CHAPTER 11 - CREASE

Marie knew that she should be happy that they had two promising leads after days of depressing work but it was just that.....

We spent days working so hard and then we just happened to get two leads. Everything we've done so far was completely useless.

The blaring alarm brought her back to reality.

"Jay, Sam, stay here and keep an eye out for anything. Rodney and I are going to check out the twins place."

Marie watched the three give half-hearted signs of approval and sighed. A voice that was pretty much familiar to the world resonated across Atlantis, and probably everywhere in the world. The creator had easily hacked into every form of communication media again to deliver his message.

"First, I want to let the friends and family of the eliminated Savants know that they are in perfect condition. Due to certain circumstances, I cannot release them just yet. However, please do continue to watch the other Savants, the fate of your loved ones rests on their shoulders because the game won't end until someone reaches the top. "

The preparations to leave Atlantis were almost complete. Jay said that although it was an experimental vehicle, the chances of this one blowing up was the smallest out of everything they created.

When she was sitting in the transparent sphere, she realized that he hadn't told her the percentage. She sighed again. The sphere floated to the surface, aided by two propellers.

God save us from mad scientists.

".... And that's why, I am repeating my warning. It's a waste of time and effort on both sides. I will trace anyone that tries to interfere and kill them."

Marie had taken a short nap during the speech. When she woke up, they were already at their destination. She wondered if the helicopter was that fast or the creator was being long-winded.

"This is illegal, let's get it over with."

"That's not a helicopter, is it?"

Marie understood where he was going with that question. To her, it only made the act more of a crime.

"No, officer. Helicopters don't look like that."

"What they don't know won't hurt'em."

Rodney chuckled. His mirth died when he was forced to swallow a dose of reality. The door on the roof was locked. He hissed and rummaged the heli.

"Are we going to move to an alley?"

"Unnecessary... Ah.... Just as I expected."

He raised a flashlight above his head.

"Lemme guess, it's actually a high power laser."

"You take the fun out of everything."

Marie pressed the side of her head. She felt like her veins and arteries were going to burst if she didn't.

"You guys just lack creativity!"

Rodney was already busy with his next crime, so he didn't hear those words. He grimaced when he saw the stairs. He was going to say something about it but he saw Marie's face. She probably had a counter ready.

He took a careful step and he realized it was sturdier than it looked. He rushed down to his target. Marie followed him closely. He broke into the house unceremoniously with the aid of his laser flashlight.

And then he reminded Marie of his peculiar disposition to socially unacceptable words.

Marie had decided in Atlantis that she was going to treat him like the child that he was, starting with fixing his vocabulary.

"Rodney, silence."

"Do you even understand what you are looking at?".

"I have a brother the same age as them."

"Then...."

"There's always the slight chance that they're actually just clean freaks."

"Microscopic. And this goes beyond any...".

"A note."

Marie ran to the center table and pulled a sheet of paper that was beneath the chessboard.

"What does it say?".

"Nothing. Just the record of a chess game."

Rodney picked up the remote and the TV came to life.

"... who have been analyzing the transmission from the beginning. Why did you think that I spent so much time?".

Rodney dropped the remote. He sat on the nearest chair and laughed.

"What's he still talking about?".

"Everyone in Atlantis is dead."

"What?".

"They tried to trace the transmission but that's what he wanted. They found him and he also found them."

"So the reason he didn't destroy it wasn't because he didn't want to. He didn't know where it was. He's not omniscient."

"Yeah.... Wait, aren't you worried about Sam?".

"Aren't you worried about Jay?".

"..... is quite fitting. I shall personally deliver the punishment. That is all."

The screen went blank for a few seconds and then adverts began.

"That's it?".

"Most reporters wouldn't dare to comment on the Creator. I also thought that if I found anything, I'd keep it to myself when I first took the story."

They resumed their search.

=========================================

"The clones, who provided the genetic material?".

Jay and Sam stood in the midst of a flurry of people running from one screen to another.

"You have... interesting thoughts."

"Are they actually siblings then?".

"I'm not sure about that. Even if it came from his parents the genes have been tweaked beyond recognition. That's why even I don't know where it's from."

"So any human would do, you can just change it to whatever you want..."

"Trace complete. We've found him."

Jay and Sam turned to the woman who spoke.

"He's here."

The doors slid open.

"And I've found you."

Everyone turned to face a masked man. Immediately a new alarm went off. Jay ordered everyone to evacuate.

"Nobody gets out of here alive. You should be pleased, you're face to mask with the greatest."

"Please, just make us forget about everything we know about you."

"I've done that before, haven't I?".

He brought out two capsules from his coat and tossed them on the floor. Two scientists immediately covered the capsules before they could release whatever was in them then kicked it at the Creator.

It exploded against his body but he took no damage. His clothes were also unharmed.

Jay saw that they wouldn't win if his weapons couldn't do anything to him. He slapped a button on the keyboard behind him.

"Sam, take this and get out of here."

Sam didn't hesitate. His priority has always been his own safety. He took the flash drive and jumped into the hole in the floor.

He landed barely 2 seconds after making the jump and the aperture closed.

So not what I expected.

He saw a light in the distance and ran towards it. Soon he discovered that it was closer than he thought it was. He reached it in no time and stabbed the drive into a port he saw. A fairly bulky cube rolled out of the wall. He lifted it and turned to where he came from.

"Now what?".

The Creator descended in an inferno.

"I don't want to kill you, but you must forget everything you've seen."

"No, thank you."

"Don't make this hard, you can't beat me."

"Is it fun, playing a game that you can't lose. I thought you had a true passion for games when I saw the playground. I wonder if I was just deluded."

The Creator laughed.

"Nice taunt. To be fair, If you get out of here, I'll leave you alone. I'll give you a 300 second head.....".

Sam had already disappeared down the corridor.

"He's gone, eh?".

The 300 seconds passed quickly and in another 100 seconds the Creator had caught up to him.

"Why didn't you try to escape?".

"Who said I'm not trying to?".

"Exit's that way."

The creator pointed in a different direction to the one Sam was heading to.

"I'll never make it that way, this one's foolproof."

Sam heard the footsteps get closer with every second and he was starting to feel fatigued and the heavy cube didn't help. He finally reached his destination.

He burst through the doors and ignored the new pain from the splinters of glass that stuck to his skin. It was a split second decision made on the fact that the doors opened too slowly for someone running for his life.

He made another quick decision and placed the cube in the cube shaped hole in the chest of the first android hanging on the wall.

The android lifted him and dashed through the wall. He watched as the spot he was standing in before was vaporized. He was barely registering the pain in his left arm threatening his consciousness. He realized that he was relieved, he actually felt like he had a chance at survival now. His body sagged as the tension eased away.

"Why are you calm?...I'm not capable of inflicting any damage to him. All I can do is carry you till I run out of fuel."

The monotone male voice brought him to his senses.

"And when will that happen?".

"6 minutes and 13 seconds at my current pace. However, that's enough time to get to a helicopter without him catching up to us. If he keeps his promise, then that's all you need."

Then I'm still safe. Dumb robot.

Sam thanked Jay for the flash drive inwardly. He thought it was just sensitive information at first but the guide on it led him to the android after he freed the cube.

The android broke another wall and they were in a docking bay. He entered the helicopter with the android and rested his weary body. The sphere was launched shortly after and the propellers took it to the surface. He watched Atlantis shrink as they rose higher. He turned around to face the sky as the helicopter broke through the water. A smile formed on his face.

The sky is so.....

"What the hell?".

The Creator materialised inside the sphere.

"Did you forget that I can do this?".

The masked man shook his head.

"It took me a while but I finally got in. It was fun, but you're going to die now. "

And that's it. I triggered this flag. Totally my fault. Sorry everyone, I tried my best. I really did.

But life sucks. Dammit.

Sam closed his eyes and prepared for the end.

".... is what I'd like to say, but I did promise to leave you alone. So you can drop the knife also. "

The Creator gently pushed Sam's hand that held a knife to his throat away. Sam lowered the hand.

Then he twisted it and in a single fluid motion, stabbed the Creator's neck.

At least he tried to, the knife fell out of his hand on impact. The blade was bent out of shape.

"You're not human".

"Excellent deduction, Watson."

"Is this where you say you have to kill me now that I know your secret or something like that?".

"You're free to go, I never intended to kill you."

The Creator disappeared in a beam of light.

=========================================

"Rodney!".

Marie heard him scream and ran to the living room where she left him. She saw Rodney lying on the floor in suspended animation. He had a picture clenched in his left fist.

Her curiosity surpassed her concern for him. She took the picture out of his grip and took a look at it.

She covered her mouth quickly to stop herself from screaming. She noticed bubbles in Rodney's open mouth and dropped the picture.

Right now he takes priority. What do I do?

This is probably the memory recovery kicking in.

Do I take him to a hospital?

Think. Think. Think.

I probably shouldn't but do I have a choice...

"Marie."

She turned around to see Sam rush in with an android.

"Get him seated.", the android ordered and went to the kitchen.

"What happened?".

Marie pointed at the picture which lay on the floor face down.

Sam took his eyes of Rodney once Marie seemed to have him stabilized. He knelt and slowly picked it up.

He turned it around and had a sharp intake of air.

If he didn't recognize them, their names were written below. There was no way anyone of them would write it off as unimportant. The picture seemed to be taken in the living room where the stood.

"From left to right, behind : Becky Zimmerman, Thomas Green, Raphael and Gabriel Cross, Isabel Winter. Front : Kathryn Reed and Michael Zimmerman."

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