Geist Warriors 3: Chapter 7

Samantha felt the ground underneath her shoes as they traveled the path to the facility. She had her one hand at Rey’s arm walking him forward and she kept her eyes ahead not looking elsewhere. Sirius was chewing on another tooth pick his hands shoved deep in his pocket. They hadn’t talked on the way over which wasn’t strange. She and Sirius weren’t particularly close.

During the trip she had treated Rey’s wounds the best she could but he didn’t say a word more. Almost like he was holding something back. Looking at him made her heart twist so she avoided looking at him too closely. So it was a quiet awkward ride back to the facility for everyone involved.

Irma and Betty met them as they arrived along with a few other warriors. Betty looked at Samantha and gave her a sympathetic smile but then focused on Rey. “I had hoped that you wouldn’t be a problem. I guess I was wrong.”

Rey shook his head and doing that made him stumble in his restraints. Betty caught him and he looked back at her then past her. “Are the warriors I hurt healing?”

The question caught her off guard but Irma responded tapping at her tablet. “They are recovering from the injuries you gave them, yes.”

“Good,” he said and faced her. “Where are you going to take me?”

“You’ll find out soon,” Irma replied and motioned for the warriors to take him away. Irma and Sirius followed behind as they took Rey to the elevator. The doors closed and Samantha finally let her shoulders sag.

“I know Sam. You did good.”

“Where’s Dick and Lily?”

“There still around. I think on the third floor. I was with them until just now. As you can imagine he’s not taking things well but Lily’s trying.”

She nodded slowly. “I have to talk to him.”

“Did Rey reveal something to you?”

“No. Not really but he should hear this from me and not Irma or Sirius.”

“I agree with that,” she reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “I know you care about him a lot.”

“Yeah I do.” Nodding she moved toward the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator and walked her way back up to the third floor. When she got to the window at the second floor she blinked and found Dick. His back was to her as he stared outside and she stopped just staring at him for a long time.

She could see the hunch of his shoulders and the fold of his arms. He was looking up at the sky and shook his head like some thoughts were going through his mind. She finally sighed and slowly walked up the stairs until she stood beside him.

He glanced at her then looked back out the window, “Oye.”

“Hey.”

They fell into silence together for a long while just staring outside. The stars were tiny out here but it was better than being in the city where they couldn’t see anything at all. Out here they could see a constellation here and there.

“Where’s Lily?” she asked glancing around

“Went home. I’m the major offender and I knew her parents might worry. So a few warriors took her home.”

“What about your uncle?”

“Lily said she’d cover for me when she got back.”

Samantha nodded and looked toward the sky, “The big dippers out.”

Dick followed where she was pointing and nodded. “Yeah, first thing I looked for when I realized I could see the stars.”

He smiled at the constellation and glanced over at her. She glanced back, “Not exactly what I meant when I said take a weekend off.”

He frowned but nodded, “No, no es.”

Silence stretched between them again and the distance in reality was only a few inches but it felt like they were on opposite ends of a canyon. A question that both wanted to address but neither had it in them to ask yet.

But Samantha realized the only way to get to the point she would just have to come out and talk about it, “We found Rey.”

He looked at her sharply reaching out to her then pausing. “Is he okay?”

“Sirius hurt him a bit but he’s okay now.”

“Where is he?”

“Downstairs in custody. Probably a holding cell for the time being. They have to figure out what to do with him.”

“Right. Cause he’s a monster,” he said bitterly and looked away.

Samantha set her face and said, “He’s dangerous Dick.”

“You sound like the rest of them.”

“After fighting him I’m believing it more.”

“You attacked him?”

“Sirius attacked him. I did my best to keep them from killing each other.”

Dick turned away from her and walked toward the stairs staring at the bottom of them for a while, “Did you even try to talk to him? Try and treat him like a person instead of a wraith.”

“What?” she stared at him and then glared. “You think I went ready to execute him?”

“He’s a threat, right? Threat to the public and you get rid of him through any means necessary.”

“That’s not fair and you know it.”

He whirled around and shouted, “All I know is my brother is being held here like a prisoner and everyone thinks he’s a monstruo!”

“Because he is!” The silence that hung over them was electric. Dick glared at her and Samantha shook her head pointing at him. “Do you know why I got involved in the fight? Cause it wasn’t to stop Sirius. It was because your brother was going to devour him. Your brother was going to eat him like he was food!”

“You’re lying!”

“I saw it myself!”

“Bull!”

“He told me himself that he did it! That he attacked Lyra and tried to devour her. And if her partner hadn’t showed up he would have done it. You were wrong Dick!” she paused her voice softer. “Your brother isn’t who you thought he was.”

She stared at him and watched his glare crumble into pain and she hated that she had to tell him this. “Yeah I was wrong. Wrong to think that you’d really try to help. Thanks for doing what you could.”

He turned and started down the steps taking them three at a time. He heard her words echoing around in his head. Haunting him. They couldn’t all be right. He couldn’t have got his brother back just for this to happen. For him to be another wraith based point of pain.

Shaking his head he hit the wall hard over and over again until his hand started throbbing and he was sure that he’d hurt some of the bones there. Squeezing his hand lightly he felt himself shaking. He touched the pendent around his neck and glared at the ground wishing that a lot of things hadn’t happened the way they did.

He got to the bottom of the staircase and had to stop because he walked right into someone and stumbled backwards. Looking up he saw Betty’s surprised face and Dick blinked quickly. Shaking his head he wiped his eyes slowly as he looked at her. Her eyes softened as she looked at him and he sighed.

“Hey Betty.”

“Hey Dick. I take it you talked to Sam.”

“Yeah,” he looked at her and then took a deep breath trying to look elsewhere.

Betty walked closer and put a hand on his shoulder, “I know this is hard. Trust me, I don’t want this for anyone. Least of all you.”

“It’s just not fair. Everyone sees him like a monster. They don’t see him for who he is. He’s my brother. The only one I’ve ever had. Even if. Even if he did what everyone thinks he did there’s gotta be a reason. He wouldn’t just. Do this.”

Dick started to walk away but Betty didn’t let go of his shoulder. He looked at her, ready to glare but she offered him a small smile. “Do you want to see him?”

“What?”

“Do you want to see him. Pretty straight forward question if you ask me.”

“I can do that?”

“Yeah. We’re not cruel Dick. We just want answers for what happened to our people. As long as you cooperate and he doesn’t do anything you can talk to him.”

Dick’s heart beat picked up as he nodded quickly. Betty turned and motioned for him to follow. They were on the first floor of the facility but when they entered the elevator Betty hit a button and they started going down. It wasn’t for long but Dick definitely got the impression they were going below ground.

When the doors dinged open he could hear the low buzz of lights overhead. The walls were white and everything had an artificial brightness to it. As they walked he could hear the echo of Betty’s boots on the ground. There were doors marked off by numbers and barely any people down but he could hear voices here and there.

“There’s a lot of warriors here,” he noted.

“They’re not all warriors.”

“What?”

“Yeah. There’s not a lot of us Dick,” she chuckled. “Not enough to run this organization. They’re just trusted people who work to help us warriors do our job. The only warriors here are us four, Irma, Sirius, and the commander.”

They walked the long hallway, taking a few turns until they came to a door with two people standing guard in front of it, one man and one woman. They were dressed in regular clothes but at Betty’s arrival they stood a little taller. Betty smirked and waved her hand back and forth. “At ease. How’s our guest been behaving.”

“Nothing out of the ordinary captain. He’s been pretty quiet.”

“Any problems?”

“None at all.”

“Good. Me and warrior Dick are going to go in and have a few words with him. Standby just in case.”

“Yes captain.”

They stepped aside and Betty touched a keypad lock entering a password. It beeped and then the door clicked. She pushed it open and Dick followed like a child after a parent in a new office.

Dick wasn’t sure what he expected the cell to be but what he got was definitely not on his list. It was a pretty neat room. Just a simple square with a white bed, sink, and toilet. There was a table and chair near the door. But separating the two sides of the room was a clear wall. He wasn’t sure what it was made of but it seemed sturdy.

Rey was sitting on the bed and when the door opened he turned toward them slowly but his eyes widened slightly looking at them. He cracked a smile but his eyes looked dark and tired. He had been given a change of clothes and the dirty pile that he wore before were in the corner. “Richard.”

“Rey!” he shouted and ran to the wall. He pressed his hand against the wall and though he could see his brother he felt like they were still miles apart. Rey came forward and pressed his hand against his own and smiled lightly. Dick smiled forcing back a hiccup and said. “You look like crap hermano.”

He laughed and shook his head, “I’ve definitely felt better.”

“Are you okay?”

“Since my arrival they’ve been pleasant. Just questions. The angry one makes threats but the woman has been more measured. Dick nodded slowly and frowned. He could hear Samantha’s words in his head and he shook his head glaring at the ground. “What is it Richard?”

He looked at his twin’s face and took a slow breath. “Did you do what they said you did?”

“What did Samantha say?” Just asking that made Dick flinch away. Rey nodded slowly. “I take it she told you the truth. She’s a good one. Stay close to her.”

Pressing his fist against the wall Dick shook his head. He couldn’t stand this. Hated it even. “Why. Why Rey.”

“Me coming back to life. The second chance that we had to meet. Being able to see you and hear your voice. They were miracles on top of miracles. And I think the miracles have finally run out hermano. My time is running out.”

“I don’t understand,” Dick said. But he did. He just didn’t want to say it.

“Your brother is dying,” Betty said softly.

Dick looked back at her and then at his brother who just nodded slowly. “I’ve had blackouts. Losing time. Waking up with people dead. Attacking the warrior. Attacking anyone. Losing control. It’s my bodies way of trying to stay alive. But this way of living can’t keep going. I’ll run out of gas eventually and stop working. But who knows how many people I’ll hurt along the way.”

“Come on. We can figure this out,” Dick said but he already felt the tears in his eyes. “I just got you back in my life! And now you’re going to leave me again!”

“I’m sorry Richard. There’s only one way for me to survive and I won’t do it. So this might be the last time we talk,” he suddenly started coughing into his hand and leaned against the wall for support but started sliding down to his knees.

“Rey!” he shouted pressing himself against the wall then looked over her shoulder. “Betty what’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t kn-“She winced and as the ringing suddenly started in her ear. Leaning her head forward she squeezed her forehead and the noise radiated like a migraine. “A wraith? How? Where?”

Dick shut his eyes tightly not able to see straight and stumbled back once and then he stumbled over one of the chairs and fell on ground. Rey raised his head slowly, one hand wrapped around himself and another over his mouth. “Richard… run…” he whispered sliding to the side and falling on the ground.

The ringing hit a peak and then there was an explosion of air shattering the wall. An explosion of noise and suddenly the room was filled with smoke and debris. Betty stood over Dick, her geist fully manifested. She helped him to stand and they both looked up as the warriors ran into the room. “What was that?” one asked.

Before anyone could answer they looked at the room and then saw the hole in the roof and the exposed electrical outlets and damage. The ringing was going down slightly but it was still loud. “Your brother’s lost control. And from the way he sounded, it’s for good. Everyone here is in danger.” She looked at the guards. “Get an evacuation order going.” They nodded then she looked at Dick. “Come on. We have to get to work.” He nodded manifesting his chains and then took her hand.

Arriving on the first floor there was chaos all around. They could distantly hear the signs of fighting but there was the aftermath around them. Betty ran over to one of the injured workers in the facility and touched their throat. “Alive. I don’t think Rey has had a chance to devour anyone.”

“Where is he?”

“If I had to guess above us. He needs to feed but Samantha’s probably keeping him busy.”

Nodding he sprinted toward the staircase ignoring Betty’s shout to hold on. Going up the stairwell he threw his arm forward and his chain wrapped around one railing. He jumped running from one wall to another ascending as fast as he could.

Climbing onto the second floor he saw that the door had already been ripped off the hinges. The ringing in his ears increased and he winced landing on his knee. Another explosion echoed through the facility and Dick sprinted toward the danger.

He slipped on the ground and saw that it was iced over entirely. The walls were heavily gashed and missing pieces. He made it past two offices before he heard an explosion and a body burst through the walls. It was Samantha. She rolled to her feet her geist on full display. Rey leaped through the hole colliding with a column of ice

He slid down and cracked his whip sending it at her. Dick jumped forward and threw his chain in the path. The two wrapped around one another and fell to the ground. Dick threw his other arm and the chain whipped toward his brother. Rey avoided it and then ducked as Dick tried to realign it but crashed it into a wall.

His brother’s eyes were aglow like embers and the ringing in his ears were like needles. Dick pulled on the chains while his brother resisted and they paced around one another. “You okay?”

“Not even remotely,” Samantha said.

“I’m sorry. For what-”

She cut him off, “Dick. Not now.”

“Right,” he focused on his brother who hissed and then leaped at the pair of them.

Dick yanked his chains free back and ducked underneath a swipe from his brother. Flicking his wrist, Dick sent the chain forward and it wrapped around his wrist. Turning he rolled to his feet and threw his brother across the room.

Dropping the whip, Rey grasped the chain and yanked dragging his brother along with him. Once he was close enough he Dick by the head and shoved it into the ground. Rey stood over him scowling as he started raining punches down on his exposed chest. Dick fought it but finally let out a cry of pain.

“Get off him!”

Samantha came forward knee first and hit him in the head. Flipping over she grabbed his shoulders and sank, throwing him across the room. Rey landed on his feet and manifested the whip again. Cracking it he attacked and watched the chain wrap around Samantha’s arm dragging her to the ground.

His mouth opened wide and Samantha knew the sensation of a wraith attempting to devour her. She flexed her hand to touch the ground but he stepped on it breaking her concentration. Dick stumbled to his feet and conjured his chains. He raised his hand to swing but froze.

 He stared at Rey and hoped to see something in there. Something to remind him of his twin still fighting. But as he stared into the embers of his eyes, he didn’t see his brother anymore. He saw the same burning eyes that had stolen away his parents all those years ago.

He just saw a wraith.

Snapping his hand forward and he sent the chain at his brother. It wrapped around his brother’s neck tightly. He pulled and Rey hissed in response as the whip slackened its grip on Samantha. Coughing she rolled to the side and stumbled backwards as Dick reeled his brother in slowly.

Rey dug in his heels but was still being dragged forward. Grasping the tip of the whip he dragged it forward and flicked his wrist. The whip moved like a wave and the tip rippled before colliding with his chest. It exploded throwing into the far wall.

“That’s not how it’s supposed to work,” Dick said as chunks of wall fell on him.

Samantha came forward and pulled him back to his feet, “He’s your twin. Maybe the rules don’t apply.”

Rey glared at the pair of them and readied the whip again but turned toward the door. All three of them could hear the footsteps of the other warriors coming. His chest heaving Rey turned toward the far wall and saw the cracked window. “We’ll meet again brother.” Turning he swung the whip twice once into the floor and again into the window.

Chunks of the floor and glass whipped around them and both turned away to protect themselves but when they looked up he was gone. The conference room was in shambles and both of them were aching. Dick looked at Samantha for a long moment and she met his gaze but was the first to look at the door as Betty, Lin, and Sirius arrived.

“What happened?” Betty asked and Dick motioned toward the window. “He’s gone then?”

Dick nodded. “Yeah.”

“You mean you let him escape,” Sirius growled pointing an axe at him. “You’re just as bad as him.”

“That’s not fair,” Samantha said stepping forward.  

Dick put his hand in front of her and let his geist fade away. “No, it is. This whole thing is on me.”

“The fault doesn’t matter at this point,” Lin said pressing a hand to her head. “What does is that the hybrid escaped. Clearly he’s too dangerous to be contained. We have to find the hybrid again and this time he needs to be eliminated.”Just hearing that made him flinch hard. “Warrior Richard, Captain Betty and Captain Samantha. Go home and be ready to act. And if you see or run into the hybrid either report it or do what you have to.”

“Yes commander,” Samantha said lowering her head letting her geist fade away.

“Yes commander,” Betty said dismissing her geist as well.

Letting his head fall down Dick nodded slowly and finally said, “Yes commander.”