" Let France have good mothers, and she will have good sons."
- Napoleon Bonaparte -
The mercenary named Allen Stroud kept his sub-machine gun raised while aiming for the lizard. Still, he halted while looking at Carol and waiting for her signal. The lizard boy remained silent which he couldn't comprehend what was happening. He was just staring at the two persons around him." Do you have a name? " the elderly woman curiously asked.
" Well... Ummmm..." the being took moments for him to gather his thoughts and sadly sighed. "...They call me 682... I don't have a real name..."
" Okay, Kid. Next question, do you have a shelter? "
" I just live anywhere else..."
" Do you have a family? "
" I don't have any..."
Allen listened to the conversation which he found it too ridiculous. He held his weapon and waited for them to finish.
" Wait a minute! Do you really trust this thing, Carol?! He's just a piece of monstrous crap! " he loudly laughed while looking at the lizard and the elderly woman. " The 682 I faced was a killing machine that had no remorse for anything. Come on, how could he ever..."
Carol crossed her arms and glared at her companion. Allen nervously smiled and ceased it. The lizard boy never had an idea to say and turned to the old woman.
" For Hala's Sake! Can't you even freakingly see, Lad?! " she raised her voice. " The blue blood tells it! Secondly, he's confused like you are! Oh Cheese Louise, why can't you trade your gas mask to eyeglasses in seeing clearly! "
" Well, you did order me to shoot him. Was that your mistake or mine? " he sarcastically asked. " But the only thing that has blue blood is Kree. I take it? "
" Both. I'm not even sure if Methie will be glad to see this kid, but the evil Kree and the Lizards may turn him into a weapon. "
Allen heavily sighed and brought down his gun. He felt being nagged by his own mother. The elderly blonde woman raised her eyebrows and waited for him to answer.
" Fine then, " he shrugged. " I guess we hide him perhaps away from everyone. Wouldn't that work? "
" Yeah, " she nodded. " It may best to do that. "
" I know a place where we can stay..." the lizard broke his silence and pointed at the direction farther from their point.
" So, how long have you been hiding there? " the agent looked at him after putting his gun down.
" Years...the MTF, the evil Kree, and the Lizards are on the hunt for me...I don't know why humans want to do this..."
" You know, I used to work for a company that would have taken you already and used your DNA to make some other worse things than you, " he said.
" I do have painful memories of my foolishness...but I do apologize for what happened to your people..."
" Kid, it's hard for him to recover, but he'll understand, " she calmly replied.
" Well, I guess this job will be reported of anyone being terminated by you and me. Let's pretend we never saw him if he asks us on what happened to lizard boy, " he said to Carol.
" We need to keep this in secret to the rebel forces or the MTF. Then, we'll keep this kid in hiding. The real 682 or anyone is lurking somewhere and hunting for him. "
" Honestly, I would want payback on that real one. But right now, I don't have the fire power to do it, but maybe my partner could help us too. She is an old friend of mine."
" Right, " she replied and turned to the lizard. " Kid, which way? "
" That way..." he replied and pointed at the direction going to the abandoned compound. The lizard boy had troubled walking as Carol and the mercenary noticed him. He grimaced in pain which the blue blood kept flowing out of his feet leaving trails.
" One second, Carol. His foot should be treated first. I guess this lizard can't regenerate like the other 682, " her companion said as he got concerned.
" Hmmmm, if he has blue blood. That means, he could regenerate, but slowly, " the elderly woman replied and turned to the lizard. " Kid, I need to fix you for a while."
" Fix me? " he curiously raised his tone and seemed dubious at her. " How will you ever do that? "
" Relax. Just hold still. "
Carol touched his wounded foot as she concentrated to heal the lizard. He felt dumbfounded to see it when the gun shot wound returned into its normal form. The man with a gas mask observed the action and smiled at the elderly half-Kree woman.
" There you go, " she smiled.
" I...I...d-don't know what...to say, " the lizard paused and felt astonished. " How?! "
" It's okay, Kid. You may walk now. "
The creature slowly stepped on the ground which he went walking normally. He was no longer limping and grimacing in pain. The man smiled and saw the lizard got instantly healed.
" I guess he ain't quite the fighter, I see. But what if he ran into the real 682? " he shrugged.
" I'm not even sure if he is in-touch with that monster. " Carol answered. " All that matters is he needs someone to be with. "
" That could be a good thing for us if we are going to be with him, " he nodded.
The three continued walking on the dark forest. The lizard guided them along the way. It took more than ten minutes to reach their destination. Finally, they arrived at a large compound where the 3 storey 19th Century mansion was found. The structure was untouched and abandoned, but it was covered by a large green moss. There were male and female marble statues which they reminded of classical Greco-Roman art. A waterless garden fountain was filled with vines creeping around it. The garden bushes were taller. The man saw the rusty iron porches and outdoor furniture which time had made them useless.
" You know, this could be a great place to live in, " he said and awed at the place. " If this invasion never happened in the first place, a billionaire could enjoy his life here. "
" Yeah, Tony would have like to have a mansion in France, " Carol replied.
" Really? How come? "
" He wanted to have a rest house aside from his Malibu home. "
" You two have to be quiet..." the lizard reminded. " There are a lot of mixed beings sleeping inside."
" Mixed beings? " the elderly woman curiously repeated the words. " How come? "
" Yes, Inhumans, Mutants, Faunus, Lizards, exiled Kree, humans, and other races are there. I let them in."
" And you helped keep them hidden all this time? " the gas masked man asked.
" Yes...the evil Kree and my fellow race want them dead or enslaved. That's why they are here. "
" But I'm human, too."
" You can stay as long as you want to, but I warn you about your enemies. They can go after you. "
" Sure, Kid. We can stay, " the elderly half-Kree woman answered.
" I consider myself freelance, but I will take up your offer. With this huge and beautiful place, I want to spend my retirement here. "
" Suit yourself..."
Entering the mansion, the lizard boy opened the door, noticed the elderly woman kept drinking and sighed. Allen was snickering as Carol gave him a death glare. After gulping her red wine, she placed the empty green bottle on the floor. The being saw her walking three steps forward and two steps backward. Allen helped her to walk.
" You know, you're wasting your life in drinking. When will you ever get over with it? " the lizard asked.
" Funny, it's the exact words which my friend told me before we parted ways, " she grinned.
" Your friend? "
" Yeah..."
" So, you try to drink your sorrows away, Carol, " Allen said and held his weapon. " It won't work that way. "
The elderly Kree-Hybrid woman sadly sighed. Her drinking problems and the devastating condition had tarnished her reputation as a hero.
" You know what? " she spoke. " I wish this whole Kree-Lizard fiasco is over. Then, I could live peacefully and perhaps, I want to be a mother if I adopt or have a child by other means. "
The lizard boy looked at the old blonde woman. It was the same sadness which he felt for all his life. He wished to open up everything, but he was too shy in expressing himself. Instead, he kept listening to the conversation while walking to the hallway.
" I don't have time for family, " Allen answered. " The mission always comes first for me besides this one. "
" Well, that's your job, but I'm really tired of it. It's years that I have endured. Before I die, I'm gonna find someone who will take over my abilities and this luminous soul. I know I will meet him someday. "
" I guess you never took any disciple in your early years. Am I right? "
" Yeah, I never had youngsters following me. "
" Well, maybe the one in front of you could be something to you, " Allen smiled inside his gas mask.
Carol was speechless as she raised her eyebrows in doubt. She turned to the tall lizard boy and kept pondering. He was still listening to the conversation as they headed to the stairs.
" That kid? " she gasped. " Seriously?! I need to find out if he's worthy. But if he is, I need to talk to Methie and show this boy to him. "
" Are you sure Methie won't use him as a weapon instead? Can you trust him? "
" Yes, he's my friend. Methu-Selah is the Kree Eternal. Maybe, he has answers. "
" You think this Lizard will allow you to take him there? "
" I don't know..." she seriously replied. " He will meet him someday, but not now. Then, this kid will find Methie's missing son. "
" Okay? " Allen raised his voice and asked again. " What if the Kree Eternal has a son who would complicate things? "
Carol sighed as she wanted to explain further. The Lizard boy seemed curious and got interested in hearing at the discussion as they headed their way to the stairs.
" We need answers from this boy, " she answered.
" Just recently, he did not tell us much. So, we take a more different approach without violence. "
" You know it sounds weird to use my maternal instincts to this kid. "
" Well, first thing, Carol. " Allen reminded. " Drop that wine bottle. That could be the first step. But anyways, be on guard for any trouble. "
" Heh, I just dropped the empty one near the doorstep, " she chuckled and shrugged. " Perhaps, he could offer me some champagne, right monsieur? "" Non, madame. " the lizard sternly spoke.
" Right... no alcoholic drinks..." she nervously chuckled. " I didn't know you could speak French, Kid. "
" I just got heard few phrases then I easily forget them. "
" Well, my partner is from this country who are taught me. I haven't seen her for a long time, " Allen said. " Maybe, you could learn more. "
" I hope so..." the lizard boy nodded. " I still want to learn more. "
" Maybe you could meet her along the way, " Carol replied.
The three were very careful enough to make any loud noises for there were sleeping people inside the rooms. The lizard took candlelight as they headed upstairs.
" Kid, let me do this, " Carol spoke and illuminated the candles. The light had come to take away the darkness when they continued walking.
" That was instant, " he blandly replied.
" Rather than a black-out. "
" Just how many humans were left in this place? " Allen curiously asked.
" Twenty..." the lizard replied. " An old man died of heart attack, his friends buried him at the backyard afterward. "
Carol still sensed the being's gloomy aura and kept looking at him holding the candlelight. Allen just nodded and smiled.
" I guess it's twenty again with myself here... "
" Yeah, right..." the elderly woman chuckled and thought. " Kid, I'll do my best to take care of you and help you. Someday, you will find out the truth. It's not yet the right time. "