Chapter 81: Atlas

News From Around The World

Non-Aggression Agreement Reached With the Eikoryu Empire

Worldwide Suicide Numbers Now In The Millions Due To Knowledge Of An Afterlife

Environmentalist Joe Lotte In Trouble For Saying The Merger Was One Of The Best Things To Happen For The World's Environment

Kraken And Earth's Giant Squid Shares Similar Genetic Structure, Assumed Shared Ancestry

Everett's Group Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize

VVVVVV

Secret Island

Several days later...

Thomas shot up in his bed in a panic with tears in his eyes. His body was coated with a thin layer of sweat and his breathing was shallow. He rubbed his face and check his surroundings to see his lovers still asleep around him. Tom calmed himself before he teleported out of the bed and onto the floor. He threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and walked out.

Tom grabbed a drink from the fridge and went outside. It was still dark out but the full moon lit up the area bright enough to see clearly. Tom set up a chair on the beach at the shoreline. The warm waves crashed over his bare feet. He popped the tab on his drink and took a sip while he meditated on the sound of the ocean. Tom felt his heart rate go down as he did.

"Are you okay?" Reia asked him.

Tom nearly shot out of his chair when he heard her voice.

"R-Reia?!" he sputtered. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"Not directly," she replied as she approached him. "I just noticed my precious heat rock was missing and wondered where he went. But seriously, are you okay?"

"I'm... No," he answered. Tears came to his eyes. "I'm not alright."

Reia crouched by his side and placed her hands on his shoulder and forearm.

"What's wrong?"

"I've been having this reoccurring dream. No... Nightmare. I'm back at Stonehenge and Kara is back in my arms only for me to see her die again. I try to move on, but I can't! I'm sorry, Ree. I loved her. I really loved her."

"Oh, Tom..." she cooed. Reia coddled Tom in her arms. "I loved her too."

"It was the third time in my life I watched a loved one die before me."

"Third time?"

"I've already told you how I watched my parents die from a flu years ago. Well, my first encounter with death was with my dog Rip. He was a vizsla breed. I got him when I was five years old. He was family and such a good dog. At eleven years old, Rip was diagnosed with lymphoma. It was a highly aggressive form and treatment would not prolong his life by long. We opted to have him put to sleep. We set an appointment to have the vet come over. My dad at the time was away for some medical seminar and the vet required someone to hold Rip while he got the injection. My mom wouldn't be strong enough to hold him. So I had to do it. The vet came over and I set Rip on the bed of his truck. I held him down as the doctor put in the needle. From there it turned into a goddamn horror show."

Reia felt Tom shake and held him tighter.

"Rip started screaming. I never heard a dog or any animal make this sound. He started to struggle so I held onto him tighter. I felt his heart race to the point I thought it would explode. After a few moments, the solution took full effect and he lost his strength. He stopped screaming. I felt his heart slow down until it stopped. You know what's really fucked up?"

"What?" Reia asked.

"I found out a couple years later that it was heavily botched. The stupid piece of shit vet misunderstood my mom. He asked her if Rip was okay with needles, and she replied yes. He took that to mean it's okay to avoid giving him some needle that would have sedated Rip before the actual needle or something like that. My dog suffered at the end of his life because of that trash. I fucking suffered! It felt like I betrayed him at the end of his life."

"I'm sure your dog loved you and was glad that you were there at the end when he was scared. You gave him comfort at the end of his life. You didn't betray him."

Tom sighed sadly. "I know. It took me a while to get by it, but I did. At least I thought I did. Holding Kara in my arms reminded me of that time. I felt her grow cold in my arms. I was even looking her in the eyes when she vanished."

"Tom, listen," Reia cooed. "You don't have to put on a strong front for us. We love you and if you're hurting, we want to know. You're not in this fight alone. Let us help you heal."

Tom pulled Reia into his lap to hold her closer.

"Thank you," he sighed.

The two sat there in quiet embrace. Unknown to them, Lucia was hidden behind a nearby tree. Due to her previous bad sleeping habits, she was up earlier than the others. She was out exploring the island when she spotted Tom on his chair. Lucia was close to going out to greet him but then Reia approached him.

Lucia hung back to avoid intruding on them. When she listened, she felt her heart ache. The "family" she grew up with had no empathetic or compassionate emotions. This family was different. There was genuine love between them. They were able to open up to each other and accept each other's vulnerabilities.

It was a family she always wanted. A family she hopes to eventually become a part of.

VVVVVV

Skysign

The sky was clear of clouds over Skysign as the sun peaked over the mountains. A small portion of the population was out and about on the streets. Stores were yet to open, but the shopkeepers were preparing for the day ahead. The tiki torches still remained on the streets and emitted their heat. Tom's team appeared on the streets.

The girls' were tired from less sleep than they were used to. This time, Tom had winter coats for everyone to wear. The magic tournament was going to start in about three hours and Tom wanted to be there early. He expected the first of the tournament attendees to arrive in about an hour to an hour and a half. They were to make sure that no issues rose up before the tournament began.

"Holy shit, Tom?" a voice called out to them.

They looked in the direction of the voice. Laura Garza stood there in her military dress uniform. Her dark blue coat had her medals and ribbons displayed over her left breast. Her rank insignia of Captain was on top each shoulder. A black bar displaying "Garza" was over her right breast.

"Garza?" Tom said. "Man, it has been a while. Few weeks?"

"At least that," she said back.

"Who is she?" Lucia whispered to Sylmae.

"She was one of our strongest allies for the last year. She got infected by a werewolf, but we cured her and she became the second human to gain access to the SYSTEM. She's also really high levelled thanks to doing missions with us."

Laura noticed the addition of Lucia and asked, "New member of your harem?"

Lucia blushed at the comment.

"Please don't call it a harem?" Tom groaned.

"I'll call it a harem," Vivian said under her breath. "My harem."

"I'm only joking," Garza said while shrugging. "But seriously, who is she?"

"I am Lucia Vena, formerly known as Princess Tuilene Morbus of the Zokot Kingdom," Lucia answered. "I defected to the UNDF after spending years subverting my country's slave system under the guise of Liberator. I am the Toxin Elemental and I am a part of Tom's team."

"Nice little summary there." Garza glanced over to Tom. "You work fast, Tom. Finding another Elemental so soon. A princess at that."

"We might have some other leads," Tom said. "But I have to keep it under wraps for now."

"Yeah, I get. Wait... Weren't the Morbus family more or less wiped out?"

"That was me," Lucia admitted with no remorse. "They tried to sell me off to a rapist General. I killed as many of them as I could before I left."

"Ah, right. The son survived. If I recall, our Intelligence people are saying that the country is in chaos now because of their deaths. The surviving son is working to stabilize things, so we won't have to worry about them launching an attack any time soon. Good job. That probably saved a lot of lives in the long run."

"Thank you."

"So why are you here?" Reia asked.

"Just running a couple errands while my team helps train some new recruits back at HQ," Garza replied. "The UNDF has been moving my team from one Ops to another. We mostly do Beast Ops, though. I might watch the tournament today."

"You should," Tala said. "I'm going to be in it."

"Ho-Holy shit," she laughed. "Those people don't stand a chance. Why are you entering though?"

"The grand prize is my father's staff. I'm getting it back."

"Ah, right. I believe I heard that the UNDF is negotiating with the Eikoryu to get Reia's stuff."

"Any word about my father's hammer?" Vi asked.

"We haven't made contact with the Bolaweth Kingdom yet. We've been busy. Many monster attacks have stretched our resources to protect civilian centres. We are more likely going to contact the Duellia Kingdom first. So Sylmae will get her stuff at the very least."

The nearby Portal activated which made them glance in the direction due to the new source of light.

"Well, I've taken enough of your time. I better get my errands done if I want to catch the tournament. I missed the commotion you bunch caused at the Guild. I sure as hell want to see Tala tear it up."

Tom looked back at the Portal and saw it was connected to Manhattan. A group of people in civilian wear walked through which confused Tom. The only civilians currently allowed in Skysign were reporters, cameramen, and the food truck people. None of the people who walked through had any camera or recording equipment. One of their coats was open which displayed a symbol on their shirt that immediately angered Tom.

"Oh, hell no," he growled. "Girls, I'll meet you at the tournament. Garza I need your help with this."

"What's wrong?" Reia asked.

"It's fucking Atlas."

"Sonuva!" Garza cursed. "Okay, come on."

"See you at the arena, Tom," Tala said. "Remember, it's next to the University."

Tom and Garza rushed off.

"What's Atlas?" Lucia asked.

"They're a human supremacist group," Sylmae replied. "They're just a bunch of idiots."

Garza got out her radio as she ran.

"This is Captain Garza. We have unauthorized civilians at the Skysign Portal. We've identified them as Atlas. Specialist Everett and I are on route to confront them. We require MPs."

The two reached the Portal in time to confront the hate group.

"Where the fuck do you all think you're going?" Tom said. "Now, I know for a fact you bunch are not authorized to enter Skysign."

"We have a right to be here!" one of the yelled. "We're expressing our right to peacefully protest."

"This is a different country," Garza explained in a firm tone. "Travel here is restricted and requires a permit. One such permit you do not have."

Tom noticed some of the protesters had gotten out their phones to record Tom.

"And just so you know, I too have a camera," Tom said as he pointed to the camera attached to his breast pocket. He has kept a body cam with his for a while now. Whenever he goes out on missions or is out on the continent for an extended period of time, he picks one up at HQ. Before he returns home, he returns it in case they track his movement back home.

"Now you all are to go back through the Portal or we'll have to arrest the lot of you," Garza said.

"You can't do that!"

"We can and will," Tom assured them. "Now I'm going to give you all to the count of five before I start teleporting each of you into jail cells."

"You wouldn't dare, you ni-"

"You what?!" Tom interrupted the protester with a growl.

The protesters didn't say another word as they realized what one of their own nearly said.

With a wide-eyed intensity, Tom took a step forward. "One." He took another step forward. "Two."

Realizing he wasn't bluffing, the protesters quickly turned around and ran back through the Portal.

"What was that about?" the Portal operator asked.

"I'm so sorry about that situation," Tom apologized. "I'll be right back in a few minutes and I'll explain everything. Just please wait."

Tom and Garza went through the Portal behind the protesters into Manhattan. The UNDF guards at the Portal looked on in confusion at the scene.

"Guards, escort these unauthorized civilians out of here," Tom ordered.

The guards surrounded the protesters and urged them out of the area. Tom and Garza looked towards the Portal operator who had a look of horror on his face.

"That's an appropriate face," Tom said with a voice of authority he rarely used. "For someone who realizes just how badly he fucked."

"How did you allow these unauthorized civilians through the Portal?" Garza demanded of the Portal operator.

"They, uh, had the paperwork, Captain," he replied nervously.

"Give me that paperwork!"

The operator handed it over. Garza only glanced at it before a look of fury came across her face.

"This is clearly fake! As an operator, you should have known."

"Well, uh..." the operator was clearly flustered.

Tom at this point saw something on the man's wrist. He grabbed him by the area and pulled down his sleeve. The an Atlas tattoo was on his wrist.

"You stupid bastard," Tom growled.

During the confrontation, the military police had arrived at the gate.

"Officers, arrest this man," Tom ordered them.

The MPs approached the man.

"Why be with the UNDF if you're with Atlas?" Tom asked the man as the MPs grabbed him by his arms.

"I lost my entire family when our worlds merged," the man cried out. "This god forsaken world took everything of mine!"

"Hastur is responsible for your pain. Not the people of Xoth nor this world. Now you've thrown your life away due to your own misdirected anger."

"Go to hell," he growled.

The MPs escorted the man away. Garza handed another MP the fake documents that were made to cover the Portal operator's involvement.

"Dammit," Tom muttered. "Dereliction of duty and falsifying government documents?"

"Among other things," Garza said. "We can't allow this to happen again. I'll speak with the Commander about cracking down on anyone within our ranks that might share views with Atlas. We cannot have another breach of security like this again. We're lucky we stopped them before they caused a disturbance."

"I'll speak with the Skysign operator and quickly go over what just happened and where to go from here," Tom said.

"Alright. I'll take care of things on this end. Go on and join your girls."

"Thanks, Captain."

Garza gave him a thumbs up as she quickly jogged to catch up with the MPs. Tom walked back through the Portal to a confused operator and two city guards.

"You can close it up," Tom said to the operator.

The Portal closed behind him. Tom approached the operator and two guards.

"I'm so sorry for that situation," he apologized.

"What was that about?" the operator asked him.

"Those were people from a hate group known as Atlas," Tom said. "They were trying to start a protest in your city to cause a disruption in your city. This situation was a lapse in our security, but we found the problem and had it fixed. We will work hard not to allow this situation to occur again."

"I'm not familiar with the term 'hate group'," one of the guards said.

"Hate group is an official term used by organizations and governments of my people to label groups that are dedicated towards hating specific demographics of people. In this case, Atlas is a group dedicated towards hating the people of Xoth."

"I see..."

Tom took out a pen and piece of paper from his Inventory and quickly drew a circle with a triangle underneath it. The shapes were meant to be a simple representation of Atlas. The circle the Earth and the triangle was to be the titan itself. To them, they believe themselves to be Atlas, the titan burdened with holding the world on its shoulders. The shapes also come together to form an A for Atlas.

"This is the symbol of Atlas," Tom said as he presented the image. "If you guards see anyone bearing this mark whether on a shirt or tattoo, please have them arrested. You can hand them over to the embassy and we'll have them punished properly. Again I am sorry for this breach in security."

"Nothing happened and you took responsibility over it, so it's fine," one of the guards said. "I'll notify the others of this mark."

"Thank you for your understanding. If we're done here, I have to make it to the tournament. I want to wish my lover good luck before it starts."