by C. J. Lloyd
“No, it’ll cause an uproar.” Elric looked across the street to a bar, slowly filling with people. “Let’s go.”
They ran through the maze of cars, zig-zagging their way through, horns blowing heavily. Elric gestured with an apology as he made it through a crowd of people.
If it weren’t for the multiple large televisions and a projector positioned in the back of the bar, they wouldn’t have been able to see a thing. They walked to the back, clearing a cloud of cigarette smoke and a scruffy old man who held a small glass of brown fluid. Elric pulled his hoodie just to the bridge of his nose. The hood hung loosely, giving him just enough vision. They took up three stools and listened to the speech.
Enzo nudged him and raised a finger to the television screen as the ambassador they kidnapped took to the podium. Behind him were three noticeably clear pictures of Rai, Enzo, and himself. The man trembled as he handled a piece of paper he pulled from his pocket. The voices and whispers around them died as he finished unfolding it and began reading.
“As many of you know, the NATO summit in Brussels was attacked. Those responsible have also taken credit for the Boston and London attacks.”
Questions immediately erupted on the screen. “Who’s responsible, what terrorist organization has taken claim?”
“There are no extremist groups. No country responsible. Just …” The ambassador turned to present the three pictures. “The three figures behind me. They’re the culprits involved and are extremely dangerous on a level that none of us can comprehend.”
The room roared with anger and frustration. Men and women screaming, advising it was some kind of a sick joke. A few reporters advised it was a cover-up for a possible attack from another country. Disbelief swept everyone in the bar as people laughed and threw garbage at the television.
The ambassador’s face burned red. It was just as red as when Enzo was about to turn him into kindling. He fixed his glasses and spoke in that thick New Jersey accent. “Even after the portal attacks and everything that’s happened, with the intel we’ve gathered, these beings have capabilities to crush cities and lay waste wherever they go. It’s not farfetched to call them walking weapons of mass destruction.”
“Rai, your face on the poster …” Enzo giggled. “Man, this is pre-mafia Rai, right?”
The photos were the same three from the newspaper in London, except they had more color and detail. Rai looked to be a young freshman in high school, her face lightly dotted with acne and a pressed lip expression. Nothing like the tattooed, blood-thirsty assassin that sat next to them. She pulled the hoodie down to her chin, hiding her reddening cheeks.
Elric admired his photo, thinking of a past that hadn’t crossed his mind in quite some time. The lightly trimmed hair cut he kept from the days of Mr. Lee before he passed. The blank tight-lipped expression was the result of going to gym class and getting a swirly. Elric’s hair was still slick and wet.
Rai jabbed Enzo with a sharp elbow.
“Will you shut up? You’re so loud,” she grumbled.
A man looked back and shushed them.
“The one with the short black hair and pale face appeared to be the leader and demanded that I give this speech today. He’s not only declared war with the US but on all governments and on all ways of life. Put simply, he’s declared war on humanity.”
A man in the back of the room started laughing. “Oh, c’mon, these kids look old enough to be in school with my baby sister, and she just started college. There’s no way. This is a joke. Some Illuminati garbage that they’re trying to cover up.”
“Yeah,” another joined in. “Why won’t they just tell us the truth? It was another portal attack. They’re hiding something from us.”
A woman stood and shouted, “How can three kids possibly have the power to bring down a city and declare war on the world?”
“Will you be quiet?” another woman shouted in return. “He’s still talking.”
“I know this is hard to believe. But I fear our nation is in grave danger, and we shouldn’t take this threat lightly. Every country around the world is preparing and setting up defenses for their nations. America is doing the same. We have information that leads us to believe they may live in the United States, and we’re doing our best to find them.”
“Good luck,” Enzo mumbled under his breath with a laugh.
In a wave of anger and disgust, every head in the bar snapped back, all eyes glaring on the three of them. Elric sighed. He was used to Enzo’s loud and obnoxious attitude, but this wasn’t the time.
“And you think that’s funny, kid? That’s the thing about your generation.” A man walked over and pulled the hoodie off of his head. “It can’t be …” He looked at the picture of the three of them still posted on the television screen.
“That’s one of them .… They’re here!” another man yelled, jumping off his stool.
“Grab them!” the crowd yelled in chorus.
“Enzo, you delinquent.” Rai slowly slipped the hood from over her face, revealing her glowing turquoise eyes and watching the man grab Enzo with anger. “You don’t want to do that.”
A wave of fire knocked all of them back and seared everything around them. Flames spilled across pool tables devouring everything in sight. Thick black smoke from melting plastic and burning wood permeated the bar. People ran and trampled one another to get out as screams spread from the outside.
“Of course you would,” Elric said, shaking his head as they rushed out of the burning building. “Let’s just get to the island.”
Rai covered her face protecting herself from the smoke.
“C’mon, you know I didn’t mean to,” Enzo argued, raising his shoulders.
Rai crooned, “You never cease to amaze me.”
They disappeared under the canvas of heavy black smoke. Another headliner for sure. At least the world would focus its search on Washington more than anywhere else.
Chapter 9
Truth
Uniformed soldiers and lab technicians huddled around the plasma screens hanging high on the walls. Violet couldn’t believe only three days had passed since Boston, yet it didn’t take long for Elric and the others to tear through Cali and attack the NATO summit. To think they moved so freely through the world without remorse. It was sickening.
Jennifer’s eyes filled with tears that refused to fall. It was the first time Violet saw the hope fade from her eyes. Elric, the only person she had left in the world, had become a symbol of darkness, earning the world’s hatred and fear.
Violet focused on the picture of the boy she remembered. Gawky, shy, lost, but not evil, never evil. Not a boy who would travel to Brussels and crush the NATO headquarters or destroy an entire city. Elric had become dangerous on an entirely new level, and with the other two Titans by his side, they were a force to be reckoned with. Violet knew they needed to find the last Titan and fast.
The others turned slowly, looking over at Jennifer, eyes glossing with sympathy and remorse. Even her prideful snobby attitude had been swept under the rug. Maybe this was Elric’s destiny, after all. In his eyes, there was no light at all. Just this nightmarish goal of “saving the world,” as he called it.
“Hey.” Violet handed Jennifer a napkin. “How are you doing?”
Jen wiped her eyes, which reddened and swelled her brown cheeks. She moved a few locks out of her face. “This is what you meant, right? About how much he’s changed?”
“Jen, I—”
“Violet, just be real with me. Please.” Jen’s voice was reverent, but deeply sorrowed.
“This is exactly what I meant.” Violet took a deep breath, no longer pulling punches. “This is nothing compared to Boston. He’s just sending a message now. Playing games.”
“Flexing, if we’re to be honest,” Samantha said, walking over to Jen and Violet. “Nothing but a damn joke. I bet if he wanted to, he could hit the White House. There’s no reason for him to be doing what he’s doing. It’s senseless and petty.�
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Jennifer rose from the bench. “Does anyone know where he is now?”
“No, but you better believe we’ll find him.” Sam’s hands were tight fists, shaking by her sides. Her eyes burned with fury. “His movements are sporadic, bouncing from one continent to the next. It’s insane. Satellites can’t even keep up. By the time we lock on, he’s gone.”
Eden and the others walked over.
Samantha continued, “Look, new orders have come in. I was chosen to create a team and incorporate you six. You’re the only ones to survive multiple encounters with them. That’s why you’re all here.”
Violet shook her head, confused. “Wait, I don’t understand.”
“Violet, the president herself, requested the assistance of the ones who fought him in Boston. This is no longer a mission to save a life. This is a mission to save the world at all cost.”
Samantha’s words rattled Violet’s bones like a wrecking ball. “So that’s what this is? We’re here to kill Elric?” She’d wondered when this conversation would finally come to the surface.
Samantha remained silent, but her confident, stern look answered the question.
“Wait. Just wait.” Jennifer stepped in with raised hands. “Just give me a chance .… Just one chance to get through to him. Please?” Jennifer pleaded as tears ran in rivulets down her supple cheeks.
Jennifer… Violet thought she had made it pretty clear in their previous conversations, but the reality finally sunk into Jen. Violet wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t about if this decision would be made. It was about when this decision would be made. Like the ambassador said, Elric and the others are weapons of mass destruction.
Violet looked at the damaged City of Boston filled with hundreds of troops, first responders … You name it. She hated looking at the screen. All she could see was the tally of dead increase.
She understood how Jen felt. Back when Elric snapped, Violet had the same eyes as Jen’s back then. Sorrowful, hopeful, she was confident she could bring him back to reality. But during the battle in New York, when she pleaded for Elric to turn from the path he was on, he only mocked them, then he went on to try to kill them. He almost succeeded.
“Jennifer, I know you think you can get through to him, but you can’t. Nobody can. Elric believes what he’s doing is right. He believes he’s saving the world by following through with this—even if it kills millions of people.” Violet’s voice trembled, siding with Sam.
“Elric is all I have left. He’s the reason why I survived in Ermak. All I could think about was him. There were times when I would wake up crying, remembering that day and seeing my parents …” Jen’s words were muffled out by her own sobbing. Tears welled in Violet’s eyes as she felt the disarray of Jen’s shattering heart. “Elric did everything he could to save my parents and me. He wouldn’t do this.”
“Jen, I know how you feel.” Violet straightened.
“Do you?” Jen glared up at them. “Do you know how it feels to watch your parents get murdered in front of you? To know you’ll never see their faces again and have their screams filling your nightmares over and over and over again?”
“That’s where you’ve got the wrong impression of us,” Violet said, her voice low. “I watched the only father figure I ever had die right before my eyes, and Elric was there and saw it too. That father figure was killed by one of Blight’s generals. The same general Elric is traveling with. And Manie and Sasha’s parents, their entire species, was nearly wiped out by their uncle. We know how you feel!”
Violet nodded to Manie and Sasha.
“You kids have to grow up!” They all turned, shocked by the raising of Samantha’s voice. “This is bigger than love, bigger than family. There is so much more at stake now.” She scanned their faces with sympathy in her eyes, but anger was close behind. “If we don’t follow the orders given to us by the president, you’ll be apprehended for treason and thrown in prison.”
“Whoa,” Alfred exclaimed. “Treason? What the hell for?” He rolled his long dark-brown fingers through his dense unyielding hair.
Eden rose from the bench where he had been perched, his blue eyes widened. “What? Thrown in jail? You can’t force us to do anything.”
Violet watched the reaction of some of the soldiers in the room. Everyone was on edge. The atmosphere was heavy. It reminded her of that crushing pressure when Elric was around. She stepped next to Eden and held his hand to calm him.
Samantha folded her arms. Two soldiers stood by her side. “This isn’t something I want. But in order to save billions of lives, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Worry coursed in the deep green of Terra’s eyes. “You really think a cell is gonna hold little ole me and the one inside me?” She straightened her back, flicking her dark-brown hair behind her. “Like hell, we’d let you.”
“Terra, don’t make this any harder than it needs to be. That goes for all of you.” Samantha pressed her fingers against her forehead. “These orders come from somewhere far above me, and I made a promise to the constitution to follow the lawful orders of my superiors. If you go against me, and you break out of a cell, you’ll be counted as one of the most wanted.”
Three more men in uniform rushed in with weapons. Despite her knuckles cracking at her sides, and her chest tightening with the same tension, Violet kept her composure. Samantha commanded the room with her burning desire and determination.
Radiating from Eden and the others was hurt and fear. It ripped Violet in two. She looked up at the television with tears in her eyes. Seeing the body count still rising in Boston, how could she disagree with Samantha?
“Every nation around the world is preparing for an attack. Our enemies, for the moment, have become allies. We’re all uniting to defeat Elric and the others with him.”
“Elric isn’t the ringleader,” Violet said. “Don’t for a second think that it’s all him. There’s more than just him.”
“Yeah, this Calamity. She’s been seen for the first time by someone other than you guys. The man who presented the speech gave a good detailed description of who was in this underground cave. There were four, plus Elric.”
“That means Allure is with them too,” Sasha mumbled.
“I’m sorry for everything he’s done. I-I’m sorry for all those people who died. But I can’t be involved in killing Elric.” Jen’s voice was as broken as her spirit. She turned to face Samantha directly. “He’s all I have left.”
Samantha gave a terse nod. “Then I have no choice.” Her voice was harsh, heavy, and crushing like a sledgehammer over a caterpillar. “You’ll be removed from the base. Collect your things.”
The two men grabbed Jen by the shoulders and placed her in handcuffs. Jen struggled futilely to break free.
“Samantha, wait! This isn’t right.” Violet tried to stop them. “What if Jen can get through to him? What if we can end all this with her help?”
“And what if she does turn him away from his path? Then what? You think they’re going to run away together? At a minimum, Elric will get the death penalty.” Sam shook her head. “Thousands are dead. Thousands! Amongst them children.”
Violet’s heart jumped. Sam’s voice frightened the child deep within her, a lowly part of her that dreamed everything could go back to normal like it once was before Sage and Zaroule were killed.
Violet looked up as concern took over, her heart racing, thumping through her chest and in her skull. “And if Terra and I refuse? You’ll throw us in jail too?”
“Yes.” There was no hesitation. Samantha’s expression was firm.
“The military?” Eden began. “You know the reason we’re in this predicament. All of this was caused by what happened to Elric’s parents, right? Because of the freaking military?” Eden glanced over at all the soldiers around them.
“There are some things that can’t be changed, Eden,” Samantha replied, her gaze trailing away, “but we have to move on from the past and push forward to have a better future.”
“Bullshit,” Jen said with tears running down her face.
Violet slammed her hand against the lunch table. “Samantha, you and I know he’s right.”
“Whether Eden’s right or wrong doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me are the millions of Americans, men, women, and children who, if we don’t act, will be killed.”
Violet stepped back, shaken by the tone. She couldn’t argue the truth. She wouldn’t. Even if Calamity was the sole creator of it all. Elric was still actively taking part and leading it.
Jennifer looked up, her eyes widening in anger as she continued to struggle against the men’s grip. Her anger and worry burned into Violet’s chest. It didn’t feel right. None of it did.
“Please don’t kick me out. I don’t have anywhere else to go.” Jen’s voice was like that of someone who experienced the loss of everyone they held dear.
Violet wrapped her arms around Jen, keeping her from falling over with grief. “Sam, please. Do something.”
Sam wiped a few tears away. “Fine. If she won’t help, throw her in a cell. We’ll deal with her later.
Violet nodded. As much as it pissed her off, she was happy Jen would still be there. As they dragged Jennifer away, she didn’t try to fight. It was like the hope was drained from her after what she had just heard.
Another soldier hurried past them. “Ma’am, it looks like we have some action in D.C.”
“Are you kidding me? What are they up to?”
“It looks like they were spotted in a bar. Don’t know whether it’s clear or not, but many witnesses claim to have seen the three of them. They even caused a fire that burned down the building.”
“Could they be after the president again?” Samantha frantically grabbed a remote and changed to CNN.
Smoke poured from a building as people watched from the outside as the fire department drenched the building with water. Violet knew they weren’t there anymore. If there wasn’t anything going on with the president, they weren’t interested in her either.
“Ma’am, that’s the other situation.”
“What is it, Captain?”