The Disciples Chapter 1
The agent arrived in early summer on a rather chilly afternoon in June. Kate was minding her own business sitting in the living room trying to solve a rather difficult Chemistry problem, messing around with chemical structures, trying to find the molecular weight, before the agent stepped in and sucked in what seemed to be like the entire air flow in the house. The agents presence was heavy and nearly everyone around the vicinity of him seemed to almost bow down as a sign of respect.
Guests were quite frequent in the Beckett household and when the doorbell rang, no one thought of it as unusual as all of them had expected another guest. What they hadn't expected was that at their doorstep was a bringer of death. Whenever an agent showed up it wasn't like in the movies where the atmosphere would turn dark, the fall leaves would suddenly start blowing in every direction, and the sun would dim in the presence of a dark entity. That was not the case here. Everything seemed normal. Just as normal as a mailman dropping packages in front of doorsteps. Agents would show up, do their diligent duties, and be on their merry way.
Johanna Beckett was the person that ended up answering door without looking through the peephole who it was. However, once she did see him nearly all the color in her face left her, she was frozen solid to the ground daring not to move. It felt that if she had moved her body would have fallen apart.
"Ms. Beckett I presume? Do you mind if I enter your premises?"
The person on their doorstep had a deep voice that was firm and confident. It was a voice that many agents would try and replicate as it seemed to be only tone that disarmed any person that knew death was upon them. Kate knew just by the voice and the clothes the visitor on their doorstep was wearing that an agent had arrived. She still couldn't believe it. An agent was at the entrance to their home!
"My apologies! You may enter at your pleasure," replied Johanna Beckett in a shaky tone trying to remain as calm as possible. She had to let him in. There was no other choice. When the agent walked past her it felt like she was the visitor and she was in a house that belonged to the agent.
The agent stepped in the house taking in the air and making his presence known to all the inhabitants of the house. His shoes made no noise on the wooden floor as it seemed he was gliding across the floor disturbing not even the dust that may have settled on the floor. His clothes seemed to be made of the finest Turkish silk and had the appearance of a suit that seemed to almost look like a Monk's robes. The suit robe covered his body graciously as though it was a living being on its own and trying its best to keep its owner as comfortable as possible. If Kate recalled correctly, an agent had the liberty to choose whatever the color of his attire may be except the color black as in their line of duty it was a color that was deemed too offensive. Black was a color that is used to convey moments that lack the presence of light and agents were the opposite. They had to convey onto their victims as much as possible that they were the agents of light and they represented the humane side of human beings and that is why they did the jobs they had took upon themselves.
Many agents chose their colors to be bright as possible while other chose a color that was rather dim and pale but not overtly so that they appear black. The suit robe the agent had on glided across the floor flawlessly and anyone in the world could recognize an agent from far just from their attire as that how much unique they were. No one in the public could wear the same attire and if they were the punishment would make the person wish they had been a nudist instead. The clothes of an agent made many run out of fear while at the same time it attracted many others towards them.
The color quite often times displayed the agents persona or rather what their personality was like. This particular agents robes were beige in color and it was quite pleasant on the eyes as it was not overtly white. However, that did not change why the agent was here.
The agent removed a beanie he had been wearing, a little unusual for an agent, which revealed a perfectly cut fade hairstyle, his skin was black his but his face was cold which could have been the result of the cold weather outside. His eyes seemed almost dead but still had some fire in them from what was about to take place. Kate got up from her sitting position out of pure shock and fear rather than respect. She was taking deep breathes now and almost hyperventilating on the site of the agent. Her knees were losing nearly all the strength they had and her whole body was trembling in fear no matter how much she tried to tighten her muscles. She tried to present her best self and did not want the agent to see her in a weak state of despair.
"The cold is seeping in. Would you mind closing the door?" the agent asked Kate's mother. She did as she was commanded and as she closed the door Kate could tell from just her body language just how hard this was for her. Once the door was closed that meant the agent was truly in their house and he wasn't leaving without taking something that almost everyone deemed precious.
The agents gaze swept across the house and spotted Kate in an instant giving her a small smile. "Why hello there, Katherine," said the agent. The mere fact that the agent knew her name and the way he said it in a deep calm tone shook Kate to her core. She was now even more frozen to where she was standing if that were possible.
"Katherine! Stop staring dear. That's awfully rude," said her mother in a hurried tone. "Say hello to our honorable guest."
"Good evening, Sir. I hope you are doing well."
"Hello" said Kate's younger brother, Ryan Beckett, in a squeaky voice who had come running out of his bedroom once he had heard the doorbell ring. He had heard the deep voice of the agent and suddenly all the energy the young one had drained in an instant. Once he saw the agent he could barely squeak out the greeting that his mother was insistent on. He quickly looked at Kate and then his mother in a worried look. Whose life was the agent going to take? Who was the chosen one? Will it be him? Will it be his sister? His parents?
"The smell in this house is pleasant. Someone must be cooking," said the agent observing Ryan for a few moments as he breathed in the smell of a well-cooked meat loaf. "I was right to assume this was the house where the smell was coming from."
"I was just about done with the meat loaf, sir. It is not that special." Her whole life Kate had never seen her mother so weak and fearful while talking to someone. The confident and independent Johanna Beckett was replaced by a woman who didn't know what reality she would be in the next hour. Or rather her whole family would in.
"That sounds lovely," said the agent, "and that is especially good for I do not require special meals." He walked over to the living room and awaited a meal from the mother of the household.
All agents had to eat. Maybe he was here to eat a meal and be on his merry way to complete his real mission?. Could that be the reason he was here? Every restaurant in the world opened their doors to agents and not one dared charge them a price for the meal they had served. Why was he here then? Was he that hungry? Was he in the mood for a well-cooked homemade meal? Kate had heard rumors that some agents wanted their victims to make them a meal before the agent did what they had to. Is that what this agents ritual was? Eat before the victim and then take their lives?
Kate did not know what the agents intentions were and he didn't show them either as he sat down and seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. The Beckett's could only look and give him whatever he desired. Kate wondered whether the food that the agent eats could spare them their lives as it was often the case for people to do whatever was possible to sway the agents motivations in their favor.
Johanna Beckett reentered the living room with a drink in her hand for the agent had requested it and quickly went back to the kitchen to refine the most important she had ever made in her life. Kate had to admit that her mother was not exactly the best cook as most days she would home and quickly whip up a serviceable meal. But tonight, it was different. Their entire existence depended on this meal no matter how absurd that sounded. Kate's father was on his way home and she wondered whether they would perish before her father arrived. Was the agent waiting for him? She couldn't get anything from the agents face and that frustrated her to no end.
To say Kate was petrified would be an understatement. In front of her was a man that could kill all of them right now and it would be deemed legal under the eyes of the law. She wanted to run away. She wanted to hide. She wanted this to be a dream or a nightmare. But she didn't run away. Her mother didn't raise her that way and that's why she stayed in the living room looking and observing the agent in every detail possible. She wished she could read his mind but he gave nothing. It was as though a stone figurine had been placed in their homes except it was alive and very much breathing. Ryan was right next to her which surprised Kate but she could easily feel his anxiety and his little body trembling in fear. She wanted to comfort him and tell him everything would be okay but she was at a loss for words. She couldn't lie to him. He knew what was coming and she felt a tight knot in her stomach knowing full well she couldn't do anything.
The agent finally introduced himself and pronounced his name to be Agent Montgomery.
Ryan's eyes lit up in recognition.
"I…did…I did…A report on you, Agent Montgomery," said Ryan yet again in a squeaky tone. "The name rings deep in the philosophical and detective reasoning field from the old days."
This made Agent Montgomery smile. "I picked his name for he was one of the finest investigators from the old days. He was truly one of the greats. Shame the people in that age did not appreciate him enough and for what he had done for deductive reasoning. The world would be a lot less knowledgeable without him."
"I am not sure but I am pretty sure I have you in my Agent Card Collection deck," said Ryan. "I have nearly all the Agents in my deck from the Americas. You looked younger in the deck collection though."
Agent Montgomery looked to be his fifties from the way his face looked but his hair told another story. The faded hairstyle was crisp and clean but his face told a story of a veteran that had faced countless wars. It was quite a shock to Kate that a person could let themselves reach this age as many preferred to be in their twenties for their entire existence by resetting their age barometer. Kate truly wondered how old he truly was. 140? 130? How long had it been since the agent had been given the duty of taking people's lives?
"May I ask a question Agent Montgomery?" Kate asked.
"Go ahead child"
"Is your appearance your true age or have you chosen to look that old?"
Her mother had come back into the room and had heard ask the question which horrified her. "Kate! What an unwise question to ask! Apologize!"
"Never mind that I like questions that are direct. Helps me answer questions in short terms," replied Agent Montgomery bemused by the girl in front of him. "She is truly an honest person in heart and I will give you my honest answer. I have forgotten my true age but alas I do remember that it is between the ages of 180 and 190. For the reason I choose to look this old is because the people I pass on are comforted by it. They are of the belief that I am the wise and sensible."
This made him smile a little.
"Is that why you are here?" asked Ryan trembling. "Are you going to kill one of us?"
Agent Montgomery gave Ryan a small smile.
"Dinner is ready I presume. I am here to eat that is all."
No one believed him.
Jim Beckett arrived right before dinner was being served. He had a grave look on his face that meant he had been foretold by Kate's mother of the guest he was going to meet upon his arrival. Despite that he presented himself in a respectable manner and presented himself before the agent who greeted him with a handshake. Kate knew deep down that behind the professional behavior was a man that was trembling in fear of what was about to happen to his family.
The meal began and it happened to be the most awkward dinner they had together as a family. The silence was often times broken by the agent with comments such as "This is what a home should be" "What a nice drink this is I must say. The flavor is impeccable" "This is the best meatloaf I have had in the Americas. Swear upon me." Despite the compliments the Beckett family had a hard time responding in good faith as their guest wasn't exactly a neighbor from down the street.
"I must confess that I have not seen you around this neighborhood, Honorable Agent Montgomery," said Jim Beckett finally breaking the ice from the family's end.
"And you have thought right. My visit to these parts are very rare," he replied. "As you may know many of my colleagues are quite famous and love to be in the eye of the public. But I am not of the same cloth. I do not prefer the fame. Rather the anonymity of the duty is what I desire. It makes the job more manageable."
Kate seemed irritated by that comment. "So, you're saying there is a right way to take someone's life? A manageable way?"
The agent contemplated the question for a few moments and then replied, "There are ways that I feel personally are of the savage nature. But there are ways that are deemed the right way. The inner personality comes in play here."
The meal came to an end and then the agent spoke again, "Now that the meal is done. Would you be kind enough to tell me more what the Beckett family is about?"
It didn't seem like a question or even an inquiry. It was a demand that needed to be met. Kate was perplexed on what type of game this agent was playing. She wondered if he was genuinely interested in her family. Was this how he played with his subjects? She knew that the agent was aware of their names and most likely other personal details. So then again why would he ask?
Johanna Beckett went first. "I am a food scientist."
"I am a History professor at the state university," said Jim Beckett.
The agent looked more interested in Kate's mother response and asked, "Why cook from scratch then? You're a food scientist by profession. You can whip up a steak from a pill."
"True, most of the product we produce is available in pill form," she replied wiping her mouth with a table cloth.
"Then what is the use of more food scientists? Almost all food that is desired is ready in pill form," said the agent in a questioning tone.
This made Kate quite uncomfortable. The agent had questioned the very existence of food scientists. The world was overpopulated and needed stabilization. Where did food scientists fit in if the battle of food consumption was solved scientifically?
Kate looked at her mother whose face had turned pale white. She was now questioning her existence and trying to rebuttal the agents claim of the importance of her mortality. "Food is always involving. We need new techniques. Efficiency is key. There is always room for improvement. People's tastes are ever changing."
"And my dad's job is extremely important too! He is a history professor and is needed to remind us of the past!" pipped Ryan in a surprise outburst.
"What history?" asked the agent slightly agitated. "The past is in the past and if anyone wanted to know then is a professor really needed? We can teach ourselves theoretical physics now. The past is set in stone and the future I think you all agree is already set in stone. We have peaked to say the least."
The Beckett family was shocked and nearly all hope they had was starting to diminish by what the agent had said. Kate on the other hand was deep in thought about what the agent had said. She knew what he was trying to convey and deep down in the dark parts of her logical side it made sense. Humanity had a reached a point where further advancement would take a miracle. There were little to no questions that were left unanswered. That meant each person was inherently equal to each other. Was there anything left that could not be deemed useless? This made Kate quite mad to her inner core but even then she knew what he was saying was right.
Kate was the hothead of the family and often times it was the case that her anger lead her down a warpath and deal with the repercussions later. And even with the presence of the agent it did not deter Kate from being a straight shooter.
"What exactly are you here for apart from the obvious? If you want to take one of our lives the do so and stop with these unnecessary inquiries. This is psychological torture!" said Kate exasperated.
Her mother suddenly started coughing and her father seemed ready to grab her from across the table and drag her to her room.
"Katherine Beckett! What in the name of Archimedes did you just say? Have some decency!" exclaimed her mother who was still in a fit of coughing.
"You don't understand mother! He is here. He won't leave without completing his duty. Get it over with and we all know that in his head he already knows who is going away forever. Isn't that right Agent Montgomery?" asked Kate in a sudden outburst response to her mother.
The agent was unfazed by Kate. "Not all of us know who we are going to take," he replied gently. "Remember every single agent is different one way or another."
Ryan was crying now. He knew what was about to happen. The boy would not stop even when his father consoled him.
"You're right however that all agents must commit this act of killing," said Agent Montgomery somberly. "But we are people too. We need to eat, sleep, and yes we must talk as well."
Kate suddenly got up with her plate and said, "I hope the meal was adequate and you may depart from these premises."
Jim Beckett was the first one to break. He broke down in instant with tears welling up in his eyes and his hands shaking as a result. He quickly left his seat and got on his knees begging the agent for mercy. Kate couldn't believe her own father was on his knees and on the verge of crying. "She doesn't know what she is talking about, Your Highness. She's too hot headed as you can see and I, as his father, would take the punishment for her actions. I beg of you!"
The agent pondered for a few seconds and stood looking at Kate's father with a stoic expression. "I don't see why you need to apologize. As an agent we sought for people that challenge us in any way be it mentally or physically. The only thing we come across are people sucking up to us in any way possible lavishing us with riches that we don't really deserve and praise that is not warranted. It's a parade of admirers that are forced to do things they don't want to. Sometimes it is necessary for us to face a challenge. Someone to stand against us. Question us and our morality. Our ethics. It makes us, at least me personally, feel that I am still a human being."
He then walked across the dining area and took a knife from the kitchen looking at the blade with piercing eyes. The blade glistened in the light. It was sharp and ready to be used upon its masters command. He then stabbed the air with lethal force in different directions as if checking how it would do in battle.
Ryan was now completely sobbing and no matter what his father did it did not stop him from wailing out loud from what was about to take place. His father was at a loss for words and tightened his grip on his sons shoulders to keep him from completely falling apart.
Slowly the agent walked out of the kitchen and approached Johanna Beckett.
Kate Beckett was ready for that and ready to protect her mother at all costs even if it meant losing her own life from protecting her. Her plan was to throw herself in the path of the blade and give her mother enough time to escape somehow. But she knew deep down that it was impossible to escape once an agent had decided to end your life.
The agent stood a few feet from Kate's mother and instead of swinging the knife held out his other hand which had an orange bracelet adorning his wrist. The bracelet had a small blueish diamond in the middle that held the chain of the bracelet together. It was the bracelet that all agents around the world wore and the significance of what this agent was about to do was astronomical.
"Kiss the diamond, Ms. Beckett."
"What is the meaning of this…" said Johanna exasperated on what was taking place in front of her.
"JOHANNA! JUST DO IT!" her husband bellowed at the top of his lungs
Johanna wiped the tears off her face and did what she was told by the agent and kissed the diamond. It turned a bright blue color which meant that all the other bracelets around the world would turn blue indicating that Johanna Beckett was immune from death by an agent for an entire year starting from today.
The agent smiled at the sight of the bright blue color and seemed content on what had transpired today at the Beckett household. He then decided that they deserved the truth.
"The reason for my trip was that your neighbor was chosen to be passed on today," he said nonchalantly. "Nikki Heat was the one chosen but as it happens she was not home. And my stomach was quite in the need for fulfillment."
He walked towards Ryan and brushed his hair slightly as though he were a dog but for some reason it calmed him down almost instantly. The agent then walked towards the door with the knife firmly in his grasp and leaving nothing to the imagination on how their neighbor would meet her end. He quickly turned around and looked directly at Kate.
"You my child," said the agent. "Would make for an excellent agent as you have seen through the mirages this world has put up. You have seen the light when many choose to be ignorant and stay in the dark."
Kate felt ill at the mere thought of her being an agent. "Not on my life. Why would I ever become death?"
"Alas," replied Agent Montgomery. "You have already passed the initial test."
He then opened the door and walked towards the neighbor's house to cease her existence.
Not one of the family members spoke to each other that day. It was dead silence. None of them spoke of the death that had taken place right next door to them and how close each one of them were to being picked. Jim Beckett had turned on the TV to a very high volume to drown any noise that would have seeped through the walls of their neighbor. There was no noise. It was silent. Death had arrived in the doorstep of Nikki Heat silently as the night itself and taken her away in one swift motion.
Nearly two hours later the agent knocked on their door again. This time it was Kate who had opened the door and not a single drop of blood was seen on the suit robe that the agent had worn. It was a clean job and he had done without any trouble. Kate noticed the knife was still in his hands but it was clean as well and he handed it to Kate.
"You can keep it," said Kate not taking her eyes off the agent. "Doubt we will have any use for it."
"There must be a use for it," said the agent not taking his eyes off her either. "Keep it as a reminder."
"What exactly must we be reminded of?" asked Kate bitterly knowing the answer full well.
"We as agents are tools that bring upon death. We are the bringers of death. It is you and your parents that bring upon death upon themselves. It is your own willingness to end thyself. And I ask you to share that burden with me."
He then placed the knife gently into the hands of Kate and then walked away slowly into the gentle night. She watched him turn a corner and disappear into the darkness. She then walked to the garbage can in the kitchen and disposed of it while still feeling the vibrations in her hands of the act that knife had committed.
Word From The Author: I AM BACK FOLKS! With yet another original story for Kate and Castle!. The premise of this story is rather strange I have to say but it is something that I have been thinking and needed to do something with it and this was the result. I hope you enjoyed this opening chapter. There is much more to come I promise. Please Review! I need to know what you are thinking!
