Chapter 9: As the story continues
"Unfortunately, a super-abundance of dreams is paid for by a growing potential for nightmares." – Sir Peter Ustinov
"So, mate, here we are, face-to-face." Xeno said as he looked at Xavier, who was sitting in his desk chair across from the Australian pup. They were sitting in a poorly lit room, the only light coming from a flickering light bulb on the ceiling, and the screen of Xavier's laptop.
"Yes, here we are" Xavier replied. "I believe I promised to tell you the next step in the plan?"
"Wait, there's a next step?!" Xeno asked
"There is always a next step." Bloodrazor said "Now tell me, have you ever heard of "Project Homicidam Donari?"
"Ya think I speak Chinese? Just say what it means, ya bloody wanker" Xeno responded. Bloodrazor had gotten used to Xeno's language, so he didn't even think of taking offence from that comment.
"It's Latin actually, but that doesn't matter. Its rough translation is murderer, and honestly, it's quite accurate" Bloodrazor said "The project was originally created by the US Navy, but the funding ran dry, so they shut down the project and all the research was destroyed. However, less than a year later it reappeared. It carried the same name, and it was based on the same research. But this time, it wasn't any government that funded the research, no, it was a company. Inferno Industries. "Project Homicidam Donari" is a new kind of bullet, one that dissolves into poisonous compounds after impact"
"WHAT?!" Xeno yelled "A bullet that dissolves?! What the hell?!"
"Come on, even you have to admit that it would be a major improvement." Bloodrazor said "Every shot is lethal, even if it's just a flesh wound. Not to mention that if those bullets can't be traced, the police would be powerless"
"But aren't you part of the police, Xavier?" Xeno said with a lean smile on his face. "Aw, come on, ya didn't think I wouldn't look into the state of this city? Imagine my surprise when I found out that ya were fighting both fronts"
"So now you know who I am, is that supposed to scare me?" Bloodrazor asked, seemingly unfazed by Xeno's knowledge of his real name.
"Meh, maybe a little" Xeno replied with a slight grin.
"Anyway, it is a shame you didn't kill Mr Greene, but I've got that handled. He will never leave whatever hospital they take him to, not alive anyway" Bloodrazor said as he turned the laptop so that Xeno could see the screen. "There are four people who knew about the project, outside the research staff. There's me, Rocky Greene, the former CEO of Inferno, and… someone else"
"Well, lemme guess. This "someone else" is my next target?" Xeno asked as he got up from his chair.
"Yes, but it's far more complicated than that. For one, he's a ghost, I know his name, or at least the one he uses most, but I have no idea where he is, or what he looks like" Bloodrazor said
"What? Aren't ya the great Bloodrazor, a criminal mastermind, and Andreas Xavier, a Police Captain. You are the master of both sides in a war and ya are telling me ya have trouble finding one man?" Xeno asked in disbelief
"Well, my dear Xeno, first off, he isn't a man. He is of the canine species, and whoever he is, the CIA, NSA, Interpol, FBI, DEA and The Hague's investigators have been after him for years, but no one can find him." Bloodrazor said. "He is one of the few who know how the world actually works and uses it to his advantage."
"So, what's the bloody wanker's name?" Xeno asked
"His name, or what they call him at least, is the Ace of Spades." Bloodrazor said "But I don't want you to go after him, yet. I have a different job for you"
"Like what?" Xeno asked
"Make no mistake, my organization is powerful, but at the end of the day, we're a business." Bloodrazor said "And all businesses run on money."
"So what? Ya want me to rob a bloody bank or something?" Xeno asked
"Precisely." Bloodrazor replied
"Silvex, Zuma, long time no see." a man in a white coat said with a very sarcastic tone.
"Well, at least we're giving you something to do" Silvex joked at the man. He was not amused.
"Both Rocky and Chase are in stable condition, Trisha, however, not so much. You did a good thing bringing her here this fast" the doctor said
"So… She'll be alright?" Silvex asked with a hopeful tone
"We do not know" the doctor replied "She is currently in a coma, and I have no idea when and if she will wake up. I will need to list a cause of her injuries to list on her records"
"Well, about that…" Zuma started as he glanced at Silvex
"She was injured in a plane crash while transporting the research of a very lethal project, so we need to keep the crash and her involvement under wraps as long as we can, but as you well know, most of the police officers are corrupt and on the mob's payroll." Silvex said, pleading to the doctor "And Rocky is also in danger"
"So what your saying is that she was hurt in a car accident and that Rocky Greene is actually named John Smith?" the doctor asked. Zuma couldn't believe what he was hearing, did a doctor just agree to falsify official papers for them?
"…Exactly" Silvex answered as the doctor walked off.
"Soooo, let's go to Chase?" Silvex proposed as he stood up.
"Sure, after you ask me your question." Zuma said as he stayed seated.
"What question?" Silvex asked
"You don't remember?!" Zuma asked in disbelief "When we were headed towards Rocky's jet, you said you wanted to ask me a question, but you never did!"
"Oh, right, that question… Are you sure you want me to ask it?" Silvex asked as he took a seat. As his response, Zuma nodded so hard his head could've popped off. "Well, here goes… Are you in love with Rocky?"
"Yes." Zuma answered instantly, without any hesitation. His face did carry a small blush though.
"Are you sure?" Silvex asked the lab.
"Yes." Zuma said. "I think about him every waking second, and I dream of him every night. Every time I look at him, I can feel my heartbeat rising, and I start to feel something inside of me. It feels like my insides are on fire, but it doesn't hurt. I am in love with Rocky, I'm sure of it"
"I believe you." Silvex said as he got up once again. But once again, Zuma stopped him with mere words.
"Have you ever known love, Silvex?" the lab asked, to which the husky froze. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"
"Yes, I have. But that was a long time ago" Silvex said as he sat down again, his mood changed again.
"How did it end?" Zuma asked, very carefully not to make the mood worse than it already was.
"Badly, he died." Silvex said
"HE?!" Zuma couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're into males?!"
"Not just males, but I trust you don't have a problem with that?" Silvex asked with a small smile.
"If I had, it would make me a hypocrite." Zuma said. "What was his name?"
"I always called him Axel, and he always called me Silvs." Silvex said. A blush had appeared on his face, which Zuma thought looked rather cute on the almighty detective.
"Come, we should go see Chase and Marshall." Zuma said as he got up.
"Sir? Is everything alright?" a Labrador asked as he approached his boss, a young German shepherd.
"Not yet, but it will be soon" the shepherd replied. "I'm just nervous about the upcoming operation, and considering how high the stakes are, I think these nerves would be justified"
"Oh please, you have executed over three dozen of similar operations when you were still working for the CIA, not to mention how many you did afterwards." the Labrador said "So, there is definitely something else bothering you. It makes me wonder, what is it about this particular operation that has gotten you so worked up?"
"Well, it's just that all of those operations were against terrorists, or foreign agents, or…" the shepherd said "What I'm trying to say is that this operation hits a little too close to home. It's a little too close for comfort. I do appreciate your concern, Cal, but we have bigger things to worry about than my personal feelings"
"As you say, sir. But are you sure that you're fit to join us in the op?" Cal couldn't help but ask.
"Callum Lynch, you and I both know who I am and what I am capable of." The shepherd replied, taking a stern tone to the lab, who was undoubtedly his subordinate. "Do you really expect me, the Ace of Spades to run from a fight just because it's a little personal?"
"Not at all, sir." Callum didn't seem fazed by his boss' outburst at all. "But I know of your connection to Coastal City, and what you left behind there. So, all I'm saying is that the team and I, we've got your back."
"Thanks, Cal" the Ace of Spades replied, a small smile decorating his lips.
"How are you doing?" Silvex asked as he walked into the room.
"Better" Chase replied. "How's Rocky?"
"We just brought him in, he has been stabilized, but for now let's call him John Smith, for safety concerns." Zuma said. "So, Chase?"
"Yeah?" Chase replied, wondering where this was going.
"You and Marshall, huh?" the lab said
"Yup. You and Rocky?" the shepherd replied
"Yeah. Well, not really." Zuma answered. "How long have you guys been official?"
"About 3 months before I became a detective" Chase replied. "Does Rocky know what you feel for him yet?"
"Uhm, well…" Zuma said. "I never told him when we were young, and then we lost touch with each other, so, no."
"Then you should get ready to tell him as soon as he wakes up." Chase said
As Callum left the room where his boss was, he first took a right turn, then a left and then another right. And he did all of this in a virtual labyrinth darker than the darkest moonless nights.
Why is it so intensely dark in here, I can hardly see where I'm going. Callum thought. But then again, it is Shadow's creation and his design. It would make sense that his base is as dark as he is.
As if he spoke of the devil, which might very well be true, Shadow appeared out of nowhere, without Callum noticing until he literally bumped into him.
"What the-" Callum shouted, before calming down once he realized it was only Shadow "Jesus Christ, Shadow, can you at least cough or something that I don't get a heart attack next time?"
"No." Shadow said with his dark voice. Unlike the Ace of Spades, or Callum or anyone else in Coastal City, he wasn't a dog or a human, he was a wolf. He was as black as the darkness itself, with bright green eyes, which he could change to a terrifying red, a colour that made you think you were looking at burning coals. He was a pureblood, mystical being descended from a long line of some of the most powerful mystics the world has ever known, some of whom have been considered deities, or even gods.
As Callum tried to form a response, Shadow took a few steps in the direction Callum had just come from, and, just like that, he disappeared, leaving Callum alone to ponder in the darkness.
Shadow continued along the exact path that Callum had taken, but unlike the lab, he wasn't on edge.
This is my labyrinth, my darkness, my world.
"No, I am not that. I am not my father, I am not a tyrant" Shadow said as he corrected his thoughts. He calmed his mind, focused his senses, and opened the doors in front of him.
"Shadow" the German shepherd known as the Ace of spades greeted the wolf.
"Ace" The wolf greeted back "You know that I don't mind you saying my last name. From you, I can take it."
"Are you sure?" the Ace of Spades asked
"Yes, but this has been enough small talk in my opinion" Shadow said "I believe it's time, sir"
This made the Ace of Spades look directly at Shadow "Are you sure?"
"Yes, boss. I am sure." the wolf answered
"Then I'll take my leave." The Ace of Spades said as he left the room. But he couldn't resist looking back at the wolf. "Let the game begin"
"Who are you?" Bloodrazor asked
"R-recruit-792" the husky replied.
"And who do you work for? Who has your loyalty?" Bloodrazor asked
"I-I work for Bloodrazor, and I'm loyal to him alone" the husky replied
"Xeno?" Bloodrazor asked as he turned to the shepherd standing beside him. "Can you work with him?"
"He's rough, and it would look like he's some kind of crack addict, but I'll bloody try." Xeno said. "Though I can't just call him recruit-792"
"True. Recruit, you get a promotion. From now on you'll be known as Agent-792, but the outside world will know you as… Marcus, to honour an old friend as it were." Bloodrazor said. "Now state your names, who are you?"
"I am Agent-792, known to outsiders as Marcus. My name in training was Recruit-792, and my name before that was-"
"Irrelevant" Bloodrazor interrupted Marcus. "Xeno, Marcus, good luck"