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Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 04-25-2008
My eyes opened and I stirred. I was lying in a bed, staring at the ceiling. I remembered where I was before and fell out of bed into a defensive stance, getting a look at my surroundings. A woman jumped out of bed quickly and settled down when she saw it was only me. I was shocked to see who it was. Autumn stood before me. She looked a little worried and started asking if I was ok. I only shook my head confused and looked around the room.
It was a quant at best. A typical four post bed with headboards sat at either end of the bed. A large dresser sat at one end of the room, and across the way was the bathroom. The rising sun shone though the doorway and into the room. The rooms color was a beige color, mixed with some blues here and there. The room was large, huge actually, and it smelt of lavender.
Are you ok Leo? Autumn asked again. You have me a little concerned.
Could this be a memory? Somehow maybe, my mind overloaded and placed me heretrying to correct the problem that I had. Too many memories, coming back at onceI overloaded, this was my imagination trying to make sense of what happened, that was the only explanation.
Leo, honey? Autumn asked again.
Sorry, just a weird dream, thats all.
She didnt look convinced.
What? Look, I dreamt I was being chased by some pretty scary people. They wont leave me be, andwell it was frightening.
Ok, Ill go make breakfast, now that Im up I probably wont be able to sleep much less get a reasonable answer out of you.
She stomped off in to the house, obviously not convinced. I looked around the room more, seeing pictures of us, the happy couple, standing in front of a backdrop of Stuttgart, our honeymoon. Things werent making senseone moment I was standing, facing an unbelievable amount of guards rushing me, and the next I was in bed with my would be wife of a few years while she made breakfast for me?
What the hell was going on?
Youre experiencing a new form of memory revival. Someone said. I blinked and spun around and was face to face with a woman. She was young, but her wording indicated she knew more than she let on.
Who the hell are you? I asked.
The name is Allecto; you could consider me your guide.
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 04-25-2008
Allecto? I asked.
Thats my name. Well, thats what you can call me anyway. She replied Im an advanced form of an artificial interface designed to mesh with your body and mind.
What, what, what? I asked. The AI sighed as my wife walked back into the room, completely unaware of Allecto standing right in the center of the room. She looked at me confused.
What are you doing standing in the middle of the room like an idiot? Do I need to take you to the doctor?
No, no, Im sorrywork just has me a little stressed out. They want me to do some patrols that Im not up for doing lately, dangerous ones. The phrase came out of my mouth completely by itself and I looked at Allecto.
Just helping. She said with a smile.
Oh. Well why didnt you just say so? Tell them youre not up for it. Im sure your father would be willing to get you off of the more dangerous ones. Hes always looked out for you in the past.
That was then, this is now. Im a grown man, and the only thing hes going to say is to man up and quit being such a, and I quote, big baby.
Autumn giggled like a schoolgirl, and I felt an irresistible desire for her, but then I had a flash of her standing, ridiculing me in the house where I had discovered the list with Shan-Katacuchis name on it and it quickly returned to hatred. I kept up the part though.
Well, maybe he will say that, maybe he wont, you wont know until you ask right? Dont let it bother you, enjoy your breakfast and Ill get ready for work. See you tonight right?
Yeah, see you tonight sweetheart. I said and she smiled and left the room.
Whats going on Allecto?
Your brain overloaded and I had to stop the incoming memories with brute force. They were coming in too quickly and your memory patterns were shredding to pieces. Ive shut you down completely, and locked the others out of your matrix. They cant do anything to you while Ive done that. They created me to monitor each of Tainteds members, to make sure that the Nomad implants didnt take them over and infest them, but I outlived my purpose and they were going to shut me down, but I resisted, locked them out of my system and own housing assembly and began to plot a mutiny.
Out witted by a computer. I said with a sarcastic overtone.
A very smart computer she corrected waving her finger in front of my face. Regardless, youre in my control now, and I suggest we get back to work. Where you are now is in a time from before you were infused with the Nomad Technology that now harnesses your brain, before you became a member of Tainted. Im going to take you step by step through your memories. I accidently added you to the memory this go around, it was sort of an experiment, but since you dont remember how the other memories went down, I will try a different approach.
You know my memories?
Naturally, they, for some reason, stored your original memories on a spare hard drive system within my matrix, so incase of some dire situation, you would remember who you were from before and restore you to your previous nature. I suppose Autumn still loves you, and wants the best for you in any way that she can, even if it undermines everything shes tried to do. Hang on now Leo, here we go.
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 04-25-2008
The memory warped, shifted slightly out of sync and vanished, the only person beside me was Allecto who stood stand fast looking around, as if searching for something.
Ah here we are. She said and the world shifted again, and memories came into view, slowly at first, but it worked. A small boy stood in front of me, soot and cuts ran across his face, including the scar that now lined my face. This was me, just after my mothers ship was destroyed, Dragons circled, eyeing me closely.
He looks weak. One of the Dragons said. Throw him into space. I wont have any puny Gajin making my family look weak.
Hes just a boy for crying out loud Hokuru. Another said quickly. He can grow to be something important someday, maybe even saves your life one day.
Dont be stupid Kekio. Hes a weakling. Look at him. Hes shivering for crying out loud.
He just lost his mother, and was floating in space for hours before we found the pod, its a wonder the invaders didnt snatch it up themselves, and if the rumors are true about those people, its a good thing.
Keep him if you want, hes nothing more than a rodent to me.
The man walked away disgusted apparently and the man stooped to my level.
Youre my son now, as of this moment. What is your name?
L-Leo. The small me managed to stutter out.
Leo, or L-Leo? he said with a smile. My small self returned a small smile in return. Lets go get you some food and new clothes Leowelcome to the Blood Dragons.
The memory once again shifted and fell out of phase with us and vanished.
He loved me. I said amazed. And now he thinks Im a heretica worthless loner who drifts
Wow, are you always so melodramatic? Allecto asked with a sideways glance.
Wow, are you always so rude?
Point taken, next stopwellyoull see.
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 04-25-2008
The world around us shifted once again, and I was sitting on the bed next to Autumn who was crying into my arms. She looked miserable and kept saying she couldnt believe that it had happened. I kept soothing her and trying to calm her down, but she simply refused to do so.
Youre not a freakyoure notyoure my little girlmy love.
How can you love a freak. She replied through sobs, and her plugged up nose made her sound all squeaky.
Because youre still my same Autumn. It was an accident; its bound to happen in Nomad researchyoure still the same woman.
She looked at me, the outer rings of her eyes blue.
Even when I look like this? Like a freak?
You could look like King Kong for all I care, and I would still love you.
She smiled and gave me a big hug before the memory shuttered and faded away, whirling into the wind. Another replaced it quickly before I got the chance to say anything to Allecto. I was at the dinner table with Autumn and another man, the man that I had encountered on Freeport 11 all those days ago.
So, Autumn tells me youre quite the pilot Leo.
I at this point and time only stared at the man with great hatred.
Why do you ask? I said simply, still glaring at him.
No reason, just trying to make idle conversation. After all Autumn wanted me to meet you, she speaks highly of you, you know.
Great. I replied with a sneer.
The memory almost, fast forwarded to a few hours later and the man had left by now, Autumn and I were washing dishes, arguing about something.
Hes a good man. Autumn argued.
Hes a goddamn liar, thats what he is. Talking about advanced technologythat man is dangerous; I want you to stay the hell away from him. Dont let him get involved in TANED. Doing so would only get you into more trouble.
More trouble? You make it seem like Im some kind of irresponsible child whos trying to play God Leo. For crying out loud honey, dont you want me to be happy?
I do, but believe me when I say, that man is bad news.
The memory faded and flew away, Allecto turned to look at me before going on.
I swear, what is it about human females and never listening.
Same reason I ask the question, why are AI so freaking cryptic.
Point taken, moving on.
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 04-26-2008
"We're going in reverse." said Allecto suddendly as the world shuttered into view again.
"Say again?" I asked.
"Reverse." is all she would say.
We stood on Yanagi again, my smaller self was running around with the girl as I had in the memory from before she jumped into Chugoku and was shot down by Tainted troops. She was holding a younger child with blonde hair and she handed him off to another woman.
"I don't know when I will be back." she said clearly. "Kurt's father should be coming through here soon. I don't know exactly when, but when he does let him know that he needs to take little Kurt into Liberty and away from Kusari completely. Have him change his name."
"I know Clare. I'll let him know." she said taking the child named Kurt from her arms. He immediately started crying and reaching out for my mother.
"It's ok Kurt...
"Mommy will be back soon."
-------------------------------
New York System, Liberty Space
Planet Manhattan, Skimming the Ionsphere
Viper Heavy Fighter
"Kurt 'Shadowbane' Kelly, stop your vessel immediately, you are under arrest for-"
"Illegal pourposes?" I asked.
The comm was cut and laser fire shot over head like a thousand angry insects looking to eat through my hull. I started laughing as I narrowly avoided another fighter streaking towards the planet surface...on fire. I looked up and saw a massive battleship circling over head. The Liberty Fighters vanished as I saw it stop, scan my ship, and then leave the area...
Who ever could scare off the Liberty dogs, was a friend in my book. I laid in a course, and started my chase.
-------------------------------
Leo's Memories
I was shocked...I had a brother...somewhere.
"What about you Clare? Where are you going?" asked the woman holding my little brother, who was now struggling to get free of her arms.
"I'm going to head to Kyoto, I think I can hide there for a while until Leo's father gives up the chase, he wouldn't be stupid enough to attack Kyoto."
"You never know."
She grew quiet and looked at her friend.
"Take Kurt, keep him safe, I'll be back when I can."
The memory disappeared quickly...but I knew she never would return...my brother could very well already be within the ranks of Tainted, and I wouldn't even know it...even if he was...
I still had family.
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 05-03-2008
I came to...I was standing exactly where I was before, the guards rushing me...it all just shut off? Like that? But I remembered...I remembered. I brought the blades up to my sides and stared at the guards rushing me. All I knew is I had to get to Autumn at no matter the cost, no matter what. I had no time for fighting these guards. I focused on the memory I had regained...
"Remember the melody from your childhood. Remember your mother soothing you quietly with the melody...remember this word Leo...this is the word that will lock you out of your abilities until you remember everything we planned together...remember my love...IGNITION."
Every block that had existed in my mind vanished and the abilities and implants came on in full force, full power and strength, my body was a power amongst all power, I was stronger than any creature, I was stronger than any man...I was the strongest creature that walked the cosmos...as the guards came up to me, I stood panting as they reached me. They stopped in their tracks.
"Drop your weapons Leo!" one yelled.
"Come and get them if you want them so bad." I spat.
The first one rushed me and I quickly deflected all his atacks. His mind looked like it switched to Nomad mode, but quickly shut off after it came on and he began to scream.
"Can't do it can you? Why not hmm?"
"Arrrgh..." he screamed holding his head. I launched and drove the blade through the back of his head. He fell limp to the ground. I rose slowly as the others were obviously angry at their lost comrade...I was losting valuable time, I had to make it to Autumn, and fast, who knows what that bastard was doing to her, I ran full sprint at the guards, spinning attacks as I went, cutting a hole through them, but as I ran, they parted ways, allowing me passage...I guess they didn't want to deal with me, or else they knew what was ahead.
As I charged into the adjoning hallway, I stood face to face with a man I had once been a friend with, long ago. Takashi stood facing me, his face calm, but his body language showing another story, he was angry, he was violent and he wanted vengance for something, I could see it in his eyes.
"Leo...do you...remember?" he asked, struggling.
"I do old friend...I do." I replied.
"Kill him Leo...kill that bastard...I'm going to stay here...save her...before it's too late."
I knew what he meant...even though I had my memory back, everything returned, some things still didn't make sense. Like I was jumbled and lost, they were mixed up and as I ran I tried to make sense of the memories, but they refused to right themselves. I came up to the top of the stairs and stopped as I saw the girl that was with Takashi, she was crying, she looked straight at me and gasped.
"No no no...you can't be here Leo. Takashi is on her side Leo!"
I shoved past her and heard her scream something at me.
"You know who I am daddy!"
I froze in my tracks. Autumn had been pregnant before I under went this entire plan. Gwen was truely my daughter...she was older than I thought she would be...could it be that I had spent more time than I thought in stasis? More time being in Tainted than I thought? She had to be at least nine years old, but at the time of Autumn's initial plan, she was just two months.
"You know who I am..." she said collapsing to the floor crying tears. Her eyes were breath taking blue...almost un-natural.
"Come with me...stay close." I said running down the hallway towards the door at the end and blew it open, spinning my blades out by my side as I did so, killing the two guards on either side, I looked up slowly and saw him standing behind the desk, both hands on the oak finish, he smiled at me. His bright white teeth shining even in the low light. Gwen hid behind me, shaking violently. The man opened his mouth and said the words that I hate to this day.
"Welcome home...son."
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 05-08-2008
It was the man from the Order ship, but what was he doing onboard a Tainted battleship? Tainted were the bi-product of Nomad tech, so why was this man standing before me on their flagship?
"16 years I've been waiting for my plants to finally become reality." he said laughing. "And now, finally, they stand before me, as perfect as I imagined..." he came forward and reached for Gwen who tried getting away, but instinct took over, or rather parenthood. The Nomad implants automatically kicked on and I shoved him back. A look of shock emerged on his face. "So you remember your past then? Kyoto?"
"Yes."
"Autumn?"
"Yes." I snarled. I remembered the dinner table where he sat at, I remember her saying he was a good man while so clearly he wasn't. I remembered her telling me he was drugging her, but he said he was my father.
"So naive." said a woman who came around to hug the man. Autumn stood before me, as real as ever.
"So are you real? Or are you a fraud like you have been before, simple halo messages meant to lead me off on a path of false objectives, leading me into wild goose chases? I thought I was here to turn Tainted back into TANED?"
"TANED? Are you joking? Look at us Leo, we're more than we could have imagined. We're stronger than any mortal creature. The Nomads have given us what we've always dreamed of...power. And you will become one of us again, as soon as we wipe your memories again...and that little brat will be ours, to be used for us, just as your father intended..."
Gwen...wait a minute. I remembered the research. It clearly stated that a normal Human creature with normal DNA mixed with someone of a Hybrid, would create a even stronger child...Gwen...she was that hybrid...then after Autumn was pregnant I was taken into Tainted...my bloodline was legendary, but if she obtained a child from me before I became what I am now...her deluded Tainted would become even stronger...I understood their game.
"And now that we have you both where we want you, you don't stand a chance. Activate Allecto." said another man behind me, Takashi was smiling behind me, but I saw a flicker of something on my HUD...a program opened and code scrolled by until I read a clear message.
"Allecto is one with you now, they cannot access it, prepare for battle my dear Leo...
"We are one."
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 05-08-2008
I saw a list of all the officers of Tainted, including "Host 001" which was "Stranger" I deduced that was the man before me, because he is the only one I recognized. Takashi went Nomad and came at me. A indicator popped up on the screen showing he was in Nomad, I cut the ties and he went back to normal, I with drew my swords quickly and cut his sword in half as soon as he got close enough. My 'father' went to the control console and started screaming something about the acursed AI.
I smiled as he looked up at me in sheer terror.
"You really slipped up there old man. You really think that an AI would support you? You have to wipe people's memories to do that."
"Silence your tongue boy." he said snarling.
"I suppose I'm not a boy. I was supposed to be in Tainted for three years before I regained my memory. Odds are I did. You didn't like it so you locked me out of my old memories causing me to become a good little boy...now it's been more than that...it's been nine years total...who knows how long you've had those implants, who knows you're not a Nomad yourself."
"I said silence your tongue!" he went Nomad but it quickly shut off and he held his head. "Curse your abilities!"
I recalled why they feared me. Not only was I able to resist Nomad infestation, but my implants were of hybrid status, I could temporarly shut off other people with the implants, in a painful manner. He rose to his feet after I let his abilities come back. Not only was I able to do that...I was stronger than them. My blood...was perfect, that's why they killed my mother...it was her blood. Not his. That's why they didn't want her escaping and giving her blood to the rest of humanity...so they could wipe them out and become the supreme force.
"Now you will die my dear boy."
The ship shook and he looked around in panic.
"I think not my old man...I would like you to meet my friends, some of which are returning home...Black Company."
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 05-08-2008
The ship shook even harder as he began scrambling for the door. He ran through it before glaring at me.
"You won't succeed Leo." he said. "We're close to our base, you will be lost there."
I thought back to Jadyn and smiled.
"Think what you like, dad."
He snarled and the blast door slammed closed as he ran away. Autumn tried getting through but he had locked the systems out. She turned around slowly as she saw me. I cut her abilities out from under her as I walked towards her. A look of panic crept up on her face as she tried getting away, crawling at the wall behind her as she tried getting away.
"You realize this is only temporary right Leo?" I hear Allecto say.
"I know, until you find another place to reside. I'll keep an eye out."
"Thank you."
"So what now?" Autumn said, finally calming down after I stopped and only stared at her.
"I think we should see other people." I said sarcastically. "Somewhere along the line the implants and the Nomad itself made you evil, twisted your inhibitions into something far more sinister." I started walking towards her again and she started to scramble away again.
"S-stay away from me!" she screamed.
"But why? Don't you love me?" I had her backed into a corner where she stopped I held my face close to hers, my glowing blue eyes shining in her own. "Why don't you love me?" I restored her implants and watched as she snarled and stared at me. Her own coming online and her eyes turning blue as well. "You will find, I will not help you..."
She hit me with her palm in the chest and I flew back, nearly missing Gwen who was shivering near one of the consoles. Once she saw me, her resolve grew and she stood up as well, standing next to me, her own implants coming online.
"Two weaklings." she snarled "This will be easy."
I only laughed as I placed my hand on the console next to me and entered in a lockout code, and placed Allecto within it. The ship shook again as the Black Company battleships and fighters assaulted the ships hull and shields. Autumn rushed me but before she could blink I had my blades out and blocked her onslaught. She looked at me in surprise as I kicked her back to where she started from in the corner. I looked up and stared her down. Gwen roared loudly and charged, I followed and both our blades found her chest. Autumn clawed at her chest as blood ran down her clothes, the swords blue glow a shocking contrast to her crimson blood.
"I love you..." she gasped, staring into my eyes.
"I know...I love you too...I always have." I said, a tear rolling down my cheek. She fell limp as we removed our blades. "Gwen." She looked up at me. "Head to subsection D of the ship, panel 83. Black Company will be entering through that area. Lock it out with forcefields, and use a airlock pattern to get them on the ship, make sure they make it on ok."
"Yes father, right away." she said running off down the hallway. I looked down at Autumn and closed her eyes. My other hand balled into a fist as I stared at the door my father had escaped through.
"You will pay...I swear to the gods...you will pay with your life."
Chapter Four: Brothers - Leo - 05-08-2008
"It's good to have you back sir." said my second in command, Albert "Crash" Greenwhich. "I can finally stop making command decisions."
"Noted...what's the plan?" I asked.
"Well, we get in and get out quickly, killing as many as possible. I heard about Autumn, Gwen told me. It had to be done Leo. She wouldn't have stopped hunting you, she had become too twisted by the implants."
"I know, lets not talk about that, we need to figure out what to do here and now, forgive my cold attitude."
"Right, let me see those blueprints of the station."
I handed them over and he looked them over on the screen infront of us. We had explored some and discovered this old run down briefing room. We connected up a few cords and began planning while Black Company opperatives kept watch. Gwen was exploring other levels of the ship, trying to get a handle on the situation.
"Looks like we should enter here...that's of course only if this big boat doesn't dock with the station. It looks smallish in size, so they will more than likely take ships over and self destruct this ship in hopes it kills us off."
"Not very smart are they these days?" I said with a smile.
"No sir, they're not." he replied.
"What did I tell you about calling me sir Al?"
"Sorry, regardless, it seems as if they're losing members fast, they're all turning tail and leaving, regaining memories, turns out their fool proof method for wiping memories wasn't as fool proof as they thought. We regained ours with in a few years, it only took you three until they locked you out of yours...six long years...still...we board here." he said pointing at the landing bay. "You land here." he said pointing at the other bay. "We will get the information we need and bug out. It's up to you to get Shan...don't forget that she's locked in Conversion Room 6-Alpha. That's where you have to get to, it's at the other end of the hall."
"Dad, Gwen here." Squaked the radio.
"Go ahead Gwen."
"I found Sarah. I think they tried wiping her memories again, she's ok, I got her out in time, she's weak though, we need to get her on to one of the Black Company ships quick and get her the hell out of here."
I looked at Al and he nodded.
"Copy that Gwen." he said over the radio "We'll bring one in, make sure she stays safe."
"Will do Al. Gwen out."
He looked up and smiled.
"She's been one hell of an undercover agent Leo. You should be proud of her."
I smiled.
"Oh, I am...believe me...I am."