by N. Phillips
His words left us all distraught and unsure of what to say or do next. We sat in silence for a few minutes until he spoke once more.
“There may be…one more piece of information I can share with you.”
“What now?” Darius’s gruff tone voiced tiredness and irritation as he curled his lips and rubbed the patch on his chin.
“An army of Obsidian soldiers will be arriving in Newburgh tomorrow due to agents not reporting back to base in a timely manner. Obsidian takes that as a code red. Backup is on the way.”
We were all stunned, our bodies stiff as a board. Agent Dai looked in Darius’s direction and continued.
“You must allow me to contact Obsidian headquarters. I overheard my captives discussing the marked Dreamer’s whereabouts, and I can direct the soldiers to the person’s location in order to complete the mission.”
“Can you tell us who is the marked Dreamer?” Tory requested to know.
“Yes. He is the leader of the street gang who held me hostage. The one called Mr. Payne. I discovered this in my confrontation with him the night outside of the hotel. A light from the building flashed on his wrist, revealing the cursed mark before I was thrown into an unconscious state.”
Everyone was frozen by this information, but a hot idea burnt into my mind.
“This is good news.” They all turned to me, confused. “We can have real, armed soldiers run up on Mr. Payne and arrest him. He can’t buy his way out of top-level government lockup, can he? I say we let Dai contact Obsidian and have them handle it from here.”
Darius’s lips pressed together with a shake of his head. “Nah, I ain’t no snitch. I don’t fuck with Payne and the Cogs, but I ain’t ‘bout to be a rat to help out the feds.”
Ashanti scoffed under her breath. She may have kept her retort to herself, but mine was about to come out loud and clear.
“You really gonna let some street code shit stop us from ending Mr. Payne? Put your pride aside for a minute, Darius. Do the right thing. Don’t…be another cog in the machine.”
My words were shaky and emotional. I couldn’t help it. Just looking at Darius made me feel a disarray of emotions that needed to be sorted out, and soon.
He stared at me with no expression until he cracked under the pressure of the unspoken reveal. “I’m goin’ out to smoke. Shit’s too much.”
He walked out of the apartment in a hurry. I stood next to Ashanti and contemplated on following him until I couldn’t resist anymore. We needed to talk.
The smell of weed permeated the air outside of the building entrance, where Darius was leaning against the brick wall with his head to the ground. I didn’t know how to feel or what to say, but it was him who spoke out his emotions first.
“So now you know. You know the misery I gotta live with every day.”
My brow furrowed watching him take a puff of the joint. “Yeah… I know. Was you ever gonna tell me? All the times I be over your house and hangin’ out with Tory, did you ever think to say somethin’? Fuck, you even watched me as a kid over a few summers so my mom could go to work. What the hell was that, huh? Some pity payment for killin’ her husband? My dad?”
“What would I even say? ‘Yo, eight years ago, I shot your pops. Sorry, lil’ man.’” He didn’t smile despite his words laced with sarcasm.
My lips trembled, tears blurring my vision. The floodgates of sorrow that had been suppressed for so long were now busted wide open. Darius didn’t move a muscle, though. His jaw tightened as he pressed the joint to his lips for a long puff, not saying a damn thing afterward. It angered me that he could just stand there without a care in the world.
“Do you even know the pain you caused me and my mom? I was only eight years old when you took my dad’s life. Eight. That moment still torments me to this day. I’ve been livin’ in a nightmare because of you, and I never told my mom because she has enough to deal with being a single mother in the hood. All these years, Darius, and she still doesn’t know what happened or who killed him. Does any of that mean anything to you? Do you feel anything?”
Tired of his silent act, I grabbed his shirt and yanked him to face me. He was taller than me—maybe by a foot or something—but I wasn’t about to punk out. I stuck out my chest and looked up at him, seeing a void in his eyes that could only be caused from guilt and grief. It was at this moment that I realized he had been fighting demons for as long as I had.
Not restrained by my grip, he dropped his joint and crushed it with his foot before saying, “I was seventeen at the time, working for Mr. Payne as a member of the Silicon Cogs. Your old man’s death shook me enough to walk away from that lifestyle, no matter how tough it was gonna be for me in the streets afterward.”
I let go of his shirt and simply asked, “But why him? Why was my dad your target? Why did he say for you not to be another cog in the machine?”
He shrugged and answered, “Maybe to save his own life? I don’t know, but your pops must’ve crossed Payne enough times.” He held three fingers up to his face. “That’s the only reason why some shit like that would go down. Payne ordered me to do it, and I didn’t know you or your family until you started hangin’ with T a year later. I saw your face and knew you was the same kid who watched me smoke his father. All ‘cause of some bullshit blueprint Mr. Payne has for our society. He removes you if you’re a problem to his grand design.”
Blueprints… Grand design. Like a machine, a switch was flip in my mind that revealed the ugly truth.
“The Cogs are being controlled. They’re Mr. Payne’s tools and nothing more. That’s all—”
“Nah, it ain’t even that simple,” Darius cut me off assertively. “Most of the dudes that work for Payne do it ‘cause they ain’t got no choice. They got no direction in life and operate for survival. He knows that, so he oils them up and let’em go to work while he benefits off they grind. He like one of them Shadows that agent guy was talkin’ ‘bout. He brainwashes the Cogs into thinkin’ his plan is the only way out this street shit, and that they’ll be rewarded once he builds his empire and take over the world. It’s wild, but I know some of them Cog boys got heart and wanna be somebody; they just don’t know how to go ‘bout it.”
Though he interrupted me, his breakdown of the Cogs and their connection to Mr. Payne further clarified what I had figured out moments ago.
The Cogs are being controlled. Mr. Payne’s ability is mind control: complete power over those who have no clear desire, which would explain why Miguel didn’t have any super abilities. There was nothing to be manifested.
Still, there was one more question. One last thing to piece together.
“Does Mr. Payne… You know, feel pain?”
He laughed. “Damn, you saw him in action, huh? He ain’t just a businessman, he’s a fuckin’ monster who believes pain is the biggest weakness in the world. I found out a year after I met him that he endured some rough shit in the past to harden his body so he’d never feel pain again. The crazy thing about it now is, he’s fiending for that feelin’ again because he hasn’t felt involuntary pain in so long. He treats the Cogs the same way, too. As long as they follow orders and don’t show weakness, they can do whatever they want ‘round here.”
With that, it seemed everything had been answered except our biggest problem: how to stop Mr. Payne. Thankfully, Darius had the solution to solving that twisted equation.
“You’re gotta let Agent Dai contact Obsidian,” I told him. “Those guys are the key to shuttin’ down the Cogs and Mr. Payne. You have to see that.”
“I do see it, and you right. I just wanted to be the one who ended Mr. Payne someday, you know? But this opportunity… This opportunity to end it all? I can’t pass that up, so I’m gonna go back in and let the agent do his thing. But Zayn…”
His voice trailed off as he turned away from me, his body unable to remain still and composed. He was nervous. Scared, even. These were feelings I had never seen him expressed.
“I’m sorry.” His gaze r
eturned to match mine. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart to you, your mother, and your father. I can’t excuse my actions or even blame Mr. Payne ‘cause I should’ve been a better, more smarter person. I can’t ask you for forgiveness ‘cause God knows I don’t deserve it, but you should know that I’m gonna protect you like you my own blood ‘til the day I die. It’s all I can do for you, and for your pops. You have my word.”
I didn’t know what to say. Anger nor sadness lingered within me, only a mass of confusion that could only be understood with time.
“We should put our demons to rest,” I suggested firmly. “They’ve caused enough negativity. I won’t let them cripple me anymore, and neither should you. We’ll fight harder, grow stronger, and accept more. We can be better than we’ve ever been.”
Darius smirked with a nod. “Yeah. Aight, Zayn. Let’s do that.”
A dap formed into a hug. What did it all mean? I wasn’t sure. I was just happy to let go of the darkness in my life.
All that remained now…was the end of Mr. Payne’s reign.
CHAPTER 13
Later that night, Ashanti and I snuck out of our homes and met up in the back of the complex. We sat down on a small bench together that faced the Hudson River, which was beautiful at this midnight hour with the moon’s reflection shining on the water.
“You ready for tomorrow?” she asked, watching the waves flow.
“Yeah. I hope Agent Dai and the Obsidian soldiers can take down Mr. Payne and let us know the results.”
She smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m talkin’ ‘bout fightin’ with them. I already spoke to Tory about it when you left out to talk to Darius. He agreed we should join in and help the soldiers. Agent Dai even assured our safety from Obsidian’s side, so I think we’re good as long as we watch out for the Cogs.”
Her intention to battle in the war left me speechless until I had to ask, “I hear what’chu sayin’, Shanti, but you sure it’s a good idea for you to be in all that? I mean, I’m not tryin’ to offend you or nothin’, but—”
“I can handle myself, Zay.” I chuckled at the nickname as she rolled her eyes and grinned, continuing, “I’m just tired of seeing people die. If I can prevent someone from losing their life, I’ll risk mine to make sure it happens.”
Our discussion led me to thinking about Marcus, who’s death I never talked about with Ashanti. “So, on that subject a lil’ bit… Marcus…” She looked at me when his name was mentioned. “He was a chill dude. Y’all two were close and kinda seeing each other, right?”
“Well, he was a very sweet and respectful guy with a lot of passion. It’s why I took his offer to go on a date that day because no one asked me out in a gentle manner the way he did. But to sorta answer your question, no, we weren’t serious or anything like that.”
I regretted bringing their closeness up, because now I was clueless on how to follow up in the conversation. She looked back at the river, which was a good sign so she wouldn’t see the nervousness on my face. But what would I say next? Bring up Mr. Payne? Talk about her friend, Ciara? Marcus, again?
Okay, I went with Marcus again.
“I think if he was here, he’d be fightin’ alongside us, you know? Probably locking the Cogs in submissions and drop kickin’em.”
She laughed. “True. So, with that said, are you with us tomorrow?”
“Yeah, of course. Thing is, though, I’m still lost on how this whole power system works.” She turned her whole body to me and listened. “Like, say if I somehow get over my nightmares and start livin’ a normal life, would my abilities disappear because I no longer have the desire to fight my demons? I’ve been tryin’ to rationalize everything and figure it all out, but it’s so complicated with the bits of information we have.”
She was so attentive that I could see the care in her eyes. The sudden spread of her lips to form a smile still didn’t remove the keen expression on her face. She was special.
“Zayn, I believe your power doesn’t come from just your own problems, but from the issues that other people have to deal with, too. You can see the Shadows because you have a desire to get rid of them. You want to make a change in our society. You want to cleanse the negativity in the air. You, Zayn, are different from most. You have a heart. You are special.”
As if her words weren’t enough, she raised her hand with her palm facing me, leading me to press my own palm into hers. She then laced her fingers through mine, causing my heart to skip a beat as I looked at our entanglement before staring back at her pretty brown eyes. Like magic, her next move didn’t register in my mind until the warmth of her breath caused a shiver to run down my spine. It was then, that the softness of her lips pressed against mine created a euphoria I would never forget.
Still holding hands, we sat for a little longer and gazed at the moon in silence. Stars aligned, as did the motion of the tides in the river. Everything was okay. For now.
Phone in my jacket. Headphones around my neck. This was it.
Showtime.
Beside me were Tory, Ashanti, and Darius. We stood a short distance away from a large factory under the clear blue sky. The building towered over the tall trees and small warehouses that were all stationed in a secluded area surrounded by grass and concrete pathways.
Lined up next to us were an army of men and women wearing black armor, all led by Dai and another agent in a navy-blue suit. A white O insignia was placed on the metal chest pieces and helmets of the soldiers, with the latter covering their entire face except their eyes.
“Are you all prepared?” Agent Dai requested to know after walking over to us. We gave our confirmation with different gestures of approval before he said, “Good, good. Remember to fall back if necessary. You are more valuable to us alive than dead.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ashanti snapped at him.
Before he could give an explanation, the agent in the navy-blue suit approached us. He lit a cigarette in his mouth before asking, “So, this is your group, Dai? We’re never going to get a break from teenagers thinking they’re superheroes now, are we?”
He said that like he knew others our age fighting against corrupted individuals. Could he have been talking about the girl with silver hair from the deleted video?
“Oh, we don’t think we’re heroes, sir,” Tory began, “we’re just some cool kids from the block here to make a difference. That’s all.”
The agent chuckled before walking back to the soldiers. Tory had been the most hyped out of all of us today. He was dripped out in all white despite the fact this’ll be our dirtiest confrontation to date.
“Really, bro? Why the white?” I couldn’t help but ask.
He smirked. “’Cause we ‘bout to cleanse the streets.”
Weak, but whatever.
Both Dai and the other agent gave a rundown of the mission to everyone present before commanding the soldiers to move out. I gripped my phone in my jacket pocket at the sight of them marching forward. Music had been my saving grace throughout my entire life, and that wasn’t going to change here. Not when I was so close to bringing peace to myself and our society.
Gunfire howled through the air the second we were close enough to be spotted. Multiple Cog members were positioned in the windows of the factory and warehouses with their guns aimed directly at the soldiers rushing toward the buildings. An exchange of bullets from both sides led to us unarmed individuals hiding behind whatever sturdy defense we laid our eyes on—like trucks and rows of steel equipment.
“This wild as fuck,” Darius shouted over the storm of gunshots. He, Ashanti, Dai, and I were crouched behind a short, but long barricade while Tory and the other agent progressed onward through the commotion.
“I was not expecting our enemies to be so prepared,” Dai said to us, standing fully on his feet. “Regardless, we are not safe here. We must move the moment—”
Ashanti pounced on Dai out of nowhere just before a bullet was fired over the barricade. Had she not push
ed him to the ground, he’d most definitely have a hole in his head.
“Th-thank you.”
She slid off him, still staying low while gripping the side of her head. “Save it, okay? Let’s find a way inside the factory.”
“H-how did she know?” Darius’s baffled expression was something new. “Bro…”
Explanations had to come later, especially with our chance to enter the devil’s domain now being wide open after the sudden subsiding of gunfire. Even though the Silicon Cogs had the field advantage, they were no match for the armor and weaponry of the Obsidian soldiers, who had already put an end to the Cog’s surprise assault.
After looking around, however, our environment was anything but quiet and calm. It was a massacre. Bodies of lifeless men hung from the windows of the buildings and painted the grounds below with their blood. Ashanti could do nothing but frown at the unsettling sight before making her way to the front of the factory where Tory and the other agent were positioned with the soldiers.
“This shit is coldblooded,” Darius said out loud, his eyes wide from dread and bewilderment. “These dudes ain’t deserve this. They never had a chance.”
“It’s Mr. Payne’s fault,” I told him. “He has control over them with his manipulation power. I don’t believe they’d be throwin’ their lives away like this if that wasn’t the case.”
He made a fist and bit his bottom lip. The death of the Cogs was hitting him harder than any of us.
“Come on, Zayn. Let’s do somethin’ ‘bout this.”
We joined the others at the entrance of the factory, where the soldiers used a battering ram to break open the front door. Inside were boxes, industrial robots, and manufacturing machines that seized operations without the Cogs at the handle. The lack of them had us all on alert. There had to have been some members remaining.
“There.” Dai pointed to a large, steel door at the other end of the room. “That should be our way to traverse further.”
Half of the Obsidian soldiers did a sweep of the first floor while the others attempted to break down the large door with the battering ram. The impact couldn’t even leave a mark for some reason, leading Tory to crack his knuckles and step up.