Redemption (Stand-Alone, Spin-Off to Reaper Series), page 28
“Yes? What is this?” he asked.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to see something that our producers found online shortly before we arrived for this interview. Please, I think you might find this as enlightening as we did.”
Frowning with confusion, and not a small amount of annoyance at this surprise, Javan watched the screen come to life. When a video began to play, he immediately recognized a young woman with dark skin and blue streaks through her black hair. The sight of her caused a heavy stone to fall in the pit of Javan’s stomach.
“My name is Lexi Singh,” Lexi said angrily on the screen, speaking directly to the camera. “Earlier today, my father was murdered. He was killed because he knew the truth about a man named Darwin Javan. The truth is that Darwin Javan is a liar and a monster. Not only is he the reason my dad is dead, but he also caused the collapse of the forensic building that killed I-don’t-know-how-many other people, one almost being me. He kidnapped my friend, and I don’t know where she is now. She might be dead, too, for all I know. But everyone watching this video needs to know who Darwin Javan really is. He’s not the man he says he is, that’s for damn sure. He’ll kill anyone who gets in his way. He says he wants to make people immortal, so that he can help them. He doesn’t want to help. But don’t take my word for it. He killed my father because he had proof. A video. The real bomber of that press conference, the Angel didn’t hurt anyone. Javan knows that, but he lied to everyone. He wanted everyone to blame the Angels, so he could manipulate you. So listen to the bomber’s last words and judge for yourself.”
Lexi’s face vanished and was immediately replaced by that of Malcolm Bailey, giving his final words to the world, pointing the proverbial finger of blame directly at Javan.
“You can stop that, now,” Javan said quietly, his tone flat and void of emotion. “I know what Mr Bailey says.”
“So you admit to knowing this gentleman?” Rachel asked as she stopped the video.
Javan inhaled with annoyance, raising his chin slightly in defiance. “I can see there’s no point in pretending otherwise anymore. Yes. I knew Mr Bailey. Everything he said about me was true. Except for the part where I planned on dying alongside him, obviously. I deliberately left him in the dark regarding my immortality. My question for you, Miss Nguyen, is if you knew about this before coming here, why did you not say anything sooner? Why allow this farce of an interview to go ahead?”
“I think you’re avoiding the issue here, Mr Javan,” Rachel replied, sounding far more stern than she had only moments ago. “If this video is true, and you have just admitted that it is, then you are implicated in multiple homicides and an act of terrorism. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“What I did was necessary,” Javan snapped. “Do you think anyone would have paid attention to my claims of immortality if they had not witnessed it with their own eyes? Do you think anyone would even entertain the idea of immortality for themselves if they were not afraid that the Angels would strike again? No. No, they would not, Miss Nguyen. I may have convinced Mr Bailey to kill those people, and I may have allowed the world to blame Eve for it, but it was all for the greater good. Humanity doesn’t know what it needs anymore, it only focuses on what it wants. Humans have become a greedy, self-indulgent, disease. They need to evolve in order to prevent the inevitable self-destruction that they have set for themselves in the future. They must evolve beyond their greed, beyond their selfishness, beyond the stranglehold that a capitalist world has on their throats. The human drive and obsession for money, for wealth, for property, for things has been allowed to run rampant for too long. This is not what humanity was originally for. This is not what we were supposed to become! My vision for the future was not one of death and decay, it wasn’t one of tyranny or of one having power over the many. People think that they are free. They aren’t, Miss Nguyen. They are trapped. Trapped by capitalism, trapped by a world that places a price tag on people. Even entire governments have crumbled before the might of capitalism, for corporations, for money. Politicians buy their seats of power by selling their position to the highest bidder. Presidents, Kings, and Queens, these aren’t the people who rule the world, Miss Nguyen. The companies that buy them do, and if those leaders change their positions or dare to consider doing good for humanity with no profit, they suddenly find themselves thrown from their seats of power, the wheels of politics being turned by the billionaires who own them. Wars are started and millions die for what cause? Oil? Democracy? Freedom from oppression? These are lies! Wars are started by western civilization for the sole purpose of profit! Greed fuels the drive of men, nothing else. The tycoons who own world leaders demand more and more every year, their hunger for power and gain and profit having swelled into bottomless pits, a hunger that can never be satisfied. Humans don’t care about each other anymore. They’ve been conditioned by society to think only of themselves and of money and how they can thrive in a world that values profit over life. National economies have become more important than the very planet we live on! Families fleeing war torn countries and risking death on the ocean because of their desperation to escape and survive are treated as criminals, as cattle, thrown in prison camps by governments hiding under the guise of national security, but really, Miss Nguyen, you know as well as I that that is not the case. There’s no profit in allowing them to enter our countries, there’s no profit in their lives, there’s no profit… in helping them. We’ve been torn apart by greed, Miss Nguyen. I only mean to heal the world. If a few have to die, then so be it. Think about this. Let’s say all life on Earth is moments away from being completely extinguished, but the only way to save humanity is to kill a single child. Is it worth it? Would you do it? You may call me a monster for the things I’ve done, you may call me a murderer, a criminal, use any word you like. The truth that you fail to see is that I gave meaning to the lives of those people who I’ve killed. Their lives were valuable, I will concede, and I regret the necessity of their sacrifice. But what were they doing with their lives? Nothing. They were all too swept up in the tidal wave of capitalist ideals, lost in a labyrinth of corporate greed and political corruption. In death, though, they represent something greater. They represent a new beginning. A new world. A new start.”
“You speak very passionately, Mr Javan,” Rachel said, sounding unimpressed. “But it sounds to me as though you want to tear apart the world, not save it. Can you honestly claim that you know better than the collective governments of an entire world?”
Javan scowled with fury, his hands shaking as he pressed them flat onto the arms of his chair, though his fingers dug at the leather like talons. His eyes narrowed and he flared his nostrils as he glared at the reporter who was now destroying everything he had worked for, on live television, no less!
“I have seen the rise and fall of whole civilizations,” Javan said coldly, his dark eyes boring into Rachel Nguyen’s. “I have seen the first brick of modern man be set, only to later watch it crumble with age and a new civilization grow from where it once stood. Before you were born, I was ancient. But I will continue to be young when all you know is nothing but ash and dust.”
Javan suddenly leaped out of his chair and grabbed hold of Rachel Nguyen’s throat, her eyes bulging with surprise and fear as he began to squeeze, the news crew around them shouting their surprise and protests. With a sudden clamp, Javan crushed Rachel Nguyen’s throat on live television, ending her life for the world to see. Javan tossed her lifeless corpse aside as though it weighed nothing, not even bothering to watch as her corpse crashed into the wall and knocked portraits from their hooks, sending them crashing to the floor around Rachel Nguyen’s body. The news crew was beginning to close in around Javan, clearly hoping to apprehend him, but Javan felt consumed by fury. He rarely used the strength that Eve’s feathers afforded him, but overcome with rage, he began to make short work of the crew, literally tearing them apart in front of the still recording cameras, their screams incessant as their blood ran over Javan’s hands and sprayed on his face. He hoped that everyone watching would now understand the strength of his will, and how there was nothing they could do to stop him.
25
JAVAN'S WILL BE DONE
E
ve looked up at Javan’s tower from the street. At first glance, it was a marvel of modern architecture, glistening in the sun with all of its glass and steel, but Eve knew what was inside. She knew the horror and torture that so many people were enduring inside. Thinking of her own time locked within its confines, weeks of being tested and experimented on, of pain and humiliation, Eve longed to tear the entire building down with her bare hands, with Javan still inside. As Eve thought of all the others who were undoubtedly suffering because of Javan’s experiments at that very moment, Eve hoped that she would be able to save them.
Suddenly, the sound of sirens reached Eve’s ears. They were far off in the distance, but the sound was growing louder as the sirens came closer. Turning her head to look down the street, Eve saw several police vehicles come screeching around the corner and race in her direction.
“Oh, crap,” Eve hissed. How did they know I was here?
As Eve considered running inside the building before the police could spot her, she heard the sound of a helicopter far above her. Glancing up, Eve saw that it had the name of a news station on the side and was speeding towards Javan’s tower, slowing down as it approached. As Eve watched it, she saw another news helicopter soar over the surrounding buildings and hover in the air around the tower, followed by a third chopper, and then a fourth.
This isn’t about me, Eve thought as she stared up at the circling helicopters. The video. Everyone knows.
As satisfying as it was that Javan was now exposed for what he really was, Eve still had work to do. The serum was still inside the tower, and as long as it existed, Javan and Belial still had power. And Eve knew just how smart Javan was. She wasn’t so foolish as to believe he wouldn’t have planned on the possibility of his plan falling apart. He would have a backup plan, and now that he and Belial were backed into a corner, that would only make them more dangerous.
Steeling herself, Eve turned away from the news choppers and the fast-approaching police cars and entered the lobby to Javan’s tower. Inside was like entering an abandoned hotel. There wasn’t a soul in sight. Eve walked slowly towards the elevators, taking care in case someone were to suddenly leap out at her, every step she took echoing loudly against the walls, despite how carefully she stepped.
As Eve reached the reception desk in the center of the lobby, where she had met one of Belial’s human forms, Lilith, she suddenly heard someone sniff loudly, sobbing. Eve froze, listening hard. She couldn’t see anyone around, but the sound of sobbing was clear. Eve then realized it was coming from underneath the reception desk.
Moving cautiously, Eve rounded the desk and peeked at the floor underneath. What Eve saw both startled and confused her. Sitting on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest, was a security guard. However, she was clearly no threat to Eve, as she was crying quietly into her knees.
“Rivera?” Eve asked in shock.
At her voice, Rivera started as though she had been poked with a sharp instrument, then lifted her face to look up at Eve. Eve could see her eyes were red and puffy. Rivera had clearly been crying for some time. Eve also took note of the gun that Rivera kept holstered on her hip, and was relieved to see that Rivera made no move to grab it, instead simply staring at Eve with an expression of misery.
“Eve?” Rivera sniffed. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to stop Javan,” Eve replied, edging around the desk more and kneeling on the floor in front of Rivera. She made sure to keep some distance, just in case Rivera decided to try and grab her. “What’s wrong?”
Rivera wiped her eyes with her hands and shook her head.
“It’s… horrible,” Rivera whispered. “I didn’t want to. I swear, I tried to say no, but they said if I didn’t… comply… then they’d… they’d…”
“Calm down,” Eve soothed. “What happened?”
“It’s the patients,” Rivera blurted out. “They’re all dead.”
Eve felt a cold lump fall heavily in her stomach. “What? How?”
Rivera was shaking her head again and seemed unable to look at Eve in the eyes.
“Javan’s orders,” Rivera said. “The incinerators. He said… We were told that they were… liabilities! He ordered us all to take the patients down to the incinerators and… and… and…”
“No,” Eve whispered in horror. “He didn’t?”
Rivera was nodding. “He did. They’re all gone. All the patients. Most of the scientists and doctors. They’re all dead. Burned. Gone. I tried, Eve, I swear! I tried to stop it, I tried to not help, but they said if I didn’t do my job, then I’d… I’d go in the incinerators, too. I was scared! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Eve! I never meant for any of this! For what they did to you, to all the others, and now this! My God, I can still hear them… The screams… I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
Rivera seemed unable to go on and broke down into a fresh wave of sobs as she hid her face behind her knees again.
Eve was horrified at the thought of all those people being forced to their deaths, after so long of torture and pain. It was too terrible to think about. Taking a deep breath, Eve grabbed Rivera’s arm and shook her gently.
“Listen,” Eve began. “There are police coming. I think they’re coming to arrest Javan.”
“They would have seen the news,” Rivera said. “Javan just killed the people interviewing him. It was… it was awful. He ripped them apart. With just his hands! How is that possible?”
“Never mind that now,” Eve said. “Just go outside. Go to the police, tell them everything you know. It’s too late to do anything about what’s happened, but maybe you can at least do a little good. Warn them. Tell them Javan is dangerous. And Belial, I mean, Isaiah. He’s even worse. If the police come in here, they’ll die. Tell them that. They need to stay back and give me some time.”
“Time?” Rivera repeated, confused. “Time for what? What are you going to do?”
Eve rose to her feet and stared down at Rivera, a look of cold determination on her face.
“I’m going to fix my mistakes.”
As the police cruisers all came screeching to a stop around the entrance to Javan’s tower, and the officers all began to file out of their vehicles, they saw a female security guard burst out of the doors, holding her hands up in the air.
“Wait!” Rivera screamed at them. “Wait! Don’t go in!”
“You! Freeze!” one officer yelled. “Slowly unholster your firearm and place it on the ground. Then step away, keeping your hands raised.”
Rivera did as she was told, moving slowly as she took her gun out and set it on the ground. Once she stepped away from the gun, the officer came forward and secured the gun, then guided Rivera away from the building entrance.
“Who are you?” the officer demanded.
“Rivera, I’m a security guard for Darwin Javan,” Rivera said in a rush. “You can’t go in.”
The officer scowled at her. “Like Hell we can’t. We’ve got an arrest warrant for your boss. He just murdered people on live TV, not to mention all the other stuff he’s pulled.”
“No, no, you can’t just go in!” Rivera repeated insistently. “He’ll kill you all. And it’s not just him. His assistant, Isaiah, he’s a murderer, too. And the Angel is in there.”
“The redhead one?” the officer asked. “What’s she doing there?”
“She said she’s going to stop Javan,” Rivera said. “She asked me to get you to give her time.”
The officer was already shaking his head. “As soon as we’re ready, we’re going in. Javan’s going down, and if the Angel doesn’t want to go down with him, she’d better stay the Hell out of the way.”
Despite Rivera’s continued protests, the officer guided her to a police cruiser and made her sit in the back while he and the other officers turned to head into the building. However, they had barely taken more than a few steps when they suddenly slowed their collective pace and came to a stop, looking around in confusion. The air was suddenly buzzing with a strange sound, something between the roar of a distant fire and the crackle of electricity.
“What the Hell is that noise?” one officer asked.
The sound was growing louder, becoming more distinct over the sound of bustling traffic on nearby streets. The police could then feel the hairs on their arms standing on end, as though the air was full of static electricity. Then one officer looked up and saw what was causing the noise.
The blue fire crashed down upon the officers like a tidal wave, sparks and embers flying in all directions as the electric-blue flames engulfed the police and instantly burned them away to nothing. The officers that weren’t caught in the path of the energy all yelled in surprise and fear and ran for cover. Belial, however, was not done with them. He rose like a behemoth, towering over the street as the electric-blue fire, then long tendrils of heat and electricity reached out from the main body of fire like striking snakes. The lengths of energy snapped through the air and struck down several more officers, burning holes through their bodies and tearing others completely in half, while others still were annihilated, their screams cut short as suddenly as the flames had appeared. Without hesitation, the tendrils of flaming, electric, energy whipped through the air and struck the police cruisers. The cars that were stuck instantly exploded, fireballs reaching into the sky as the burning shell of each vehicle was tossed through the air, flipping and crashing, still burning as those who had still managed to survive fled for their lives.
A news helicopter flew in closer for a better look, the occupants shouting at each other in both fear and amazement at what they were witnessing. However, Belial noticed them come closer and still hungered for death. The flaming energy swooped down along the street and wrapped itself around the burning wreckage of the nearest police vehicle. Before anyone could blink, Belial had tossed the wreck into the air, directly towards the helicopter.
