A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 1.
WARNING: IMPLIED SEX, OOC, LANGAUGE
Chapter 7: De Duobus Malis, Minus Est Semper Eligendum
Argilla woke up early the morning the next day. She looked at the window outside and saw that it was still dark out. The sun had yet to rise. She sleepily turned to her bedside and saw the space beside her to be empty. She blinked, clutching the sheets tighter against her bare body. She had to get up now and follow Serph's example.
Knowing him, he must probably be preparing to leave. She hopped out of the bed got in the showers.
She met up with her leader and lover as well as her teammates. She had blinked when she saw Roland, "Aren't everyone else going to miss you?" she asked sarcastically, drawling.
Roland smirked at her and she mentally cringed; there was something in the way that he looked at her that just didn't seem right. Not right at all.
"Well, since you all helped us rescue the kids from that factory, I figured that I'd help you out. Besides, I have questions of my own that only the leader of Karma Society could answer."
She was not really all that interested in whatever questions Roland might have. After all, their real objective was to find the remaining members of their team. She looked at Serph, "What's our itinerary?"
Gale stepped in, his green eyes probing hers, "Nothing has changed. We are to depart for Karma City and infiltrate the Administrative building. It is highly probable that that is where they have taken Sera and Heat."
Argilla felt her heart get caught up in her throat. She remembered Varin's words. He had said that Serph was the man who had devoured her…and that they were all human beings once…who had all died and were all sent into that hell. Well, they all knew that Sera had answers for their questions.
They would find her. They would find their comrades and from there, they'd decide on what to do with their lives. She had answers. It would help them discover themselves and know and accept the truth.
Cielo shook his head, "Mon…I don't like dis one bit…"
Serph chuckled, "You never like any mission."
Gale smirked, "Don't get lost this time Cielo."
Argilla cut in, wrapping her arms around her wounded deer-like friend, "Hey! Stop picking on him! Pick on someone your own size!" she challenged.
Cielo stuck his tongue out.
Gale smirked at Argilla, "I believe that Serph is more than able to…tame you. In fact, I checked on you early today before you woke up, and you looked pretty tame to me…It would seem that Serph had won your last bout, no?"
Argilla blushed a bright crimson. She didn't miss the perverted look that Gale had on his face. He saw? He saw her early in the morning? How horribly mortifying.
"T-that's not the point!"
Gale, Roland and Cielo laughed. Sweat trickled down her temples; Serph had not said a word either. She took a deep breath. It was a good starter for a day. Humor always set the mood on the right path. And they would need to be at ease and focused if they were to succeed in their objective. Besides, there was no point in going for the mission, being overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety, worry and pessimism. At least, now, they all had something to laugh about.
And she didn't mind even if it was out of her expense. After all, Serph was involved too.
xxxxx
"So you understand?" Margo asked calmly, pleased that the Ashura was so easy to manipulate. Just dangle a carrot in front of his face, and he'll keep working, just like the donkey he was.
"…" Heat said nothing but nodded.
She smiled, "I'm not trying to be a tyrant here. This was the hand that we were dealt. I am just playing my cards accordingly. This is the only way human beings could survive…" she rambled on, standing from her office chair and looking out through the glass windows.
Heat said nothing. He didn't want to say anything. If he did, it would the first step to corruption; he didn't want to be corrupted by her speech, beliefs and whatnot. He was doing this for Sera, nothing else.
'She could keep her crap to herself…' he thought angrily.
"And those Ashuras…they threaten everything that we have built. It doesn't have to be this way…"
Heat was getting frustrated. Can't he leave yet?
As if reading his mind, she turned to face him, "Well, I'm not completely sure of your loyalty…yet. It need not be like that. I assure you that Sera will be taken care of; yourself included. Just follow your orders."
He nodded.
"Good. Well, I'm a busy woman; I trust you know the way out." she said, ushering him out of her office.
Heat walked out of there gladly.
xxxxx
Sera lay on her bed. The simulations that day were harsh; but they weren't painful…It was just…exhausting. She felt that she had talked with God there for a moment…and then, it was gone.
But she had to endure. For him.
"Heat…"
She could only wonder where he was at that moment. Angel had promised her that she would see him again. Soon.
But she didn't say when. The pain was eating itself away within her chest. It had felt so heavy. But then, as she thought deeply, she smiled. She had a dream about him the other night. She dreamed that he was there, just by her side, whispering to her. She remembered opening her eyes and felt disappointed to find that she was alone.
So, it had been a dream.
She closed her eyes. She just wanted to rest; just for a while. She allowed her lips to tug up to a small smile; at least, she would be dreaming of him.
xxxxx
"There are reports of intruders that have infiltrated the building. They have killed a number of our soldiers," Angel stated calmly, "They seem to be heading up. Hahahaha…well, why don't you gather a team to welcome them? Intercept them and destroy them." she stated coldly.
His heart skipped a beat. His comrades were here!
His mind pulsed…He didn't really have to betray them…If he could just get to Sera when they were here…they could probably escape together; either that or suffer a gruesome death together. He shuddered at the thought.
There had to be another way.
"I want to see her." he stated just as coldly.
His red eyes bore into her silver ones and she lightly flinched at the intensity of his stare. She relented eventually, "Alright. Follow me."
His eyes roamed her back and he contemplated how easy it was to just grab her and snap her little neck like a twig. That was what he would be thinking had he not fought her back at the Junkland. She had been the most powerful there…She was practically God.
'So this was the God that had handed us the commandments?' he thought snidely; bitter at what he saw. Everything on that planet made him bitter. The towns, the people, the sun…everything. This was the Nirvana that they all fought desperately for.
'If I had known…maybe it would have been better to remain at the Junkland.' His mind stopped for a moment. What was the Junkland anyway? Now that he was there, standing, walking, he realized that he really didn't know anything. He had been so preoccupied at trying to survive and find his teammates that he somehow…forgot.
He should've asked Sera. But back then…he remembered how she looked at him. She looked quite exhausted; he nodded. Even if he did ask her, she probably wouldn't have the heart to answer back.
He was thrown from his mental dozing as the woman stopped in front of him, "We're here. You have five minutes."
He didn't look at her and just went in through the door.
He saw her, lying on her bed, her hands atop one another on her abdomen. Her eyes were closed. She was asleep. He had wanted to ask Angel but that would mean less time for him to see her.
He sat by her side and lightly touched her face, the edge of his slender fingers trailing lines along the smooth skin. She lightly moaned at the contact and shifted in her sleep. He smiled and leaned down, kissing her forehead. As he withdrew, she spoke, "Heat…?"
She opened her eyes slowly and sure as day, he was there. Her silver eyes were met with his red ones. But…they possessed no fire in them…just…subtle warmth. She flew up and wrapped her arms around him; she buried her face on his shoulder, "Oh Heat! I thought that…I'd never see you again!" she said sadly.
He pulled away and looked at her, "That's never gonna happen Sera. I'll be here."
She nodded and embraced him once more; she whispered, "I don't want you to go…"
"Go…?" he asked.
"Yes…that's why you're here isn't it? To see me before you leave…?" she asked, acting out on her instincts.
He smiled and held her tighter; she was as sharp as ever. "I don't want to either but…" He didn't want to tell her what he had been ordered to do. That would…break her heart…If it wasn't already. She couldn't know; she shouldn't know.
"But you must…Is that what you were going to say?" she asked, looking into his eyes firmly.
He nodded, squeezing her hands, "I must. But…I won't be gone long. I'll come by again later on…"
She looked at their hands and looked on sadly; he was hiding something from her and she was always afraid when he did that. He was probably going to do something that he was totally opposed to doing. But, as to what that was, she hadn't the foggiest of ideas.
"Heat…?" she asked, daring to look again.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You don't have to do it…" she said, her eyes pleading with his.
"Don't have to do what?"
"Whatever it was you were asked to do just to keep me alive. Please…you can still free yourself. Forget about me." she said, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Find Serph and…"
He growled and grasped her arms tightly, "I don't want to hear any more of that crap Sera!" he said angrily. He saw the flash of fear in her eyes and he immediately calmed down, embracing her again, "Don't talk like that again Sera…I'll never let go of you…If you'll die…I'll die too…but…I wouldn't let anything happen to you…Not while I still live. I'll find a way to get us out of here."
"Your time is up." came Angel's cold voice.
Sera felt her heart feeling the stinging sensation of emptiness once more as Heat rose, taking with him the warmth that he had draped on her like an invisible cloak.
Sera followed his form with her eyes. Heat looked down at her, his sadness mirroring her own. He suddenly knelt down and kissed her firmly on her lips. He had been hungry for her touch…His hands cupped her face and after a few moments, he pulled away, "I'll be back."
Without another word, he left.
She cried as she watched him. She had an idea what it was he had been ordered to do.
"Oh Heat…Please don't…" she silently prayed.
xxxxx
Sera cried. She didn't know why but after Heat had left, she had felt an overwhelming feeling of fear within her. Something was wrong. Something was going to happen. She was sure of it. And Heat was in the center of it.
She held her breath.
She turned her attention to the doors as they slid open. Angel stood in front of it. She crossed her arms, "Get up."
Before Sera could respond, two orderlies came and roughly hauled her to her feet. Angel slapped them both, "Be careful with her you idiots! She's the Cyber Shaman!"
The two bowed apologetically at her.
Sera bore her sad silver eyes into her cold ones. Sera couldn't quite put it…but she knew that she had some sort of connection with this woman.
She just knew it.
And then, she thought of Heat. She resisted the orderlies grip as they practically dragged her from her cell and yelled at Angel, "Where is he?! Where is he going?!"
Angel shook her head, "That is something that you shouldn't concern yourself with. Right now, you must focus on your next task."
Her heart stiffened and before she could ask any further, Angel walked away, disappearing from her sight.
She attempted to snatch her arms again but failed, "Let me go! Where are you taking me?!" she half-yelled.
The two did not respond. And after a few more tries, with no response, she gave up and let them take her away.
xxxxx
"We'd never join you!" a strong male voice said.
He knew that voice. His suspicions had been correct.
Heat gripped his grenade launcher tightly. This was it. Once he went through the doors before him, there was no going back. He took a deep breath. She would be asking for him soon. Actually, if he wanted, he could just take out these guards and go for Sera…but he'd never make it.
They would have already had her taken away at the slightest noise of his betrayal. Then…she would suffer for it.
No. There was no other way.
"Oh? What a pity…I didn't want to do this but you leave me no choice. Come forth and delete these data before they corrupt the entire system!" Heat heard the old hag say.
The doors in front of him slid open and his eyes immediately locked with the silver eyes of his leader.
"Heat…" he heard Argilla say.
"This is just another act right?!" she asked hysterically. The looks in their faces were priceless. Their faces were shocked beyond belief; but for some reason, Serph remained unfazed. It was as if he already assumed that something like this could happen; that there was a possibility of him doing this to them…once more.
"Right?!" Argilla yelled again, her voice hoarse, her eyes desperate.
Heat clenched his fists on his sides and glared at them, saying nothing. Serph looked at him just as coldly, and stood in front of Argilla, blocking Heat from her view.
The feeling of being betrayed by someone you deeply trust was very painful. She didn't need this right now.
"Well," Heat smirked, "it looks like we get to finish what we started at the Junkland eh Serph?"
Heat wanted to stab himself right then. He didn't want to say that…It wasn't true. Not really. It was true that he was unbelievably envious of Serph…but that was before…before Sera had become his. Now, he really couldn't care any less. But this was the only excuse that he could come up with.
He was doing this to protect her. Besides, there was no way to communicate the truth to them…But still, he'd find a way. But now, this was for the best.
xxxxx
"Please God…" she whispered, her hands clasped together in sincere prayer.
"Please God…save them…save him…" she prayed.
She opened her eyes and was almost blinded by the light before her. She took a step back, her hand on her eyes, shielding them. Then…she heard it. It was a voice…coming from the distance…
"Is that you…?" she asked.
"Oh God…" she began to cry…
"Her heart rate's climbing! Pull her out!!" a doctor yelled.
Sera was suffering another cardiac arrest.
Angel looked on, and sighed deeply; things were getting out of control again. She grasped the railings tightly. She gritted her teeth and nodded, giving the signal to put the test at an end. For now.
But still, she did pretty well today. She had connected and spoken to God for seven whole minutes. That was something to be glad about. She sighed. She needed to leave. She had to get back to the Administrative Building. Things might get out of hand there as well.
She walked over to the nurse, "Have her cleaned up and monitored. Keep her in her room and notify me immediately if you notice anything amiss."
"Yes ma'am."
xxxxx
Heat's eyes widened. Serph was lunging at him; the blade from his arm aimed for Heat's chest. But Heat could do nothing. All the strength that he had had abandoned his body. He was finished…He couldn't fight anymore. He had lost. The world seemed to freeze…The sounds faded from his ears…All was deafening silence. He had felt this way once before, but that was when he was with Sera…when he felt so blissful…But this…This was frightening.
It was as if all of the unclear had become clear…
The second went painfully by…painfully long…too long…It seemed like an eternity.
And within that eternity, numerous events in his life flashed before him. He saw himself when they were back at the Junkland…their fight with Harley…Jinana…Mick…his kiss with Sera…the fight with Varin…and finally…he heard her voice…
'I love you…'
His heart stopped. He was going to die. Serph's blade came closer and closer and suddenly, the world had returned to normal. Heat narrowed his eyes and saw that Argilla had stopped Serph from killing him. He could only glower at her; he didn't need her worthless pity.
They had all changed back. He knelt on the floor…bleeding and panting. He had the wind knocked out of him. The three of them were strong. He gritted his teeth; of course they were strong. After all, they were the victorious tribe from the Junkland.
Another obvious factor was that there were three of them and only one of him. The rest of the guards and soldiers that had accompanied him were all inexperienced and weak. None of them were even close to being at par with any of them. No. With the Embryon's number and their lack of power, how did they expect to beat Serph anyway?
He could only laugh to himself. His arrogance knew no bounds.
"That's enough…" he heard Argilla speak.
Heat clutched his bleeding side and smirked at Serph, "Are you…her dog now Serph…? Hahah…but then again…you've always been her dog…" he said, growling.
It was true; from some angle. It had always been Argilla who told him what to do and what not to do. It was always "Let's rescue Jinana", "We can't betray them…"
He always did as she asked. But then, Heat felt terribly sour. If Serph was Argilla's dog then he was Sera's personal hamster.
"…" Serph said nothing and Argilla glared at him.
Gale merely blinked at him; indifferent. Of course Gale wouldn't understand…He wasn't like him or Serph…They both had someone while Gale had yet to meet the woman for him.
He didn't want to openly say it, but he understood his silent leader. He understood his feelings for the pink-haired woman. How could he not? It had been the same with him and Sera. But still, he didn't want to sympathize with Embryon right now.
He still couldn't believe it though…He had been beaten by Serph…again. But for some reason, it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. He thought for a moment and realized that it was that he just didn't care.
He didn't care about his skirmishes with Serph. All that he cared about was Sera's safety and her wellbeing. As far as he was concerned, Serph could just die and he wouldn't give a damn. It had indeed wounded his pride…but it was minimal, almost nil. He had more important things to think about.
But still, he had to keep his act up.
With the last ounce of his strength, he wobbly got on his feet, still clutching his side, "We'll finish this someday Serph!" he vowed in feigned anger.
He ran.
He couldn't die there. No; not while Sera was still held captive. He needed to preserve her…and then to free her…and he couldn't die until he had done all of those.
He dragged himself along the halls. He was alone now; all the others that had accompanied him had all been killed and eaten by his ex-teammates.
Those idiots.
He cursed himself. He needed to get better…He couldn't afford to be bested again. He needed to protect her.
He felt the remainder of his strength leave his body…It was seeping out of him…Heat panicked; no…he had come too far…He can't die now…His vision was spinning now, becoming unbearably blurred. His pace came to a slow one…His steps became heavier and heavier within each step. Then, it came to a halt. He blinked several times, trying to get his eyes to focus…but to no avail.
He fell to his knees…and altogether collapsed on the floor.
'Sera…' he thought desperately. He could only wonder where she was…How she was doing. Did his defeat reach the ears of those two bitches?
'Sera…I…I'm sorry…' he thought…
He just needed to get to her…He just wanted to see her, but now…it would seem that he never would see her again.
He closed his heavy eyelids, all the while thinking of her.
xxxxx
