"Well, who is it then at least?" I angrily questioned.
"Me," Liam answered as the aluminum door shut harshly behind him.
The slamming noise of the flimsy material against the wooden door frame should have ended quickly, but inside of me it lingered. Liam's betrayal had been unseen. I had expected Chloe or a member from the other high school group not Liam.
I felt sick. There was a huge hole inside of me that had not existed before his confession. Reaching for the edge of the couch, I missed and continued on to the floor. It wasn't a flop where I landed hard, instead it was a slow descent until I was seated on the floor with my head in my hands. I was unsure if I could kill him no matter how pissed I was at him. He had become a brother to me in the short time we had known each other.
"What you are feeling is the fact that we are the generation burdened to understand the gravity of our sins," Veronica startled me.
How she so easily slipped into my home was a mystery to me that I didn't care to indulge at this time. However she was able to achieve the trick, Veronica was standing before me in an elegantly designed, snuggly fitting yellow dress that barely hung off her shoulders. In another time, I might have commented about how beautifully she was dressed, but she was right, I was unable to deal with tonight’s festivities finale. Facing the task of dealing with my own anger and killing Liam to survive was overwhelming me.
Looking away, I grumbled, "What the hell are you talking about?"
She said, "All of the generations are caricatures of mankind. The greatest weakness of all of the soldiers that have been designed through the years has been the lack of humanity. It remained absent from our predecessors until our generation. The fact that we were given this curse was luck and not science. It was a one in five million chance that it would occur. The scientists mapped the sequence and can now recreate it when needed, but we were the first."
I said as I wiped at my tears, "Lucky us."
Veronica walked to the fridge and retrieved a bag of blood. "It can be a bitch, but it is the gift that allows us to control our urges. Without the emotions, we would be prone to killing without discrimination."
She opened then handed me a bag of A positive. "Drink this, it will make you feel better."
Taking the bag, I took a long drink of the cool blood. The drink was welcomed even though it wasn't warmed. I downed another drink of blood then asked, "Why didn't you tell me that Liam was the one that released the GV6?"
Veronica pressed at the front of her dress as she thought of an answer. I watched the sultry vampire stall for time. Everything she did appeared effortless. When she finished, her hair turned jet black as she began to speak. "Ethan does it matter? The vampire and the wolf groups voted and he was the unfortunate soul that was nominated to secure, prep and release the Hunter to kill Sunnie. He was one of many that were against your actions and tonight he could be the one to pay the price for what you have done."
"What I have done?!" I screamed. "How does it always come back to me? I didn't ask for these emotions. I didn't ask to feel what I have been feeling. I am tired of the blame always being mine."
She was obviously disturbed by my answer. "I guess in that case no one can blame you for how you feel, and we are all wrong about what is best for our kind and our way of life."
Another reminder that I wasn't human.
"Whatever," I frustratingly exclaimed.
"You need to finish getting ready so we can go," Veronica stood in the door.
I laced up my shoes then attempted to put on my tie which was an epic fail on my behalf. Before I even asked, Veronica had the tie in hand.
"Turn around silly. That is one of the most embarrassingly awful attempts to tie a tie that I have ever had to witness," She giggled.
She tied the tie, adjusted my collar and helped me on with my jacket. "You almost seem right at home in this suit."
The suit was exquisitely tailored to my body. I admired my form and felt the suit bend and flow with my body.
"Too bad it will get ruined in the fight," Veronica sighed as she brushed some stray lint from the shoulders, "I would have liked to have seen you in it again."
"Maybe when Liam kills me tonight you can bury me in it," I sarcastically quipped as I adjusted my shirt sleeves.
Veronica looked paler than she normally did. The radiant light that had been there before had been drained from her. I think the real possibility of my death had not been evident to her until I had joked about it, though she knew it somewhere deep inside.
Her eyes began to fill with tears, but she held them at bay. "I don't want to see either one of you die tonight, but there is an order to our world here that must be maintained in order to keep the peace between the generations. Chadron also wants to ensure we stay in line."
"Is that why Chadron and the government is willing to risk their property getting killed or damaged for the sake that the order must be maintained?" I asked as I lifted her chin to look at me.
"One is not enough to be called a loss. The order must be maintained. If we were to become uncontrollable Chadron and the government would have no choice but to exterminate the lot of us and start over. Believe me, there are safe guards in place for a mass extinction if necessary, but by sacrificing one for all eyes to see, then this fiction that is our freedom here on the base is maintained, "Veronica stated as she stared into my eyes.
Veronica had a way to get the deepest and most complex realities of our life and provided facts that made me think. I never doubted for a moment that what Veronica said was true as I examined the features of her face. She was the most breath taking woman I had ever seen and deserved more than to worry about my death because of what I had done.
"Veronica I am sorry for everything. I cannot say it enough so let me say it again now because after the Pit, I am not sure I will be able to utter the words."
The tears in her eyes shimmered as we both stood face to face staring into the others eyes. "What do you mean?" Veronica asked.
"I am afraid you will get a chance to cry those tears because I am not sure I can kill Liam to pay for what I have done. According to the way we live our lives and by the laws of this damn place, I am the one that has sinned," I anxiously said.
She grabbed my tie and pulled me closer. "You listen to me Ethan. You will do whatever you have to do to live. There is no valor in death no matter what the act is that caused it. There is no sacrifice, no final act of attrition. This is a world of kill or be killed. Liam will not hesitate and neither shall you. Do not let this be a decided contest because you think you two are friends. You will kill him when the time comes."
There was a consuming passion in me to do something that was out of character, but the moment warranted. I bent down and gently kissed Veronica. "Thank you. I think you have too much faith in me, but thank you for having that faith."
We stared at each other for a tense minute because neither one of us knew what should happen next.
The tension became awkwardness when Darby called through the storm door from the edge of the porch. "We need to go before we are late and the guest of honor can't be late. That would be so tacky. "
We separated as Veronica answered, "We will be there in just a second Darby. You and Logan go on without us."
Darby responded, "Okay, but hurry."
"She doesn't know what is happening tonight does she?" I quizzed Veronica.
"Darby doesn't want to know. She is right, it is getting close to time for us to get there. We need to leave."
She exited, and I promptly followed suit only to pause in the open doorway. I scanned my living room and kitchen taking in the confines of my small house one last time in case I didn't return. As I turned off the lights and closed the door, a single thought wedged itself into my brain: I really wish I could have told Sunnie goodbye.
Chapter 41
All Veronica had done since our exiting the house was adjust her hair color to a light shade of black and clutch tighter to my arm. The way sh
e held my arm reassured me that it was all going to be alright even if that was the furthest thing from the truth. I opted to not dwell on the thought of dying, Sunnie or the complicated relationship that was developing with Veronica. The kiss I had allowed myself to give her had seemed like a friendly gesture of reassurance for us both, but from the look upon her face and the feelings inside of me that were awakened, I might have made matters worse.
There were plenty of distractions. The street was abuzz with activity. Armed human troops guarded the perimeter of the small town with active patrols in large numbers. Hidden spotlights had been activated atop the abandoned buildings. The lights helped to line either side of the street basking all below in an unnaturally warm glow that was eerily reminiscent of an attempt to create artificial daylight. Soldiers manned armed positions above the lights. A few were documenting the events with large production quality video cameras. The cameras were mainly mounted atop Humvees, though two were atop tripods on either side of the street, one at each end of town. Two large portable video screens were placed in the street so those not inside the confines of the Pit were able to see the festivities.
Generations of vampires who were tolerant of the light and generations of wolves were roaming the streets and alleyways. There was an uneasy playfulness as members of each group engaged in games of chase up and down the pavement. Other creatures could be heard at the fringes of town just out of the reach of the light. More still in the darkest recesses of the forest and fields surrounding the town. There was a steady torrent of grunts, screeches and growls amongst the heavy plodding of large groups approaching through the night. I took it that Veronica and I were the only two upon the street that were from our world attending the event. A small whisper grew amongst the beasts that were moving about as we stepped from the shadow of the last house. Though we were for away from most, we were given a wide birth to go along with the stares. There were even a few insults hurled my way, but I kept walking.
At the edge of town was a makeshift parking lot filled with military and civilian cars including several black stretch limousines. A small trickle of a late dignitaries were ushered into the entrance of a rather ordinary, scarcely lit building that had a small cadre of well-heeled people and military officials in dress uniforms standing in front of it laughing and swapping stories. The laughing and stories ended when the last group was ushered inside as we neared.
I took it that it was our destination though Veronica hadn't said another word since we had left my house. It was obvious.
The Pit was neatly hidden within the town under the facade of the being an old clothing store. Outside the appearance was rotting wood and broken glass. A few faded words that had once been painted on the windows with red or orange paint were visible, though the missing letters made it hard to decipher. The wording of the sign above the door was faded to the extent that the name had been completely lost. It was irrelevant because the discarded structure had been repurposed.
Within a few feet of the entrance, I detected the presence of Walter lurking close just across the threshold inside the darkness of an antechamber. It was easier than it should have been, but the glow and stench of a cheap cigar gave him away even before his human attributes.
Veronica and I both stopped before entering. We waited until Walter stepped from the small room.
"I am glad you finally made it," Walter's attempt at sardonic humor was weak.
"We wouldn't have missed it for the world. Can you please show me where I go to be killed?" I said, as I laughed to myself that my humor was much better.
Walter said, "Veronica will join the others at her appointed seat and you will follow me to the floor."
Veronica gave me a long kiss on my cheek. "Good luck."
She did not look back as she was hastened through a doorway by a couple of armed soldiers.
Walter beckoned me through another doorway that he was holding open. I pushed past him into a small hallway that was brightly light by overhead lighting. The hallway was sparse and narrow. It contained no other doorways other than a single golden door at the opposite end. The walls were painted with a burnt red that was faintly reminiscent of fresh blood. Slowly making my way to the far end, I was followed by Walter and four soldiers armed and in full body armor including helmets. Masks obscured their faces. The body armor did little to hide the fact that the guards were zombies. Reaching the far end, the zombies snapped to attention with two upon each wall. The soldiers, each in unison, flipped the safeties to the off position in anticipation of my trying to flee.
Walter stepped around me. "Well, are you ready for this?"
"As ready as I will ever be I guess," I replied.
"A reminder this is to the death and no matter what either one of you wants to do there must be only a single vampire standing. If you get the notion to refuse to kill him or vice versa, then there are orders to kill you both. This would not be the night to try to be defiant in front of the honored guests or even your own kind. Like I said good luck," He offered.
"You know Walter, you are such a dick," I said as I turned the doorknob.
He laughed from behind his cigar then removing it he said, "Well at least I am still human."
The comment shouldn't have had the sting that it did, but the words hit home. I shook it off as I whispered, "I hate these damn emotions."
"So are you going in there or do you need some help?" Walter questioned as the bolts of the zombies weapons snapped closed sending rounds into the chambers.
"You realize Walter you are correct. You are human which means I could kill you before your slow witted guards fired a round," I growled, "I could snatch your diseased heart from your chest with a single movement, so next time try some tact."
Opening the door, I threw myself through the opening into a pit. Standing thirty feet away was Liam. He had removed his shirt and shoes. A fowl scowl covered his face. The floor of the pit was concrete. The walls were as well. Along the edge of the floor were several drains. Inside the walls were small round openings that smelled of bleach and chlorinated water to clean the blood from the room. Along the top edge was an encased lighting system that ringed the entire pit. Fifteen feet above us to one side sat the invited guests ringed by more soldiers and to the other side sat the members of the last two generations of the vampires and wolves.
The groups were intermingled with the group leaders sectioned together from both kinds, and the others left to fill in as dictated by an official with a clipboard who was propped against the back. The room was ornate and plush. The entire audience sat in thick black leather theatre seating. The walls were lined in a matching red noise dampening material that was fitted with sconces that illuminated upward. High overhead were large television screens. There was an electric buzz, but hushed silence in the room.
There were multi-starred generals and men who looked to be scientists mixed about. A few women were interspersed. A few were employees while others were military then a small handful were obviously hired as entertainment for evening. It hit me that these were zombies or another creation that wasn't either a wolf or vampire. The odor made me think zombie, however, there was a subtle difference that I couldn't recognize.
Turning my attention back to the pit, I cautiously eyed Liam who stood still staring through me. I wondered to myself when this event was set to begin when a curtain opened in the middle of the room above. Everyone's attention turned to watch as members of what I guessed were Chadron made their way to their seats. The last two people to enter the room were a tall, handsome man with salt and pepper hair and someone who was blocked from view. He was dressed in what was clearly a custom made suit of grey which was tastefully appointed by a purple tie and pocket square. Behind him stood a female, though her appearance was obscured by the gentleman and the narrowness of the opening. He entered and surveyed the room, waving and greeting human along with monster. Satisfied at who and what he saw about the room, he smiled and turned to help his companion into the room.
Taking his companion's hand, he stepped aside to allow her to enter. It was Sunnie. She looked ravishing dressed in a stunning, off white strapless gown. There was an uncomfortable smile upon her face. The man guided her to a seat on the front row. Upon sitting down, she gave a tentative wave to me.
This was a measure of cruelty by someone. If I was able to fend off Liam, I was going to certainly make whoever brought Sunnie into our world pay.
I sought confirmation from Veronica's eyes as to whether or not she had known. She was actively busying herself making quiet pleasantries with a wolf I didn't know. This was confirmation enough that she knew to some extent. It was something I would have handle later.
The mysterious man was handed a microphone. "Let me introduce myself. I am Mathias Dencourt, the Director of Future Systems for Chadron."
A round of polite applause was issued from the crowd. He raised his hands as he spoke again, "Ladies and gentlemen of all species, we are here tonight to celebrate our wonderful program's success as we move closer to implementation. Preliminary field tests have been more positive than we could have ever hoped. Tonight, we have two of our GV16s. To my right I have Ethan, who saved an innocent civilian family from an escaped Hunter. In an unprecedented move, we have a member of the civilian family as a spectator tonight. He has proven to be one of our most promising young subjects. On the other side we have Liam, who is another of our prized GV16. It was through his fault that the GV6 was able to escape and track the family.
As a demonstration of the tremendous qualities of our creations, we have gathered here to witness a battle to the death. It serves as a shining example of how far we have come in our search for the ultimate operative as well as an opportunity for redemption for Liam or to further the promising career of Ethan. Tonight's match is to the death. Everyone's safety is assured, and I hope you all enjoy."
His attention turned to us. I thought it was best to lose the jacket and tie. "Ethan and Liam, when the digital timer counts down to zero, the match will begin and will not end until one of you has been pronounced dead."
Created (Book 1 of the Created) Page 23