After Darkness II

by J. F. Johns

  Terra glanced up at the neon lights of the city, running 24/7 depicting beautiful women or the latest game. She turned away from the blue flashing lights not far off where Watchers were making someone scream.

  She ignored the way her stomach twisted at the sight of an entrance leading to the UnderMarket and the Pits. She rejected every single part of the city and its citizens as she took one step after the other.

  This chaotic place that she hated so much also made her want to stop and scrutinise it, taking it all in at once. She wanted to sit on the pavement and draw everything she saw; the dirty faces of the kids, the old women carrying food back towards their apartments, the cyborgs that exchanged hidden secrets down the alleys. If only she could just freeze time and take in the chaos.

  'Hurry,' Kalem urged.

  Terra nodded, pumping her legs to move faster in order to become invisible among the mayhem of the streets. She soon became forgotten, another face that was just passing through, another body blending in with the crowd. She was just one more citizen that would end up bleeding out across the pavement of the streets due to the harshness of the Watchers and the world.

  Kalem and Terra disappeared into the belly of the beast, two shadows that no one cared about or even looked at.

  Invisible and unimportant.

  Chapter eighteen

  Eric and the Prototypes had managed to terminate the fight with the Watchers, as well as put out the fires and help the injured. As soon as they had finished, they made their way hastily out of Greystone, down the mountain, keeping off the main path in case they brought more trouble. Eric couldn't help but feel a little guilty about what had happened; clearly Petra was behind the attack. Luckily, none of the citizens of Greystone had died, which helped with Eric's guilty conscious.

  Tristan hadn't spoken at all, but that didn't bother Eric. The huge Prototype was finally on their side and travelling back with them to Capital One. Now they would all be reunited. Eric's chest swelled with anticipation at getting everyone back and finding Scarlet. It was finally happening.

  He wouldn't think about failure. Scarlet would be saved, no matter what. As soon as she saw her brothers and sisters, she would return to them and the monster would vanish or die or do whatever monsters did. That wouldn't be Eric's problem anymore.

  As soon as they reached the train platform, Eric's grip on the horse's rein tightened, and he licked his lips thoughtfully at the sight of the man renting them out at one side. 'Well, I guess this is it,' he told the horse, then marched towards the man. 'Take care of him. He is a brave soul and-'

  'Thorn! Stop being an idiot!' Morgana cried out. 'It's a horse.'

  'She is cold that one.' Eric gestured towards Morgana, ignoring the man's confused look. He turned his attention back to the horse. It was silly, but deep down he felt a little sad at departing from the animal. 'Don't sell him, okay? I'll be coming back for this one.' The man's confused expression shifted into surprise. Eric patted the horse and smiled sweetly at the dark beast.

  'Thorn!'

  Eric sighed as he stepped away from the horse. 'Remember, okay? I'm coming back for the horse.' He pointed at the man, who nodded eagerly more in fear than glee.

  'You're ridiculous,' Morgana spat at him as soon as Eric made his way to her side.

  'I'll be coming back for the horse, mark my words,' he told her. 'Scarlet will love him.'

  Morgana froze, sadness flashing across those blue eyes of hers. She bit the inside of her cheek, looking away. Eric could tell there was something she wanted to say but had decided to not do so. He didn't really care. He would come back and buy the horse off of the man. He would buy a small cottage where he and Scarlet would live. They'd have a few horses which they would ride each morning. And he would buy a piano and learn to play.

  He was going to make it all happen one way or another.

  For once, his dreams would come true.

  ...

  Sector B was such a fake place in Terra's opinion with its terraced homes, holographic flowers and cheerful little cafes. She'd loved it once upon a time, but now she could see the world for what it was. The poor sectors were real, they showed the true struggles the citizens endured every single day. In Sector B, everyone just moved along smiling. They had well paid jobs, nice homes and a certain degree of security. They were exemplary citizens that did whatever their government told them, without batting their eyes. They would die for the Nation and that made Terra sick.

  Pulling a hoodie over her head wasn't going to make her invisible in these parts of the city with all its drones and cameras, but it was better than nothing. No one marched along nervously or with fear in these parts, so it was easier to get from one place to another.

  Damien's home was in a street full of townhouses which were all white squared horrors the government thought of as 'ideal'. They were ugly and monstrous in Terra's opinion, but she refused to comment on it. How could she have thought they were beautiful once upon a time?

  There were steps leading up to the front door and she turned to look at Kalem, unsure. He encouraged her forward. A nervous sigh escaped her as she rang the doorbell, stepping back and biting her lip with worry. How would Damien react upon seeing her? Would he be furious and send her away or just pleased to see her after such a long time?

  The metal door suddenly opened and Damien appeared. He hadn't changed since she'd seen him last. Then again, that wasn't surprising. It hadn't been that long ago. Terra had been the one to change so much and she wondered for a moment whether he would recognise this new version.

  Damien had always been a handsome boy with sparkling green eyes and curly blonde hair that made all the girls at school swoon. He stared at Terra for a few seconds, then smiled. Terra's heart melted at the sight, so pleased to see that he wasn't angry.

  'May I help you?' he asked.

  Terra's face fell at his words.

  'Damien, it's me,' she said, her hands on her chest, protecting her from whatever blow he was about to slam her way. Confusion spread across his beautiful features. 'Terra Underwood. Damien, come on. I'm your best friend.' He shook his head, even more confused. Lunging forward, Terra grabbed his hands within hers. 'What about Sasha? Tell me you remember Sasha!' Her voice grew louder, causing Damien to look frightened and nervous, pulling away from her.

  'I don't know who you are... I'm sorry...'

  'No, listen to me!' Terra glanced over her shoulder and noticed a few citizens turning to frown at the commotion. Soon someone would alert Watchers and she'd be in danger. Kalem seemed to come to the same conclusion because he was making his way towards her. 'Damien, just look at me. You know me. I don't care what that witch Petra did to your memory, you know me! Please tell me you didn't forget Sasha. Please.' Kalem's arms wrapped themselves around her body, pulling her away, causing her to cry out in frustration. She kicked and punched, trying to get back to Damien. She just needed time. He couldn't forget her. He wouldn't.

  'Terra, you need to stop.' Kalem's voice was against her ear, but Terra was too focused on Damien, the look of horror plastered across his face. He quickly shut the door on them as Kalem dragged her further and further away.

  People were now approaching them and Terra spotted drones flying in their direction, clearly being alerted by the altercations. Watchers would be next. They needed to get away before it was too late, but Terra felt the tears pooling down her face, the stitches tearing in her side and the anger boiling. All she wanted was to rush forward and shake the truth out of Damien, because he had to be lying. He couldn't have forgotten her.

  Damien's home vanished from sight as Kalem dragged her down a side road, half-carrying her away. Terra noticed the drones following them, so she ran beside Kalem as tears blurred her vision. She continued to cry as they found solace in the poorer neighbourhoods where they managed to lose the drones.

  Terra dropped down on the ground, her back against a wall, her hands covering her face as she sobbed.

 
; 'We need to move,' Kalem urged.

  She stared at him from between her fingers. She wanted to shout at him, but the sobs just grew louder, making Kalem back up, his eyes full of worry. Worry of what? She didn't know nor care. Surely Watchers would be searching for them, but she didn't give a damn about anything. Her wound was killing her, surely Curtis would scold her for ripping a few stitches out again. But none of that mattered.

  Kalem sliding down the wall beside her startled Terra. Her crying finally calmed at having him sitting right next to her down the dark alley and she wiped at her puffy red eyes aggressively as if she could make the pain go away.

  'Do you think my dad has forgotten me too?' she asked.

  'I don't know.'

  'The thing is... If he's been made to forget me, I think I'd prefer that.' She wiped her nose with the sleeve of the jacket, then felt terrible at doing so after realising it wasn't her jacket but Kalem's. He didn't seem to mind. 'Because if he hasn't been made to forget me... that means he just doesn't care. He hasn't come looking for me because he just doesn't care.'

  The wound in her side hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her chest. She wasn't only crying for what had happened to Damien, but she cried for Sasha and for herself. She felt unloved and unwanted by her own father. She felt scared at not knowing where she belonged or where she'd go from then onwards. Petra had erased her from society. She really was invisible.

  Terra leaned her head on Kalem's shoulder, forgetting for a moment that she didn't really know him. She didn't care. At that precise moment in time, she didn't really care anymore about anything.

  Chapter nineteen

  Eric and the other X-Prototypes had managed to make it back to Capital One without much trouble. The relief Eric felt upon stepping into the battered old home was beyond anything he had ever felt before.

  The twins came rushing to his side, pleading to be picked up and given attention. Ten proceeded to ask question after question, but Eric felt too tired to reply.

  On the first floor there was an open space between the hallways where a dinning table had been placed years ago. Eric dropped into one of the chairs and greeted Curtis and Charlotte as they appeared, followed by Camille and Malcolm.

  'You look great,' Camille said sarcastically.

  Eric let Ten go as she squirmed to get out of his lap to hurry to Morgana's side. Lighting a cigarette, Eric dropped his head back and sighed. 'It's been a long journey, Camille.'

  The cyborg with short blonde hair sat down, resting her arms on the surface of the table. She rolled up the sleeves of her dark blue jumper and rubbed her face. She looked tired and old. Dark grey circles had appeared under those green metallic eyes, and he was pretty sure they hadn't been so hollow when he'd last seen her.

  'A bunny!' Ten shrieked upon noticing what Persephone was carrying. The little girl rushed out of Morgana's arms and jumped up and down excitedly. Persephone smiled, crouching down low to show Ten the little pet. 'Can I hold it? Oh, please. Let me hold it!'

  Eric rubbed his eyes. 'Don't let her hold it, Persephone. She'll just squeeze the poor thing to death.' He ignored the deathly look Ten gave him.

  'I promise I won't kill it!' Ten's eyes were bulging with excitement.

  Persephone nodded, handing the small animal over to Ten, who cradled the creature like a newborn. Eric couldn't help but watch the child as those green eyes shone with fascination and excitement over the furry little thing between her arms.

  'It's not a toy,' Camille warned the child. 'If you're going to keep it, you gotta look after it. Are you listening, Ten?'

  The little girl nodded, but her attention was on the bunny. Her twin brother Rife didn't seem too enthusiastic over the animal as much as his sister and watched the bunny from afar, wrapped in Malcolm's arms.

  'Would you like to name it?' Persephone asked, not at all upset or bothered that the bunny she'd been looking after had now been kidnapped by Ten and was probably not going to be returned. Eric knew that Persephone didn't mind. She was an X-Prototype, and even though she was only eleven, just a few years older than the twins themselves, her mind worked differently. She had been made to kill and to serve the Nation. Her body had been transformed and tortured as well as her mind to become what she was.

  'How about Dots?' Ten said. It was clear that she was trying to smile, but the screws and circuits on her face wouldn't allow such an emotion to show on her features.

  'Dots?' Eric frowned, but quickly shut up when Camille gave him a warning look.

  'Dots is a great name,' Camille said, smiling. It didn't reach her eyes. 'How about you go and search for a place where Dots can rest?'

  Ten nodded, beckoning for her brother Rife to follow her. They vanished down the dark narrow hallway, the girl's giggles echoing off the walls.

  'I'll take my brothers to the kitchen,' Morgana informed, 'while you all rest.' She didn't leave room for argument, and gestured at Tristan, Vladimir and Persephone to follow her. Eric wanted to protest, to tell them they needed to start planning how they were going to approach Scarlet. Clearly that would have to wait. Morgana seemed to know what it was he wanted, and didn't want to have that conversation quite yet.

  Curtis and Charlotte sat down around the table as soon as the Prototypes left.

  'Thorn, can you please stop puffing smoke in my face?' Camille snapped, swatting her hand around irritably.

  'Did you miss me, Camille?'

  'No.'

  'Liar. I know you missed me.'

  Curtis cleared his throat, clearly wanting to shut them up. Eric chuckled as he proceeded to smoke his cigarette in silence, staring at his friends which he had missed so very much. He'd never admit such a thing out loud, but still.

  'So, what did we miss?' he finally asked.

  Camille had been scratching at the wood of the dining room table with her nail, but froze at his question, her shoulders tensing. Eric couldn't help but frown at the gesture and turned his attention towards Malcolm.

  'We got Terra back,' the cyborg with light blue eyes said.

  'So why is no one celebrating?'

  'Petra did something to her mind,' Malcolm explained. 'She erased all the girl's memories of Kalem.'

  Eric's yellow eyes widened in shock. 'She what?'

  'She doesn't remember Kalem at all.' Malcolm let out a long tired sigh. 'Everything else was left intact but... She went to see her friend Damien, to tell him she was alive and safe. Turns out the same has happened to him. He didn't recognise her.'

  Eric swore.

  'It's okay,' Camille suddenly said. 'I'm going to fix this.'

  'How are you planning on doing that?'

  'I don't know, but I will.'

  'Camille, I seriously don't think-'

  She slammed her hands on the table, standing. The sound of the chair dragging backwards made Eric flinch. 'I am going to fix this.' Then she turned away and marched down the hallway, ignoring Malcolm's calls.

  Curtis proceeded to adjust a wire on his neck. 'I'll do some research and see if there is anything I can do for Terra.'

  'Thank you,' Malcolm said in that serious voice which didn't suit him at all. Eric hated seeing Camille and Malcolm miserable, and that's precisely how they felt.

  Rubbing back his blonde hair, he stubbed the bud of his cigarette out against the wooden surface and said, 'We need to come up with a plan to approach Scarlet.' His attention fell on Curtis. 'You were creating a special weapon, one that could somehow immobilise Petra, right?'

  'Yes, I was. But it isn't ready.'

  'It'll need to be.'

  'Eric,' Malcolm said. 'Whatever weapon Curtis fabricates won't be able to keep Scarlet down.'

  'I don't need it to keep her down.' Eric tried to show how much he believed in his own words. 'I just need it to hold her for a little while until Morgana and the others can bring her back.'

  'Bring her back how? By talking to her?' Malcolm's eyes widened. 'That's the pla
n?'

  'It's all we've got.' He turned back towards Curtis. 'How long will it take you to get that gun ready?'

  Curtis shrugged, even though it was a difficult thing to do under all the dark clothes he wore. 'A couple of days, perhaps.'

  'Perfect.' Eric stood, beaming. The plan sounded ludicrous indeed, but it was all he had. He couldn't lose hope, not when so much was at stake. 'I'm going to go and check on the Prototypes.'

  'Eric, wait.' Malcolm also stood, his face serious. His friend remained silent as Charlotte and Curtis also got up and left, eyeing them carefully. Clearing his throat, he said, 'You realise this sounds crazy, right?'

  'It does.'

  'Perhaps because it is crazy?'

  Eric patted Malcolm's arm. 'I know it's hard for you, but I have enough belief for the both of us.'

  'That's not the problem, Eric.' At Eric's raised eyebrows, he added, 'I fear you might lose it if this doesn't work.'

  Eric's chest tightened at the thought, but he shook his head, not daring to think of it. 'I can't think like that, Malcolm.'

  'But maybe you should. For if you don't, it might be your end.'

  Eric's face turned sombre. He stepped back and away from Malcolm, nodding. 'It will be my end if I don't get her back.' He puffed his chest out. 'And that's precisely why I'm going to make sure we bring her home. Because she's coming home, Malcolm. Scarlet is coming home.'

  ...

  'Look, Terra, look!'

  Terra had been lying across the floor on her stomach, reading. She had found books discarded beneath Scarlet's bed. The sight of such objects had made her smile, such treasures in her world, almost non-existent. She had been hesitant to take them, worried that she'd get into trouble. Then again, someone needed to bring them back to life.