“This city is corrupted to the core,” Elijah said, “from the mayor to Civic Protection. The High Council and Father are the ones you’ll need to take down.”
“I know,” James said, “and after all this is over maybe we can find peace. I don’t know how far I’ll have to go, but people will die. I’ve seen Civic Protection. I’ve seen their souls. Some can be saved, but many of them are too far gone. There will be a fight before this is over. I hope I can save as many people as possible when that happens.”
“Maybe,” Dr. Vanguard said, “you aren’t the monster you think you are. You do realize this will take more than just revealing the council publicly. The council controls the news, Civic Protection, everything. They control the city. We are all controlled under an illusion of freedom. People walk around every day without realizing it can all be taken away. This will probably be much more difficult than either of us realize.”
“Yes,” James said, “but less people than you think. Most of them already know of what they’ve lost. I know it without seeing their souls, their hearts."
“How do you know that?" Elijah asked.
“Look at the sky,” James said. The both looked up through the windshield of the car, up past the building tops of the alley they were in. “It’s dark. It’s dim. We all know that. It’s all we’ve ever known.” James paused. "Yet we all know it’s wrong. It’s not supposed to be like that. Just like we all know what life, what freedom, what happiness is supposed to be. This isn’t life, this isn’t living, and everyone knows it. All they need is what they’ve been deprived of for as many years as this city has been alive.”
“What is that?”
“Hope,” James said.
Elijah smiled as he started the car and pulled back onto the street. He not only understood him, but was impressed. He will lead them, Elijah thought, he will lead them out of this city.
12
Dante was leaning with his arms crossed against the wall of the mayor’s office, next to an active vid screen he was tuning out as the media reported the news. He was concentrated on the empty desk in the center of the room, where Callahan usually sat. He stood there for ten minutes, waiting for the man. His phone had rung twice, and both times he’d ignored it. He didn’t want to hear from Ares again. He detested his brother, and avoided him every chance he could.
Callahan finally walked in through the double doors to his office. He wasn’t surprised to see Dante there waiting for him.
Callahan said as he moved around to his chair, and looked down at his desk. He seemed tired. “I know why you’re here, but...”
“I heard you were calling off the Civic Protection,” Dante said, interrupting him. “You were requesting that the council call off the martial law?” Callahan looked up at him, sweat beads forming on his forehead and neck.
“Yes, there’s been a lot of pressure on me,” Callahan said. “I had to. There were talks of protesting all around Capitol District, some even suggested riots.” Dante’s eyes slowly looked up at Callahan coldly. Dante chuckled.
“You know," Dante said, “my father was very efficient with his design for Civic Protection. Do you know how he started the organization? He watched for the best and brightest young adults. People who seemed to be the most hopeful, positive, and full of life. People who were intelligent, and in peak physical training. Then do you know what he did?” Dante walked over to the man, approached him slowly.
“He crushed them, one by one. You crush a man by finding his weakness. You then isolate him, separating him from that which his heart holds most dear. Then when all hope seems lost, you make them think they have it again. It’s at that moment you crush them completely, destroying that which they love.
Father tore them apart till they were just empty shells. He then built them back up, reeducated them with his own will and mind. His own thoughts. His own pain. No, Civic Protection can handle riots. They can handle anything this city throws at them, because they’re no longer human.” Dante put one hand on the desk, picking up a stray data screen.
“Once in a while,” Dante continued, “a soldier begins to act on his own. Sometimes it’s bravery that drives him, but most times its fear. Do you know what Civic Protection does to its own when they disobey orders, especially out of fear?” Dante held the data screen in his hands for a moment more, and then cracked it in half. There was a small pop, and the screen fizzed out as it broke into pieces. Callahan didn’t look up, just continued staring at an invisible spot on his desk.
“You’re afraid of this survivor,” Dante said, "this person who single-handedly slaughtered all those agents. You’re afraid he might go after you next.”
“Why would I have ended the martial law if I thought he was going to go after me?” Callahan’s shirt was damp with condensation.
“You’re trying to make him happy,” Dante said. “You think if you’re not a threat to him then he won’t go after you.”
“Now listen,” Callahan said, “if you think you can come in my office and...” he was cut off when Dante backhanded the man. He had been hit so hard he fell backwards in the chair. He started to pull himself up, and Dante leaned over him. He glared at him menacingly.
“Now you listen to me, you cowardly fool,” Dante said as he held the mayor against the wall, “your life, just like mine, is meaningless. In an hour we could have another mayor sitting in your desk. The only reason you’re alive is that you still obey the council. If you want to act out, even in fear, the firing squad will be waiting for you.” Dante paused to let it sink in and then continued, “there is no choice, no free will. Father owns this city, and he does what's in his, and its, best interests. When I tell you jump, you say how high. When I tell you I’m hungry, you ask me what I’d like on my sandwich. When I say we have martial law, you don’t go to on the vids saying you will try to dissuade the council from maintaining it. Do you understand me?
“For years we’ve heard of this resistance, hiding within the walls of Dirge like rats. We’ve been trying to discredit them for just as long. This attack is just the kind of foothold they need to inspire people to act. Civic Protection needs to crush them. We need to crush any hope left in these people.” With that he let go of the mayor, letting the man sink back into his chair.
Dante turned and walked to the door. He opened the doors, pushing them both outward. As he walked out of the office he turned his head and called back to Callahan, “You'll be hearing from me.” His men joined him as he walked towards the elevator. He stood there for a moment thinking, and then pulled his phone from his jacket.
“Sir?” it was Detective Garrett.
“Get some of the men and meet me at Dr. Derek Shepherd's apartment.”
13
It hadn’t taken long for Dante and his men to reach Dr. Shepherd's apartment. Traffic was low and was a relatively simple drive. Although it was a large apartment building, it was almost completely empty. Most of the buildings in Capitol District were owned by the High Council, many of the businesses controlled by them as well. The apartment building Dr. Derek Shepherd lived in once housed hundreds of scientists, most of them now dead.
Dante parked his car in front of the building where Det. Garrett and more soldiers were waiting. Dante walked past them into the building without saying a word. They followed him as he went up through the elevator, eventually arriving at the door of Dr. Shepherd’s apartment. A few more of his men were waiting for them there. They pushed it open and went on in. Dr. Shepherd was chatting in a friendly manner with one of the young soldiers.
“Pvt. Gowen,” Dante said as he read the ranking and name on the young man’s uniform, “go outside with the men. I want to have a word with the doctor.” The young soldier dutifully obeyed, closing the door as he left the apartment. Dante looked coldly at Dr. Shepherd.
“What brings you here?” Dr. Shepherd asked in an innocent tone. Dante crossed his arms, and looked down at the floor.
He was about to speak when another voice came from behind him, surprising him.
“I’ve been waiting for you, brother.” A slender man wearing a nondescript suit walked in the apartment behind him. He had round glasses and long hair in a ponytail behind his head. He had a calm, almost quiet voice. It was his eyes that betrayed him, betrayed his meek appearance.
“As you’ve probably heard,” Ares said, “we’ve had some trouble in Old District. Civic Protection and the council and what not. I received word you were heading here, so I decided to meet you. It’s been such a long time since Dr. Shepherd and I’ve talked.” Ares grinned softly, his eyes shutting for a moment.
“Yes,” Dr. Shepherd said, “I know that Civic Protection was investigating a bunch of murders or something in Old District. What does that have to do with me?”
“Well,” Dante said, “the funny thing is that no one knows the locations of our outposts or any of our facilities. Only a handful of people knew of that building. You see, in the public registry, I have it labeled as condemned. No one would have known that twenty undercover soldiers were stationed there. I wonder who could have known about that station to attack them like that?” Dante stared at Dr. Shepherd with look of betrayal in his eyes. He was disappointed. He knew how this would end, now that his brother was here.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Dr. Shepherd said calmly. He passively remained seated in the armchair.
“So am I,” Ares said, “especially since this outpost was one you actually spent some time in, a few years back.” Ares bent down to look him in the eyes. “I know my brother’s disappointed in you. He never wanted to see anything happen to you. You see, my brother has a weakness. He grows attached to people. I guess you could call it a bizarre form of friendship.
“As disappointed in you as he is, it’s not as much as I am.” Ares stepped back for a moment, “Think of all you could have still accomplished had you worked fully with us. Instead your life will be a waste, meaningless.”
Ares held out his hand to Dante. Dante stared at it for a moment, and Ares motioned with his hand out again.
“What?” Dante said.
“Your gun,” Ares said with an irritated tone, “give me your gun.”
Dante pulled the pistol that sat in his holster inside his jacket, a black automatic. He handed it to Ares’ outstretched hand. Ares stood for a moment, holding the weapon. He was relaxed, and even smiling slightly. As he contemplated his actions, he stared down at the pistol. Without looking at the doctor he spoke. “I’m going to make this simple. If you tell me what you know, you won’t suffer.”
“What are you talking about?”
In half a second Ares aimed the pistol at the doctor’s left hand, which was resting on the arm of the chair. The trigger was pulled without hesitation, the shot ringing throughout the room. Dr. Shepherd winced, crying out in pain at the same time Dante’s men rushed in.
“Grab him,” Ares said as he pointed to Dr. Shepherd, “hold him down.” Three men gathered around Dr. Shepherd, one holding each arm and the third holding the doctor’s shoulders. Dr. Shepherd's face had turned red as beads of sweat formed on his brow. He was quivering with the pain. “Now, doctor,” Ares said, “now that you know I’m serious, will you tell me who this person is? Where I can find him? I know you told him where to find the soldiers. There's no other reason that would have happened at the same time we were holding the Vanguard’s daughter. I want to know who it was that survived. What their name is. I can find out everything else for myself. Just tell me. Who was it that survived the building collapse? Who killed all of my men?” He emphasized every syllable to be clear as he spoke.
Dr. Shepherd tried to raise his right hand, which was held down. He had calmed a little, and the officer allowed him to pull a handkerchief from the front pocket of the jacket. He wiped his forehead with it.
“This person,” Dr. Shepherd said, “is unstoppable. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.” The doctor looked at them defiantly.
“You’re going to need to be more specific than that.” Ares said, aiming the gun to the man’s knee and pulling the trigger once again. Dante shut his eyes as another shot rang out and the man cried out again. Eventually Dr. Shepherd spoke again.
“Your father’s tried so hard with his plan,” Dr. Shepherd said. "This city, the xenos, all of it. He thought every loose end was taken care of. He never saw what his sister saw. He never saw the one who will destroy all of this. None of you did. It’s because you never finished the job, all those years ago. You were all fooled.”
Dante seemed confused.
“What do you mean?” Dante said. "Are you talking about Will?” He backed away a small amount. Despite the pain, Dr. Shepherd chuckled.
“Long before that day,” Dr. Shepherd said, “long before your exiled brother William. Years ago Michael ordered his death. We saved him, sheltered him. Now he is an adult, and he hunts you.”
“No.” Ares stepped back for a moment. The others in the room seemed confused, not understanding what the doctor was saying.
“Yes,” Dr. Shepherd said. "You thought you could protect yourselves by killing him. His mother saw the city ending with him. She saw the fall of the council, of Father.”
“No! You don’t know what you’re saying!” Ares shouted with anger. "Alicia was the only hybrid left!”
“It wasn’t a coincidence that the xeno chose him,” Dr. Shepherd said. "We raised it for that very purpose.” Darkness filled Ares’ eyes as he heard the revelation.
“So,” Ares said, “the xeno was deliberately flawed.”
“If you think of life having flaws,” Dr. Shepherd said, “then yes. This plan was put into place a long time ago. Your destruction of that building, killing all of those people, it only put the plan into motion. Now the Vanguards will have a snow ball effect on this city, and you can’t stop it.” Ares had been pacing with anger, and he suddenly slowed. He walked back over to the doctor.
“It won’t be for lack of trying,” Ares said as he aimed the gun at Dr. Shepherd’s forehead. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” he said as he pulled the trigger. Dr. Shepherd’s pain was instant and brief as the bullet went through his skull. The young soldier, Pvt. Gowen, who was standing behind the doctor, looked up at Dante with betrayal. Pvt. Gowen then stepped backwards and put his hands on his stomach where the bullet had entered. He just as suddenly fell down backwards, blood sifting through his fingers. Dante rushed to the young soldier, who looked up at him. He’s not going to last long, Dante thought as he looked down at the young man. He looked back at Ares with anger. Ares’s face seemed to show a mixture of shock and apathy.
“Well looked at that,” Ares said, “the bullet went right through the doctor’s head into that young soldier.” He glanced at the pistol a moment more and tossed it on the lap of the now deceased Dr. Shepherd. “Civic Protection does have great ordinance.” He casually waved at Dante and turned, walking out of the apartment.
Dante stood up and looked at the two dead bodies. Two more dead bodies in what was an unending pile. He shook his head.
“Is this really worth it,” he said aloud. "Father?” A red flag then triggered in his mind, and he looked out the window. He saw the figure standing on the rooftop of the next building over. He was covered in a scaly metal with a long coat that looked like it was made of a flexible metal.
14
James had arrived at Dr. Shepherd’s apartment too late. He could sense the death in the apartment from several blocks away, but he could now see with his eyes the dead body. He was sad, especially when he knew in his heart that the doctor had died to keep his secret. He bowed his head slightly in honor of the man.
He could see the man named Dante in the window, next to the bodies as other soldiers came in to clean up. He reached out with his mind’s eye to probe Dante and maybe find out why he couldn’t sense him. Dante suddenly looked up, as i
f he was aware of James’ presence. Dante moved over to the window, and could obviously see him. His eyes became wide with shock. James was covered in the xeno like a suit of armor that also acted as a disguise. It didn’t hide him from view, however.
Dante quickly held a phone to his head, and James knew what he was saying. His first instinct was to leap through that window and attack Dante, but there was still too much he didn’t know.
There was a siren coming from somewhere in the city down below on the streets. An emergency alert. He looked down at the streets and saw a line of Civic Protection vehicles coming to him from every direction. People were fleeing the streets. The ripples of consciousness and their awareness of him was distracting through his mind’s eye and he tried to focus. During his hesitation there was a gunshot from down below, which hit the wall of the building below him. It was followed by several more. Soldiers down on the streets had begun firing at him.
He leapt off the building, his coat morphing into the large metallic wings in an instant. He was no longer a man to them, but a dark creature with a wingspan of at least eighteen feet wide, and claws. He glided to a building across the street, where he latched onto the ledge with his claw. He leapt off it, pushing himself higher into the air.
In his brief actions through the air, he’d never been able to fully test his wings. This was giving him a crash course, however. They reacted as fast as his arms and legs did, just like limbs were supposed to do. He flapped upward, trying to gain some more height from the shooters down below. It was difficult to do in between the buildings, where wind and air became trapped.
The rippling consciousness of the people below him echoed even louder to him in his mind’s eye, and it caused a pain in his head. He reacted quickly, latching onto a nearby building wall. He clung to it for a moment with his wings covering him, protecting as a shield. He looked downward as he clawed.
City of Twilight: Rise of the Hunter (The Vanguard Chronicles Book 1) Page 8