The Journey Begins

It was raining when he returned home, not the light sprinkle when he captured his prisoner nor a downpour, but raindrops. He climbed out of his vehicle and opened the back flap and commanded his men to move their prisoner out of the vehicle. A they where doing so three dark steel androids with blazing red eyes stopped them "we will take her from here captain" one spoke, he simply nodded. His men released her and they moved swiftly down the courtyard to a building made of pale tan bricks and bars on every window. Pushing the thought from his mind, he released his men from duty and began walking up steps to the president's front door meeting another set of dark steel androids, these being a few inches taller than him with white eyes and brandishing rifles. They began to scan him then one opened the door where he had to enter a metal detector, present his ID card, body scanner, final submit to a DNA test. Once he was cleared he was allowed to proceed to his office just down the hall and up the stairs. He understood the reason for the color coding the president did to each floor, however he didn't like being on the floor with the awfully colored dark green tile and white walls. Thankfully though he was allowed to design his own office, although the door was black on the outside, inside was light blue walls and egg shell tile floors with a mahogany desk and chair cushioned with cotton. He hung his drenched trench coat on a coat hanger and and removed his jacket and sat at his desk and began typing his report, leaving out no detail, even his failure to capture his intended targets. He mused that is why the president liked him, or maybe he didn't, his list of failures and successes where practically equal. No sooner that he finished a knock at his door, "Come in". A woman with short blonde hair and dressed in the same dark blue uniform entered and closed the door behind her. "Your father wants to see you as soon as you are able, he is in the president's office so you will need to go to the fourth floor". "I missed you as well Miranda", they both smiled only she was more bashful. "I am glad that you are back, but things have gotten more complicated since you've been gone". He looked intrigued now "more complicated than..." he said a little confused leaning back in his chair. "It's Markus, he...made some sort of deal with.... well it troubled Moto so much that he immediately concluded the meeting that he called for. Please, don't tell anyone that I told you this, it's just, I don't want you to walk into that meeting blind." He leaned forward and began to think what it was and gripping the spider pendant beneath his shirt. He looked up and seen the fearless woman that he knew was clearly upset and probably a little frightened. "It was horrible Evan" she cried as tears started to fall from from her light green eyes, "in their presence it was freezing and yet my body was on fire. All I could think about was being thrown into the ocean with bricks tied to my feet." He jumped to his feet and embraced her and she cried into his chest. They stood there for several minutes before her crying slowed and he chanced a question "what did they look like?" Through teary eyes she looked up at him and answered, that made his eyes grow wide and shook his very core. Despite that he knew he had to leave for that meeting with his father immediately. He reached back for his jacket and slipped an arm into it and did the same with the other then hugged Miranda again, then lifted her face at her chin and kissed her. "Don't worry, I can fix this" he said looking into her eyes, he kissed her once more and opened the door to leave. "I love you" she said, he looked back and gave her a warm smile before closing the door and leaving her alone in his office. He rushed up a few flights of stairs made of steel and tile before reaching the one with white granite floors, never missing his stride and not slowing down. Walking past several doors and down another hallway he finally came to with soldiers guarding it, not like the dark steel androids down stairs. "Captain Rigne, his grace is expecting you" one said then opened the door, he entered and the door was shut. Both men stood as he entered but, only one began to smile. "Evan" his father said and embraced him to which he returned but did not smile, "I'm proud of you boy". The hug ended and his father with his red skin and salt and pepper hair looked him in the eye and smiled. With a stoic face he looked over and the president who had already sat back down, clearly had seen better days. The president motioned for them to sit and they did, "General Toha has been trying to convince me for days that an event that occured while you were away is of the gods and we should embrace them". Beads of sweat on his brow despite the room being a moderate temperature, the captain had never seen the president like this. Although his voice betrayed his physical appearance, inside he must be breaking down, or trying to find a way to fix what Markus has done. " It is a gift" his father said smiling, "Azagoth has sent his army for us to use at our discretion" he said looking back and forth between the other two men. Evan tried to look confused, however was afraid, for the first time in his life he was afraid in front of his father. He felt the pendent beneath his shirt heating up as sweat began to form on his own brow. "Tell me" he said, and his father began the story of Azagoth, the event of the meeting, all while heaping praise on Markus. Of the three men in the room only one was joyous while the other two sat in silence trying not to let their inner thoughts betray their demeanor.

The sun kissed her face through the window and woke her and she pulled down her hat to cover her face from the sun. The ship entered port and the announcement was made, she then decided to get up and walk around 'Porttown is a good a place as any to walk around for a few hours, maybe get some real food' she thought. Mya walked off the ship and onto solid ground, seeing so many people moving about, it made her feel naked without her weapons even reaching down to her hip for her vacant sword. She grimaced at the thought but pushed through it and began walking forward. The ticket line was long, people asleep on the benches. She walked past a young boy sitting by himself eating cake, she smiled at him and he smiled back then started eating again. She then found herself in the commissary looking at all the food shops, donuts and coffee, cake ( which made her think of the young boy on the benches) noodles, soups, before spotting what she was looking for. She rushed over the burger shop counter " one double bacon cheeseburger" she said without skipping a beat. The young man simply looked at her a little confused before pointing at the line that she had clearly missed. In response she slapped a few gold coins on the counter and slid them the cashier then repeated her order. The young man grabbed them dropped one in the register and the rest into his pocket, then repeated the order to the man at the grill. "The nerve of some people" The woman next in line said in a hush tone, Mya smiled in her direction pulled a coin from her pocket "Hey" she said before flipping it at the woman, "this one is on me". The wrapped burger was put on the counter a minute later, she grabbed it and walked away. "I need bullets" she mumbled between bites walking out of the commissary. Walking past shops that sold flowers, alcohol (to which she briefly entertained but decided against), chocolate and all manner of sweets, even a toy store and a couple bars."And not a single weapon shop", mumbling beneath her hat before deciding to walk to the pier. "Should have gone with Kelly" she said once again mumbling to herself as her gaze fell to the horizon of deep blue water. 'Even though those archaeologists couldn't pay as well as a mayor of Haeven could', her mind drifted before the the sun became very bright and began to heat everything up. Once again deciding to move somewhere else, before walking back to the terminal and wait for her boarding call. She sat down across from the boy she seen earlier, but he was fast asleep, still it was cooler inside. Looking over at the ticket line and spotting another young boy, who didn't seem to be with any of the adults. She watched him for nearly an hour, occasionally glancing away or at the ceiling, but focused on watching him. The boarding call was made, and then the next, and then the last, she got up to board then a man wearing a dark brown trench coat and hat walked up to the boy. She assumed it was his father and turned to walk back to the ship. "HELP!" she heard the cry and reached down to her hip, once again forgetting her sword was still stowed on the ship. The young boy struggled against his capture "kidnapper" she heard people say, everyone stopped what they where doing and looked at the scene. Looking at the bench across from her she noticed that the other boy had vanished, he reappeared as her eyes once again fell on the scene unfolding. The man's grip on the older one (well he looks older) never seemed to loosen, the younger one began to through his fists on the man's back, he turned and his hand knocked to boy the floor. Her instincts kicked in she ran over to the scene, adrenaline driving her at this point and kicked the man in the face. He didn't even flinch and it hurt in her foot and leg. The kick failed however she did not relent, instead resorting to punches, it felt like she was punching a piece of steel. A clenched fist was thrown in her direction, her speed allowed her to dodge, she remembered her training, her master would be proud. She danced around the man, and he nearly had her a couple of times, 'even with only one hand' she thought. A kick found her gut and she fell to the floor unable to get up and watched as the man tossed the boy over his shoulder and took off faster than anything she had seen before. The authorities showed up soon after and everyone pointed in the direction the man had ran. Grimacing through the pain of standing, she walked over to the young boy curled up on the floor. "He's gone and now I'm alone" he cried into his hands."You can come with me if you want" she replied still grimacing. "I'll help you find him" sitting down next to him clutching her side. He looked up at through his teary eyes, "will you?". She nodded her head and placed a hand on his head and caressed it softly, smiling through her own pain. An officer walked over to them to ask what had happened, before his question was even spoked she pulled up her sleeve and showed a brand. His black mustache nearly wiggled off his face at the sight, "Merc" "mmhmm". "Lovers quarrel I take it" "Divorce", "not much I can do then but report it to the Island", "Do that, my son and I will handle it", he nodded took her name and walked away. "You're a Merc?" the now sitting boy said, nodding he replied "I..I don't have any money to pay you". He looked so defeated in that moment it made her heart sink, "its okay, just help me up so we don't miss our boat". "I'm Alex" he said meekly offering his hand, she smiled and took it "Mya". He helped her up, although the bench would get more credit for that, and they walked back to the boat to board. "Tickets" and old man with grey hair and mustache said with an outstretched open hand, stopping them just before the boarding ramp. Once again Mya reached into her pockets and plopped a few gold coins into his hand, he smiled while putting them into his pocket. They began to walk up the ramp before Alex stopped, and she turned around to look at him. "I've never been on a boat" he said in a somewhat frightened voice, she offered her hand this time and he took it, it made her side hurt less when he took her hand. "The water scares me", "scares me too, let's hope we don't sink", his little hand gripped tighter at her words, and they walked hand in hand into the passenger cabin.