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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeycdHduY9Y
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtn6Ip2yLIu
"I'd rather be called Malva." the balding male said nervously.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfn7ako6ne
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6QGpOwrvq
"Understood. Do you have the package?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkX7evlZyv
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb1tJDjWzK
"Do you have the you-know-what?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTSQQfTE2p
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3BbAYk0RV
The woman turned her head towards her companion, who nodded understandingly and opened the suitcase733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4PjDAErNL
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCtYv4LKA0
"One million pounds. Cash."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDqvhcwCMI
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmj7xFaHev
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiELrLPGYb
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8odJd6txj5
"Our offer is final."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPJIk7KYWk
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHaYyqkEJu
"Fine, Fine!" hissed Malva. "Just give us the money."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbLNogTz8B
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf35zqWSvyV
"Let us see the inside of the suitcase first."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUmEGuiHXx
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEmky1UA0B
The younger male who came with Malva seemed irritated, but the older one hushed him with one look. 733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpqyBNDpr6
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqBEXLccK8
Malva kneeled down and opened the case.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15Gf5byuso
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYib4PBtOMO
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFIBuiIECF
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbqBtbJQZd
"Thank you." The woman replied. "Please close the suitcase and hand it over to us."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRKrzrnzgu
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcUvvxji8w
"First you hand yours!" The younger male shouted.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpo1uSChOj
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdJDuJ5Zoz
"As you wish." 733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluEZqdFns7
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLDs8mEKIc
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nTjikuGFr
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4LhgkuK0L
"Thank you for your cooperation." The woman said.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlERBJR8o4
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnt24NUwaIQ
"Likewise." Malva took a bow.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObWa3bQ3ek
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4xUkEuvpt
The balding male patted the younger man's shoulder and they both turned around to leave, talking with each other happily.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALOaONyVMG
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCQjihA9SI
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBRu4tkCk5
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qG6wJpLvX
Both of the other men instantly fell to the ground, unconcious.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyjRLI68LL
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0GYv0MXnP
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYEXoYQuW7
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi53DiWwgTC
"Shapeshifters." The female said with disgust, looking at the man's black pupils.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIOtwQJ0ok
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDqCEDcFEL
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJObiDlCRM
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVu7cDzGCk
****733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLqgZfo4FM
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jxpQu74Of
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKDbvrqJQx
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdKP8MOMr1
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkl0w2IEie
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1Hwc1MNV6
"No, really. It was even worse than when I ate Kaszanka without knowing what it is."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzclKNJj8Ka
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjA8ShItRM3
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57I6NaOg2F
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlZ7F7mLTc
"Well, of course not all of it. There is also fat, skin, some poor animal's lungs and liver.."
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bAFR0bI1i
"Hey..."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SYm9T5oZz
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1pgXA0kue
"...kidneys, maybe brain even."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0O3I2AiBaQ
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj97I8qTIwA
"Hey!" Aleksander grabbed him by the shirt and pointed at the staircase leading downstairs "Is this not your father?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPaM6rfnm5
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxka93QxdX
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcfDNRG6nh
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZMm0FiK54
"I don't care." The middle eastern boy lost all of his usual joyful spirit.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2b29m6ngZx
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikYkfs9Wxr
"Wait... but here it says <<RESTRICTED, ONLY APPROVED PERSONEL>>."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKMm1nEevX
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzV2X0xmicU
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FnXuf3eHm
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOB4VP8xlBk
The boys made only a few steps,however, before they heard somebody shouting.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQt28oGRFY
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ043YvlBEJR
"Aleks! HEY, ALEKS!"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5wim6LKWX
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcs0fn64hKl
They turned around and saw the Italian girl, Bianka running towards them.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8N9xMD2vkz
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoipfsvcsBk
"Oh, hey." Aleksander smiled "What's up?"
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMlFHAtHls
"I've been looking all over the department for you." she panted "Where have you been?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPVJHNrvvZ
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbwbREwRDp
"In the cafeteria... what happened?"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1UvmWyU5i
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOq4VTI4Vew
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSPVhENFL9
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbrYOUgI8Y
"Okay, let's go."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUb1df94ct
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaBeBPGQiG
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiM73uKT1Y1
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqw7TRyht10
"Well,okay then."733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtf5rZj50Vp
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSLO8tswyA
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4BmR3KzQV
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8C4WYjni5
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PBOaXr4Mv
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUQfAV6dBs
The middle eastern boy was standing still in the same place, pale as a rock.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQcItuUH6I
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgGHwqyyOA
"Jamon, you okay?" Aleksander asked slowly.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjXyP2yVAl
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xIwabUJRb
"Kaszanka... is made... out of a Pig?" 733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8ivR7HpIj
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2mOv6sdBc
The other teenager looked terrified and Aleks suddenly understood. He closed his eyes and carefully responded.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jl3eg99kB
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawXRCrNkaz
"...Yes?..."
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcVzwdF4UL
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWpfOMcuLx
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVFdh4Qmty
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AXdRDhE6I
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpWqUpSuZa
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmHpxrebWZ
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7qqPM3YAP
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpl0nIKEbPP
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEbvhIewWh
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sr3f3dphL
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnjX1L8vS7
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡth22nLGyyx
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6MsmOBwvx
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDxYDzrT0O
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFcx9MsIoc
733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCsS3HMaTK
"NO!" Aleksander yelled "I'll do this! Just... tell me what do I have to do!"733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeurdctPIDx
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Ayumi looked at him carefully and sighed again.733Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6WTUhJEcS
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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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