A flow of red wine filled the translucent wine glass; Its crimson colour reflected the bloodshed of the purge that resulted from Jagger's lynching game. Already, the Allied Forces were already a scattered force made of governments in exiles and greedy imperialists who the Empire's law would prosecute. Now, Jagger's purges not only served to further his own interest but also served as an opportunity for settling personal scores for many of the high-ranking members of the coalition.
Political opponents, competitors in the arms industry, ideological enemies and vocal critics, everyone used Jagger's purge to launch accusations at their foes. In the first few weeks of the Appalachian Disaster, the number of generals and admirals in the Allied ranks was reduced by 60%, political figures within the Allied High Command by 95%, and journalists and anti-Allied movements have all but vanished.
Meanwhile, in light of Jerry's capture and Harry's death, Jagger and Kadyn's team were elevated to stardom overnight. As the public cheered for all their heroes on stage, Kadyn was strangely absent from the event. After the celebration, Jagger returned to his newly constructed throne room where all the leaders and prominent figures of his new empire lined up to welcome him.
[Jagger] - "Out! Everyone out, except for Dunkel and Jack. "
Said Jagger with frustration in his voice.
Shocked by Jagger's anger, the crowd quickly exited the throne room without question. As soon as the doors were shut, Jagger breathed a sigh of relief.
[Dunkel] - "My lord, what's on your mind? "
Said Dunkel as she kneeled before Jagger's feet.
[Jagger] - "It was too soon. To believe those two idiots, one who was Mike's personal apprentice, lost to that sorry bunch of clowns is beyond me. They have not only ruined my plans but tightened our schedule. "
Said Jagger with a frustrated look on his face.
Jack raised his head from the ground and put himself on one knee.
[Jack] - "My lord, most of the purges are still ongoing. May I suggest the creation of a crystal users wing of the Allied propaganda ministry to allow the further surveillance and elimination of threats to your rule? This way, the gap left by Jerry and Harry's absence could be filled. "
Jagger thought for a second before moving his gaze toward Dunkel.
[Dunkel] - "My lord, most Blue Guards left alive by this point are certified to be loyal to you. The purge from the past few weeks has mostly eliminated most if not all men who questioned your rule. "
[Jagger] - "Good. Now, Dunkel, as head of the Blue Guards, I want you to send our new heroes to visit a good friend of ours. Glory will be mine alone, not shared with worms like them. "
[Dunkel] - "As you wish, my lord! "
Later, inside Kadyn's room, she watched the clock tick closer to midnight with anticipation. She waited and waited for something or... someone to show up. However, even as the display showed 12:45, all she ever received was the cold embrace of silence. By the time the clock showed 3:34 AM, Kadyn was exhausted but held hope in her heart. By 8:00 the next morning, with the sun shining against her face, she had finally begun falling asleep.
[Kadyn] - "I don't believe it... not in my soul. "
Whispered Kadyn as her consciousness faded into her slumber.
Inside an unfamiliar room, Kadyn pressed down against the floor and shone a light under the bed while searching for something. After rummaging through every single corner of the room, she still wasn't able to find what she was looking for. Exhausted, she sat down on her bed before her gaze was caught by the picture standing atop the wardrobe. Somehow, she was able to see herself in that photo but not the person standing beside her.
Confused, she turned her head toward the window and saw a place she didn't recognize. There were no street signs, landmarks, shop names or cultural indicators. It was an alien place she never visited. She had no recollection of how she got here or why she was here. She didn't have her clothes or any belongings, only Mike's old worn coat on her back.
[Mike] - "Dinner's served! "
Said Mike as he suddenly barged into the room.
Despite the abuse she received from Jagger for the past few weeks, the sight of Mike somehow didn't scare her. There was something inside her soul that reassured her that everything was safe.
[Mike] - "It's quite strange, you usually steal food while I'm cooking. What explains the good behaviour today? "
Said Mike as he sat beside Kadyn.
[Kadyn] - "I was searching for something... Where are we anyway? What is this place, why are we here and who is that in that picture? "
Puzzled by Kadyn's questions, Mike quickly took a look at the picture.
[Mike] - "Well, it's me, no? "
Said Mike as he gently grabbed Kadyn's cheeks and checked her eyes.
[Mike] - "I don't see any damage to your optics. "
[Kadyn] - "No, I... Don't understand. Anyways, could help me find my diary? I can't find it anywhere. "
Said Kadyn as she gently pushed Mike's hands away.
[Mike] - "Well, we can look for it later. For now, let's eat. "
[Kadyn] - "NO! I want to find it now, I need to find it! "
Said Kadyn in a frantic voice.
[Mike] - "Hey, hey, calm down! What has gotten to you? "
Said Mike as he held Kadyn by the shoulders.
[Kadyn] - "I need to find it because I need to remember. I can't afford to lose everything! "
Said Kadyn as tears streamed down her cheeks.
[Mike] - "There, there, you won't lose anything. You are overthinking it. "
Said Mike as he compassionately took Kadyn into his embrace.
[Kadyn] - "You don't bloody understand! I know this is a place I should remember, yet I don't know anything about it. Your face was in that picture, yet I couldn't see it clearly! Don't you understand? I'm forgetting everything as the days go on... I don't want to forget, especially what we have been through. "
Cried Kadyn in Mike's arms.
Kadyn cried for a long moment in Mike's embrace while letting out all the pain she had accumulated in the past few weeks.
[Kadyn] - "Has it always been the 20th of November? I know you will never forget that date. "
Whispered Kadyn.
[Mike] - "Yeah, nothing has changed. You didn't forget, you remembered everything to the letter. "
[Kadyn] - "Then why didn't you remember? Why hit me? Why put me through all the abuse? "
Said Kadyn while sobbing.
[Mike] - "How would I know? I'm just a piece of your memory. I don't have a conscience or a mind. All this is the work of your memory. That fact that you remembered this day the exact same way it happened, the fact that everything I did until now is what Mike would have done tells me that you can perfectly remember without your diary. "
Upon hearing Mike's words, Kadyn raised her head and looked at him with a perplexed expression. Without uttering a word, Mike gently tapped his finger against Kadyn's heart. In an instant, Kadyn's mind travelled through all the memories she experienced with Mike until this point. Nothing was ever lost. In fact, nothing has been clearer to her until this point.
As she finally came to her senses, Mike was no longer beside her but everything around her suddenly made sense. The room was a private hotel room she and Mike had reserved for the 20th of November, which was a date Mike designated as Kadyn's unofficial birthday. Ever since they've been together, Mike has never once forgotten this date. This specific event has been particularly memorable as the two had a small roleplay of their wedding.
All of a sudden, Kadyn woke up in reality in a pool of sweat. After gathering her senses, she calmly sat down at the kitchen table where she placed Mike's coat against her face and took a deep breath. The nostalgia of Mike's embrace immediately pushed Kadyn on the verge of tears. She had her doubts but now she was finally lucid enough to realize that the man wearing Mike's face wasn't Mike himself.
[Kadyn] - "I knew it... I lied to myself for all this time. I remember who Mike was and yet, I kept telling myself I didn't know better. I knew it in my soul from the very start. "
Whispered Kadyn with anger and shame in her voice.
In a swift swipe, Kadyn slashed the ring off her finger with her wrist blade. In a fit of rage, Kadyn unleashed all her frustration by repetitively stumping the ring on the ground before spitting on it. The fact that a man pretending to be Mike abused and deceived her all this time sparked a type of fury she never knew existed in her heart.
[Kadyn] - "How dare you! How bloody fucking dare you! You defiled me, humiliated me, abused me, all while pretending to be my Mike! I'm going to fucking skin you alive, you bloody son of a bitch! "
Cursed Kadyn as her eyes glistened with murderous intent.
With a loud yell, Kadyn kicked down the doors to her private room before storming into the hallway with fire in her eyes. As she walked, she abruptly came across Audrey.
[Audrey] - "Omg! Kadyn! I was looking for you! Are you feeling alright? "
Said Audrey with a concerned expression.
[Kadyn] - "Where the hell is Mike? Where the hell is that fucking impostor? "
Said Kadyn in a cold voice.
[Audrey] - "Geez, what happened? Come on, follow me, we have a surprise for you! "
Said Audrey in a hurry as she took Kadyn's hand and led her toward a random room.
As soon as she entered the room, she was greeted by everyone in her team with a massive cake in the middle of the room. Confused, Kadyn allowed herself to be pulled into the room while trying to process what was going on.
[McCree] - "There ya are, missy, we were wondering if ya were alright. "
[Senju] - "Mike-Sensei said you were sick, so that's why you couldn't come to the celebration. "
[Audrey] - "Yeah, so I thought we would organize this small party for you since you couldn't make it last time. "
Upon seeing the party, Kadyn thought for a moment how this could be Jagger's idea. Although hesitant, Kadyn sat down before being approached with a plate by Oltevin.
[Oltevin] - "Comrade, here, have some cake. "
Said Oltevin as he pushed a slice onto Kadyn's plate.
[McCree] - "Well, we are now assured. I darn thought you were a goner with how long you were under the weather. "
[Audrey] - "McCree, Jesus! Stop with the negativity! "
Yelled Audrey in frustration.
[McCree] - "I'm just sayin'. Ya never know. My uncle came to Thanksgiving and three weeks later, the man was gone. Apparently, he caught some sort of disease which ate through him pretty darn quickly. "
Said McCree in a nonchalant tone.
[Audrey] - "I'm seriously going to put some tape over your stupid mouth! "
Meanwhile, Kadyn looked at her cake with a perplexed look. It was indeed one of her favourite flavours but it was a flavour she never mentioned to Mike.
[Kadyn] - "Was Mike behind this party in any sort of way? "
[Oltevin] - "No, comrade, I'm quite surprised even. Comrade Mike doesn't seem to pay much mind to you for some reason. "
At that moment, a shock travelled through Kadyn's body. Time seemed to move slowly as she turned and saw the time on the digital clock which indicated 11 PM, which was the time Jagger usually came back from work. In a jolt, Kadyn jumped up from her seat and accidentally flipped the table over, spilling all the snacks, drinks and cake.
[Kadyn] - "We need to get out of here immediately! That man is not the real Mike! He is an impostor! Nothing about him is real, he is simply pretending! Whatever his plans are, we could all be in danger! "
Yelled Kadyn in a panic.
Everyone immediately turned their gaze toward Kadyn as if she screamed some unbelievable conspiracy theory out of the blue. Suddenly, Kadyn found herself stuck without the ability to move before her body suddenly snapped forward. With a loud thud, Kadyn smacked her head against the table before losing consciousness.
[Jagger] - "Jesus, how did she get out? "
Said Jagger while pretending to be worried.
Kadyn's friends quickly rushed to her help before Jagger pushed them aside and lifted her limp body with his arms.
[Senju] - "Mike-Sensei, what has happened to her? "
[Jagger] - "Cyberpsychosis. Apparently, KD-series assassins like her will go mad from all the implants they received from birth as they age. "
[Audrey] - "Isn't cyberpsychosis only for humans with too many cybernetic implants? I thought Kadyn had natural immunity for that. "
Said Audrey in a concerned voice.
[Jagger] - "Are you a professional of half-humans like her? "
Said Jagger in a frustrated voice.
Audrey halted her next sentence before taking a few steps back.
[Jagger] - "Do not disturb her anymore until I find a way to cure her illness. You four are banned from seeing her until all is under control. "
[McCree] - "I knew this wasn't a good idea, mister Mike. Yet they insisted on throwin' this party for her despite her conditions. "
Jagger noticed how the others stared at McCree with disapproving looks on their faces.
[Jagger] - "Agent McCree, would you mind helping me get her settled? I might need a hand. "
[McCree] - "Oh, for sure, right on. "
Said McCree as he pushed past his teammates without a care.
As they walked, Jagger threw discreet glances at McCree to make sure he wasn't trying to deceive him. After seeing how McCree was acting relaxed and unbothered for the entire silent walk, Jagger confirmed that he was dealing with a white sheep. After putting Kadyn to bed, Jagger invited McCree to have a drink with him at his personal bar.
[Jagger] - "So, Agent McCree, you were quite the hero the Allied needed for a while. "
Said Jagger as he poured a drink for McCree.
[McCree] - "That's nothin', partner. Ya know, that cyberknight was a piece of cake for me to handle. I did mah duty, that's all. "
[Jagger] - "No, I meant the reports, my friend. You submitted 12 reports on suspicious individuals during the last few weeks. Turns out, they are all problematic people who were fortunately arrested. "
Said Jagger as he pushed the glass toward McCree.
[McCree] - "Don't mention it, these dummies were tryin' to revolt against yer government. Ya know what I'm thinkin'? I think ya did a great job makin' the Allied Forces less corrupt by cleaning out them greedy busters. It's the least I can do for a beacon of justice as yourself. "
Said McCree before emptying his glass.
[Jagger] - "I appreciate your help, my friend. Now, can you tell me what exactly did Kadyn say earlier while she was with your people? "
Said Jagger as he stared at McCree while analyzing his expressions.
[McCree] - "Nothin' much. Just some idiotic mumbles about how you are an impostor. I mean, that cyber-psychosis must've hit her pretty hard. "
Jagger smirked mockingly at McCree before pouring another round for him.
[Jagger] - "Well, unlike your teammates, you are a very reasonable man, I can see. What do you say, my friend, if I offered you a position close to me? Trustworthy men like you are rare to come by. I want you to be a figurehead for the new Blue Guards. Imagine how inspiring it would be for you, a hero, to represent the next generation of the protectors of peace in the Allied Forces. "
[McCree] - "Hmm... Sounds pretty darn good. However, I'm not sure if I should just leave my teammates behind like this. "
Said McCree as he gulped down another glass of liquor.
[Jagger] - "People need to move past the chains holding them back. I see potential, I see a man with greatness before him. Think about it, McCree, you were the only one who managed to beat a cyberknight by yourself. Who else on your team can do that? You are different, you can be so much more. Instead of letting me be the sole man to resolve a problem, why don't you become part of the solution? "
Said Jagger with a disarming smile.
[McCree] - "God damn it, ya are quite the salesman. I'm convinced. My momma always said you either be remembered in history by making it or be just another speck of dirt living off ya own little miserable bubble. Imagine how proud would she be when she sees mah face plastered all over America. "
Said McCree with a slightly drunk expression.
[Jagger] - "Very good, we'll be in touch. "
Said Jagger with a satisfied smile.
To be continued...