The Custodes

Chapter 39 - The Battle Of The Blind Man

This was a new side of Kelsie that Neo hadn't seen before. The sweet, naïve girl that he had met back in her apartment had changed into something else. He didn't know if it was just everything that had happened with Zuro...or if there was something more going on under the surface.

"My question is, why the hell are we obeying orders from that psycho?" Axel spoke up suddenly, his irritated tone drawing the attention of everyone on the roof "We know what Nexus is like. He's tricky, and smart. And a cold-hearted bastard. I have no idea what his plan is by taking on Zuro, but I still get the feeling that obeying his every word is going to end with us getting fucked over one way or another."

"You're one to talk about fucking people over." Neo stated, his fists clenched tight as he thought back to Axel's beam hitting him - still not the least bit willing to move past it. "I know you don't like me Neo." Axel fired back without hesitation, his mouth a thin line of stone "But don't let that distract you from the fact that I'm right. You really think Nexus has had a sudden change of heart and wants to help us?"

"No." Neo said at the exact same time Kelsie exclaimed "Yes!" Both boys forgot their quarrel for a second as they looked at the girl with scepticism. "You two weren't there when that 'change of heart' took place. I was, and I trust him." She said with an air of finality.

"You'll trust anyone Kelse-" Axel began, only to be cut off by his girlfriend a half second later "Don't you dare talk to me like I'm some airhead! I have been right beside all of you through everything that's happened so far! I know what Nexus has done. And I know how many chances we've given him. But trust me when I say that he's on our side!"

"Kelsie..." Synthia said quietly, finally speaking up after silently observing the argument going on around her "...we do trust you." Then, turning to the two boys "At least I do. I believe her."

"Well I still don't." Axel said, crossing his arms in a childish way, while Neo chewed his cheek in quiet contemplation. If Kelsie was right, this could be the thing they needed to turn the tides of this battle. Hector even said it; the two things that would give them their biggest chance of success were the Zuro Killer and Nexus. Now they almost had those two things in their grasp...but if Kelsie was wrong - if Nexus was waiting for the chance to kill them, trusting him would be like signing their death wish.

"You guys?" Daigo suddenly said, interrupting their three-way conversation as he turned to them, white as a sheet "Get over here. Now." His tone made the four of them move without question. A second later they were all lined up along the edge of the rooftop, staring down as Nexus was subdued by a mass of red tendrils while Zuro laughed his ass off.

"Shit. Whatever his plan was, it's failed. I'm going down there." Neo announced, getting ready to shadow warp to his brother's aid. "No, Neo! Don't." Kelsie said sternly, grabbing his arm as Neo looked at her incredulously "I mean it, Neo. He told me no matter what happens no one is to go down there. 'Even if I'm about to die', he said. Trust him." Although, even as she said it Kelsie's uncertainty was clear through her voice.  

"So this is it then?" Axel asked, sighing as he accepted defeat "We're trusting him?" Neo considered it for a second, watching as his brother was slowly strangled to death by Zuro. He turned to look at Quinn and Daigo, who stood both completely stoic as their gazes stayed locked on the scene before them. "Quinn? Daigo? What do you two think?" 

"I don't know anymore." Daigo answered, his words squeezing out through gritted teeth "Whatever you say we do, I'll trust it." "What he said." Quinn muttered, barely audible - though Neo was able to make it out. 

The boy knew his mind was already made up. Being wrong would be the death of them all, yes. But from what Neo could remember from before he'd lost consciousness - Zuro had practically killed them all already. If they were still alive, it was because one man had come to their aid. He didn't know how, and he didn't know why, but he knew that Nexus wasn't doing this as some sort of 'move'. Neo had wanted his brother to fight on the same side as him for as long as he could remember, and now that day was finally here.