After Darkness II

by J. F. Johns

  The Government's Headquarters was a tall circular building with marble steps leading up to the entrance where Watchers were posted to guard the building and its workers. A fountain in the shape of an eagle stood between the steps and the doors. It hadn't been used in many years, but it was still majestic and creepy at the same time. Kalem was pretty sure the eagle followed everyone with its eyes, always guarding the government from intruders.

  Kalem had no idea how he was going to get Terra out. For now his plan was to find a way inside. By now he had learned the Watchers' routines and schedules, which wasn't much, but it was something.

  A movement behind him alerted him that someone was making their way down the alley where he was hiding. He glanced over his shoulder and cursed at the sight of his mother.

  'What are you doing?' he growled.

  'Making sure you don't do anything stupid,' she replied.

  'Wasn't planning on it.'

  Camille Haart brushed back her short blonde hair as she licked her lower lip which was covered in piercings. 'You've been watching the building for hours. It's time you came home. You need to rest.'

  Kalem grunted and turned back towards the building, ignoring her. 'I'll rest when Terra gets to come home.'

  'Kalem, I know you care for her but-'

  'Don't.'

  'I just need you to understand that she might not be-'

  Kalem's back tensed.

  'She's alive,' he hissed.

  'She might not be the same...' Kalem caught the hesitation in his mother's voice. 'We don't know what Petra has done to her. Even if we do rescue her, she might not be the Terra you knew.'

  'I don't care.'

  He felt her hand touch his arm. There was so much emotion behind such a simple gesture. Fear for what the future held, love for her son and even excitement at the changes surrounding them. The touch burnt through Kalem like the uncertainties that now lived deep in his soul. Turning to face his mother, he noted those green tired and exhausted eyes. He hated seeing her like that. He hated being the reason she was like that.

  'Mum, don't cry.'

  'I'm not crying.'

  Kalem chuckled as he wiped the tears that were now making their way slowly down her cheeks. 'I can't abandon her.'

  'I know.' Camille sighed. 'But standing here down a cold dark alley isn't going to get her out. We need to assemble people and put together a plan. Just come back home. I promise I'll do whatever it takes to help you get her back. But you need to sleep. In the morning we'll think of ways of rescuing her.'

  Kalem knew his mother was right, but going home when Terra was being held by the government didn't feel right. He knew that Terra would be furious if she saw him wasting hour after hour standing around like a love sick puppy, and would probably throw her shoe at him for being so useless. But going home to a warm bed and having dinner while she was probably being submitted to Nation's knew what felt wrong.

  'Kalem, please.'

  He couldn't. What if something happened and he missed it for not being there? Anything could be crucial in getting her back. He wanted to hug his mum and ask her to fix it for him, but that wasn't right either. He wasn't a little kid anymore. There were some things parents just couldn't fix.

  'I'm sorry, mum,' he said, his heart breaking at the sight of her face crumbling. 'I can't leave her. Not yet.'

  ...

  Morgana was used to roaming around the streets of the capital like a ghost. She moved unnoticed, climbing up water pipes, crawling through sewers and vanishing down dark alleyways. She had always enjoyed the freedom.

  But following Eric Thorn around the capital was excruciating.

  Morgana sometimes wondered why she bothered, but then thought of Scarlet's reaction if she discovered that Eric had ended up hurt for chasing after her. Someone needed to keep an eye on the idiot.

  Morgana refused to think that Scarlet no longer existed, and that she had become an ageless monster that now hosted her body. She was stronger than that. There had to be a way to bring her back.

  A black mist began to form in the far distance. It slowed down, pausing above the roof of a building. Morgana slid down a water pipe, ran down an alley and rushed up a fire escape. She needed to get as close as possible without being seen.

  The mist was slowly consolidating into a body made of flesh and bones. Hair appeared, as well as translucent skin covered in black veins. Eyes created from the darkest night formed and took shape.

  Scarlet's sweet features were gone, replaced by something horrifying.

  Morgana kept her blue eyes glued on Scarlet as she leapt from one rooftop to the next. She needed to get as close as possible in case something happened to Eric. Where was the idiot, anyway?

  There!

  Eric's bright blonde hair was indistinguishable no matter how dark the night became. His broad shoulders were tense as well as his posture. Those dangerous yellow eyes were focused on something approaching him and Morgana stiffened at the sight of Scarlet turning towards him.

  One moment she was there, the next she was standing inches away from Eric.

  Morgana rushed forward, her eyes wide with fear. Eric began struggling against Scarlet who had gripped his throat and was now dragging him towards the edge of the roof. As soon as Scarlet's pale fingers uncurled from around Eric's throat, he fell. Morgana lunged, grabbing Eric in mid-air and crashing into the window of the adjoining building. They slammed against a cemented column and Morgana lost her grip around Eric.

  The pain that tore through her was intense, and she rolled over to one side, screaming. When it subdued, she found a semi-comfortable position, resting her head against the wall.

  She was an X-Prototype, indestructible and powerful. But she still felt pain.

  Glancing down, she stared at her broken leg and cursed. Her shoulder had dislocated and her left foot was bent in an awkward position. Turning, she searched for the blonde cyborg and found him on the other side of the column, unconscious.

  He was breathing, but blood was trailing down one side of his head.

  Reluctantly, Morgana shut her eyes and waited for her wounds to heal.

  Chapter three

  Camille could hear the sirens of the Watchers' cars patrolling, searching for citizens out after curfew.

  Capital One was a city of bright neon lights, skyscrapers and screens with twenty-four hour propaganda. Gardens fell like rivers from the buildings, sleek metal trains slid between skyscrapers and holograms flashed from one tower to the next. But if one knew where to look, a different world could be found. Hidden bars and clubs, places where bets and fights took place. The most dangerous of these locations lay beneath the city in a place called the UnderMarket.

  Camille had always hated it, but tonight she really needed a drink.

  There were all kinds of locations from which one could venture down below, but Camille took the closest, down a set of stairs that had been boarded up and spray painted with very graphic drawings against the government. Removing one of the loose planks, she sneaked through.

  The UnderMarket was buzzing at such a late hour. Cyborgs as well as humans moved through the corridors, talking amongst each other. The rules from above didn't apply down there.

  Stall upon stall sold all types of goods. Everything the government deemed illegal could be bought down there for the right price. In the real world, humans and cyborgs weren't allowed to mix, but down below they did whatever pleased them. They drank and smoked their chemical cigars together, puffing out all kinds of colourful smoke. They sweat together, fought together and ate together as one.

  At the end of the UnderMarket began the Pits; the fighting rings where Kalem and Terra had enjoyed taking part in organised fights. Camille hated the place knowing that her son had spilled his blood for nothing. But today she'd have to swallow such feelings, forgetting them just for a few hours. She was on a mission and couldn't afford to get distracted by her emotions.

  Sitting d
own on a stool, she watched the bulky cyborg working behind the bar. It was busy, so it took him some time to recognise her. 'What can I get ya?' Hooky asked.

  The man hadn't changed. He still had yellow teeth, a big fat belly and an orange mechanical eye that made sounds as he fixed his gaze on Camille.

  'Your strongest liquor,' Camille said, resting her elbows against the sticky surface of the counter.

  Hooky put a glass with green liquid in front of her. Camille downed it in one gulp.

  'How's Terra doin'?' Hooky asked, ignoring customers that were growing annoyed for having to wait.

  'She's been kidnapped.'

  Hooky's face hardened.

  'I need your help,' Camille continued. 'The Government has her. We need to get her back, but I need people. An army.'

  'I knew she'd end up gettin' into trouble.'

  'We need to fight the government.'

  Hooky snorted.

  'I'm totally serious.' Camille snarled at a man next to her, his elbow shoving into her side.

  'Who's gonna join ya?'

  'Well, for starters...You.'

  'What makes ya think I'd do that.'

  Camille shrugged. 'Thought you cared for the girl.' She noticed the way his face creased with worry. 'Look, she'll die if we don't help her. And I'm pretty sure you know people.' She glanced around, then narrowed her eyes at Hooky.

  'I'm too old for this shit,' he said before turning and barking at someone who was screaming at him for a drink.

  'And Terra is too young for it.'

  Even though Hooky was pretending that he didn't want to help, Camille was pretty damn sure he'd do almost anything for the kid. 'I'll see what I can do.' He reached his arm across the counter, the inside of his wrist facing upwards. Camille rested her own against his. Each citizen had a chip implanted inside their arm, which they used to pay for things, as well as to exchange numbers and other stuff. 'I'll call ya when I get something,' he said, then turned away from her.

  'You do that.'

  The air had turned cold as soon as Camille stepped back into reality. The jumper she wore wasn't warm enough, so she trotted all the way home, keeping away from the blue flashing lights.

  Camille's battered townhouse appeared in view with its red side door. It was a quiet street in a cyborg neighbourhood. The buildings were rundown with a few small parks that once upon a time human children had probably played in.

  Sighing, Camille opened the door and made her way down the narrow hallway, the lights so dim it was almost pitch black inside. The walls were covered in stains and the carpet had seen better days. Reluctantly, she made her way into the basement where the kitchen was.

  Malcolm Broddory sat at the long wooden table, eating from a can. Sitting down beside him, she let her head drop against his arm.

  'It didn't go well?' Malcolm asked as he continued to eat. Camille stared at him, suddenly distracted by his Adam's apple. She didn't want to tell him that she hadn't managed to convince their son to come home.

  Dipping her fingers in Malcolm's can of food, she scored some of the gooey mess into her mouth, causing Malcolm to pull a face. Camille laughed.

  'He won't come home,' she muttered after a while.

  'We knew he wouldn't.'

  'But I hoped he would.'

  Malcolm sighed. 'Eric is off chasing Scarlet, Kalem is standing guard at the Government's Headquarters, Curtis has locked himself in his room and the twins are going nuts.' He rubbed his tired blue eyes. 'Morgana is following Eric, and you're doing the same with Kalem.'

  'Can you blame us?'

  'We need unity,' he said. 'Not whatever this is. We need everyone together.'

  'We need an army.'

  'Not exactly where I was going with this.'

  Camille crossed her legs over the chair. 'I know how we can do this.'

  'Not sure I want to know.'

  'Malcolm, I'm serious.'

  'That's precisely why I'm not sure I want to know.'

  Camille rolled her eyes. She'd known Malcolm for most of her life. They had raised Kalem together as parents, even though they weren't a couple. She was more than tired explaining that Malcolm was like a brother, not a husband. It seemed to confuse so many. She spent most of her time with him, but it didn't mean they were romantically involved. 'I've come up with a plan,' she said, stealing some more of his food.

  'Oh boy.'

  'You're not gonna like it.'

  ...

  Eric opened his eyes, moaning. Morgana was hovering over him, her blue eyes -so similar to Scarlet's it was uncanny- shone with desperation and irritation.

  'What the hell happened?' he asked. His head was pounding, his back ached and his body was full of cuts and bruises.

  'You decided to chase Scarlet,' Morgana replied.

  'I remember that.'

  'Then she grabbed you and threw you over the edge of a building.'

  'Rather not remember that.'

  'And then I saved your stupid ass.'

  'Very thankful for that.' Eric tried sitting up but everything tilted from side to side. Touching his forehead, he found his fingers covered in blood. When his vision settled, he noticed Morgana's strange posture. 'What's the matter with your arm?'

  'Shoulder came out of its socket,' Morgana explained as she wiped dust from her clothes. No blood. Someone like her didn't bleed.

  The government had created seven perfect soldiers; immortal children that could not eat, drink or sleep. Dangerous and indestructible. Though, apparently, shoulders coming out of sockets was on a whole different level.

  'Stop smirking, idiot,'Morgana said, breaking Eric away from his thoughts. 'Come here and shove it back into place.'

  'I doubt shoving it will do the trick.'

  'Shut up. It hurts.'

  Eric tried standing, but everything began spinning again. 'Give me a minute,' he muttered. Morgana cursed and swore, but gave him some time.

  Glancing around, Eric tried to figure out where they were. The building was empty and it looked like an abandoned carpark. There was graffiti on the walls depicting all kinds of opinions and desires. Eric found one amusing. A Watcher bent over and a... Eric noticed Morgana's glacial look and said, 'Okay, come here.' He finally managed to stand. 'Never done this before. So I might make this worse. Maybe I should have a smoke before, just to calm my nerves.'

  'Will you shut up?' Morgana's blue eyes slit with fury. Eric did as he was told and winced when the arm cracked back into place. Morgana yelped, then sighed with relief.

  'Thanks,' she whispered.

  'I think we're even now.'

  'Not even close.'

  Both X-Prototype and cyborg glanced around. 'Might as well head home,' Eric said, patting his pocket for his cigarettes. He managed to find one and lit it.

  'You really need to quit,' Morgana said, walking ahead.

  'I've decided something. Once this whole mess is cleared, Scarlet is back and Petra is dead, I'll quit.' Morgana snorted. 'I'm serious,' Eric added.

  'I'm sure you are.' Morgana found a door which led to a staircase. They made their way down it slowly to street level and waited, making sure no Watchers passed by.

  'White doesn't really suit you,' Eric said, pointing at Morgana's clothes.

  'Not the moment, Thorn.'

  'I've realised that nowadays it's always the right moment.'

  Morgana rolled her eyes, banged the door open and stepped out into the alleyway. 'We need to find a way to get Scarlet back. I'm more than tired of following you around while you chase her.'

  'You wound me.'

  'As awesome as it sounds to follow the great and amazing Eric Thorn, it really isn't.'

  Eric chuckled. 'Any suggestions on how to get her back?'

  'A few.'

  Eric threw the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his trousers. Sirens were blaring far away, down a street where Watchers were prob
ably terrorising some poor citizen. There was a slight mist, but he could see flashes of blue reflected on the walls across the city.

  'So, what do you suggest?' Eric asked, following Morgana down another alley, the floor wet from rain. Morgana's back was tense, though it always seemed to be that way. Her curly blonde locks bounced as she moved, tempting Eric to pull at one of them teasingly.

  Morgana abruptly stopped and turned to face him.

  'We need to go and get my brothers back,' she said. 'I think they can help.'

  Chapter four

  It was late.

  Terra's head hurt and she was finding it extremely difficult to stay awake. The entire place was eerily quiet and the lights from the ceiling were so bright they were like individual suns, scorching her corneas.

  The door opened and a guard marched in carrying a metallic chair, which he positioned in front of Terra. He turned and left, but kept the door open. Terra fought against the sleep and tried lifting her head up to look at the person now entering.

  Long pale legs came into view causing Terra to twist in fear.

  Petra sat down on the chair the guard had brought in.

  'I'm glad to have caught you awake,' she said.

  'What time is it?' Terra whispered, half dazed. There was no clock in the room, no windows or anything to guide her towards the passing hours. She hadn't been allowed to move from the chair she was strapped in and her legs had gone numb.

  'It's late,' was all the Prototype said. She sat in a relaxed manner, one leg crossed over the other, those lethal hands resting across her lap.

  'Water,' Terra begged, her eyes fluttering open and closed.

  Petra watched her, amused. She didn't move or speak, just sat in silence, her lips curling as the smile grew more teasing and evil. She seemed to be enjoying the moment.

  'I'm sorry,' Petra finally said. 'I didn't quite catch that.'

  'Water,' Terra said, trying to speak louder. Her throat was so dry it hurt to talk. Her whole body weighed so much, especially her head. It was so difficult to keep it up right. The only thing that kept her from collapsing onto the floor were the straps around her body holding her in place.