Episode I: Origins
Chapter 3-3:
A Fine Idea on Paper
Within the next week, the Beltraz family grew accustomed to a more home-based education. Each of the kids still went to public schools; but for the first two weeks, Joyce would home school Elizabeth. At the end of the second week however, Elizabeth questioned out of curiosity: "So, how come I don't go to school with the others yet?"
"Oh…well…um…" Joyce replied, stumbling over her own words as she tried to find the answer her daughter was looking for when Nohmann entered the room and stood over her from behind the couch; gently placing his arm on her shoulder. Slowly, the rest of the children descended from the staircase as they sat one by one on the opposing multi-seated couch that Elizabeth was currently residing on.
"You are home-schooled still for only one reason. Now, this applies to all of you. Not only are you all our darling children, but you all are to stand as an example. You were all individually picked to show the rest of the world that the four races can live in harmony; free of racial discrimination and personal bias. Elizabeth, you have been homeschooled specifically because we don't want you developing any bias that could become detrimental to this fact. We specifically had you built as a high-end general purpose model with advanced learning capabilities; because of this we had you educated with us, not at a G.R.M. facility like other CASTs. However, starting next week, we think you should go to class alongside the others" Nohmann lectured.
"Really?! I get to go out and learn with the rest?" Elizabeth cried with joy.
"Of course. We weren't going to keep you in the house all the time" Joyce verbalized in regret.
"Oh, don't worry! It's quite alright. I'll stay here and continue to being educated in this manner, no matter how long it takes. I would never want to live with such a subjective mentality, everyone should be treated equally!" Elizabeth reassured. Confident with Elizabeth's character; the next week she would go to public classes. Excelling in all subjects, she advanced through her courses at an alarming late. To celebrate the success of everyone doing well in school at the end of that year; the Beltraz family decided to go out to a fancy restaurant. Amidst the celebration, Nohmann got a call on his portable visiphone; when he looked at the caller, his face distorted into an incredibly sullen expression which Joyce took notice of.
"What's wrong, dear?" she asked.
"Hold on, I have to take this, I'll be right back" he whispered. Everyone became silent until Isaac flung a meatball at Elizabeth's face; she watched it as it slid off her face and onto her plate, everyone laughing when it did. Before long, Nohmann returned with the same expression he left with.
"Is everything alright?" Joyce asked once more.
"Yes, everything is fine…" he murmured.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Everything is fine." He shouted; everyone stopped eating and looked at him in shock, some of the tables next to them also stopped to look. "It's fine. Sorry…Just...don't worry about it."
Incidents similar to this one became a norm for quite a while. While going to school, Elizabeth would occasionally join her mother at her job as a nurse in Holtes City for the day. There she learned various things about how to treat the wounds of all the races; a tool she would find very useful in her future. Isaac would eventually drop out of school, unable to pay attention in class, too attentive to the world around him instead. Any attempts to home-school him had little to no effect as well, unfortunately. Elizabeth's third birthday was already at hand before everyone knew it. Her present was a violet scarf that perfectly matched the same shade and color as her eyes. Each of the children received a special gift that they all cherished for as long as they lived on third anniversary of their birth. For Felix, a green pendant. Lutz, a pair of fingerless dark blue gloves that grew with him as he aged; his initials were embellished in a white design on the front of the left wrist. Rachel received a pair of purple bracelets that glowed brightly at night with a white light. Isaac received his bandana that he never takes off. And now Elizabeth has her scarf. The next year, Felix applied to be a part of the Guardians; an organization that was sworn to protect the public's safety, just like his father did. His bravery and skill made him an obvious candidate. His travels as a Guardian brought him many treasures; physical and experience based alike. Nohmann even fancied the idea to join him sporadically on his adventures. A special gift was brought home one day to the Beltraz Residence; a talking cat-like creature which was long thought extinct; saved by Felix while he was out on a venture on the planet Moatoob. Eternally grateful, the cat joined the family, adorning the name Alis.
Sibling rivalry and schooling aside, the Beltraz family lived a happy and normal life. Over the years, things became progressively enigmatic, however. Along with the phone calls, strange men would arrive at their estate, always asking for Nohmann. Lutz points out to Elizabeth that these peculiar occurrences only began after she was adopted; she knew he didn't mean anything by it, Elizabeth was sure, but it still made her feel bad and worried all the same. No one knew what happened when they did come; their now curiously eccentric father wouldn't let anyone near him or the people that came to the house when they did. On top of this, he would also only whisper when they contacted him through various telecommunications. Eventually, they just got used to it. But…everything would change in the next four years. One day, another man visited the Beltraz Estate once more; this one wasn't nearly as polite as any of his predecessors however. The man barged his way into their home as the family presently was sitting down in their dining room eating lunch; they decided against eating outside due to the inclement weather. Felix was missing from the table as he was currently doing various jobs for the Mobile Defense Force, a branched division of the Guardians. Since Felix left for the Guardians; Lutz developed a closer relationship with Elizabeth, becoming incredibly protective of her against others. Knowing that Elizabeth was a specially designed CAST that wasn't made for combat, he felt compelled to protect her; using the excuse "that is just what big brothers do". Lutz pointed out that the man looked like a representative of G.R.M.; Elizabeth concurs to the fact. Isaac and Rachel sat silent as they intently watched as the event was about to unravel.
"What is the meaning of this?" Nohmann demanded; rising quickly from his chair.
"We have grown tired of you not paying up your end of the benefits, Nohmann" the man shouted from across the room. Everyone's attention turned to Nohmann as he marched across the room, dragging the man into the laundry room which remained in the basement whose entrance laid adjacent to the living room. Joyce got up from the table and quietly crept over the basement door; the kids sat in shock. Despite being in the basement, everyone in the house was able to hear everything that transpired.
"Now see here! I have told you time and time again, I am done with the society! I've already made numerous decisions and signed many contractual agreements because of them. I don't understand why performing any action relating to G.R.M. would have any effect previously made agreements. The money I have is mine and mine alone! I will not stand for anymore of this! I will no longer be paying any more of these "benefits" to you, G.R.M., or anyone else for that matter! Now, get the hell out of my house!" Joyce moved herself away from the door as the sounds of footsteps became louder; most evident from Nohmann's thunderous ones.
"You will regret this decision Nohmann, you and your entire family. Rudolf never forgets any un-repaid debts. Let this be your one and only warning to your eventual reckoning" the man foreshadowed calmly. With his threat disclosed, he unobtrusively removed himself from the premises. Later that night, sleep became a scarcity. For the first time since any of them were adopted; their parents fought. No one could really understand what was being said, but Joyce did most of the yelling; all sounded like it was warranted concern however. Despite it, it would seem that the "collectors" took his anger in notice; no one came the following week nor did any phone calls harass Nohmann, it was if they gave up. On top of this, Felix returned home for the week; he had just taken a week's vacation so that he could spend more time with his family. He really had changed in the time that past since he originally left to join the Guardians. He was wearing a padded shirt that was green and white with bright orange pauldrons; all indicative of his toughness. His head had all but since been completely shaven to a militarized crew cut; it still retained the shiny silver sheen he had since he was a kid though. Since his time in the Guardians, he had gotten incredibly buff; something he was quite proud as he actively displayed his strength by picking up both Rachel and Elizabeth and holding them in each arm at the same time. Normalcy and happiness, chance would have it, has returned to the Beltraz household.
The day before Felix was to return back to active duty, the entire family went out to see a movie and to dinner. With all tired and in a good mood, they inclined to sleep for the night. After washing her face, Elizabeth donned a night gown and went underneath her covers on her bright and light blue bed. As soon as she was snug and comfortable, Alis leapt up from the floor and nestled herself near Elizabeth's feet at the edge of the bed frame. Before Alis could drift off into slumber alongside her companion, a noise perturbed her.
"Did you hear that, Elizabeth? It sounded like footsteps coming from outside!" Alis shrieked.
"Huh…It's probably just the wind…you know how that branch scratches at the window occasionally…" Elizabeth mumbled, already half-asleep.
"…You're probably right…" Soon the distraction presented itself again, this time it seemed to originate closer to their residing room. Instead of bothering anyone this time, Alis got off the bed frame and looked about, tilting her bright orange and long pointed ears about as she probed the area for the source of any more abnormal reverberations. Her keener sense of hearing picked up what advertised itself to be sapient in nature. Unable to find any other clamor; everything laid silent. Without warning, a tremendous explosion rocked the entire house; the door to Elizabeth's room immediately fell over and a wave of fire rushed in. Smoke soon completely covered her immediate surroundings. Reacting as quickly as possible, Elizabeth jumped out of bed and her normal clothes materialized around her instantly. She snatched Alis from the ground and sprinted out of her room. Shadows of men were seen to her left, near the exit. She didn't care however; the first thing that came to mind was her family. Rachel jumped out of her room, which was neighboring to Elizabeth's. She was screaming; Elizabeth thought it was because of the commotion but as soon as she stepped further into view it became apparent as to why she was shrieking: she was on fire! Lutz soon ran out of his room and had a blanket in his hands which he used to muffle and suffocate the fire that engulfed their sister.
"This way!" a voice shouted from the left; turning to see who it was revealed to be Felix. Obediently, the three of them ran towards their brother.
"Where's Isaac?!" Lutz yelled over the roar of the all-consuming inferno.
"I don't know! Just get out of here!"
"You're coming with us right, Felix?" Rachel squealed, trying to speak and yell over pain that racked her body from the burns that badly scarred her. Before he could respond, a large flaming pillar of wood and rock descended from the ceiling. Felix quickly reacted by putting all of his might into his arms; thoroughly blocking the pillar's deadly fall that would surely entrap his siblings.
"G…Go, before it's too late!" Felix struggled to articulate over the strenuous feat of keeping the colossal column aloft. Rachel managed to gather her own strength to break free of Lutz's embrace as she then tried to pull Felix out in time before the rubble crushed him. All she succeeded to doing was the removal his pendant from around his neck. In horror, the three of them watched as their brother's arms gave way under the pressure; disappearing in a fiery haze. Their predicament didn't give them time to mourn; they still had to escape the blaze. Furiously navigating their crumbling abode, they all completed their exodus. Rachel fell unconscious from shock; Lutz, Rachel, and Alis could only stare as their home and everything they held dear to them was completely immolated inside the terrifying wall of conflagration. Lutz makes out a shadowy figure that was running straight towards them from within the hot red intensity; he thought it to be help already arriving. Unbeknownst the approaching man, he did not notice the children in front of him; he stops in his tracks once sees them.
"Who are you?!" Lutz yelled; a flicker of light illuminates the man's face: he was a black and red CAST that was wearing a helmet and a cloak. In his hand was a pole like object; something that was incredibly familiar to Lutz. The object was something that belonged to the family. Intent to stop him, he wanted run towards him but before he could the man had already vanished into the otherwise silent and dark night. Dumbfounded, they fell on their rears on the grass; sirens and emergency services were heard and seen arriving. All that ran through their minds is that the rest of their family were all most likely dead.