Signs Of Humanity Chapter 10 - Sign 1
Signs of Humanity Chapter 10 - Sign 1
Sign 1
Jericho and Lilith find themselves walking in silence down one of the many dilapidated hallways of the Helix Towers. Having recovered from the ordeal of finding out the final fate of his mother and what Seon had ultimately been subjecting him to during their endless experiments, he now felt drained emotionally and physically.
Jericho wasn't up for much talking at all, he just wanted to keep heading towards their goal the sooner they got it the sooner they could leave.
The thought struck him; how would they leave? Jericho has since lost his armour that offered some protection and what Lilith was dressed in wouldn't offer any safety from the cold of the Antarctic wasteland. Now that he looked at her, he couldn't quite figure out what she was even dressed in. It seemed to be some kind of skin-tight diving suit but with metal plating on her arms and legs with ports for cables dotted about. She covered her top half with a large makeshift scarf yes, but nothing that you would consider warm. Maybe they were well and truly screwed.
Lilith felt as though Jericho had somehow gotten even quieter and looked back at him. She noticed he was staring at her the two locked eyes and she broke the silence "What"?
Jericho snapping out of his doubt-filled trance, realised he has just been staring at her quickly moved to say "Thanks again for... Before... You're good at Umm" Jericho couldn't find the words for what he wanted to say. After all, what did she do? It didn't seem like anything, he cried and she was just, 'just their letting me, but kindly?' he thought to himself.
"It's ok I have excellent bedside manner; I know how to take care of my patients," Lilith said with a warm smile.
"Right, that's it thanks," Jericho smiled.
"So where are we going now?" Lilith asked to keep Jericho's mind active and away from what had happened earlier.
"We are looking for a store room, it should be full of medical supplies, different kinds of experimental medicines, one of them is very important to my mission, it's something called All Cure". Jericho answered Lilith, he didn't see much need to keep lying to her or hiding anything from her, she knew more about him than most at this point. He just needed to make sure the truth fit into her view of the world.
"All Cure, I guess the name is self-explanatory for what this thing does." Lilith remarked with a hint of sarcasm. Jericho smiled "yes if I had of named it, I would have been a bit more cryptic, but lucky for us they weren't". Replied Jericho.
"Who is they? Anyway? You keep talking about them but you never actually say their name?" Lilith suddenly asked.
Without thinking Jericho started to answer "Seo..." But caught himself, thoughts started racing through his head "Lilith is still an experiment of Seon, what would she do if I told her that Seon is the enemy?'" "Section 13" he quickly corrected himself, "they are a small research group that works for the highest bidder. The things they work on here are of great interest to high command."
Maybe he didn't trust Lilith as much as he thought he could after all.
"I see, never heard of that before, although I'm just a grunt compared to you, so there are probably a lot of things about the enemy that I don't know," said Lilith.
"How much do you know about the enemy?" Asked Jericho.
Lilith stopped and thought for a second "I don't know", she said puzzled. "What do you mean? Like you know who we are fighting right?" Pressed Jericho.
"I don't know" strained Lilith, her eyes began to dart around like she was looking for an answer. Soon tears began to leak out, and her hands started to tremble.
Jericho grabbed her hands and spoke softly "hey, hey it's ok like you said there is plenty you don't know about the enemy and it's ok, you don't need to know it all". Lilith looked at Jericho, but she wasn't looking at him but rather through him just staring at nothing he just happened to be in the way.
"Right" she finally responded after a short pause. She whipped away the tears, looking slightly embarrassed, Jericho changed the subject to get away from whatever that was. "So, the village, seemed like a nice place, do you have any interesting stories from your time there?"
"Huh, oh yeah, heaps I have plenty, especially the kids, they can be a real hand full." Lilith cheerfully responded. "Oh, really I have my own stories about looking after kids, what are yours like?" Ask Jericho.
They both began swapping stories some funny some sad, mostly nowhere nothing stories things that felt nostalgic to hear. A good distraction, but maybe too good as they both were ignoring the little alarm bells alerting them to the other presents around them.
Although not that it was entirely their fault Marcus' body seemed to be created for this sort of thing. Using the memories given to him by Olsen it wasn't too hard to track down Lilith and Jericho. He knew their last position, where they would be heading and what they smelled like so tracking them was a breeze. It also helped they kept talking, most of the followers don't talk anymore so human voices stuck out like a sore thumb.
As far as staying hidden that was the simple part, thanks to the shape of his hands he could cling to the plumbing and light fixtures tracing the ceilings with ease. Coupled with his jet-black appearance you couldn't pick him out from the dark corners he hid in. Jericho had even glanced at him when he thought he heard a noise only to see nothing but the darkness.
The real genius came from the way his body was built, the sea of waves and mounds of flesh that covered him trapped his scent making it only a slight hint of salt in the air. Being surrounded by rusted metal and dripping sea water the smell was unnoticeable even to the most sensitive of noses. His skull, which was larger than any humans by leaps and bounds, give his brain waves plenty of dampening that mask his beta waves. Maybe a trained Psychic could pick up on it if they were looking for it, but Lilith? No way it would barely be a twitch on her scalp.
All he needed to do was stay out of sight for a couple more minutes and Olsen would contact him for an update then his job would be done.
The thought crossed his mind that maybe he could ask Olsen for a favour, like having Jericho's body so that he could have a more normal appearance again. The thought of a normal body, made his heart thump harder in his chest.
Bang, bang.
"This God damn tail!" He said to himself as it flung around bouncing off the pipes.
Hearing the loud clattering and shrill voice Lilith and Jericho spun around looking for the source of the noise. Marcus knowing his cover was blown, decided it was time to show himself. He needed to buy time until Olsen would contact him, what better way to do so than with diplomacy.
"Wait, I'm coming down, don't shoot," he said eyeing the gun in Jericho's hand. He had never been shot before and didn't know how well his body could handle that kind of damage, but today wasn't the day to find out.
"Who are you?" Shouted Jericho, his eyes darting around looking for the source of the sound. He couldn't see anything in the darkness, the sound was coming from the ceiling, but there was nothing there. Tempted he thought about using his Release, but before he could give it much thought, he noticed a mass of darkness expanding from a pipe and falling to the ground like a massive drop of liquid.
"What is that?" Lilith asked Jericho, her eyes transfixed on the thing before them.
"I'm not sure, but stay behind me and be ready to run just in case" answered Jericho. Lilith nodded in approval.
Jericho clicked off the safety and aimed squarely at what he thought might be the creature's chest. "Last chance who is there?" He demanded.
"Wait, wait, I'm coming closer just don't shoot me when you see me" Marcus pleaded.
As Marcus stepped into the little light of the hallway, his massive rat-like shape was revealed to the two figures standing before him.
Jericho unaffected by the reveal stood his ground unshaken, this was something he was prepared for, his mind racing with thoughts on what to do next, what could this Gen X's powers be?
"Is that a man in a rat costume?" Lilith's question cut through the tension like a hot knife through butter.
Jericho's thoughts completely derailed by the ludicrous question, he snapped "What? No are you blind..." Catching himself "It's clearly a mouse," he said through gritted teeth.
"What no how could it be a mouse? The tail is too thick" argued back Lilith.
Stuck in it now Jericho had to keep up this stupid conflict he had unwittingly started. "No but look at his cute, vest and pants, you don't dress up the rat to look cute".
"Umm you are right they are cute; wait do you think it's meant to be a Possum?" Relented Lilith.
"Actually, yes I think you're right it might be a Possum" agreed Jericho.
In silence all three stared at each other. Marcus wildly confused as to what was happening began to speak "what..."
"Why is there a man dressed as a Possum hanging out in a cave?" Lilith interrupted.
"Good question? Maybe he will answer?" responded Jericho.
"What is her problem?" Ask Marcus.
Not getting an answer just Jericho staring at him with dead eyes his head shifting back and forth ever so slightly telling him not to ask any more about it.
"What do we do now?" asked Marcus to Jericho, this was a little odd, why would this Gen X want to talk? So far, all the others had attacked on-site, why was this one sneaking around and hiding from them? Looking at its clothes Jericho guessed this one was as intelligent as the last one maybe more so, it seemed to be more well-spoken.
"How about we talk for a little bit, you can put the gun down I won't attack you or do anything, I'm just not looking to get shot" Marcus continued in a calm tone.
"If it's all the same to you I don't plan on letting my guard down around a stranger." Jericho spat back.
"Very well, could you at least take your finger off the trigger?" Marcus asked.
Jericho nodded and moved his finger from the trigger and rested it on the guard, keeping his eyes and the barrel of the gun pointed at Marcus.
A whisper from behind him "Jericho?"
"It's ok for now, I want to at least hear what he wants" he reassured Lilith.
"I appreciate it, now I was wondering what business two outsiders have in my home?" Marcus asked coldly.
"It's none of yours," Jericho responded.
"No, I think it is very much my business, after all, what did you say you were after? The 'All Cure' was it?" Marcus teased.
Jericho didn't respond outside of a slight frown; Lilith however broke the silence. "You heard that? We talked about that hours ago how long have you been following us?"
"Well, my odd friend, these ears aren't just for show..." Lilith's obvious confusion by his sentence was distracting, did this woman think he was wearing a costume? Even sheltered nobles deep in Seon territory knew a Gen X when they saw one. Had she been born in a cave?
"Do you know anything about it?" Jericho asked, drawing Marcus's attention.
"I should say so, I worked on it... Well, it's storage protocols more accurately". Marcus replied in a slight condescending tone.
"So, you know where it is stored then?" Lilith questioned.
"I do" replied Marcus.
"Good, then you will take us there" Jericho demanded, emphasising his sentence by clicking the hammer of the gun back and shifting his finger so it hovered over the trigger.
"I will" quickly answered Marcus in a way that almost interrupted Jericho's threat.
"Wait you will?" Stuttered Jericho.
"That simple?" Lilith followed up.
"Well, of course, I said I don't want to get shot, didn't I?" Marcus stated as a matter of fact.
"But, you're Seon? Don't you... well, you know hate people like us?" Jericho snapped back.
"I'm hardly Seon anymore, I'm more like you am I not? Also, I might have been Seon, but I'm not stupid, paying for your morals with my life is a fool's game". Said Marcus.
"Now with that out of the way why don't we head out? Lots of nasties around here, best to not let them find us" he continued.
"What about Olsen?" Jericho asked, as Marcus moved closer.
"Olsen? Well, what she doesn't know, won't hurt her, she only comes to us when she wants something and she hasn't wanted anything for a long time." Marcus responded in a calm manner.
"Not Mother Tree then?" Jericho pressed.
"No, not Mother Tree" Marcus responded in what seemed like a smile or what his misshapen face could pull off as one.
"Ok, go ahead" Jericho gestured.
"Wait you're just going to trust him now?" Lilith whispered to Jericho.
"Not at all, but we don't have much of a choice, unfortunately. Besides I don't believe he is a fanatic; he's more so just looking out for himself. I don't trust him, just trust his selfishness."
"Oh, I see... Jericho what's Seon?"
Jericho felt his breath catch in his throat. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you asked this guy if he was with Seon, and I swear you said something like that to Doctor Sam, I was wondering what it was."
Realising Lilith had no conception of Seon, it meant that they must not have programmed her to be loyal to them. Jericho breathed a sigh of relief. "Seon is the real 'Them', Section 13 is a part of it but Seon is the real deal, they are the ones making our lives hell."
"Even the enemy forces that we are fighting?" She asked grabbing Jericho's shoulder for a subconscious sense of support.
"Yes, in a way they are directly responsible for what is happening here." Jericho turned to look her in the eye to reassure her.
"Does this change much? Knowing the name of the people responsible for your suffering?" He continued.
Lilith paused for a moment, "Not really I guess, but it does help to put a name on the thing we are fighting, at least I know who I should be cursing when I can’t sleep at night’.
Jericho smiled, he couldn't tell if she was joking or not, but the smile that punctuated her sentence was enough reassurance he needed to trust her.
"Ok well, let's not keep our friend waiting any longer" Jericho motioned his head towards Marcus who was stand a couple of feet away, no doubt listening in on their conversation.
"Oh, don't mind me, I have all the time in the world after all there isn't anywhere else for me to go." Marcus gesturing to the empty hallway around them.
"Of course, mate, thanks for the courtesy, I'm sure the threat of being shot had nothing to do with it. Now if you could show us to our room." Jericho waved his gun in the direction of the hallway in front of him.
Marcus smiled and rolled his eyes as he turned to lead the pair further down the hall.
After a short time of walking in silence and getting closer to their destination Marcus was getting a little nervous. He was doing as Jericho asked and was taking the pair to the location of an All Cure supply, after all really, he didn't want to get shot. But what happens if they get there before Olsen contacts him? Is he meant to make up some excuse as to why he should continue to hang around these two mutants? Will they try and kill him when he is no longer useful?
His heart rate was beginning to race, the panic was setting in, and he was never one for improvisation. Then the hairs on his neck began to perk up and the pressure in his skull increased.
"Finally," he thought "Mother, I have them, tell Golem to meet me at medical Storage Unit 16".
As the pressure released from his skull, he swore he could hear giddy laughter echoing in his mind.