Ch 2: Neo-Eden

Once the cops are gone, I step out into the parking lot. It's empty of people.

<Grace, set me up with a ride.>

<Vehicle type preference, Leon?>

I smile. "Let's do the black bullet tonight."

<Armory Unlocked. Initiating resonance sequence. Stand by.>

Light appears in the parking spot in front of me. Just as the lines of light begin to take shape, a man walks out of the next apartment, carrying a half empty beer.

He jumps, making a half-garbled yell, spewing the beer from his mouth. His eyes go wide as he sees a black motorcycle of a kind he's never seen before appearing. It has glowing symbols and sigils over chrome black finish.

I pay him no mind as he stands there, stunned into silence. He doesn't even notice as the beer slips from his hand and shatters on the concrete. A black helmet forms over my face. Grace fills the visor with a navigation display.

I kick the bike into gear and blast out of the parking lot, zooming to a high speed very quickly. I don't worry about the witness to the strange phenomenon. As soon as I'm out of sight, he will lose his memory and before long, he will wonder just what in the world he was doing a minute ago.

I zip through the streets like a dark ghost. A cop got notice of me but soon fell from pursuit because they lost sight of me.

I finally come to a tall building. The one where everyone who works there has high priced suits and immaculate hair styles.

As soon as I dismount the bike, it disappears the same way the handgun did. Once in the building, witnesses outside forget anything strange happened.

I walk through the lobby, get into an elevator and hit the button for the 33rd floor. I take deep breaths as I ascend, wanting to be anywhere else but here.

<Leon, you need to stop fidgeting. It is unbecoming of The Appointed One.> Grace says, an emoji appearing in my vision of a scolding, wagging finger.

I grind my teeth. "Sorry, I just really hate walking into places like this." I say. "And in case you forgot, the real Appointed One dropped me from a spaceship. That makes me a fraud!"

<You'll do fine, Leon. Back straight and chin up!>

I can't help but appreciate Grace all the more in these moments. No matter how much of a complainer I am, she never gives up being the positive, supportive one in our partnership.

The elevator comes to its destination way too quickly. It chimes and then the doors open. Despite my reservations of being there, I head down the hallway, passing several businesses. I come to the end of the hallway where the last business has its plaque on the wall. It reads: Neo-Eden.

Underneath the business name is the company purpose: Living Innovations.

Underneath that is the company motto: Helping people find their place in the world since 9 A.D.

I wonder if most people read that and think it is a joke. What company has survived intact since the first century? Even countries don't have that good a track record.

I come to the door, hesitating as I grasp the handle. I take another deep breath, letting it back out slowly.

<Don't worry, Leon.> Grace says. <I'm sure they won't freak out on you like all the others.>

<Grace, you are not helping!>

I turn the knob, open the door and step into the office. A greeting desk is straight ahead. The secretary there has her head down. She is busy writing something down.

A normal person would not notice because of the vision notes placed around the building, but I can see what she truly is. Curved, black horns sprout from among her dark, curly hair and her ears are elongated. Her eyes shine with a spring green luster. Otherwise, she appears to be a normal, attractive woman.

"Hi, welcome to Neo-Eden!" She says in a cheerful voice. "Do you have an appointment with one of our representatives?"

"Um, no." I say, stepping up to the desk.

"That's okay." The secretary says. I see from the name tag on the desk that her name is Beverly Ashwater. My stomach does a small flip. That last name, she's one of them! She grabs a number tab and looks up for the first time, handing me the tab. "Take a number and someone will-."

She pauses as our eyes meet. I go for a smile, but it feels awkward on my face.

I try for the friendly ice breaker, waving my hand and feeling like a total moron. "Um, hi, I was wondering if I could speak to management, please?"

Please don't freak out, please don't freak out. I keep repeating this in my head.

Beverly's eyes go wide, and she reels backwards, almost falling out of her chair. Oh boy, I know where this is going.

"Aieee!" she screams, falling forward and cowering, her arms covering her head. "Everybody, run! Apollyon is here! The Angel of Death is going to kill me!"

I face palm, feeling so embarrassed that my skin starts to heat up and sweat. I hear screams in the back and the sound of people crashing around.

"The Destroyer! Run for your lives!" someone shouts. I hear a stampede of footsteps running away towards some other exit, I'm sure.

I look down at Beverly's quivering form. Jeez, did they really just abandon her just like that? What a bunch of cowards!

That's when I hear a single set of footsteps pounding in our direction. A man's voice booms out.

"Beverly, Beverly! I'm coming!" he says. "Don't you dare touch my Beverly! I'll kill you, you son of a b***h!"

I have to smile as a man comes around the corner, a normal human, and he is brandishing a metal pole of some kind in his hand. He hesitates when he sees me, but he raises the pole up in a threatening posture.

He chances a glance at what I assume is his wife. His eyes are full of fear but also fierce anger.

"You bastard! What have you done to my Beverly?! I'll answer every offense thrice fold! I will haunt your a*s after I'm dead if you hurt my love!"

My smile only widens. I have to admire this man. He is facing what he believes is certain death and yet here is, standing before me ready to meet his fate and go down fighting. If only this bravery were more common in the world.

"Mister Ashwater, please believe me. I have no wish to hurt anyone." I say in the calmest tone possible.

He looks at me, dubious. "Y-you d-don't?" he says, not lowering the pole just yet. "W-what do you want?"

"I just want to talk. Can we do that, please?"

"T-talk? About what? Please, just take what you want and leave us alone. We won't make trouble for you." He says.

I sigh. It looks like a pleasant conversation is out of the question.

"I am looking for someone. I came here for your help in locating them." I say.

"Oh, God!" he says. He looks at his wife, who is still on the floor, weeping. "Please, if I give you what you want, you'll leave without hurting anyone?"

I nod. "Yes, I'll leave without hurting anyone."

He lowers the pole and then lets it clatter to the ground. He is breathing hard, but he seems to know this is a negotiation where at least he has some leverage.

"F-follow me to my office. I can help you in there." He says.

Beverly shoots him a scared look. I can guess her thoughts. She is probably wondering that if her husband goes with me alone, she is afraid that she will never see him alive again.

"Lead the way." I say, stepping towards Mister Ashwater. He gulps, looking at me like I'm a demon about to suck out his soul. I actually begin to wonder if he's about to release his bladder. It's happened more than a few times when people who know my reputation meet me.

To his credit, he finally is able to get a handle on himself enough to do as I say. If begrudgingly.

"T-this way." He says and leads the way to his office.

I don't see anyone else. All the office workers seem to have gone. I shake my head. I wonder what the Ashwaters will think of them when they come back. Abandoning comrades when times get scary or tough is one of life's most unforgivable crimes in my book.

Once we are in the office, I close the office door behind us. When I look back before shutting it completely, I notice Beverly peeking out from around the corner. Her green eyes are full of tears. There is something besides fear in them. It is love. Love for the man who refused to abandon her in her time of need.

Our eyes meet one last time before the door clicks shut. She doesn't need to say anything. She feels the same way her husband does. If I hurt him, she will never forgive me. What a pair.

Mister Ashwater gets behind the desk and logs into his computer. "I am in the database." He says, then clears his throat. "What name are you looking for?"

"Neveev."

Mister Ashwater, whose name reads Robert on the plaque on his desk, goes ash white. His breathing becomes shallow. I expected this reaction.

"Y-you w-want the Blood Angel? B-but w-why?" he says. "A-anyone else. Please!"

I don't blame him for trying to protect her. The Blood of Eden community reveres her as something akin to a patron saint. She is beloved around the world for her philanthropy and selflessness. I feel like such trash for having to do this. Yet I must.

I fold my hands over the desk, my gaze is a stone-cold glare. "Neveev. Location. Now."

"P-please don't be angry!" Robert bursts out.

"Just give me what I want, and this nightmare will be over." I assure him.

"Y-you don't understand." He says, shaking worse than ever. I can barely understand him now. "I c-can't help y-you."

He turns his computer around and shows me the screen. Neveev is typed into the search bar and below are two words.

No results.

"S-she is not a patron of Neo-Eden."

Well, that's just great, I think. I came here for nothing. Wonderful.

Despite my disappointment and embarrassment, I keep my composure.

"Do you have any contacts with anyone who might be able to help me locate her. It's very important." I say.

Robert thinks for a moment, seeming to be at a loss. Then his eyes brighten. "Yes, yes! I'm just a branch manager, but I do have a close cousin who has a higher position in a different organization. She may be able to help you!"

I smile and try to seem as friendly as possible. "Would you be so kind as to get me her information?"

He reaches into his desk, rifling through a series of folders and then brings out a black binder, opening it. Inside are assortments of business cards. He pulls one out and hands it to me. I nearly curse as I silently read the card.

The top of the card bears the mark of the Zero Night Church. Two moon crescents in the shape of sickles making a circle. In the middle, a black celestial body ringed by sharp white rays.

This isn't the part that really worries me. It's the name and title at the bottom.

Ulyssa Ashwater

Special Inquisitor

I don't need to be a genius to know that this woman would rather be tortured for eternity than be my friend, let alone be in the same room. I leave the Neo-Eden office feeling worse than ever. I already know, this is going to really suck.