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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdA0LXqp90T
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4oDbHfm8w
"I'd rather be called Malva." the balding male said nervously.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrSSrXKM1M
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxu3ZPp1r5f
"Understood. Do you have the package?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERelbCxVIx
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5F9dIvOSN
"Do you have the you-know-what?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtmNcKx7tW
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURJHrA0fwq
The woman turned her head towards her companion, who nodded understandingly and opened the suitcase655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSR99y88HVj
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7toSTO1jR
"One million pounds. Cash."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQv5XfxBoe
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4M6vQWEAj
"Only one million!?" The young, ginger male seemed irritated. "Do you even know how hard we have worked to get this thing for you?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8LiqTz2U6
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSpKzTLG5L
"Our offer is final."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJvl5ftVHR
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSBpsbUyZt
"Fine, Fine!" hissed Malva. "Just give us the money."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWJl5y7pp6
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSix7z7CBE
"Let us see the inside of the suitcase first."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxfkwd85oy
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpe3bwI7Rio
The younger male who came with Malva seemed irritated, but the older one hushed him with one look. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmL8ugdXSJP
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXulmQHoqg
Malva kneeled down and opened the case.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaVuMpEejl
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsY7az0diAs
"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?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwLihDM2OQ
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAda1AaECnp
"Thank you." The woman replied. "Please close the suitcase and hand it over to us."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUOv2q3x3S
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGkC8aEnT3
"First you hand yours!" The younger male shouted.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6mCFUXhoU
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6P6M6JPiR
"As you wish." 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3nBFnJf5P
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmUWUcsTLZ
The man in the black coat stepped forward and handed the case to Malva, who, in turn, handed him the one he was holding.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBotDL9y2rQ
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnC4v4njqh
"Thank you for your cooperation." The woman said.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11ohS2rrjO
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiA8zUc3KII
"Likewise." Malva took a bow.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwvn3VWNQ0
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OUCELOJdZ
The balding male patted the younger man's shoulder and they both turned around to leave, talking with each other happily.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDKlIPYyWX
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDIFenPM2u
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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESP9NAcUVH
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKSOSIu26P
Both of the other men instantly fell to the ground, unconcious.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3R5WGn2R1
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxpDy6menb
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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRpaFynS7m
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrVdLBTTZF
"Shapeshifters." The female said with disgust, looking at the man's black pupils.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvg9jUmvt1
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDOK5WNmcF
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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaKhaHPpLR
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqEYd3nCfL
****655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaokc6mwU94
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pXLcUs4QT
"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. 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ndErJx5Im
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnLDNLXbz6
"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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KquoZZmc4
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCchpPOnQ5C
"No, really. It was even worse than when I ate Kaszanka without knowing what it is."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkggVD9pVn
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzu7Mmk0xUK
"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."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPsgygdXZ0
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeYtAzWjmZ
"Well, of course not all of it. There is also fat, skin, some poor animal's lungs and liver.."
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABe2htjS1b
"Hey..."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7w773ZzT8
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdZq50Xitx
"...kidneys, maybe brain even."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFK25YaHTe2
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIkeZbSl7q
"Hey!" Aleksander grabbed him by the shirt and pointed at the staircase leading downstairs "Is this not your father?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweyfcGAGgf
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZalMMauI8r
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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDSWC9809F
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIV4CZHW48R
"I don't care." The middle eastern boy lost all of his usual joyful spirit.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQcIFyOjlp
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKRAd1xrNT
"Wait... but here it says <<RESTRICTED, ONLY APPROVED PERSONEL>>."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGECOC9GTEJ
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4jP8iicft
"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."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWUh37DQ89
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvrwGz0N6b
The boys made only a few steps,however, before they heard somebody shouting.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqGaiTh7Mu
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGl5AYbNwxU
"Aleks! HEY, ALEKS!"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeJtmilEx3
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWndXUKjcYC
They turned around and saw the Italian girl, Bianka running towards them.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZkYNUSRij
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu9pcGLZqP
"Oh, hey." Aleksander smiled "What's up?"
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG7xohCRKR
"I've been looking all over the department for you." she panted "Where have you been?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg6yYiGjSj
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiJl0xzI2E
"In the cafeteria... what happened?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7yCvB3OvK
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqMIhcRIEe
"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."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6D67LtWzqN
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZeXgaMpm3
"Okay, let's go."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5F8hMsx3kR
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1kTuIHkfJ
"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."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoJ1jgCqrc
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyC6RTeD8a
"Well,okay then."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYGQpZDKt2
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLy5kijx5o7
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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDulxNkY1Dd
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1wcn7hx6H
"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?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIq3VtQyYHx
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQir1smImmq
The middle eastern boy was standing still in the same place, pale as a rock.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7l4gOqymEv
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleNrkbQLWu
"Jamon, you okay?" Aleksander asked slowly.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMFn5X3BGQ
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54lTB1Q6PH
"Kaszanka... is made... out of a Pig?" 655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6vGOGCrVP
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtHmHoY0kh
The other teenager looked terrified and Aleks suddenly understood. He closed his eyes and carefully responded.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcVYp1tczf
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJy8JLSwKpK
"...Yes?..."
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbP1iRdoFZQ
"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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSvVjhR77v
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGg1DaFZUKR
"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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyr16GRtVNV
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0krVZ4ynWO
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.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBuHqLp5mp
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jgsxZONZW
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?"
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgLtIol182
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?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn875CFwt2
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpy8U7tmPs
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."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuyXTAauBX
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTesHTfTWVn
"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?"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj2VgHZNl7
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxagZhKE8z
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..."655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDQwW0hkmP
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GaswPv6HS
"NO!" Aleksander yelled "I'll do this! Just... tell me what do I have to do!"655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKeotd0VZm
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9KhXdl0wV
Ayumi looked at him carefully and sighed again.655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoV0zYyx7F
655Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XIVBs6JOb
**********************************************************************
"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.
ns3.148.217.26da2
