Guardian Solaris

Review replies:

Kataragirl, Brock said that he had to go and see is family concerning something to do with the gym, and watching over his family.

Lucifer... and I thought Twelve stone was pushing it a bit, anywway the narrators use of loyal was made in a sarcastic context as Charizard was readily beating the snot out of his trainer, the one he was loyal to. In loyalty to his new master.

Tim. A computer, about 300. A flight to Kenya, 550. Barrel of oil, 78. A bank, HA. Microsoft, billions. chips, not much. My catchphrase, worth more than Microsoft (please don't sue me Microsoft)... (Disclaimer: I don't own Microsoft). My vodka, priceless. Somethings are not bought with money, for everything else there's Mastercard (I do not own (a) Mastercard, and do not own their catchphrase, it is used for purely humorous pourposes and I am not making any profit out of this joke. I do not intend any copyright infringement on the company).

Complete Hollow, thanks for that ^_^, I've never really thought that half of this fic was worth much when I re read it, it's reviews like that that mean a lot.

This chapter is another one of those side story chapters in between major arcs, and I feel as if it's not too badly done, if anything it can be a one-shot on its own, so watch out for the double meanings that are littered around everywhere here.

----

Chapter 28- The Light.

The Darkness, the Shadow. The Fear, the Anger the Hate. The fire, the ever coming night in the midst of a false light. One-liner after one-liner taught in the Darkness training scheme drilled into those in its ranks so that they would never forget, if they leave it will still be there, if they are lying on their death beds family and loving friends surrounding them, they will remember the words of the darkness. There is no escape from that which is everywhere. There is no escape from the darkness.

"Things didn't go all that well" Robert pointed out to his friend, the two of them walking down a pitch black hallway, two thin blue streams of light on the floor was their only guidance through this dark dark tunnel.

"It wasn't that bad" Simon replied with a smirk, "unless someone chopped of your dangly bits when I wasn't looking. In that case I feel sorry for you. Really." his friend remarked with a smirk. Continuing on the walk that would always seem to go on forever until the magic door popped out of nowhere and broke his nose. That door always seemed to pop out at the most inappropriate times, that or maybe he wasn't looking at what he was doing.

"No my dangly bits are all fine, you can have a little taste of nutty goodness if you want." he replied, lightening the mood slightly, from the already dark and claustrophobic atmosphere around them.

"In your dreams you dirty little b-" but he was cut off from the banter by a voice that was concealed in the darkness.

"Quiet." It called. No emotion in its tone, a clear order that was meant to be followed. The two friends both side by side looked into the darkness to either side of them, wondering where exactly the voice had come from, but they both knew that an answer would not be given, even if they had a flashlight.

This was the way it worked, the walkway, deep underground, running forward with two glowing blue lines on the ground to guide the way for anyone with hostile intentions. The blue path was supposed to have a meaning like everything else here, the long mantras of the darkness ensuring that its members would remember.

The tunnel would be the easiest way for any invading party, or lost kids to go through to the actual main complex, on either side of the path those subservient to the Darkness would strike the intruders without any fear of a counter attack as some special material in the air would hinder any light to travel beyond a meter from its source, whilst the guards that walked alongside had heat vision goggles to help them.

The joke was what Robert really needed to lift his spirits, but the returning silence had the opposite effect, his failure to complete his mission without any assistance would be nothing but bad on his future here.

Of course there was what went on with the crazy Pokémon in Lavender town. That may give him some leverage with the council. The fact that he had failed in the forest was bad though, his inability to do what needed to be done was the main reason why he had managed to converse more with strangers than face his friend, without the thought of what would and would not happen.

With this knowledge he walked along the path with his friend by his side, silence beginning where there was laughter before. The blue lines they walked within showing the boundaries of the otherwise invisible path as they walked along it, and it guided them to where they needed to be.

'The blue is the river of life, the wisdom of the darkness, you walk along its path and it will guide you.' Robert recalled the Mantra. Hoping that it would rid himself of the guilt and shame that grasped him.

'There is Darkness all around, others run around without its direction. Falling before they can stand. The path we walk, we walk with the knowledge. The understanding that the Darkness provides us with safety for our loyalty. There is no fear, for our loyalty shall strike it away. There is no ignorance as we know all we must to walk this path'

Then the door came up, and the two of them walked straight into it. Slamming their faces. "Now where did that come from?" Robert commented rubbing his nose, to which his friend replied.

"I'm thinking the same thing." He groaned out in response from the sudden jolt of pain, although the pain dissipated after a few seconds. It was just a large black automatic door, like the ones you would find at your local supermarket. But Black, as all evil organisations have a collection of black things.

As always, they waited as a scan of their bodies was taken. Recognising the two agents that were waiting the system produced a projection of a three dimensional keyboard appeared in front of the two . Simon typed in the password into the keyboard, and it was accepted. A primitive but effective barrier to keep out the unwanted.

Once the Password was recognised the door opened allowing the two inside, as the dark black around them washed away into a bright artificial white.

The walls, the ceiling, the floor; everything in the large open hall was a bright white apart from the people within it, who were all dressed in black robes, the bottom half of their faces covered by a black mask, hiding their identity as they walked to where they needed to be. Not a word spoken between them. The area was kept in a dead silence as it was ordered for the peace to be kept. The council had decided that all conversation would be forbidden, unless there was a purpose behind it. This was not a place for light banter.

A Tall man walked up besides the two, dressed in Pitch Black Robes that seemed to hang down his sides, a mask tight against the bottom half of his face. His pale skin seemed to be one with the artificial light around him; the only really human attribute lay within the dull blue eyes that seemed as if the life had been pulled away from them, "Agents." He said in a lifeless, monotone voice.

"Reporting" Robert replied, his voice becoming deeper and more monotone, the shoulders of his friend stiffening, and their backs straightening at the sight of the man who seemed to be there every time.

"Find appropriate clothes then get ready for debriefing at seventeen hundred hours. They will be there for your full report." the man said. He turned around and walked away as the two friends sighed, their postures loosening at his departure.

"You think it's the same guy who comes all the time?" Robert asked in a near whisper, hoping to start some small amount of conversation again.

"Either that or he has some clones." Simon said letting out a light chuckle.

"That wasn't a good joke." Robert sighed, "It's like you don't ever try to make a nicely constructed joke."

"It's not like any of your jokes are any better." the younger of the two friends replied, chuckling as the two began their walk into the Communal Changing Rooms. To use the proper name.

Once in the rooms Simon said, "You know. I always get the feeling that something weird is gonna happen once I come into this room; the sign is kind of..."

"Ginger beer?" Robert remarked as his companion chuckled.

"That's one way of putting it." He commented and they walked into individual changing rooms. A very misleading name the Communal Changing Rooms is.

---

Fifteen minutes later Simon had managed to make his way out of the rooms, his black pitch robes sharp against the soulless white of his surroundings. The mask hiding the bottom half of his face and not a single piece of skin being shown beneath his dark brown eyes.

Brown eyes.

Robert had already gone... probably; he didn't peek into the others changing room. The teenager began to wonder to the council rooms, ready to wait for the debriefing even though he was more than an hour early. Tardiness was such a thing that required proper preparation to prepare against. Especially when it would result in a beheading if you kept them waiting, regardless of your rank.

Blue eyes.

The Hallway seemed to stretch out forever, going in all directions. One who was not familiar with the place would become lost quite easily... lost or crazy from the lack of colour especially if you spent too much time here. The only thing to show any life would be people's hair, their skin and the eyes. You could never stop looking at another's eyes in here, the emotion within them, no matter how diluted would help keep your sanity for longer than otherwise.

Pink eyes.

Wait, who in the world has pink eyes?

Every person that Simon walked past looked towards him, the eyes of each touching as the hallways extended longer and longer. In the world of Light and dark the colour of another's eyes, even if you didn't know them would keep your sanity, and the remains of your soul firmly preserved, at least until you were let out. Although if you were unfortunate enough to have to stay for long enough. As far as Simon was concerned, you were already dead and just a shell in service to the Darkness.

Brown eyes, Green eyes.

He walked past the Dining hall, contemplating if he would have something to eat or not. But his legs had managed to take him forward, and away from a lonely and dull lunch comprised of basic nutrients that would be offered otherwise.

Blue eyes, Brown eyes, Blue eyes.

Hopefully he wouldn't crash into a wall. There were no boundaries within here and doors were not many doors here to crash into... except for in the Communal Changing Rooms, and the entrance, and the one into the council chamber, and into the councillors' rooms. But not many others.

Gree-

"Drew, shi-" he grumbled, walking a bit faster in hope that the other boy would not stop for a little chat, if there was one thing Simon had detested it was a conversation with his acquaintance.

"Well," the cloaked person said, hearing a part of his name being whispered, "Who would you be?" He asked, as Simon stopped and turned around to face the other boy. The others posture was straight and the way his eyes bore down on its target, slightly intimidating and commanding at the same time, his tone calm, and his words cultured, showing either a great sense of intelligence, or a great amount of arrogance.

"No friend of yours." Simon replied in a calm voice, not becoming agitated by the others presence.

"Oh, so it is you" The Co-ordinator said with realisation hitting him, "the trainer." he whispered, as behind his mask his mouth formed a small grin.

"Still a grunt, hey?" Drew remarked, a smirk hidden underneath his mask. "Eh, slave? Have a hard day's work? Or are you going to be grounded, like that other kid, remember him?" Drew antagonised, knowing full well the system that worked here. It was how the agents worked as hard as they did. To get away from the Darkness they had to serve it. Day in and day out all recruits would spend their time in here, the place making them go crazy. The adaptable would learn the eye trick; the weak would go crazy and have their body donated to medical science, living or otherwise. Then they would allow you to leave on missions, and eventually you would have to come back as there is no escape from the Darkness. The more successful you were in your missions the more missions you had and the more you got out. The more missions you had, the more loyal you became then you were bound to the path of the Darkness.

"Whatever." The dark haired boy muttered, just wanting to get a move on.

"Don't whatever your superiors." Drew stated. His grin as wide as ever under his mask. But the Simon couldn't be bothered to let the conversation to drag on, he had to be somewhere.

"At least I'm not the one who couldn't win a little beauty contest. You were beat soo hard it was beautiful." he said. Agitating Drew. Drews eyes became a dangerous green, as if he was hit on a soft nerve.

"SHUT-" He roared, but was silenced by a hand gripping his neck from behind, squeezing as Drew's voice had become silent.

"Such behaviour... is not appropriate." The man said in a calm voice, as Simon looked on at the tall, imposing man that held Drew firmly in his grip, his bright Green eyes and hair being his two only recognisable features.

"Yes sir" Drew managed to breathe out as the man let him go, his eyes showing disgust towards the boy. "I will not let it happen again sir." he said obidiently; the man shifted his attention towards the other boy who had possibly aided in aggravating Drew.

"Now, you." he said to Simon, his voice like steel as he delivered his warning, "You are on your last string with the council, so I would watch out if I was you."

"I have done nothing wrong." was the boys reply, as his voice faltered slightly against the man's gaze, avoiding eye contact with the imposing man.

"Well" the man said, pondering on his thoughts for a while longer, "Whether you did or did not do any wrong is not the question. The fact that you were part of what was wrong is reason enough for you to be disciplined."

"Yes sir, my apologies sir." came the meek reply from one of the loyal agents of the darkness, acting as if he was a child accused of breaking the neighbours window with a ball with no way of showing he was set up. The man took his gaze away from the boy, and onto the other participant of the breach of peace within the hallway.

"Now, we will have a small conversation of our own." he said to Drew, who replied with his head bent down at an angle. His voice almost completely silent as to not arouse any further outrage from the tall man.

"Yes father." and the two walked away from Simon, who had seen this scene unfold too many times, and the consequences would be bad regardless.

"Well, that went well." Said Robert as he came out from behind Simon, keeping his voice down as to not be reprimanded once more. His college grumbled as the two began to walk to where they needed to be.

"He's gonna get his butt kicked in ways he's never known before." Simon said as Robert chuckled.

"Doesn't he always?" he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I guess he deserves it. Angry little twat." he said enraged but keeping his voice low also that no one could hear him, "OH, so I see that you are still a lowly grunt, ha ha ha, SNORT. Oh you little thing." he rambled, as Robert began to chuckle.

"Someone has to tell him to FUCK OFF..." The two looked around, "No one heard that, right?" he said suddenly very worried.

"Don't think anyone heard that." Robert said, seeing the deserted halls. "Still, we should get going." He said with a great sense of urgency, as the two marched off into the distance, covering a great amount of ground, and hoping that no doors would pop out of nowhere to attack them.

"Shouldn't talk about the co-ordinator should we? Whenever that subject comes up I get shouty." Simon joked to his friend.

"Well, I don't think he's bad just because he's a co-ordinator." Robert replied, raising an eyebrow towards his friends prejudice.

"And here I thought you hated them as much as much as I did." Simon sighed.

"Well some are alright. Like those that we met on mission." he said.

"Trust me, they're all the same, all arrogant, pompous... Things that you try to get rid of but can't" the taller one said to his friend in the Darkness.

"Bugs." Robert said, hoping that Simon got the message.

"Bug. What?" he asked.

"Bugs. You said Arrogant, pompous, things. It's bugs; the word you were looking for was bugs." Robert explained his logical correction of his friend's horrible quote.

"How do you know that?" he pried.

"Well you did steal it from a movie. Remember in that small town with that travelling movie guy." he stated, going down memory lane, remembering all the things that the team had gone through. Back when it was a team of three instead of two.

"Yeah, but I don't see how talking about my bad memory of movie quotes has anything to do about co-ordinators being as irritating as hell." Simon said, annoyed at how his friend had managed to take the conversation off track.

"I don't know, there was the one you were talking to you. That and I know how you hate socialising on a mission."

"It was a five second talk. Besides, I've looked up on their back stories. There's some, some nasty stuff there." he said lowering his voice.

"Like what?" Robert said curious, even though they were both low level grunts Simon's field required intelligence, while Robert had the bulk of the more aggressive duties. Meaning that Simon whilst had a low level of access on actual weapons has access to the provided database. Any gossip that Robert could get would never go amiss. Finding out who was going out with who, little things that would make life much more interesting.

I'll tell you later, we got to get in line." Simon said mentioning at the small door with a small panel to the side of it, and a long white bench alongside the wall.

"Line, there's never anyone here. It's always deserted" He sighed, seeing what he already knew. That there was absolutely no one, which in some was some consolation to the boy as they would not be forcibly disciplined for any conversation that broke the peace.

"Still" Simon said, as they both sat down on either side of the bench, their black clothes, in contrast with the area around them, the door firmly shut, as the sounds of their breathing were the only action in the hallway.

"You know." Robert said, breaking the short lived silence.

"Yeah?"

"Have you." He began, only to repeat once more, "Have you ever wondered." He stopped for a second time.

"Wonder as in a little walk around the block, look for a good looking girl; or as in think about the deep philosophical workings of this world that we live in as consumed by the darkness?" he asked, not knowing what had gotten his friend into such a gloomy mood. The council maybe? But facing the council was nothing new.

"As in, you know" He said, still uneven in his voice, now that crunch time had arrived.

"No I don't know. You haven't told me"

"It's, like. Like." He said, "Having a holiday?"

"A holiday?" Simon echoed, wondering where in the world Robert was going with this.

"Just have some time off from all this."

"You know that'll never happen." Simon said, stating the obvious. "They never give you days off, we already get time on missions, and unless you're the one making orders you got nothing."

"But what if you did, where would you go?"

"Well, I don't really know." He said, perplexed by the question, "I never really thought about it."

"Why not." Robert asked.

"Don't know, just, didn't think about something that's not going to come." He paused, "Why do you want to know? You're never like this."

"Like what?"

"Thoughtful, come on. What's up?"

"Nothing." He said in a solemn tone, shaking his head gently. "Wait."

"What?"

"You sayin' I'm not thoughtful?" Robert exclaimed.

"Yes." Simon replied with a smirk.

"You're gay you know that." He said with false hate, pretending to be hurt.

"Only with you." Simon said as Robert choked, on the thought.

"That's... that's just nasty."

"Only with you."

"Stop that." He said with resolution in his voice, saying that things were going somewhere they should not.

"All right, all right. I'll stop." He said with a sigh, "But still, what made you ask that?" Simon asked.

"Well, ahh." Robert said but the sound of opening doors stopped him. The two looked at the open door, a bright white, and behind it nothing but black, "Looks like, we go in now."

"Earlier than usual." Simon said forgetting the conversation they just had, the importance of the task at hand and the consequences of any slip up of behaviour at the forefront of his mind now.

Robert looked at the open door, feeling slightly nervous at what was to come when they walked through. But some doors were meant to be walked through. "Let's not let them wait."

----

The stairs went ever on, the white light shining from the very walls illuminating the blank staircase in the light. His footsteps following, rushing stumbling at times as he rushed behind his father but never falling.

"Drew. Hurry." The man's voice was even, and cold. But the authority in it was carried over the boy that followed him carried all the weight it needed, as Drew quickened his stride. The co-ordinator grabbing the edges of his black robes so that they would not flutter about everywhere in his rush, his own clothes were considerably more comfortable.

"Yes Sir." Drew said. Looking up as the man took great strides, in his walk. Hopefully calling him sir would please him, the only thing that could sooth his father's cold fire was obedience, and even the slightest word that implied submission would do great things to his state of mind, and in turn do great things to the boys' ears.

The man strode up higher, his long legs allowing for a great distance to be covered with relative ease, his back straight, his head pushed slightly back, eyes noticing all that was in his view, the stairs were conquered with ease. His cloak billowed as he made his way, the cloth pushed by an invisible wind, that flowed with the man. Unlike Drew's cloak that would always come in the way, coming under his foot to try and trip him up, become itchy and almost unbearable in comparison to his regular clothes.

They came to the top of the staircase to a great circular domed room, the ceiling painted with paintings of the legendary beasts, all three looking majestic. Each one with a commanding prescience where it stood the dark blue background, filled with vines that reached up into the sky their white flowers like stars in the night sky. It would be a great work of art if not for the fact that the eyes of the legendary beasts had been chiselled out leaving hollow holes where they used to be. The rest of the room appeared like a palace, in comparison to the rest of this place that was nothing but bright white walls, and dark dark people. There was a soft yellow light of the four candlelit chandeliers at equal positions around the room, hanging off from the ceiling. They threw their warm yellow glow in splashes around the room, as it the sleepy evening sun was setting, upon exotic paintings of a deep, dark, mysterious green forest of vines that seemed to reach out and up into the sky. An impenetrable forest, full of life but a forest that was impenetrable to the light. Then in comparison the floor was a polished wooden Oak floor, deep rich and brown, as if it was the earth itself.

The Man took two steps taking him to the centre of the circular room, and turned around to face his son. Shadows from the dim chandeliers gave him a dark glow, his cloak becoming one with the deep forest on the wall. "You broke the rules." He said, resolution lining his voice like poison on the tip of an arrow. Here he had the power.

"Yes Sir." Drew said surrendering to his father, knowing that putting up a challenge would be futile.

"Not against the other boy." The man explained.

"No?" the co-ordinator wondered, truly surprised that he wouldn't be reprimanded for his brief conversation with the trainer, like all other times.

"First of all, you lost. You FAILED." He said sternly. "You are on a knife edge, for such a failure. You are my son and you couldn't even win a simple beauty contest."

"Sir, I, I" Drew stuttered.

"Are worthless." He stated as Drews mouth clamped shut. The man kept an eye on his son as the boy looked down to the floor. "Then you don't even manage to report back, you spend half of your funds, or your own little pleasures."

"Sir, I"

"Clothes, how much money on clothes, what reason do you have, Little boy?" he said then talking no more, waiting for his son to reply. Drew had always had a thing about money. In the way that he would throw it away on the most unnecessary of things, as the son of a wealthy man he had always seen the item as if it had grown on trees, especially when his mother had given it to him from her husbands pocket. The boy didn't really see anything of any real value unless it would do him some good, women ,Pokemon. Unless it spoke it was worth as much as sand. Drew had not faced any trials in his cocooned life, so Mr LaRousse had chosen to become the trial.

"Sir."

"Father, when speaking, address me with my proper title." He said, even if he did prefer Sir, he couldn't change what was, and the blood tests proved it.

"Father." Drew said with a breath, "You have always said that appearance means everything."

"Is that why you walk up the stairs like a castrated Abra?"

"Si- Father. If I am to be at my best, I will have to show others that I am in command without words. You taught me that." He said hoping that the man wouldn't hold onto this incident, and make him pay for it later.

"Yes, that is true." Drew let out a sigh. That was the first hurdle crossed.

"But. My son." He said, as the boy took in a sharp intake of air. "There are other things you must answer for." The man said with an even voice, as Drew dared to look up from the floor to take a peek at the half covered face of his father. The mask offering some protection for the boy, but the eyes. The bright green eyes reflected a great amount of anger that was nowhere in his father's voice, the fire within the look causing Drew to return his gaze to the floor once more.

"I have let you go about your obsession of becoming a co-ordinator for so long in the hope that you may be successful, but you have clearly shown me that such a thing is not possible."

"Sir-"

"No." He said with no absolution, "The co-ordinator profession is dead, to you and everyone else .You will be one with the darkness, here. There is no more time for these, distractions."

"But Sir-"

"As I have said the co-ordinator game is dead now."

"How?" Drew dared to ask, his voice suddenly very weak. He couldn't stop Pokémon contests, it was so big, maybe only in certain regions, and not there all the time. But it was big; it couldn't be stopped like that, could it? How could his father, no matter how tall do that?

"I made it happen." And with those words Mr LaRousse turned and walked over to the wall of vines where he opened a hidden door in the forest of vines painted on the wall. Then just like that, the little boy was alone. The enormity of his father's words just beginning to sink down to him. But he would not collapse onto the floor.

It was his failure that had caused this punishment to come. His father had a good reason for everything he did, and his son would not wallow in weakness. He would be stronger. He grabbed a Pokèball as the little boy said, "I guess it's time to start some training."

It was good to be home.

----

He entered the dark room, his shoulders broad, his back straight, as he walked the path he now knew by heart. The dark path didn't matter to him, he had walked this path many times before, and his steps came naturally as he came to stand at his post, waiting for the rest of them to arrive so this deal could be sorted out for once.

Drew had taken that well, which was good. It would have been good if he hadn't been plumped up like all the other little rich boys who would not survive anywhere without two butlers there; one ot help the food go in, and the other to help the food to go out. Although the son wanting to be a co-ordinator ordeal had finally stopped. A sons failure after failure to be the greatest of his chosen profession had a big effect on your own post in the council. If your son was not good enough, it was your blood to blame. If your blood was the blood of a failure, it would have to be cleansed. Drew had to learn to be stronger than the flimsy pompous child he was now. That is why he did everything that he did.

Mr LaRousse was a man of purpose, if something didn't have one, he would not do it, his circular room was designed to give him the advantage against anyone else in it, he knew every brush stroke the artist had made, it was he that had gouged out the eyes of the legendary beasts on the walls. Everything he did was another step forward.

If his son hated him, then all the better. Drew was not strong or foolish enough to challenge his father. All that hate would have to go somewhere. Knowing his sons habits, it would only help him to grow stronger, if there was one way to get through an arrogant mind, it was pain. Pain did not discriminate, and it would strengthen the boy like a fire strengthens metal, either strengthens or destroys it. That was the way of the darkness, the survival of the fittest.

Suddenly a light down below lit up, revealing two boys, grunts of the darkness, one of which was a part of the argument with his son. He could see them clearly as they lowered their masks to show their whole face to the other, council members of the Darkness that lay out of sight like he did.

The council as they had liked to be called. Some of the most powerful people on the face of the planet. Leaders of world-wide organisations, some of the greatest businessmen, and greatest criminals, controllers of what people bought, sold, thought, watched, all was manipulated from here, the strings pulled gently to change the path the world went. The collective wisdom, strength, and power to topple mountains and empires. But here they were no longer individuals, here their talents to create wealth, was just a tool for the Darkness; their fears, hopes, dreams, vendettas, and anything else that tied them with their lives was put away. Here they had one purpose, here they were the Darkness, and these two boys would face them.

"Report." The head speaker said, as was his role. "Sir," Simon replied with obedience, "Our respective missions were completely successful, our reports on everything... else." His voice stopped for a beat. "Our reports have been handed in."

"But Agent Robert had called you in for assistance?"

"Yes sir." The other one replied honestly, the truth was all that would stand here. Any disobedience through lies would result in heavy discipline to be dished out.

"Agent Robert." The head speaker said, "You have remembered the offer that we have made to you before you went about your task?" he questioned, as Simon glanced out to his friend for a brief moment, before facing the Darkness again.

"Yes sir."

"Then you know of the kindness that we have offered you. Have you have made it clear to us that you are not ready to continue your work in the service of the Darkness?"

"Sir?" he questioned wondering where this could be going. This wasn't what they had said.

"You were ordered to kill the agent standing beside you for his several infractions of our code, and the amount of collateral damage he has caused in the past." He said as Simons eyes widened in nothing but pure fear, he could suddenly sense the presence of his so called friend become so much more colder than it was before, "You accepted this mission," His friend had, stabbed him in the back. "The reward of which was promotion, so we shall take the issue into our own hands."

"Suddenly two grunts walked out of the shadows and grabbed Simon on either arm to ensure that he would not escape no matter what. But it didn't appear as if he was going anywhere so soon, his face, exposed by the dim beam of white light that went down onto him, the light that exposed him. His fear freezing him, the betrayal of one so close stabbing him as pain and hurt filled his heart and mind.

"You knew." He whispered all the little jokes, all the laughs, the talks. Where would he go for a holiday? A silly thought, but the last thing he remembered from his friend. Where would he want to go?

"I follow the will of the Darkness, just as you would have." Robert explained with a firm and level tone, satisfied with the knowledge that he had done all that he could.

"Agent, for your infractions of our code, you will be claimed by the Darkness." The speaker spoke and with that the boy was dragged away out of the light, without a sound, to be claimed by the Darkness.

"Now, agent Robert." The speaker said, the tone of his voice alerting the grunt to be vigilant in the face of his hidden superiors.

"Yes sir." He replied obediently.

"You have proven your worth, in following our will. Destroying a small nation, no matter how fruitful the mission at hand is not on our mandate, and has greatly risked security for us. We are to remain in the shadows, and someone as... noisy as he, is worthless. Do you realise our will?" he asked, probing the remaining boy for any sign of weakness.

"Yes sir." He said, knowing full well what he had done, there was no escape from the will of the council, no one. If he hadn't finished his friends life now the younger boy would run for the rest of his days. "The the Darkness provides me with safety for my loyalty." He repeated the mantra.

"Then you are dismissed."

"Sir." and Robert left the room, knowing that at least he had made his friends last moments, happy in some way. That was something... I guess.

----

F.Y.I.

- Simon, Robert, Drew, and his father are a window into the Darkness. Before now the Darkness has just been a load of random quotes here and there throughout the story but now it's a bit more, I like to see it as a more... sophisticated organisation than those before it.

- Never was there a better title in this story, 'The Light' is quite fitting I'd say.

- For those who thought that there was something going on between my OC and Dawn, well that's a good a reply as any.

- Drew's character is getting a bit more interesting here don't you think? Personally I think his father is one of the best. Nothing done without purpose.

- there was a lesson in there... somewhere.

- Next chapters are character centric, filling in some mysteries bought about in the first arcs, and linking up loose strings here and there.

"Good and Evil.

What's the difference?"

and now I will. I don't know... have a Kebab?