Chapter 11: Golden Phoenix

Emperor Shiro Munchausen huffed out a breath as he threw open the balcony doors, stepping out into the sunshine. Making his way over to the stone railing, he peered over. The brunette resisted the disgusted scowl that threatened to leave him as he observed the world below him.

Different day, same, ignorant cockroaches…

He ran a hand through his ebony hair. He honestly thought he would’ve managed to crush the rebellion once and for all by now. The buffoon, Vladsco, was ruining everything! And Eric…

The brunette tilted his head back with a sigh. The boy seemed dead set on making a mockery of him. A dark smile pulled at his lips. Vladsco would be easily dealt with soon enough. Honestly, the man was well past his prime.

The emperor was brought out of his thoughts as he heard the ‘click’ of his chamber door opening. With another sigh, the brunette moved to greet his guest, buttoning up his white dress-shirt.

A young man, who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, poked his head in the door. “U-Um, I’m sorry for the disturbance, Sir-”

“Out with it!” the emperor barked, beckoning the blond into the room.

“It’s about Pheora, Sir,” the young Holy Council member stated, chewing his lip in apprehension as the man’s face scrunched up in apparent disgust.

“It’s only been a day. My nephew can’t handle his own crowning ceremony?”

“Well, there was some was some dissension, but we have reason to believe that the Genesis Project was sighted fleeing the scene.”

Shiro’s brow ticked upward. “What? Good God, not this nonsense again. How can something that is supposed to be dead be such a pain in my ass?”

The blond hesitantly shrugged. “Eye-witness accounts were a positive match, Sir. It’s been confirmed by surveillance footage.”

“When does General Vladsco arrive?”

The blond seemed to shrink back, an apprehensive expression suddenly appearing in his features. “H-He’s been delayed, Sir.”

An agitated scowl left the emperor’s lips. “Of course he has. Well, get him on the phone. Call him janitor Vladsco when I’m done with him. This is his mess to clean up.”

The blond bowed. “R-right away, Emperor.”

****

The elder general gave a weary sigh, rubbing his temples against the migraine he could feel setting in. So far, there was simply no trace of the boy. He was almost positive now that Cain knew more than he was letting on.

He frowned. He only hoped he would be able to recover him alive.

The general stifled a yawn. He hadn’t slept properly in three or four days now. He squinted, rubbing his eyes. Standing up, he made his way across the elaborate, red carpet that comprised the floor of his office.

His eyes glossed over the various plaques and medals that adorned the bold, gray walls. He had done great work in his time. However, he couldn’t deny that the atmosphere in the capital appeared to be changing. The people were growing as tired as he was.

Vladsco closed his eyes. He couldn’t very well blame them. After nearly twenty years of war, just about anyone would be ready for some type of reform.

Opening his eyes, another sigh escaped him. As much as the general hated to admit it, The Order was growing weaker by the day. The Resistance, however, appeared to be doing just the opposite.

His eyes narrowed. How were they doing it? How were they growing their numbers so quickly?

A rapping at the door drew the seasoned general’s attention.

“Enter,” he beckoned.

A lean, young man adorned in silver armor entered the room. A grim cloud of apprehension darkened his mocha complexion. “Emperor Shiro requests to speak with you, Sir.”

Vladsco pulled a face. Shit. “Thank you, O’ Connor.”

The youth nodded. “Line two, Sir.”

With that, the young soldier took his leave, closing the door behind him with a ‘clang’.

Vladsco slowly made his way back over to his desk, sitting down in the luxurious, leather chair with a belabored sigh. Mentally preparing himself, he picked up the phone on his desk, tapping the button. “Emperor Shiro, how wonderful it is to hear from you. And might I say what a glorious day it is that God has given us today?”

“Cut the crap, Vladsco!” snapped the voice on the other end of the line.

Vladsco clapped a hand over the speaker, giving a loud sigh of annoyance before attempting again. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Sir.”

“Don’t give me that! I told you that I wanted to see you and 010 here in Deinan four days ago!”

“Er, yes, Sir. I’m afraid Cain will be unable to attend. I assure you that I can answer any questions you may have for him,” the general replied.

There was a sigh on the other end of the line. “Experiments don’t have names, you buffoon. Speaking of: Word on the street is that your little, lost pet is in Pheora.”

Vladsco quirked a brow. 50 miles south of Delta? He wouldn’t have gone that far without orders. “Pheora? What on God’s green earth would he be doing in Pheora?”

“Causing trouble!”

“Now, hold on a moment, Sir. How do we know this is-”

“We have eye-witness description and surveillance footage,” Shiro cut him off. “Him and some riffraff from The Resistance were seen disrupting the peace at Eric’s crowning ceremony. I’ve petitioned the footage, so we’ll have names soon enough. Given the area, I’d say they were some of Derwent’s.”

Vladsco frowned.

As if sensing his unease, Shiro continued. “Shouldn’t pose a problem for you. After all, weren’t you the one that said you were coming close to zeroing in on the location of his base?”

“That is correct, Sir. It shouldn’t be much longer, especially now that we know how far 012 is from Delta.”

The answer seemed to appease the emperor. “I mean it, Vladsco. YOU WILL clean up this mess. Mark my words: If I have to send my men to retrieve your little pet, you will get him back…in pieces!”

The ‘click’ of the receiver buzzed in his ears, causing the older man to give another, weary sigh. Hanging up the phone, a dark smile graced his lips. As irksome as the emperor could be, he had just inadvertently made his day.

****

Vincent drew in a deep breath as he slowly crawled out of his bed. Placing a hand to his chest, he closed his eyes. These new stitches burned something awful!

The teen glared, replaying his conversation with Kurt over in his mind again before shaking his head slightly. The boy wasn’t worth the energy. There was a new day to look forward to, after all. He would get some breakfast, then find his lieutenant.

The thought brought a smile to the brunette’s face as he quickly dressed himself in the new clothes Kurt had procured for him. The athletic suit was much like the one he’d had before, though it was red instead of green.

The teen made his way to the door, throwing it open and moving to step into the hall. There was a small yelp, followed by a small hand clutching to his shirt, as his impromptu visitor attempted to regain her balance by holding onto him for support.

Vincent bit his lip as he held her up with a gentle hand upon her shoulder, feeling his cheeks burn as he gazed into her wide, sapphire eyes. “U-um, good morning to you too, Ali-er-Miss Lynheart.”

The blonde gave an awkward smile as her pale cheeks tinged in a pink hue. “M-morning, Vincent. I was just, uh, coming to see how you were holding up. I didn’t get the chance to see you last night, so…yeah…”

Vincent smiled at her stammering. “I’m doing as well as I can be, I suppose; assuming that I’m not in any more trouble over yesterday.”

Alice frowned. “Don’t worry about yesterday, Vincent.” Realizing she was still holding onto him, she quickly pried her fingers away, flushing a deep crimson. Clearing her throat, the blonde continued. “Anyway, I’m glad to hear you’re feeling alright. Looks like I won’t have to kick Kurt’s teeth in, after all.”

Vincent frowned briefly before forcing a cheery smile to grace his lips. “Y-yeah, he seems to have done a pretty good job. At least I’m not bleeding anymore.”

Alice eyed the boy suspiciously for a moment but let the subject slide for the time being. “Well, I was on my way to have some breakfast. Would you like to join me?”

The brunette’s face seemed to light up in an instant. He nodded.

Alice returned the boy’s smile before turning and leading the way down the hall, Vincent quickly falling into step beside her.

Upon reaching the cafeteria, Alice made her way over to a small table with a large, silver machine in the back corner.

“You like coffee, Vincent?” she asked the boy as he followed her.

The brunette gave an awkward laugh. “W-well, I don’t really know. Never had it.”

The girl clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “We can’t have that.”

Collecting one of the paper cups stacked neatly next to the machine, the blonde set to work. Vincent watched as she poured a dark liquid into the cup before stirring in another liquid she located to the right of the contraption, white in color, until the concoction blended into a light-fawn hue. She handed the cup to him then, giving a triumphant smile.

Vincent chuckled lightly as he accepted the warm beverage. He winced slightly as his fingers curled around the cup. Make that HOT beverage!

Noticing, the girl gave a soft giggle. “Careful. These machines do keep it pretty warm,” she cautioned.

Blowing on the liquid to cool it a bit, the boy took a drink. His amber eyes lit up at the pleasing, rich taste, his insides warming. “It’s really good.”

The girl smiled before preparing her own cup. Vincent followed as she then led the way to a small window. Peering inside, Vincent could see a few people scurrying around as they went about their tasks. A young woman with short, brown hair eventually made her way over, sliding two metal trays containing a plate of scrambled eggs and toast through the slot beneath.

Alice thanked the girl before passing one of the trays to Vincent. The pair then made their way to one of the vacant tables in the far corner of the room and sat down across from each other.

The two teens began to eat together as a comfortable silence fell over them. Vincent inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. The girl seemed to be in pleasant spirits, which was enough to lift his heavy heart. A warm smile graced his features as he took a moment to glance her over.

The pale, pink, lace dress she wore was form-fitting, seeming to hug her curves just right. The white jacket she wore today was a bit more elaborate than the one she’d worn the day before. The silver buttons appeared to be engraved with a rose pattern, which further accentuated the soft, feminine charm of her wardrobe. The sleeves were buttoned up to a three quarters sleeve, giving him a view of the blue band of her watch.

The brunette gave a soft sigh of contentment. For the first time since his arrival, he felt a sense of peace and normalcy. The teen almost laughed. Okay, so as normal as a place like an underground military facility could possibly be.

Vincent had taken about three forkfuls of his eggs when he heard footsteps quickly approaching from behind him. The boy barely had time to turn around before he was knocked to the ground, nearly banging his head on the table.

“J-Jonathan! What are you doing?!” Alice shouted in alarm as she scrambled to her feet.

Dazed from the blow, Vincent gingerly rubbed the right side of his skull as the blonde knelt at his side. Looking up, he finally focused on his attacker.

Jonathan folded his arms, his brown eyes glaring holes into the brunette. “Do you have any idea what your little stunt yesterday caused? Huh?!”

“That’s enough, Jonathan! Knock it off!” Alice ordered, rising to place a hand firmly against the boy’s chest.

The blond was backed up a few paces, baring a slightly wounded expression. “Come on, Alice. You can’t tell me he’s gonna get off scot-free-”

Seth appeared, giving an almost apologetic glance as he placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Let the lieutenant handle it, John, okay?”

Vincent looked away. He should have expected as much. So much for blending in…

“Look, Jonathan, I know you’re upset, but Vincent had a good reason for doing what he did. You weren’t there,” Alice soothed before pulling Vincent to his feet.

“No…my kid was,” Jonathan returned. “Now there’s no telling if he’s going to have enough food to last through the ration!”

Alice’s brows furrowed. “Ration?”

Seth nodded. “Yeah, we just got word from the commander. Pheora is in lockdown until further notice.”

Alice gave an agitated sigh, biting her lip. “Leo say what the plan is? What we’re gonna do for aid? I mean, we do have a small stockpile.”

Seth snorted, shaking his head. “You’re kidding, right?”

Jonathan reached over, grabbing ahold of Vincent’s shirt collar, leaning in. “You better start thinking before you act. You pull something like that again, and not even the lieutenant is going to be able to save you,” he whispered darkly.

Vincent swallowed, prying the boy’s hand away. “Look, I get it, okay?!”

The group fell silent then. Alice placed a comforting hand on Vincent’s shoulder, an act that didn’t go unnoticed by Seth.

The door to the cafeteria opened, drawing the lieutenant’s attention as Kurt entered. Catching sight of her, he approached the group.

“I was just coming to find you, Alice,” the brunette murmured. Taking in the scene, he paused to glance among the four. “Am…am I interrupting?”

Alice quickly shook her head, bringing a swift end to the matter. “Not at all. We were all just saying good morning.” Glancing at Seth and Jonathan, she pinned them with a hard look. “Right, boys?”

Seth quickly nodded. Jonathan gave a noncommittal grunt, looking away.

Kurt gave the group another awkward glance before shrugging. “Oookay. Anyway, Leo wants to see us. He sent me to get you and Vincent.”

Vincent gave an inward sigh. Oh, joy…

Alice nodded before giving Vincent’s shoulder a squeeze. “Shall we, then?”

Vincent turned to give the girl a smile, though he could hardly manage one at the moment. Instead, the boy merely nodded.

The trio made to leave as Seth gently caught Alice’s hand in passing, causing the blonde to pause. “W-wait, Lieutenant. I kinda wanted to talk to you.”

Catching the impatient glare from her brother, Alice gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Look, we’ll talk as soon as I get back, okay?”

Seth rolled his eyes at Kurt before nodding. “It’s a date.”

Alice snorted, a brief smile tugging at her lips as she patted the boy’s shoulder before following Kurt and Vincent out of the cafeteria.

****

Leo Derwent whistled a nameless tune as he sat in his leather chair, flipping through the latest field report he’d been given. So far, everything had turned out as he’d predicted.

He sighed.

Pheora would probably be in lockdown for at least the better part of three weeks. The boy had certainly made his job more difficult.

A dark smile tugged at his lips. However, he wasn’t commander for nothing. Where there was a will, there was a way. He would turn the tragedy into a benefit before the day was out. All he required was the necessary information. That’s where his daughter would come in.

The blond looked up as the door to his office opened, his visitors quietly filing in before moving to stand at his desk.

Leo’s blue eyes fell upon Vincent. The brunette’s head was down, appearing to be doing his best to not be noticed by the commander.

Leo gave a fox’s grin. He couldn’t blame the boy. If he’d been in his shoes, he was quite positive he wouldn’t want to be noticed either. Turning his attention to the young woman, he offered a small nod.

“Have a seat, Lieutenant.”

Alice did as she was bid without much complaint, Vincent and Kurt choosing to remain standing behind her.

Leo eyed the girl warily. He didn’t like it. Something about her seemed…off. Guarded. The blond blew out a sigh. She was obviously still angry with him.

“I’m skipping through the pleasantries this morning, if you don’t mind,” the commander began. Receiving a nod of affirmation from the girl, he continued. “Our informant has contacted us again. There was an error in communication, and they were prevented from meeting with us yesterday, but they have agreed to meet today at Rosehill diner.”

“You really think we can trust them? If they have so much to say, then why don’t they use the proper channels?” Alice replied, a small amount of annoyance seeping into her tone. Honestly, she was quickly growing tired of playing messenger.

“Because they have insider information that they don’t feel comfortable with just blurting over a radio channel. And thanks to your boy’s little stunt yesterday, we need their information pertaining to possible supply lines,” Leo retorted, eyes narrowed in agitation.

Alice sighed. Orders were orders. Sparing a glance at the amber-eyed boy behind her, she saw him hang his head. Folding her arms, she turned back to her father. “So we at least have a set location this time?”

Leo nodded. “Correct. Wear the rose pin I gave you yesterday. We’re using the same code phrase.”

The lieutenant gave another sigh, rising from the chair. “And are we going to offer any aid to the people of Pheora to get them through?”

Commander Derwent chuckled, shaking his head. “And what aid would you have us give, Alice? While it is unfortunate that they are suffering, we have to do everything in our power to keep our people’s strength as close to peak as possible.”

“Leo, the last lockdown lasted almost an entire month. We can’t just sit back and-”

“And maybe you’ll keep that thought in mind while you’re there today.” The commander paused, glancing at Vincent briefly, “Perhaps it will inspire you to keep a closer watch on your men from now on.”

Alice fumed. Whether from her own self-shame, or her father’s perceived callousness, she didn’t know. Her pale cheeks puffed out slightly. The lighting in the room dimmed.

Leo quirked a brow as Vincent opened his mouth as if to say something. At the commander’s penetrating glance, the boy sighed, snapping his mouth shut once more.

“Anyway, you’ll want to head out. It’s best we get this meeting done and over with as quickly as possible,” the commander finally stated, seeming to be unperturbed by the shift in atmosphere. That, or he simply chose to ignore it. Vincent assumed it was the latter.

Kurt, obviously seeking to lighten the tense mood, chose that moment to speak. “S-So, you also said you wanted to see me?”

The blond nodded. “Yes. You and Vincent will be going along as well.”

Kurt balked. Not again! “Wh-what? Me? I mean, I understand Vincent-” He paused, receiving a glare from the other boy. “But why me? I am a technician, not a soldier.”

“And it’s time you broadened your horizons,” Leo countered, shaking his head before waving them off. “Anyway, I will leave everything to you, Lieutenant. I expect a full report when you get back.”

Alice sighed, nodding in resignation as she made for the door, beckoning the boys after her.

****

Vincent was silent as he continued to follow the other two teens down the hall to the loading docks. For what certainly wasn’t the first time, Seth’s words replayed in his mind.

What you did today put her in more hot water than you even realize.

The brunette sighed. So far, the girl seemed to be the only one willing to forgive him his oversight. At least Kurt seemed to be ignoring him for the time being. The thought nearly made the teen snort in disgust.

Not a big loss.

Upon reaching the loading docks, Kurt’s eyes seemed to light up as he moved toward his car.

“Oh, no. Not this time. I’m driving,” Alice stated as she gestured to a small, red SUV. “We’re taking this one.”

Kurt frowned, pursing his lips. “Oh, come on!”

The blonde folded her arms, causing the boy to roll his eyes before sighing in defeat.

Vincent bit the corner of his lip, hoping with all his might that the relief didn’t show on his face as he made his way to the indicated vehicle. He paused when the blonde approached him, cloth in hand. Sighing in resignation, he closed his eyes.

“I really am sorry, Vincent. I hope you know that I don’t like having to do this,” she murmured, securely fastening the blindfold.

The brunette nodded, once again forcing a smile upon his face. “It’s okay, Lieutenant.”

His sight then gave way to black. He missed the warm smile the girl gave him before turning to her brother as he opened the front-passenger door.

“Oh, no, you don’t.”

Kurt glared, pausing. “Now what?”

“You ride in back today. Vincent’s riding up front,” the lieutenant replied as she guided the blinded boy into the passenger seat.

Kurt sighed in agitation. Retaliation for yesterday? He should have expected as much. It wouldn’t be like her to just let such a statement go, he supposed. “Fine,” he grumbled as he pulled the rear, right-passenger door open. “You know…it isn’t MY fault Dad chewed you out.”

Hearing the door slam, Alice rolled her eyes. It’s going to be one of those days… With a sigh, the teen made her way around the vehicle to the driver’s side and climbed in. Adjusting the seat to fit her small height, she smiled. It had been quite some time since she’d gotten to drive.

“Everyone set?”

Kurt merely huffed in the backseat, folding his arms. Vincent nodded.

Alice started the car then, and the trio set out.

Vincent leaned back in his seat as the car rolled gently along. The SUV offered a more pleasant experience than Kurt’s ‘car’ had. However, it was quite difficult to fully relax while being unable to see. He reached his hand out, feeling for the armrest. He froze, feeling his fingers brush soft flesh instead.

The warm hand he’d brushed stiffened slightly before slowly curling around his own. Vincent swallowed, feeling his heart jump as their fingers slipped between one another’s.

“Y-you doing alright, Vincent?”

The boy felt his face warm. Her tone was gentle and soft. Almost as soft as the appendage he now held. “I’m…I’m fine,” he finally managed.

A loud scowl erupted from the backseat. “I distinctly recall mentioning something about old habits yesterday,” Kurt quipped.

“Yeah, and I distinctly recall no one caring,” Alice retorted.

Vincent held in a gasp as the hand he held grew warmer. Why? Why was such a simple act having such a profound impression on him? He gave a gentle squeeze. A sharp intake of breath was his reward. He smiled, feeling the muscles in her hand twitch lightly as she shyly returned the affectionate gesture.

“We could see if the commander cares.”

Vincent felt the girl tense momentarily at the threat and frowned.

“Kurt, you can drop the intimidating, big brother act now,” Alice finally snapped.

Vincent’s brow quirked at the comment. “But I thought you were siblings.”

Alice sighed. “We’re adopted, Vincent.”

The brunette frowned again. So they weren’t actually brother and sister? Makes sense now. Alice is positively an angel, while he’s… The teen shook his head. It didn’t matter. “I had no idea.”

“It isn’t something we just advertise,” Kurt muttered.

“So the commander isn’t really your father?”

Alice gave an awkward smile. “W-well, he DID technically raise us both, so, in a way, he is. He may not be our biological father, but family isn’t always blood.”

Vincent contemplated the statement for a moment. He supposed it was true. He couldn’t help but notice the number of youthful faces that seemed to comprise The Resistance. “S-so, where are your real parents?”

The brunette instantly regretted his question as soon as it left his lips. He heard the girl suck in a breath, almost as if she’d been struck, her hand tensing within his own.

“My parents are dead, Vincent.”

The girl’s tone was almost a whisper, but with the atmosphere that had fallen over the interior of the car, it registered as clearly as a shout.

“Yeah, way to go for picking probably the worst subject you could have, numb-nuts,” Kurt uttered.

Vincent glared, though no one could tell due to the blindfold he wore. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

Kurt gave a sarcastic sound in reply.

“Yeah, well, what about yours?”

“Don’t know, and I don’t care,” the boy spat. “To tell you the truth, Vincent, I don’t really give a rat’s ass about my parents.”

Vincent recoiled. What a terrible thing to say! The teen felt the girl squeeze his hand again, an obvious sign of displeasure with the topic.

“You’re the one that should be concerned with parents, where you came from, and all that crap,” Kurt added after a moment.

The car mercifully rolled to a stop then, bringing an end to the unpleasantries. The girl’s hand fell away, and Vincent heard the sound of car doors opening.

“Did you HAVE to park so far away, Alice?” Kurt whined.

The blonde rolled her eyes before walking around the vehicle to open the front-passenger door. “Uh, LOCKDOWN, Kurt. Lockdown, plus unregistered vehicle, equals disaster.”

The young scientist grumbled slightly as Alice removed Vincent’s blindfold.

Vincent squinted as his sight was returned to him. The weather didn’t appear to be as agreeable as it had been the day before. While the sun was, indeed, shining, there was a gloomy overcast moving in from the north. At least the temperature was pleasant enough.

“Well, we better get walking. We still have a little way to go before we get into the city,” Alice murmured, hitting a button on the keychain she held.

The SUV beeped, indicating its locked status.

Vincent had to admit, though the trek seemed long, the journey into town wasn’t entirely unpleasant. The trio had abandoned the main road in favor of the seclusion of the surrounding tree line. The distinct chirping of birds filled the air as they flapped about overhead.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, the trio paused. The air was still and quiet. Too quiet.

Alice’s sapphire eyes narrowed as she hesitantly led the boys along. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like it at all. The streets were nearly vacant. Only hushed murmuring carried through the air from the few, isolated groups that populated the streets as they attempted to go about their daily lives.

Strangely absent seemed to be the guards that Vincent had expected. He was almost positive that most would consider it an omen. Odd…

Once they’d reached the diner, the trio felt a small amount of relief wash over them as their eyes took in the small group of other patrons.

Alice breathed a small sigh, adjusting the rose pin affixed to the collar of her jacket. She had barely remembered to put the thing on before they’d left. The initial relief she’d felt at finding the diner occupied was short-lived, however, as all eyes seemed to fall upon them as they entered the establishment.

The blonde did her best to ignore the foreboding feeling weighing in her stomach as she led the way to a small, wooden table in the back.

The diner appeared quite old. Its wooden floors creaked and squeaked with every shuffling movement. The wallpaper looked as though it hadn’t been changed in years. Once a clean, vibrant white, it had gained a yellowish hue. Various religious symbols were on display, no doubt a mandate of The Order.

An older man with a dark beard approached the table after a moment, a tall glass containing a pale liquid in hand. “Good afternoon, Miss,” he greeted Alice directly, placing the glass on the table in front of her. “One white lily. On the house.”

The lieutenant’s eyebrows ticked upward, feeling her heart begin to race as the man then briskly walked away. She glanced down, studying the drink for a moment. It was obviously alcoholic. She could tell that much just by the scent it gave off. It was a strange, sickly-sweet smell with an odd underlying odor.

“That’s got to be our guy,” she heard Kurt whisper.

She nodded numbly. It didn’t make sense. Why would a simple, diner worker have information that would be even remotely useful to The Resistance?

Vincent’s brows furrowed. The girl was obviously under some form of internal stress. Though he failed to comprehend what could possibly be giving her such duress, her unease put him on edge.

“So… You gonna drink that?” Kurt questioned, gesturing to the glass.

Alice jerked her head up, quickly moving the glass out of her brother’s reach as he made to slide it toward himself. “Are you crazy?!” she whispered harshly. Glancing around the eerily quiet diner, she felt her heart plummet into her stomach.

Once again, hushed murmuring and whispers seemed to be the only sounds heard as the trio exchanged glances.

“Listen, you two,” Alice began quietly, “I have a bad feeling about this. I want you guys to, very slowly, get up and walk out that door.”

“What?!” Kurt whispered harshly, nearly leaping to his feet in alarm.

Vincent’s eyes widened, dread gripping his heart as he remained frozen in his seat next to the girl.

“Ow!” Kurt yelped when Alice kicked him under the table.

“I’m serious, Kurt. Go on.”

At the lieutenant’s bidding, both boys stood up and slowly began shuffling for the door. They had made it less than two feet from their destination before the door suddenly burst open, the soldiers that had been strangely absent from the streets filing into the room in an instant.

“Everyone out!” one ordered.

The leader, Vincent surmised. He frowned. They weren’t the soldiers from the day before. These soldiers wore simple, silver armor. Their heads were adorned with elaborate helmets with red plumage.

Kurt gave a sheepish smile, attempting to move by the dark-haired man to get to the door.

The man pointed his rifle at them, making the boys freeze in their tracks. “Not you two.”

A blond man with a thick mustache joined him. “Not another step, missy,” he quipped as Alice moved to stand.

Kurt glanced between the men and his sister. She returned his worried expression. Shit!

“O12?” one of the soldiers questioned as he glanced Vincent over, his brown eyebrows furrowing in wonder. “It really is you, isn’t it? What the hell are you doing all the way out here…and with The Resistance?”

Vincent cocked his head. 012? “Huh?”

Kurt glanced at the boy beside him. I knew it. I just knew the little puke was a mole!

“Jeremy, quit gawking. Go get the general on the radio. Tell him we got 012,” the man with black hair snapped.

The brown-haired soldier hastily nodded, moving to the door.

“Wait! Boss, you’re gonna want to come over here,” the blond soldier called, gesturing to Alice.

“I’ll be a son of a bitch,” the dark-haired leader declared, catching sight of the girl as he made his way over. “It can’t be.”

Alice tensed, sparing a glance at her hands as her temperature shifted. It was no good. Even if she could manage to get Vincent and Kurt out of here, what would she do to get them past the numbers they surely had waiting outside? Biting her lip, her eyes darted.

“Approximately five feet tall, about a hundred fifteen pounds, blonde hair and blue eyes…Alison Nichole Lynheart…the Golden Phoenix. Won’t Vladsco be surprised?”

Alice paled. She’d heard the name before. Vladsco. That only meant one thing…Fort Brein… The inescapable fortress…

Vincent stared. Golden Phoenix?

“Alright, girl, up. Keep those hands where I can see them, Phoenix,” the blond soldier ordered.

A few more soldiers shuffled over, all pointing weapons at the young woman as she slowly stood up from the table.

Vincent watched in horror as another guard carried over what appeared to be a pair of metal gloves attached to one another by an iron bar, placing them on the girl’s hands before shoving her, face first, into the nearby wall.

Vincent glared. “Let her go!”

The brunette was quickly pulled back as he made a move toward his commanding officer.

“Hold it, 012.”

Vincent’s eyes narrowed at the brunette soldier. God, he wished he knew how to use his powers! “My name is Vincent,” he spat. “I don’t know who you people think I am, but you’re mistaken.”

The band of armored men exchanged glances.

“The fool’s been brainwashed,” one of the soldiers muttered, shaking his head as he removed the watch from Alice’s wrist, tossing it to the ground and stomping on it.

“I’ll have you know that I liked that watch,” the blonde quipped, giving a short yelp as she was jerked away from the wall.

Kurt was cuffed and brought over then by another one of the men.

“Link them up and let’s get out of here. I don’t want to be in this backwater town any longer than I gotta be,” Captain Marcus barked. Glancing at the glaring Vincent, he spat a wad of phlegm onto the floor. “And if 012 wants to play pretend; let him. We don’t got time to be messing around. Vladsco will want a full report, and I ain’t putting my neck on the chopping block.”