by Matthew Fish
“I do owe you my thanks,” Littcott said as he nodded to Mark. “After all, you brought me the very nail I needed to end this one’s life.”
“Sunlight though?” Mark said as he shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh. He knew that he should take this moment more seriously—he just figured that there was no point…after all it was probably his last.
“I once had a special cape, made of silver thread of the finest quality,” the old one spoke as he looked to Emily. “It was set ablaze. It was in my possession for well over a thousand years.”
“Deserved it,” Emily muttered as she slowly came to.
“And you’re all reunited at the very end,” the man said as he pulled out a gun and shot a bullet into her left arm—then fired two rounds into each one of her legs. “Won’t be doing any more projecting today…”
“Emily…” Mark said as he placed her hand into his and stroked it gently as she cried out in pain. She began to breathe heavily as she attempted to force the pain out of her mind.
“I’ll be fine,” Emily said with a fake smile as she looked to Mark and squeezed his hand. “I’ll sleep it off….”
“Can’t have you doing anything foolish,” the man said as he aimed the gun at Mark and fired a shot into his chest.
“No!” Emily shouted as she cried out in pain as she rolled over and placed her arm around his chest. It was warm and wet with fresh blood that poured out. He was losing so much blood.
“You won’t die,” The man said as he shrugged. “Well, at least not yet.”
“Calm your breathing,” the old one said as he turned to Mark. “Try and think of something happy—a happy memory from your life and push the pain out of your mind as best you can.”
A woman with long flowing auburn hair and a short black dress projected into the room. It was the same woman that had grabbed Mark and Emily. She walked over to the man holding the gun and gave him a quick kiss. “Told you I’d handle it, Gideon…”
“My wife, Marie,” Gideon said as he gestured to the woman. “She did the job that what—a hundred and sixty could not accomplish. I do have to say that was an impressive performance on your part…both of your parts. I had heard your powers were quite terrifying ‘old one’ but to see you dismember and kill so many of your own kind…seems like you have an axe to grind. And you…Mr. Argent—that was quite a grand display.”
“Go fuck yourself,” Mark muttered as he attempted to apply pressure to the wound on his chest. The pain was nearly unbearable. He felt dizzy…his mind had a hard time focusing. This was not exactly the way he saw himself dying. He could tell that he was dying…at least he imagined that this must be what it felt like.
“Why am I not dead yet?” The old one spoke in a quiet tone as he looked to Gideon and gave him a look of complete disgust. “You have an item…something that must be from my year. Why am I still alive?”
“I shall put you out of your misery,” Gideon said as he nodded and smiled smugly. “I want an answer first—why did you want control of the council? You could have taken it away at any moment. Instead you only unwittingly helped your friend Mr. Littcott here by allowing him to recreate the Grand Council as he sees fit.
“Revenge,” the old one said as his let out a terrible scream. His frustration that he was rendered useless was a fate worse than death.
“Bad move,” Mark muttered as he began to cough loudly. A bit of blood sputtered up from his lips and into his hand.
“Stay with me, Mark,” Emily pleaded as she wrapped her injured arms around Mark tightly and began to cry even more. “Please…”
“Revenge for what?” Gideon asked as he sat down on the floor across from the injured group and placed the gun down onto the floor.
“I asked…once,” the old one spoke as he squirmed in pain. “I asked once for justice for my wife Amity—who had left me after nearly four hundred years, but I still loved her. She was killed by another Perpetual—and I came to the council and asked for justice. My request was…ignored.”
“I see,” Gideon said as he nodded. “I seem to remember a request like that about twelve years ago…from an old one—named Cain, no last name. You wanted us to send out a Conductor and a Spotter to hunt down this Perpetual who could supposedly kill other Perpetuals. That was you, was it not? All of this mess, because we had more pressing matters—do you know why we get involved in drug busts and important crimes…? It’s easy—it makes us money. It keeps us in this lifestyle. Your request…was simply…well, too simple. There was no coin to be made from it. The mortal police did not even register it—so they would not have even paid us to pursue the matter.”
“It was your job to pursue justice,” Cain said as he began to weep. “Since you did not render it, I sought to replace you with people who would. I would have thought that another Perpetual out there with the power to kill other Perpetuals would have gotten your attention…”
“In a way it has, you have those very same powers—how do I know that it was not you that killed your runaway love?”
“I would have never hurt her…I couldn’t have.”
“And the boy…?” Gideon said as he gestured over to Mark. “What does he matter?”
“His mother was my wife,” Cain said as he looked to Mark. “She fell in love with a mortal—a Conductor. I believed that once he died, she would have had her time with him and she would return to me. Instead, she died. He did not protect her.”
“So you killed him?” Mark coughed as he shook his head. “My mother’s name was Amy.”
“Her real name was Amity,” Cain said as he looked Mark in the eyes. “I did not kill your father—I was responsible for his death, yes. I block the powers of a Conductor, I was there meeting with Zampa because he aligned with my ideas. I did not know your father would show up that night. It was another Perpetual that killed him…but only because I was nearby—I hated your father. Especially after he failed to protect Amity, but I never would have killed him.”
“So,” Gideon spoke as he let out a short laugh. “In a way, he’s your family. Actually, that does make him the last living piece of your loved one…does it not? How hilariously tragic…”
“Why…” Mark asked as he sputtered up blood once more. “Why didn’t you just—talk to me? Like a normal….fucking person would.”
“Your father’s partner had already labeled me as a monster, and I was responsible. I thought if we had time to talk privately…”
“Against my will…?”
“You do not understand what it is like to live with such loss…such rage. You end up becoming the monster that people believe you are.”
“I do know what it is like,” Mark said as he closed his eyes. “I had a friend once; he lived for almost a century…he had pain. He also had kindness…he gave me everything…I also know the stupid things that revenge can do to people…I’ve seen that as well.”
“I wanted you to be on my side so that I could do what is best for you…I owed you that.”
“You didn’t owe me shit,” Mark whispered as he kept his eyes firmly closed. “All my life…everyone’s done what they thought was best for me. I’m dying…is that what is best for me? It is the result of everyone’s best intentions…even my own.”
“The road to hell…as they say,” Gideon said as he chewed on his thumb and laughed. “And the girl…?”
“Emily,” Emily muttered as she pressed her face against Mark’s and wept. “No story here. I’m one of Zampa’s daughters…this is my love.”
“Perpetual and mortal romance,” Gideon said as he let out a short sigh. “As Cain here has realized, and I’m sure you have come to realize…very messy things.”
Mark grabbed a hold of Emily’s hand as he let out another loud cough. He felt the gold ring on Emily’s finger and slid it off. He slowly opened his eyes as he felt the ring vibrate in his hand. He raised his hand laboriously out in front of him as he allowed the ring to slowly rise into the air.
Gideon let out
another laugh as he watched the futile display. “Is it from my year? You do not even know what year I was born…I am older than your mentally challenged elder here—that ring doesn’t look nearly as old. I’d say, if I were a betting man…I’d place it around three hundred years old. I’m a jeweler in my free time.”
“Shut up already,” Mark said as a trickle of blood poured from his mouth.
“Of course,” Gideon said as he got to his feet and laughed once more at Mark. He tore his shirt open and revealed his hairy chest beneath. If it makes your death have any meaning…then by all means, let’s have a little fun—right?”
Mark visualized the ring as it spun end over end in the air. He raised a hand and weakly gestured towards the taunting man. A shot-gun like noise filled the air as the ring flew into Gideon’s chest. He stumbled back for a moment and started to laugh. He did not manage to get much laughter out as he soon turned to nothing more than a dust cloud of ash. The ring did not disappear—Mark could still feel its presence. As Marie attempted to pounce upon him, Mark gestured for the ring to return. The ring burned its way through her back as she turned to ash, which fell upon the three like a warm snow. The ring came down to the ground and spun around for a moment before falling to one side. Mark attempted to reach for it as he closed his eyes as the pain overwhelmed him. Emily grabbed it and placed it in his hand.
A loud boom came from the hallway as Maddie appeared. She shot out the bright light as all of the Perpetuals in the office room rose to their feet and stared through the glass windows in disbelief. Littcott turned his attention to Maddie just as she pointed the gun at his head and splattered his mortal brains across the wall.
“I don’t…understand,” Cain said as he cradled Mark’s back in his arms. “What did you do?”
Mark kept his eyes closed as he attempted to take in another breathe of air. It was painful and it seemed as though he was not getting enough oxygen. He could feel his mind slipping away as Emily held onto him tightly and continued to cry. “Something…people have placed value upon…love—it’s timeless…now, go and Hulk out in there. There’s a room full of…assholes that need to be taught a lesson.”
“Thank you,” Cain said as he projected into the room. The windows became obscured as blood filled the view. Screams and various cries of agony could be heard.
“No…no…” Maddie said as she placed her arms around Mark and Emily. “Not like this.”
I remember the warm embrace of the two girls as everything slowly slipped away. Soon there was a thick blackness—no tunnel, or magical light to chase or follow—just a simple, calm and quiet…darkness. Dying was just as easy as falling asleep. The pain was gone.
Chapter 11
Maddie pulled over the Charger to the edge of the road as a pair of red and blue lights flashed in her rearview mirror. After a short time, a police officer crawled out of his car and approached the Charger. He had a piece of paper in his hand as Maddie rolled down the tinted windows.
“What the hell?” The cop said as he looked to the backseat where three dead bodies were sat. He then looked to the passenger seat and spotted Emily with her four gunshot wounds.
“It’s been a hell of a day,” Maddie said to the cop as she flashed him her driver’s license and a military I.D. card. “Let’s not make it any worse.”
Emily weakly tossed a lighter out the window and lit a fire beneath the officer’s feet as she muttered. “Fuck the police…”
Maddie rolled up the window and drove off. The officer did not follow, he instead ran to his car, drove madly across the grass divide of the highway, and disappeared off into the distance in the other direction.
By the time Maddie had reached the red mansion, Emily had completely passed out from her injuries. One by one, she dragged each of the bodies into the house and laid them to rest upon the floor. Exhausted, and overwhelmed, once she finished, she stripped out of her bloodied clothing and crawled into bed. She cried for about an hour—then finally felt her body gave out. It could bear no more. She fell into a deep slumber.
The next morning, William, Bradley, and Emily awoke—their bodies renewed. Their injuries healed. You could only imagine my surprise as Emily helped me to my feet and smiled. I had never seen her so happy…so relieved. I admit that I was also extremely happy to be alive. After all, I had found a new family. I had a new home—a whole new life to live. I felt the gold ring that Caesar had given me in my hand and I placed it around Emily’s finger as we kissed. William and Bradley had no idea…they figured it out when Maddie came down and screamed as she wrapped her arms around me. When she talked about what I did and how I was supposed to be dead Bradley and William laughed. In that moment, everyone was completely happy. I had beaten the odds…so to say. I remember Bradley had once said that the odds of a mortal and a Perpetual giving birth to another Perpetual was one in a thousand…I was not so unremarkable after all. I was that one in a thousand. I was a Perpetual who was also a Conductor. That night, a knock came upon the door. I answered it. A man dressed in a long dark cloak with olive skin, a bald head and dark eyes asked if I would speak with him a moment. I agreed. After all, Caesar had once said that the house would not allow anyone who had an ill intent to arrive.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” Cain said as we walked in the cool night air. Fireflies danced around the high grass and a multitude of stars filled the dark sky. “I will not share your location with another soul…that I promise you. I realize that you have every reason to hate me, I have been nothing more than a monster to you—something I hope to change if I am allowed the chance.”
“I’m…surprisingly over it,” Mark said as he shrugged. “I was really angry—you’ve been so much trouble since I found out I was a Conductor. But, it wasn’t just you…honestly—it was the result of a lot of people’s anger or…bad planning, even a few times on my part….but I like my life now. I don’t have to like how I got to this point—but I can appreciate what I have now because of it.”
“That is a very good way at looking at life, especially for one so young.”
“So why have you come?” Mark asked as he looked to the old one, who appeared to be in a rather sad state.
“I’ve come to return something that belongs to you,” Cain said as he reached into a pocket in his cloak and pulled out the 813 nail. “It led me to you…”
Mark cautiously took the nail from Cain’s hand and shook his head. “Why are you giving me this?”
“I plan on, with your blessing,” Cain said as he placed his hand around Mark’s and closed his first gently around the ancient nail. “To make a new council—one that would be just and not seek revenge for the bad deeds of others…”
“Why do you need my blessing?” Mark asked as he pushed the old nail into his pocket. “You’ve taken care of the council…it’s yours now.”
“You have taught me that there are better ways to do things,” Cain said as he let out a heavy sigh. “To keep oneself with a calm mind and act out of kindness, not rage and revenge. I, like many, went down a path that I should not have been allowed to return from. I may come to you for council, if you will permit it…and if I should ever pass into darkness again—then I beg of you to use that nail to stop me.”
“William will not be happy,” Mark said as he raised his eyebrows. “But, we’re family…kind of. Anyway, make the council that should be—not the one that was. And keep that Zampa asshole off of it…and his daughters as well.”
“I’ve heard that he’s fled west…of the girl, I do not know,” Cain said with a nod. “He was more of an ends to a means. I will not seek to use people in that manner in the future. And what will you do?”
“That’s good…and umm,” Mark said as he shrugged. “I guess I’ll be here—I’ll give you my number. Call me if you need our services since you will be head of the Perpetual Council and all. I suppose as strange as it sounds, I work for you…”
“You will work with me, and by your own choosing. Also, as the leader of
the Perpetual Council I will name you Grand Conductor,” Cain said as he nodded. “The order has disintegrated from Europe and the Americas. It is extremely unlikely that other countries will be quick to fill in the ranks.”
“Make Maddie the Grand Conductor,” Mark said as he shook his head. “She’s much better at teaching—she can teach here. We’re set up for it. I was always better just…following her or William’s orders. Which reminds me that he’s made a Captain again—that meant a lot to him. You will have a lot to work out with him…the girl you had Littcott kill, they had something at one time. So don’t expect him to trust you right away.”
“I understand,” Cain said with a nod. “I deserve death for what I have done in my anger. As long as I am allowed to live, I will do my best to atone for every wrong I have committed.”
“Well, reinstating him is a good start…”
“The spot is open,” Cain said with a strange grin. “His replacement was very…corrupt. A lot of people have unfortunately been found to be quite corrupt. I suppose in order to rebuild something, a weeding process must occur.”
“Well then I’m sure you’ve already taken care of that,” Mark said as ran a hand through his hair. “Or…will soon enough.”
“Once the council is rebuilt I will ask your new Captain to look into hunting down this other of my kind who has the same powers, to bring justice for your mother’s death,” Cain added as he made a slight concession for William’s reinstatement.
“Has this person killed since then? That’s a long time to have that kind of power and to not have acted…” Mark spoke as he let out a short sigh. He did want Cain to bring down the person who was responsible for his mother’s death—and go about it the right way.