Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

DJ and Lui looked for another way out of the waiting room they were in. Unfortunately, the ceiling was too high and made of metal for it to be of any use. On top of that, the air ducts were too small for anyone to fit through comfortably. The only way in or out was the door and they both knew what to expect should they decide to use it again. They opted to rest a bit before taking on whatever group of soldiers or guards Iul had at his disposal. DJ was lying across three chairs placed together, arm hung over his face to block out the light. Lui sat on the floor nearby with his legs crossed. Lui tugged his gloves off and rubbed the arm EDJ nearly twisted out of its socket in their fight earlier. “How’s your injury doing?” Lui asked.

“It seems to be fine,” DJ replied. 

Lui looked up at him from the floor. “Do you think Hanna’s ok?”

“I hope so,” DJ answered, arm still over his eyes. 

“Do you think Iul’s going to let her go?” Lui asked. 

DJ sighed, realizing he wasn’t going to actually get any sleep. He sat up and put his feet on the floor. “I don’t know, buddy.” He offered Lui a reassuring smile. “But I’m sure everything’s going to work out.” Something green and black around Lui’s wrist caught DJ’s eye. “What’s that?” DJ asked, pointing. 

“What?” Lui looked down at his hand. “Oh, it was a Christmas present.” 

DJ tilted his head at Lui curiously. Lui had spent Christmas with DJ. Being short on immediate family members and knowing he hadn’t given it to Lui, DJ racked his brain for who else could have gifted it to him. 

“...from Hanna,” Lui clarified, ears briefly turning pink. 

“Oh, cool,” DJ said. “Can I see it?” 

“Sure.” Lui pulled the decoration off and handed it to DJ freely. 

Reaching over to take the object and noticing both Lui’s arms now empty, DJ asked, “What happened to your wristband collection?” 

“I had to start over after I broke my wrist,” Lui answered with a laugh. 

DJ winced. “Ouch, I forgot about that.” He inspected the object Lui handed to him. It was a little thing, a handmade bracelet made of colored string and knotted into a repeating pattern. Black and green. Interesting color choice, DJ thought with a small smile. “Lui…” DJ started, but paused, halfway lost between a thought and a memory. 

“...Yeah?” Lui answered, waiting for the rest of the sentence. He wasn’t sure whether to expect a teasing comment or words of wisdom from his Original. Either one was a possibility with DJ’s facial expression. There were some things even Lui couldn’t read. 

DJ seemed to dismiss his train of thought entirely, handing the bracelet back with a smile. “Don’t lose it,” he warned.  

Lui grinned. “Don’t worry. You know me!” he said cheerily as he reached out to take the object back. 

“Yeah, I do,” DJ said with a half-suppressed chuckle. As Lui took the bracelet, DJ caught the symmetrical, fishbone-shaped scar along the Other’s wrist and forearm. “How’s your wrist anyway?” DJ asked, his smile fading. 

“Okay, I guess,” Lui replied with a shrug, tucking the bracelet into a pocket and rubbing the scarred area again. “Doesn’t hurt as much as it used to. Actually, I can’t really feel any-” Lui’s head snapped up with a worried expression. “B-but don’t worry! I heal fast! I was cleared before I left school. I won’t let it slow me down.” 

DJ blinked at him. “That wasn’t what I-”

The tv screen in the room came to life of its own accord, cutting off the conversation.

“What’s that?” Lui asked, pulling his gloves back on as he stood up. DJ didn’t answer, but stood up and stepped closer to the screen. The image on screen was of Iul and Hanna in a control room, talking. 

“You think I don’t know what it means to be the black sheep?” EDJ asked, slowly circling Hanna’s dejected form. 

“What’s going on?” Lui asked, turning to DJ. 

“I’m not sure,” DJ answered, watching the screen with narrow eyes. “Could be another trick.” 

Lui turned back to the screen. “Wait a minute,” Lui said, cogs turning. “Why is he monologging? He should know better than to monologue.” 

“Because he thinks he’s already won,” DJ answered, grimly watching. “He’s trying to turn her evil.” 

“What?” Lui turned to his Original again. “Don’t be silly, Hanna isn’t evil.” He glanced at the screen again. “She’s not…” his shoulders sank. “No, that’s not… she isn’t…” 

“Did you know she was an Evil Other?” DJ asked. 

Lui didn’t answer right away, still staring at the screen. He shook his head. “I knew she was hiding something, but… No. She didn’t tell me that.” 

DJ and Lui continued watching the screens. EDJ and Hanna moved to another part of the room. 

“Could you do it?” EDJ asked. “Can you end the lives of thousands of innocent people with a single act?”

“That’s not fair,” Lui said. “That can’t be right. He’s bluffing. He has to be! He would never…” Lui turned to DJ, whose grim expression did not change. 

“This is the same EO that tried to flood the earth a few days ago,” DJ said with a frown. “Light or no light, this has gotten out of hand. We need to stop him before any more lives are put on the line.” DJ marched to the door. “We’re getting out of here.” 

***********************************

Three hallways and five rooms later, DJ and Lui wandered through the twists and turns of the mysterious castle. Not having their weapons after losing them in the first room made dealing with the guards a little more difficult. Still, they continued searching for Hanna. Room after room, but they were all empty. DJ and Lui ducked into an open door to avoid a guard patrol. As the patrol passed, DJ was about to leave when the door locked again. “Why does this have to be so difficult?” DJ asked with a huff. 

“Hey, this room looks kinda like a hotel suite,” Lui commented as he explored. “Look, there’s even a stocked mini-fridge and everything!” He helped himself to a cold sports drink and offered one to DJ. 

“I feel like we’ve been wandering around this place for hours,” DJ said, taking the drink. 

“It’s only been fifteen minutes,” Lui said, finishing his drink and throwing the empty bottle in the garbage can. 

“It would help if we knew where they stashed our weapons,” DJ said with a frown, opening the bottle and drinking from it. 

Lui shrugged. “It’d take the fun out of looking for them if we knew where they were.” 

DJ chuckled and shook his head in response. As soon as he finished the drink, he turned back to the door. “Back to busting down doors.” 

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” EDJ’s voice said over a hidden speaker. 

DJ and Lui turned around, ready to fight, but not seeing anyone. “EO! Show yourself, coward!” DJ shouted. 

“I’m a bit preoccupied at the moment,” EDJ answered apathetically. 

“Please tell us where Hanna is,” Lui requested politely. 

“Conveniently, she’s on her way to see you,” EDJ replied. “Walking down the hall to your room as we speak.” 

“Why?” DJ asked suspiciously, preparing for another trick or trap. 

EDJ answered with, “She’s on the verge of making the most important decision of her life. I told her she has all the time in the world, but the truth is I’m on a tight schedule. I’m looking to speed things up a bit. Help an Other out, would you?” 

“Not a chance,” DJ answered with a grin. “If Hanna’s on her way here, we can still turn this around and beat you.” 

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” EDJ answered confidently. “She’s in rough shape. You saw what sort of ordeal she’s been through. She’s questioning everything she knows and trusts. Help her make the right decision here. When you’re done with your visit, you’re free to leave.” 

“Free to leave? What do you mean by that?” Lui asked the ceiling, assuming that to be the source of the disembodied voice. 

“Your weapons will be returned to you,” EDJ replied, voice not quite holding the same victorious tone it held just seconds ago. “I’ll have someone show you to the exit and there are snowmobiles waiting outside the castle. All I ask is that you leave without a fuss.” 

“We’re not finished here, EO,” DJ stated. “You still need to be held accountable for your actions.” 

“Believe it or not, I have bigger fish than you to fry,” EDJ answered with a hint of annoyance. “Leave today. Return tomorrow. You know where I live now, so bring an army. You’ll need it.” 

“We’re not leaving without Hanna,” DJ firmly answered. 

“That’s not your decision to make, hero,” EDJ said spitefully. “It’s Hanna’s.”