Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four

The control room was quiet for a long time, minus the occasional tapping of the techs still working at their stations. Or pretending to work, in any case. Eoin, standing in the far corner of the room, tried to get EDJ’s attention by silently waving his arms. When EDJ noticed, the assistant pointed to one of the tech stations and back at the door in an urgent manner. Probably DJ and Lui causing trouble, EDJ thought. Go take care of it yourself. He shot Eoin a death stare and a subtle nod toward Hanna, indicating which was the priority. “I have one final test, if it makes things easier,” EDJ offered, turning his attention back to Hanna. She glanced up at him curiously. “If you would be so inclined…” EDJ motioned to follow him to the work station nearest his desk. EDJ waved the tech away and typed away on the keyboard, flipping switches and pressing buttons on the console. A panel in the station slid away and a glass lockout box with a button inside rose to the surface. EDJ opened the box and stepped aside. 

“What’s this?” Hanna asked, stepping forward and staring at the large, red button. 

“Your final test,” EDJ said with a smile. “At the push of this button, fifty fully armed super rockets will be launched at the city of your choice. The question is: Are you willing to inflict such evil on an unsuspecting city?” 

“What?” Hanna turned to EDJ, confused. “How could you ask that of me?”

“Because I think you can do it,” EDJ answered confidently. He turned to type on the keyboard. “So which city will you choose? How about London? No particular reason, but we need at least one target. Aaaand, there we go. All set.” As EDJ finished typing, the monitors changed to show various street views of the city. 

Hanna turned back to the screens and watched. “So many people…” she whispered, eyes wide. The destruction of an entire city… populations… homes… families… lives… Hanna looked down at the button. “Will it… really destroy the city?” she hesitantly asked. 

“You bet!” EDJ answered cheerily. “All you have to do is press the button. I can change the city, if you’d like.” Hanna shook her head, looking at the screens again. “It’s a big decision, I understand,” EDJ continued casually. “You can stay and think on it as long as you like. I’m here to provide moral support, but the decision is ultimately up to you.” He watched her for a moment. “Can you do it? Can you end the lives of thousands of innocent people with a single act?”

“That’s not what you’re asking,” Hanna whispered. “The real question is, am I truly evil?” 

“Unfortunately, that is one question that I cannot answer for you,” EDJ replied.

Hanna watched the screens quietly. Men, women, children, teachers, students, families, friends, business partners, tourists, law enforcement, beggars, nurses. The street cameras showed numerous walks of life, various religions, most ages, and almost every tone of skin known to mankind. Hanna watched them go about their lives, completely oblivious to the threat. 

Hanna avoided people, that was no secret. Humans individually were tolerable at best, barring a few already established friends. En masse they were either a nuisance or a threat, neither of which Hanna much cared for. Groups were especially prone to like-minded stupidity. Hope for humanity was never particularly high, with there being just as many reasons to hate it as there were to love it. “I’m supposed to protect them,” Hanna whispered. 

EDJ tilted his head. “Interesting. Is humanity worth protecting?” 

Hanna looked down at the red button again. All those lives cut short, Hanna thought. They’ll die. 

Of course they’ll die, the voice in the back of her head spoke up. Today, tomorrow, fifty years from now. What’s it matter when? They’re going to die anyway. 

Hanna frowned, eyes distant. But all their hopes and dreams…

What about MY hopes and dreams?! the voice shouted at her. Not once has anyone taken into consideration what I want. You risk your life every day protecting people who don’t even know you exist. What’s the point?! Even now, their lives are in your hands and they don’t even know it. They deserve a reminder. 

Hanna chewed on her lip again. I can’t.

Sure, you can, the voice answered. Think about all the little bits and pieces of bodies left in that room. Compared to that, this is a breeze! It’s just a button. 

That was self defense, Hanna countered. I didn’t mean to… this is different. This is intentional. These people are innocent.

The voice laughed. There’s no such thing as innocent, it said. Isn’t that what they keep telling us? No one is innocent. 

Hanna’s brows furrowed. No, that’s not right. You’re twisting the truth. These people are important. They matter. 

The world is filled with billions of people, the voice continued apathetically. Wars, natural disasters, and accidents happen all the time. A couple thousand people isn’t going to make that much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. People are only ever a means to an end. Another resource. This world runs on survival of the fittest. The bigger army wins. The stronger fighter survives. 

That’s not true, Hanna insisted. There are plenty of cases where-

Kill or be killed, the voice interrupted. Those are your only options. Or did you conveniently forget that lesson too?

Hanna’s shoulders fell. I don’t… I can’t… 

You can’t, but I can. Hanna’s hand moved, stopping inches above the button. 

No, Hanna thought. I won’t let you. 

Why? the voice asked. What has humanity ever done for us, huh?

Hanna stood almost frozen, hand trembling as it hovered in place. Nothing, Hanna finally answered. 

Nothing, the voice confirmed. Absolutely right. What humanity’s done to us, to its own, to everyone they deem subhuman… that’s more than enough to justify ridding the world of a few cities. 

Hanna thought of the members of her team back home, the other genetically modified and spliced humans, created to protect the world. She thought of the way her Original treated her and the last words they said to each other. Then she thought of Kandi, Mariah, DJ, and Lui. And yet… Her thoughts lingered on Lui. …and yet…

EDJ intently watched Hanna, patiently waiting for her decision to play out. Eoin came up beside him. 

“Sir!” Eoin whispered as urgently as he could. 

“Shhh,” EDJ hushed. “Don’t interrupt.” 

“Sir,” Eoin insisted, “The priso-”

“I don’t care, go take care of it yourself,” EDJ cut him off and sent the assistant away. Hanna did not seem to notice the exchange in the least, for which EDJ was grateful. Having a thought, EDJ quietly stepped back to his desk and pressed a few buttons and switches. He pulled up the feed of the room DJ and Lui were in. As expected, the room was empty with the door busted again. Scrolling through the model of the castle, EDJ found the two wandering down a hallway. He looked up at the guards in the control room and motioned for some of them to assist in recapturing the escape artists. EDJ flipped switches and entered commands, closing some doors and opening others in an attempt to redirect the two into another containment room. Thankfully, the guards helped “guide” the escapees into one of the guest suites, temporarily locking them in again. 

EDJ turned back to Hanna. She had not moved a muscle. She stood still with her hand hovering over the red button, staring at it in indecision. EDJ cautiously stepped up to her. “Hanna?” She slowly turned, her blank stare going right through him. Right out of a horror movie. EDJ cleared his throat and smiled politely before speaking. “What would you do if I said you could see your friends?” 

The blank stare immediately turned into fury and focus. “You kidnapped my friends again?” Hanna accused. 

EDJ held up his hands innocently. “Of course not. In fact, they came here on their own. Looking for you.” The anger melted into doubt and Hanna looked away. “Must be nice to have friends that care so much,” EDJ continued. “I let them know what you were going through. They also might have seen your little outburst.” 

Hanna’s eyes widened. “T-they… they saw that?” she asked, voice faltering. 

EDJ nodded. “Afraid so.” He went back to the desk and pulled open a drawer, retrieving something. “I would understand if you can’t bear to face them, knowing what they’ve seen. They did come all this way though…” EDJ walked back to Hanna. “Would you care to see them before you make a decision? I can have one of the guards escort you.” Hanna nodded. “Very well. You’ll need this.” EDJ gently took Hanna’s hand and placed a key in her palm. “I’ll have them show you the door, but only you can decide whether or not to walk through it.” He smiled politely as he stepped back and nodded to a guard. “Please enjoy your time with your friends.” 

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three

Hanna glared at EDJ. EDJ smiled back. Hanna had half a mind to draw her sword on him. She wasn’t sure how far she would get with all the guards in the room. Weighing her options, Hanna instead spoke. “How did you know about my evil side?” Hanna asked, maintaining an aloof air. “I haven’t told anyone about that. Not even Lui.” 

EDJ leaned back in his seat with a shrug. “I don’t know whose attention you got exactly, but I was tasked by the World Committee of Evil to convert you to our ranks. Someone somewhere sees you as a very powerful threat. I didn’t believe it myself until I saw in you the evil power that was visibly displayed here.” He pointed to one of the screens behind him, but did not break eye contact. “No evil can resist harnessing that power.” 

“That was a test?” Hanna asked, frowning. 

EDJ nodded. “As was the North Pole and the trek through this castle.” He smiled pleasantly. “You passed.” Hanna remained quiet so EDJ continued. “I didn’t know the full extent of your power, but I was informed you had it and that it was highly desirable for our cause. That was why I had to use such tactics to break your will.” He smiled again. “You have so much potential for evil.”

“Apparently, I’m not as skilled at hiding it as I thought…” Hanna muttered, staring at the floor. 

“Quite to the contrary,” EDJ said. “Most people with that sort of power would be in a state of complete rage. All the stress of holding it back must take up at least half your true potential. You hide the fact that you are an Evil Other very well.” EDJ offered a sympathetic smile when Hanna glanced at him. “It must be such a toll... Why do you fight it?” he asked.  

Hanna’s hands squeezed into fists in her lap again as she stared at them. She pursed her lips and her eyebrows knit together. “Because that’s not me,” Hanna finally answered, looking up at EDJ. “I’m not evil. I’m good. I’m a hero!” 

“‘Hero’ is a title paid for with sacrifice.” EDJ tilted his head curiously. “Are you sure you want that?” 

“Doesn’t matter whether or not I want it, it’s what I am,” Hanna answered, anger flaring. “It’s everything I am. Nothing you say will change that. No matter what, I’ll stop you!”

“How?” EDJ asked, still calm. “Are you gonna take out everyone in this room? They have families too, you know. Does that sound good to you? Heroic?” He shook his head. “Think it through. Mass murder doesn’t look good on paper.”

“T-that’s not… I’m not…” Hanna backed down again, seemingly talking to herself. “I’m a hero… I’m a hero…”

“You are a force of unequivocal destruction,” EDJ continued. “You obliterate every living threat without hesitation. You struggle to keep this power contained, but how is that benefitting you? By keeping it bottled up, you’re reducing it to a last ditch response when you could be using it to win every battle. Why not give in?” 

“Because,” Hanna answered in a low voice. “Ruthlessness is not the trait of a hero.”

“No,” EDJ agreed. “But it is the trait of a survivor.” 

Hanna’s eyes flashed red for a second. She shook her head. “No. I’m a good person. I’m good…” 

“Good?” EDJ echoed. “Good people are limited by their morals. Good people have boundaries they choose not to cross because, for good people, morality dictates their actions.” EDJ shook his head again. “That’s the problem with heroes. A hero would rather sacrifice the love of his life to save the world because choosing the greater good is the right thing to do. But heroes only exist in fairy tales.” EDJ continued speaking with an almost distant look in his eyes. “This world isn’t a place for heroes or better men. Their moral code doesn’t hold up to reality. Sure, you might have one man in a million still cling to it. One person who will stand alone and die for what he believes in and for that they call him a hero instead of a fool. Good things don’t happen to heroes…” EDJ’s far off look changed as he turned his attention back to Hanna. “For the rest of us, when the chips are down, that’s the first thing we drop. Morality. Order. Good.” EDJ shrugged. “All we ever do is prolong the inevitable. In the end, chaos wins.” EDJ watched Hanna for a moment. She seemed to be debating internally. Her head was bowed as she chewed her lip and stared at the floor, hands fidgeting in her lap. It was hard to tell if she was even still listening or not. Whatever mask of sympathy or empathy EDJ wore evaporated and his next words were without emotion. “I don’t think you’re a hero, Hanna.” She froze, listening. “I don’t even think you’re a good person,” EDJ continued. “I think, if it came down to it, you would gladly watch the world burn to the ground to save someone you care about and that makes you… just like me.”

“I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!” Hanna screeched, jumping up from her chair. The chair fell backwards and the guards were brought to full attention. Hanna stood with her fists at her side and her wings outstretched, black feathers ruffled. She glared at EDJ, ignoring the weapons trained on her. “I will never fall to your level! You hear me?! NEVER!” 

EDJ closed an eye and pressed a finger to his ear. “Sorry, little deaf in that ear,” he commented, acting completely unbothered by the whole scene. “Could you repeat that?”

Hanna continued to scowl at him, wings and feathers folding back into place. “I’m not a villain.” 

EDJ remained relaxed and composed, watching her with a raised brow and a half amused smirk from his seat. “‘Villain’ is simply another word for outcast.” He gestured to the guards to lower their weapons. EDJ finally stood up and walked around the desk. “You don’t think I know what it means to be the black sheep?” he asked. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to be the one no one trusts? The one everyone blames when things go wrong?” EDJ circled her with slow strides. “You saved the world, but did that change anything? You’re still looking over your shoulder for the next threat. Always questioning what form the next attack will come in and who it will come from. While everyone around you goes about their pathetic, everyday lives, you lie awake at night worried about who is going to find out what you really are.”

“And what am I?” Hanna asked, the anger in her voice still present. 

“An Evil Other,” EDJ answered simply, stopping in front of her and leaning back against the desk. “Trying to fit into a mold you were never made for. Play hero all you want, but your evil side is never going away. What do you think is going to happen when your friends see the footage of you going berserk in that final room? Do you think they’ll look at you the same?”

“My friends?” Hanna asked, looking uncertain. “T-they… they trust me… They wouldn’t…” 

“Lui has this innate ability to read people,” EDJ stated in a matter-of-fact manner. “He can sense their true intent. If he hasn’t figured out by now what you are and what you’re capable of, he will soon. And DJ? Well, he’s always been a stickler for the rules. Is the person you turn into someone they can trust with their lives?” 

Hanna remained silent, her downcast eyes darting back and forth between two different spots on the floor. Where her hands were once fists, now they were open and empty, hanging loosely from hunched shoulders. EDJ pushed off the desk and stood straight as he stepped closer. “Hanna,” he said softly. “There is nothing left for you outside this room. The guild isn’t going to help you. Whatever organization you were part of before this isn’t going to welcome you back with open arms once this footage gets out.” He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. “But… if you choose to stay and join the side of evil, I can guarantee you the rewards far outweigh anything you leave behind.”

Hanna swallowed the lump in her throat, still refusing to look at him. “You have nothing I want.”

“I can offer you freedom,” EDJ answered. Hanna looked up at him with violet-colored eyes. EDJ continued speaking. “Join me and you will never have to hide your true nature again. You won’t have to run or hide or worry about the next threat. You would be free to do and act however you want.” 

“...I…” The violet color in Hanna’s eyes returned to blue. “What happens if I refuse?” she asked. 

EDJ raised his arms in an exaggerated shrug as he stepped back and leaned against the desk again. “Nothing,” he answered with a polite smile, folding his arms. “You are free to walk away alive, knowing you missed the opportunity of a lifetime. No one is going to go after you. No one is going to attack your loved ones again. None of my people will, anyway. Can’t say the same for the plethora of organizations out there, evil, good, or otherwise.” He tilted his head. “I’m only offering you this opportunity once, Hanna. There will be no second chances. Join me and be free or leave and you will have to continue hiding and running for the rest of your life. It’s an easy choice.” 

Hanna lightly scoffed, resuming her downcast gaze. “An easy choice… simplistic in and of itself, but the consequences will ruin my life either way… Why can’t there be a solution in the middle?” 

“That’s the problem with trying to do both,” EDJ said apathetically. “You can’t. At the end of the day, you’re always going to let someone down. Choose what’s best for you. A hero can’t save everyone. That’s why villains exist.” 

Chapter Thirty-Two

 

Chapter Thirty-Two

Hanna stared intently at her reflection in the mirror, searching for any imperfections while gripping the rim of the sink with white knuckles. Hanna didn’t eat much and she didn’t sleep well, but she made sure she was as cleaned up as she possibly could be, given the circumstances. Freshly washed hair pulled back into neat pigtails. Clothes and armor as scrubbed and cleaned as she could get them after her battle in the arena. Black wings folded primly against her back. White belt cinched over her black leather armor pieces and tunic, scabbard hanging from it still empty. Boots tightly laced and double knotted. Nothing out of place. Hanna took a deep breath. I can do this. I can still beat him. Sure, he’s got my sword, but I don’t need that. I beat his maze. I beat his army. I can take him out. I can still bring him in. All he wants to do is talk, right? I just need to go in there, tell him I won fair and square and he needs to turn himself in. End of discussion. I can do that. Hanna nodded to herself. And if he doesn’t come willingly…? …I’ll figure it out when I get there. Hanna thought about Lui and DJ’s warnings. I should have brought them with me… Why didn’t I…? Hanna shook her head. Don’t think about that. Just go in there and don’t even let him try to talk his way out. He’s only going to lie to get what he wants anyway. Don’t let him mess with your head. Don’t even look him in the eye. I can do this. I didn’t come all the way up here for nothing. He’s going down. …And what if the evil gets out again…? …Nope. That’s not gonna happen. Evil never wins. Hanna nodded to herself again. I got this. 

Hanna left the washroom and went to the far wall in the main room. She took the phones and trackers off their chargers and put them away. While shoving a phone into a pocket, Hanna found something. She pulled out a wadded up napkin looking like it had taken one too many trips through a washer. Not remembering why she had it in the first place, Hanna threw it out without a second thought. Hanna stepped over to the table and glanced at the cold plate of half eaten lasagna still sitting out from before she slept. A hot breakfast would have been nice. She picked up one of the roses. So weird… How did he know…?

“I’ve talked to your friends,” EDJ’s comment from earlier rang in her head. “Lui was particularly helpful.”

Hanna frowned. She froze the rose and let it drop to the floor. Hanna pulled out the phone EDJ gave her and turned it on. What if it’s another trap? She took another breath and called the only saved number. One way to find out. It only rang once. 

“Good morning, Hanna,” EDJ’s voice pleasantly greeted her. “Ready to talk?” 

“Yes,” Hanna answered. 

“Good. I’ll have the guards unlock the door for you.” Click. 

The door slid open and a couple guards waited for her on the other side. Hanna followed them out of the room. They led her through a corridor, up some stairs, and stopped three feet from a metal door. One of the guards activated a panel on the wall, disabling laser tripwires. They led her through the door into a large control room. The room was filled with consoles, technicians, and guards. A large chair in front of a bunch of screens and monitors spun around as EDJ faced her. “Hello, dear.” The genetically spliced dog was in his lap. What was its name again? Stitch? The red-furred creature hopped off and EDJ motioned for one of the guards to take care of it. EDJ turned his attention to Hanna, gesturing to a chair opposite the desk in front of him.

Hanna walked up to the desk and sat down. “My sword,” Hanna requested before EDJ said another word.

“Of course.” EDJ nodded to one of the techs, who brought her sword forward and handed it to EDJ. “I had it cleaned and honed for you,” EDJ started, taking the weapon and examining it. 

The metal blade of the longsword had a feathered pattern with a light blue hue to it. Had it not been for the odd coloring, EDJ would have thought it to be damascus, but he had seen this type of metalwork elsewhere. The hilt was also metal, with a leather-wrapped grip,the bluing making it look black. Intricate and fierce-looking dragon heads bent parallel with the blade adorned the guard and a dark blue gemstone was set where the guard and blade met. The amount of care and attention to detail that went into the longsword was obvious. Whoever crafted the blade spent a lot of time on it. “It’s a fine weapon,” EDJ said, still inspecting the sword. “I wouldn’t mind keeping it…”  

Hanna bristled and squeezed her fists in her lap, getting ready to never see her blade again. 

“How often do you train with it?” EDJ asked, still preoccupied. 

“Every day,” Hanna answered. 

With that technique? EDJ thought to himself. It’s all over the place. No wonder the thing was chipped and almost dull. EDJ raised a brow at her, but said nothing. After a long moment, EDJ stood up and gently offered the sword over the desk back to Hanna, hilt first. “You should take better care of it,” he said with a polite smile. 

“What’s it matter to you what I do with it?” Hanna asked, somewhat offended, taking the sword and sliding it into the scabbard in a hurry. 

EDJ shrugged as he sat again. “It doesn’t, but I can recognize a work of art when I see one. Does it have a name?” 

“Swords have names?” Hanna responded apathetically. 

“Only the legendary ones,” EDJ offered with a hint of amusement. 

Hanna frowned. “If it has a proper name, I don’t know what it is, but I call it Frostbite.”

EDJ had to refrain from snickering. Zero points for originality. “That blade wasn’t forged here,” he said calmly. “May I ask where you acquired it?”

“I don’t remember.”  

“Ah, of course.” EDJ said. “Lui mentioned you had issues remembering key components of your past.”

Hanna glared at him. “Was there anything he didn’t tell you?” she asked. 

“Now how could I possibly know that?” EDJ asked with a smirk. 

“Whatever,” Hanna started, folding her arms. “I beat your traps. Time for you to turn yourself in.”

“I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that,” EDJ commented. 

Hanna unfolded her arms and sat up straight. “You can’t possibly have anything else left to throw at me. I defeated your entire army. I won.”

“Quite violently, I might add,” EDJ said as he flipped a switch on the desk. Footage of the fight pulled up and played behind him. 

Hanna looked away. He got all that on film… She kicked herself for forgetting about the cameras. 

“Heroes are so predictable.” EDJ watched Hanna as he spoke, weighing every word. “You were blinded by your anger at the fact that I had wronged your friends. You were too confident in yourself. So confident, you were fooled into thinking you could waltz in here and defeat me. I’m almost surprised you didn’t expect this from the beginning.” Hanna’s form shrank as he spoke, as if she were trying to take up the least amount of space possible. She glanced at the screens occasionally, but would not look at him. “Yes, I planned to release your evil side and you followed the script to perfection. I couldn’t have asked for a better performance! So easily manipulated.” EDJ leaned back, open hands gesturing to the final room. “And here we are at last. I led you through the labyrinth. I outsmarted you at every turn. I pulled the monster out of you. I won.” He leaned in for a second. “You lost.” 

Hanna was quiet for a long moment. Her cheeks were pink, but that was the only discernible external reaction. I fell for it… all of it… “What are you planning now?” she finally asked in a quiet voice. 

EDJ tilted his head. “Does that matter?” 

“I guess not,” Hanna muttered. She finally looked up at him, blue eyes fierce and cold. “So you won. You defeated the hero. Spare me any more humiliation. Kill me and get it over with.”

“Dear Hanna,” EDJ said softly with a sly smile. “Haven’t you been paying attention? You’re worth more to me alive.” 

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One

EDJ entered the control room and went up to the tech keeping an eye on the monitors. The door to Hanna’s room was still closed and the guards were still there. “Any change?” he asked. 

“None, sir,” the tech answered. 

EDJ nodded. “Ack!” He suddenly gripped the back of the chair as he felt a surge of pain in his head. 

“Sir? Are you okay?” the tech asked, turning to check on him. “Are you injured?” 

EDJ shook his head. “No. Of course not!” He straightened. “I’m fine. But…” he paused. “Purely to cover all our bases, have one of the medics on standby.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

EDJ turned and started walking away. “I’m going to rest. Do not disturb me unless something crazy happens.” He didn’t wait for the tech’s response. He went to a private room and locked the door behind him. 

While EDJ’s home was a proper castle on the outside, he did not include many things typically associated with a castle in the interior designs. For instance, in place of a proper throne room, EDJ had a fully decked out control room that could easily pass for the bridge of a starship. While anyone would expect the king’s bedchamber to be luxurious and exquisite, EDJ was no king and his personal chamber resembled a university dorm room. Not that anyone else was ever allowed inside. A twin bed sat in the corner of the room against the wall. A simple desk opposite the bed held various mechanical gizmos, hand drawn diagrams, and an ocarina. A weapon stand full of swords stood near the foot of the bed. Bookshelves full of books and video games took up the rest of the wallspace. 

EDJ trudged to the bed and sat on the edge of it, hunched over. He tried rubbing his temples for a few minutes to dull the pain. As the pain slowly subsided, he reached over and picked up a guitar leaning against the nightstand next to the bed. Leaning back and resting his head against the wall, EDJ strummed the strings of the instrument with his eyes closed. E. G. B. E. B. G. E. G. B. E. B. G. The rhythm was calming. Soothing. Soft. Sad. His fingers effortlessly moved along the frets as he played. One, two, three, four, five, six. One, two, three, four, five, six. Easy as breathing. So close… “SHUT UP!” EDJ screamed at no one as he jolted forward and threw the guitar across the room. The instrument hit the door with a cacophony of noise as it fell into a pile on the floor. EDJ let out a frustrated sigh. He got up to walk to the door and picked up the broken guitar. “Cody,” EDJ called as he opened the door, damaged instrument in hand. 

“Eoin, sir,” the assistant answered.

“Right,” EDJ muttered, shaking his head. He handed the guitar to the assistant. “Get me a new-”

“Already on it, sir,” the assistant interrupted. Eoin’s eyes widened, realizing he just interrupted the boss mid sentence. “I...I mean, I’ll have a new one sent in as soon as possible, sir.” Eoin grabbed the guitar and swiftly saluted. EDJ narrowed his eyes at the assistant for an uncomfortably long minute before nodding and going back to the room, door locking again behind him. Eoin let out a nervous breath and glanced at the pitiful guitar in his hand, or what was left of it. A few of the other assistants, techs, and guards in the room glanced at each other, but kept their heads down and continued working in silence. The door opened again and EDJ stuck his head out. “Eoin.” 

The assistant jumped and turned to salute again. “Yes, sir?” 

“Thank you.” EDJ ducked his head back inside and the door shut again. 

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

The guards brought DJ to another room similar to the last one he was in. There were chairs, tables, and a tv screen, though this screen was turned off. Lui was already here, sitting in one of the chairs. He stood when the door opened and DJ was tossed in. DJ landed on the floor with a hard thud and the door slammed shut behind them. 

“DJ!” Lui rushed to his side and helped him up. “Are you okay?” Not being restrained himself, Lui helped take the tape off DJ’s hands to free him. 

“I should be asking you that,” DJ answered, rubbing his wrists and the still recovering arm he landed on. 

Lui nodded. “My ribs hurt, but I’m okay. What happened in there?” 

“Nothing. We just talked,” DJ said, taking a seat. 

“Talked?” Lui tilted his head and sat on a nearby chair. “Did you ask him about the cloning stuff?” Lui asked. 

“Uh, no. I forgot to ask about that…” DJ shook his head with a sigh. He looked at Lui. “The video of Hanna was pre-recorded. Iul already knew the outcome and knew we couldn’t do anything to change it.” DJ frowned. “He was trying to trick us again.” 

“Oh…” Lui said in disappointment. He looked to the side and hung his head. “So we’re no closer to helping her… and fighting him didn’t matter.” Lui sniffled. 

“Hey.” DJ leaned forward to look Lui in the eye. “Of course it mattered. It was brave.”

Lui made a face. “It was stupid.”

“Funny how often those two coincide,” DJ offered with a reassuring smile. DJ stood up and put a hand on Lui’s shoulder. “You did good. Iul didn’t know what hit him. We’re going to help Hanna, alright?” DJ looked around the room. “Iul said she’s resting so she’s still in the castle somewhere. If we can get out of this room, maybe we can find her.” He looked back at Lui. “Eyes up. We’ll find Hanna. We’ll beat Iul. And we’ll all go home. Sound good?”

Lui grinned. “Sounds great!”

DJ patted Lui’s shoulder as Lui stood up to help find a way out of the room they were locked in. DJ could probably kick the door out again, but didn’t want to risk another fight with the guards just yet. Not unless they had no other options. They started moving the chairs and tables. DJ’s smile faded as they looked around. “Did you really see it?” he asked quietly, mind still on the events and conversation in the previous room. 

“Hmm? See what?” Lui turned and blinked at him. 

“Iul,” DJ clarified. “Is there still light in him?”

Lui stopped what he was doing and nodded somberly. “It’s faint,” Lui answered. “But it’s there. I’m sure there’s still good in him.”

DJ nodded slowly in response. “Good enough for me.” He gave a short smile and resumed his task. 

Lui watched him for a moment. “You still seem worried.”

DJ paused again, pursing his lips before speaking. “It’s been so long, buddy… He has this chaotic look in his eyes now… Like… the face of a madman.” 

Lui nodded in agreement. “With the hair of a supermodel,” Lui added.  

DJ looked at him with a puzzled expression. “What?” Lui asked. “You’ve seen it, it defies gravity! And what’s with all the black and the cape? It’s so cringey.” 

DJ broke into a laugh. A long, hearty laugh that broke the tension and put him at ease. DJ’s laugh died to a chuckle and he shook his head with a smile. “You’re one to talk.” Lui giggled and ran a hand through his own unkempt hair.