**** DISCLAIMER: This chapter has a few disturbing, brutal scenes at the end.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION!
. . .
. . .
Hope looked at me in dismay. His expression was the opposite of mine. I was happy to see him again but he seemed to not be sharing the same emotions as I was.
The inside of the aircraft was lit by pale, blue light and was seemingly empty. Except for a lot of leather seats lined up along the wall and a metal door leading to somewhere underneath. No windows whatsoever. There was a sleek long, gray table in the middle with nothing on top of it.
"Well, this was quite a reunion for them," said Bart as he entered the aircraft. The rest followed behind him.
"What's happening?" I found myself uttered those words. Hope was there with the Great Corporate United and all. And he was supposed to be dead.
That was I assumed before I met him there.
"Let's head back to the ship. They're not gonna wait for us forever like this," said Alicia in irritation.
The open gap at the side of the aircraft closed. Soon, a noticeable sound which I interpreted as the engines roared for a while as we were lifted off the ground.
Alicia, Relly, and Lily took their seats casually. Kat who was carrying me laid my body on top of the gray colored table.
"I can't..." Every muscles and limb of me did not move, or rather cannot move.
"You already injected her with that drug, yes?" said Relly.
"Y-Yes, Sir," answered Bee. The trio took the seats at the front of the aircraft space.
"I'll have you know that your action today was quite... admirable. Still, I'll have some punishment ready since you disobeyed the general's order. But you saved us time in the end. We planned to lure Gheele Folami out of the palace somehow, but it proved to be almost impossible. After we succeeded in luring him out, one of us could capture Ava there," said Relly. "It seems to me she's a little bit disconnected somehow."
"My test subjects always ended up like that, Relly. Their Aegis would go berserk at one point in time, and I'll just kill them," said Alicia.
"You're wasting our precious Aegis containers, Alicia," said Relly as he glanced at her.
"No matter. I DID end up with one good Aegis User in my experiments after all that," said Alicia. "Besides, the tracker that I installed inside Ava's Aegis proved to be useful to my surprise."
Lily scowled. "But you can just get her back at Mansel Island, stupid Alley Cya."
"That's Alicia for you, Lily. A-l-i-c-i-a. And I admit that was something I regret. Who would've thought I could make use of her again, hmm?" Alicia cast a sideways glance at me.
"What do you... Mean?" I said, looking at her from the corner of my eye. I shifted my gaze to Hope, who was standing beside me. He still bore that dismayed expression of his. Hope's blond hair covered his eyes a bit as he looked onward.
I felt groggy.
My eyes blinked heavily while watching Hope.
I wanted to sleep. No, I needed to sleep. In spite of everything, my body required rest above anything else. And so, without my consent, I was plunged into an eternal darkness.
. . .
It was strange.
I had no dream.
Sounds of clinking and metal clanking forced my heavy eyelids to lift up.
There were green crystals everywhere, enveloping the walls and ceiling. Gleaming and glittering in the abnormally large room. The floor was covered with a grey slate all over, almost resembling a marble floor. Other than that, it was empty. Except for the shackles and metal chains binding my limbs to a tall, green crystal on the left and also on the right. A large, metal collar wrapped around my neck.
"Where..."
I swept my gaze around, analyzing every bit of detail and information I could obtain. Sadly, there was nothing else. It was also unusually cold like I was in a freezer of some sort. My nose could not pick up any scent in the air.
"Eh?"
Maybe I was a little bit foggy after waking up, but my clothes have changed. I wore an oversized white shirt, with a small barcode on my left shoulder.
I tried to pull away from the shackles but it was no use. "Aegis," I called. There was no response. The reflection that the crystals gave me every time I glanced at it was my red eyes, searching deep inside me for something.
"Someone..."
The crystals about a hundred meters in front began to shift downwards, revealing a bunch of people behind it.
The first person I saw was Alicia, followed by Bart, Relly, and Lily. Though there were three other figures behind them that I could not recognize. And there was Hope, at the back.
"She's awake!" sounded Alicia. They all poured out into the crystal room and soon surrounded me. Hope's green eyes were looking at me with no emotions.
'Wait, green eyes?' I thought. Hope certainly had blue eyes before. Bart's amused expression somewhat confirmed my suspicion.
"Is she...?" said a little girl next to Alicia. She was a bit shorter than me, about 130 cm. So I assumed her age was nine to ten years old. Her red dress with intricate golden embroidery caught my attention. Her dark hair was short, paired with turquoise blue eyes.
"Yes, sweety. She's the last one that I had my hands on. My last test subject," said Alicia. "Ugh, I have yet to find another suitable Aegis User the past two years. It feels like I'm wasting my time."
A man about the same height as Bart stepped forward, just a few meters away from me. He wore the standard dark blue military uniform, and his short, brown hair was spiky. He glared at me with his brown eyes. "Are you sure she's able to do this?"
Alicia rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Alexander, are you doubting me?"
"We have discussed this, right? It's not her fault," said Bart. "We did leave Ava back at the island, but that's in the past. Now that she's here. We can try that thing I've always wanted to do." His grin annoyed me.
Alexander subtly adjusting his collar. "Perhaps."
Relly cleared his throat after observing their conversations. "This all happens because you guys didn't want to do it in the first place, right? We've gone through all that trouble just to have her back in our possession."
The others had bitter expressions after hearing Relly's statement.
'What's so bad that they have to capture me?' I thought.
Relly continued, "This is for His Supremacy after all. If we succeed here, Neo Africa will fall. Gheele Folami will be in our hands. It was fortunate that there was not much resistance from their side when we carried out the operation."
"But Gheele Folami interfered. I would have gotten Caesar back!" said Lily, who was behind Relly the whole time.
"We just need to distract him. Ava's our only goal after all. The ships near Nigeria helped us in our escape," said Bart.
"Indeed, I thought we're gonna invade them," said Alexander.
"No, at least not yet. They're there only for us to escape," said Relly.
I realized the young, slender girl next to Hope was silent, not particularly interested in joining her comrades' conversation.
"Why do you have... Hope on your side?" I finally asked.
Their attention moved to me, gradually making my heart sank from all the glaring eyes.
"You didn't tell her?" asked Lily to Bart.
"Hmm, do I need to though? I mean, I merely placed my crystal inside that guy in the first place, to control him however I please. He's tough, I can say that," said Bart casually.
My red irises burned up at that. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"
"Eh, nothing. He's just a toy for me, I suppose. I figured he's somewhat important to you, that's why I saved him back then. You could say it was worth it since you're here now." Bart's laugh made my heart pounded at my chest harder.
"Poor girl. I heard you wiped her memories out? That makes this easier then. Since she didn't remember the... pain," said Alexander.
My hands tried to yank the shackles away but nothing happened. It cannot be done. 'What does he mean by pain? It is related to my memories?' I thought nervously.
The silent girl pursed her lips. "Where's Hughes?"
"I don't know, Miranda. We've lost contact with him in Yellowknife. I've sent a search party. Perhaps he was caught in a battle somehow since his flames can be seen there from the news."
Miranda glared at me with her purple eyes. Her military uniform fluttered a bit. Maybe it was my imagination. She fidgeted with one of her twin, dark braids across her shoulder. "It's her, isn't it?"
"Supposedly, since my tracker confirmed her position in Yellowknife a few days ago. She may have stumbled upon Hughes," said Alicia. "But we don't know that."
"Let's just ask her." Miranda raised her right hand, but Relly put it down abruptly.
"No, Miranda. Don't use your Aegis on her yet. After we've inserted the new Aegis in her, you can do whatever you want. His Supremacy's order comes first," said Relly with a high tone.
Miranda clicked her tongue and stared at me with distaste.
'A new Aegis?' I thought. It could not be. They wanted me to have two Aegis at the same time. And apparently, they did not entertain that idea for themselves at all.
"But before that!" said Bart exuberantly. "Let's see what her reaction looks like. I've been wanting to do this to her." He pulled Hope to his side and commanded him to sit on his knee.
"What are you--"
"No, no, Ava. You just sit there and watch how I torture him in front of you. Oh, don't blink! You'll miss the good parts," said Bart.
"You're sick," muttered Alexander.
He and the rest of them walked a dozen steps backward, watching me intently. Except for Bart and Hope.
"Okay, Ava! Let's just get this done with quick. We still haven't put the new Aegis container we created inside you yet, so I can't take too much time," said Bart as he pulled a rather sharp knife from his back. "I just want to see your face as I hurt your loved one."
I desperately called upon my Aegis, pulling at the metal shackles to reach Hope. "No! Don't hurt him! Please! I beg YOU!"
"Hmm, I'm not sure, Ava." Bart played with his metal knife, swinging it around and slashing the air. "Well... Maybe I don't need to do this, after all."
I gaped when he lowered his knife, away from Hope. I felt an immense weight being lifted off me. At least, he did not have to suffer. I would take his place when he was safe.
"Welp, I feel bad. Sorry, Ava." Bart plunged the knife at his left shoulder and Hope screamed. Red blood stained his shirt.
"NO!" I shouted.
Bart yanked the knife out and plunged it again at the same spot. Over and over.
And over.
Hope's unrestrained scream echoed throughout the crystal room.
"STOP!"
"No, Ava! The fun is just starting!" Bart laughed as he stabbed Hope in the neck and he gurgled from it, blood sprayed onto the floor. Emerald crystals from Bart's palm skewered Hope in the chest, with the knife still protruding from his neck.
Hope's scream was muffled.
"Stop!" My eyes were tearing up as the scene in front of me was slowly plastered inside my head. For the times I knew would bring me immense regret and pain just from remembering it.
"Stop hurting him!" My futile attempt to break free made my heart wrenched tighter, as Hope's pain mentally transferred to me. As if I could feel Hope's suffering just from watching him. "Stop..."
Bart formed a short blade from his left arm and stabbed Hope in the back. He was unable to scream out his pain, letting out a shaky breath.
"You see, this is what it feels like to be stabbed in the back for REAL. But people didn't know that," said Bart to Hope.
I screamed my lungs out just for Bart to stop what he was doing. He ignored me.
"Ava. You know why I like to do stuff like this? It makes me happy just to see helpless people are at my mercy. That they can only pray when it will stop for them. And they would wonder when all of that pain would end. I can't help but keep torturing them when they made that kind of face," said Bart.
"YOU MONSTER!" I shouted. "YOU'RE NOT HUMAN! YOU'RE A DEVIL INCARNATE!"
"Hmm, but I'm human, Ava. It's normal for a human like me to seek enjoyment out of their lives, you know?" said Bart. "It's no fun if you just live a life of a robot, obediently doing that same work for your whole life. What's the fun in that? Come on, tell me, Ava."
"YOU'RE SICK!"
"No, I'm healthy, thank you very much. I've been in good health these days." Bart repeatedly stabbed Hope in the back with his emerald blade and laughed maniacally. He enjoyed seeing Hope like that, unable to do anything but heed by Bart's command.
"A... va..." muttered Hope. His green eyes flickered.
"Papa!" My eyes could not stop crying, and I did not intend to. Hope's pain was my pain too.
"This guy is resisting my Aegis." Bart looked at the others far behind him. "Are you guys seeing this?"
"I couldn't care less. That means you're weak," said Lily.
"Are you done yet?" asked Miranda.
"I'm getting shivers right now, Dear. From all the excitement. I want to do it too!" said Alicia.
"Father, the girl's crying," said the little girl next to Alicia.
Relly looked at his golden watch. "We still have time. But I suggest you get done with it. Miranda here also has her own thing to do to that girl."
Alexander did not say a word, his eyes were on me the entire time.
'Father?' I thought. That little girl just called Bart her father. She could have been one of Alicia's test subject in the past.
"Now, now, Ava. Where're you looking at? This guy is right here in front of you. Look very carefully." Bart tugged at Hope's right hand, pulling at his thumb.
"No... DON'T--"
"This is a must, Ava. It's part of my requirement when it comes to torture. You see, a lot of movies did this. So, I say, why not?" said Bart.
"Please! Don't do this to him!" I begged. "No, please don't. He's... the only one. That I have left."
"Ohh, that's too bad, Ava. You should thank me then for saving him, isn't it? By watching me do this, that is." With his emerald blade just above Hope's hand, Bart swung it downwards quickly.
"AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGHHH!"
Hope's right hand lost two of its fingers as he held down his tears, gritting his teeth. He looked at his hand in horror, having its thumb and index finger cut off.
"Wow, I missed. I wanted to cut his thumb first though," said Bart whimsically. "Then, let's do this again." He grabbed Hope's left hand and readied his emerald blade.
"I SAID STOP! DON'T HURT HIM ANYMORE!" I shouted from the top of my lungs.
Bart swung down his blade and Hope's right hand got chopped off. He was screaming, and yet all I could do was crying over him. I cannot do anything for him.
I did not want to lose hope.
And yet I feared I was about to lose Hope yet again.