The Journey Series.

(first person)

"Did you hear that Nikolaus? They know you're watching them." Matthias says with the most displeasing sound of pleasure in his voice.
"You are one sick fuck, you understand me? You don't even know who they are." I Begin eating my food again, careful not to get anything on my suit. The waiters and waitresses were all staring at me due to my sheer size, in both height and muscle, I hadn't noticed how much my muscle tone shone through the suit. I suddenly felt conscientious of my looks.

(He stands)

Dante-Join me. With them.

(Nikolai turns and looks at the larger man)
(His old mind forgetting. He suddenly realizes)

Nikolai-Nikolaus.

Dante-Good. You know him. Makes it much less awkward

(They head to the table and take a seat)

Dante-Nikolaus.

(First-person)

"Dante, how goes things? Dr. Gordon" I say uncharacteristically friendly.

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

Things are going well. I am searching for Ash.
I have reason to believe she would be here for her family.

(Nikolai)

@Nikolaus

It has been a long time

(First-person)

"So she did leave. Did she take anything with her? like the box of pictures or anything?" I turn to Nikolai before Dante responds, "It has been too long, old friend."

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

She did. She had basicly left without a trace.
My A.I. had managed to find out where she may be.

(Nikolai)

(He listens to the exchange)
(waiting for his turn)

(first person)

So, she left without a trace. I hope she finds her mother, before I left she had told me to look out for her. She had better be safe, and not get hurt. Though, I don't think this is the place she would be. Funny how the past is, even after generations.
"Without a trace? Seems like she doesn't want to be found, almost like she'll come back when she's found what she's looking for. know what I mean?"
I say this while eyeing Dante, looking for...something. A spark maybe, or the return of...something dark.

(His eyes remain locked)
(Focused)
(Unwavering to his attempts)

@Nikolaus

She had made a promise to me.
We would find each other again.

I made a counter promise. That I would find her.

(first-person)

I sigh, deeply. I had a feeling he was going to say that. It saddened me, seeing a strong man follow when he was not meant to follow. I look away from him. I look down at my food. Thinking. He shouldn't be following her. He should have listened to her. Maybe she wrote him a note. Sophia still has some of the surveillance footage from the hospital. I could always review that. Or I could just ask.

"Dante, did she leave a note?"

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

Yes, she did.


(She wakes up)
(Realising where she is)

Oh...thats right...

(She sighs)
(She stands and looks out the window. She sees a diner)

Perfect

(She smiles)

(first-person)

"What did she say?" I ask, with sympathy in my voice.

(He takes the note from his pocket)

@Nikolaus

She needed to do this. To become herself again.
To learn the truth.

(He looks at him)
(Noticing the sympathy in his voice)

Sympathy...

(first-person)

"Always, Dante, always." I say, almost in resignation.

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

Alright.


(Nikolai's eyes go wide)
(His skin paling)

(He takes a vial and consumes the anti-serum)

(Nikolai sighs and looks back at the two)

Dante-Are you alright Nikolai?

Nikolai-Yes. I am.

(first-person)

"Nikolai, ol' chap, are you alright? you looked rather ashen for a moment there." I look at him with worry in my eyes.

(Nikolai)

(He smiles)

@Nikolaus

Yes, I am quite fine my old friend.
You remember. Serum-35, yes?

(First-person)

"I...yes. I remember." I pause for a moment, coming to a horrific conclusion. "You haven't tested it on your self, have you?"

(He smiles again)

@Nikolaus

Not on myself.
I was a victim of my own recreation.

I had believed. I had made it better.

(He stops)
(His eyes go dark)

I caused...nothing but pain and sorrow to those people...

(first-person)

"You mean, you made it transmutable? What have you done?" I ask sounding like an old man.

(His voice grave)

@Nikolaus

I had thought I had created something.
Wonderful.

This is my curse. My consequence.

(first-person)

"You were bitten. Weren't you? Was it human?" I sound older with every word.

(He shakes his head)

@Nikolaus

Complete Infected.


(Dante stands and heads out)

@Both

I will see you later.

(He heads back to the hotel, almost bumping into Sarah)

Dante-Sorry, Sarah.

(She blushes)

Sarah-It is alright

(first-person)

I watch as Draco leaves. Matthias had been quietly watching, and still was.

"I see. Is it terminal?"

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

It can be held off using the anti-serum.

(He shakes his head)

I am forever bound to this.


Dante-How did you sleep?

(She smiles)

Sarah-I slept very well.

(First-person)

"You know, I worked for the bio-medical research team at ONI. Given some time, I could come up with a more.....permanent solution." I'm being charitable, who would have thought?

(He gives a light chuckle)

@Nikolaus

That would be uncharacteristically kind of you my friend.

(He shakes his head)

I would have to decline.
This is my curse. This is my punishment.
I must live with it.


Dante-That is good. I am going to ask around. Care to join?

Sarah(shrugs)-I was going to get something to eat.

Dante-Alright.

(He walks into the hotel and up to his room)
(She heads to the diner)

(First-person)

"I guess old age is finally settling in on me. Funny how that works, isn't it?" I sigh, and look around.

(He chuckles again)

@Nikolaus

Three hundred plus years if I remember right.

(He shakes his head)
(He looks at the door and sees Sarah walk in)

(She takes a seat and orders)
(She puts in her earbuds and turns on her music)

(First-person)

I forgot he he knew that. God he makes me feel old.

"I remember when you were a young chap," I turn my head. "Is that.... who I think it is?" I discreetly gesture to Sarah.

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

My niece. Young Sarah.

(He smiles)

Even though with all that had happened to her.
She still grew up well.


(The food comes out and she begins eating)

This is great

(first-person)

"She certainly has grown. I can't remember, did you introduce me to her parents?" the shadow of a smile on my face.

Hmm.

@Nikolaus

Such a long time.

I do not think I had.
Anya was never one for ONI.
Mikhail and I were lucky to even see Sarah as often as we did.

(He smiles)

(She taps her foot to the song)
(Focusing on her food and music)

(First-person)

I smile, "I'm not surprised, I wasn't exactly the nicest of men back then. In fact, I remember being rather cold."

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

I can remember that.
So. What adventures have you been having.


(She finishes her meal and goes to the counter)
(She pays and heads back out to the hotel)
(Humming along the way)

(first-person)

"ONI wetworks, questionable experiments, getting shot at by people I refuse to work with: the usual. Except you wouldn't know, you've only known me as the scientist and doctor. Ha, I'm done so many things...."

Matthias has moved, and is now following Sarah.

(He nods)

@Nikolaus

Exactly.

(He stands up)

It has been a pleasure to speak to you again.

(He heads out of the diner)


(He had been sitting in his room)
(Armor on)
(He had been staring deeply into her picture)


(She arrives at his door)
(She brings her hand to the door. Preparing to knock. She shakes her head and goes into hers)

(first-person)


"It has my friend, it has." I look around for Matthias, "Where did he....?"

Matthias comes up behind Sarah, "Excuse me miss?"

(She was startled)
(She had just opened the door when she heard the voice)

(She turned around)

@Matthias

Um...Yes?


(He clenches his fist)
(Unclenches)
(Clenches)

(first-person)

I tear the diner apart with my eyes looking for Matthias. I don't see him anywhere. I tip the waiter and leave. stepping out into the cool night. Matthias was nowhere to be seen. I thought and I thought hard. Where would he go? I have to refer to my Profile of him.

"Sophia? you there?

S-"I'm here"

"Can you show me Matthias' Profile?"

S-"certainly can."

"Thanks"

S-"Bringing it up now"

I look over the data on Matthias. I look at the hotel across the street. Wait, could he have followed Sarah, he was alway a bit.....odd around women....

S-"He has a record, under a different name."

I figured as much. I went to the hotel, and began looking for the sick bastard.

(Matthias)

"Hi, My names Matthias." He says charmingly.

(She looks at him skeptically)

Nice to meet you...

(She looks him over)

Another creep


(He sighs and stands up)
(Looks out the window)
(Combing the streets)

(matthias)

"Dear, you never told me your name." Matthias says coyly.

(She continues looking at him)

@Matthias

Sarah...
What is it that you want?


(He looks at the sun)

"Away from the sun again"

"well, a moment or two with you would be nice. If you don't object, that is." He says, his eyes wandering.

(first-person)

I climb up to the third floor, finally, the last two floors were empty, well, the hallway was. I'm hoping he isn't in one of the rooms.

(He opens the door)
(Weaver and Gin open theirs)

(He sees Sarah and the man from earlier)
(Weaver and Gin behind him)

@Matthias

May. I. Help you

(First-person)

I look down one of the halls: empty. I go to the next one: empty. I follow the empty Hallway down to the end and look right. this is the view that I saw: Matthias was talking to Sarah, his back was to me, Dante and two of the Shields were across the hall from them. Matthias appeared to be speechless, because he stared at the Shields. And for a moment, I felt my senses enhance, I could smell Matthias, I could smell the fear oozing from his pores. the glandular secretions of bodily fluid that was fear. I knew he would panic, he would turn around and run, in my direction. I knew, I knew.

(Sternly)
(Anger in the tone)

@Matthias

May I help you.

(He takes a step forward)

(Sarah walks back into the room and shuts the door)
(She locks it)

(First-person)

I begin to slowly walk down the hall, still unnoticed. I hear Matthias respond to Dante: "No, I was after the girls attention, not yours." Matthias stands his ground, looking at the Juggernaut unwaveringly.

(He laughs)

@Matthias

Another creep.
Pathetic.

(Weaver and Gin take a step forward)
(He waves them back)

@Both

Let me handle this one.

(He smiles under his helmet)

(First-person)

I see Matthias pull something out of his back pocket: An Electromagnetic Power Gun. Basically, It's a gun that ignores Shields and can punch through armour in two shots or less, it fires thin sheets of metal too, not bullets. It's still in the experimental stages though. How did he get his hands on one?
I watch him move quickly, I've never seen a civilian move so fast before, He shot Dante in stomach and then ran down the hall, toward me.

(He takes the shot)
(His anger rises)

(He sees Nikolaus at the end of the hallway)
(He sprints after the man. Ignoring the pain)
(The anger pushing it aside)

(Weaver and Gin continue standing)


(She hears the shot)

Oh no...