Chapter 2: The Truth of the past and present...

I couldn't let when she died go, or how she died neither, the only thing that likely stopped me from going totally insane and bringing about my own justice was my boy, once I realized that if I had died, then my son would be a bastard and he'd had lost BOTH of his parents. I already lost both of mine as they abandoned me. I wasn't going to let the same happen to my kid.

For three whole weeks, however, I began slacking off and wasn't my usual self. I would lash out at the wrong people, my siblings and even my son.

I can still remember the look little Lyle had on his face when he saw his mom as I ran out the room. It still makes me shed tears to this day. Of course, Ember had grabbed him up and shielded his eyes from seeing her... dead body quickly.

I grieved Bada for weeks and weeks. Forever, the only thing I had on my mind was "The bastard who killed Bada, "Karlous Billzebrizzy" WILL PAY FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE TO BADA", thinking about it now, he must've not had been all too bad, he didn't bomb my son. Maybe he was counting his time or planning his next cowardly move, maybe and JUST maybe, that was his plan the whole time. I don't know... I do remember at the time, I thought of him as the worst person that walked the earth, he was above my parents.

The attacks ceased from there, but from that point, all I know is a new problem and a new grieving event arose for me after this. 

Like always, I had just woken up, this time by no interference from Ember. 

Date: August 24th, 2028... 

I woke up on time for Josue's addressing of the constant attacks from the hackers, my duty is to stand like normally, on guard. 

However, during the morning is when I found out about the tragic event.

I got me a fresh cup of coffee and got on my personal laptop... I thought hearing the news would help me get over this depression I had been having. Something good like racial unity or maybe genuine charities getting supported.

Boy, was I wrong as hell. I MEAN, I did read about some racial unity and charities getting supported on the sides. 

Except, When I got to this reliable news source, I scrolled deeper in, eventually I found a news article reporting on the death of my Grandfather, alongside my two blood brothers and three other men I didn't recognize. 

It read they had been Killed in some part of my home city back in America, downtown. Each body bloodied and beaten, besides one.

Apparently, a battle was iniated by an old guy nicknamed "Old wiser" who challenged my brothers, alongside some other men I didn't recognize yet looked oddly familiar.

My brothers were bloody, the report said the old guy wasn't bloody nor injured, yet, they believed he died by poison or lack of oxygen... the article just reported those two theories. 

Nothing was official about the old guy's death but it was confirmed he's dead... My Grandpa and brothers were beaten to death, brutally, the police told the public. Same goes for those other men as well, beaten brutally to death. 

The fact the city honorably respected the legend they worked hard for, usually, I don't like to get this mushy, it warmed my heart seeing their loyalty and love. My sadness grew and the feelings from the good articles was whisked away like that.

I wish I had met with them one last time, caught up on some things, but I had to keep going on. I didn't just grow up relationship wise, I grew up in terms of common sense too. 

I eventually let go of the anger and hate I had for them, I see now that there was nothing they could've done when our parents abandoned me. My parents just didn't want me and I don't regret anything either.

I remember my father wanted to send me to.... that place, nobody else, I still don't know what happened to the bastard though. During this time, the fact he wasn't on the list made me have hope he was dead alongside my brothers. Those doctors did.... SO MUCH TO ME, it was a horrible, bloody, bloody, bloody, blood show... I was so young.

Eeeghhh. Uuuugghh. WHY ME?! 

Anyway...

I got my suit prepared for Josue's public addressing of the city attacks in recent weeks with the death of my family still lingering on my mind. I tried hard to get rid of the sorrow nesting In me, tried hard to dig through, but the sorrow concerning my brothers grew as the hope my deadbeat father was dead as well.

I told Ember and Artus about the death of my family, they were there to comfort and assist me in keeping my mind focused on the mission at hand, focused on the now and not the past nor grief. The grief never left, I simply bullied it down at the time to keep my sanity.

They wanted me to tell Josue at first, for some reason, yet I didn't wish to linger into the past at all and get my boss involved, I always thought the soldiers of Genoblesse was supposed to be STRONG, not weak.

The time of the public addressing came along and Artus, Ember and I were standing guard. 

Artus and Ember were by Josue's side, Powers activated, useful for their temporary invulnerability to pretty much anything, As for I... On top of a watchtower nearby scoping out the scene. 

I'm not bulletproof yet my confidence with accuracy and precision, and prediction is around for a reason. 

I was standing up top the watchtower, suited up, attentively searching for an assassin or something fishy in the crowd while he was giving his speech. Assassination attempts is rare, though, they happen far too commonly on Josue.

"My dear Genoblians! 

We all must keep calm during a time like this. Many people feel... threatened by my military force and how amazing this city is thriving, they wish to challenge me. We need you to be vigilant and brave, report any suspicions you may have to US... I grabbed this city as I did so the genuineness and the love of all whom wish to live peacefully can thrive and overcome difficulty. I want to be sure I can add brave on the list of traits Genoble's citizens possess by you guys reporting anything you see as wrong. My men and I shall answer the call, remember to take advantage of authority who will listen to you, that's one of the main reasons I took over." Josue said but The speech sounded waaay more intelligent than that, but that's just what I can remember. The basic synopsis of the speech. 

As he was ending his speech, I got shot up in both of one of my shoulders, one in the leg and my stomach. 

The bullet the sniper used wasn't normal, it went through my advanced armor, suggesting it was made from Klesian material, another otherworldly metal that somehow came to earth. 

As I fell, I heard lots and lots of screaming and panicking from the surrounding public, the crowd heard the sniper shots and began a mass panick. Fleeing for their lives in the heat of chaos. I have no idea what Artus and Ember were doing, nor Josue as I fell in the crowd.

Assassination attempts is just the price Josue has to pay for wanting to be closer with his people, he could do online addressings, but he prefers to meet with his city's residents, face to face, so the public would trust and have faith in him greater. He believes sight is An amazing sense to possess, he calls it "Taking advantage of a natural gift". He has a weird affinity for eyes and sight. 

Anyway...

I made it to my knees, bleeding from shoulder and my gut, struggling to make it to my feet as I looked up, a man was approaching me through the scrambling crowd, with a long sniper rifle on his shoulder. 

The man was grinning a menacing grin as he approached me with confidence, weakened more than what I've ever been before, and on my knees bleeding through my armor. 

I was counting each step as he was coming towards me, counting how long I have to come up with a plan to defend myself. 

I couldn't teleport nor use my smoke to blind him while I escaped since each require much of concentration to use, but at this point, my concerns were all aimed at my blood loss problem. The bullets weren't normal telling by how they penetrated my armor as deeply as they did.

As I weakened greater, the bandana stranger threat approached closer, until he came within a few feet of me, then I witnessed him get shot between the eyes before the guy could finish me off. 

After that, I blacked out completely. 

When I awoke, Ember and Artus were on my sides, waiting until I awoke. 

I knew they'd be there for me, as I would them without hesitation.

They informed me that I was out of commission for 2 days. It's likely that it was my natural healing that kept me alive as long as I did despite myself being blasted 3 times with a foreign bullet. 

They left sometime later for an important mission.

Usually, it takes a man weeks, maybe months to back on his feet after getting shot with a semi-Automatic Barret M82A1, usually never in the right hands. 

Josue walked into my room in his HQ hospital. 

I sat up straight as soon as I noticed he was in, as my pain ceased and my wounds were healed, I did the salute Genoblians soldiers show their respect to their commanding soldiers.

"Enough, Are you alright, Lyle?" Josue asked me as he grabbed my shoulder. 

I answered, "Yes sir, I'm healed and ready for the next assignment!" But to be honest, working like constantly was the best way of grieving for me. We all have our own ways of handling grief, don't we?

Josue paused for a while, staring at me like he was pondering something, until he spoke. 

He said that Ember and Artus had told him about the deal with my birth family and as my next assignment, I'm ordered to take a vacation.

I didn't want to look weak and out of character telling him about my feelings, so when he said "I Order you" and offered to pay for the vacation, I didn't refuse. I actually felt like I couldn't refuse. 

However, to change topics to avoid refusing I said:

"Wait sir, what about the assassin? If there was one of them, there's bound to be more after you, and the hackers, I can't leave the cities at a time like this" I reminded him as he was about to leave the room.

He stopped in the middle of the doorway and said "Don't worry about the assassins and hackers, nathanael and I, along with the team will find these monsters and lock them up. Trust in your family, Lyle!" Josue said comfortingly as he looked back at me. 

He had such an optimistic look on his face, it made me think of my brother some, gave me an idea as a matter of fact. An idea I must do. 

I delivered the news to Ember and Artus when they got off their own missions. 

They declined to come with me, believing that I needed some alone time but I tenaciously kept asking. 

"Come on, I'd like to share my first vacation in decades with you guys, it wouldn't be worth it if my vacation excluded my best friends!" I blurted out during one point of the conversation. I couldn't find the right words and it sounded "Cringey" to me, still does, but they got the gist of it.

I wonder if that word is even still in with kids now...

Ember melted emotionally, which is usually unlike her. She's usually the seriously intelligent sibling who is almost as closed off as I am. Though, she's always less goofy.

Artus made jokes on me but you can feel his jokes were a cover. They both eventually agreed, especially after telling them my plan to honor my dead blood family. 

I left Genoble confident in josue's forces, the fine residents of Genoble and Josue himself. 

I do remember that my family doesn't kill, I thought to myself that perhaps breaking some bones in my hometown on my own hours, might just be a way of getting everything that happened to me off my mind. It was still going to be difficult.

See why my family was so devoted towards justice anyway, last truthful detail I could remember about them was that they were justice filled. My dad and brothers anyway.

So, we, The aluin trio headed out to ________ for a vacation with the generous offering of $50,000 from Josue. 

After our flight from Genoble to ________... First thing we did was check into an hotel, it was a pretty cheap hotel but it was one that was alright enough. We just needed some place we could sleep and learn to map the city. 

At some point, Ember asked "If this is your home, why don't you know your way around?" But I couldn't give her an answer, except "I had been gone so long, last I was here was when I was eight years old and that horrible..." I stopped mid-Sentence which left them confused at the time. 

I could tell they wanted to ask me something, but then I assume they saw my face at that moment and both backed off. 

We changed topics fast once 9:00 PM came about as we checked in at 8:50, two hours after we made it to ________.

We also changed attire quickly, we changed into our own variations of what I can remember their suits look like, provided by Genoble Tech's finest tailor and advanced body armor wiz, Marchle mcubri. 

We left our old suits behind to enjoy our vacation and because those suits are for special operations or job usage, we were off the job. 

Can't lie, during our stay in my home, I missed my son and worried deeply about him, but I was thankful he didn't get hurt during our problem, we found no trace of any bomb nor foreign object in him. He stayed during this time at truly, the most secured building in the world. I didn't want him to ever be at risk of getting hurt on my watch, so, I dropped him off there.

After our small funeral for Bada, Her parents, brothers and family took Little Lyle in, I made sure no one knew about this, changed his name, changed his records. She has a large family who genuinely care for their own. 

So far, besides me, everyone knows him as just a regular little kid living with his family. They all lived in Russia as well.

We headed out into the night with the same courage as we would on any mission for Josue. 

I told Artus and Ember about how we can't kill them. We essily could've said "Fuck it" and had murdered any son of a bitch that comes our way, but I personally just wanted to take a break from death, any death for the year. 

Breaking bones of bad men, my passion, throughout this whole time, I desired to stick to it. I would only kill if need be, like this one time. 

A bad guy who called himself "Vaevor" was a Pyro maniac, he loved burning things down for a passion, he was like a fly. He was elusive and each building he burned down, we could never arrive on time, he always fled too quickly. It wasn't until the last encounter where he had gotten cocky that I was fast enough to plant a tracker on him, so once he arrived back to his mouse hole, we busted him. He didn't go down without a fight though, son of a bitch burned up 30 of our men as we sieged his hideout with this weird flamethrower before I sniped him down. My conscious had grasped his arms around me for sometime but it had to be done. He was truly a menace. No telling how many innocents he had murdered. 

Anyway... 

For 3 months of our vigilante spree, we busted crime lord after crime lord, "superheroes is still a thing in this world right? WHERE ARE THEY WHEN YOU NEED THEM?!" Ember oftenly asked during it all. 

I could never answer her, neither could Artus but what I do know is, the city suffered without my family doing their patrols on it. The innocents and residents of the city respected my family's legacy by not unmasking before the world, but that doesn't mean evil will. 

Corruption arose, bringing about a primitive minded taste for the city, people was still killing, robbing, racially discriminating and so on, unlike the surrounding cities and many other cities in general. 

It was almost like, something made the pot of beans, but the pot was just magically stirring itself. I had no idea what was going on in my home. 

Just when I thought things couldn't get worst for me, the city, or even the world. The person I HATED! Most arrived back in my life just a few more months into our one year vigilante career. 

I thought it was just an average Arms bust, we stopped this drug housing warehouse, we interrogated an informant who told us the location of another warehouse, housing illegal weaponry belonging to his boss, so, we arrived to put an end to it.

Once all of the guys were defeated, a feeling I haven't felt before came to me. A feeling telling me to RUN! But I stood my ground and stayed with Ember and Artus. 

Artus usually blow up the drugs with his rockets, he was going to do the same with the guns until a mysterious cloaked male wearing a similar outfit to us appeared out of nowhere, so Artus canceled fire. 

The man is shrouded with msyerty, he got in the way however of our job, so I tried to go up to him and grab his shoulder, to get his attention. 

I would've figured out who it was sooner if he didn't grab my arm before I even touched him and tossed me towards the guns. 

As I got up off the ground, I got a look at his eyes, his eyes were glowing blue, he was wearing a medium body armored suit with a similar color pattern as my own. 

Even though his eyes were completley blue, I could tell he was staring at me, As he stared at me, I tried to to outstare him, then I recognized something about him as his eyes seemingly went to normal color.

Something oddly familiar, i finally patched it together...

The cold and dead eyes, the color scheme of his suit, the unexpected introduction... HIS FACIAL FEATURES. 

This man cloaked with what my brother wore, it was my father. 

As soon as I REALIZED it, I had gotten a random headache, but I brushed it off to dash at him. 

I attempted to punch him in the face, but he proved yet again to be a nuisance, he dodged a little and quickly grabbed the arm I attacked him with then proceeded to chest palm me, sending me flying back through a nearby wall. 

I was dazed a little, and my stomach pain was unthinkable, but I recovered and sprinted back at him. 

I tenaciously swung at him like I was martial arts student, but he showed me that he was my sensei as he effortlessly dodged each attack. 

I don't know why, but I believe Ember and Artus didn't jump in because they were completely lost, they had figured out he was in some sort of affiliation with me evidence pointing towards how similar he looked, facial and costume wise. I don't know... either way, as I got my butt handed to me, they didn't jump in. 

Each counter - blow he did on me, I got back up, it was like he was studying my ability, testing my metal, studying me as a whole. He stuck to the defensive. 

After ten minutes, I gave up my pursuit realizing how futile the fight was... during the whole fight, he didn't say a word, he let me continue going at him and going at him until I REALIZED how useless the fight was. 

I wasn't out of breath, once I fully stopped, he said something. 

"You've grown up, _____." He said without any emotion. 

I was shocked, he recognized me, HIS SON, but he couldn't even say "Sorry" for our reunion after he left me, not that it would've mattered. I would've continued HATING HIM! 

I yelled out with the second most anger I've ever felt, "Why the hell did you guys leave me at that mental hospital when I was young, bastard?!" 

He looked confused when I asked him this, he replied back with the same emotionless tone as before "I was kidnapped and taken against my will, your mother and I would never have left you. He then began to yell, "FOR ANY REASON!" then continued standing in the same place as before as well. 

In my anger, I ignored his whole reason and yelled instead, "Do you know what I had to go through?!". 

Then I reached for my gun I concealed in my pocket, a small gun I bought without Artus and Ember knowing some months ago. It was a special custom made pistol from the gun shop owner/Gunsmith himself, he called it "The BL8970U" and it had the same power as a desert eagle, just small enough to perfectly fit inside of a small pocket for concealment. 

The magic of off the grid tech...

As soon as I pulled the pistol from my locket, he went on the attack. 

He had used his knee upon my chin, powerful enough to make me do a backflip, then as I was down, he grabbed the pistol from off the floor. 

I witnessed him literally smash the pistol using his bare hands, and strength alone. 

I thought to myself, "How could an old man do this crap?" at the time. I have no idea what Artus and Ember thought, they were just lost and shocked. 

He had put on his eye mask that concealed his identity and even though I couldn't see his eyebrows nor eyes, I could tell he was mad. 

I didn't know if whether to attack him, or leave him be, my mind was so confused in this dark and dirty, terrible conditioned warehouse we were in. 

I asked him with mental vigilance "Did you even search for me when you came back?!" But he simply stood in place, glaring at me before he answered, "I... didn't attempt it, by the time I was freed by your _______, your mother and I had to deal with an old nemesis of mine, called "old wiser".

"Why didn't you..."

I tried to ask one more question about me and my situation, about him and my mother but he interrupted me before I could get a second word out yelling. 

"Don't you see you selfish little moron?!

I know you've read one of the news articles online detailing the rest of your brother's deaths, including your uncle, That's why you're here, I'M THE REASON THEY'RE DEAD, you've got your questions answered, time for you to answer my question... are you willing to help me search for your youngest brother or not?" 

Getting out of my clumpy anger, I realized he stated that he's the reason they're dead, so I asked him about it. 

"What do you mean... YOU'RE THE REASON THEY'RE DEAD?!" I asked him.

He told me EVERYTHING: "35 years ago, My best friend and I had battled this cult leader.. he claimed to be an immortal god, but he wasn't, he WAS too powerful for us however, so me, your _______, and my best friend challenged him again after me and my best friend had been defeated by him in our previous encounter. Your ______ knew of a way to trap him into an object, so, we did just that. A few months before we dropped you off, His followers found me and jumped your mother and I, a little after we checked you into the hospital, trying to force me to release the dangerous self proclaimed "god", but he's a danger to more than this city alone. His followers found out I was free from their grasp once more and sent their best unhinged maniac after us, they call "The old wiser" to finish me. 

He and I, were pretty equal in terms of combat skill and strength, but he had gained an advantage over me and critically injured me, if it wasn't for you ______, again, I'd be dead. Your brothers and uncle were at the hospital when he tracked me down, again, they tried their hardest to fight him off, but he overpowered and killed them. Your youngest brother's body wasn't at the crime scene but old wiser is dead without any marks on him. He killed everyone else, leading me to assume he's the one who killed old wiser. For weeks, I've grieved them, working help get me through grief." He said in a more human tone than before...

"Well, now we know where you get your method of grief from Lyle!!" Artus Commented.

My dad and I both looked over at Artus, forcing him to turn away. 

My father glared at me before asking "They call you... Lyle now?". 

"Yeah, Josue came up with it and he's more of a father than you had ever been!" I blurted mercilessly. 

He didn't seem unfazed by my disrespect and comment. He just sort of continued staring at me in blankness. 

I broke the ice by continuing, asking him questions, this time about my brothers and family. 

He gave me an answer to all of them, including informing me about how my twin eventually took over his mantle, he became similar to him, though he continued his bright and sunny personality. 

He told me about how I became an uncle and how amazingly skilled they are already. 

He told me things about my little brother I didn't know even existed... that night, I gave my father his answer. I agreed to help look for him. 

The next day, I told my father I wanted to meet my niece and nephew, so, my father took me to my brother's home. 

The man's wife was an amazing human, she had generosity, good manners, and true love for her children, and my brother. I'm no detective or anything, but I could tell it by how she spoke about him and even wept about him when she saw me. 

Now that I realize it, it was stupid of me not to wear my mask in front of them as she knew about his past.

Her kids, nor herself was taking his deaths well at all. Even though I barely knew him, I knew him enough. 

Their names was "Oliver and Ava" and another named after our great uncle, "Dakota". 

For months without end, we searched for the youngest, but the chase went dull, he was nowhere to be found. 

My father knew the city too well, and knew him too well, but at every turn... a dead end came about. 

I'm not sure if he did this for me because everytime I asked him about it, he closed off and continued with his business but he wailed and ran off from me, in our last encounter. 

Guess that's where I get the closed off personality from, huh?

Can you inherit being "closed off"? 

At the time, I was basically too shocked about the time I had another brother and still confused about how to feel about my father after hearing his side to wonder about where he ran off to. SO MUCH was going on at the time. 

|TO BE CONTINUED!|