Chapter 24: Urge to Kill

The fish wriggled and writhed in my grip in a futile attempt to escape me as I impaled it on one of my blades, releasing a satisfied huff as I watched it die. With any luck, it wouldn't be the only final breaths I got lucky enough to witness. A few Talon agents would do just fine. Something to satiate this rage that's stirring inside of me. No matter how much blood I spilled it was never enough to satisfy me. It never made their voices fade. It never made the pain go away.

I'll never stop trying, though. One day I'll get to watch Olivia perish by my own two hands. I'll crush her dream, then I'll crush her bones into a fine powder soon after. I'll watch the life drain from her eyes, knowing that I'm the final thing she sees smiling down on her, just like she did to me all those times before. Then, I can die and join everyone. It's where I belong. The thought was just enough to keep me going.

I found my mind drifting as my eye analyzed the lake for anymore fishes stupid enough to swim by me. I was knee deep in the water, my feet sinking in the mud. For a moment, I smiled. I thought about the time Olivia had splashed the water up in my face all those years ago, for but a brief moment ignoring what she had become. I could still hear her faint giggles, enough to send a shiver down my spine. I felt that familiar twinge in my chest as I thought about her, feeling our hands intertwined as we danced at the ball the night before my departure. She was so beautiful. Every part of me belonged to her. My love for her knew no bounds.

For a second, I felt her soft lips grace mine, enough to remind me of the taste. What once was so sweet was now bitter and cold. A cruel reminder of what I had lost and what she had done to me. What pained me the most was knowing I still loved her, deep down. It only fueled my guilt and drove me further into this spiraling anger.

I felt tears escaping as I couldn't help but sob. This is what it had come to. All because I had never told her how I felt. For a moment, the anger that so regularly filled my mind was replaced with melancholy and nostalgia. A longing for bygone days that would never return to me. None of them would be here with me again. She would never be mine to hold.

I watched as a few stray tears worked their way down my scarred cheeks, dripping into the lake below me as I heaved, vomiting for a reason I couldn't understand.

I longed for the day this nightmare will end. Whether it's tomorrow, or a decade from now, I'll settle this with Olivia. I'll repay her in kind for the blood she's spilled, regardless of my love for her. It was not up to me. I'm merely a host for their desires, not mine. Their voices were still rattling in my head, no matter what I tried. I felt Genji whispering in my ear, demanding her head as tribute. 'They murdered Angela. You can't let her continue living for that.' He reminded me, though it was never necessary. A day never went by where I didn't see her final moments in my mind. Her final word was my name, though so devoid of life. I had hated my name ever since, practically welcoming this whole Scourge thing they called me.

But Efi came along and ruined that for me too. She says my name just for the hell of it, it seems. I never said anything, preferring for her to not know the first thing about me. She was snoopy though and I doubt she hasn't noticed me wincing when she says my name. She probably did it on purpose at this point. Despite my attempts, I wasn't as good at masking my emotions as I liked to think. Sometimes it felt like I knew the damn kid for years, seeing as she knew exactly where to press to get under my skin. She was too smart for her own good. Or just bravely stupid.

I heard footsteps approaching behind me, my augmentations giving me enough time to hear and wipe all traces of my tears away. I sniffed quietly, hearing Efi come to call my name as if on cue. "SCOTT! Hurry up with that fishing, I'm starving! Another minute and I won't save anything for you!" She laughed, though I knew her enough to know that wasn't a joke in the slightest. Huffing, I recalled my blades back into their slots, flexing my shoulders to move Genji's blade to a more comfortable position on my back. "If you know what's good for you, you'll rethink that statement." I stated and marched towards her, feeling my boots struggle to get out of the muddy ponds beneath me. In my hand I carried 3 large bass, enough to hold me for a day or so. With her though, I'm lucky if I'll get an hour before she complains of hunger again. A part of me smiled despite telling myself not to. 'Just like Lena.'

My heart felt a familiar pang of guilt and sorrow as her name came to mind, bringing up images of her cries for help. Every step towards Efi became more difficult than the last, feeling a weight holding me down as I moved forward.

I abandoned her. As much as I passed it off as for her protection, I knew that wasn't the reason. I couldn't stay there with her anymore. I wasn't strong enough to be there for her, to listen to her rare moments of lucidity as she remembered what happened. As she remembered my failure. In a moment of cowardice, I fled her side to indulge my rage. It was easier that way. That way I didn't have to think or remember anymore. I could just let them take over, reducing my body to a tool. A weapon of wanton destruction and death in their memory.

That urge to kill came back again within moments, realizing that I was close enough to Efi for her to see my inner turmoil. I closed my eyes and walked next to her, watching her hold her hand up for a high five. 'Childish.' I scoffed, walking right by her.

She feigned hurt, gasping at my cold demeanor. "Hey, I was trying to congratulate you on your hard work." She said, and I continued walking forward, listening to the soft patter of her feet as she jogged to my side. "It wouldn't be hard work if you were helpful, for once." I growled, my eye meeting her dark chocolate hues.

I suppressed the urge to soften my demeanor around her, still subconsciously on guard and wary of her. Was it an attempt to scare her off? Or was I the one scared? These were questions I didn't feel like figuring out the answers to.

"Um, I beg your pardon? Last I checked I found that river, as well as our little campground last night. If anything, it should've been a high five to celebrate our teamwork, not your hard work!" She protested, lightly smacking my arm, visibly wincing as she remembered they were pure titanium. Sighing, I didn't dignify her protests with a response, instead focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, as for now that seemed like a task that required my utmost attention.

I hadn't found a trace of Olivia in months, instead moving from dystopian city to rundown village, always a step away from her. I couldn't lie and say I wasn't feeling lost, for once questioning my quest to come out here and find her. She could be anywhere on this damn continent, or hell she might've left by now to focus her efforts on more countries that needed her 'help'. Creating the problem and then selling the cure, more like.

Frustration was boiling up deep inside me, mostly directed towards myself. The dead demand their tribute, yet it's been years and I haven't paid them their dues in blood. I've only found faint traces of where Olivia once was, seeing the aftermath of her work as posters littered the streets, advertising her multinational movement. Her dream was becoming a reality. One where humans were beginning to accept their omnic counterparts, using the Incident as a way to further victimize them, then exploit this through her protests, garnering more attention for her 'bold' actions. A dream that was built on a mountain of corpses, with more bridges to be built from their bones.

"Uh oh, I know that look." Efi nudged me again with her shoulder, knocking me free from my obtrusive thoughts. "What's on your mind this time, Scottie?"

My mind flashed to Olivia, the way my name would dance along her tongue as she said it aloud. She said it the same way Efi does. It was enough to make me want to puke.

"Nothing that you need to focus on. For once, give me a moment of peace and quiet. It's why I came out here to fish to begin with." I lied, knowing full well I was just looking for a place to vent my emotions without her next to me. The next best way to let out how I felt was strangling someone, so fish had to be enough to satiate me.

"Well, whatever you're thinking about, can you maybe find something else to focus on? You're crushing our breakfast..." She trailed off while pointing at my hands. They were clenched so tightly that they were drawing blood from the fish, their eyes popping out of their sockets. With a sigh, I loosened my grip a bit.

"Sorry." I mumbled. Efi smiled in response. "Eh, you can have the squished one. Punishment for not appreciating my work enough." Her remark was enough to earn a light chuckle from me, barely louder than a whisper. I felt my eye drawn to the girl beside me, watching as she kept up the pace with me. A smile graced my lips for a moment, though I snuffed it out quickly, not allowing it to linger for more than a second.

"I like it when you smile." The girl commented. I didn't respond, once again ignoring the ways she reminded me of Lena. She always looked for a way to make me laugh. A crack in my armor. She noticed as the grip I held on the fish tightened again, signaling that she hit a rough spot. She soon realized she wouldn't receive a response from me. Luckily, she didn't say anything.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was getting used to me.


I stopped in my tracks as I heard small footsteps within our "little campgrounds" as Efi put it, placing a hand out in front of her chest to tell her to stop. "What's wrong?" She asked. "Someone followed us." I stated, withdrawing Genji's sword from it's sheathe. The fish I had caught fell to the ground as I moved closer to the opening in the brick wall where we entered last night. My eyes glanced at the new set of footprints leading into our camp, tracking mud behind them. I looked back at Efi, who was still picking up the fish I had dropped and throwing them in a satchel she had stolen a few weeks ago. Useless, like usual, when it mattered.

I charged into the small building, Genji's sword leaving behind a trail of green light as I swung at whoever was bold enough to lie in wait to ambush me. A girl's scream was enough to break me from my trance. My enraged iris met the girl we'd met just two days ago. Amelia, the girl from that shit village, stared up at me in terror. She looked like she was going to piss herself.

Efi came rushing in after hearing the shout, quickly dropping the stone she had grabbed as a weapon as she noticed Amelia. I didn't lower my weapon, instead inching it closer to her throat as I growled. "The hell are you doing here? Spying on us for your friends back at the village?! Want me to send them back your head, is that it?!"

"N-No! Please, I-I didn't mean to-"

"SPIT IT OUT, BUG!" I yelled, cutting her off as she squealed in horror. "SCOTT! Lower the damn sword, it's Amelia! She helped us just two days ago, shit-for-brains! Repay the damn favor!" Efi demanded, catching me off guard with how stern she sounded. Against my better judgement, I backed away from Amelia and sheathed my sword. I didn't take my eye off her for a second though.

"I don't like spies. Especially ones I can squash like you." I stared at her, not paying the glares that Efi was shooting me any mind. "Please, I swear I'm not here to hurt you, o-or spy on you! I-I'm sorry about what happened in the village. People are just antsy, now more than ever." Amelia apologized, not changing my gut feeling about her in the slightest.

"What the hell was that for?" Efi asked, knowing she wouldn't receive an answer from me. I analyzed Amelia's stance, watching as she trembled under my harsh gaze, much like anyone else. "Talk, before I wrench your head from your meek shoulders and mount it on the walls outside as a warning to the others." I warned, feeling Efi push past me to reach out to Amelia.

"Sorry, he's just wary of strangers. Don't worry, he doesn't mean any of that, believe me." She assured her, Amelia slowly gaining control over her thoroughly shaken nerves. "I'm here to a-ask you guys for help. Again..." She stumbled over her words. I sighed, making a makeshift seat in front of her as I placed Genji's sword between my legs to lean on, my elbows on my knees. I tapped the hilt of the blade impatiently.

"What happened?" Efi asked, interrupting me before I could tell her to find someone else to go begging to. She won't receive any pity from me.

"For the last week, people have been disappearing from my town. First it was just a few drunkards who'd stumbled too far from the village for protection from our militia. But now, kids aren't coming back from their ventures into the woods. I've lost nearly a dozen classmates. It's why I was so scared of you, Efi. I thought you were one of Talon's."

Efi and I glanced at one another. "Yeah, we had a tumble with one of them a while back. Seems like they don't have to be abducted first though, seeing as she turned right in front of us. All they have to do is stop breathing. So needless to say, your friends are dea-"

"Scott! You don't know that!" Efi retorted, though Amelia sighed. "I know they are. Some of them were younger than me. I don't even know how their parents must feel. Knowing that's what happened to them."

"But that's exactly why I came to you." Her once shaken eyes met my scarred face, her gaze much steadier than before. She seemingly found her resolve with every new word she spoke. "I've seen what you can do. You're more than human. You're something else entirely. I've never seen someone defend themselves with such ferocity."

I huffed, offering a wry smile. "I tried to warn your 'militia' that before they tried to kill me. No wonder you're looking for protection. I could've killed them with both eyes sliced in two." I pointed at my missing eye, feeling the leathery exterior of my scars.

"I'm not shedding any tears over the likes of them, believe me. They used their title as an excuse to beat people who they disliked in the streets. My mom had to protect me from one of them." She crossed her arms, becoming lost in thought for a moment. The girl seemed weathered beyond her years.

"They can't protect you?" Efi asked. Amelia shook her head casually. "They'd run as soon as they knew it was Talon knocking on our front door. Talon's like a curse around here. They swallow up regions town by town, taking full advantage of the fact that we have no protection."

"More meat for their army." I muttered, watching as Efi clenched her fists. "Those bastards! That's what they were going to do to me before you got there, I'm sure of it. Once they rummaged through our belongings they'd take any of us they deemed able-bodied." Efi seethed with an anger I hadn't seen from her. "Lucky you. I'm a hero."

Efi smirked, offering a dry chuckle. "Yeah, they should induct you into Overwatch and give you a medal."

My breath hitched for a second upon hearing that word, one that I'd hoped to never hear again. My hand trembled for a second, my mind flashing to their bodies piling up at my feet. It was enough to get my blood boiling, an inner beast calling out for blood.

'You can't forget about us. We're always right here. You belong to us...' Angela's voice whispered in my ears, echoing and rattling in my skull as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

I stood in an attempt to distract myself by forcing my body to move. Idleness made the voices louder, the urge to kill stronger. I could feel something tugging at me, demanding I slaughter everyone I could get my hands on.

"I'll kill them. I'll massacre every last one of them." I stated, only now noticing that I had voiced that thought. "Wait, you're actually going to help? I thought you'd be an ass and need a lot of convincing." Efi half-joked, making me sneer.

"You said Talon's there?" I asked. Amelia nodded. "Yes. That, and what remains of my friends. I'd stake my life on it."

"I'll put them out of their misery. The Talon agents though... I'll savor it."

"Just remember, we're on your side." Efi reminded me, making me laugh. "You sound scared. Don't worry. No one will touch you." I smiled, finding a new motivation to keep moving. I could feel the warmth of their blood on my skin already.

A newfound life erupted in me, an energy flowing through my veins like no other. "Besides, I still need someone to cook me breakfast." I quipped, distracting her from the fearful look in her eyes when she met my cold gaze.

She offered a faint smile, replying quickly. "Right! Nearly forgot about breakfast! All this yelling has made me even hungrier!"

"Now, which one was the one he squished..." she pondered to herself, rooting through her bag and withdrawing the three fish, their blood dripping down her fingers. "You're welcome to eat with us Amelia. Judging from that hole in the wall we went to yesterday, you guys don't have much better to eat back home. I cook a mean fish sandwich! Wait, we don't have any bread left."

"T-thanks. I appreciate it. Both of you. I know I'm asking a lot." Amelia lowered her head, ashamed. She was polite. Too polite for my taste.

"Any chance to slaughter those responsible for this," I replied, scratching at my scarred eye. "I'll gladly take it." I sat down beside Efi as she began to start a fire over some kindling we'd gathered this morning.

"What happened, if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious." Amelia asked, causing Efi to perk up. "Yeah, I'm expecting some good stories!" Their excitement was enough to irritate me. I built a wall up between us, trying to stop myself from having to recount my past. But for some reason, I stopped holding back.

"You get one story for each scar. So choose wisely. I'm feeling generous today." I smiled, forgetting myself. I dropped the barrier between myself and the world for a moment.

"Your eye. How'd you lose it?" Efi asked, jumping straight to the big one. I attempted to deflect it, realizing I'd have to relive the memories of that nightmare again. "Not curious about my arms?" I asked, more comfortable telling that story.

Megan was a distant memory after all, not a ghost that haunted me to this day like the rest. I thought Olivia would replace her. Fill that hole in my heart. I was a fool.

"Come on! I've met hundreds of people with prosthetics! You probably lost it in some stupid accident." Efi laughed, causing me to smirk. "Not quite."

I felt comfortable for a moment, inching closer to the flames as they warmed me. It was an exceedingly rare feeling.

I heard Angela's final word, my name falling slowly from her lips, soon feeling guilty for smiling in the first place. Her blue eyes met mine. I could feel her beside me, hearing her berate me for my reckless actions, then hugging me out of worry. I missed her so much.

The snapping of twigs outside alerted me, snapping me from my painful memories. Efi and Amelia instantly turned to me as I abruptly withdrew Genji's sword, feeling it hum with power. It's green hue grew brighter than normal, rising like the anger sparking up within me. It matched my pulse.

An explosion erupted, blasting straight throw brick and sending it flying towards us. I braced myself, hearing Efi and Amelia shout in pain as they were blown back. My legs faltered, looking back at Efi as she crashed into the wall. The sight was enough to make me stumble, more rubble collapsing into me.

I could hear Talon agents rushing into what remained of our camp, the small campfire being extinguished.

"They're here!" One exclaimed, my heart jumping as I realized they meant the kids. I heard Jesse's raspy voice in my head, for once not calling me a coward. It's never too late to stop hurting an' killing people, and start helping people.

I felt one step on the rubble that buried me, his foot slipping through, giving me a chance to yank him down to my level and pierce his skin with Genji's blade. He yelled in agony, silenced once I shoved my titanium blade through his mouth.

Releasing an enraged cry, I charged the remaining dozen troops without hesitation. I made mincemeat of the first man in front of me, slicing his body straight in half. The man beside him yelled in terror. "It's the Scourge!" He exclaimed before I shattered his kneecap with a single kick, slashing through his throat. His artery burst, blood pouring over his black vest, coating my face in it.

I smiled. "Who's next?" I asked, meeting their shocked eyes. They fired on me, instead hitting the fresh corpse of the man who's throat I just slit, lifting him in front of me. I dashed into two of them, decapitating both of them and grabbing the third man who charged me by the neck.

I squeezed, ripping his larynx out and watching him drown in his own blood. "GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" One man ordered, firing straight at me while the remaining three ran. I dashed to the side, sprinting to avoid his fire after springing to my feet. I threw Genji's blade into his chest, bull rushing him as it impaled him. I kicked him off the sword, his intestines spilling out at my feet.

The other three weren't getting away. I felt something pulling at me, tugging at my skin and demanding to be let out. 'SHOW THEM NO MERCY! LET THEM BEG!" I heard Genji roar in my mind, obliging his wishes and charging them.

Catching up with them quickly, I slashed one man's heels, watching his Achilles' tendon split in two. I slammed both of my blades into his back, right below the shoulder blades, relishing in his cries. I roared and ripped him in two, his ribcage shattering from the force.

Efi and Amelia must've been recovering from the blast, luckily unharmed, as I heard their footsteps behind me. "Let them go! You got them already!" Efi yelled, her voice drowning in the angry shouts filling my head. I licked my lips, tasting their blood and savoring it. Two left.

I picked the first one up by his throat, throwing him into the wall and hearing his bones crunch, though he was still alive. The remaining one looked on in horror as I ripped him up off his feet as he stumbled back. I sheathed my sword, smacking the pistol out of his hand as he tried to shoot me. He was defenseless. Just like my friends were.

I didn't hesitate to place both of my thumbs into his eye sockets, pushing his eyes into the back of his skull slowly, listening to his cries as he kicked under my weight as I pushed him down into the floor. His hands fumbled on my throat, trying to push me off in a desperate attempt to escape. His screams was music to my ears, feeling the blood ooze out and pool onto the ground, his skull cracking under my force. I kept pushing, his screams dulling into moans as I destroyed the frontal lobe of his brain, rendering him nearly mute. I didn't stop until his head burst like an overripe melon, splattering all over me and the brick wall beside me.

Turning to glare at the last one, I offered him a sadistic smile. He scrambled for his gun, which lay much too far from him to be of any use. I kicked it away with my foot, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him to my blood covered face. "WHERE IS SHE?! WHERE IS THAT WOMAN?! LIE, AND I'LL FEED YOU YOUR FRIENDS!"

"W-w-who?!" He cried, tears welling up in his eyes. It was enough to make me grin. "Don't bother playing dumb. Each second you waste, I break another one." I threatened, snapping his radius between my fingers. He yelled, his feeble kicks striking my torso, almost making me giggle.

"SCOTT! STOP!" Efi yelled, too scared to come near me. Amelia cowered behind her. "Th-the one with the-the scars? An x mark along her cheek? Purple co-coat?" He mumbled between fits of tears, giving up his struggle against my grip. "I warned you." I said, grabbing his left arm and shattering both his radius and ulna. Bone poked clear out of his skin, blood gushing out. "TELL ME WHERE SHE IS AND THE PAIN STOPS!" I yelled over his cries of agony. Torturing these men always made me smile.

"A-ATAKPAME!" He answered quickly this time, not wanting to waste anymore time clearly. "North of Lomé. That's not too far." I smiled, muttering to myself. She's close. So close I could taste her. "Leading more of her protests, huh? Moving to the industrial towns now." I snickered to myself, realizing that my torment was almost over. I could lay their spirits to rest soon enough.

The agent's cries garnered my attention once more, making me growl. "Thanks." I said quietly before jamming my sword into his lower chest, right below the ribs. I met his eyes and smiled the entire time as I dragged it up, slowly inching my way into his throat. He suffered in an agony I could only imagine, making it all the more sweet. His arms flapped around uselessly, his broken bones cracking on the ground as he gargled and spat. By the time I reached his jaw, he was dead. It spoiled the fun.

Ripping it upwards, I painted the walls in more blood.

I looked at the two horrified girls cowering in the corner. Efi met my eyes, brave enough to stare me down. I cackled.

"I know where you are."

DUN DUN DUUUUNNN! Scott finally knows where Olivia is headed and there'll be hell to pay! Is he going to avenge his fallen brethren at Overwatch and stomp the rising flames of her dream out, or will he fail in his quest for vengeance? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z!

On a much more serious note, I must once again thank all of you for your patience. Writing has been slow for me, though not for a lack of trying. Not to say I'm not motivated at all. If anything I feel just as excited for what lies beyond in the story as I did when I first started. I always have fun writing, so thank you guys for supporting me and letting me do what I love.

Also, I love making Scott into such an edgelord. It's so fun to write. I love rereading the early chapters and watching him morph into some distorted monstrous form of his early self. What can I say, I'm a sucker for psychotic murderers? Especially oddly handsome ones like Scott.

Be safe and be sure to get plenty of rest! I'll heed my own advice for now and try to get some sleep. Maybe I'll dream up some new plot points.

Until next time!