It was a tense three hours before there was any movement from the warehouse. The general's son had collapsed into a faint when he had reached the military police. The other boy had been knocked out by the manservant much to the chagrin of the medical team on standby. The calmly spoken man explained that as the situation was it would be better for both hostages to be unconscious till negotiations with the terrorists were completed. Now the negotiation team were on tenterhooks, jumping at the slightest noise. Consequently the sound of screams and gunshots from the warehouse caused them to spring into action. However the Major's manservant quickly put a stop to this.
'Stand down.' He ordered the officers, his dark brown eyes boring into the assembled officers.
'But negotiations must have broken down! We have to go in and see if there is any chance of saving the Major!' The negotiator cried, gunfire punctuating his words.
'And the Major's orders were for you to stand down and not do anything no matter what you hear.' Sebastian reminded them crisply, standing at the edge of the standoff area. 'As they are the orders of the highest ranking officer present, you must obey them. Have faith in the Major, my master knows what he is doing.'
As if on cue the screaming, shouting and gunfire abruptly ceased. An eerie silence fell over the warehouse, the attention of all officers present focused on the warehouse. With a bang, the door of the warehouse opened, slamming against the wall before rebounding off and juddering to a stop. Ciel staggered out, his once pristine uniform in disarray. Sebastian was by his side before anyone could blink, he was soon followed by the rest of the officers.
'Are you alright young master?' Sebastian asked in concern, kneeling to straighten out his young master's clothes.
'Just peachy.' Ciel replied sourly running a hand through his now dusty and dirty hair.
'You can go in now.' He said to the assembled startled officers, with a wave of his hand to the warehouse. 'They're all incapacitated. Watch out for bullet wounds, a couple of them might be dead. There's bound to be a few of them injured as well.' The officers swarmed into the warehouse. This was something that they could deal with, routine, unlike the uncanny alchemist. The young alchemist yawned, eyes scrunching up.
'I'm tired Sebastian...' he whined, looping his arms round his servant's neck and letting his body collapse against him. 'Carry me.' He ordered petulantly, much to the amusement of Abberline and the chief negotiator. The quartet watched as the terrorists were brought out from the warehouse. Abberline was puzzled and uneasy at the fearful and hate filled looks being directed at the small alchemist. However as the terrorists were brought out Abberline began to have an inkling of their fear.
Two men were meekly herded out only to start screaming at the sight of Ciel, before they had to be restrained from trying to gouge their eyes out. Another terrorist was escorted out handcuffed, his stagger walk assisted by two officers. After several steps he fell to his knees, great heaving gasps forcing their way out of him before the vomit began to pour out. He was finally escorted away, bile running down the front of his grubby clothes. Abberline glanced at Ciel and was struck by the chillingly unrelenting expression on his face. He was as cold and beautiful as marble statue, his solitary blue eye just as dead, without a shred of human feeling in them.
In that moment Abberline was petrified.
He could feel the blood churning through his body, feel the steady rasp of air as it passed in and out of his lungs, and feel the stirrings of his entrails as they digested his lunch. Abberline was aware of every little movement of his body, right down to the trembling of his hands. As the last man was carried out, Ciel turned his dead eyed stare onto the two men. In an instant the marble melted away, leaving a tired petulant child. Ciel looked at the two men sulkily, from where he was perched in Sebastian's arms.
'Debriefing. Follow me.' He said as Sebastian walked back to the temporary command base. The rocking motion soon caused the youngster to fall asleep, despite his efforts.
'Young Master, we're here.' Sebastian said softly, attempting to wake up the drowsy alchemist.
'Five more minutes.' Came the mumbled reply.
'Young Master, once you finish the debriefing, you can sleep as much as you want. I know the alchemy has exhausted you, so how about some coffee? That should wake you up.' Sebastian's words earned him an irate glare from his young charge.
'Tch,' Ciel scoffed muzzily 'I refuse to drink that poison. Make me tea.'
Sebastian sat his charge down on a rickety chair, before departing to make the requested tea. The two men took seats on the opposite side of the table. Silence fell over the three men. The Phantom alchemist blinked slower and slower, his head drooping down only to jerk back up. Finally his eyes closed and he slowly slumped to one side. The two officers shifted uneasily. What should they do? Finally Abberline pushed back his chair as he lent over the table to shake the alchemist awake.
In the instant that his hand touched the young Major he experienced the most horrific daydream he had ever had; one which would haunt his nightmares in years to come. The pitch black air around him was filled with sobbing and screams, that caused the hairs on his arms to prickle. As his eyes adjusted to the gloomy space he wished he couldn't see. His fiancée was on the ground, her face streaked with blood and dirt, obscuring the luminescence of her face in the dimness. Her usually tidy brown hair was tangled, tears leaking out from her terrified and desperate eyes as they stared blankly up at him. A scream of pain instantly drew his attention to a short figure with its back to him. It held a small figure aloft with one hand, the small figure clearly struggling for air as it choked to death. In that way that you can only know in dreams, Abberline knew the dying child was his.
With a cry of furious fear he launched himself forwards only to trip over something in the darkness. Looking back at what he had fallen over, his eyes widened as he saw the mutilated corpse of Chief Inspector Randel, small snake like arms with grabby hands taking him apart. A wet cracking crunching sound drew his attention back to his dying child. He looked in horror as the corpse of his child was dropped carelessly, to the ground and the figure turned around. Ciel Phantomhive looked down at him, coldly, dismissively, as if he were no more important than an ant. Without looking away from Abberline he dragged another red headed child into view, dropping it to the ground. The figure weakly, tried to drag its self-up, before a black booted foot crushed in back to the ground.
'Papa.' The word was no more than a whisper, but in the silent darkness it was a cry for help.
Abberline tried to call back but found himself voiceless. He made to get up and save his child but his legs wouldn't move. Dragging himself forwards, he was unable to look away from that cold blue stare as a gun was slowly drawn from the alchemist's belt. Slowly it was levelled at the struggling figure under his boot, the trigger pulled, the blast of the gunpowder exploding echoing though the lifeless space. The cold soldier didn't even flinch at the blood that spattered on his uniform and face. Casually, the Phantom alchemist tossed the gun onto the corpse before clapping his hands together in a mockery of prayer. As his hands separated deep purple lighting crackled between them, sparking with malicious intent. The gloved hands touched the ground and the world around them exploded. To Abberline's horror, something began to take form in front of him. His stomach began to churn, as he recognized those loving blue eyes, the large meaty hands and flaming red hair from less than a minute ago.
Turning to one side he was nauseatingly sick, the creamy acid scorching his throat making him gag further. His very bones ache with the violence of his heaves. Abberline felt bile scorch his throat as fear ran rampant through his body. How could this be?! This wasn't natural! It was a sick perversion of nature, a desecration of his mind. The sweet voice of his beloved tore at him, yet it couldn't be her. Abberline felt thin tendrils encircle his feet, winding their way up his legs. Two black boots entered his field of vision from where he was staring at the contents of his stomach. Slowly he looked up and screamed.
Abruptly it was like someone had changed the slide in front of him. He was standing, there was no darkness, the single blue eye was looking into his own and he was touching the phantom alchemist. He jerked his hand away as if he had been burnt, the scream dying on his lips. The negotiator was on the floor, staring up at Abberline in bewilderment having been badly startled when the man had suddenly screamed. Unable to break eye contact with the unnatural creature opposite him Abberline stumbled backwards as it stood, falling over his own chair. He felt as if he was falling into that blue stare. Then there was nothing, it was as if he had been cut off from his emotions.
No pain.
No fear.
He felt empty.
But he could still feel that fear. It was a funny thing, as if someone had switched on a mute button.
'Sorry. It's best not to touch me directly when I'm sleeping. My alchemy sometimes gets a little… out of control. I'm sorry you had to experience that. You probably got some of my nightmares mixed in with yours.' The alchemist apologised awkwardly before sitting back down. Abberline stared at him wide-eyed, to shocked to even know how to respond. Mechanically he righted his chair and sat in it, the negotiator having sat in his a while ago. He noted the negotiators wary puzzled expression as he looked between the two of them, but he didn't have the will to explain it to him. The Major sat there staring blankly ahead, the fingers of his left hand moving oddly. The two officers started to fidget restlessly, not knowing what to do now. Eventually they began to get on the young alchemist's nerves.
'Just sit.' Ciel snapped irritably, causing Abberline to jump. 'I'll debrief you once I have my tea.'
As if on cue, Sebastian entered with a tray. Placing cups in front of the men and his master, calmly he poured tea into each cup. He handed a cup to his master, who took a tentative sip before draining the cup. He silently handed it back to his manservant, who just as silently refilled it.
'Well gentlemen, there's not much to debrief you on. Since a state alchemist was involved in this matter, this operation will be regarded as a military operation. However in the interests of cordial relations between the military and the police force, I will explain the operation to you.' Ciel took back the proffered cup.
'I requested your gun, to give Sebastian the expected appearance of a bodyguard as he does not use standard equipment.' Ciel looked towards the negotiator before continuing. 'I'm sure you are a little puzzled about why I asked you such odd questions about the hostages. If you recall, you were facing the warehouse, while I had my back to it. I was worried that they might have someone watching who could lip read, so I asked questions to which I knew your answers could be interpreted as you informing me about the change in hostages, without letting them know I already knew who the hostages were. This was done to hide the extent of my own alchemical power.'
Ciel began to dump heaped spoonfuls of sugar into his cup. The brown eyed servant frowned at this and surreptitiously moved the sugar bowl away, causing the Major to glare at him. Huffily the Major drained his cup before going on.
'My alchemy works best when I have eye contact with my target. A hostage exchange appeared to be the most efficient way of achieving this. Once I was in, I had meaningless negations with the leader, while creating the conditions for chaos among them. Using my alchemy I caused them to panic and start shooting illusions. I then slipped out of the ropes and took out the leader by placing a suggestion in his mind to keep him docile. Then I left. Any further questions gentlemen?'
Abberline and the negotiator stared wide eyed at the fragile looking Major, unsure as to where they should begin. Perhaps it was better not to ask any further questions, they agreed silently, under the icy glare of the Major.
§§§Abberline watched as the manservant walked away down the street, carrying the small child soldier.
'He's absolutely amazing.' he commented to his superior, slightly awestruck 'Even if he is absolutely terrifying.' The naive officer added sobering, a tremor of fear in his voice before it evened out again.
'To think that such a young child could take out the terrorists.' He said before pausing for a while, frowning. 'But isn't he too young to be in the military?' He asked Randall.
'Don't be fooled by him. That child is pure living evil; his blood is as corrupt as his soul.' Growled Randall viciously. Abberline looked at his superior in shock.
'Excuse my rudeness, but that is bloody absurd! I mean, he's still a child.' Abberline weakly contradicted. The older man looked at his protégé sternly.
'I'll pardon you this time Abberline since this is the first time you've met him. You have a lot to learn. Every society has its light good side and shadowy vicious underbelly. Both sides have laws, else chaos would reign. We the police, stand on the light side, defending the peace as best we can. We protect the ordinary people.' Randall's eyes narrowed at the retreating back of the dark suited butler. 'That child may parade as a protector of the people, but he is worse than any military dog, he's a creature of malice and merciless cruelty. He enjoys nothing more than deceiving and manipulating those around him into an early grave, as have all his ancestors. He probably enjoyed torturing those terrorists; making them do his bidding, warping their minds with fear and hatred.' The chief inspector snorted in disgust. Abberline shuddered, a shadow passing over him as he recalled the terrifying daydream he had been subjected to.
'He doesn't uphold the law as we know it and thinking that he can ever be "good" will lead you to an early grave. The Phantomhive line has always been unnatural. Alchemy is a science that affects physical matter; even the effects of air alchemy can be seen. However what that creature practises, is an abomination of nature. He manipulates minds. You can never be sure if what you do around him is of your own will or his. What he does is a violation of a person's soul, he rapes the minds and wills of those around him.' Randall spat on to the ground.
'He's like a wild dog on an invisible chain. He isn't to be trusted, one day he will turn round and bite us. The Phantomhive family has been drenched in evil that has warped their motives and corrupted their humanity. Who knows why they do what they do? Can you imagine having the power to control the thoughts of every person in the country? Have you ever wondered at the relative peace we are experiencing?'
'What do you mean by that sir?' asked Abberline, startled by the question as well as taken aback by the sheer hate in his superior's voice. 'You haven't been listening Abberline.' The chief inspector laughed bitterly 'You've been caught in his web already. They call him the Fürher's Watchdog, but he is also one of the "Aristocrats of Evil", the "Villainous Noble", he rules the underworld, a creature of the dark.'
'Now that is truly ridiculous. How could a child rule over murderers and thieves?' said Abberline with a nervous laugh.
'And that Abberline shows your naivety. You want to believe that there is good in everybody, that everyone can be redeemed. But there is no redemption for those who have thrown themselves into the darkness.' Randel grunted in reply.
'But even so he must be on our side; preserving law and order. If he were as evil as you say, surely he would have let the terrorists get away. He just used the means available to him to do so. He's no different to us. There must be some goodness in him.' Abberline desperately tried to defend the absent alchemist. But his words sounded weak, even to him.
'You are wrong Abberline. He is in no way like us, he has no morals, all that matters to him is getting the job done. There's never been any goodness in that family, only self-interest. They are the evil noblemen; the evil runs in their blood.'
'Isn't that a little too harsh, Sir? He is just a child after all; he can't help the family he was born into.' Abberline said in a troubled voice as the tall figure finally disappeared. Randel snorted and shook his head.
'That there is no child. That is the devil himself.' He replied darkly.
