Two male silhuettes emerged from the fog, which once again has taken all of London. The older, balding male looked around himself and looked at the watch to check the hour. The younger one was glaring nervously at the suitcase he was carrying.
"They're supposed to be here already."
"You sure this is the place?" Asked the younger, red haired man.
"Yes! I don't understand! They should be here! This is the place!".
"Chip Donald?" a young woman in black coat suddenly appeared out of the fog, followed by another male, simirarly dressed in black, which also was carrying a suitcase.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwoCykAeAF
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxj7w2OsUqp
"I'd rather be called Malva." the balding male said nervously.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHjFcLKmW8
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl8SDXIWgu
"Understood. Do you have the package?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuiRf2aOq0
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeenFHfwOx
"Do you have the you-know-what?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNqJ3vpFIr
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT04BO5rXfn
The woman turned her head towards her companion, who nodded understandingly and opened the suitcase639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBz4kFlLpIG
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7l36xVKDFd
"One million pounds. Cash."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZ922gNfb3
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMvTMleQ66
"Only one million!?" The young, ginger male seemed irritated. "Do you even know how hard we have worked to get this thing for you?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlTgReG6PH
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAY8QtqLlb
"Our offer is final."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrqL5FfGiM
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISEqbALMie
"Fine, Fine!" hissed Malva. "Just give us the money."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rDEGn0EeP
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvWODyg4zQ
"Let us see the inside of the suitcase first."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBB61m25Mm
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ123LntAGZf
The younger male who came with Malva seemed irritated, but the older one hushed him with one look. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVt7AYDLuGp
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1IGMS1gD3
Malva kneeled down and opened the case.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiyTZfHTFG
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkriWQphClP
"Pure Tepraparatapranium." He said, pointing at what looked like green-yellowish jelly inside the case. "Fresh from the Mines of Ora Ora. Didn't even touch it. Happy now?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrqYoJS8rO
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAfKoSaznm
"Thank you." The woman replied. "Please close the suitcase and hand it over to us."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuYdSeNhkO
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z6acmIXDj
"First you hand yours!" The younger male shouted.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxVWRpijOW
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJ4bDNlY1q
"As you wish." 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20UNgnwT2J
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lb7g2a1y9
The man in the black coat stepped forward and handed the case to Malva, who, in turn, handed him the one he was holding.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuapDzE6Zrg
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Astudd8P8
"Thank you for your cooperation." The woman said.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZbYaXhqFM
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2itytPp7I
"Likewise." Malva took a bow.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kuEbadfJu
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSooWkZJXk
The balding male patted the younger man's shoulder and they both turned around to leave, talking with each other happily.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdS3SZrMrL
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY1RVSfvgY
The woman in the black coat nodded at her partner. The male slowly has slowly reached into his pocket and picked up a small device that looked like a bigger pen or stencil. He pointed and pressed the top of the device two times.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dtzoQjVjK
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiZn4znvnw
Both of the other men instantly fell to the ground, unconcious.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hcIOJ7pB2
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8j8CcItKl
The woman calmly walked towards the bodies. She picked up the suitcase with money and kicked the younger male, so he was now laying on his back. She examined his body until she noticed a small difference on his face.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruSirsPmGy
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrg98HFc21
"Shapeshifters." The female said with disgust, looking at the man's black pupils.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0wDGKlB0p
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfaMuF72Vx
The woman corrected the position she was holding her briefcase, returned to her partner and they both walked away from the scene,slowly and silently.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA138ejJwvq
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡty7ndzSFJm
****639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdBBqThaff
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVleSoVbUl
"I swear, the food keeps getting worse and worse with every day." Jamon complained, as he, together with Aleksander, left the Cafeteria located on floor I and were slowly walking through the department towards their common room. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcDKozEkSD
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9lZiZznpy
"Oh, come on, it was not that bad." the blonde boy replied, although silently he agreed with his friend. The quality of the food definitely was not the departments' strongest aspect.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3MSs7SGLx
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87ZjePDRLS
"No, really. It was even worse than when I ate Kaszanka without knowing what it is."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNc4fk2axN
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBW35ayTgqP
"Hey!" The other boy laughed for a bit "I like kaszanka! That's one of the most popular sausages where my father comes from!"
"Dude!" The middle eastern boy looked at him horrified "But it is all blood!
"Not all of it."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2KFO7yVmJ
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf2ABiVSHD
"Well, of course not all of it. There is also fat, skin, some poor animal's lungs and liver.."
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nbAGY0Eox
"Hey..."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaInvMQSle
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnkteEEngA
"...kidneys, maybe brain even."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9qEfTbI9e
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydldtqMEaw
"Hey!" Aleksander grabbed him by the shirt and pointed at the staircase leading downstairs "Is this not your father?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGoC8EHB5h
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmQufuMqwo
Hussein Abedi was indeed going down to the basement, for reasons only he potentially knew, and he did it rather in hurry, as he ran downstairs quickly.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkrHU3KJda
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvF5SSJnP8V
"I don't care." The middle eastern boy lost all of his usual joyful spirit.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQddg85XwX
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeFFSNvZ2n
"Wait... but here it says <<RESTRICTED, ONLY APPROVED PERSONEL>>."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj5jvLuKrp
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYVwgghxIK
"Maybe he has approval." The other boy muttered. "Come on, let's go, I don't want to bum into him when he will be coming back."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡed31OsoEbQ
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuk941gIC3O
The boys made only a few steps,however, before they heard somebody shouting.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRgthzFyuX
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTWQANOqu8
"Aleks! HEY, ALEKS!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqJga3RYXp
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVnMsrhDhJ
They turned around and saw the Italian girl, Bianka running towards them.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEPxAbE3TR
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDhEEgwwfP
"Oh, hey." Aleksander smiled "What's up?"
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfRIA6rbHk
"I've been looking all over the department for you." she panted "Where have you been?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfOXWJZ8BQ
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvt6X4VhSx3
"In the cafeteria... what happened?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWUe26Lfo6
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWh3mcC1pgr
"Probably eating another sausage made from pig's blood?" The girl winced "Look,the Head Officer wants to talk to you. She said it's urgent."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKz77ppwfg
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqmHiHve0A
"Okay, let's go."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsNArh0GQJ
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EsKn4nYMb
"I think she only wants to see you this time." The girl replied and Aleksander raised his eyebrows. "I'll be going to the cafeteria."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMle6TX24v5
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSM31Vjbtn
"Well,okay then."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeimjfnEErp
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXcyReYw8V
The girl ran towards where the cafeteria was located, and the blonde boy moved forward, wondering why Head Officer Ayumi Aruta would summon only him to her office , and not anybody else.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmb4rTNCoM
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIBJMMM4Xn
"I wonder what she wants. Did I do something wrong?" The boy looked around and realized there is nobody to answer. He turned around. "Jamon?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZ1iSTFwhY
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUElvhLkQre
The middle eastern boy was standing still in the same place, pale as a rock.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nCj3zOs34
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1lWDTr2MS
"Jamon, you okay?" Aleksander asked slowly.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Un3O17Byu
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncbBYsDkJD
"Kaszanka... is made... out of a Pig?" 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DdnfIzHlH
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2cWKpNRVG
The other teenager looked terrified and Aleks suddenly understood. He closed his eyes and carefully responded.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMIsCNxrBq
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDAJefYAoj
"...Yes?..."
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5VlaVPvy1
"Oh my God!" Jamon paled even further. "But I... I did not... oh my God. OH MY GOD!"
The middle eastern boy turned around and ran away.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuEuMYWkPS
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJK20eEot6E
"Jamon, I'm sorry!" Aleksander shouted after him "I did not know, honestly!"
He was about to run off after his friend, but remembered Ayumi Aruta wanted to speak with him. Hesitantly, he turned around and headed through to her office. He was familiar with the department's corridor now.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLQYVCO0jM
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmlMPtj5Fb
The boy reached the door, and extended his hand to knock, but before he managed too, somebody shouted hysterically from the woman's room. The scream was short, but it seemed like someone was being torn apart inside the office. Aleks raised his eyebrows, but decided to knock anyway. Nothing could surprise him about those people anymore.
"Yes, come in!" Aruta responded cheerfully from the other side.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxkiROETbh
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmBhPJxtYA
Aleks opened the door, and understood he was wrong once again.
Inside, Ayumi Aruta was pulling the tail of something that looked like a half-rabbit, half chicken with no fur. The creature turned his little face towards him and squeaked again.
"I'll come back later then." The boy turned around.
"Oh, no, no, no!" Ayumi shouted "Please, don't be scared of Sonia!"
"Sonia." The boy muttered.
"I got her as a gift from Robert last week." The old woman smiled "Well, more as an apology for what happened."
"What... is she?" Aleks' eyes were still wide.
"What? Umm.... that's a good question actually. We never found out. Robert ter Maan found her during his first investigation, her egg burried under the surface. Since then, we can't understand what she is. Every test came back empty or with errors. It's like she herself did not wish to be experimented on. But she seemed friendly, so we stopped. Robert kept her since then."
"Okay." The boy simply nodded his head.
"Now, Aleksander, you might be wondering why I summoned you here, alone." Aruta lost her optimism "It's just that the matter is quite...personal." The woman sighed "You surely remember Lord Lanthra?"
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzLBYgYth7
The blonde felt his blood freeze.
"What about him?" he asked, clenching his fist.
"His right-hand man has been found unconcious on the streets of London. He was found with over one million British Pounds which were confirmed to be stolen. We have arrested him and brought him here." Aruta shook her head "Had that be it, I wouldn't summon you here. But he claims he has lost a suitcase full of Tepraparatapranium - one of Lanthra's most valued possessions."
"What's so special about that Tepra-thing?"
"It's one of the most rare and expensive materials in the whole omniverse. It can be used to cure all known sicknesses, stop aging, and what's most important to us: bring organisms back to life. I don't know how on earth Lanthra got at least one suitcase of this material, but I am sure that with this amount of Tepraparatapranium, you could resurect a dead human."
Aleksander looked at her pale, her words sinking into him.
"Wait, you mean, that using this, I... I could..."
"Not quite. In order for it to actually work, you need to use it with some other ingredients. They, however are not as hard to find, so... it's not impossible."
"Why are you helping me?" The boy asked "I mean, if I were to succeed, I will have..."
"Yes, we will have to erase your mind." Ayumi nodded "You would not remember me, your new friends, or anything that happened here. But you will have your mother back. The choice is yours."
Aleksander blinked. Choice? Sure he came to like Jamon, and Bianka, and Dagmar, and... but his mother would always be the most important person to him. And if that's the only chance he had...
"What do you want me to do?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4twnbc1XiK
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRLoZxW8SD
The old woman nodded. She stood up and activated a large monitor, showing the pictures of two people.
"The situation is not good. The material was apparently sold to some of the members of Pearl's Haven."
"Of what?"
"Pearl's Heaven. Long story short - it's a cult. A very dangerous one. Once you're in, you can never get out, they make pretty damn sure of it." Aruta was digusted "One can only wonder how they would use the Tepraparatapranium. But, the best guess is that they want to use somebody as a host."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifb3dnV0nY
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55Z2Kd4VdU
"A host for what?"
She sighed.
"They believe that a person that they kill and then resurrect can be used as a vessel for a creature they refer to as Master. Said Master will apparently lead them on a quest to purge the world, leaving anyone but them dead, and then he'll bring them to some sort of heaven."
"It's just a cult, though..." The boy muttered "That Master can't exist, can he?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5Dyw8f4Uh
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLURjkGHsl
Ayumi looked at him.
"You've seen Shapeshifters, aliens and unicorns, and yet you still say that? Of course he does exist! He just can't manifest himself yet." The woman sighed again "This is a very dangerous operation, Aleks. I'm starting to regret that I am telling you all this. Just... forget about it. I'll send someone more experienced..."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOiGqHbiT3
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OPQK4tmow
"NO!" Aleksander yelled "I'll do this! Just... tell me what do I have to do!"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9TCbwGvIs
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwPB7j8vhB
Ayumi looked at him carefully and sighed again.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2io8ftRnuA
639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXYqeaSig2
**********************************************************************
"O, brothers and sisters!" A young, brown-clothed woman walked to the center of the stage "Let us celebrate, for the Promised Day is upon us! Let us pray that the world sees the power and the truth of the Prophecy!" A few dozens people kneeled down, their heads lowered. "And tonight, we welcome a new Selected! Please, greet Aleksander Jennsen! Son, you may remove your hood now!"
The blonde slowly walked on stage. He was not feeling too comfortable in the thin, brown clothing.
"Aleksander!" The woman yelled "How come you've seen the light!?"
"I..." The teenager was starting to regret his decission quite heavily. He remembered Aruta's words: once you're in, you can never get out. They make pretty damn sure of that. Shit. "I came upon an article about you. I just got interested."
The boy turned to face the woman
" BEHOLD!" She yelled. The look in her eyes was insane. "Even through the Lies of the Fallen, the Truth will shine!"
"That's her!" Aleksander heard a voice in his left ear "That's the woman that's attacked me and my boy! I recognize her voice"
The mic and camera were placed, Aruta assured him, in such a way that it was undetectable. Still, those people were crazy. One false move, and...
Suddenly, a bell rung. Aleksander just now noticed another, old male sitting in an decorated chair on the left side of the stage.
"Brothers and Sisters!" The woman yelled "The Great One wishes to speak! Let's feed our souls on his words!"
The man stood up and everyone got quiet.
"Welcome, my children!" Despite his age, his voice was strong and clear "Welcome! It is such a joy to see the numbers of the people desiring the Truth grow so rapidly! There is not many of us yet. but soon, he world will hear the Prophecy!" Everyone raised their heads again. "The Master speaks into me! He says..." the man lowered his voice into a whisper , and his eyes became hateful. "He says there is a Snake in the Garden of Truth! ." Everyone gasped once againe. "One of us shouldn't be here.... One of us is rotten!" His smile returned again "Don't worry though! The Snake's fate will b e over by this time tommorow! And then, when the bell announces the Twelfth Hour, noone will be able to stop him! Noone!" The man started laughing maniacally, and soon was joined by dozens of throats.
Aleksander felt like he was going to pass out.
ns18.219.74.193da2
