Wanderers in the Dark : Part 1

by Carlos Vergara

  ‘If this exam was going to happen today, we’d be toast,’ Eikichi remarked.

  ‘It’s alright. We have time. We can get this done,’ Janice said.

  Alyssa glanced at Ali, checking to see if he was alright. For the most part he looked focused on the work.

  After practicing for a while, the team took a break.

  Janice noticed Doyle with his friends bothering Cadel and others who appeared to be of a similar nationality. They kept pushing them around. People nearby tried to help, but Doyle would stop them from getting involved.

  ‘This guy,’ Janice said, distastefully. She marched toward him.

  The group noticed Janice and what she was planning to do. They joined her.

  ‘Didn’t I tell you before not to be here?’ Doyle asked Cadel, grabbing him by his collar. ‘Why don’t you go back to Earth and tell your friends to stop with their bullshit in blowing up things? Why don’t you tell them to blow themselves up instead? You could go join them.’

  ‘I have a right to be here,’ Cadel said, pushing Doyle away. ‘I don’t know those people. And I’m just as troubled as you are over this matter.’

  Doyle didn’t appear pleased by the push. ‘And no, you don’t. You and your troupe have no right to be here.’

  ‘Who says? You?’

  ‘If you don’t go, I’ll make you. I’ve had enough of seeing you around. Your kind has always brought trouble and death to my people.’

  ‘Your people? Which people? You’re like everyone else here. We’re all share a mix of blood and culture now.’

  ‘No, I don’t. I’m pure. You’re not. That’s why you have to go.’

  ‘What about everyone else?’

  ‘They will leave in time. But for now, my problem is with you and your race.’

  ‘What about my race? We’ve done nothing.’

  ‘Yes, you have, and I can’t stand seeing you here with me. It’s an insult.’

  Doyle hatred for Cadel and his friends was clear as day.

  Before Alyssa and the group could intervene, someone sped past, dropping Doyle to the ground.

  ‘You alright?’ Cadel’s friend asked, approaching.

  ‘I am,’ Cadel replied.

  ‘You know,’ Doyle said as he got up, ‘If you think I’m going to hesitate from hitting a girl, you better think again.’

  ‘Why don’t you go back to your room and suck yourself dry, alright?’ the girl snapped back, keeping her stance firm between him and Cadel.

  Doyle sneered at the comment. ‘Hmm… perhaps you can help me out with that.’

  His friends slowly surrounded Cadel and her.

  ‘You son of a bitch,’ Janice admonished. ‘You just don’t know when to quit, do you?’

  Doyle noticed Janice was within close range of his group.

  ‘Oh, it’s Janice. How lovely to see you.’ He raised his index finger. ‘I’ll be with you in one moment.’

  ‘The hell you will.’ Janice powered past Doyle’s friends, with her fist clenched and ready for impact. She threw a punch, followed by another and another, all of which was blocked by Doyle.

  ‘Come now, do you really think violence is going to help you?’ Doyle taunted Janice as she tried to hit him. ‘I think it’s time for nighty-nights, Janice.’

  Before Janice could defend herself, Doyle launched a quick blow to her head that knocked her unconscious, which Alyssa and the other saw.

  ‘Janice!’ Clara shouted.

  Alyssa swelled with anger.

  Doyle smiled. He didn’t appear bothered.

  Without thinking of the consequences, both groups clashed against one another.

  Alyssa and Eikichi fought side by side, taking out two members before helping the others.

  ‘Well, I never expected I would find myself in a group fight,’ Eikichi said.

  ‘Yet, here you are,’ Alyssa said.

  ‘Here you are. You’re fighting.’

  ‘Correction, I’m immobilising.’ She immobilised a person by throwing them on the ground, which caused them to heave hard from the landing. She caught sight of Clara and Ali who were watching from a distance.

  Doyle looked at his friend. ‘Get the bloody phillick.’

  However, Doyle’s friend couldn’t do anything, as Cadel’s friend fended them off.

  ‘Run, Cadel!’ the girl said.

  Cadel made a run for it, but Doyle suddenly materialised in front of him.

  ‘Going somewhere?’ Doyle asked, hitting Cadel in the jaw.

  Cadel collapsed.

  ‘Cadel!’

  Doyle went to grab him, but his hand was caught by Alyssa. He struggled to escape her grip. Her immense strength clearly troubled him. He tried to attack, but she flipped him onto his side. He landed hard. He got up and swerved onto the offence. She blocked his punches, before countering with a forceful kick to his stomach. The impact sent him sliding back a few meters, which aggravated him. He launched himself at her again.

  ‘What’s going on here?’ a voiced shouted.

  Everyone faced the direction of the voice and saw Dean Atkinson standing nearby.

  This didn’t stop Doyle from smacking Alyssa across the cheek, causing her to stumble toward the floor.

  ‘Guards!’ he shouted.

  The Dean’s security offers manoeuvred around the group, putting Doyle and his friends onto their knees.

  ‘Alyssa!’ Eikichi yelled in concern.

  ‘I’m okay,’ Alyssa said, rubbing her cheek, as she moved her jaw to see if it was okay.

  Eikichi stared at Doyle with a fiery gaze. It was like he was beyond furious about Doyle hitting Alyssa.

  ‘Well well well,’ Doyle said, ‘look who it is. It’s Dean Atkinson.’ He glanced at the Dean with a mischievous grin. ‘Why don’t you buzz off? I was in the middle of something.’

  ‘I could tell,’ the Dean said. ‘Eliciting a fight, harming women, harassing others. You’ve been quite the busy boy.’

  ‘Hey, they started it. I told them before to mind their own business.’

  ‘I see. Well, unfortunately for you, I won’t allow you to go any further.’

  ‘The way I see it, you’re in no position to do anything apart from standing there and watching.’

  ‘Is that a fact?’ Mr. Atkinson started walking to them.

  ‘You should be thanking me.’

  ‘Thanking you? For what?’

  ‘Thinning the herd. We don’t need people like them living here, much less helping us.’

  ‘As opposed to having you help us?’

  ‘Yeah! I’m bedrock, trustworthy, and sane.’

  ‘Well, your sanity would be far more questionable than the other traits you offered to describe yourself. As far as I’m concerned, everyone here has a right to be here because we’re all facing the same problem together. And if we don’t put aside our differences and start working together, our deaths will be assured.’

  ‘Our deaths are already assured by having those people here.’ He nodded at Cadel.

  The Dean sighed. ‘Well, I see no point in talking to you right now since you’re all fired up.’ He looked at the security officers ‘Take them away.’

  The officers lifted Doyle and his friends up.

  ‘Oh, before I forget, Doyle, there’s one, among many other things, that I’m entitled to do as Dean, and that is give detention.’ He smirked. ‘You and your friends will be enjoying your dinners for the next week in a detention cell.’

  Those nearby cheered as Doyle and his friends were escorted away.

  Doyle casted a look at Cadel, then at Alyssa and her friends. ‘Don’t think I’ll forget this.’

  Neither will I. Alyssa glared at him.

  ‘Just keep on walking,’ Eikichi said.

  Alyssa checked on Janice and found she was waking up. ‘Hey, are you alright?’

  ‘I am. Just little dizzy, that’s all,’ Janice said.

  ‘It was a good thing what you did, all of you,’ the Dean said. He looked at th
e group. ‘At times like this, we need to demonstrate that respect and collaboration is attainable between people, irrespective of beliefs, colour or gender. It’s what will usher progress.’

  ‘You’re not punishing us for fighting?’ Eikichi asked.

  ‘Good gracious, no.’ The Dean looked surprised by the question. ‘If anything, I would want you to continue learning how to defend yourself, much like Alyssa did.’

  Alyssa looked at him, surprised.

  ‘Yes, I was watching.’

  ‘Why didn’t you intervene?’ Janice asked.

  ‘Because this sort of thing is going to happen regardless of whether authority is present or not. It’ll either happen now or later when you’re on your missions, and I might not be around to stop it, and neither will a senior official. So, it’s best you learn how to deal with it yourself.’

  The Dean looked at those around him. ‘Well, anyway, continue with your training. You have work to do after all, don’t you?’

  ‘What will happen with Doyle?’ Eikichi asked.

  ‘I will speak with him before I make my decision on his application. He’s in a particular place where he’s fighting against the notion of working with other people which needs to be fixed.’

  ‘I don’t think he will.’

  ‘Every person has the ability to change.’ Then he left.

  Cadel and his friend thanked the group for their help again before leaving.

  The group wasn’t sure if they should continue training since Janice wasn’t feeling a hundred percent, but she told them that she was alright, so they resumed with their training.

  Alyssa kept a close eye on Janice for the next hour, as the group repeatedly practiced all formations multiple times, in case she had to take her to the infirmary if she started to feel unwell.

  The group practiced until they could execute the formations like it was second nature. The next hour was devoted to practicing grappling techniques, with everyone trying it against one another. The girls applied it against the boys and vice versa––something the instructors insisted upon. When everyone felt confident with their skills, they ended the training session and returned to their rooms.

  Alyssa stayed in her clothes and decided to shower later, as she didn’t sweat at all. She focused her attention on her studies since the Arms and Military wasn’t the only subject that had an exam. She continued to study in her room until to dinner time.

  Knowing there weren’t any students in the showers around dinner time, she went there quickly to avoid having anyone around when she was there. However, to her surprise, she found Janice and Clara standing idle in the passage leading to the bathrooms.

  ‘Hey, what took you so long?’ Janice asked.

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Alyssa asked, looking confused.

  ‘We decided we’d accompany you.’

  ‘We know you like doing stuff on your own,’ Clara said, ‘but we figured we’d join you, so you’re not alone should the creature show up again.

  Alyssa smiled.

  Janice spoke, ‘Come on! I want to be at the dinner table before our meals are served. I know we’re friends and all, but when it comes to food, my food comes first.’

  As they made their way, Alyssa noticed the marks on the walls that were left from her fight with the creature were still there as she passed them.

  ‘How are you feeling now?’ she asked Janice. ‘Do you still feel pain around your jaw?’

  ‘I do. But I’m better now – a lot better actually, knowing that Doyle is in a detention cell. I can’t stand that guy. I hope they put him on a ship and send him back to Earth. The academy and people here can do without him here.’

  Alyssa felt the same way, but she didn’t say anything. After being hit by him, she was content to see him go to detention as well.

  ‘How about you? I heard he hit you in the face.’

  ‘I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt.’

  ‘I don’t know how you guys could do it,’ Clara said. ‘Ali and I just froze when the two groups started fighting. I wanted to do something, but I was afraid I would get in the way and end up causing more trouble than good.’

  ‘That’s alright,’ Janice said. ‘It was better if you didn’t. I don’t think I would want to see Yannick lose his cool if you got hurt. I think it would be a lot worse than Eikichi’s reaction when he saw Alyssa with all her injuries.’

  ‘I agree,’ Alyssa said.

  Clara blushed.

  Janice spoke, ‘It’s going to be funny seeing the guys with their bruises when we have dinner. I might feel compelled to poke them – well except for Yannick. He didn’t get hit, so really it’s just Eikichi.’

  ‘All I can say is be careful,’ Clara said.

  ‘I’ll be careful, and speaking about the guys, I have a question, Alyssa.’

  Alyssa looked at her. ‘Yes?’

  ‘It’s personal question, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but how do you and Eikichi know each other?’

  Alyssa didn’t answer immediately. ‘We met each other a long time when we were kids.’

  ‘Really?’

  Alyssa nodded. ‘Yeah. My earliest memories I have are with him.’

  ‘Where did you meet? School.’

  ‘In a way it was. We grew up together with him treating me like a sister and with me treating him like a brother.’

  ‘Who’s older?’

  Alyssa smiled lightly. ‘Surprisingly, neither of us. We’re both born on the same day. Yet he still tries to be the older-overprotective brother when he can.’

  ‘Most brothers do.’

  ‘That is surprising that you share the same birthday. That rarely happens.’

  ‘If I may inquire, why do you ask?’ Alyssa asked.

  ‘I’m curious. When I heard about you two fighting alongside one another, and when I saw him react towards your injuries and almost flipped out, it just got me wondering how the two of you met and know each other. You guys look close. I got the sense you two were a couple, but it makes sense now.’

  ‘I see.’

  ‘I hope I didn’t offend you.’

  ‘No, no, it’s okay.’

  There was a pause.

  Janice looked at Clara. ‘How about you, Clara? How do you know Yannick?’

  ‘Can he hear us when we speak to him? I noticed that he understands what we say.’

  ‘I’m not sure. I’ve asked him, but he tells – in his own way – that he’d rather not discuss it. So long as he understands you what you’re saying, and you’ll understand him. But personally, I think he can hear us, and I think he can speak. He just… chooses not.’

  Alyssa was curious by. She didn’t spend much time with him, but it didn’t mean she didn’t care for him. Knowing this now made her wonder why he preferred to use another form of communicating instead of speech.

  ‘Anyway, meeting Yannick was by luck. Had he not shown up, I don’t think I’d be here.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I was attacked one night as I was on my way home… whoever they were, they wanted everything that I had on me.’

  ‘Did you know who they were?’

  ‘Yes, but I chose to forget them. Better not to remember old memories, especially ones that are tainted.’

  Janice and Alyssa didn’t reply.

  ‘All I know is that they were men. They took everything. My clothes, food, water, anything they I had, they took…’ She paused. ‘Before things got worse for me, Yannick appeared and saved me.’

  Janice and Alyssa had grave faces.

  ‘Yannick saved my life and ever since I’ve been by his side. I’m indebted to him for that.’ Clara swallowed hard.

  Suddenly Janice embraced her. ‘Please forgive me, Clara. I didn’t mean to have you recall a bad memory.’

  Clara smiled lightly and she hugged Janice back. ‘It’s not so bad. I got to meet Yannick. And now I have you, and Alyssa, and the group.’

  Alyssa smiled now, feeling li
ke she was coming closer to Janice and Clara, as they were opening up to each other.

  Janice checked the time. ‘Oh damn, we should hurry it up. Dinner is going to be served soon.’

  After their showers, the girls returned to their respective rooms to drop off their belongings before heading to the Great Hall for dinner.

  Janice was eager to see what they were going to be served for dinner, as she and the others sat in their usual spot.

  The workers appeared with their meals, and one by one, each table collected their meals.

  Today’s dinner included potato noodles with fish and vegetables, tomato and lettuce salad, herb bread, and a small serving of crème caramel. As everyone removed their lids of their containers, they knew they were in for a treat again.

  ‘Oh god, this smells good,’ Eikichi said.

  ‘You said it,’ Janice said.

  CHAPTER 21

  AFTER THE ATTEMPTED capture of the culprit, Evelyn and her team were faced by a panel of senior officials who demanded explanations for their actions, wanting to get understanding on why the operation had happened in the first place.

  Evelyn had informed the official of everything that occurred. The process was long and tedious. The only thing she wanted to do was to sleep and forget about her troubles. Once the interrogation was over, she was dismissed for a break so that the officials could come to a decision.

  When the detective was asked to return, the decision from the panel was surprising. None of them were repositioned elsewhere, once the officials came to understand the type of the enemy they were facing.

  They explained that after viewing the footage of their last two encounters––the operation at the industrial facility and the pursuit over rooftops––the officials realised how difficult the situation was. The detectives were free of punishment for the time being, although they suspected that they wouldn’t receive the same treatment should they fail with their next operation in regard to the culprit.

  Afterward, Evelyn visited Martha at the hospital. When she arrived at her colleague’s room, she found Heidi sitting by the bedside. ‘Heidi? I wasn’t expecting to see you here.’

  ‘I came after delivering my testimony,’ she said.

  ‘I see.’ Evelyn closed the door and approached the bed, eyes focusing on Martha, who was breathing through a ventilator.