Page 42 of Remnants: Disruption
My hands clench tightly as I steady my breathing. Blood and death is one thing. Social conflict is an entirely different type of battle.
“You’re the only fucking person who knows the whole truth, Percy,” I grit out. “And you’re the one with the gun to my head.”
Percy huffs out a breath, but it almost sounds like a choked sob. Then tears build at the corners of her amber eyes, brightening them a shade.
“I loved you like a sister,” she whispers. “You were a sister to me.”
Pain threatens to lance at my heart again, but I swallow it before it makes contact.
“It was mutual,” my voice sounds hoarse as I try to blink out the tears that might otherwise mar my electronic vision.
We stand in silence for what feels like an eternity. Then she shifts her footing, gun still leveled at me like I might lash out.
“So now what?” she asks.
“Did you learn anything from Roberts?” I ask, not yet moving away from the loaded weapon.
“He wouldn’t even let me in the fucking door,” she answers, expression tight with annoyance and exhaustion. “Pretty much told me to get a warrant and come back. As if any judge would even grant me one.”
There’s something else, but I can’t tell from anger in her voice.
“I could try—” I start, but she grips the gun tighter.
“You will stay as fucking far away from this case as possible. You’re done. We’re done.”
The rejection stings. Like she’d leveled the gun at my already torn heart and unloaded the clip into the still-beating flesh.
“You couldn’t stop me,” I say softly, backing up a step. She doesn’t follow, but the gun does. “No one can.”
“Are you a god or something?” she asks, her tone not hinting at the question being sarcastic.
I can’t help the bubble of laughter at the utter contrast between the way she sees me and the reality of it all.
“A god? No, gods don’t have fucking nightmares. Gods don’t feel alone. They don’t fear the unknown.”
“Yet you see the damned and hide amongst the shadows. You wield darkness as a weapon and walk like the world itself caters to your every whim.”
“You act like I want to be this way,” I snap, whirling to face the darkened parking structure.
I step between the shadows, moving this way and that. She spins on her heel, trying to keep her weapon pointed at me. She doesn’t move in time before I cup gently at the base of her neck.
“You think I want to be this?” I hiss, and she whirls to face me. This time the gun doesn’t come up to meet me. Only amber eyes that radiate fear.
Her fleshy hand grips loosely at the bionic elbow as her pistol falls to her side.
“I hate myself, Percy,” I hiss, closing the space between us. “I hate the person in the mirror every time I see her.”
My helmet tears free easily and I drop it on the floor beside me.
She stares up at me, eyes wide and unblinking.
“I never wanted to be this way,” I say, feeling emotion choke at my throat.
“Then turn yourself in,” her voice is small, almost tremulous as she speaks. “And we can get you some help. Let them test your powers. If you’re capable of hiding them from the Reliquary, imagine what you could do with help.”
And I can tell her offer is sincere. That she truly believes RISE would help me.
“Your faith is misplaced,” I say, bending slowly to grab my mask. “They’d only put me down.”
