The Daughter

Pyramus was trying to chill on the couch, but it was hard. Since Gluskap had told him about his brother's plans to capture him, they've decided to stop leaving together to preserve the safety of both.

Five weeks have passed since then and he felt terribly alone there. A white room made of white furniture and a sight which was revolting: the West Sector's dump. The building was in Haguel's outer ring, where there were usually less inspections by whiskers.

It was also a strategic position because it wasn't far from Zerzura.

On the table beside the bed there was a picture of him and Gluskap, during their latest vacation to Agaklytos hot springs.

In all this time with him he never thought that they wouldn't ever been divided. But Gluskap's plan to change the city and expose Lady Gehenna's lies prolonged for too long. It wasn't the first time they were trying to start a general uprising by entrusting its fate in the hand of two Guels.

He looked in the mirror and saw himself. Strong and beautiful but fragile. When he discovered the truth about life, his mind couldn't bear it. If it wasn't for Gluskap, he would've cracked under pressure.

He looked through the window's blinds to check for any threat.

Then he pulled out a map and laid it on the table in the middle of the room.

They were two merged maps: one was about the city and the other of the sewer's system.

A cross was over Alusta and the Suharto Peaks. A slash was over other districts names. Only his district was clear.

His eyes moved to the left, toward Zerzura, which had two circles not far from it. Far on the left there was the Kirkegaardsand. He knew what was there and he hoped not to venture in it again. The Hummingbirds saved his life back then.

His phone started ringing.

"Py you need to get out, the safe house is compromised" told him Gluskap.

He was scared and Pyramus felt it.

He put on one earphone and started packing.

"How much time do I have?" asked Pyramus.

"Five minutes. Mabdil is already on his way"

He threw everything in the bag. He didn't think that they would've found him in such a short amount of time.

Whisker's sirens started wailing out of the window.

"They've sent two squadrons of whiskers. Stay clear of the main roads and be sure not to be followed when you're going to the first shortcut"

"Just…Kap. Will I see you again? It has been so long since I left your place"

The sirens were closer.

Pyramus opened the window and looked down. The people were moving unaware of what was going on. The floor wasn't so distant.

The room's phone started ringing.

"They're already here" shouted him to Gluskap.

"Figure a way out"

The phone was still ringing.

He kept grappling hook and a rope from his bag.

"It's the only one left. The rest was used during Alusta's raid"

"Use it. You have no choice"

The ringing stopped. Sound of steps outside.

He adjusted the hook on the window and checked its stability.

The door started shaking. A battering-ram was clashing against it.

Pyramus threw the rope outside.

The door received another hit.

He looked down.

Again.

Another hit.

He jumped.

The door sagged and cracked under the ram's hits.

Whiskers flowed into the room, weapons in their hands.

They went to the window.

Looked down.

Pyramus was quickly sliding down, curbed only by his legs and feet.

They alerted the other squadron.

On the table they found one of Pyramus's masks. He forgot it during the hasty packing.

Pyramus reached the floor and freed himself of the rope.

Gluskap went offline.

Looked around.

The other squadron was running toward him.

He started running too.

He bumped in some of the few passersby and started putting some distance between him and the whiskers.

He was running in alley when the Commander Mabdil showed itself. He was with ten more whiskers.

He slowed down and turned back but the other squadron was right after him.

He then decided to up. He raced into one building.

Mabdil stopped them.

He reached the building's roof and started jumping from it to another and another.

Mabdil was tracking him with his eyes.

He tried to move toward his destination when he felt badly on a roof and broke a foot. Nonetheless he kept running.

It looked like the whiskers had stopped going after him.

He got down and moved swiftly to his destination.

He then went into a secondary alley devoid of people, turned left and got into an house.

He went down the stairs and knocked on a door.

"How is the weather?"" asked a man on the other side.

"A storm is raging"

"Are you afraid?"

"No. I'm the storm"

The door opened and an old man let him through.

"I thought that you were going to check on us later" asked him to Pyramus

"Things have changed. Is the link safe?"

"Yes, boss. As always"

He walked toward a big metallic door which the old man opened by moving a large lever.

"Boss, what is going to happen now?"

Pyramus put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Revolution" told him as he was going through the door

A long corridor made of a little railway and a small train cabin on it showed themselves to him, lit by tiny white lamps.

Outside of the building Commander Mabdil and his whiskers were looking towards it with a pleased grin on their face.

Clattering of silverware and dishes, chewing mouths, delighted eyes and darting waiters. The Exin Restaurant was particularly crowded that evening.

There were people singing, smiling of joy and chatting animatedly.

Alastor was eating a piece of smoked Salmon. He was eating slowly to taste the fish's flavor in a better way.

"Just be sure not to let it cool off" joked Tithon

"Oh…don't worry about it. It's even better when it's cold" munched Alastor

Then Tithon drunk a glass of water.

"So, tell me. How did you find out about this place?" asked Alastor

"It's the only decent place in this shithole" joked Tithon and both smiled.

"I mean, really. Who introduced you to this restaurant?"

The question seemed like a hard one for Tithon

"Is everything alright Ikuinen?"

"Yes, it's just…"

"It was your wife who did it, didn't she?"

Tithon didn't answer.

"We can…"

"Can we talk about anything else?" asked Tithon to cut the topic short.

"Alright, alright. Are you dating someone else?" tried to ask Alastor

"The fact that you turned out to be a good guy doesn't oblige me to tell you that"

Tithon looked angered.

"Do you know a certain Lilith?"

"Yes, why?"

"Nothing, I just remember that she was the one who participated to your first promotion"

"What do you know about her?" asked Tithon with an inquisitive tone.

"Just rumors"

"Ok, tell me more please"

A waiter slotted in their conversation and dampened the tension a bit.

"Would you like a dessert and a coffee?" asked him

"One for me, thank you" answered Alastor

Tithon looked at him.

"What? I'm going to finish the bead's exhausters design tonight. I need energy"

Tithon chugged. He didn't like when people played with his patience.

"Well, I've heard co-workers from the Hara who said that she's older than she looks. Much older. Like more than a hundred thousand years"

"It isn't shocking Al. You look like a thirty-five-year-old guy but you're what? Seven-ish thousand-year-old"

"It means that she could be one of the originals" remarked Alastor

"It doesn't seem like a big deal. I think that the most worrying thing is the fact that we can die"

"Are you still shocked about it?"

"Yes. Now I know that whenever I get out, I couldn't make back home"

"You're too paranoic man" joked Alastor

"The point is that I can't trust a lot of people now. Everyone could be a Hummingbird"

"Ok, what does it mean?" Alastor was confused

"Just forget about it. Are you one of them?"

"Who? I don't understand what you're talking about"

"I hope for you that you're not one of…"

Tithon's watch started beeping.

He got it off and deactivated it. The red light kept blinking as always.

"What was it?"

"Just my watch"

"Is it normal that it beeps and what is that red blinking light?" asked Alastor with curiosity

"Yes, and I don't know"

The waiter arrived with Alastor's coffee and left them the bill.

"I think that you should open it. I don't think that it's normal" told him as he started sipping from the coffee cup.

The light kept blinking.

Unceasing.

Corpses. Corpses everywhere. They were surrounded by them.

Kurban had never seen a graveyard before, and it disgusted him. Kera and Lunukin were in shock too.

"Perteklinis" said Kera to call him

Kurban moved toward the old man.

"I don't know if you want to see it"

"Please, let me see"

"I don't know if it's the right…"

"Just let me see" insisted Kurban.

As Kera moved to the right, a column of identical corpses showed itself. They were all wearing the same face.

"Is that…is that…" started stammering Lunukin

"Me. They are all like me" said Kurban

"How…how is that even possible? Twins exists only in the Hara and twins are supposed to be only two" stated Kera

"I've already seen something like that. These are clones, like exact copies of ourselves"

"What do you mean?"

"Why do we have clones, Kurban?" asked Lunukin

"I don't know but I think that it has something to do with the fact that we can die"

"How are we supposed so long then?" wanted to know Kera

"The Ankh. It slows down our aging process but, after seeing it, it's probable that these bodies are supposed to perpetuate the lie"

"How many people has died during your time in Haguel?" asked Lunekin

"None"

All of them had the same answer.

Then they decided to see the extension of the clones graveyard.

Huge halls stuffed with naked bodies of men and women, piled up in towering stacks.

"How did all of it end up here?"

"I think that we brought it here"

"How?" Lunekin was confused

"The dumps. I used to work there with…We found a body one day"

"I've never handled corpses. Who was supposed to do it?"

"I don't know"

"I still don't understand" remarked Lunekin

A bustle started not so far from them.

"What was it?" asked Kera

"Move cautiously" said Kurban to his companions.

The clangor continued while they started moving in its direction.

Another one started in the same direction.

It was close.

So close.

Closer.

At last showed itself.

It was like a dog with long greenish limbs, huge nails, crippled arms and a curved back. It was feeding off something with ravenous delight. It was a body.

"What the fu.." murmured Lunekin loudly.

The creature turned toward them.

His snout looked more human than expected, with thinned out hair, small eyes and pronounced jaw.

"Oh shit, it looks like…" Kera didn't manage to finish his phrase that another creature took him from the back and disappeared.

The other one stopped eating and then roared.

More creatures came out.

"Run" shouted Kurban

They rushed away, as quickly as possible.

The monsters moved like Great Danes while colliding with each other.

They were running without a destination. They didn't know that place.

The disgusting monsters were closing on them.

Closer.

Lunekin felt on a body which was lying down in their path and sprained his ankle.

"Please, help me," shouted the boy.

Kurban looked at him and behind his back.

He just wanted to be free of that nightmare.

"Please" screamed Lunekin again.

Kurban rushed on him and tried to help him stand up.

They were too tired.

The creatures were closer.

Closer.

"I'm sorry Kurban" apologized the young lad

"Don't worry. It will be al…"

Lilith was helping her maids setting up the house for the incoming guests. Dishes, glasses, and silverware of the finest workmanship were set in perfect order on rounded table covered by a white lace tablecloth made of pure linen. Paints were being hanged on the wall, paints of the old days, when art was still considered a relevant job.

"Miss, someone is calling you to videochat. Should I put them on hold or tell them that you're not available now?" asked a butler.

"Who is it?"

"Tithon Ikuinen. He has called many times today and he has been looking for you since your last meeting online"

She chugged.

"Alright, I have time for him. Meanwhile follow closely what the maids are doing here. Vigors isn't an ordinary guest, after all" ordered her

Then she left the room and went into hers.

There wasn't much there. A bed made of white wood, a large window on a beautiful view of the Hara, some bookshelves, a computer, and a desk. Beside her bed there was a little table with a picture of her and another woman on it.

She turned on the PC and connected with Tithon. He looked better, much better since his wife's death. She would've said that her death left him unscathed, even though she knew that he was hungry for revenge.

She didn't care about the fact that she was dead. For her, she has always been an enemy.

Malsumis and her mother have been clear about her role in it.

"Good evening, darling" started Tithon

"Good evening my love" she tried to be as convincing as possible

"How are you? I miss you a lot"

"I'm fine. Not much is happening here, sincerely. What about your job? I can't wait to have you here again"

"I've started working with a guy who I thought was an asshole when in fact it seems cool"

"Wow, what's his name?" asked Lilith

"Alastor. We're working on the project to…"

"Are you talking about the one which is intended to update the transportation's system of the city?"

"Yes, exactly"

"And, what about you? Are you ok?"

"I'm perfect…perfectly fine, I would say"

"Are you sure? Not long ago…"

"I said that I'm perfectly fine" remarked Tithon with a different tone

"Do you think that your friend is still…alive?"

"Who…Perteklinis? Probably is dead. I don't know. I don't want him to die. Never"

"Wasn't he your friend?"

"Yes"

"Do you miss him?"

Tithon didn't answer immediately.

"Yes, but it can't let me down. I need to work, to reach you. I just need one promotion to get a job good enough to pay a penthouse in the Hara. Couldn't you help me from there?"

"How? I can't tell them to promote someone, not even my boyfriend, without a proper reason"

"What shall I do then?" asked Tithon

"Work as much as you can and people will notice you, like you did so far"

"Yes, even though…"

"What? Are you saying that your career is built on a lie?"

"No, but we both know that…I mean, you were there when I got promoted the first time"

"Yes, but we promoted you because you're a remarkable worker"

"I know but…"

"But what? You want more, don't you? Isn't your goal to become the most powerful person in this city?"

"Yes, but I just want to stay with…"

"You want more, and you'll always want more, this is how we works. We don't settle for the bare minimum, not even when we have everything. If you're my boyfriend, you align yourself with that philosophy or…it won't work"

"I mean, you're right but it isn't all about…"

"Lilith" called an elderly voice.

A hooded figure appeared outside of Lilith's room.

"I must go Ti. Keep up with what you're doing right now, and we'll meet again. In person"

"Surely darling. I love you. So much. Thanks for being…"

"I…love you…too. Now I must go. Bye" said her with hesitation as she ended the video chat

"Was it Tithon?" asked the figure

"Yes, mother" answered Lilith a bit annoyed

"Be sure to deal with him in the proper way. Last time you blew off centuries of work. This time it can't happen again"

"As you wish, mother" said Lilith with a submissive tone

Malsumis was in his office. Tense. As always.

He was expecting the result of Mabdil's raid on their target.

He was particularly impatient.

He was also scared about discovering the mole's identity.

He woke up and went in another room.

There was a drawer there. Big and black.

He opened it. Clothes and hats where set there in accurate order.

He moved the clothes and pushed his hand on a surface.

It moved back and slided to the right, revealing a medium sized safe. He put his hand on it and inserted a code.mandato

The safe opened and revealed a Hanya mask made of bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth.

After all his reboots he had been able to preserve it. To remember who he was once. Who he and his brother were once.

Someone knocked at the door.

He quickly put it away and closed the drawer. Then he went to the desk and invited the person who was waiting outside to come in.

It was Mabdil. Always tidy and punctual like a clock. He admired his dedication. He didn't agree with his methods, even though he was the mandator of his orders.

"Did you apprehend the target?"

"No"

"What?" asked Mabdil with accusative tone

"No. He escaped. But atleast…"

"Are you trying to explain yourself? Why the fuck should I care about your motivation?"

"Just here me out"

Malsumis hated being so rash and rude, but it looked like the only way to prove a point with that sort of people and to be respected.

He then let him talk.

"We found that" said him while handing Malsumis a picture

It was a mask. Not like his one. He knew who owned that mask. He didn't understand how it could've ended up in the hand of his target.

"We also have been able to locate where he went after escapism from us" added Mabdil

"So, should I consider the operation a success?" asked Malsumis perplexed

"Well…yes. I think that it wasn't a total failure"

"Get out" said him

The Commander didn't move.

"I said get out"

"But…" Mabdil was confused

"Get…the fuck..out" shouted Malsumis

The Commander stood up and went out of the room.

When he was finally alone, Malsumis looked at the picture again.

A mounting rage was about to erupt.

Not again.

Not him.

Not again.

He punched the wall.

Not him.

Again.

Not him.

Another punch.

Not again.

He furiously unloaded all his rage on the wall.

Screaming.

Not him.

Not again.

He then stopped and felt on his knees.

His hands were bleeding. His knuckles were soaked in blood.

He was crying.

Heavy tears were falling from his eyes on his cheeks.

Not him.

Not again.