by Joshua
"Where is he?" Alpha asked, his voice gruff.
"I don't know whachu talkin’ about," the boy said.
"Your leader, Omega Man. Where is he?"
"Man, they don't tell us nothin," The boy said, grunting as his pants dug into his waist." A couple guys asked us to join, and we thought it'd be fun. A chance to get back at you fucks for keeping us scared for so long. That's it."
"You realize you're considered terrorists now, right?" Alpha asked. "The same rules don't apply anymore."
"We don't care," the boy behind him said. "What can they do to us this city hasn't already done?"
*****
Reedy and Irene stepped onto the deserted Yancy Street campus. Where students once walked the grassy area in front of the buildings, there was only the cool wind blowing leaves and a few abandoned fliers.
"It's this building over here," Reedy said, pointing towards Richards Hall. The old colonial style structure had a large stone staircase leading between white columns.
"I guess the university's been closed for a while," she said, as he held the oak door for her.
"Yeah, I'm surprised she agreed to meet with us at all.”
They walked the empty halls until they came to a door marked "Dean's Office". Under that was a name plate that read, "Mary Lee".
Reedy gave the door a small knock, and pushed it open, careful not to make a sound. Inside was a secretary’s desk and a few chairs.
"I'm in here," came a voice from the adjoining room. The door to her office was open, so they walked in.
Sitting behind the desk, rummaging through some paper work, was an Asian woman in her late forties. She had dark, near black hair, and her face was absent any make up. She looked tired and worn down, but she still offered up a smile when she saw them.
"Sorry, I'm just gathering up a few things before I leave. I don't know when I'm going to be back, so I'm just making sure I've got everything."
"It's OK," Reedy said. "Seems a lot of people are heading for the hills."
"Can you blame them?" She asked, with a sudden seriousness.
"We really appreciate you meeting with us," Irene said, taking a seat.
"It's no problem," Mary said, gesturing for Reedy to take a seat as well. Surprised, he sat down as if he hadn't thought to do so. "So, this is about Jacob…ah, Mr Jones." A cautious smile crept over her face.
"We think he might be this ‘Omega Man’ everyone is looking for. So, we need any information you can give us," Reedy said, pulling out a small flip top notepad from his pocket. Mary sat back, looking stunned by the news.
"I…I haven't seen him in a very long time," she said, with a distant look in her eye. "I wasn't even Dean back then. Just a professor. We had a thing; a…I'm not sure what you'd call it. I guess, you'd say we dated." She looked up again, making eye contact with Reedy. "Yeah, we dated."
"Did he ever do anything suspicious? Join any radical groups? Talk about his time in Russia?" Irene asked.
"No, he said that was all in his past," Mary said. "And no, he was a pretty straight laced guy. Nice, polite, all that. He was sort of perfect, honestly. The only suspicious thing he did was disappear."
"When was the last time you saw him?" Reedy asked.
"Ten years ago, maybe more," she said, thinking for a second. “Holy shit.” Her eyes lit up as something came to mind. “I remember something. He had this weird box of stuff he used to keep hidden in the closet. It was full of old photographs and a few letters. I remember it being so weird because I couldn’t read most of them, but there was this one; a post card. It was from…I don’t know remember where it was from. Some Russian city, I think. But I do remember what it said. ‘Emil, I’m sorry. You’re father and I had to leave. We love you’. it was signed, Alla. I wanted to question him about, and I was going to, but he left before I could muster up the courage.”
“Are you sure that’s what it said?” Reedy asked, on the edge of his seat.
“Yeah, I’m positive,” she said. “I must have read the thing a hundred times.”
“Why didn’t you ever ask him about it?” Irene asked. “I mean, he sounded like a good guy from what you’ve told us.”
“He was closed, and often quiet,” she said. “I don’t know, I don’t feel like our relationship ever got to the point where I could be honest about snooping.”
“Thank you,” Reedy said, and got up.
“We’ll be in touch if we need anything else,” Irene said.
“Wait,” she said, raising her voice. “So, that’s it?”
“Yeah, that’s all we needed, thank you,” Reedy said.
“All the name changes just don’t add up,” Reedy said, as they walked towards the car.
“Not if he’s legit,” she said. “But, if he’s got something to hide, then it makes perfect sense.”
“Yeah,” Reedy said. “But what’s he hiding from?”
“I don’t know, but I guarantee it has something to do with Russia,” she replied.
*****
Rose shuddered a bit as she watched Blake and one of his men standing over the boy they had captured. They were both screaming as he sobbed, tied to the wooden chair. Snot ran from his nose in thick globs, making it hard for him to catch a good breath. His chest heaved, up and down, and tears poured from his red swollen eyes. His hair and shirt were soaked with water.
"Please," he said, muttering the words with desperate hope. "Please stop."
"Then tell us what we want to know!" Blake said.
"I don't know anything!" he said. "I worked through Rob. He's the one you want."
"Well, where can we find Rob?" Blake said, getting so close their faces were an inch apart. "Tell us what you know, and this will all be over."
"I don’t…” the boy started to say, but the words sprung Blake into action. He turned the chair over with one motion, leaving the boy on his back with both knees in the air. Blake grabbed a wet towel and placed it over the boy’s face. The boy twisted his head away, trying to keep the cloth away, but it was no use. Blake grabbed the large bucket while the other guy held the cloth down.
Rose turned away when the water began to pour. Each time the boy gurgled up a scream, she winced with her arms across her chest.
*****
"That was…amazing," Al said as him and Ivy laid in his bed. They were both naked with the sheets draped over them. Her hair was frazzled and sprawled out across his chest.
"Yeah, it really was," she said.
"I wish things could be like this all the time," he said, staring up at the ceiling.
"They can be." She turned and looked up at him. "We just have to leave here. Get away from all this. We have some money, let’s just go."
"What do you mean? It's not that simple," he said. "These people need us. You said so yourself."
"No, they don't," she said, sitting up. "I’ve been thinking about this a lot. They were here a long time before any of us were. They know how to survive. At least they did before we started doing everything for them."
"How can you say that?" he asked. "These are your people."
"Yeah, but I'm with you now," she said. "You need me more than they need me."
"They need me," he said, getting up from the bed. "They can't survive without someone watching over them."
"I hope you aren't just saying these things so you can go after him," she said, getting up. She grabbed her clothing and threw them on fast. "Please, tell me that's not the case."
The look in his eyes said everything; he didn't know.
"I…" he said, but she stopped him.
"Look, I love these people, and I'd do anything for them, but if we stay here, things aren't going to end well."
He sat back down, slumping onto the bed. He looked down at the floor for a moment, silent, and then looked back at her.
"I know," he said. "But it's something I have to do."
Chapter Twenty-Eight.
Alpha touched down behind a group of Omegas spraying their insignia on the wall of a brick building. They snickered and chatted, unaware of his presence.
"Another block for us," one of them said, shaking the spray paint bottle. It clattered about with a metallic ding.
"That's enough," Alpha said. "Please, surrender now before it gets ugly."
"Oh shit," one said, spinning around. "Run!"
All four of them sprinted away, trying to escape, but their path was blocked by a large figure. The Mech had come around the corner and was looming over them in his bulky suit. The mechanical armor hissed with each step as he drew closer to them. The Omegas were boxed in on both sides.
"I'll handle this," Alpha said.
"This is my jurisdiction," The Mech said. "I'll take them in for questioning."
"This is my city," Alpha said. "Go back to your patrols."
"Make me," The Mech, settling down into a defensive position. Alpha tightened his fist, and let a small smirk creep across his lips. The muscles in his body urged him forward, but the vibration of his phone stopped the attack. His eyes tightened, never leaving the man before him. Between them, the Omegas had gotten up against the wall, trying to find safety.
"Hello, Rose" Alpha said.
"The GPS tracker says that you and The Mech are only a few feet away from each other," she said, her voice full of annoyance.
"I'm looking right at him," he replied.
"Then you aren't doing what I asked," she said. "Please, don't make this more difficult than it has to be."
He exhaled from his nose, pursed his lips, and said, "Fine."
"Thank you," she said, and hung up the phone.
"Mommy calling you home?" The Mech asked.
"Oh shit," one of the Omegas murmured. Alpha just glared at The Mech, eyeballing the suit of mechanical armor. He placed the phone back in his holster, and sneered, "Carry on.” His eyes were fixed on The Mech as he flew off.
He landed on a nearby building and leaned up against a wall. His fists were still clenched. Looking up, he saw the faint glow of lights bouncing off a billboard. Staring right at him was his picture; arms crossed, muscles flexed, smile full of teeth. His chest expanded as he inhaled. He let out the air in one big huff, while sitting down.
"How could I let it get so bad?"
*****
"It's so weird," Reedy said, staring out the window of the car. "Thanks for picking me up, by the way."
"What's weird? How empty the streets are?" Irene asked.
"Exactly," he said, scanning the sidewalk as they passed. "I've never seen it this…barren before. It's almost like the world's ended."
"I don't know what I was thinking coming here," she said. "This city is dying, and now, the only places open for food are all the way up town. I haven't had decent Chinese food in weeks."
Reedy chuckled. "You got some interesting priorities."
"What can I say, I like my Asian cuisine," she said, cracking a slight smile. "Where's your car, anyways?"
"Ah, I leave it with the lady," he said. “Since the buses are unreliable, it's good to know she's got a way around town if she needs it."
"Why don't you leave?" she asked. "This is no place for a child."
"Yeah, I know," he said. "Things are bad, but they aren't as the media seems to think. I mean, think about it; this guy hasn't shown his face in a while, at least not directly. The gangs are bad, but they are bad in other cities too. I think people have just forgotten what it's like to live in the real world."
"Are you serious?" she asked. "It's like 9/11 could happen again at any moment. I've been eating MREs for a week now to keep from leaving my apartment. It’s much worse than you realize."
“Maybe," he said, as something caught his eye. He peered out the window and down the empty street. "Pull over, and follow me." As she stopped the car, he pulled the slide back on his pistol and checked its ammunition. He opened the door and rushed down the sidewalk.
"Wait," she said, but he didn't hear her. His gun was drawn and ready as he approached the three men kicking a fourth. They laughed as the man's ribs shattered against the toes of their shoes.
"You should've given us the watch!" one said.
"Step away from that man," Reedy said, while trying to stabilize the slight tremor in his hand. The three of them turned towards Reedy. Their faces were painted with large black Omega symbols. One smiled, flashing a mouth full of crooked teeth. Tombstones in a forgotten graveyard. He kicked the man one last time, and spurt out a slight chuckle that he cut off.
"Don't worry boys, he ain't gonna do shit," the man said, with his arm out towards Reedy. At that moment, something inside Reedy turned off, and his finger pulled the trigger. The gunshot was loud, and seemed to last forever in the dark recesses of his ears. The man's eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. He didn't fall; the bullet had missed him by a few inches. Once Reedy noticed this, he snapped back.
"I said, don't fucking move!"
Shocked, they all stood there, frozen with fear. Reedy held his gun straight, but turned his head back to the car. Irene was still in the front seat with one foot on the ground.
"Jesus, man," one of them said.
"Don't you fucking say a word," Reedy said, jerking his gaze back to them. Letting one hand off his gun, he grabbed his phone and made a call.
"Yeah, Blake, this is Reedy. I've got a few guys for you. I'm at the intersection of Eastman and Laird. Thanks."
It only took ten minutes for the armored truck to get there. Reedy held his gun, aimed at the men for the entire time. Once Blake's men showed up and cuffed the Omegas, he let down his guard, and walked back to the car. The ache in his arms didn't seep in until he sat down and took a breath.
"I'm uh…I'm sorry," she said, still sitting there with both hands on the wheel. "There's something I need to tell you."
"Yeah? Go for it," he said, almost indifferent.
"I came here to prove something to myself; that I still have what it takes. But, I don't think I do. I lost a partner a while back and had to take some time off. I thought that if I came here, I'd have no choice but the step up, you know?"
"I wish you'd said something sooner," he said, lying his head back against the rest.
"I know," she said. "I'll turn in my badge when we get back. You need a partner, not a liability."
"Don't," he said. Her eyes lit up, glistening with the moisture of unspent tears. "I'm scared too. We all are. Just, don't do that to me again, OK? If you do, I'll kick your ass myself. We clear?"
"Yeah," she said, letting out a small relieved laugh. She wiped away a tear. "Sounds good. Just don’t run off without me, OK? I don’t want you getting hurt out there."
*****
"Things aren't getting better," Rose said, holding a pack of cigarettes in her hand. She looked down at them and back up to Alpha and Blake. The three of them stood atop the police precinct building, staring at each other. "This city is scared and it seems like the gangbangers we pick up aren't making a dent."
"We are doing the best we can," Blake said. "But these things take time. We still don't know where they are hiding. If we can figure that out, it'll be cake."
"We think they are in the sewers," he said. "But this sewer system is as old as the city and just as massive. We could search for a year and find nothing, but give us a place to start, and I will send my men."
"It might be our only option, I just hate to waste resources right now," she said. "We have to do something though. Our asses are on the block. If we don't end this soon, they are going to declare martial law. Any suggestions?" She looked directly at Alpha.
"I can only patrol so much. My only suggestion is that we might be able to set up traps for them. We know how they move, and we know what they are after. Other than that, I've got nothing. Those sewers are a maze. Unless we can get some inside information, I don’t see where we have a choice but to wait."
*****
&
nbsp; "Where are you going?" Ivy asked, as Omega pulled on his mask. He stood at the entrance to their home, about to walk out of the subway terminal and into the sewers. He turned and looked at her.
"I've thought about what you said. I need to go clean up this situation. I'm gonna go talk to our people and stop all the gangs before they can do anymore harm."
Excitement filled her eyes and she said, "Can I go? I want to help!"
"No," he said, his voice solemn. "I need to go alone. Stay here where it's safe."
She rushed up to him as he stepped through the open grate and hugged him tight. "Thank you," she said. “I'm glad you understand how important this is."
"It'll all be over soon,” he said. He hugged her back, pulling her in close to his chest. He held her there for a moment, his hands tight against her flesh. Pulling away, he looked her in the eye, lingering there for a moment, before leaving.
"It's time to shut this down," Omega said. Standing before him was a tall white male with an oversized T-Shirt, painted with a black Omega symbol. "It's gone on too long, and I feel we've made our point. Call your men back in and dismantle this thing."
"I appreciate what you're saying," the man said. "But my boys are gonna do what they want. I don't think it can be shut down at this point."
"You are gonna do this," Omega said, taking a step forward. The glasses in the small dingy apartment began to rattle. The man took a step back.
"OK, OK, chill," he said, with both hands up. "I'll tell em. But if they don't do it, don't come looking for me. It's like I said, they don't necessarily listen."
"Tell them, if they don’t stop, I'll be coming for them.”
He left the building and headed another a few blocks away. Keeping to the shadows and back streets, he passed the alley where he’d saved the girl from being raped. He stared off into the black abyss for a moment, trying to glare through its impenetrable thickness.
Before he knew it, he was crossing the threshold of the old building and heading up towards Rob’s apartment. He gave the metal door two hard knocks and waited. A shadow passed by the eye slot and the locks turned.
