Chapter 10

I surfaced from those memories, my mind a lost void. I looked at Heller, something that should be unforgivable welling deep inside. He helped me up, dusting my shirt. "The last time I saw you in that fight I know you can still be saved, boy. You know what to do now." He ruffled my hair, and turned away to leap away across the walls. Leaving me to think, as my capacity to do so returned gradually.

Alex Mercer started the outbreak.

Alex Mercer created the infected.

Alex Mercer's responsible for Yuna's death.

Alex Mercer told me that the Whitelight was a cure.

Alex Mercer lied.
I took a cab back to the house; it'd been a while since I got into a thing like that, but the remote thought of touching my powers anymore induces within me an urge to puke. I'd only use those powers of the liar once more, and that will be when I cut him down, just like I've promised her. Yuki was at the front door, and when she saw me she came forth and grabbed my arm. "I saw it, Ryutsuri, he…he told you, didn't he? Oh, oh, Alex told me to protect you, to help you wherever possible, b-but this… I know what you're planning, but this…" she was on the verge of tears. I would have been disgusted at the sight of one that works for Mercer, but somehow that feeling wouldn't manifest; not when it's my partner both in the cause, and long ago in school. I touched her hair. "You don't have to, Yuki," I reassured, "don't get yourself involved in this dirty business. I can take care of myself." Gently pushing her aside, I strode into the house. I think I heard her call my name faintly; maybe she didn't.

Alex didn't resist. He just stood still as over and over again I slashed off his limbs, which annoyingly grew back in a matter of seconds. "I am sad, Ryutsuri," he mumbled, "I am very sad." I humphed, and raised my rapier again, this time aiming at his neck, "Yuna-chan o oshiete." Tell that to Yuna. I slashed, expecting the man's head to sail neatly off its podium. Ping.

It didn't. My blow was parried, by Sabrina, who appeared out of nowhere. The blade of her scimitar contacted that of my rapier at a perfect angle, and with a swipe she shoved my weapon aside. She stepped forth, so that she was face-to-face with me. "I know what you found out, how you feel, you think we lied to you. But what you don't know that when Alex finishes with our cause, we, you, are the ones that benefit directly. It will be a beautiful world for you, and in doing so you'll get to fulfill your personal revenge too…" Bullshit.

I stared back at her. "Are you in my way, Sabrina?" I made sure our eyes met, "I want to kill Alex Mercer, woman. Do I have to cut you down as well?" She faltered, backing away. I drew my weapon again and attacked, this time overcoming her riposte and throwing her to the ground. Alex looked up, and dashed, backwards, his speed destroying the wall.

I followed him through the hole he made, through the streets and up the roofs. I sheathed my weapon to maximize my agility, but he was yet too fast – after all he was the best fighter among the evolved humans – and seemed to somersault over hulking obstacles like a smooth grasshopper. I put my legs to a full sprint, but the back of Alex's jacket before me slowly shrunk, faded into a silhouette, and finally vaporized entirely. I stopped and checked the faraway streets for him, but there was no madly running hooded man. Dammit, he shape-shifted.

My cell phone rang. It was Yuki. "Come back, Ryutsuri, I've found something under the couch. It's about Alex."

I met Yuki outside the house; she ran to me, and as she passed it to me I sensed her fingers trembling. It was a piece of paper, scrawled on with blue ink.

"To: Ryutsuri Kanter and Kyoushin Yuki,

In no time I guess Ryutsuri will be hunting me down ferociously and very much eager to tear my throat out. After all the truth cannot be withheld forever, just as paper can never contain fire (at least that's what the Chinese said).

I used to be just nobody, about a year and a half ago, a lab grunt doing paperwork at GENTEK; heh, back then people called me DOCTOR Mercer, which was quite interesting. But when Blackwatch got scared of the U.N, and tried to kill me and those scientists at Penn Station, I freaked out and spilled a jar of the Blacklight virus that was supposed to be a bio-weapon. Then came the first outbreak. That was the first mistake I made.

I had a rather similar goal as you did, Ryutsuri, ending the infection while picking on those Blackwatch bastards. But after they tried to nuke Manhattan I just decided, that humanity had lost, was doomed to die off.

After that incident I went around the world, to Russia, Africa, so many places. But these trips seemed only to prove my stand – that even the most docile of humans are tainted with sin – and hence I wanted to start in America, my dream of humanity's evolution, the best way of which being the virus. I went back to Penn, and I dropped the glass a second time. That was the second mistake I made.

I don't want to go onto what I did next, 'cause that'd be repeating what you'd already have known, from who, I might never find out. I've lied to you, Ryutsuri; perhaps I too am lost. I remember that warning Galloway gave me the day I took you in, that I was throwing away what I started off with, and then there was our defeat with Heller; it taught me a lot of things; impossible, eh? How a student might educate a teacher? But I've taught him well, and now he's returning the favor.

But screw that. None of it's going to make you forgive me, and I don't need your forgiveness. But you want to end the infection, right? I've got an easy way. I've injected myself with a toxin that what's left of us just developed. That toxin, when it enters Heller's body, will cause an biomass rush that will absorb all infected material in the continent. But it's temporary – if left to its own devices Heller will just implode and release the virus again. I need you to defeat him afterwards, Ryutsuri. I know you can do it, boy. Needless to say, I'd have to be consumed by James for the toxin to work, and I will let him, gladly, though I might play with him for a while before that. I'm also destroying our organization, if it ever existed. The remaining members of us, including Sabrina Galloway and myself, will be gone tonight. Cheers. Perhaps it's a chance given to me for repentance.

I apologize, for lying to you, for casting your life into this turmoil, and also for Yuna's death. Yuki, you make sure Ryutsuri doesn't come looking for me. You two are young , and are deserving of a new life. You can manage. Shit, I wish Nikolai'd be here to see this too. And Ryutsuri, go forth. Visualize. Cut him down, for those that did Yuna harm are part of him now. Good day, and good bye.

Sincerely,
Alexander J. Mercer"

I shouldn't but I did. I could never forgive him, but I still felt sad for that bastard. But I should give him his due; he deserves it, and I'd rather chop up all those zombies one by one than let him sacrifice himself for that. Yuki dug her fingers into my wrists. "He told us not to go for him," she said woefully, before brightening up, "but screw his rules."