Chapter Six: She Lied About The Monsters

Suri let go of Arkain’s hand. 
Arkain
Ouch, so your power is a strong handshake? Is that it?
Suri laughed. 
Suri
Want to try it again? 
Arkain put his hands behind his back. 
Arkain
No thanks, I’ve had enough. 
Suri walked a bit ahead.
Suri
You’re kind of weird. 
He caught up. 
Arkain
Different is more like it. I do prefer different.  
Suri
Sure.
He smiled.

Arkain
So, how did you get here?
Suri
Long story short, my parents are dead, and Hayden found me and took me in. So since then I’ve been here, alone most of the time. 
Arkain
That must suck. You’ve missed a lot of your life. 
Suri
I wouldn’t say I missed my life, I just missed the social aspects of it. All my years spent here have been dedicated to training and perfecting my power. 
Arkain
Sounds like a hassle. 
Suri
It sure was. I’m grateful to be here though. Hayden is like my father. I never really knew my dad, so it was really amazing for him to take me under his wing. 
Arkain
Glad you had at least one person to talk to. Hayden seems tense though. 
Suri
He can be. He’s not human, so it’s hard to really understand him. 
Arkain
HE’S NOT HUMAN?
Suri
No, didn’t you notice his ears. He’s an elf, the last of his kind. 
Arkain
I don’t know what to say.
Suri
It’s okay, sometimes being speechless says a lot more than saying something. 
Arkain
Okay? 
Suri
Never mind.
They kept walking.
Arkain
So what about the old man?
Suri
Amros is a great man. He’s the one in charge. I’ve never really seen his power, but I take it he’s pretty powerful seeing how he’s the boss. He’s really nice and intelligent.
She turned to him.
Suri
There are other people in this organization too. 
Arkain
I’d say. 
Suri
Well, you’ve met Merdos. 
Arkain
I have?
Suri
Yes, the tiger who went to fetch you.
Arkain
That’s a man? 
Suri
Yes, he’s a shape shifter. 
Arkain
That’s a bit of a lame power.
Suri
That’s not all he can do. I’ll leave that for him to show you though. 
Arkain
So how many of us are there?
Suri
Not many. 
Arkain
Wow, that’s not good. 
Suri
Well enough about that, what about you? 
Arkain
What do you mean? 
Suri
Tell me about yourself. 
Arkain
Nothing too special, I’m just waiting to go home to my mom and step dad. 
Suri
Well then, I hope that all works out for you. 
They walked a little more.
Arkain
Well, I know we just met, but I’d like to get to know you better. I hope that doesn't sound too creepy. I know, I know, I'm awkward.  
Suri
You are, and oh really? Are you busy later? 
Arkain
No, I don’t think so. Unless I have some kind of training or something. 
Suri
Good, then we both have some time on our hands. 
Arkain
Yeah, we do, lots of time. 
He smiled.
Suri
Well then, why don’t you come to my room later and we can have a little dinner. 
Arkain
That sounds great. 
Suri
Okay, so around seven then? 
Arkain
Seven sounds great, just right. 
Suri
Okay, well then I will see you then. 
Arkain
Yes, I will be seeing you, because we’re having dinner, at your place, later, at seven. 
Suri
Yeah, well then, see you then. 
She walked away.

Hayden
What do you plan on doing, Amros? 
Hayden and Amros sat in a white room alone across each other at a table.
Amros
I do not know yet. You have to admit things are a bit complicated. 
Hayden
I do. Yet you must remember you can’t keep it a secret. 
Amros
I know.
Amros put his hand on his face. 
Amros
We can’t tell the boy, he will want to leave. 
Hayden
Well then, we have other options. If we can’t tell him his mother was killed by Gemma, we must tweak the truth.
Amros
Lying has never been my forte. 
Hayden
Neither is it mine. However, we must do what must be done in order to keep stability to this organization. Taking in two members is hard enough as it is, but these two have history. A history we cannot allow to break them apart.  
Amros
What is it you suggest we do? 
Hayden
At the moment, all is blurred, but I’m sure it will fall into place soon. 
Amros
The girl must remain in the cube. 
Hayden
Agreed. If pushed, she can very well kill you all. 
Amros
Well that is all the more reason to keep her away from the others. Although I can’t say it is right, it is what is needed. Sometimes I do deplore what is needed.  
Hayden
Let me handle things, Amros. I will keep things settled, we must not allow things to reach your sister. Her arrival into all this could prove to be nuisance.  
Amros
No, we mustn’t.  
Hayden
She claims to fight the same fight we’re fighting, but if she does get involved, we will be fighting a 3-sided war. 
Amros
Yes, yes, that is true. We have a day to think Hayden, let us take comfort in that.

Mr. West woke up in a dark room; it took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Just twenty minutes ago he had been home waiting for his wife and step son to come home, now, after opening the front door to a woman, he found himself tied to a chair in a unknown location. 
Mr. West
Hello! 
He yelled. 
Mr. West
Hello! Help! Can anyone hear me? 
Velis
No need to scream. 
Her head appeared on his shoulder. Mr. West jumped in fear on his chair. 
Mr. West
You!
She walked in front of him and faced him. 
Velis
Yes, me. Velis is the name. 
Mr. West
What am I doing here? 
Velis
Same question I wanted to know some time ago. My friend Malic was supposed to dispose of you, but the boss had different plans. Call yourself lucky you’re not dead, but you won’t be too lucky when he arrives. 
Mr. West
Who is he?
 Mr. West trembled. 
Velis
Orthak, he’s a 2nd rank. He’s apart of our leaders guard. 
Mr. West
What is going on? You have the wrong person! 
Velis
The wrong guy? Mr. Philmore West, am I correct? 
Mr. West
Yes. 
He gulped. 
Velis
So I do have the right man. 
She patted him on the shoulder.
Velis
You almost had me for a second. I thought I was going to be in trouble with the boss man. 
Mr. West
Where’s my wife? 
Velis
That's a stupid question. You're strapped into a chair, about to die, so, whocares?  
Mr. West
Where is Arkain? 
Velis
That's better. We don’t know, apparently you will bring him to us. 
Mr. West
Me? 
Velis
Yes, don’t ask how because I don’t know, that’s all Orthak’s job. 
Mr. West
What do you want from him? 
Velis
There is a scale of events that will occur in the near future, your son will become a big threat to our plans, and we cannot let that happen. Arkain is the chaos our plans just do not require. 
Mr. West
Chaos? Arkain is a good boy!
Velis
Good, bad, there are no sides anymore, its just business. Oh, and blood. A lot of it.
She walked towards the end of the room. 
Velis
Well Mr. West, it was nice getting to know you before you died. I might even write your eulogy. Mr. West
Died? Wait no, please, we can work something out. 
Velis
Sorry, it’s not up to me. 
Mr. West
Well I can talk it out, I’m sure Mr. Orthak would like to hear what I can offer him. 
Velis laughed. 
Mr. West
Why are you laughing? 
Velis
Remember when you were little, and your mom told you there were no such things as monsters? 
Mr. West
Yes.
Velis 
She lied. 
Velis turned the lights off completely. 
Velis
Goodbye Mr. West.
She shut the door.