Chapter 11: Returning
Damian, Stephanie and Harry made their way to the 7th floor – where David and his group were – by stairs.
Damian kept a steady pace with the kids behind him while paying more attention to his phone. It was time to use the rings he had gained.
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[User Information]
Name : Damian Cross
Title : Son of ???????, Exorcist
Age : 27
Race : Human
Side : (empty)
Rings : 50
Rank : (empty)
Special Power : Perfect lies lv.1, Lie detector lv.3, Demotion lv.3
Affiliate : (empty)
Current Phase : 1
Upgrade Points : (none)
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'Buying upgrade points and investing in Demotion will prove valuable… hmmm...but without Mark's help I won't be able to get hold of the enemy.' Damian stroked his chin with his left hand while he held his phone with the other.
He felt it would've been better to gather more rings but if what he speculated turned out to be positive then that will be a grave mistake that'll likely cost his life.
He decided to postpone the usage of the rings and hopefully, things will not turn out as he speculated.
'Hmmm… I wonder if Mark also got rings and probably a title.'
Damian knew he couldn't possibly ask Mark for his rings, so all he wanted to know was if rings Mark earned were more and his title more significant because of the role they each played in the fight.
Damian checked the 'inventory' but what David said about it was correct; he said that they couldn't access the 'inventory' until they get to a certain rank.
Stephanie had always been cautious of Damian and found him 'odd' for some reason. She quickened her pace up the stairs and asked, "Damian, why are you always looking at your phone?"
Damian was about to click 'store' but was interrupted by Stephanie, who forcefully tried to look at what he was doing so he quickly put his phone in his pocket before she could see anything.
"Do you know about the new OS?" Damian asked, hoping to uncover the reason why David seized every member of his group's phone.
"W-Well…." Stephanie tried to dodge the question.
"Don't you think I should get something for saving your brother although you threatened to kill one of mine?"
"...fine. My dad only told me they aren't safe for people and that the phones contain a power that makes people want to kill each other."
"And?"
"And what?"
"You didn't go against what he said?"
Stephanie pouted and said, "I-I'm a good girl, you know! And is it wrong to think my father is doing what's best for everybody?"
"...I guess not," Damian said, "but don't you have friends from school or something? Aren't you worried about them?"
Stephanie's expression gave out her melancholy. Damian knew that a girl like her definitely would have thought of taking her phone back but she likely couldn't because she also had to care for her and the group's safety.
Damian didn't question further and just walked up the dimly lit stairway. He sank into his thoughts and the more he thought about it, the more complicated it became.
'It's only been one day since the beginning of the apocalypse but how did David manage to know so much? And his quick response to the apocalypse by gathering people, seizing phones and maintaining the place could likely be considered abnormal.'
No matter how Damian pieced clues together he wasn't able to figure out David Dolan's agenda.
'Let me just look at this simply. David formed a resistance to help people survive the apocalypse… yes… that's how I'll look at it for now,' Damian set his mind to that.
Damian had gone up and down the flight of stairs for quite some times now so he started to get quite sick of it.
'This'll be the last time I walk up these stairs anyway.'
...
They got to the door of the 7th floor with Damian in the lead and he said, "In everything I do, you guys should play along with no matter what."
Stephanie and Harry just nodded indeclinably as they followed behind.
Click!... Damian opened the door of the 7th floor and walked right in.
The place was just like how it was a few hours ago; the doors were open and a minimum of 5 people could be seen in each room.
As they walked past, the floor residents that were familiar with Stephanie noticed and started calling out.
"Oh! It's Stephanie!"
"Hey Steph, where have you been?"
"Yea, your dad was looking for you."
"And who is that kid behind you?"
"Isn't that the man that came earlier with that black, muscular man?"
"Isn't that young Harry my boy?"
Stephanie wanted to answer all their questions but she remembered Damian made it clear to follow suit in whatever he did and play along, so since he didn't turn to answer or say something and just headed straight for her father's apartment, she shouldn't turn and just follow.
Snubbing them will come off as rude so she just smiled and waved at them as she walked past.
Soon enough, they got to David's apartment and since the door was already open they just walked right in.
"Stephanie where have you been?!" David stood up from his seat and asked worriedly. Damian was in front and Stephanie was behind him but slightly at his side, so David Dolan couldn't see Harry from where he was.
"I'm fine dad." Stephanie didn't move from where she was.
No one spoke for quite some time and there was an awkward silence in the air.
"What's the meaning of this Damian Cross?" David asked.
Damian walked forward a bit then moved sideways, allowing David to see Harry.
"H-Harry, where were you all this time?" David walked forward, "I'm so glad to see you!"
He was about to get close to Harry so he could hug his son but Damian stopped him in his tracks by stepping in front of Harry.
"...Damian Cross? I'm guessing---" David was stopped abruptly.
"No 'thank you for saving my son'?"
David looked at Damian dead in the eye. His eyes flashed with antipathy.
Damian sighed and smiled, "I'm not here to make trouble. Stephanie told me her brother was missing and I couldn't just let it slide when I knew he might be in danger."
"Thank you for your help in finding my son."
"There's no problem. If you don't mind, I'm taking my leave now," Damian turned around to leave.
Stephanie and Harry didn't know if that was part of his plan or not. She believed Damian wanted to find a way for them to stay with him.
Damian walked to the door. Just when Stephanie wanted to call out to him, David spoke, "Where did you find him please?"
Damian smiled faintly, "On the 6th floor."
"Did you encounter anything unusual?"
"No. He was just in one of the apartments and hid in the wardrobe."
Damian never turned back to David to speak, but this time he only turned his head slightly to look at David from the corner of his eye as he asked, "But did you know he was on the 6th floor?"
"No."
If David didn't ask where he found Harry then that wouldn't be normal from the viewpoint of a parent and if he asks… Damian was a naturally born lie detector.
-- Gift
received