บท 10: Mirror
With some light-hearted conversation and music playing in the background, the time had just reached 8:30 pm as Marcus placed down his fork beside his plate. Turning around, Marcus realized he was the last one at the bar to finish eating, really taking his time between bites to think about today's events. While he also conversed with Vivi a bit, he was ultimately left to enjoy his food in a calming atmosphere.
"Leave it there, I'll take care of it later," Lena said, her cybernetic hand holding a glass bottle of beer as Marcus pulled back the hands that were ready to pick up the used plate.
Crossing the room, Marcus joined the group as the TV that played a moderately loud kid's movie was turned down upon his arrival. Finding a seat in one of the open single chairs beside both sides of the sofa, Marcus reclined some as everyone turned to Lena, who then looked at Marcus.
"Alright Marcus, I know today has been a rough day but I should tell you some things before I leave," Lena said, placing the bottle beside her on a table as she sat up, her hands resting in an interlaced bridge under her chin as her elbows rested on her legs. Continuing where she had left off she spoke slowly, "The people you met here today are a part of a mercenary group I founded years ago. We're called Mirror.
Mari was a member of our group, a skilled infiltrator whose main job was to sneak into places recording or gathering intel on any illegal dealings or sneaking into places to kidnap a target. The last time we saw her she said she was looking into something alone, I don't normally ask about what anyone does off a job so I let her be. She had completed dozens of solo jobs alone so she and everyone here were confident she would be alright and, well you can guess the rest.
Now, as to why you're here, it was originally not supposed to play out like this. We planned to let you continue your normal life with your family and not show ourselves to you.
Originally… but things change…
The man who killed Mari and your friend, Kren, is a do it all enforcer for someone high up the chain in SpecterCorp. We received a job to track his whereabouts and after hacking one of the Specter Data centers in the city, we found recordings of his recent communications with his boss. In those recordings they talked about you, your parents who were employees of Specter, and where you lived. Kren planned to silence you once and for all when you were out of the hospital, the plan taking place today.
So, I took it upon myself to meet you and track your phone to keep an eye on you the entire day. This morning, I was luckily able to have Vivi install tracking software secretly into your NeuroNet, allowing me to follow you anywhere you went in case I lost sight of you.
After following you from the funeral for Damian, I noticed Specter SUV's parked on the street as I pulled into your neighborhood. Fearing the worst I ran as fast as I could to you and luckily I saved you before Kren could kill you. Unfortunately, I didn't make it in time to save your parents.
Now you're here, in our secret clubhouse. Did I sum that up well?" Lena asked, taking a deep breath as everyone in the room answered with various forms of a yes. Though this was the first time everyone had heard the rundown of events earlier in the day, sans Vivi, the summary was enough for them to know what Marcus had experienced in such a short time.
"Alright! Marcus," Lena spoke again, holding Marcus's gaze as she asked," Would you like to join us? If you do we'll be able to protect you from Kren and you'll be able to live here with this place as your new home."
"Protect me from him? What about you guys?" Marcus asked as he turned to look at everyone else in the room, the information he was receiving weighing heavily on his mind.
"What else will we do? Job or No Job we're killing that bald shit" Keith said, his and everyone else's cold gazes freezing Marcus momentarily before they disappeared. "Plus we can just keep doing what we've been doing, taking jobs with good pay and living how we want to live."
"Think about it a bit and decide, if you choose not to join I can take you to the police station tomorrow," Lena said, the room coming to an awkward silence. Marcus had his eyes closed while leaning back in his chair thinking of every moment and choice until now.
Thinking back through everything, how he had wanted to tear the veil off of the city, exposing the evil and corruption running rampant in it. How he was originally an outsider looking in until he and Damian stumbled upon Mari after being captured by Kren. To now he was being hunted by a guy with access to mega-corporation levels of influence in the city. He was sure he wouldn't be safe anywhere else other than with Mirror but, maybe Detective Rhys was a straight-edge non corrupt guy, he wasn't sure though.
One minute, Two minutes, Five minutes, Marcus sat in silence really recalling the helpless feeling he felt when staring down the barrel of a gun. It was then that he felt an inner surge of retaliation against that feeling of helplessness.
Recalling Vivi's words earlier, in particular, the part about experiencing such a situation again frightened Marcus but angered him even more. Reliving the events again in his mind, putting the faces of all he knew in the positions of Mari, Damian, or his parents, Marcus felt his hands in tremble in outrage as his heart grew heavy.
Opening his eyes, briefly shocking Lena with how cold it was, Marcus said a single sentence that shocked everyone. "I want to join…" Marcus began as Vivi jumped to her feet and exclaimed Yes loudly, only to be interrupted by Marcus as he continued," I want to join you all in Killing Kren."
Gesturing for Vivi to take a seat, Lena stared again at Marcus, truly trying to sense his feelings from his gaze. Easily recognizing the seriousness in his tone she had to ask, "You know what you're saying right? Tell me, Are you ready to kill someone, another living being?"
Taking a moment to think about it, Marcus finalized his thoughts as he answered, "I realize that with Kren murdering my parents, this is a kill-or-be-killed situation I'm in. To live the life I want, one without needing to look over my shoulder in fear, I have to face to face this.
I refuse to be coddled by a corrupt legal system that Kren may have ties to, if I go there and he just takes me away and kills me then that'd be it" Marcus said, taking a breath as he took a few seconds to continue speaking," I'm sure my parents wouldn't want me killing anyone but… I just can't trust the legal system in this city to properly get justice for everyone he's killed, not just Mari, Damian, or my parents."
Resonating with his words, Lena felt her blood boil as she did her best to maintain her stoic and stern position as she asked another question," If he were in front of you then, beaten and on his knees defeated, would you have the strength to kill him?"
"I don't know honestly… I know that I'll do something." Marcus responded in a low tone, his chilling glare disappearing as he closed his eyes.
"I see, what do you think everyone?" Lena asked, to which they all nodded in approval, each person present touched by the genuine answers Marcus provided.
"If you don't do it then one of us will don't worry, with you in the group you'll never have to do things alone. We'll get that bald fuck eventually, everything just takes patience." Keith said, his hand holding a cigarette he pulled from a box retrieved from his pocket.
"Thank you, I don't care when or who does it, I just want some form of justice for everyone." Marcus choked as he opened his moistening eyes, and looked at everyone.
"By the book or by the streets, justice will come for Kren. Now, I must welcome our newest member to the group." Lena said as she walked over and placed her hand on Marcus's shoulder as she looked into his eyes. "Welcome to Mirror, Marcus"
…
..
.
With Marcus officially joining Mirror, A small party of sorts was scheduled for the following evening where he would meet the final member of the group, a young man similar in age to him named Eddie. He was also to be taken clothing shopping as he was unable to return home and retrieve clothing with it being a crime scene.
As they finished discussing it, Keith and Lena departed to a club called Cloud to enjoy some nightlife together. Marcus was offered a chance to go out by Vivi but he declined as he felt exhausted by the day's events, plus he was only 17 so he didn't think he could get in.
Following Keith and Lena, Vivi and Joan departed the clubhouse to an underground party/music concert, leaving Marcus alone with their contact information. As he returned to his designated room, the calming rhymes of rap music playing in the background, Marcus sat on the bed, finally looking at his messenger app through his NeuroNet.
Seeing dozens of messages from Detective Rhys asking where he was and if he was ok, Marcus responded finally, several hours later, that he was safe and sound. He also said he knew his parents were killed and that he had escaped the killer thanks to a mysterious person.
Surprising him, he received a response back asking if the killer was the same from the previous murder and where he was so Rhys could retrieve him. Responding that it was unnecessary, as well as confirming Rhy's suspicions, Marcus explained that he wouldn't be seeking aid from him as he found a sanctuary where the killer couldn't find him.
Asking what he meant, while seated in a curbside ramen store, Rhys sighed after receiving an emoji in response to his question. Thinking of something, Rhys warned Marcus against trying to get revenge on his killer, saying that stooping down to his level wasn't the right course of action and that justice would prevail if he worked with them.
Reading what Rhys said, Marcus smiled to himself as he thanked Rhys for the warning and said he could contact him if anything comes up. With that, Marcus muted any message notifications from Rhys, truly relaxing for the night as he turned up the music and lay down in bed.
"I'll do whatever it takes, become whatever I need, and avenge you all. I'll show this city the truth hidden beneath the veil, and I'll tear it off in one go." Marcus said softly, his eyes glimmering with determination.
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