6-7 There's more to it

Date: September 9-10

Place: Interrogation Room

[Rei]

I'm glad that it only took him seven minutes to wake up.

[Cedrick]

She hit me.

She saw how crazy I was.

*    *    *    *    *

I woke up sitting at a stool with Rei sighing and looking shocked as she walked towards me when I met her gaze.

"Sit here and don't do something stupid," after all I did, that's all she said to me and distanced herself instantly as if she's giving me a warning to not interfere with what she does from this moment on.

*    *    *    *    *

It's because of me that she lost a couple of her precious minutes. I can't believe I made her angry. Her cold and disappointed glares are stuck on my mind reminding me not to cross a line.

"Please help me," he repeatedly begged as if he was the victim. Rei walked towards him when he raised his head and cried.

"I will but tell me everything I want to know first," Rei explained getting a sharp dagger instead of the ax she grabbed earlier when she walked past some table.

"I can't," he said. "Please, I don't want to die yet," he pleaded.

"Why?" Rei asked.

"They won't let me," his innocent whisper turned to a horrifying giggle and his tears starts to fade. "Do you think I'll beg for mercy?" he laughs. "Dream on," he continued.

Then I saw her loading two guns while saying something on her transmitter. The old man continues to laugh loudly that I can't hear their conversation. My intuition told me that there is a kind of commotion behind the one-way mirror. It was probably them who Rei called. She must've figured something out.

"You're as quick-witted as I remember you were. Rei, was it?" I had a slight idea what was happening right now when I saw her reaction. "Nice shot," he commented when this room was filled with gunshots.

She got rid of all four cameras.

[Rei]

I noticed the instant change of emotion in his eyes and I know that that is not a normal occurrence. And I find it questionable since earlier, about him not being able to give in easily even if he was just a simple civilian. Also, his dialogues don't match his eyes that were pleading me to stop and help him.

Then it dawned to me, that there is another person like us, who can possess one's body just by locking eyes with the target. And I'm sure that's the situation right now. So I called the Supreme Commander and asked for his help as I loaded two guns.

[Akashi]

"Find the boy who brought the chair. Get to him first," she paused for a second before continuing. "Before someone does," just by hearing the tone of her voice, someone might die tonight if we don't hurry. I can only guess that this has something to do with her past.

I hurriedly reviewed the tapes before she finishes loading her gun. I found a picture of the boy and moved it to another device so I can send it out to every man I am dispatching for the search. I shot every piece of equipment here as soon as I sent the image of the boy.

She destroyed the cameras with a meaning behind them and I'm sure that she wants tonight's event to be buried.

"Gynne, rescue the boy who brought the chair earlier and be quick," I say to her and called Cedrick to assist her. Then, I issued a search order for some idle and nearby squadrons in the area. I sent requests to the night patrols all over the headquarters to guard every entrance and exit just in case.

[Rei]

"You're as quick-witted as I remember you were," hearing that phrase proved that I was on the right track. "Nice shot!" he whistles after I shot all the four cameras to get rid of any possible leaks because Professor Norby might be watching right now.

At the utter silence, after he cheers, he decided to say a few things but with no sounds so I had to read his lips. "Just like how you shot your mother," he grins.

Without a second thought, I let go of the dagger, which fell on the ground and punched him with everything I got. My Father didn't even know the truth behind my Mother's death so why does he—

My head suddenly starts to hurt.

*    *    *    *    *

"Are you alright?" I see my younger self talking to a boy who was drinking his water after his sparring. He only looked at me, stunned by the sudden question.

"I'm fine. Thanks," his smiles were as warm as the sun just like his honest tone of speaking.

"You will never see your parent again. You know that, right?" I blurted without consideration. He looks perfectly fine in the eyes of others but my younger self refused to be tricked by that facade.

"Hey! Let's go for one more round!" another boy invites him for a rematch.

"That's because they broke the protocol. It can't be helped," he ran to them and waved goodbye to me as if he wasn't affected at all.

I witnessed him taking his last conversation with his parents. It was the cruelest but fascinating thing I saw. His parents were hugging him and he was laughing, trying to reassure them that he'll be alright while his parents were quietly feeling sorry for him. Just minutes right after that, he was ordered to go straight for combat practice with some other kids.

*    *    *    *    *

[Cedrick]

I'm curious as to what's happening there. I caught a glimpse of her, giving him a painful punch. I'm not sure what happened because I left in a hurry when Supreme Commander gave me an order to provide back-up to Gynne and told me in detail what Rei said as I ran to where I'm needed.

[Rei]

"Acel," I whisper.

"Don't you dare call my name with that lying mouth of yours!" he shouted. Pure anger was displayed in the old man's face. "How dare you dream of being everyone's hero!" he continued while another memory presents itself to me.

*    *    *    *    *

I was sneaking behind some building, following the silent but noticeable sobs of a familiar voice that led me to Acel who was grieving all by himself. No word escaped my mouth. I only knelt to the ground and hugged him with all my might. Although he tried to refuse it first, he didn't have the strength to push me away anymore.

"I'm all alone," he cries but he covered his mouth to lessen the sound and blinked all the tears away.

"It's alright," was all I could say to comfort him. Seeing him suppressing his emotions is making me worry. "You still have us," I say trying to convince him. "Every child here is the same as us, so if you consider them your siblings I'm sure they'll do the same," I continued to find other words to soothe his loneliness, finding proof with everyone's name just to make him believe. "We're going to get out of here with everyone," I say enthusiastically as he sobs and dries his tears.

"You promise?" he asked. I stood up and held my pinky out to him. "Pinky promise!" He answered for me when he accepted my offer.

He smiled.

*    *    *    *    *

"You swore that we'll get everyone outside those horrible tinted walls!" he shouts. "How dare you get out of there alone! I considered them siblings, but did you?" his voice is becoming hoarse.

I didn't have to say a word because I know that whatever I said won't go through to him.

"Do you even know how many died?" I opened my mouth to answer. I want to defend myself. "You killed the family that you introduced to me. I won't forgive you. I can't. Never" he's trying so hard to not lose his voice.

"You know it wasn't my intention," I finally said something.

But it's weird because when I looked at my bloody hands, I started to tremble. I looked at the old man but what I see is Acel's true face with all the wounds still intact.

"Something went wrong," even my voice was croaky. "It's wasn't me," I denied when I saw some of the children's corpses dead on the ground.

"I'm sorry," even my late squadron was clinging to my feet, begging me for help.

"Yes, that's the problem!" all the bloody corpses and my surrounding has returned to normal because of his sudden shout.

"Eh?" I blurted.

"I know you're not at fault because I am!" he confessed.

"What do you mean?" countless possibilities and thoughts are circulating in my mind.

"From the beginning—" my heart starts pounding fast.

" 'He' knew everything from the beginning," sorrow, regret, frustration, I can feel his every emotion pouring out of him as if he was a cup who couldn't contain another drop of water anymore.

"I knew and 'he' knew that the plan wasn't going to work! I didn't tell anyone because everyone's life, everyone that I cherish was on the line," guilt was eating him.

I punched him once again, knowing that he feels everything that the host he possessed feels. He was the one who endured everything that the old man has gone through and that means that he isn't energetic enough to run somewhere far. He's probably hiding like a rat.

"Why didn't you even give me a hint?" I knew that what I'm saying is impossible to achieve especially if the man he's referring to is Professor Norby who has eyes and ears everywhere.

"I didn't have the guts to sacrifice anything" his smile pains me. "But in the end, he killed EVERYONE," my thoughts couldn't process properly anymore when I see him shaking and even terrified to speak of it.

"And revived those he thought he can use to hunt you down," he said with all seriousness displayed on his face. As if reviving anyone could be even possible but with his expression, he can't be lying.