Arlo's Birthday!

Part 36

Anya: I confronted Julie ages ago. Remember Remi?

Remi did remember. The girl she interrogated, pretending to be a reporter for her college. 

Anya: Doesn't this seem too easy? There're no nurses or doctors. There's nobody other than us in this hallway. 

John's blood chilled as he realized that what she was saying was true. It was eerily empty. John also realized that they had gotten through the security too easily. 

Anya: Do you know what this is?

Even Isen, the densest out of all of them realized what was going on. They all stood up, ready for any attack. 

John: A setup. 

As if on cue, Keon walked through the automatic doors of the hallway with a small army behind him. 

Keon: A little too smart for your own good aren't you guys? 

John wanted to smack that smirk on Keon's face right then and there. Memories of his torture ran through his mind, where Keon endlessly played the memory of him beating his once former friends. 

Keon: Especially you two. John and Anya. With brains with logic like that, you could've become a high ranking authority official. 

Anya: Fuck the authorities. Fuck you, especially. 

Keon smiled creepily at her. Then he turned to John, making him shiver. 

Keon: You have a history of... excessive violence. Even so, with your power, you could've been a bodyguard for me. 

John grit his teeth. A bodyguard? For Keon? He would rather be sent to hell than do such a thing. 

John: Get out. We're just here to visit someon-

Keon: Ahh. You mean, the nephew of Valerie?

John didn't know who Valerie could be, but looking at the horrified look on Anya's face, she wasn't anyone good. 

Keon: Maybe you don't know her as Valerie. You would know her as... EMBER? Volcan?

EMBER. Volcan. Valerie. 

Arlo could be trash sometimes, but he was most certainly not an evil murderer like that crazed lady had been. John glanced at Anya. If Anya was Arlo's cousin... was her mother-

Keon: And she's also your beloved mom, Anya. 

The rest of the group looked at Anya, confused, slightly betrayed, but mostly angry at Keon for revealing personal information. 

Keon: You knew a little too much. And since it would be a danger to extract those memories as well-

One of the bodyguards behind Keon shot a tranquilizer into Anya's leg before anyone could react. They could only watch in horror as she slid to the ground, unmoving. John didn't want to think of the fact that she could be dead. She might have just been unconscious. She had to be just unconscious. There were too many witnesses. 

Another bodyguard took out another tranquilizer and shot Claire, who slumped on the wall. However, John could see that she was still alive, her chest moving up and down from her breathing. He couldn't do anything right now, seeing that no one had their fucking abilities on! He felt a prick on his left calf but ignored it. 

Keon: And John. I have two more things to say. 

John met Keon's eyes. 

Keon: First. You guys are under arrest. You blew up an innocent company building, no matter what your claims might be. Lots of bodies were recovered - you killed many innocents. Each of you involved will get a lifetime of jail.