It must have been two hours since my father left. As usual, I was sitting in my living room reading books just to pass time. I especially loved reading twentieth-century detective novels such as Hercule Poirot by the famous Agatha Christie. All this tension that was created and exacerbated by these morbid situations pleased me enormously and kept me on the edge of my seat afraid of missing a clue.
It was after reading more than twenty chapters that I decided to rest. That's when Chunli rushed into the room.
"You must pack your stuff, master, and quickly!"
"What's going on? What's going on?"
"You have to get to the surface, it's a matter of life or death."
"Then I will die here."
She stopped in her laborious task to watch my face distorted with incomprehension.
Then she came closer to me and with gentleness and love she hugged me.
"Your father was murdered during the meeting by a mercenary terrorist group, they managed to escape..."
"He agreed to use the homunculus," I said in a low voice.
"It was... you whom..." She said as she broke away from me.
"Let's go back up."
A little smile appeared in the corners of my lips, I had finally managed to get rid of him. Now all that's left is to take the next step. I approached her when she had finished putting everything away and said in a soft voice.
"You will stay with me Chunli, you are the only one I trust in this world. You will help me to fulfill my dream. And together we will build a new world."
She looked at me and didn't say anything for a minute before she opened her mouth.
"What about your brother Cheng?" she asked in a trembling voice.
"I've yet to judge their usefulness."
She nodded her head and walked towards the door pulling my suitcases. She opened the door leading to the stairs which led me to my freedom. She climbed the stairs without difficulty, unlike me, who, with every step I took, felt growing fear in my heart.
I stopped to admire the light that glowed at the end of the tunnel. Chunli stopped when she was almost there.
"Is something wrong, sir?"
I took some time to answer.
"What time is it?"
She froze on the spot, her hands tightened on the handles of the suitcases and her chest lifted irregularly.
"Answer me, please."
"I cannot tell you clearly, but it is getting dark."
"You have a watch," I said with a dark voice.
"It's dark sir, and my watch is not backlit."
I didn't answer and moved closer to her. She took the initiative to keep going up but I stopped her.
"Wait for me, I want to see the outside with you!" I said in a falsely excited voice.
I decided to take the lead when I felt cold metal on my back.
"Cheng you have to listen to me, it's not of my own free will that I'm going to ask you this. But please listen to me without rebelling."
I didn't answer and kept walking. At that moment I heard a clicking sound. There is no camera, footprints can be erased, blood can be cleaned away and life can continue outside without anyone even suspecting anything. The perfect crime.
-" Your father is dead, but he was not killed by the mercenaries. Nevertheless, the professor was shot by them leaving no trace of his research. This is your..."
Rain fell on me as Chunli fell away from me and dragged me down with her face deformed by death. As soon as I got up, steps came closer. I then decided to run towards the exit. When I got outside, I found myself in a large, immaculate white room with only the contrast of a glass pane that gave me a glimpse of what the city is like.
Wasting no time because the footsteps were getting closer, I looked out the window thinking I could get out that way. What a surprise when I could hardly see the ground because of the height.
But where am I? Am I not supposed to be in a big house hidden in the richest part of the city? What am I doing stuck in this tower!
Not knowing what to do, as the footsteps got closer I decided to go out the door. Luckily it was not closed, probably due to a lack of attention from Chunli.
I stopped and looked back at the stairs with sadness to see, for the last time, my only friend and confidence. But I had no time to spend, so I quickly opened the door and rushed out into the corridor without any clue of where to go. I have as only objective to go down and run away from this tower.
I opened all the doors I passed by, hoping to find something but there were nothing but white rooms with big windows displaying another part of the city.
"We have to find him quickly, we mustn't let him get away."
I was about to open the last door when I heard this voice followed by an alarm. The pressure and anxiety started to take over my emotions. I knew something's wrong but I don't know what still I'm afraid to figure it out.
"The subject Rei is trying to run away, I repeat the subject Rei is trying to run away. All units mobilize to subdue him."
That announcement froze me in place. Were they talking about me? I grabbed the doorknob, my face livid and my hands trembling. As soon as it opened, the imposing image of one of my brothers appeared in front of me.
"Let the party begin."