A/N: this can be a confusing chapter if you don't follow closely.
"How desperate can one get? You bring the one you love and put him in danger and then you ask for the help of a man who has clearly lost his sanity. For that I must applaud." Eve grinned at Aya.
Aya picked up Logan's sword in her defense. "I must be dreaming. Mitochondria died almost five years ago. I'm looking at a ghost."
"I understand you're point of view. The people who built this place have perfected the art of cloning."
"Why would anyone clone you?" Aya demanded to know.
"I always thought you would catch on faster. It's all in the mitochondria. Just like the time you were drawn to the opera, these men and women were to recreate me."
"You will die. I understand now that it is my destiny to stop you."
"A fight? Not now. Our sister is evolving as we speak. Reaching her full potential. I must be there to guide her through it. So with this I shall leave you." Eve exited through the door where the mutant dogs were.
The doors adjacent to each other at the end of the corridor opened. They flowed like a raging river. ANMC and NMC alike stampeded by the hundreds towards her and Logan. The door behind her opened. Aya ducked directly down to the floor.
Jerome appeared and unleashed a heavy wave of fire with two chain guns, both heavily tied down to his torso giving him support to handle the weight. The creatures dropped by the dozens. While Jerome kept the creatures at bay, Aya dragged Logan by the collar of his shirt under the shower of bullet shells and behind Jerome. Jerome hit the switch and the electronic door began closing.
Jerome hit one buckle on the brace for supporting the chain guns and the entire unit collapsed to the ground. Aya also noticed a snakeskin handle for a gun was sticking out of the back of Jerome's trench coat.
"Ow guy-sh, ow. Help me guy-sh, I'm stuck." An odd yet familiar voice sounded. Aya couldn't believe it. The same human ANMC that attacked them on the surface (the one that could talk) had gotten its head stuck in the electronic door as it was closing. Jerome approached the creature. "Thank you guy-sh." Jerome pointed the barrel of his shotgun between the creature's eyes. "No not that guy-sh. Not..." Jerome pulled the trigger and the creature flew back into the corridor.
Jerome tied the chain guns to his waist and tossed Logan over his shoulder. He walked over to a destroyed hatch and climbed onto the service ladder.
"Wait. Where are you going?" Aya called after him.
"It's very late, or early actually. You're gonna get some sleep."
"This is not the time for a nap. Eve has returned."
"Where is the little girl? If she returned, mission complete. We go home." Jerome climbed the ladder easily while carrying over four hundred pounds of equipment and Logan.
"No, not her..." Aya suddenly realized that Kyle was supposed to be in the shaft but he wasn't there. She didn't want to mention to Jerome that she was trying to save a Golem Soldier. Aya figured he would try and hunt him down.
Jerome opened the hatch on the hatch on sub level two. He set Logan down on the floor. "The door on your right is the armory. The vault is open if you need to stock up. To my left is the sleeping quarter." Jerome picked up Logan again and headed into the sleeping quarters.
Aya decided to arm herself at the armory. She walked in and noticed that the surveillance cameras where all blacked out and the large vault door was open revealing a dream for a terrorist. It was basically a walk in closet with dozens of different weapons. Aya pulled out an automatic assault rifle. She grabbed a few magazines for it and then some clips for her pistol. As she was exploring the vault Jerome walked in and grabbed a small revolver. He smiled at Aya and tapped on a strong box. He walked back out.
Aya opened the strong box Jerome tapped on. Inside there was at least a dozen bars made of solid gold. Aya instinctively tucked two bars away in a pocket. She headed off into the sleeping quarters here Jerome was patiently sitting twirling the revolver in his hand. Logan was laid in a cot and a familiar, balding man was tied by rope in a chair. Aya recognized the man as Arthur Golemsten.
Jerome got out of his chair. "Let the interrogation begin."
"What is all this?" Aya questioned.
"You wanted help knocking down the barrier so here's your help. Mr. Golemsten here runs this place. He'll know how."
"Where's the other guy we hit with a tranquilizer?" Aya asked.
"Yes, where's my assistant?" Arthur chimed in.
"Ah yes. He showed me around Sub level five." Jerome pulled out an ID card. "Brandon Robinson. Was that his name? If you want to see him you can go downstairs and ask the big doggy to cough him up." Jerome showed Golemsten the ID card. "Now, answer my questions and you live to see another day."
"I'll tell you nothing." Golemsten spat at Jerome.
"This isn't the movies. You don't have to spit at the guy questioning you to increase dramatic affect. Now, I'll ask again. Will you cooperate?"
"Go to hell."
"I figured as much. We'll play a game." Jerome cut the ropes tying Arthur to a chair. "Now, one bullet, six chambers. We'll alternate. Aya, if he wins, let him go."
"Jerome, what are you doing?" Aya begged.
"Jerome? Your name is Jerome Michaels?" Golemsten smirked. "She wants to meet you. You two have some sort of bond."
"What are you talking about?" Jerome said furiously although it was obvious he knew exactly what he was talking about.
"You have to be the one who received some of Eves powers. Aren't you..." Golemsten got the wind knocked out of him when Jerome hit him with a powerful punch to the chest.
"She died a long time ago. No point in talking about her like she's alive." Jerome's face was red and a vein was bulging in his neck. "Let the game begin. I'll go first." Jerome put a single bullet in the revolver and spun the chamber. Aya could only watch as Jerome pointed the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger. No bullet came out. "Lucky me." He saw Aya about to protest but he held his hand up to tell her to be silent. "Now how do we shut down the barrier?"
"Why would I know that?"
Jerome pressed the revolver against Golemsten's head. "Wanna rethink your answer."
"I don't know." Golemsten begged.
Jerome pulled the trigger. "Luck is on you're side." He then pulled the trigger on himself and also didn't get shot. "Now, answer the question. No second warnings."
Golemsten began heavily sweating. "You must destroy the source of it."
"What is the source?" Jerome once again pressed hard against Arthur's forehead.
"Eve, Mitochondria Eve."
"Where is she?"
"She moves around a lot. I couldn't tell you." Jerome took this as a lie and pulled the trigger.
Jerome marched past Aya, as she couldn't stop staring at the body lying on the ground in his own blood. Aya took a deep breath and armed herself with a pistol and chased after Jerome. She found him sitting in the army thinking to himself while tapping a pistol against his temple without even having the safety on.
"You're under arrest for the murder of Arthur Golemsten." Aya aimed her pistol right at Jerome.
"You won't arrest me."
"I'm doing my job."
"I was doing my job. You asked me to help you find out how to take down the barrier and that's exactly what I did."
"You didn't have to kill the man."
Jerome got up and faced Aya. "I'm gonna hear to things. Either a bullet from that gun or your footsteps heading out the door. How about some encouragement? 3...better do something...2...if you stand still you're gonna get hurt...1...times up."
Aya pulled the trigger.
"How desperate can one get? You bring the one you love and put him in danger and then you ask for the help of a man who has clearly lost his sanity. For that I must applaud." Eve grinned at Aya.
Aya picked up Logan's sword in her defense. "I must be dreaming. Mitochondria died almost five years ago. I'm looking at a ghost."
"I understand you're point of view. The people who built this place have perfected the art of cloning."
"Why would anyone clone you?" Aya demanded to know.
"I always thought you would catch on faster. It's all in the mitochondria. Just like the time you were drawn to the opera, these men and women were to recreate me."
"You will die. I understand now that it is my destiny to stop you."
"A fight? Not now. Our sister is evolving as we speak. Reaching her full potential. I must be there to guide her through it. So with this I shall leave you." Eve exited through the door where the mutant dogs were.
The doors adjacent to each other at the end of the corridor opened. They flowed like a raging river. ANMC and NMC alike stampeded by the hundreds towards her and Logan. The door behind her opened. Aya ducked directly down to the floor.
Jerome appeared and unleashed a heavy wave of fire with two chain guns, both heavily tied down to his torso giving him support to handle the weight. The creatures dropped by the dozens. While Jerome kept the creatures at bay, Aya dragged Logan by the collar of his shirt under the shower of bullet shells and behind Jerome. Jerome hit the switch and the electronic door began closing.
Jerome hit one buckle on the brace for supporting the chain guns and the entire unit collapsed to the ground. Aya also noticed a snakeskin handle for a gun was sticking out of the back of Jerome's trench coat.
"Ow guy-sh, ow. Help me guy-sh, I'm stuck." An odd yet familiar voice sounded. Aya couldn't believe it. The same human ANMC that attacked them on the surface (the one that could talk) had gotten its head stuck in the electronic door as it was closing. Jerome approached the creature. "Thank you guy-sh." Jerome pointed the barrel of his shotgun between the creature's eyes. "No not that guy-sh. Not..." Jerome pulled the trigger and the creature flew back into the corridor.
Jerome tied the chain guns to his waist and tossed Logan over his shoulder. He walked over to a destroyed hatch and climbed onto the service ladder.
"Wait. Where are you going?" Aya called after him.
"It's very late, or early actually. You're gonna get some sleep."
"This is not the time for a nap. Eve has returned."
"Where is the little girl? If she returned, mission complete. We go home." Jerome climbed the ladder easily while carrying over four hundred pounds of equipment and Logan.
"No, not her..." Aya suddenly realized that Kyle was supposed to be in the shaft but he wasn't there. She didn't want to mention to Jerome that she was trying to save a Golem Soldier. Aya figured he would try and hunt him down.
Jerome opened the hatch on the hatch on sub level two. He set Logan down on the floor. "The door on your right is the armory. The vault is open if you need to stock up. To my left is the sleeping quarter." Jerome picked up Logan again and headed into the sleeping quarters.
Aya decided to arm herself at the armory. She walked in and noticed that the surveillance cameras where all blacked out and the large vault door was open revealing a dream for a terrorist. It was basically a walk in closet with dozens of different weapons. Aya pulled out an automatic assault rifle. She grabbed a few magazines for it and then some clips for her pistol. As she was exploring the vault Jerome walked in and grabbed a small revolver. He smiled at Aya and tapped on a strong box. He walked back out.
Aya opened the strong box Jerome tapped on. Inside there was at least a dozen bars made of solid gold. Aya instinctively tucked two bars away in a pocket. She headed off into the sleeping quarters here Jerome was patiently sitting twirling the revolver in his hand. Logan was laid in a cot and a familiar, balding man was tied by rope in a chair. Aya recognized the man as Arthur Golemsten.
Jerome got out of his chair. "Let the interrogation begin."
"What is all this?" Aya questioned.
"You wanted help knocking down the barrier so here's your help. Mr. Golemsten here runs this place. He'll know how."
"Where's the other guy we hit with a tranquilizer?" Aya asked.
"Yes, where's my assistant?" Arthur chimed in.
"Ah yes. He showed me around Sub level five." Jerome pulled out an ID card. "Brandon Robinson. Was that his name? If you want to see him you can go downstairs and ask the big doggy to cough him up." Jerome showed Golemsten the ID card. "Now, answer my questions and you live to see another day."
"I'll tell you nothing." Golemsten spat at Jerome.
"This isn't the movies. You don't have to spit at the guy questioning you to increase dramatic affect. Now, I'll ask again. Will you cooperate?"
"Go to hell."
"I figured as much. We'll play a game." Jerome cut the ropes tying Arthur to a chair. "Now, one bullet, six chambers. We'll alternate. Aya, if he wins, let him go."
"Jerome, what are you doing?" Aya begged.
"Jerome? Your name is Jerome Michaels?" Golemsten smirked. "She wants to meet you. You two have some sort of bond."
"What are you talking about?" Jerome said furiously although it was obvious he knew exactly what he was talking about.
"You have to be the one who received some of Eves powers. Aren't you..." Golemsten got the wind knocked out of him when Jerome hit him with a powerful punch to the chest.
"She died a long time ago. No point in talking about her like she's alive." Jerome's face was red and a vein was bulging in his neck. "Let the game begin. I'll go first." Jerome put a single bullet in the revolver and spun the chamber. Aya could only watch as Jerome pointed the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger. No bullet came out. "Lucky me." He saw Aya about to protest but he held his hand up to tell her to be silent. "Now how do we shut down the barrier?"
"Why would I know that?"
Jerome pressed the revolver against Golemsten's head. "Wanna rethink your answer."
"I don't know." Golemsten begged.
Jerome pulled the trigger. "Luck is on you're side." He then pulled the trigger on himself and also didn't get shot. "Now, answer the question. No second warnings."
Golemsten began heavily sweating. "You must destroy the source of it."
"What is the source?" Jerome once again pressed hard against Arthur's forehead.
"Eve, Mitochondria Eve."
"Where is she?"
"She moves around a lot. I couldn't tell you." Jerome took this as a lie and pulled the trigger.
Jerome marched past Aya, as she couldn't stop staring at the body lying on the ground in his own blood. Aya took a deep breath and armed herself with a pistol and chased after Jerome. She found him sitting in the army thinking to himself while tapping a pistol against his temple without even having the safety on.
"You're under arrest for the murder of Arthur Golemsten." Aya aimed her pistol right at Jerome.
"You won't arrest me."
"I'm doing my job."
"I was doing my job. You asked me to help you find out how to take down the barrier and that's exactly what I did."
"You didn't have to kill the man."
Jerome got up and faced Aya. "I'm gonna hear to things. Either a bullet from that gun or your footsteps heading out the door. How about some encouragement? 3...better do something...2...if you stand still you're gonna get hurt...1...times up."
Aya pulled the trigger.