I clenched my fingers around the knives and pointed them towards the trespassers.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAvxprw4ZXKM
Adrien stared me down. "You don't want to mess with me, Atlas. I've obliterated men that are three times your size and twice as strong. I could kill you in an instant if I wanted to, so I suggest you stand down."
411Please respect copyright.PENANApWADp7hnbh
My resolve faltered, I disconnected my cerebral link with Chase, and I lowered the knives. I knew I couldn't survive a fight with Adrien Kumar.
411Please respect copyright.PENANANF2E2Vl48r
Chase shot me a look that said. Are you crazy?
411Please respect copyright.PENANAilnuLN0eUI
Gabriel folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "Tuck those knives away, Curseword. You don't want to get on my bad side."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAxCq0nYalTE
"I'm pretty sure he already got on your bad side when he pickpocketed the map from you," Chase said.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA6Ai8swhTWS
Gabriel waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, the map. I don't care about the map. You can keep it. That thing is way more trouble than it's worth."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAB4YyvB4hQo
"Yeah right!" I snapped. "You sent someone after us!"
411Please respect copyright.PENANA8HnWM2odaH
"I have no clue what you're talking about, and I really don't care. I'm here to discuss something else," Gabriel said.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAbyqjTxMCqP
What other reason could he have for being here? I'll admit it, he'd piqued my interest. I wanted to know why he was here. I clenched my teeth and shot him a dirty look, as I sheathed my knives.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA3Wp22f68wj
Gabriel shot me a satisfied smirk. "Attaboy. Let's talk things out, like gentlemen. By the way, I like your suit."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAJEg7anlVl4
Now I'm tempted to burn the suit out of spite. "If you're not here for the map, then why are you here?"
411Please respect copyright.PENANA9ISDC5fBvt
Adrien pounded his fists on the nightstand. "I want to know what happened to my favorite fighter!"
411Please respect copyright.PENANARavRSBNBwm
"How should I know?" Chase asked.
411Please respect copyright.PENANArsgZPeEl5U
"Ever since your little pathetic little skirmish at the Cybrawl, Vindicator has been MIA, and I'd like to know what the hell happened to him!" Adrien spat.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAAdAfmWmUPO
"Oh, Vindicator is your favorite? You should pick someone better. We kicked his ass twice in less than twenty-four hours." Chase said.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAKizQmy9AV2
"Hey, he's new at this!" Adrien defended. "With time, he'll grow up to be an absolute terror in the arena like me." Adrien shot me an icy stare, and said, "Gabriel has his favorite fighters and I have mine."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAYUrmdrQT3D
"Well, I've got some bad news about your golden boy, we kinda sorta threw him into the sea," Chase said sheepishly.
411Please respect copyright.PENANASMYmkf3wv2
Gabriel quirked an eyebrow. "You two tossed him into the ocean?"
411Please respect copyright.PENANAMMB6dDhvFU
Chase nodded. "We chucked his ass into the sea, just like Rose threw the necklace at the end of Titanic. I'm pretty sure he's gone for good now. What a shame."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAR6sI1HwnvN
Gabriel shot me a piercing stare. "You're being awfully quiet."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAzlhmp34SXh
"I haven't made a sound in five years." I signed.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAYeF2ynjySW
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Do you want to tell me what really happened?"
411Please respect copyright.PENANAYJiSaZXfVB
I shrugged. "It's exactly like Chase said. He's probably lying dead on the ocean floor."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAKd1ZU59xv1
Gabriel shot me a disbelieving look. Then why does our tracker say he's in this house."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAFmw3AucTqC
I froze. He's in this mansion right now? He can't be! The last thing we need is another obstacle in our heist.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA0z5PvMJwcK
"You track your fighters?" Chase asked.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA3TNmW0YXJO
"Of course I do. It's important to keep tabs on my investments," Gabriel said. "Ever since footage of your Cybrawl went viral, he disappeared without a word. I doubt that's a coincidence."
411Please respect copyright.PENANASicdOaffRl
"Are you implying we kidnapped him?" I asked.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA69OmNPetbL
Gabriel picked at his nails. "I'm not implying anything, I just want to get to the bottom of this."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAaJr3sOluXL
"Wait! Our Cybrawl went viral?" Chase interrupted.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA8BV1Yt21Ao
Gabriel nodded. "All the fans are talking about it."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAIDhYdRmuvU
"What are they saying?" Chase twirled his thumbs anxiously."
411Please respect copyright.PENANASBAIcm4Dq0
"They hate it," Adrien remarked.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAYVPykHRkFt
"It's one of the lowest-rated fights of the decade," Gabriel said.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAw9pHoy53RU
"Some fans are calling it the worst Cybrawl of all time," Adrien added. "Quite frankly, there wasn't nearly enough carnage to satisfy the audience."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAMNheR4b1R2
Chase scoffed. "Sorry, I wasn't brutalized enough for you."
411Please respect copyright.PENANADiPGFZRGUj
Adrien scowled. "Apology not accepted."
411Please respect copyright.PENANA5KSvp6Qe17
"Let's get back to the topic at hand. Vindicator. I know you sent him after us! He told us so himself."
411Please respect copyright.PENANATPttcwIyUF
"That's ridiculous. Do you think we'd ever waste one of our most promising fighters on someone as insignificant as you?" Adrien sneered.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAiNHTsnbdUV
I glanced from Gabriel to Adrien, searching for any telltale signs of dishonesty, but I couldn't detect any. "Vindicator said you sent him after us."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAbjeZ1El4DD
"That'snot entirely true," Chase interjected. "What he actually said was," He lowered his voice into a poor impression of Vindicator. "You stole it from my employer, Gabriel St. Martin, and I've come to take it back." Chase quoted. "Technically, he never said Gabriel sent him. It was just implied."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAO1eugVl2Sn
I whirled around to glower at Chase. "What side are you on?"
411Please respect copyright.PENANAxQPxIMc4Yg
Chase raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just relaying what happened so we can get to the bottom of this.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAUSFBnjc3Ew
Gabriel shook his head. "You should know better than to jump to conclusions, Curseword."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAp4M8qmnlh4
I clenched my teeth and waved my arms furiously as I signed. "Do you expect me to believe that you'd let me go after I stole from you? I've seen firsthand how you treat your enemies."
411Please respect copyright.PENANArclcjyRzuf
Gabriel's expression softened. "Deep down, I've always had a soft spot for you, Atlas. I can never stay mad at you, no matter how badly, I might want to. You're not my enemy, you're my Godson."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAl4pE1QpEEB
I refused to make eye contact. "Give me one good reason why I should trust you."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAco3tXYsAXZ
Gabriel slid his hands into his pockets. "I don't have one. I suppose you'll have to take my word for it. "
411Please respect copyright.PENANA4bXs91NwBj
I rolled my eyes. "We both know your word isn't worth a damn thing."
411Please respect copyright.PENANA9Qc9FK15ho
Adrien laughed. "He's right, Gabriel. No one in their right mind would trust you as far as they could throw you."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAA0YPQE0XUm
We're supposed to be partners, Adrien. You're supposed to back me up!" Gabriel hissed.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAqQ6wbz0JMW
Adrien picked at his nails with an unamused expression on his face. "I'm my own partner. You should know that by now."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAzPlo4xjAUj
Gabriel muttered something foul-sounding under his breath.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA1H4DSx8Fqm
"Why would Vindicator come after us if you didn't send him?" Chase asked.
411Please respect copyright.PENANACqFlZUKfH5
"I don't know. That's a question you'll have to ask him yourself, but I'd guess it's because that map is worth a lot of money. He probably wanted to sell it," Gabriel said.
411Please respect copyright.PENANApiYS1TeEN7
I stroked my chin, then shook my head. "No, that seems out of character for him. He doesn't come across as the type to be driven by money. His motives feel much more personal."
411Please respect copyright.PENANA48yl8ZnA69
Gabriel gave a half shrug. "You could be right. I don't know what the fighters are like outside the arena. It's better that way. It's best not to get too attached to any one fighter. Most of them don't last long."
411Please respect copyright.PENANA6xR1Qx5MqD
Adrien pushed his glasses up his nose and shot me a discerning stare. "You act as if you know him."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAfT9gu9JJB0
"Yeah, we've had a few run-ins with him." I crossed my arms across my chest.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAquTQpDrkuu
Adrien didn't waver. "No, you know him, don't you?"
411Please respect copyright.PENANANUT6Ar6IWm
Chase shot me I puzzled look.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA1tkqxrbXdD
I shook my head furiously. "I don't know him, I swear! About a month ago, he attacked me in an alleyway, that was the first time we met! I don't know why he hates me!"
411Please respect copyright.PENANArxuQvpANIO
"Woah, it's okay. We believe you, man. There's no need to get so worked up." Chase shot me a questioning look. "Unless there's something you're not telling me."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAOeiQ9qIuF1
My mind flashed back to the time and place where I was torn apart. The awful memory played in my head on repeat. I couldn't get his last words to me out of my head. "I'm sorry it had to be this way. I know you didn't ask for the Annihilation Code. I must protect our fellow cyborg brothers and sisters, and this is the only way. I'm sorry." My entire body trembled, and I gasped for air. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No! No! No! No! No!No! No! No! No! It can't be him! It can't be! But deep down, I knew it was. I'd suspected it for a while, but I hid my suspicions from Chase because I was in denial. I didn't want it to be true. I couldn't cope knowing the man who ripped me apart was back to finish the job. I'm not strong enough to face my past. "I said I don't know him!"I snapped.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAu83TmEtNT1
Chase recoiled. "Okay, I believe you."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAwxNXBhaCZl
I wanted to lay down and cry, and possibly throw up. This was all too much. I couldn't handle it. I shot Gabriel and Adrien the most menacing look I could muster. I pointed to the door, then signed, "Get out."
411Please respect copyright.PENANA6a49JNbCty
Adrien looked affronted. "Excuse me? Our conversation is far from over. We still don't know why Vindicator skipped town, and—"
411Please respect copyright.PENANAclD2Ty4Iom
Gabriel interrupted him. "You heard the kid, he wants us to go."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAhYclV1GMD2
"You're seriously going to leave without answers?" Adrien gave him a surprised look.
411Please respect copyright.PENANA5OoQOw1Dz3
Gabriel nodded. "I am, and you should too." He shot Atlas a pitying look. "Look at the poor thing; he's on the verge of a panic attack."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAF3N4DuXysc
Adrien laughed.
411Please respect copyright.PENANApceseIkw4F
Chase clenched his fists. "What's so funny, asshole."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAqBdB51BUA0
"Nothing, I just didn't know Gabriel became such a sissy in his old age."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAkuZY0NyDVL
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Oh please, I could beat your ass if I wanted to."
411Please respect copyright.PENANA11u8pL8sDE
"Then let's do it right here, right now! Fight me!" Adrien demanded.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAq8ahknV6PN
Gabriel shook his head. "No way. Do you remember how we got permanently banned from the Wan's residence?"
411Please respect copyright.PENANAmbQKBcUcw0
"You won't fight me because you know you'll lose." Adrien quipped.
411Please respect copyright.PENANAcpRM8uaQnk
"Whatever you say, pal. Now let's give the kid some space. He's clearly done with this conversation." Gabriel waved at me. "I'll see you around, Curseword."
411Please respect copyright.PENANA4dLs7pCMff
As the door slammed shut behind them, I let out a silent scream.
ns216.73.216.45da2