49. Don't Look Back
Cecilia inhaled as she cut through the night air, just a few paces
behind a sprinting Roufas. "Ahh, it's so refreshing to be back in the real
world."
"It must have been difficult to use your powers within Earth's
psynergy vacuum," Roufas spoke effortlessly, despite his lightning-fast
pace.
"It hurt something atrocious," Cecilia reminisced. "I
got a little carried away once and had to lift a large object. If I hadn't been
able to displace the gravity around the object to manipulate its weight, it would
have crushed me. And it was only 70,000 kg, at best!"
Roufas scoffed. "The vacuum had you that depleted? How
frightening."
"Yes," Cecilia sighed as they whizzed around a corner.
"It's a good thing Earthlings are so weak."
"Indeed," Roufas agreed. "I don't understand what Victoria
could have seen in them."
The couple zoomed down an empty back alley behind the Neon Mirage,
knocking down trash cans and debris with a psynergy-laced whoosh. Now that they
were off the main street, it was quieter. Obviously, at least one of the four
Knights had been to Enmetropolis before, since their auras moved gradually
toward the Black Sector, the most lawless and confusing area in the entire city.
In the Black Sector, dilapidated houses, apartments and lean-tos merged
and intertwined like the bones of a decomposing skeleton. The government never
paid attention to anything in this area unless its inhabitants happened to
overstep their boundaries. As a result, the community had turned into a massive
junkyard, with streets blocked off by collapsed office buildings and sewer grates
that led to underground havens. Broken neon signs from forgotten establishments
scattered the streets like locust shells. Indeed, it was as black and vile a place
as the name suggested, but Roufas and Cecilia had seen much worse.
"Mayhap they seeketh sanctuary within..." Saffron appeared
from behind a rusted streetlight and approached his partners. "Bruce, Winslow,
Mephistoclessia, and Rose pursue them now."
"They all split up?" Roufas inquired.
"With me they didst not reside." Saffron smiled sweetly.
"Figures," Roufas snorted. "We’ve never been very good
at working as a team."
*
Edward sat in an egg-shaped chair within one of Enmetropolis General Hospital’s
many treatment rooms. With awe-stricken eyes he stared at Frank's body, which
was wired up to at least three dozen separate cords and modules inside a
transparent, jelly-filled tube. It was still hard for him to swallow all that had
happened.
After exiting the portal onto the rooftop and entering a stairwell, he’d
carried Frank through a dusty, dark passageway. Their journey eventually led
them down a clear, white hallway, which Edward later learned was the back hall
to the spa area of a hotel. It wasn't too long before they were spotted
by a lone bellhop, a svelte man with a lock of pink hair and ice blue eyes who led
them to the elevator without delay.
This was Edward's first contact with someone from this other world, and
honestly, he wasn't too impressed. The young man looked unreliable, and shivered
as he eyed Frank's mutilated body.
"Wh-what happened?" the bellhop asked at last.
"He...got into a fight." Edward said awkwardly.
"I see." The bellhop swallowed. "I'll get someone to take
you to the hospital right away. This man needs serious medical help."
"Indeed." And that had been the end of their dialogue.
With the help of the hotel manager, the bellhop took Frank's body to the
Linkway, a citywide transport system that Edward couldn't quite wrap his mind
around. After an alien-looking pod carried Frank off, Edward allowed himself to
be transported through the tube as well.
After only a few moments, Edward and Frank’s pods slid out of their tubes
in a wing of a hospital. There, two masked women tied Frank's body to a stretcher
and rolled him off. Edward followed them, watching as the women hooked Frank up
to an impossibly complicated piece of medical equipment.
And there Edward sat, for what seemed like an eternity, as the alien technology
slowly pieced Frank back together. He was nervous as to what all these wires were
doing to his friend, but it’s not like he had anywhere else to go. Eventually, the
door to the chamber slid open with a soft swish, causing Edward to jump a bit in
surprise. A balding man with short, silver hair, light brown glasses and a salt-and-pepper
beard stepped in. His white smock rippled as he moved to the center of the room
and began to study Frank.
"Are you the doctor?" Edward ventured.
The man turned quickly, adjusting his thick glasses, and looked
inquisitively at Edward. "I'm Dr. Nord Phileas, a surgeon of this
hospital. And who might you be?"
"I, uh..." Edward stood up and outstretched his hand. "I'm
Edward Darcouver. A friend of Frank's."
"You brought him here, no doubt." Phileas shook his hand, then
moved closer to Frank. "His wounds still haven't healed entirely. They
must have been quite deep."
The doctor was right. Most of the blood had been cleansed from Frank's
body, and his skin had begun regenerating. With eyes closed, he breathed
smoothly into a tube secured around his mouth, like a monstrous embryo biding its
time.
"Look, I have some questions." Edward ripped his eyes away from
the tank. "I'm...not from around here, though."
"I catch your drift." Phileas smiled. "I won't say anything
about how he got all banged up like this, either. Just ask me any questions you
might have, and maybe I can alleviate some of your confusion."
"Wow, that’s um...very nice of you. Thank you." Edward took a
breath.
"Teaching is mutually beneficial to both mentor and student."
"Well then, for starters, what’s that big tube?" Edward
scratched his head. "Where I come from, we don’t have things like that."
"I see." Phileas pulled the other egg seat from the wall and
sat opposite Edward. "We call it a regeneration tank, for lack of a more
creative name. Basically, it's created from synthesizing psynergy with modern
technology."
"Psynergy?" Edward repeated. "What do you mean by
that?"
Phileas grinned, as if he had been expecting the question. "Never
heard the term before?"
Edward felt very small. "Hey, I told you I wasn't from around
here."
"Yes." Phileas took off his glasses and stared at Edward with
eyes that almost seemed to be glowing. "Now that you mention it, I can't
sense your aura at all. It's almost like you're dead. But how can this be?
Psynergy is scientifically proven to be the very energy that supports our universe.
It's improbable. Unless..."
Edward looked at Phileas with wary eyes. "Unless what?"
"Don't tell me...you're from Earth?" Phileas asked with
intrigue.
Edward didn't know how to respond.
"Yes, it makes sense now." Phileas rubbed his beard. "This
is curious. Very curious indeed. Now, I have several questions for you. Namely,
about how you found your way into this realm."
Apprehension swam up Edward's shoulders. "Look, I'm just very,
very, lost and confused right now. My friend was hurt very badly, and we came
through a portal. I don't know much about what you're talking about, but I want
to learn. Except...first I need to know whether you're a friend or foe."
"Friend, friend!" Phileas shouted, as Edward had supposed he
would. The man's enthusiasm was almost contagious. "This sort of research chance
only comes along once in every man's life! Say, I've got an idea, friend.
You have no currency with which to pay for this medical service, now do
you?"
"I don't suppose you folks accept dollars, huh?"
"Never heard of those." Phileas's eyes glimmered. "But
I'd love to learn about them! And that is where my deal comes into play, Mr. Darcouver.
In return for saving your friend Frank's life, I wish for both of you to accompany
me to my estate tonight, so that we may all engage in an exchange of intelligence."
"Well..." Edward thought, but not for long. "I don't
really have a choice now, do I?"
"Indeed, that you do not." Phileas smiled, lips curving
beneath his thick beard. "But do not fret. It's fortunate that you met a lover
of knowledge such as I, rather than one of the many urchins that inhabit this
city. You are a lucky man, believe me."
Edward breathed out a long sigh of relief. "I guess I can take
your word for that?"
"Undoubtedly." Phileas responded absently, as if he was preoccupied
with something much more important.
Edward considered asking another question, until movement from the
regeneration tank caught his eye. Inside, Frank's eyes were open and darting
around frantically.
"We should get him out of here," Phileas said. "Especially
due to his peculiar origin. He may be panicking."
Frank tried to move his arms, an action that produced less than desirable
results. Within the thick jelly, he couldn't budge. Realizing he had merely
shifted from one nightmare to another, Frank began shivering violently.
"Let him out!" Edward shouted. "For Christ's sake, let
the poor guy out!"
"I'm getting to it," Phileas said calmly, then moved over to the
machine and shut it down. His attitude toward the whole matter solidified the
growing suspicion in Edward's mind that this doctor was much more interested in
research than he was in people.
The wires covering Frank's body retracted into the upper encasing of the
tube, which was made of a shiny blue material that Edward had seen before in the
Neon Mirage. The jelly drained out into three different pockets, and
soon Frank was left by himself, standing and shivering within the regeneration tank.
The encasing popped open, and Frank was free at last.
"Hello, my name is Dr. Nord Phileas." The doctor outstretched
his right hand to Frank, eager to shake his second Earthling hand. "It's a
pleasure to meet you."
Frank's jaw trembled as he processed his surroundings. His eyes moved from
Phileas to Edward, then back, then down to his own skin. "M...my body.
It's..."
"Healed! Regenerated!" Phileas cheered. "Frank, you have
just experienced first-hand one of the many wonders that our world holds for you.
I am sure that you will be as delighted as your friend Edward to discover all
the others."
Edward smiled at Frank, glad to see his friend in pain no more. "He's
a friend, Frank. He saved your life."
Frank looked back slowly. He was back in his skin, but still shaken.
"Don't worry, Mr. Darcouver and I have already discussed the details,"
Phileas said happily. "Now, let's get you in some clothes, Mr. Arazia, and
we shall all retire to Paradis Perdu for the night." The doctor
swerved and began rummaging through a utility closet. "There should be a
linen or two in here. Oh, I can't wait! There is so much to discuss! So much to
learn!"
Frank shook his head, looking up to Edward with cold, empty eyes.
"I...I'm seeing myself, but I still can't believe I'm alive. There...there
was so much pain...it was a living hell."
"I know," Edward grimaced, moving up and placing a hand on
his friend's shoulder. "But look where we are, Frank. We're free, and in a
good place...now, we can finally put it all behind us."
*
Doors flew off rusted hinges as Cliff exploded through a broken-down store.
He could sense Azuka and Eden nearby, but once again, it was Vance he was worried
about.
He had dashed away in a hurry, but now, Vance's momentum and direction
had changed a bit. His aura was moving at a mediocre speed, staying close to the
sidewalk and weaving as little as possible, keeping himself out in the open...as
if he was baiting someone.
Winslow, Cliff realized.
They both want revenge – this is a disaster just waiting to happen.
Directly ahead of him was a tall wired fence that guarded the crushed asphalt
remains of what was once a basketball court. Vance was somewhere down the right
end of the alley, while Azuka and Eden ran in the opposite direction to the
west.
It would have been rather easy for Cliff to catch up with Vance, had there
not been another human blocking his path. She had long blonde hair that
shimmered even in the darkness of the night, and wore a tight cocktail dress.
"You just stay right here," Rose said, parting her full lips.
"Bruce will take care of your girls for you."
Cliff turned to run, but as he moved, he felt psynergy incoming from
behind. Pulling his shotgun from his back, Cliff brought the weapon up just in
time to block a needle of green psynergy that had been launched at the back of
his neck.
"You again..." he growled, watching as the Rat crept out from
behind a brick wall. "M-"
"Mephistoclessia," Rose called out sharply. "I told you
to go on ahead."
"I just couldn't resist a chance to take out this weakling once
and for all," the woman rasped.
"Are you implying I can't?"
"Why don't you just go on ahead?" Mephistoclessia
lowered her arms and turned her full attention to Rose. "He's one of the
Knights who intercepted me in the Kantor District."
Seizing his chance, Cliff quickly charged up his shotgun and fired
straight toward the Rat's head.
Mephistoclessia held up her right hand and allowed the orb to strike
the back of her palm. As the smoke cleared, Cliff could see that she had been
prepared, and his weak attack had done nothing but singe the fabric of her
glove. Phlegm green psynergy tendrils once again emanated from the Zodiac's
body.
Without warning, they zipped toward the Vice-Captain, preparing to ensnare
him like they had months ago. This time, Cliff was prepared for what the Rat
could do. With calculated movements, he severed each thread with his hands, weaving
his own psynergy into Mephistoclessia's and nullifying it.
As he defended himself, Cliff stepped closer to his enemy. The Rat had
a vast amount of psynergy at her disposal, but she didn't seem to have any special
close-range combat abilities. The closer they were, the less he would have to
worry about.
"Just so you know, you don't scare me," Cliff whispered, charging
his shotgun once more and aiming for a point blank shot.
Mephistoclessia jerked back, preparing to soften the blow, but instead
of firing, Cliff suddenly slid to the side, whipped his weapon around and bludgeoned
Mephistoclessia's ribcage. A sharp crack echoed through the alley, followed by
a livid shriek.
Yielding to the imminent carnage, Rose quietly stepped back into the shadows
of the two-lane street. Deliquescent psynergy slid off her as she scanned the
area, and she soon broke off into a run.
"Death becometh the air," Saffron cooed as he casually walked
up behind her. "And here stand we amidst noxious effluvium."
"Right," Rose muttered, rolling her eyes. "We need to stop
Winslow."
"A dare toward damnation. Study his aura, enveng'd and lusty for blood.
He waiteth upon the moment, thirsty to face his natural enemy!"
"That's all well and good," Rose sighed, "but this isn’t
part of the plan."
"What for strength and resolve would he crush his opponent as swiftly
as an aged falcon!"
Rose cast Saffron a sidelong glance. "Trust me, he won't."
Saffron let out a defeated sigh and pawed at his hair. "How unromantic!"
Next: No Right Turn
