Is it just me or does every Metropolis fangirl have a major crush on Rock?
And okay, maybe I'll admit it a little, too just to be invariable. Oh yeah
and to Anthy's Worst Fear-Don't worry, I intend to update as soon as I've
written each chapter, so you can just CALM DOWN...Take deep breaths...
To rockofmarduk- Thank you, and you realize that you're also saying Rock's mother is a ______? You're also saying that to me, since she's loosely based on me. But that's okay, since she is a little insolent and ruthless at the beginning. And sorry, but that's not the plot for this story. That wouldn't quite be "romance", now would it? Oh great...I just gave the whole plot away...
5. The Squadron
"Whoa, hey-slow down. I don't recall ever reading a law that states you can hire anyone you want!" Rock yelled after having put his glasses back on and catching up with Sanguine.
"You obviously haven't been reading lately, then," she replied simply, not stopping to look at him.
Rock leapt in front of her. "Look, if I'm going to be a Marduk again, you at least owe me some answers."
Sanguine stopped, folded her arms and gave him and bored look. "Fine then. What do you want?"
"Tell me about yourself. Who you are, where you're from, that sort of thing."
She unfolded her arms and began to walk around him. "I've told you that already, what more would you need to know. If it isn't about business, we're done."
Rock reached and grabbed her upper arm, pulling her back to him. "You are going to give me answers and not questions, Sanguine. I may have control over you, but you yourself said I reminded you of your father. You wouldn't disobey him, now would you?"
"I would if his wishes were unreasonable," she said, trying to wrench her arm from his grasp, but he held tight.
"Were they ever?" he asked, drawing his head closer to hers.
Sanguine stared at him in bewilderment for a moment before turning away and taking off her sunglasses. She sighed. "Come on, then. Let's go find somewhere to sit down and we'll talk."
*
"So my parents sent me from Canada to get a good glimpse into the future. You wouldn't believe how revered Metropolis is outside the city."
"Did you live in a poor part of the country?"
"Why would you think that? No, there are hardly any poor parts except for in the major cities where the homeless hang around. It's a thriving country."
"I hear it's cold there?"
"It depends on where you live. I lived in the southeastern area where it's cold and warm, depending on the season. A climate similar to that of Metropolis, so I didn't really notice that change," Sanguine explained, drawing circles with her fingers on the table. "So how was your time in the hospital?"
Rock sat back in his chair and fingered with his sunglasses lying on the table as he glanced around ZONE-1. "As you can probably guess, not great. They were constantly running tests and it was painful at times even to just lie there and stare at the ceiling. I was greatly relieved when they took all the bandages off, though."
"Including the eyepatch, sling and cast?"
"Yeah. The cast shrunk my arm slightly, but the doctor said that was normal."
"What about your vision? Is it any worse in the right eye than it used to be?"
"No." Rock glanced around the patio that they were sitting in. A small gate surrounded the five or so tables and a clear walkway led inside the bar. Light shone through windows above ZONE-1, brightening even the darkest nooks and crannies.
The activity that hung around ZONE-1 had somewhat decreased since the Ziggurat's destruction, but not by much. Rock assumed that its residents, like him, must have left medical attention now. Either that or they had come out of hiding and they were getting back to their normal lives now that the area had been rebuilt.
Not looking at what he was doing, he subconsciously reached out across the table to reach for his pop can. He lifted it to his lips and tilted his head back to drain what was left in it. It felt slightly different than he had remembered, though.
Sanguine, who had been surveying some kids playing nearby on the street now turned her head to Rock. She opened her mouth to speak but didn't say anything and glanced down to where her drink should have been. She cast a disgusted, yet surprised look at him. She swallowed and took a deep breath in. "Uh...Rock?"
"Hm?" he acknowledged, not lowering his head or the drink.
She gulped again apprehensively and watched as his Adam's Apple moved up and down in rhythm with his swallows. She finally suppressed a giggle. "I hope you know that's my drink?"
Rock stopped his guzzling of the liquid and slammed the can back down on the table, still not lowering his head. He made one last ominous swallow of the contents in his mouth and lowered his head to just above the table, knocking the rim his hat on the surface and coughing as if he were choking. He covered his mouth with one hand as he held the other to his throat like he was going to regurgitate.
Sanguine rested her head on both hands as she lay her elbows on the table and smiled sweetly at him. "Oh, and did I fail to mention that I have a rare disorder that makes my saliva poisonous to those that don't possess my DNA?" she said with a small chuckle.
Rock raised his head to scowl at her, no longer hacking away but panting heavily now. "Surely...surely you..."
"Relax, I'm just joking. You're not going to die just because you accidentally drank from my drink. Though you may die from the humiliation when I tell the other Marduks and Duke Re-"
"If you do, I'm going to kill you!" Rock countered, pointing an accusing finger at her.
The two froze in mid-sentence and turned to the street as they heard laughter. There stood a young, red-headed boy with a short ponytail held by a blue elastic, holding his sides and curled up to hide his joyous face. Beside him stood another boy with shoulder-length black hair and dark blue eyes, mildly smiling at the two of them.
"What do you two want?" Rock demanded, leaping up from his seat but still holding his stomach.
"I'm sorry-we just found your situation amusing and so we stopped to watch. It's interesting to see a female Marduk leader, let alone a female Marduk leader that has time for a boyfriend," the black-haired boy explained.
"'Boyfriend'?!" Sanguine and Rock both exclaimed in unison, Sanguine now leaping up. She cast a disgusted glance at Rock, who displayed the same expression.
She turned back to the two boys. "We are strictly on business! I'll have you know that I was instructed by Duke Red to recruit new Marduk members. Rock, being the former Marduk leader, seemed to be a suitable choice, so that is why I was talking to him. For no other reason was or would I."
The black-haired boy turned to his companion. "You hear that, Dactyl? She's looking for new Marduk recruits!"
The red-haired boy raised his head and wiped tears from his eyes. "She is, is she?"
"Yeah, that's right." The black-haired boy turned back to Sanguine. "My name is Nusku, and my friend here is Dactyl, miss. We'd both be deeply honoured if you were to allow us to join the ranks of the Marduks."
Nusku wore a white vest with red lining around the arm and neck holes. Underneath that was a loose white shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. From the vest also trailed what looked like a red shirt. He had blue pants, and where they were folded up at the end it was lighter. He wore brown shoes.
Dactyl wore a white full-sleeved turtleneck and grassy-green shorts. He then wore white socks and blue shoes. After analyzing their appearances, Sanguine and Rock cast meaningful glances at each other. Rock shook his head slightly as Sanguine turned back to them.
"It's been our lifelong dream to fight robots. We want to have a purpose in this city, to protect citizens and have them respect us," Nusku continued.
"Not like they do now," added Dactyl, having recovered from his laughing fit and hanging his head. The hurt innocence clearly showed in his grey eyes.
Sanguine looked to Rock again, who didn't have his head turned her way this time. She looked back to Nusku and Dactyl. "Well, I can't hire you right away, since I'll have to analyze your gunning skills by taking you to Duke Red's mansion. That's where the rest of the Marduks are and they'll help me to decide. Rock will, too, won't you, Rock?"
Rock put his sunglasses on so that he hid the fact that he was rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure..." He gathered up his uniform and began to saunter towards the gates of ZONE-1.
Sanguine put her hat and sunglasses on, then motioned for Nusku and Dactyl to follow her as she took off after Rock.
*
"The others are in the training room, correct?" Sanguine asked the doorman as she entered.
The man nodded, then lifted his head to scrutinize the three boys following closely behind her. He stepped in front of them and barred their way with his arm. Sanguine turned once she had taken off her hat and sunglasses. "Oh don't mind them, butler. They're with me."
The man bowed before them and leapt back into his former position. Sanguine led them to the lower levels of the mansion, Rock familiar with the way yet lagging a good foot or so away from the front of the line. He seemed rather interested in the way Sanguine's long brown hair flailed across her back as she strode briskly, Nusku noticed with his quick glances at the brown-haired boy. If Nusku wasn't glimpsing the two Marduks, he was surveying the mansion with wonder along with his friend Dactyl. The two were as fascinated by all the elegant decorations as Sanguine had two weeks ago.
When they came to the simulator training room, Sanguine wrenched at the turntable handle until it opened. She stepped inside to see a flooded ZONE-3 and faces she didn't recognize running around with the simulator guns, shooting at haywire robots. She moved to the side, allowing for all three to stand beside her against the wall to watch the operation. "Dactyl and Nusku, as you can see, we are running a simulation test to weed out the top gunners aspiring to be Marduks," she explained.
There were looks of utter surprise on both their faces. "But we've no idea how to handle a gun!" Dactyl cried exasperatedly.
"That's your problem then, not ours. Those robots will just get the better of you," Rock said flatly and sarcastically, only to receive a sharp prod in the ribs.
"Rock! Be nice!" Sanguine scolded him. "Don't' worry, you two. If Devin could teach me, he could definitely teach you, no sweat. I have a feeling you'll make excellent Marduks!" She said with a polite smile.
" I've always thought that Devin truly was a miracle worker..." Rock muttered, pulling away and holding his stomach area to dodge another poke from Sanguine. He then let out a suppressed yell, having felt a sharp sting in his left shoulder.
Sanguine giggled as she watched him with narrowed eyes. "There, if I don't get you someone else will." She turned to the men with the simulator guns and cupped her hands over her mouth to be heard. "Thanks, whoever did that, though I remind you that I won't be as forgiving in the real thing!"
Dactyl and Nusku stared at Rock in horror. "Doesn't that...hurt?" Nusku asked.
"Shouldn't there be, like...blood?" added Dactyl.
"No," Rock wheezed, rubbing the area angrily and regretfully. "Those are only simulator firearms, designed to take down the virtual robot targets. You can still hit other people, but it isn't a real gunshot. You just get a sharp sting wherever you're hit..."
Dactyl inched closer to get a better look at the shoulder Rock was massaging. "Have you ever been shot before? Does it feel the same?"
Rock lowered his head. "Have I ever been shot?" he chuckled. "Oh, yeah, I have-though the stomach. It hurts, all right. Though the sting you get hurt doesn't hurt half as much."
"It goes away after a while-there's no need to worry," Sanguine added, hands akimbo and glaring at Rock with a smug look.
Nusku seemed unsatisfied. "But how would they cause the pain of a wound without actually inflicting one?"
"That's what technology is for, kid," Sanguine said, turning away and strutting towards the control room. "You live in the technologically advanced Metropolis, don't forget."
Nusku began to follow her, casting innocent glances at the wincing Rock and the mortified Dactyl, who was now trying to help Rock to the control room.
"They're all males," Sanguine stated with slight disgust in her voice.
"Well, there aren't many females with the mettle you have here in Metropolis," Devin replied. "Most are like Enmy, and we can't have Marduks like that running around." He turned away from the glass window where he had been surveying the other men and to Sanguine. "We've already selected two Marduks. They're upstairs with Enmy trying on uniforms."
"You already hired two Marduks without my consent?" Sanguine asked, cocking her head to one side and scowling at him.
"Well, you see, we presented them to Duke Red and he said they would be suitable..."
"Duke Red?" Rock's ears perked up as he lifted his head to see Devin.
Devin cast a glance at him. "Rock! So you managed to recruit him, eh? That's good. Anyway, as I was saying, Duke Red is out of the hospital and he was the one that told us to display the recruits to him, so..."
"Oh. Okay..." Sanguine trailed off, gazing longingly into space. "Well, then...how is Duke Red and what are the names of the two you hired?"
"Duke Red's fine," answered Patrick, who had just entered the control room. "He's still in a wheelchair, though. The maids are taking care of him up in his office. As for the two recruits, their names are Spike* and Gerra*. They're with Enmy trying on-"
"I've said that already," interrupted Devin with an envious glower.
"Well, sorry," Patrick replied sarcastically and with a sneer. He turned back to Sanguine. "Man, you should see some of the talent out there. There's this blond guy who really knows how to take down targets. We've gotta hire him!"
Patrick pointed out the glass window to a man that had his back to them. He held his gun in his right hand, pointing at the ceiling of the simulation room, waiting for one of the Albert 2 models to come into considerable range.
Devin peered over Sanguine's shoulder at Dactyl and Nusku, who were transfixed by the blond-haired man. "Are these two friends of yours?"
Sanguine stood erectly again, still keeping her eyes on the simulation room. "Not exactly...they're auditioners, though they'll need a small handicap." Sanguine moved closer to Devin to whisper in his ear. "They're not quite the calibre we're looking for yet."
"Oh, I see... No problem. If they're that dedicated, they'll be Marduks in no time," Devin answered, still in the same tone.
"Why don't you go check out the other two?" Orion suggested, looking up from the control screens he had been monitoring.
"Yeah-we've got things under control down here. Go and get acquainted- you are Marduk leader, after all," Patrick added.
Sanguine blushed and suddenly found her boots very interesting. "Okay, then, I will. I shall leave Dactyl and Nusku with you, then, shall I?"
"Um-hm. Sam'll put 'em through their paces," replied Orion, causing a slightly worried look to appear on the faces of the two.
Sanguine turned and placed her hand on the doorknob, poised to turn it. "You coming, Rock?"
Rock tore his eyes away from the flooded ZONE-3. "Uh, yeah...sure..." He sauntered over to the door then followed her along the wall and out of the room.
Just as they were about to enter the party's barracks, she stopped at the door and turned to him. "You don't have to be a Marduk, you know. No one's forcing you. I can see you envy me."
Rock lifted his head, since it had been practically stuck to his chest the whole way through the mansion. "Me? Envy you? Not even in your dreams."
"A simple 'No, I don't' would suffice. At least that's what normal people would say."
Rock's scowl intensified and he glowered at her in silence for a moment. "I know no one's forcing me to be a Marduk, can't I do it of my own accord?"
Sanguine remained silent, a doubtful look on her face.
"I don't why I'm telling you this, but it's a matter of personal honour," he said, pushing past her and opening the door.
Inside, the two saw three doors on either side of the room. Enmy and two other men stood in the middle. Enmy looked as if she were explaining something to them.
Sanguine brushed past Rock, who still stood in the doorway, gawking at the two new recruits. One looked around eighteen, with a mushroom cut dark purple hair, brown eyes and glasses. He wore a loose tan shirt with three-quarter sleeves. He had olive green Capri pants and brown boots with a white strip up the middle that came halfway up his shin.
The other man was a blond with slightly spiked hair down to the bottom of his head. He was slightly unshaved, creating a bristled look along his chin and jawline. He had brown eyes. He had the appearance of a gangster, what with the bandanna he wore on his head, the torn sleeved-tank top, the leather silver buckled belt and loose pants that had one torn leg. He had brown, knee-high boots, spiked bracelets and a skull and crossbones tattoo on his right arm. He looked to be in his early twenties.
Enmy stopped talking and turned to Sanguine, the other two men turned their heads, too. "Is there something I can help you with? I was just explaining to them the rules of conduct."
"No, nothing. I just came to take a gander at the new recruits. These two men, I suppose?" Sanguine asked with a smile, nodding her head towards the men.
Before anyone else could answer, Rock intercepted. "Uh, I'll just go get changed. My room, right, Enmy?"
"Same place-nothing's changed," she said curtly before turning back to Sanguine. "Yes, these two. Spike and Gerra."
Feeling ignored, Rock rolled his eyes, turned, and left the room. They all turned their heads on hearing the door close, but then turned back to each other. The purple-haired boy extended a friendly hand towards Sanguine, who stepped forward and shook it gingerly.
"My name's Spike," he informed as he fiddled with his glasses. "I imagine you must be tough to be a female Marduk leader."
'Your name's Spike?!' she thought to herself. She covered her disbelief and embarrassment with a dry laugh. "Uh...thank you, but not exactly...Name's Sanguine. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
She turned and extended her hand to the other one. "Nice to meet you, Gerra..."
Gerra didn't outstretch his arm, but kept them folded across his chest. He gave a stiff nod as he scowled down at her. He had to be a good four inches taller. "Sanguine..." he muttered.
Sanguine immediately withdrew her hands behind her back and returned the glowering nod. She whirled around on her heel to face Enmy. "They're all yours." With that, she turned towards the door and began to strut towards it.
"Where are you going?" queried Enmy.
She whipped back around. "To find Duke Red."
"It's seems you won't have to. He's found you," Enmy replied as she pointed the door.
Sanguine whipped around to see Qingu wheeling Duke Red through the doorway in none other than a wheelchair. He wasn't bandaged or anything, no casts-only a few bruises and cuts. He was in much better condition than when Sanguine had last seen him. Qingu was sombre as usual, while Duke Red had a paternal smile on his face, as if he knew he were about to die and was relieved about it.
Sanguine whirled oddly to stare oddly at Enmy, Spike and Gerra, who were either bowing or curtsying towards Duke. She turned back to him, who had changed his expression to a stern look. She curtsied awkwardly before standing at attention. "Duke Red, sir!"
"Sanguine-so good to see you again. How has the party been getting on in my absence?" he questioned casually.
"Exceedingly well, sir!"
"Relax, my dear, there's no need to be so rigid around me. We are of equal rank, now," Duke Red stated with a wave of his hand.
Sanguine sighed, allowing her puffed-up chest to deflate. "That's not what you would've told Rock..." she muttered before raising her voice to normal speaking level. "Thank you, sir. As you probably already know, these two men, Spike and Gerra are the new party members. I was just acquainting myself with them."
"Good job. I heard that you also managed to recruit Rock?"
As if on cue, Rock entered through the door, with his sunglasses on the top of his head and making final adjustments to his suspenders. Hearing the odd silence in the room, he lifted his head, since his attention had been on making the clips on his suspenders and pants fit together. Everyone in the room was staring at him. He gave the clips one final, irritated attempt, and to his surprise, they slid into each other like a knife through butter. "Yes?"
Sanguine looked to Duke Red with a nonchalant smile. "Does that answer your question?"
Duke Red was too mesmerized by Rock to answer. "R-Rock..."
There was tension and silence throughout the several people, Rock and Duke Red staring at each other while the others cast glances back and forth between the two. When Sanguine felt as if she could take it no longer, Sam came to her rescue by appearing in the doorway along with the other Marduks.
"The day's session is over and we have selected our full roster-"
"Lighten up, Sammy, just say-oh...I'm sorry, did we interrupt anything?" Patrick asked, having pushed Sam aside.
All in the room except for Rock and Duke had their attention on Patrick and Sam. "No, nothing important," responded Enmy. "You were saying how you've come with the last four Marduks?"
"That is correct, ma'am," Sam answered, now pushing Patrick out of the way so that four other males could pass through.
Sanguine recognized the seemingly petrified Dactyl and Nusku right away. The third figure she identified as the blond man they had seen gunning down the targets with precision accuracy. He had a small amount of hair trailed from the back of his head and bangs almost similar to Dactyl's, giving them almost the same appearance. The only difference was that this man's hair was spikier. He was tall and appeared to be in his early twenties, if not late teens with emerald green eyes. He wore a red turtleneck and black jacket with dark brown pants and black combat boots.
The other boy took her a little longer to analyze-she had definitely seen him before, but not in the simulation room. He looked eighteen, the same age as Spike, though an inch taller. He wore white shoes, dark drown pants, a light blue, collared, short-sleeved shirt which was buttoned down the front and wasn't tucked into his pants with a set of red sweatbands on his wrists. Sanguine finally gasped when she came to his head, discerning his slightly shaggy brown hair that made a neat part in the bangs in the middle of his forehead that looked vaguely like Rock's and the emerald green eyes he possessed. Her surprised expression then became a murderous glower towards him.
"These two are Dactyl and Nusku. Despite their young age, we of the Marduk Party feel that they, in time, will make a formidable addition," announced Sam, motioning to the two boys in turn. He then gestured towards the blond man. "This is Fornax*, an expert gunman and aspiring politician. Perfect Marduk material." He finally gestured to the last one, making Sanguine's heart skip a beat. "And last, but not least, this is Blade* Algethi, none other than Sanguine's older brother."
Rock, who had now turned, looked to see a green-eyed version of himself and male version of Sanguine standing before him. 'Blade Algethi...So Algethi is her surname. Sanguine Algethi... She wouldn't even tell me things as simple as that about herself...though maybe I could squeeze it out of her brother-which she didn't tell me she had either...' Rock thought to himself, his scowl intensifying with every sentence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whoa, longer chapter than I expected. And that's why it took so long to write. Not that this is as long as I've ever written, but long for Cutthroat Stone. So, anyway, now for my suspense questions: What is Blade, Sanguine's older brother, doing in Metropolis and why does she feel anger towards him? Will there be a different relationship between Duke Red and Rock now that Duke knows Rock saved his life? Will Dactyl and Nusku fare well as Marduks? Will Rock get the answers he expects from Blade? What is Rock's real surname and will he live much longer after guzzling Sanguine's drink? Why is Spike named so with an image and personality like that? Find the majority of answers out soon! Please R&R!
To rockofmarduk- Thank you, and you realize that you're also saying Rock's mother is a ______? You're also saying that to me, since she's loosely based on me. But that's okay, since she is a little insolent and ruthless at the beginning. And sorry, but that's not the plot for this story. That wouldn't quite be "romance", now would it? Oh great...I just gave the whole plot away...
5. The Squadron
"Whoa, hey-slow down. I don't recall ever reading a law that states you can hire anyone you want!" Rock yelled after having put his glasses back on and catching up with Sanguine.
"You obviously haven't been reading lately, then," she replied simply, not stopping to look at him.
Rock leapt in front of her. "Look, if I'm going to be a Marduk again, you at least owe me some answers."
Sanguine stopped, folded her arms and gave him and bored look. "Fine then. What do you want?"
"Tell me about yourself. Who you are, where you're from, that sort of thing."
She unfolded her arms and began to walk around him. "I've told you that already, what more would you need to know. If it isn't about business, we're done."
Rock reached and grabbed her upper arm, pulling her back to him. "You are going to give me answers and not questions, Sanguine. I may have control over you, but you yourself said I reminded you of your father. You wouldn't disobey him, now would you?"
"I would if his wishes were unreasonable," she said, trying to wrench her arm from his grasp, but he held tight.
"Were they ever?" he asked, drawing his head closer to hers.
Sanguine stared at him in bewilderment for a moment before turning away and taking off her sunglasses. She sighed. "Come on, then. Let's go find somewhere to sit down and we'll talk."
*
"So my parents sent me from Canada to get a good glimpse into the future. You wouldn't believe how revered Metropolis is outside the city."
"Did you live in a poor part of the country?"
"Why would you think that? No, there are hardly any poor parts except for in the major cities where the homeless hang around. It's a thriving country."
"I hear it's cold there?"
"It depends on where you live. I lived in the southeastern area where it's cold and warm, depending on the season. A climate similar to that of Metropolis, so I didn't really notice that change," Sanguine explained, drawing circles with her fingers on the table. "So how was your time in the hospital?"
Rock sat back in his chair and fingered with his sunglasses lying on the table as he glanced around ZONE-1. "As you can probably guess, not great. They were constantly running tests and it was painful at times even to just lie there and stare at the ceiling. I was greatly relieved when they took all the bandages off, though."
"Including the eyepatch, sling and cast?"
"Yeah. The cast shrunk my arm slightly, but the doctor said that was normal."
"What about your vision? Is it any worse in the right eye than it used to be?"
"No." Rock glanced around the patio that they were sitting in. A small gate surrounded the five or so tables and a clear walkway led inside the bar. Light shone through windows above ZONE-1, brightening even the darkest nooks and crannies.
The activity that hung around ZONE-1 had somewhat decreased since the Ziggurat's destruction, but not by much. Rock assumed that its residents, like him, must have left medical attention now. Either that or they had come out of hiding and they were getting back to their normal lives now that the area had been rebuilt.
Not looking at what he was doing, he subconsciously reached out across the table to reach for his pop can. He lifted it to his lips and tilted his head back to drain what was left in it. It felt slightly different than he had remembered, though.
Sanguine, who had been surveying some kids playing nearby on the street now turned her head to Rock. She opened her mouth to speak but didn't say anything and glanced down to where her drink should have been. She cast a disgusted, yet surprised look at him. She swallowed and took a deep breath in. "Uh...Rock?"
"Hm?" he acknowledged, not lowering his head or the drink.
She gulped again apprehensively and watched as his Adam's Apple moved up and down in rhythm with his swallows. She finally suppressed a giggle. "I hope you know that's my drink?"
Rock stopped his guzzling of the liquid and slammed the can back down on the table, still not lowering his head. He made one last ominous swallow of the contents in his mouth and lowered his head to just above the table, knocking the rim his hat on the surface and coughing as if he were choking. He covered his mouth with one hand as he held the other to his throat like he was going to regurgitate.
Sanguine rested her head on both hands as she lay her elbows on the table and smiled sweetly at him. "Oh, and did I fail to mention that I have a rare disorder that makes my saliva poisonous to those that don't possess my DNA?" she said with a small chuckle.
Rock raised his head to scowl at her, no longer hacking away but panting heavily now. "Surely...surely you..."
"Relax, I'm just joking. You're not going to die just because you accidentally drank from my drink. Though you may die from the humiliation when I tell the other Marduks and Duke Re-"
"If you do, I'm going to kill you!" Rock countered, pointing an accusing finger at her.
The two froze in mid-sentence and turned to the street as they heard laughter. There stood a young, red-headed boy with a short ponytail held by a blue elastic, holding his sides and curled up to hide his joyous face. Beside him stood another boy with shoulder-length black hair and dark blue eyes, mildly smiling at the two of them.
"What do you two want?" Rock demanded, leaping up from his seat but still holding his stomach.
"I'm sorry-we just found your situation amusing and so we stopped to watch. It's interesting to see a female Marduk leader, let alone a female Marduk leader that has time for a boyfriend," the black-haired boy explained.
"'Boyfriend'?!" Sanguine and Rock both exclaimed in unison, Sanguine now leaping up. She cast a disgusted glance at Rock, who displayed the same expression.
She turned back to the two boys. "We are strictly on business! I'll have you know that I was instructed by Duke Red to recruit new Marduk members. Rock, being the former Marduk leader, seemed to be a suitable choice, so that is why I was talking to him. For no other reason was or would I."
The black-haired boy turned to his companion. "You hear that, Dactyl? She's looking for new Marduk recruits!"
The red-haired boy raised his head and wiped tears from his eyes. "She is, is she?"
"Yeah, that's right." The black-haired boy turned back to Sanguine. "My name is Nusku, and my friend here is Dactyl, miss. We'd both be deeply honoured if you were to allow us to join the ranks of the Marduks."
Nusku wore a white vest with red lining around the arm and neck holes. Underneath that was a loose white shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. From the vest also trailed what looked like a red shirt. He had blue pants, and where they were folded up at the end it was lighter. He wore brown shoes.
Dactyl wore a white full-sleeved turtleneck and grassy-green shorts. He then wore white socks and blue shoes. After analyzing their appearances, Sanguine and Rock cast meaningful glances at each other. Rock shook his head slightly as Sanguine turned back to them.
"It's been our lifelong dream to fight robots. We want to have a purpose in this city, to protect citizens and have them respect us," Nusku continued.
"Not like they do now," added Dactyl, having recovered from his laughing fit and hanging his head. The hurt innocence clearly showed in his grey eyes.
Sanguine looked to Rock again, who didn't have his head turned her way this time. She looked back to Nusku and Dactyl. "Well, I can't hire you right away, since I'll have to analyze your gunning skills by taking you to Duke Red's mansion. That's where the rest of the Marduks are and they'll help me to decide. Rock will, too, won't you, Rock?"
Rock put his sunglasses on so that he hid the fact that he was rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure..." He gathered up his uniform and began to saunter towards the gates of ZONE-1.
Sanguine put her hat and sunglasses on, then motioned for Nusku and Dactyl to follow her as she took off after Rock.
*
"The others are in the training room, correct?" Sanguine asked the doorman as she entered.
The man nodded, then lifted his head to scrutinize the three boys following closely behind her. He stepped in front of them and barred their way with his arm. Sanguine turned once she had taken off her hat and sunglasses. "Oh don't mind them, butler. They're with me."
The man bowed before them and leapt back into his former position. Sanguine led them to the lower levels of the mansion, Rock familiar with the way yet lagging a good foot or so away from the front of the line. He seemed rather interested in the way Sanguine's long brown hair flailed across her back as she strode briskly, Nusku noticed with his quick glances at the brown-haired boy. If Nusku wasn't glimpsing the two Marduks, he was surveying the mansion with wonder along with his friend Dactyl. The two were as fascinated by all the elegant decorations as Sanguine had two weeks ago.
When they came to the simulator training room, Sanguine wrenched at the turntable handle until it opened. She stepped inside to see a flooded ZONE-3 and faces she didn't recognize running around with the simulator guns, shooting at haywire robots. She moved to the side, allowing for all three to stand beside her against the wall to watch the operation. "Dactyl and Nusku, as you can see, we are running a simulation test to weed out the top gunners aspiring to be Marduks," she explained.
There were looks of utter surprise on both their faces. "But we've no idea how to handle a gun!" Dactyl cried exasperatedly.
"That's your problem then, not ours. Those robots will just get the better of you," Rock said flatly and sarcastically, only to receive a sharp prod in the ribs.
"Rock! Be nice!" Sanguine scolded him. "Don't' worry, you two. If Devin could teach me, he could definitely teach you, no sweat. I have a feeling you'll make excellent Marduks!" She said with a polite smile.
" I've always thought that Devin truly was a miracle worker..." Rock muttered, pulling away and holding his stomach area to dodge another poke from Sanguine. He then let out a suppressed yell, having felt a sharp sting in his left shoulder.
Sanguine giggled as she watched him with narrowed eyes. "There, if I don't get you someone else will." She turned to the men with the simulator guns and cupped her hands over her mouth to be heard. "Thanks, whoever did that, though I remind you that I won't be as forgiving in the real thing!"
Dactyl and Nusku stared at Rock in horror. "Doesn't that...hurt?" Nusku asked.
"Shouldn't there be, like...blood?" added Dactyl.
"No," Rock wheezed, rubbing the area angrily and regretfully. "Those are only simulator firearms, designed to take down the virtual robot targets. You can still hit other people, but it isn't a real gunshot. You just get a sharp sting wherever you're hit..."
Dactyl inched closer to get a better look at the shoulder Rock was massaging. "Have you ever been shot before? Does it feel the same?"
Rock lowered his head. "Have I ever been shot?" he chuckled. "Oh, yeah, I have-though the stomach. It hurts, all right. Though the sting you get hurt doesn't hurt half as much."
"It goes away after a while-there's no need to worry," Sanguine added, hands akimbo and glaring at Rock with a smug look.
Nusku seemed unsatisfied. "But how would they cause the pain of a wound without actually inflicting one?"
"That's what technology is for, kid," Sanguine said, turning away and strutting towards the control room. "You live in the technologically advanced Metropolis, don't forget."
Nusku began to follow her, casting innocent glances at the wincing Rock and the mortified Dactyl, who was now trying to help Rock to the control room.
"They're all males," Sanguine stated with slight disgust in her voice.
"Well, there aren't many females with the mettle you have here in Metropolis," Devin replied. "Most are like Enmy, and we can't have Marduks like that running around." He turned away from the glass window where he had been surveying the other men and to Sanguine. "We've already selected two Marduks. They're upstairs with Enmy trying on uniforms."
"You already hired two Marduks without my consent?" Sanguine asked, cocking her head to one side and scowling at him.
"Well, you see, we presented them to Duke Red and he said they would be suitable..."
"Duke Red?" Rock's ears perked up as he lifted his head to see Devin.
Devin cast a glance at him. "Rock! So you managed to recruit him, eh? That's good. Anyway, as I was saying, Duke Red is out of the hospital and he was the one that told us to display the recruits to him, so..."
"Oh. Okay..." Sanguine trailed off, gazing longingly into space. "Well, then...how is Duke Red and what are the names of the two you hired?"
"Duke Red's fine," answered Patrick, who had just entered the control room. "He's still in a wheelchair, though. The maids are taking care of him up in his office. As for the two recruits, their names are Spike* and Gerra*. They're with Enmy trying on-"
"I've said that already," interrupted Devin with an envious glower.
"Well, sorry," Patrick replied sarcastically and with a sneer. He turned back to Sanguine. "Man, you should see some of the talent out there. There's this blond guy who really knows how to take down targets. We've gotta hire him!"
Patrick pointed out the glass window to a man that had his back to them. He held his gun in his right hand, pointing at the ceiling of the simulation room, waiting for one of the Albert 2 models to come into considerable range.
Devin peered over Sanguine's shoulder at Dactyl and Nusku, who were transfixed by the blond-haired man. "Are these two friends of yours?"
Sanguine stood erectly again, still keeping her eyes on the simulation room. "Not exactly...they're auditioners, though they'll need a small handicap." Sanguine moved closer to Devin to whisper in his ear. "They're not quite the calibre we're looking for yet."
"Oh, I see... No problem. If they're that dedicated, they'll be Marduks in no time," Devin answered, still in the same tone.
"Why don't you go check out the other two?" Orion suggested, looking up from the control screens he had been monitoring.
"Yeah-we've got things under control down here. Go and get acquainted- you are Marduk leader, after all," Patrick added.
Sanguine blushed and suddenly found her boots very interesting. "Okay, then, I will. I shall leave Dactyl and Nusku with you, then, shall I?"
"Um-hm. Sam'll put 'em through their paces," replied Orion, causing a slightly worried look to appear on the faces of the two.
Sanguine turned and placed her hand on the doorknob, poised to turn it. "You coming, Rock?"
Rock tore his eyes away from the flooded ZONE-3. "Uh, yeah...sure..." He sauntered over to the door then followed her along the wall and out of the room.
Just as they were about to enter the party's barracks, she stopped at the door and turned to him. "You don't have to be a Marduk, you know. No one's forcing you. I can see you envy me."
Rock lifted his head, since it had been practically stuck to his chest the whole way through the mansion. "Me? Envy you? Not even in your dreams."
"A simple 'No, I don't' would suffice. At least that's what normal people would say."
Rock's scowl intensified and he glowered at her in silence for a moment. "I know no one's forcing me to be a Marduk, can't I do it of my own accord?"
Sanguine remained silent, a doubtful look on her face.
"I don't why I'm telling you this, but it's a matter of personal honour," he said, pushing past her and opening the door.
Inside, the two saw three doors on either side of the room. Enmy and two other men stood in the middle. Enmy looked as if she were explaining something to them.
Sanguine brushed past Rock, who still stood in the doorway, gawking at the two new recruits. One looked around eighteen, with a mushroom cut dark purple hair, brown eyes and glasses. He wore a loose tan shirt with three-quarter sleeves. He had olive green Capri pants and brown boots with a white strip up the middle that came halfway up his shin.
The other man was a blond with slightly spiked hair down to the bottom of his head. He was slightly unshaved, creating a bristled look along his chin and jawline. He had brown eyes. He had the appearance of a gangster, what with the bandanna he wore on his head, the torn sleeved-tank top, the leather silver buckled belt and loose pants that had one torn leg. He had brown, knee-high boots, spiked bracelets and a skull and crossbones tattoo on his right arm. He looked to be in his early twenties.
Enmy stopped talking and turned to Sanguine, the other two men turned their heads, too. "Is there something I can help you with? I was just explaining to them the rules of conduct."
"No, nothing. I just came to take a gander at the new recruits. These two men, I suppose?" Sanguine asked with a smile, nodding her head towards the men.
Before anyone else could answer, Rock intercepted. "Uh, I'll just go get changed. My room, right, Enmy?"
"Same place-nothing's changed," she said curtly before turning back to Sanguine. "Yes, these two. Spike and Gerra."
Feeling ignored, Rock rolled his eyes, turned, and left the room. They all turned their heads on hearing the door close, but then turned back to each other. The purple-haired boy extended a friendly hand towards Sanguine, who stepped forward and shook it gingerly.
"My name's Spike," he informed as he fiddled with his glasses. "I imagine you must be tough to be a female Marduk leader."
'Your name's Spike?!' she thought to herself. She covered her disbelief and embarrassment with a dry laugh. "Uh...thank you, but not exactly...Name's Sanguine. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
She turned and extended her hand to the other one. "Nice to meet you, Gerra..."
Gerra didn't outstretch his arm, but kept them folded across his chest. He gave a stiff nod as he scowled down at her. He had to be a good four inches taller. "Sanguine..." he muttered.
Sanguine immediately withdrew her hands behind her back and returned the glowering nod. She whirled around on her heel to face Enmy. "They're all yours." With that, she turned towards the door and began to strut towards it.
"Where are you going?" queried Enmy.
She whipped back around. "To find Duke Red."
"It's seems you won't have to. He's found you," Enmy replied as she pointed the door.
Sanguine whipped around to see Qingu wheeling Duke Red through the doorway in none other than a wheelchair. He wasn't bandaged or anything, no casts-only a few bruises and cuts. He was in much better condition than when Sanguine had last seen him. Qingu was sombre as usual, while Duke Red had a paternal smile on his face, as if he knew he were about to die and was relieved about it.
Sanguine whirled oddly to stare oddly at Enmy, Spike and Gerra, who were either bowing or curtsying towards Duke. She turned back to him, who had changed his expression to a stern look. She curtsied awkwardly before standing at attention. "Duke Red, sir!"
"Sanguine-so good to see you again. How has the party been getting on in my absence?" he questioned casually.
"Exceedingly well, sir!"
"Relax, my dear, there's no need to be so rigid around me. We are of equal rank, now," Duke Red stated with a wave of his hand.
Sanguine sighed, allowing her puffed-up chest to deflate. "That's not what you would've told Rock..." she muttered before raising her voice to normal speaking level. "Thank you, sir. As you probably already know, these two men, Spike and Gerra are the new party members. I was just acquainting myself with them."
"Good job. I heard that you also managed to recruit Rock?"
As if on cue, Rock entered through the door, with his sunglasses on the top of his head and making final adjustments to his suspenders. Hearing the odd silence in the room, he lifted his head, since his attention had been on making the clips on his suspenders and pants fit together. Everyone in the room was staring at him. He gave the clips one final, irritated attempt, and to his surprise, they slid into each other like a knife through butter. "Yes?"
Sanguine looked to Duke Red with a nonchalant smile. "Does that answer your question?"
Duke Red was too mesmerized by Rock to answer. "R-Rock..."
There was tension and silence throughout the several people, Rock and Duke Red staring at each other while the others cast glances back and forth between the two. When Sanguine felt as if she could take it no longer, Sam came to her rescue by appearing in the doorway along with the other Marduks.
"The day's session is over and we have selected our full roster-"
"Lighten up, Sammy, just say-oh...I'm sorry, did we interrupt anything?" Patrick asked, having pushed Sam aside.
All in the room except for Rock and Duke had their attention on Patrick and Sam. "No, nothing important," responded Enmy. "You were saying how you've come with the last four Marduks?"
"That is correct, ma'am," Sam answered, now pushing Patrick out of the way so that four other males could pass through.
Sanguine recognized the seemingly petrified Dactyl and Nusku right away. The third figure she identified as the blond man they had seen gunning down the targets with precision accuracy. He had a small amount of hair trailed from the back of his head and bangs almost similar to Dactyl's, giving them almost the same appearance. The only difference was that this man's hair was spikier. He was tall and appeared to be in his early twenties, if not late teens with emerald green eyes. He wore a red turtleneck and black jacket with dark brown pants and black combat boots.
The other boy took her a little longer to analyze-she had definitely seen him before, but not in the simulation room. He looked eighteen, the same age as Spike, though an inch taller. He wore white shoes, dark drown pants, a light blue, collared, short-sleeved shirt which was buttoned down the front and wasn't tucked into his pants with a set of red sweatbands on his wrists. Sanguine finally gasped when she came to his head, discerning his slightly shaggy brown hair that made a neat part in the bangs in the middle of his forehead that looked vaguely like Rock's and the emerald green eyes he possessed. Her surprised expression then became a murderous glower towards him.
"These two are Dactyl and Nusku. Despite their young age, we of the Marduk Party feel that they, in time, will make a formidable addition," announced Sam, motioning to the two boys in turn. He then gestured towards the blond man. "This is Fornax*, an expert gunman and aspiring politician. Perfect Marduk material." He finally gestured to the last one, making Sanguine's heart skip a beat. "And last, but not least, this is Blade* Algethi, none other than Sanguine's older brother."
Rock, who had now turned, looked to see a green-eyed version of himself and male version of Sanguine standing before him. 'Blade Algethi...So Algethi is her surname. Sanguine Algethi... She wouldn't even tell me things as simple as that about herself...though maybe I could squeeze it out of her brother-which she didn't tell me she had either...' Rock thought to himself, his scowl intensifying with every sentence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whoa, longer chapter than I expected. And that's why it took so long to write. Not that this is as long as I've ever written, but long for Cutthroat Stone. So, anyway, now for my suspense questions: What is Blade, Sanguine's older brother, doing in Metropolis and why does she feel anger towards him? Will there be a different relationship between Duke Red and Rock now that Duke knows Rock saved his life? Will Dactyl and Nusku fare well as Marduks? Will Rock get the answers he expects from Blade? What is Rock's real surname and will he live much longer after guzzling Sanguine's drink? Why is Spike named so with an image and personality like that? Find the majority of answers out soon! Please R&R!