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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUh6fj6cRk
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6uFMfxbgO
"I'd rather be called Malva." the balding male said nervously.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBat7McQd8P
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoc13KUQw0e
"Understood. Do you have the package?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5avIkE7ncV
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xA9Ft6xIP
"Do you have the you-know-what?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHze8OmOOg
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tGXqXTcdk
The woman turned her head towards her companion, who nodded understandingly and opened the suitcase733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTrDdySN4I
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfufDcioW5A
"One million pounds. Cash."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJJxWIQ9r6
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnzWfYWN9h
"Only one million!?" The young, ginger male seemed irritated. "Do you even know how hard we have worked to get this thing for you?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbZAFpIGXa
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdCOjgHfa7
"Our offer is final."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Uoywj6AmG
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2j71Sjg7T
"Fine, Fine!" hissed Malva. "Just give us the money."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZFEPwrTDM
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSH7f3CSmk
"Let us see the inside of the suitcase first."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWbk2ZpsSv
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9XWK1N2p9
The younger male who came with Malva seemed irritated, but the older one hushed him with one look. 733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡws4DgWMWnk
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZhH8F6mDR
Malva kneeled down and opened the case.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oBu7Dh20P
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDHJs6crh9
"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?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVQ3XRBXPT
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi54HzZGiAb
"Thank you." The woman replied. "Please close the suitcase and hand it over to us."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHjq5hSeL5
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTRcVRqOs0
"First you hand yours!" The younger male shouted.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5ACIdJFE1
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UaMzsrRgr
"As you wish." 733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F6pYWNolP
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2i2WazOxl6
The man in the black coat stepped forward and handed the case to Malva, who, in turn, handed him the one he was holding.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHq7Nvw4gv
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjqt5ykzFU
"Thank you for your cooperation." The woman said.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLya6J09bRi
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXS52qGbXr
"Likewise." Malva took a bow.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bj2FgQ0ef
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡri49p9eOa7
The balding male patted the younger man's shoulder and they both turned around to leave, talking with each other happily.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdw0Qr757uQ
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNCcDvZNY4
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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTAcQLPFIs
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChfywiXbTF
Both of the other men instantly fell to the ground, unconcious.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFBtDxQEd0
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyJVT49d9O
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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIBcq3Zx7A
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf37bJRmi6S
"Shapeshifters." The female said with disgust, looking at the man's black pupils.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uSbsMcMUr
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4WeS0bTaO
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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlJd2Y8OMB
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWkZ6eAgdb
****733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0s2BQrygJ1
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOowiL8olv
"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. 733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BWvbBrurl
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllSAHErFYJ
"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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxb9M2AxGzX
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGELvegVw69
"No, really. It was even worse than when I ate Kaszanka without knowing what it is."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pReJOnSJu
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbgInZMZFB
"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."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoM7TlEdiiy
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCS2IOg2nht
"Well, of course not all of it. There is also fat, skin, some poor animal's lungs and liver.."
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVTSHprTo2
"Hey..."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ow2Re0OCI
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cidgb2LXU
"...kidneys, maybe brain even."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnCm3o5zn7
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeUH3SvZWF
"Hey!" Aleksander grabbed him by the shirt and pointed at the staircase leading downstairs "Is this not your father?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9A5pYCrsaR
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOL8l0QGN69
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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm59tOoSd7v
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4f6vefTR7j
"I don't care." The middle eastern boy lost all of his usual joyful spirit.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqWQI1zSkT
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrHZXjoyXN
"Wait... but here it says <<RESTRICTED, ONLY APPROVED PERSONEL>>."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GydYhQjz0
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOL9dI6Gi0b
"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."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTTiol8gwK
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuY8Wg8rS9
The boys made only a few steps,however, before they heard somebody shouting.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiX2yC2Lfk
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5l4poFaLi
"Aleks! HEY, ALEKS!"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVolT7QP8Ze
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZzfCtwqCs
They turned around and saw the Italian girl, Bianka running towards them.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfxdQyeS2X
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw71MJVqQw
"Oh, hey." Aleksander smiled "What's up?"
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDysc4klnwC
"I've been looking all over the department for you." she panted "Where have you been?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ONqoTgy1g
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNWGzjenrH
"In the cafeteria... what happened?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnvtstTel9
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtt6Yu2Kn4
"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."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLj6myMXlQS
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmtS6lSKdn
"Okay, let's go."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUmJ0L6oux
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZvvYzW6pG
"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."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkFI5zlwUT
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzoKBCuYso
"Well,okay then."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiVqfIKslH
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlTsgtiHQU
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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8T5aNNZ6kK
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49bqgj3FSE
"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?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRkHpWzUcD
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnICanzhYp
The middle eastern boy was standing still in the same place, pale as a rock.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIioTFc8GW
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbt6qSS5Xd
"Jamon, you okay?" Aleksander asked slowly.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay2PQmyVsI
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkw7hbte1AU
"Kaszanka... is made... out of a Pig?" 733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBmDgO4ube
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz39y07q3FV
The other teenager looked terrified and Aleks suddenly understood. He closed his eyes and carefully responded.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HM55HBMoR
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WjOzUQZSo
"...Yes?..."
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolCIrKjH6w
"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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cTXlVThT7
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHcCKzbzyv
"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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0ZugGncWC
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgxpyjZeos
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.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Oj9GZvA0y
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4blye7iIX
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?"
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1M0Sr1UK0y
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?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJILpPlDjwW
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsll5gfrKSh
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."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBaR9hZfhm
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsF9wLWvRX
"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?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNaWypfCce
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmqueL8guv
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..."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3E12KIS6z
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq84hHyadn
"NO!" Aleksander yelled "I'll do this! Just... tell me what do I have to do!"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhxIJYqcke
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhg32ftKMw4
Ayumi looked at him carefully and sighed again.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsUNHAwwlM
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"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.
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