by Riker Kane
Jade floated up toward me as I stayed standing in the water. “Now…” She took my hand and led me up out of the water. “Your turn.”
Alisa followed her. For a moment, I wondered what they were up to. But they both fell to their knees in front of me to give me a quick answer.
I didn’t say anything. I didn’t move. I just looked at them, watching as they took turns taking me into their mouth. Alisa swallowed me with a fervor like she was dying of thirst. Jade, on the other hand, used her mouth like she kissed me. Gentle teases. Soft licks. Trying to goad me into giving her what she wanted.
My whole body started to tighten up. My knees trembled. I reached down and put one hand on each of their shoulders. My grip signaled my end was in sight.
“Give it to us. C’mon…” Alisa stuck her tongue out as Jade stroked me.
Seeing the two of them so desperate forced me over the edge. I held my breath for a moment before finally letting my body lose control.
“Ungh…” A soft grunt escaped me as I came. Lines of my seed splashed out and landed on Alisa’s lips, trailing along her cheek. Jade directed me toward herself and the next line fell on her lips. I emptied myself completely on each of them, giving them both an equal share.
I enjoyed the sight of them with my white seed on their faces before they licked and wiped away the remnants.
“So… This is what it’s like to be an Omega?” Alisa said.
She exchanged mischievous smirks with Jade. “I’m sure we can do something like this back in Newmire. I mean, if Enzo is up to it.”
They both looked back up toward me. Satisfied and relaxed, it was impossible to say no.
I sighed a deep breath of contentment. “We’ll see about that.”
49: What Life Has To Offer
One week later…
“Higashi put an offer on the table. Told me I could become an Omega just like Dad. I impressed him. I figure doing that with a guy like him must not be easy. It’s not every day some guy just picks up a weapon and goes into Pandora without any combat training. Turns out everything Dad taught me was good enough…
“It’d probably be a little different if I was working with the Omegas officially. Imagine me, walking around in a uniform and strapping on some armor. Probably have me pick up a sword and start stabbing helpless bunny rabbits. Nothing would compare to the things I’ve already seen. Maybe that doesn’t matter though. Maybe as long as I did my part, that’s all they would care about. I’d just be another Omega fighting the good fight.”
The warm sun made a bead of sweat drip down the side of my forehead but it wasn’t enough to bother me. A gentle breeze blew against my cheeks. It tossed away some of the leaves on the grass to make the marble plaque in the ground easier to read.
In Loving Memory
CORA DRAKE
Loving Mother, Daughter, Wife
“I don’t know, Mom… It’s weird. I’ve been doing the same thing for the past few years ever since I retired. There’s nothing wrong with it all. I enjoy it. Never realized how routine it was until now. It’s just like Dad taught me. Once you make something a habit, you can stop thinking about it. Even the hard stuff.”
I thought about Higashi’s offer. Heading back to the District and changing my life completely. It wouldn’t be a hard adjustment. Maybe I was born to be an Omega. I smiled at the thought of actually walking in my father’s footsteps again.
“Dad said he’s proud of me either way. I know you’d feel the same. I… know you’ve always been with me… Thanks, Mom. For everything. Wherever you are, I’m happy you and Dad are finally together again.” I knelt down and pressed my fingers against the plaque.
The cemetery was empty that afternoon. It gave me the peace and quiet I needed to be alone with my thoughts. It was the middle of fall and the smell of the leaves gently drifting all around me brought me back to a time when I didn’t have to worry about anything except living. For a second, I was just a little kid again. Probably the best memory I had.
The sound of leaves crunching behind me filled my ears. It was followed by the soft sigh of an old man.
“Newmire is a nice town,” Redgrave said. “I can see why Oliver loved this place so much.”
I chuckled. “I remember Castleberry saying something similar… The truth is, my dad only loved this place because he grew up here. When you live just south of Hollywood, the only excuse for wanting to live in Newmire is because you can’t afford to live anywhere else.”
“Don’t sell this place short. Hollywood is full of rich folks and fakes. Newmire has an authenticity to it that can’t be faked. The perfect spot for an Omega to go to when he was done running through Junctions and fighting great beasts.”
I stood up and looked over at him. Redgrave had a kind smile on his face like usual. His lab coat was gone, replaced by a button-up shirt that covered his meek physique and a pair of slacks that made him look like any ordinary elderly person you’d see walking the streets. His eyes looked out in the distance, lost in the endless memories replaying in his head.
“What’s next for you?” I asked.
His smile grew even wider. “An interesting question… I’ve been lamenting my mistake for seventeen years. Seventeen years, I knew your father was trapped in Anarchy because I didn’t prepare him properly. I’m sorry you weren’t able to bring him back.”
“Me, too… But I guess it’s some consolation that I at least got to see him.” I put a hand on Redgrave’s shoulder. “Thanks for giving me a chance to say goodbye.”
He pursed his lips with a more reserved smile. “Do you remember the story I told you earlier? About your father refusing to resign, even in the face of certain death?”
The story had slipped my mind but I remembered it instantly when he brought it up.
“Your father was a young man who became an Omega to fight. For you and your mother. He joined the Legion to make a living but everything changed when he saw just how serious the threat was. He would’ve done anything to end that threat. Even if it meant sacrificing himself. Do you know why?”
I shrugged. “What else is there? Because he wanted to protect me and my mom.”
“Not in the way you’re thinking. He told me he wanted to make sure you didn’t follow in his footsteps. Your father was a fighter even when he was only a teenager. Then he became an Omega. Imagine. A life of nothing but conflict and combat. That’s not what he wanted for you.”
Redgrave held his head high, his face full of more pride than I’d ever seen from him. “Even though you didn’t bring him back as you planned, you’ve returned the favor. He didn’t succeed in keeping you safe, seeing as how much of a risk you took. But I’d say he did a better job in raising the kind of son he’d be proud of. You’re the best man he could’ve wanted you to be. Thank you for taking a chance not just on him… but on me, too.”
Hearing the words made me smile. A bittersweet feeling swelled in my chest. “…He always told me not to worry about my destination. Couldn’t control how things ended. Told me just to enjoy the now.”
“I remember him telling me the same thing. I’ve focused all of my energy on getting to him…” Redgrave chuckled softly to himself. “I don’t know what I’m going to do now. Higashi offered me a spot to return to the Legion in an official capacity.”
“You gonna take it?”
“I don’t know. There’s activity in Pandora. There’s the possibility of resuming our activities… unofficially.”
“What?” I started laughing. “You really wanna do this again? I don’t even have the gauntlets. They’re just useless husks now.”
“Your father’s essence amplified them more than I could ever imagine. Perhaps the next pair I construct will prove more durable to properly take advantage of their new potential.”
“How would you construct them? Didn’t you say the blueprints were destroyed?”
“There’s still one copy left.”
“I don’t understand—”
He
tapped his temple with his index finger. “The Slayer Project took up most of my life. It’s in my thoughts and in my dreams. Nothing short of death will erase the details from my mind.”
The sly smile he had made me chuckle. “Okay… You can make more gauntlets. Then there’d be the other matter of us being tracked. I doubt the Legion would just let it go again. Not with a suspended sentence hanging over us.”
“Things would be different this time.”
Redgrave looked over my shoulder. I turned around to see a man walking toward me. The black suit and shades were enough to tell he wasn’t just some guy who happened to be in the area.
Redgrave patted me on the arm before leaving me alone with the stranger.
The man in the suit straightened up and stared forward as he moved next to me. His blond hair was slicked back into a ponytail behind his head. The goatee around his mouth was cropped just like Higashi’s. Maybe everybody in the Legion had the same barber.
This guy was a few inches taller than me. He was thin but his face was full. There were no wrinkles or blemishes, so he couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me. Then again, maybe he had some Legion technology to make him look younger. Even though he might not have looked imposing, I still kept my wits about me.
“Enzo Drake.” The man spoke with a tone that was casual. If he was a part of the Legion, he was doing a decent job of hiding it. “Son of Oliver Drake, the original Omega who took part in the Slayer Project.”
“Hmm… I’m surprised you know who he is. Thought he was erased from the record books.”
“Higashi is working on declassifying all of the files regarding the Slayer Project. More people will be aware of what happened, though don’t expect a statue of your dad anytime soon. Losing an Omega would hurt public sentiment of the Legion.”
“My dad wouldn’t have wanted one anyway.”
“A true Omega.” He put his hands in his pockets and gently rocked back and forth. Even though his eyes were hidden behind his black shades, he still wasn’t facing me.
“If you got something to say, just say it. I hate it when people try to make small talk.”
“Straight to the point. I respect that.” He finally looked at me. “My name is Marcellus Lockett. I’m with the Legion Omega Defense.”
“I already figured that.”
“I’m part of a division that specializes specifically in alternative studies of Pandora.”
“I see… So you like to get stoned before you go through Junction Gates.”
“Drug use is prohibited when venturing into Pandora but if someone can come up with a reasonable theory to try it, I’m all for it.”
“Not much of a drug user. Don’t see why anybody would do drugs when they can just get high on Red Mana.”
“Levels are everything… But that’s not what I’m here to talk to you about. I have another offer for you.”
I shook my head immediately. “I’m not interested in becoming an Omega.”
“That’s not what I’m offering. What I am offering is a chance for you to continue what you’ve already been doing. Dr. Redgrave would reconstruct your weapons and you would resume the mantle of the Slayer.”
I was already skeptical. As smart as Redgrave was, maybe this was some asshole trying to trick him into stealing his technology. And I couldn’t read Lockett’s eyes, so it was even harder to see if he was telling the truth.
“Lemme get this straight… You want me to restart the Slayer Project? And I’d be doing it for the Legion?”
“Officially, no. Unofficially, you’d be doing it for the Legion under my advisement.”
“How do I know this isn’t some trap? I got my sentence suspended but I’m sure the LOD won’t hesitate to snatch me up if they notice something is wrong.”
“Fair enough. Maybe you should look at it this way… We’ve been going to war in Pandora for more than forty years. The Heralds have only just revealed themselves. And you, a man with no proper training or experience, managed to get to a dimension that wasn’t even a threat to us, and single-handedly killed a rogue Herald.”
I crossed my arms and chuckled. “If you’re trying to convince me by shining my ass, it’s not gonna work.”
“I’m only stating the facts. The Legion Omega Defense is exactly that. Maybe it’s time we follow the lead your father took and go on offense to end this.”
I couldn’t argue with that point. If the Legion wanted to put an end to this, they had to try something different. And the Slayer Project was definitely different.
“You don’t have to make a decision right now,” Lockett said. “The LOD has other options. But maybe you should think about it with your squadmates. Consider what you have a chance to do and what rewards will come with it.”
Lockett bowed his head to me and walked away. I watched him leave then turned toward Alisa and Jade as they approached me.
“Who was that guy?” Alisa said.
“Someone with the LOD,” I said. “Wanted to talk to me about an ‘alternative’ to helping the Legion without actually becoming an Omega.”
“Sounds like that’s right up your alley,” Jade said with a smirk.
Jade was a lot less intense than I was used to seeing. Her jaw was more relaxed and her stare was softer. Even her hair was a little more out of place as it dripped down the sides of her face. More than anything else, her smile seemed bigger than ever.
“How about you?” I said. “Any plans?”
“I’m an Omega,” she said. “That’s what I’ve always been. That’s what I’m good at. I figure heading back to the District when I’m recalled will be a good chance to train. If anything, I’ll make some more cash to pay off Tim and finally get away.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you.” She moved toward me and gave me a tight hug. I patted her gently on the back before she pulled away.
“What about you?” I asked Alisa.
She shrugged, her lips twisted with uncertainty. “I figure I’ll spend as much time with Aunt Agnes as I can.”
“You gonna be all right?”
“I accepted what was gonna happen a long time ago. Gotta appreciate the time I have left and make the most of it. With the cash I made from the missions, I should be able to keep her comfortable.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll be fine,” she sighed. “She’s leaving her estate to me. It’s not much but it’ll take care of the rent for a long time. I was thinking about maybe joining the Legion. It’d be pretty cool to fight alongside Jade again.”
“I’d love to do that.” They smiled at one another like only friends could. After all the shit they’d been through, there was an undeniable bond between them I could see better than anybody else.
“How about you, Champ? What’s next on the plate for the Slayer?”
I sighed just thinking about all of the options I had. “I could go back. Just live an ordinary life in Newmire. I was thinking maybe I could resume my career.”
“Really? Oh, I’d love to see you kick some ass in the cage.”
“It was just a thought. No chance I can sneak by with all this Red Mana in me now though…”
“You could always take up Higashi’s offer and become an Omega with us.” Jade and I smiled at one another, already knowing what I thought about that.
“There’s still one other option,” I said.
“Lockett’s offer…”
Alisa moved close and put a hand on my shoulder. “Whatever you do, you know I’m with you. Thick and thin. No matter what.”
Jade nodded in agreement. “Just because we’re not fighting alongside each other in Pandora doesn’t mean we won’t be together where it really matters… right here.”
Alisa pursed her lips as her eyes started to glaze over. I chuckled at the sight of her on the verge of tears only because I knew she was still in a good mood. Jade seemed just as emotional but raised her chin proudly to maintain her co
mposure.
I turned back to my mother’s plaque and stared at the name etched into it. “You can’t control what happens in the end… Just enjoy the now.”
“Speaking of which, how about we head over to the Fancy Diner?” Alisa said. “I’ve been craving some quesadillas and salsa.”
“A good meal sounds perfect right about now,” Jade said. “Dr. Redgrave will enjoy that, too.”
“No kidding. The guy was stuck in that warehouse for how long, getting by on canned food and prepackaged junk. I say he deserves a good meal. And after that, maybe you can get a haircut.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re getting pretty scruffy there. How often do you shave your head?”
“I guess it’s been a few days later than usual,” I sighed.
“That’s what I’m sayin’, Champ.”
I rolled my eyes as Alisa’s smug grin grew even wider. Jade laughed at Alisa’s obvious sense of satisfaction.
As we left the cemetery, the trees began to sway from the breeze. Yellow and orange leaves fluttered through the sky and rained down on the grass to cover everything. It was a sunny fall day in Newmire. Perfect for getting out and seeing what was there.
More by Riker Kane
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