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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7b1b1Yw9LC
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"I'd rather be called Malva." the balding male said nervously.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNNEMyjXDR
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dVoMs1BAH
"Understood. Do you have the package?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqB5Suk0z6
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlF6IDYyff
"Do you have the you-know-what?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvlg4IouMS
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkt6NKHqmo
The woman turned her head towards her companion, who nodded understandingly and opened the suitcase626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkYYLHcP6H
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9S6r0ECxBv
"One million pounds. Cash."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQm08SIxAPl
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepoFkJYxWC
"Only one million!?" The young, ginger male seemed irritated. "Do you even know how hard we have worked to get this thing for you?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbGndDN8kE
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZoAMJIl2C
"Our offer is final."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRme15mf4TT
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"Fine, Fine!" hissed Malva. "Just give us the money."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gFnYeCgwQ
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsx6gOoJrG
"Let us see the inside of the suitcase first."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSH5obgmhT
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUIN7MJoTk
The younger male who came with Malva seemed irritated, but the older one hushed him with one look. 626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGbgLsaVeG
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YCAQs7Q60
Malva kneeled down and opened the case.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUBJGJgbCt
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"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?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66YM49m1p9
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpY5wWU1ECO
"Thank you." The woman replied. "Please close the suitcase and hand it over to us."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgcNP3YCKH
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CXQHZLDl3
"First you hand yours!" The younger male shouted.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYUm2IY4IJ
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbYHB6AwfP
"As you wish." 626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCLGlmNJQC
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hChPeySyC
The man in the black coat stepped forward and handed the case to Malva, who, in turn, handed him the one he was holding.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT72vh1rW5t
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfYUgEez6n
"Thank you for your cooperation." The woman said.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZGpJhT2kV
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMuic0yawg
"Likewise." Malva took a bow.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyUCKMKFPC
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSz5cwMNo5M
The balding male patted the younger man's shoulder and they both turned around to leave, talking with each other happily.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGlJFxpCIj
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNl9nE1opi
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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmSWRNq7Bk
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1HYIXdJtf
Both of the other men instantly fell to the ground, unconcious.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeB5MxEIRq
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrsAFh1q1A
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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JTxsMMKsp
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGAUADWLoj
"Shapeshifters." The female said with disgust, looking at the man's black pupils.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Z02UL84eD
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDT2q2tAhw
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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIq0Em7VhrH
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWUoVZLeQe
****626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMXoBHI5kr
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMF0URpYAl
"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. 626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpRgzMHKWA
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhykuyXMKO
"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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigODrL1x0r
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCN1ob4g7X
"No, really. It was even worse than when I ate Kaszanka without knowing what it is."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvZJclVc6X
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlQlKaZDmW
"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."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCZTtbNeEQ
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMFzdFKSqh
"Well, of course not all of it. There is also fat, skin, some poor animal's lungs and liver.."
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeFVVov5kG
"Hey..."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCUkvHOrSt
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjLixU16H5
"...kidneys, maybe brain even."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0vUwjzaSE
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVReaHR6STq
"Hey!" Aleksander grabbed him by the shirt and pointed at the staircase leading downstairs "Is this not your father?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIqnGIOPuK
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhhUSXWTu5
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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvNJ7kzMTr
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaPePNMqOq
"I don't care." The middle eastern boy lost all of his usual joyful spirit.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccPhabnOfY
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqN1GKotXL
"Wait... but here it says <<RESTRICTED, ONLY APPROVED PERSONEL>>."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROZDvNNEP8
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwJujtUFVW
"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."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82sTA48SZT
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxFXNnzSwQ
The boys made only a few steps,however, before they heard somebody shouting.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWa68IPENU
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ227o8nQfc
"Aleks! HEY, ALEKS!"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgsASz6lKN
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvs65rYNo3
They turned around and saw the Italian girl, Bianka running towards them.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCj5gvG69aR
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"Oh, hey." Aleksander smiled "What's up?"
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLNkEoBA0V
"I've been looking all over the department for you." she panted "Where have you been?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeXT7Wmc5P
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzegdquaIe3
"In the cafeteria... what happened?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo22p1dWjvq
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZRTTlsU49
"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."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dtALW0ioZ
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYY4SWBBfUW
"Okay, let's go."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH6gmUGUUj
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsVy8APGAM
"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."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5R3OYHAsNX
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81dwhmfnv6
"Well,okay then."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiKbzPi8M0
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73W2nWjTZb
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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZDB2m2kZd
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8aSJxI1h2
"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?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuljPXvHYA
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaITENnj5ny
The middle eastern boy was standing still in the same place, pale as a rock.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQLjl0Tmhb
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLpv5kBKgy
"Jamon, you okay?" Aleksander asked slowly.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPYYitCXZM
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UzFqyXbtY
"Kaszanka... is made... out of a Pig?" 626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdlNTi9nIS
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P80c5hVva
The other teenager looked terrified and Aleks suddenly understood. He closed his eyes and carefully responded.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQKtwrLhFG
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvlvqHGU1K
"...Yes?..."
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"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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziNA2IiHo8
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnudThBsqHZ
"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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzlJ5z99oy
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HPHyynBoS
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.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ56EBHUQSY
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWr84gKhUdo
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?"
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXixotTKQ2Z
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?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylXmTNs7IJ
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pzZP5V6rf
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."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtw52lmgzF
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd70FiR3djc
"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?"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqChNmdgoBh
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12Rqi27bkW
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..."626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45Cin25yBz
626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfFBXCsl01
"NO!" Aleksander yelled "I'll do this! Just... tell me what do I have to do!"626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWhhjT35Sn
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Ayumi looked at him carefully and sighed again.626Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRIn5KMcG5
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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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