡¯ll have to take that up with my benefactor if you decide to meet with him.¡±


    Mr. Simmons sat silent for a moment in thought. He tapped his finger on the arm of his chair twice before saying, ¡°What are the contents of this proposition?¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Simple. My benefactor is willing to provide an amount of the serum for you to do with as you please. In exchange, he would like for you to be his patron, so to say.¡±


    ¡°Be simple, Mr. Johnson. What is he really asking for?¡±


    Mr. Johnson leaned forward.


    ¡°Asylum, Mr. Simmons. He wants asylum.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Basilisk shifted his weight as he watched the steadily approaching fighter planes. He adjusted his scope, then adjusted the tripod. He checked once more to see if the safety was off. He chewed on his cheek and adjusted his scope once more.


    ¡°Stop fidgeting,¡± Deheu said over the link. ¡°Aren¡¯t sniper¡¯s supposed to be patient? If I didn¡¯t know you had the best aim on the whole ship, I wouldn¡¯t have guess you were anything remotely close to a sniper.¡± Klark snickered.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I always nervous before a fight, especially when I¡¯m a sitting duck. Aren¡¯t snipers supposed to hide? What the heck is Hime thinking?¡± Basilisk grumbled.


    TheCakemenwere in battle mode. Deheu, Klark, Tegan, Blick, Josem, and Sven were settled into theBiscotti¡¯s six-gun turrets, waiting for the marauders like birds of prey. Heva andRowan saddled up on the two hover warbikes, armed to the teeth, and were waiting in the cargo bay. Gen and Froi were with Juleka to load and launch missiles.


    Hime hadn¡¯t exactly liked the set up. Juleka had informed, quite angrily, that the Cakemen¡¯s last paycheck wasn¡¯t enough to by more missiles. They only had twelve in stock. The turrets ran on electricity, so as long asBiscotti had energy, they would do just fine, only they didn¡¯t deal a whole lot of damage. Missiles were the hard hitters.


    So Hime banked on Basilisk. They had one high energy, laser sniper rifle, one so strong it could pierce through five layers of the super dense alloy used to plate flying military grade ships. It was hard to come by.


    Basilisk was by far the best shot. If he could take out even just asquad captain of a squad of fighters, Hime knew this aerial battle would go much better. This was the reason Basilisk laid shivering under a tarp strapped to the upper deck of Biscotti.


    He wasn¡¯t very happy about it.


    ¡°Everyone strapped up and ready to go?¡± Hime asked through the link. A variety of curses was the response. Hime laughed.


    ¡°Bask, you good?¡± He asked.


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be. I better be getting a pay raise for this.¡±


    ¡°No pay raise. I¡¯ll give you a bonus instead.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Basilisk brightened. ¡°How much.¡±


    ¡°Oh- let¡¯s say fifty cents for every bird you take down.¡±


    ¡°What? There¡¯s only like two hundred and thirty out there! That¡¯s not enough! Give me more.¡±


    ¡°Show how many you can bring down, and I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s my pay raise?¡± Deheu said.


    ¡°Why would you get a pay raise? You¡¯re not the one squatting like a fish in a barrel!¡±


    ¡°Bask, fishes don¡¯t squat.¡±


    ¡°Sure they do, those red ones with the nasty claws squat all the time.¡±


    ¡°Lobsters? Those aren¡¯t fish.¡±


    ¡°I think he means crayfish, Deheu,¡± Hime said.


    ¡°Yeah, see, it¡¯s a fish. Even has it in the name.¡±


    ¡°Still not a fish. Crustacean. It¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°If it lives underwater, it¡¯s a fish.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up you nimrod. You¡¯re almost as bad as Sven.¡±


    ¡°I resent that. I am way better than Sven. Though it looks like I¡¯ll have to repay you later. Birds coming. Looks like our dinner has arrived!¡± The fighter planes entered firing range. Basilisk watched them for a moment. He smiled as he picked out the leader from within the swarm. Carefully, he centered his scope on the plane, following it as it swamthrough the air.


    ¡°Alright you roats!¡± Hime yelled through his meta-link. ¡°You know what to do. If you don¡¯t, you ain¡¯t jeckin¡¯ Cakemen, that¡¯s for sure! Let¡¯s give ¡¯em something to eat. Bask do your worst.¡±


    ¡°Aye-ey Cap¡¯n,¡± Basilisk said. He pulled the trigger.

 Pikemans Pass - 6.2

    Mad Dog was Mad Dog. He never considered anything unless it involved blowing something up. Fifteen years ago, he joined the Ravaging Pain Marauders Incorporated, and he had never once regretted it. He tightened his grip on his fighter¡¯s control stick, feeling the smooth worn leather under his grimy fingers, and smiled. He was eager to taste blood in the air.


    The deranged man stared hungrily at the mid-sized modified escort-ship, the kind that often followed cargo ships around as bodyguards, as it passed below them throughthe narrow chasm of Pikeman¡¯s Pass.


    ¡°All you disgusting muts, time to pillage,¡± the marauders¡¯ boss snarled over the comm.


    Mad Dog¡¯s fighter seemed to leap for joy. He petted it. It was like him, ready for a hunt. He thought,Whateasypickings.Seconds later, a flash of light blinked past his ship, nearly clipping his right-wing. Terry the Terrier¡¯s fighter exploded behind him, and the shock wave blasted into his hull, rattling his bones and teeth nearly out of his body.


    ¡°Was that a brackingHEL sniper rifle? Those festeringputrites! Where in this banal world did they find one?¡±


    Mad Dog grit his teeth. A moment latter he grinned. Well, he wouldn¡¯t be going down without tearing some flesh off first. He centered the escort-ship in his crosshairs. The rounds he shot off bounced harmlessly against its hull. Several more explosions rocked him. That sniper was horrifyingly accurate with that HEL rifle.


    A warning signal beeped annoyingly at him, indicated he had been targeted. Mad Dog banked to the side and spiraled out of the path of a spray of bullets. He swung around, searching earnestly for their source. It seemed the escort¡¯s turrets had woken up. More marauding fighters sank rapidly to the ground. It was exhilerating.


    A laser swept past his right. Armor-piercing bullets sprayed his left. A few punctured his belly as he swam and dove in odd angles through the air. His finger was constangly squeezing the trigger, not carring if it resulted in friendly fire. How wonderful this world tasted. The breath that rose up from his lungs came out as a manicallaugh.Birds were falling all around him, but Mad Dog felt truly at home.


    His grin cracked wider as he noticed two warbikes threading their way through the fighter planes. He peppered the escort again before swinging around to chase after them. This was fun! The warbikes were more manuverable than fighters. His ship ached as it tried to follow their tight corners and sudden dives, all the while, Mad Dog kept shooting.


    At that moment, the titan class supercarrier, Bendiga, lent to the marauders from Toulene, launched a warhammer at the escort. From this ship squatting fifty five miles away from the battle,Bendiga¡¯s warhammer ripped throughthe escort¡¯skinetic shield. At the same time, it took out several Ravenging Pain fighters. In the next instant, the three bunker class maruader ships came alive, shooting missile after missile towards the escort-ship¡¯sunprotected side. Mad Dog whooped.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The escort¡¯s turrets fired in despiration, destroying all but one missile, which crashed into its side. The ship rocked violently, and smoke began to billow into the air. The escort launch its own missiles. Mad Dog shot down three as he chased after the warbikes wreaking havoc on the fighters. Two more were shot down by other birds. The three left reached the bunkers, causing two of them to explode. They were now useless.


    During that time, Mad Dog managed to finally hit one of the warbikes, causeing it to swerve out of control. He chased after the rapidly descending warbike, only to dodge at the last second as a laser swept past him. If he kept on its tail, that laser would have gone straight through him.


    Mad Dog cursed angrily at the HEL sniper as he watched the wounded warbike reentered the escort¡¯s cargo bay. He showered the closing door with bullets, then swooped up once more beforethe turrets could lock onto him. He looked around him. Out of the two hundred and forty-six fighters they had at the beginning, only fifty-two still remained. Make that fifty-one. He ground his teeth. The escort hadn¡¯t stopped moving during the battle. It had moved almost out of range of the last remaining bunker and most definitely out of range ofBendiga.


    With the turrets, missiles, the other warbike, and that blasted High-Energy Laser sniper, it would be hard to take on the escort without missiles of their own. He was especially annoyed with that sniper. As crazy as he was, he knew when to stop when there was no point anymore. It was disappointing. The fight hadn¡¯t even lasted thirty minutes, and it was already over. Mad Dog was not even close to satisfying his blood lust, but still, he sourly made the decision.


    ¡°All dogs, heel,¡± he ordered over the comm. The fighters retreated back towards the bunker, firing a hail of bullets to cover their path. The HEL still manages to take out sixmore fighters during the retreat.


    ¡°Mad Dog!¡± his boss bellowed, ¡°As platoon leader and vice captain, why have you ordered heel? Toulene will not be pleased when he hears that this escort-ship has not been sunk.¡±


    ¡°Boss. I¡¯m cutting losses. We¡¯ve clearly lost, and we¡¯re maruaders, not soldiers. As much as I love a bloodbath, I hate fighting when I¡¯m loosing even more, so I¡¯m calling it.¡±


    ¡°Are you disobeying orders?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to kill us all?¡± An uncomfortable silence stretched out over the link. The remaining fighter pilots figited with discontent.


    ¡°All dogs, heel,¡± the boss finally relented.


    Mad Dog growled. The man was an idiot, but he was a strong idiot with too powerful of connections. One day though, one day he would chop off that idiot¡¯s head and take over. Marauders should only listen to one person, the boss, not some bracking outsider.


    Toulene better be careful when I take over,he thought as he watched the escort-ship disappear around a corner,otherwise he¡¯ll regret trying to use the Ravaging Pain, and you too, escort. I¡¯ll send you to dust some day soon.

 Pikemans Pass - 6.3

    Rowan leapt off his warbike as soon as he entered the cargo bay from outside. He hurried up the latter to the second floor.


    ¡°Heva, is she alright?¡± he said as soon as he saw someone.


    ¡°Not too good. Howll just took her to see Lois. Looks like a bullet hit the bike and shrapnel tore up her left side,¡± Caleb said. Rowan gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Anyone else get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Well, Barry hit his head when the warhead slammed, but he¡¯s fine. Juleka¡¯s swearing her head off with how much damage that did.¡±


    They looked up as Basilisk climbed down the ladder next to them.


    ¡°That was the scariest moment of my life!¡± the sniper said.


    ¡°You say that every time,¡± Sven said as the group of turret gunners rounded the corner.


    ¡°I could have died!¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t,¡± Klark said. ¡°You¡¯re breathing just fine.¡±


    ¡°A bullet slammed into the deck two inches from my face! TWO inches!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a baby, Bask. When are you gonna grow up?¡± Deheu smirked.


    ¡°Caleb!¡± Bask said. ¡°Tell them to stop teasing me! Why does everyone tease me?¡±


    ¡°Probably ¡¯cause you react to it,¡± Caleb said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°So, how many did you hit?¡± Basilisk immediately perked up.


    ¡°I hit twenty-two.¡±


    ¡°I hitthirty,¡± Sven said.


    ¡°Thirty-one,¡± Klark said.


    ¡°Gosh you two are ridiculous. How did you get so many? I only got thirteen,¡± Tegan said.


    ¡°Me and Josem both got twenty-four,¡± Deheu said.


    ¡°Yeah! I beat ya, ya roat!¡± Sven grinned at Josem. Josem turned away with a humph.


    ¡°Heva got fourteen, and I got seventeen.¡± Rowan said. ¡°That means Blick probably got something like twenty-five, twenty-six, if I had to say.¡±


    ¡°Ack, that mean¡¯s I¡¯m last,¡± Tegan frowned.


    ¡°Drinks on you,¡± said Josem.


    ¡°I can understand Tegan, but Rowan, since when did you and Heva fall behind that much?¡± Sven asked.


    ¡°Would you do as good out in that mess on a warbike?¡± Rowan glared at Sven.


    ¡°Point taken. Hey where did Blick go anyway?¡±


    ¡°Probably sulking in his room,¡± Klark said.


    ¡°Sulk?¡± Josem laughed. ¡°I would¡¯ve said brood. That¡¯s a good one, Blick sulking, haha!¡±


    ¡°I meant to say, Bask,¡± Rowan said turning to Basilisk, ¡°thanks for watching out for us out there. Especially for Heva. I¡¯m not sure she would have made it back with out you covering her.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bask said, ¡°I really wish I had hit that guy going after her though.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Bask,¡± Lex said, walking down the stairs from the navigation theater. ¡°That one was a league above the others. He was probably the platoon leader. His skill level was well out of my predictions. It just shows your skill that you managed to contain him at all. Plus, you shot down several squad captains it looks like.¡±


    ¡°What, you didn¡¯t think we¡¯d do this good, Hime?¡± Klark said.


    ¡°With that warhead, it was fifty-fifty. Thanks for taking down the missiles,¡± Lex said sheepishly.


    ¡°No way we were letting those hit,¡± Deheufrowned. ¡°Juleka scary when she¡¯s mad. She¡¯s gonna hate me when she learns I let one through.¡±


    ¡°I heard that, Deheu!¡± Juleka called from the floor below. ¡°Get your kantgamin down here!¡± Deheu blanched.


    ¡°Alright, you roats, cool down time. Go help Juleka if you have free time,¡± Lex said.


    ¡°The bonus?¡± Bask said.


    ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll get it to you all when we get to Delhi.¡± Lex shooed the group off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡¯bout you roats, but I¡¯m gonna find my little buddy. He¡¯ll wanna hear about how awesome I was,¡± Sven said as he wandered down one ofBiscotti¡¯s halls. ¡°Now where could he be?¡±


    He found Seven a few minutes later, tucked up in a dark corner of the ceiling.


    ¡°Hey, Sev. Whatcha doing up there?¡± He reached his hand up to Seven. ¡°Here, come on down. I got a story to tell ya.¡±


    Seven flinched, shying away from Sven¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hey, you alright little buddy?¡± Sven asked.


    ¡°Just stop, already!¡± Seven snapped. A bitter and anguished look crossed his face. ¡°Stop pretending like you¡¯re my friend. All of you! You¡¯re all just a bunch of liars!¡±


    Sven retracted his hand. Seven didn¡¯t look to see the man¡¯s hurt and confused expression, but he feel it.


    ¡°Please,¡± he mumbled, ¡°leave me alone.¡±


    Sven stood there for a second before sighing and sitting on the floor. He pulled out a piece of paper and began folding it. Seven stared at him, and minutes passed in silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s origami,¡± Sven said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask,¡± Seven said grumpily.


    ¡°But you were wondering.¡± Silence returned for a minute longer before he spoke again. ¡°It helps me keep calm. My sister showed me how, but I only know how to fold a crane.¡±


    Seven looked away.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the best of people when I was young. I guess I take after my dad. We were from Nordsland, and for the longest time, it was just me and him. He wasn¡¯t a bad father. He worked hard in a factory to make money so we could live, and he rarely every drank. But when he did, my dad was very violent. He used to be a lot worse before my mom died. One hit too hard on her head, and she never woke up.¡±


    Sven folded the paper smoothly as he spoke.


    ¡°For the first couple of years, I blamed him for it. I ran away from home and ended up with the trash of the town, drinking and raging and beating to steal money that only ever ended up being pocket change. But some of those people, well, we hurt them badly.¡±


    He held up the folded paper, inspecting it.


    ¡°When I was sixteen, I came home to steal some money from him, only I noticed how broken he¡¯d become. I grew angry, a red-hot fiery maddening type of anger, and I smashed a bottle over his head.¡± Sven gave a weak laugh. ¡°The punch he gave me, my jaw was aching for weeks afterwards.¡±


    He paused in thought. Seven looked back at him, before turning away once more.


    ¡°Indignant, I intended to march right out of that house and never look back. Only, I didn¡¯t make it past the door. On the doorstep, someone left a little girl. She was only about three at the time, dressed in grimy clothes and bawling her eyes out. She had this note around her neck saying ¡®This is Mali. Take her or leave her. I don¡¯t care anymore.¡¯ It was her eyes that did it. They were so pure and unjudging they stole my and my dad¡¯s hearts. And that¡¯s how I met my sister.¡±


    He pulled at the piece of paper, forming wings.


    ¡°To this day, I don¡¯t know where she learned to make paper cranes, but it helped me control my temper because I never wanted her to see me angry. Now, I do it because it reminds me of her.¡±


    He held the crane in his open palm and looked up at Seven.


    ¡°Sev, you¡¯re defensive, and you have every right to be. But just keep in mind, that living in anger, living without trust can messyou up badly. That¡¯s not a way to live, and if you do, one day you¡¯ll look back and wonder how you became so ugly.¡±


    He groaned as he stood up.


    ¡°Someday Sev, you¡¯ll find someone kind of like my sister. They¡¯ll be someone who accepts you so completely that you won¡¯t be able to keep them out. They¡¯ll worm their way inside of your heart, and you¡¯ll find yourself changing before you know it. When you meet whoever it is, make it easier on yourself and let them in.¡±


    He placed the crane on the ground and began to walk away.


    ¡°What happened to your sister?¡± Seven called out.


    Sven paused for a second. He turned and looked at Seven before saying, ¡°She had cancer. She died when she was fourteen.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss her?¡±


    ¡°Everyday.¡±

 Pikemans Pass - 6.4

    Seven let himself fall from the ceiling. He landed gently on the floor and reached down, picking up the paper crane. He looked back up in the direction that Sven had went.


    ¡°What was that?¡± he said quietly. ¡°How am I supposed to react?¡±


    Seven noticed something. A few minutes ago, he could hardly hold himself together. He could feel himself falling apart. But now, after listening to Sven, he felt¡­ better. He was still shaky, but not like the world was collapsing in on him.


    He turned and punched a wall. What was with these people. They kept sending him mixed signals. Was it alright for him to be here or not?


    ¡°Stop confusing me!¡± he said, leaning his flushed face against the cold, smooth wall.


    A thought came to him that made him frown. Even with how painful being in Pandora had been, at least it had been simple. He knew what people thought of him, he knew his place, and he knew what his place was.Everything now was so much more complicated. He didn¡¯t know any of those things anymore. Maybe that was the reason that he felt like everything was falling apart.


    But how was he supposed to find his purpose now? It didn¡¯t seem like the Cakemen would be able to tell him. Wouldn¡¯t that only confuse him more? He¡¯d probably have to find it himself.


    ¡°Someone that can fill you¡­¡±


    Seven was suddenly reminded of the stories he used to read. Heroes going on journeys, only to loose their way. Wasn¡¯t he the same? He gave a wry grin.He looked a little sadly around the hallway he stood before nodding resolutely.


    ¡°Find that someone, isn¡¯t that right Sven? Alright,¡± Seven took a deep breath. Having a clear goal was nice. Now to find Lex. He set off down the hall.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he ran into Froi.


    ¡°Hey, kid. Whatcha been up to?¡±


    ¡°F-Froi,¡± Seven said hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ looking for Lex.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait a bit on that. We¡¯re coming into port, so everyone¡¯s pretty busy at the moment, especially Hime.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Ya! Isn¡¯t it exciting? We haven¡¯t docked in so long! I can¡¯t wait to have some fun.¡± Froigrinned. ¡°Poor Venny and Heva¡¯ll have to stay behind with the rest of stay-at-home crew though.¡±


    ¡°Why? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re both still pretty hurt. That¡¯s right, you don¡¯t know! Heva took some shrapnel from the dogfight earlier.¡±


    Seven felt a pang of guilt. Mevin said it was his fault that they were caught up in that.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered under his breath.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. When can I see Lex?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. He said something about meeting someone once we get in, so it might be a while.¡± The ship rumbled. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the docking arms hooking on. In a few, we¡¯ll be able to lower the gangplank. Right! Why don¡¯t wego see if someone will show you around town for a bit. You could use a stretch, too.¡± Froi pushed him to the mess hall.


    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s Seven! I feel like I haven¡¯t seen you in forever!¡± Basalt said as they walked in.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°Where were you? I wish you could have seen the dogfight. It was pretty awesome. I didn¡¯t get to fight, but my little bro here was snipingguys down left and right,¡± he smacked Basilisk on the back.


    ¡°You guys going out to town soon?¡± Froi asked.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re just about to head out actually. Bask was hoping to bum some food outta Barry before we left¡±


    ¡°And I told you, you don¡¯t need any. You¡¯re just going to go around food stalls anyway,¡± Barry said.


    ¡°Aw come on!¡± Basilisk slumped over the table.


    ¡°Seven, are you going out to? ¡®Cause you totally should. It¡¯s pretty fun,¡± Basalt asked.


    ¡°Hey Basalt, you should take him around the Bazaar,¡± Bask said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea! Alright, Seven! That¡¯s what we¡¯re gonna do. I¡¯m ready whenever you wanna head out.¡±


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t have any money.¡± Seven¡¯svoice got quieter and quieter.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, Seven. You can bum off me this time.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He rubbed his arm, then he frowned when he realized how self conscious he was being. He set his jaw and squared his shoulders. Froi raised an eyebrow at the boy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be ready in just a sec. Could I borrow some paper?¡±


    ¡°Sure, there¡¯s a mail room just around the corner,¡± Barry said, pointing with his ladle. Seven nodded and started walking out of the mess hall.


    ¡°Why do we even have a mail room? We never use it,¡± he heard Basalt say.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It was here when we got it,¡± Bask said.


    Seven entered the dark mail room and switched on a light. Paper lay scattered around the table and the floor. Various cardboard boxed stood precariously stacked on top of another. Filing cabinets leaned at odd angles with draws half open. Trash was littered everywhere. He looked around, dumbfounded. This wasn¡¯t exactly what he was expecting when they said mail room.


    He picked his way through the room and found a slightly wrinkled paper and a reasonably sharp pencil. He pulled out the paper crane, stared at it for a second, then grabbed a second sheet of paper. He cleared off a portion of the desk and sat down.


    A few minutes later, Seven left the room. He walked back to the mess hall and said to Basalt with a firm voice, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Basalt looked at him for a second before saying, ¡°Lighten up. You look like you¡¯re going to a funeral. Don¡¯t worry, Seven. We¡¯re gonna have a lot of fun, you and I. Come on! You¡¯re gonna like you¡¯re first sight of Delhi.¡±


    Seven was nervous as he followed Basalt off the comfortingBiscotti. The ship was held aloft in a large bay by thick metal arms. The place was bustling. Motor carts drove back and forth everywhere. Huge metal boxes lined the walls and sometimes hung from drones in the air, slowly moving across the length of the bay, or being raise or lowered onto other boxes. Basalt and Seven threaded their way through all this, dodging people and other things to reach the open wall of the bay.


    There Seven got his first glimpse of the biggest city in India. Huge building rose up into the sky, almost so tall he couldn¡¯t see the tops of them. The setting sun glinted off their steadily rising windows, blinding him. Flying ships, big and small, threaded their way in between them. Neon signs and massive holograms popped up everywhere, changing every few seconds what they read. A colossal cargo ship was just entering a ship bay above them. It was so huge it blotted out the sky for several minutes as it crawled into the bay.


    The noise was what struck Seven the hardest. It was loud with droning sounds and beeping horns and the wiz of flying cars passing by quickly. Music blared, coming from several different places, creating a jarring dissonance. Seven took several steps back before fall on his bottom.


    ¡°You like it that much, huh?¡± Basalt chuckled. ¡°I agree, it can be overwhelming at first.¡± He turned to Seven and reached down a hand to help the boy up.


    ¡°Welcome to Delhi,¡± he grinned.

 Pikemans Pass - 6.5

    ¡°Shall we go?¡± Basalt asked. Seven nodded.


    ¡°Alright, off we go, then. HOLD ON!¡± he yelled as he hoisted Seven up by the waist and took a flying leap off the edge of the terrace. Basalt whooped in delight as they fell. Seven screamed his head off while trying to hold on for dear life.


    Basalt landed nimbly on a passing flying bus, taking a few running steps to absorb the force of the fall. Seven had slipped out of Basalt¡¯s hands during the landing. He rolled uncomfortably close to the edge of the moving vehicle. He stared terrified at that dizzying view several hundred feet in the air. His stomach churned, and the contents forced its way up and over the edge. Seven scrambled away.


    ¡°How was your first taste of car hopping? Fun, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that? I practically died! Did you see that? Did you see how close I came to the edge? You dropped me!¡±


    ¡°You looked like you were having fun to me. See, I knew you¡¯d enjoy it.¡± Basalt waltzed over and helped Seven stand up.


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°Well then, you¡¯re gonna love this!¡± Basalt snatched Seven up by the waist.


    Seven squirmed around in his arms while screeching, ¡°NonononoNONONONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!¡± as he leapt off the edgeonce more.


    This time, Basalt didn¡¯t pause when they landed. He¡¯d leap down onto a car, slow down with a few thudding steps, then immediately launch himself into empty space with Seven screaming eachtime he did. After nine such jumps, they touched down on solid ground.


    Basalt set Seven down. He took one look at the kid and laughed.


    ¡°You look like a tornado came through!¡± He rubbed Seven¡¯s misplaced and windblown hair. Seven reached up and felt his face. His hand came back wet. He had tears and mucus streaming down it, along with some flecks of vomit from when he threw up.


    ¡°Please,¡± he said hoarsely, ¡°can we never do that again?¡± Basalt chuckled. He knelt down, pulling out a tissue, and scrubbed Seven¡¯s face.


    ¡°Stop! Ouch, stop. I¡¯m not a kid!¡± Seven pushed his hand away. Basalt raised an eyebrow and smirked.


    ¡°Really? But I could¡¯ve sworn you were just screaming like a baby the whole way down.¡± Seven blushed bright red with embarrassment and looked away.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Come on, Mr. Not-kid. I got something to show you. The sun¡¯s just setting, and it¡¯s the perfect time. We¡¯ll get there right when it gets dark.¡± He pulled Seven after him.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°How far?¡±


    ¡°Just a couple of corners away. I guarantee you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to trust you after you jeckin¡¯ jumped off a hundred and fifty story building?¡±


    ¡°There you go! Sounding like a real Polishman there. Nice going! And we jumped off the seventy-ninth floor, not the hundred and fiftieth floor. Though, I¡¯m surprised you knew it went up that high.¡±


    They rounded a corner and walked down a wide alley way. People passed them on either side wearing colorful robes and other clothing Seven was just seeing for the first time. He looked around intently, absorbingeverything he could.


    ¡°It does? I just took a random guess. Huh,¡± he said. ¡°But wait! Stop distracting me. I¡¯m not sure I trust you after that. Next thing I¡¯ll know, you¡¯ll be feeding me to sharks or something!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re miles from the ocean. Where am I going to find sharks?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. An aquarium?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of aquariums. Some time remind me to take you to Delhi¡¯s anti-gravity aquarium. It¡¯s pretty jeckin¡¯ roat. One of the only ones in the world.¡±


    ¡°An anti-gravity aquarium? How does that even work?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea, but it sucks trite!¡± Basalt grinned as they reached the end of the street and rounded another corner.


    Seven noticed several small stalls along the edge of the road selling various trinkets. One sold tiny figurines. An incense burner bled sweet-smelling smoke into the air as the man selling them sat on a rug rubbing beads. He grinned and nodded when he noticed Seven staring at him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± Seven asked when they were out of earshot.


    ¡°He looks like a Buddhist. Don¡¯t know much about them, or if he¡¯s actually a practicing Buddhist. You don¡¯t see too many around anymore. Not in India. They¡¯re mostly out way east in Nippon or sometimes down south in Austrasia.¡±


    Seven hesitated for a second, then asked, ¡°Do you believe in God?¡± Basalt sighed.


    ¡°I have seen a lot of bad things that happen in this world. Anyone in my line of business will have, and when you¡¯ve seen as much as I have, you either come to believe in a god or you completely reject him. There¡¯s no avoiding it. It¡¯ll happen to everyone.¡±


    ¡°When did you decide?¡±


    ¡°That time came for me when Bask and I were fifteen. We were brand new mercenaries then. Just fresh from signing the paper. We went on our first mission. It was a scouting mission along the border of the Reds, only, we weren¡¯t lucky. We got spotted, and Bask took a bullet to the stomach.The whole time dragging him away from the border, the only thing I could think of was begging God to let him live, that if he lived, I¡¯d believe in God wholeheartedly. So, yeah. I believe in Him. But enough of the depressing stuff, kid. Look we¡¯re here,¡± Basalt said as they rounded the last corner.


    Seven swallowed. It was almost more impressive than the view Basalt showed him earlier. Layers and layers of catwalks stacked on one another stretched between the buildings. They reached high up in the sky, lighted with strings of lights and strung with colorful blanket and rug tents. Booths nestled under the bright fabrics, and myriads of people laughed, bartered, and jostled among them on the wooden and metal walkways. Lively musicfrom many street musicians with strange instruments filled the night air.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Seven asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. Welcome to the Night Bazaar.¡± Basalt grinned.

 Pikemans Pass - 6.6

    ¡°Woah! It¡¯s so cool! How do they get it all to stay up like that?¡± Seven¡¯s eyes sparkled as they climbed up to the first level catwalk.


    ¡°Skill. It¡¯s all skill. Humans can build just about anything anywhere. How do you think that they got some rich kids living on the moon?¡±


    ¡°People are living on the moon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A couple years back, a few veryrich families from New Poland and the CNA decided that Earth was in a hopeless state. They banded all their money together to make a colony on the moon. Been up there ever since. Nobody thinks they can last much longer though. The food shuttles aren¡¯t cheap.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just weird.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think so too, but I hear the swimming pool up there¡¯s fun. Hey look at this.¡± Basalt pointed out a booth showcasing wrought scrap metal in the shapes of dragons and fighter planes.


    ¡°He made those?¡± Seven said pointing at the man behind the booth.


    ¡°Looks like it. Oh, over there they have handmade banjos! Always wanted one of those. They¡¯re rare now days. Hang out around here. I¡¯m gonna go get one,¡± Basalt said before disappearing into the crowd.


    Seven browsed through the stalls, not noticing that he had wandered up to the higher level catwalks. They spiraled around in circles and crisscrosses making it difficult to realize when one had ascended a level. Before he realized it, he was high above the ground, lost, and had no clue where Basalt was. He wandered around in a slight panicked confusion.


    ¡°Boy,¡± he heard a voice call out. He turned to see an old lady sitting on the ground in a rug tent. Soft candles glowed around here, and jewelry lay in ordered rows in front of her. Her gentle eyes glowed at him amid her wrinkles.


    ¡°You, boy. Yes, you. Come here.¡±She waved at him. Seven made his way over to her.


    ¡°Care to take a look?¡± She gestured to the jewelry. He looked down.


    ¡°They¡¯re very pretty,¡± he said. She raised an eyebrow and gestured again. He looked closer, feeling a bit uncomfortable. A necklace, or rather a pair, caught his eye. They nestled together to form a whole.


    ¡°It¡¯s a yin yang pair of necklaces,¡± the lady said.


    ¡°Yin yang?¡± Seven asked.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°People will give you all sorts of mumbo jumbo about how it¡¯s supposed to represent balance and such, which I suppose is true. But I like to think of it as no one is completely good, but neither are they completely bad.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Can I pick it up?¡± The lady nodded. He picked up the black half of the pair and stared at the small fleck of mother-of-pearl.


    ¡°You. You¡¯re looking for someone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Seven said, startled. The old lady smiled.


    ¡°I mean, I guess I am. I got separated from my¡­my friend.¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯re looking for someone.¡± She tapped the white half as she emphasized the word.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to find them staying where you are, but you know that already. You have to go looking for them.¡±


    ¡°But how am I supposed to find them?¡±


    ¡°You start by making a decision.¡± Seven scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion.


    ¡°So, which do you want?¡± The lady said.


    ¡°Huh?¡± She gestured once more to the necklaces.


    ¡°Oh. I don¡¯t have any money.¡± She reached over and grabbed the black half from his hand, then picked up the white half. She wrapped them up in a piece of brown paper and placed it in a paper bag. Then, she handed it back to Seven.


    ¡°It¡¯s on the house,¡± she said.


    ¡°Th-thanks,¡± Seven stuttered before slipping back into the crowd. He looked down at the paper bag, thinking over what she said. He slipped it in into his pocket next to his paper crane and nodded to himself before threading his way back to the ground level.


    A few minutes later, Seven stood staring back the way Basalt and he had come. A look of longing crossed his face as he glanced back once more before he headed the other direction.He turned a corner into a small dark alley way and bumped into a large man.


    ¡°Ouch.¡±


    ¡°What tha? Oh, hey look it whe¡¯ve here. Yur right juicy there,¡± the man said. Three other men gathered around Seven from behind the man.


    ¡°What?¡± Seven said.


    ¡°Whataya prats say we makes ourselves a pretty penny on this li¡¯l bite?¡± The man grinned.


    ¡°Look it him. He got himself a white head. How pretty,¡± said a bald man with tattoos crawling across his skull. He rumpled Seven¡¯s hair a few times, then grabbed a fistful.


    ¡°Ow! Stop!¡± Seven grabbed at the bald man¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh, Simmons will likethis!¡± Another man chortled.


    ¡°Come on, li¡¯l bite. We¡¯ve got places ta go, people ta meet. Can¡¯t be wastin¡¯ all night,¡± the bald man said as he dragged Seven by the hair.


    ¡°What? Hey! Ow that hurts! Stop! Help! Someone! Hel-¡±


    ¡°Shap li¡¯l bite! No need ta brackin¡¯ wake up tha whole neighborhood,¡± the bald man muttered as he slammedSeven¡¯s head against the wall. Seven felt a trickle of blood slip down his forehead as he blacked out.


    ¡°Tawkie, you carry him.¡± The bald man tossed Seven over to the man the boyhad run into.


    ¡°Why do I gotta? You were doing just fine, Boar.¡±


    ¡°I got tired.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right, you brackin¡¯ twit.¡±


    ¡°Oi, les get outta here. Somebody mighta actually heard the brat,¡± said one of the other men.


    Tawkie hauled the unconscious Seven up and over his shoulder. He began humming a song as he followed Boar and the other two. This was a good night. The smog had cleared, you could even see some stars in the sky, and a nice payload had literally dropped in their laps.


    He wondered where such a pretty kid came from, but then again, it didn¡¯t really matter. Money was more important. While he walked, he fantasized about Boar letting him keep the kid for a night. He grinned. That¡¯d be nice.

 Pikemans Pass - 6.7

    ¡°Hey, Boss! You gotta visitor.¡± Ahmed Mubai jumped in his chair.


    ¡°Feckless brack! Jace! I told you never to do that.¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± Jace said leaning against the door frame picking at his nails.


    ¡°Pop up outta nowhere like that. I hope you realize how lucky you are to be alive right now,¡± Mubai waved the laser pistol in his hand. ¡°Could shot the base offal right outta ya.¡±


    ¡°No ya wouldn¡¯ta. Ya love me too much.¡±


    ¡°No. Really. I hate you.¡± Mubai took out a cloth and began wiping down the gun.


    ¡°Ya keep me around, though.¡±


    ¡°You just happen to be hard to get rid of. If there was anyone else with better skills than yours, I woulda gotten rid of you long, long ago.¡±


    ¡°Speaking a people with skills, why ya never get Rowan on ya side?¡±


    ¡°Rowan? Rowan Grovenski? As in Cakeman Grovenski? Are you kidding?¡± Mubai grimaced. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t listen one bit to me. Too stuck following Lex Palming. Not that I hate the guy, jus¡¯ he¡¯s much too talented at finding good people.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well Boss, ya gotta nother chance at it.¡±


    ¡°Wait what? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re here ta visit ya. Wendle¡¯s gottem in the front parlor.¡±


    ¡°Bracking prat, Jace! Tell me sooner!¡± Mubai launched his plump self out of his chair and down the hallway. Jace followed behind the hurrying man with a smooth, easy grace. When they reached the door to the front parlor, Mubai paused to smooth his shirt and wipe the dripping sweat off his forehead with a cloth. He cleared his throat and signaled to Jace to open the door.


    Mubai walked in poised, as if he hadn¡¯t just been bolting down the hallway. He glanced over at the four other people in the room. One was his man, Wendle, standing guard at the door. Lex had seated himself in the middle of the embroidered settee. He leaned slightly forward with his hands steepled resting on his knees.


    Lex watched as Mubai made his entrance. Mubai crossed the room and sat in the settee across from Lex. He made careful note of Mevin and Rowan standing on either side behind Lex¡¯s seat. Jace came and stood behind Mubai. The air in the room grew tense as both Mubai and Lex strove to intimidate the other.


    ¡°Lex Palming,¡± Mubai said, breaking the silence, ¡°My, how it has been such a long time. What brings you to my humble aboad? Care for a drink?¡± He gestured to the glasses on the table between them.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Hello, Mubai. I¡¯m glad that you are looking just as well as when I last saw you. Sorry, I must decline your offer. I have recently made the resolution to abstain from alcohol. Please forgive my offense.¡±


    Mubai waved his hand in the air. ¡°Perfectly alright. I admire that. Please, by all means, no need for further small talk. We¡¯re friends. Let¡¯s be candid. Lex, forgive me for asking, but what are you here for?¡±


    Lex gave a wry laugh. ¡°I make you nervous?¡± Mubai¡¯s clenched fists grew white.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be lying if I said you did. You have a surprising amount of power for just a mercenary. Who knows who else could be life indebted to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to help you with that actually. I know you hate owing me.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You finally have a favor to ask? After all these years saying you had nothing you needed?¡± Mubai raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes. As a matter of fact, I do. However, whether or not you can help me with it¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not many things I cannot do.¡±


    ¡°I see. However, tell me, friend. Has Toulene contacted you recently?¡±


    ¡°Toulene? Jacob Toulene? No. Why would he?¡±


    ¡°Mubai. My favor is rather difficult. It involves something that Toulene wants. Are you willing to risk getting on his bad side to grant it?¡±


    Mubai drummed his fingers on his knee. ¡°Why would I not be? I can handle Toulene. He doesn¡¯t have as much influence in India as he thinks he does. He was never one of my favorites anyway. Though, I am curious. What¡¯s got him to make a move? I assume you already know he had a ship cross the Wall the other day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. He hired marauders to raid us on our way in.¡±


    ¡°I pity them.¡± Lex cracked a grin.


    ¡°He wants a kid that I picked up from Pandora. Not only him, but the People¡¯s Army most definitely has their eye out for the kid as well.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°I need supplies. We¡¯re almost out of missiles. Food, guns, your newest stealth gear, anything you think will be useful for staying low. If we could use one of your safe houses in the Himalayas, that would be much appreciated.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not hard to arrange, but you know that¡¯s only a stop gap measure.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. It¡¯s just until I figure out how to get Toulene off our backs. He¡¯s known for a rather short attention span.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s also known for not letting go until he¡¯s got what he wants. You¡¯re walking a short line, Lex.¡± Mubai watched as a tired expression flitted across Lex¡¯s face. ¡°As long as he know¡¯s you¡¯ve got this kid that¡¯s spiked his interest, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll let you off.¡±


    ¡°You have something to suggest, then?¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me, not even as far as you can throw me, but listen to this. Let the kid stay here. Toulene can¡¯t get into my Camilla group, and people here in India don¡¯t take well to outside influence. I¡¯ll be sure to protect him, and if you¡¯re still unsure, you can leave Rowan with him. That way, you can go and deal with Toulene directly.¡±


    Lex pursed his lips together. A sudden commotion sounded outside the door. Basalt burst into the room followed by several breathless men in suits who failed in restraining him.


    ¡°Basalt?¡± Lex said.


    ¡°Hime! Hime! It¡¯s all my fault!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Boss, he rushed in like a mad man. We couldn¡¯t keep him down,¡± one of the men said.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. He¡¯s one of Lex¡¯s, but be better about it next time.¡± He shot a heavy glare at the man. An audible gulp was heard.


    ¡°Basalt,¡± Lex gripped him by the arms. ¡°what¡¯s the matter? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Seven! It¡¯s Seven.¡±


    ¡°What about Seven?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±


    End of Chapter 6

 The House of Roses - 7.1

    Seven woke up in a cage. His head ached and a very tender spot had formed on his skull. He felt like throwing up.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± His head blared at him as he used the bars of the cage to prop himself up. Bile crawled up his throat. He immediately put his head between his knees.


    ¡°Lex,¡± he said with a hoarse voice. His heart twisted. He wondered if he made the right decision. If he was going to follow through with it, he couldn¡¯t rely on Lex. That would put him right back in the situation he was first in. But did he really want to do that? Finding himself suddenly without a way to see Lex, even though it was his choice that resulted in it, was hard to swallow. Loneliness washed over him.


    He groaned. Thinking hurt. It made his head worse. He breathed in, trying to think of nothing, then nearly smacked himself as a thought popped into his head.


    Meta-links. How could he forget something so simple! He could easily contact Lex. He reached out to grab some of the usual free floating waves, only to freeze. They weren¡¯t there.


    He jerked his head up, ignoring the flaring ache in his head. There was nothing. Not a single electromagnetic wave graced the room. Seven began to hyperventilate.


    Where were they? They had always been there swirling around him in a bright array of colors. They had always been there. And now that they were gone, Seven was deathly afraid.


    What did it mean? Was something wrong with him? Had they done something to him? What was going to happen now? Were they going to take him back to Pandora? Were they going to kill him? Were they going to throw away his body somewhere where no one would ever find him?


    Seven sucked in air with great, heaving gasps. A second later, he blacked out.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°Lex, will you calm down already?¡± Mevin forced Lex, who had been pacing for the last hour or more, to sit down on the settee.


    ¡°But, it¡¯s been thirteen hours since he went missing. Where is he, Mevin? Why hasn¡¯t he contacted me? You know he can do that! Why hasn¡¯t he? Something must have happened to him!¡±


    ¡°Just calm down! Panic won¡¯t help anyone.¡±


    ¡°How can you so calm, Mevin? I should be out there searching, too.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°You know perfectly the reasons why you can¡¯t, and you¡¯ll be no help to anyone in this state, least of all Seven.¡±


    ¡°But-¡°


    ¡°Mubai¡¯s got his men out searching. He¡¯ll find him faster than anyone, so just sit there and wait.¡±


    ¡°Mevin, go out there and look for him, too, at least.¡±


    ¡°No can do, Hime. If I take my eyes off you for a second, you¡¯ll disappear on me. Too many people are looking for your head for you to go searching wildly out there for Seven, Lex. And too many people willing to dirty their hands make a few bucks. You have too many enemies. I don¡¯t want to find you dead in some alley way.¡±


    ¡°When have I ever lost in a fight?¡± Lex said, indignant.


    ¡°Only when you¡¯re drunk.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been drunk in eight years.¡±


    ¡°In the state you¡¯re in now, you¡¯re no better than when you¡¯re drunk. You¡¯re not thinking straight. Jeck, you might as well be drunk on worry with how you are now.¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lex, you are. Now sit there like a good boy, and wait patiently for news to come! I will not have you run off like a madman! You know what? Get some sleep while you¡¯re at it! It¡¯s ten in the jecking morning! You haven¡¯t slept at all!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, Mev. Not right now. Not when Seven¡¯s missing. Of all the kanted things, why did I let him go out there. It¡¯s India of all places. This kind of madhouse, all alone¡­¡±


    Mevin sighed. ¡°Lex, you¡¯re killing me. You¡¯re creeping me out with how attached you¡¯ve gotten with him. Even with all the reasons you¡¯ve given me, it isn¡¯t logical.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mevin. Why do you keep bring that up? Why can¡¯t you just accept it? Seven¡¯s like a little brother, or, or¡­ I don¡¯t know! He feels like family! The only family I have!¡±


    Mevin swallowed hard. A pang resounded in his chest.


    ¡°What, then, does that make me?¡± he said in an almost whisper.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How long have I been with you, Lex? How long have I been right there by your side?¡±


    ¡°What? Why are you suddenly asking?¡±


    ¡°Say it! Say it, Lex! Have you ever once thought about how I think?¡±


    ¡°Mevin? What the roat are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even considering how I feel, even now! What am I to you?! What are the Cakemen?¡±


    ¡°Your my best friend. All of you are.¡±


    Mevin stood feeling the burning sensation flood throughout his body. His fists clenched by his sides. Lex stared at him with a confused look at his face.


    ¡°Mevin¡­¡± Lex said slowly, ¡°you¡­ you didn¡¯t do anything to Seven, right?¡±


    Mevin whirled around and punched through the wall. He pulled his fist out, grabbed the edges of the gaping hole and pulled, ripping out a large piece of plaster. He turned and flung it hard at Lex. It sailed past his ear and smashed into the wall behind him.


    With ragged breaths, he stared as blood beaded out of a fresh cut on Lex¡¯s face. Lex touched his cheek and looked at the blood on his fingers. He looked back at Mevin. The room became uncomfortable, and the only sound heard was Mevin¡¯s breathing.


    Mevin watched Lex for any sort of reaction, but Lex did nothing more. Rage crossed his face, and he spun around, stomping towards the door. He paused when he reached it and gripped the wooden door frame with his hand.


    ¡°So, you do care more about him than me,¡± he said in a quiet voice before disappearing out the door. Deep indents from his fingers were left on the door frame.

 The House of Roses - 7.2

    ¡°Mevin, you roat. Why¡¯re you acting all jealous?¡± Lex gave a tired laugh. ¡°Aw kant. You¡¯re making me feel like drinking again. How long you been there, Rowan?¡±


    ¡°I heard it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, tell me. Did I go about this wrong?¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve done it better.¡± Lex laughed again. Rowan leaned back against the wall and stared at him.


    ¡°He had a point, you know,¡± Lex said, ¡°about always there, helping me out and all. I took him for granted. I never knew he felt like that.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s three years younger than you. Ever since you saved his life in Hong Kong back when you just started as a mercenary, he¡¯s always followed after you. He always says your his hero, but it¡¯s more than that. I think he was longing for you to be his big brother.¡±


    ¡°Jeck. There¡¯s no way I could have seen him as that. Not then. Even now, it¡¯s¡­¡± Lex said in a quiet voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s cold, Hime. What makes Seven different?¡±


    Lex sighed.


    ¡°At first, I thought it¡¯d be the same. Someone asks me for help. I get a hunch if it is real. A sense of urgency, and I can¡¯t stop thinking about it until I help them. It¡¯s always on my mind, and if I ignore it, I know I¡¯ll go crazy. So, I do my utmost to help them, get them to safety, and then leave, not really thinking about it again,¡± he paused.


    ¡°People might say I have a hero complex. Maybe that¡¯s true. David said once that it¡¯s how I validate my existence. I miss him, now that he¡¯s gone. But even with all that, I may act close to everyone; jeck I¡¯ve saved most of them, too. It¡¯s just I can¡¯t let them get too close. I can¡¯t let them in. You¡¯ve all felt it, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Rowan nodded. ¡°You never said why, though. You¡¯ve always kept you past to yourself. All you ever tell about yourself is that you wandered around alone for a long time before. Hime, what happened before that?¡±


    There was a moment of silence before Lex spoke.


    ¡°You asked what made Seven different.¡± Rowan¡¯s eyebrows drew together. Lex was avoiding his question.


    ¡°His eyes,¡± Lex continued. ¡°First time I saw him, he had this look in his eyes. It was like he was rejecting the world. No, it was probably worse than that. He was rejecting himself. He looked so haunted.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen others like that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it was different somehow. It was like he had at that moment convinced himself so thoroughly that he didn¡¯t exist that, well, he pretty much didn¡¯t. You weren¡¯t there when we found him. His presence was paper-thin. I still see that look sometimes. It flits across his face like he¡¯s being constantly reminded of it.¡±


    ¡°And, so what?¡±


    ¡°Agh, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re right. It wasn¡¯t just that. I think it was really the look he had when he recognized us. Light flooded into his eyes, and he looked so alive. More alive than I¡¯ve seen anyone. It was so piercing. I decided I always wanted him to have that look. But even then, somehow, I could tell he still rejected himself even while being so alive. I don¡¯t even know how that happens.¡±


    ¡°You seem to like describing him. You¡¯re weird, Hime.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. You would¡¯ve known what I meant if you were there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also taking a long time to explain your point, as well as avoiding my question.¡± Rowan gave him a pointed look.


    ¡°Forgive me. I¡¯m rambling ¡¯cause I¡¯m stressed,¡± Lex said in a dry tone.


    ¡°I might if you get on with it.¡±


    ¡°Fine. It¡¯s my initial hunch, my sense of urgency. It hasn¡¯t gone away. Usually it does the moment we find the client, or at the very latest the moment we get to some semblance of safety. It¡¯s cause from that point on, I always know we can handle it. Rowan, we¡¯ve been relatively safe ever since we got onto Biscotti. Never for a moment did that feeling leave me. It¡¯s only been increasing as time goes by.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re so desperate about Seven?¡±


    Lex nodded. ¡°Probably.¡± There was a moment of silence as Rowan digested the information.


    ¡°Why are you back, anyway?¡± Lex looked up at him.


    ¡°Thought you might like to know.¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°Mubai found a pretty good lead on where Seven is.¡±


    ¡°What?! Where?¡± Lex leapt up.


    ¡°Seems like some auction house.¡±


    ¡°An auction house? Why the jeck is he there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Rowan! Why didn¡¯t you tell me this earlier?¡±


    ¡°You started a conversation all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse anything!¡±


    ¡°You looked like you needed to vent.¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Forget it. Where is Ahmed?¡±


    ¡°Lex Palming!¡± Ahmed Mubai walked into the room. ¡°This is where you¡¯ve been? Rowan, I asked you to get him ages ago. Why are you still here? Where¡¯s Mevin Poal?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, but it doesn¡¯t matter at the moment. I¡¯ll find him later. Where¡¯s Seven?¡± Lex asked.


    ¡°From the information you¡¯ve given me, the kid is albino right? With white hair?¡±


    ¡°Yes, albinos have white hair,¡± Rowan said wryly. Ahmed shot him a look.


    ¡°One of my sources tells me he saw a man called Boar taking a white-haired kid off the streets near the Night Bazaar.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this Boar?¡±


    ¡°Petty criminal and free-lance thug for hire. I hadn¡¯t heard of him before today, he¡¯s that small a guy. Thing is, seems like he mostly deals with Mr. Simmons.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s his real name, but I can¡¯t find what it actually is. It¡¯s weird actually, how well he has it covered up. And well, right now, he doesn¡¯t even have a first name.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you really should know him, Lex. He¡¯s the owner of the House of Roses.¡±


    ¡°The House of Roses? The House of Roses? As in, the auction house of your direct competitors?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Briar Hatch Syndicate has a big stake in it. I wouldn¡¯t say they control it, but they do have a lot of influence. Like this, it¡¯ll be tough getting your kid out. Looks like he¡¯ll be sold tonight.¡±


    Lex grew quiet.


    ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± he asked.