Aucun Nom

Clayton was a simple man. He did what he was supposed to do, didn’t ask any questions, and minded his own business. It came with the job and the neighborhood. He was known as a professional in his profession; the profession of delivering goods, no matter what they were, no questions asked. He had seen and delivered many a things that he could not even fathom and encountered different individuals whom he could consider to be out of this world, but he didn’t. He wasn’t paid to think, he was paid to keep his mouth shut. The consequences for violating the rules were severe. He didn’t want to end up like his late colleague Remy.

Clayton looked at his gold plated Swiss Bulgari. His client was late. He pushed aside the grubby red curtains and looked out the window. The storm didn’t seem to be passing away, if at all it looked like it was just starting to enjoy itself. It loomed outside the small apartment room that he was renting for the night. An hour passed and Clayton started to get impatient. His clients were always on time no matter the hour. He paced around the room considering his options when there was a silent knock on the door. He looked through the eye hole in the door to see an old man, smartly dressed in a suit waiting outside. He had dark glasses on even though it was two in the morning.

The old man certainly fitted his client’s description but it was always better to be safe Clayton thought as he pulled out the revolver from his side pocket. He opened the door slowly pointing the gun at his client. The sight that greeted him would be etched in his mind forever. There was a large gaping hole on the old man’s body. His intestines were hanging out like it had been ripped apart from outside, but there were no signs of blood. Before Clayton could react the body of the old man was shoved in front him and he fell down due to the weight of the body.

A dark shadow loomed over the terrified Clayton, as the sound of thunder echoed outside. Clayton shoved the body of the old man to one side and reached for his revolver that was on the floor. Blue light streamed out of the hands of his assailant and stuck the revolver, which left nothing but black dust. Clayton was terrified out of his mind now.

“Who..who are you?? What do you want???” he trembled in fear.

“I am like you. I have no name..” a mellow voice replied. “I want answers!! “His voice changed to anguish.

Before Clayton could comprehend what his assailant was talking about, Clayton was lifted and slammed into the bed. The air rushed out of his lungs, the world seemed to get blurry and suddenly his body felt like it was on fire. Blue light that felt like large shock of electricity streamed out of his assailants hands and then it stopped. He came back to his senses, his body aching all over and finally got a look at his assailant through the little light that was streaming out from the windows.

Dark, long brown hair flowed down to the broad shoulders of the naked six foot figure standing over him. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in days and his eyes, oh his eyes terrified Clayton. Dark brown eyes that seemed calm and collected even in the situation. The eyes had the aura of a person who had overcome huge grief and sorrow and the look of someone who would do anything to get he wanted. He was looking at a mad man and there was no way to survive the situation than giving him what he wanted.

“Are you ready to talk..?” asked the man with no name.

“Yes. Please ask me anything..anything you want..” Clayton’s throat burned as he attempted to reply. The words came in small gasps.

“Do you know what you are?” asked the assailant.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Gasped Clayton with all his strength. Oh god, his throat was hurting like hell.

“You like this old man and me, do not belong here. We are a plague upon this world. We deserve to die. But death is not taking me yet until I avenge him. I owe him that.” Replied the assailant his voice getting menacing by the second.

Clayton looked on in horror as the words came out of his assailant’s mouth. He was truly a mad man. God help him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Clayton repeated.

“Oh you know. You know!!! “Yelled his assailant as blots of electricity stuck Clayton, burning him inside out.

“Where is she?!? Where is my sister?!!!”

Authors Note: I present to the second and hopefully the final entry in the Riviera series entitled Requiem. It will be updated every Saturday. So enjoy. And don’t forget to leave any comments. Cheers.

Tryst

He woke to the sound of heavy breathing. He was freezing. Rain drops splattered onto his naked body covered with wet sand. The heavy breathing echoed throughout his whole body and then suddenly painful spasms engulfed him. The pain ran through him like wildfire and then it subsided after what felt like an eternity.

Rain was falling much more heavily now and the wind was howling in his ears. Surrounded by wet sand, he could hear the sounds of waves crashing in the distance. After several attempts he was able to get to his feet. It took awhile for his eyes to adjust to the surroundings. The beach seemed to be deserted except for the fierce gale that was swirling around him.

He grimaced at the familiarity of the scene in front of him. He stood there staring into space as rain droplets streamed down his disheveled and weary face. The sound of thunder brought him back to his senses. He bid the storm adieu and started walking slowly into the opposite direction of the waves. He had work, to do.

The skin on her forehead turned deep red on the moment of impact. The whole world exploded around her as she was hurled backwards onto the pavement. Time suddenly stopped and she felt a thick liquid trying to burst out from her lungs. The world seemed so much simpler, much more beautiful. She looked on at the expressions of the people looking on at her in amazement and horror. She was just a spectacle. Just a mere annoying fly swapped away in the most gruesome way possible. She understood their thoughts. If she was in the same position she wouldn’t miss this show. Everyone wants to see someone die, and in the most horrible way possible. They wouldn’t admit it of course. But deep down she knew they were enjoying it. She would.

The world seemed to be getting darker now. Still beautiful but yet more complicated. Images of angels floated in front her. They were white, halos over their heads. Halos, just like mom said. They were here to take her away. She didn’t want to go. She didn’t know why. It was an unexplainable feeling. Maybe it wasn’t her time yet. Yeah that was it. Not her time. But when would it be? She coughed. The angels wiped away the blood and whispered. It’s time. It was? Okay..

20 Minutes Earlier

She was running. She needed to find him. The blue jacket, the unmistakable strut; her Billy-Jean. He had held her hand. Taken her on the merry-go-round. Given her candy. What more could she ask for from her Billy-Jean? He was perfect. But then he left.

Now there she was searching for her Billy-Jean. Pushing past the crowd of people who were laughing and then scowling at her as she passed them. People, she had them once. Her own group of people. People who cared for her. A family. Yes she had them once. But then she left.

A glimpse of blue. She ran faster. And then she heard it. The blaring of the horns. The unmistakable skid from the truck. And then she felt it. The pain. And her blood splattered the windshield. The world turned dark. And then she said okay..

Didn’t understand what happened? Ask your q’s.

‘The boy is dead.’ One of the seven identical men with dark blue eyes sitting at the round table said.

‘He was a failure. His unique genetic code mixed with ours was supposed to lead us to our salvation; the means to stop the replication and lead us to glory.’ The second said.

‘We still have the girl.’ The third mused.

‘How can she be any different?’ The fourth asked.

‘Their DNA differs from their male counterparts. We have 50% chance of success.’ The fifth replied.

‘So we all agree?’ The sixth asked.

The vote was unanimous.

‘Commence the operation.’ The seventh commanded.

Green letters flickered above the white table.

Project Riviera Initialized

The gargoyles made way for the cloaked man as Lykan, Kara and Rose looked on in surprise.

‘Leave us.’ The cloaked man commanded the gargoyles. The sky was suddenly filled with the stony creatures, heading in the direction of the castle that Lykan had escaped from. The cloaked man stopped in front of Rose. Kara and Lykan climbed off and stared at the dark mysterious figure. He was covered in a dark black robe decorated with red linings with strange symbols that resembled those that were on the Amythyst. Lykan quickly took the Amythyst, to find out where the white portal was. Maybe they could make it he thought. The purple ray pointed at a dark crevice a distance away from them. He took out the gun and attempted to shoot at the cloaked figure. The man flicked his hand and the blue blast froze in mid air, turned to ice and crumbled into small pieces. He started to run and towards the crevice when he suddenly froze. He felt the air sucked out of him and he saw the cloaked man crumbled Lykan’s palms with his fist. He felt the pain rush through him. It was unbearable. Suddenly Kara rushed to his side and looked at the cloaked man.

‘You’re not supposed to be here! Is the exercise over?’ Kara said to the cloaked man as he walked over to them.

What exercise? What was she talking about? Lykan thought as he looked on, with fear in his eyes the pain slowly receding from his body.

‘We just got word from Alpha01. He replicated.’ The cloaked man growled.

‘Like me?’ asked Kara.

‘Like us!’ said a voice from above. Sara jumped down from a gargoyle that had just flown to the location. It left as soon as she landed.

‘So this exercise was a failure?! After everything we planned out and executed?’ yelled Kara at the cloaked man.

What the hell were they talking about? Thought Lykan. They were talking as if he didn’t exist. The whole thing was an exercise(?!) What were they talking about?!

‘What the hell are you talking about? Who are you?!’ yelled Lykan at the cloaked man still not able to move.

The cloaked man ignored Lykan and continued.’ We will have to find another subject. He is no longer indispensable. Dispose of him.’ He ordered.

Rose suddenly grabbed Lykan by his neck and put him on her back and started walking. Where was she taking him? Lykan thought. Lykan struggled hoping to get loose as he was brought near the cloaked man. Lykan’s hands lunged out at the cloak covering the man’s face knocking it behind his back. What he saw gave Lykan such a shock that he nearly choked on his own tongue. He couldn’t believe what he saw!

He was looking into the blue eyes of his father.

‘Dad what are you doing?!! Dad, dad, please answer me. Let me go. Please.’ Lykan pleaded as Rose carried him away.

Lykan’s father didn’t answer and looked on without any expression on his face. Rose carried him away on her back as tears rolled down Lykan’s eyes as he yelled ‘Help me Kara! Please help me!’ Kara looked on disappointment in her eyes. Rose suddenly stopped and grabbed Lykan by his neck and held him forward. Lykan looked down to see an empty black space. It was the end of the barren wasteland. ‘Rose please! Don’t do this! Let me go! Please!’ cried Lykan.

Rose didn’t answer as she let go of him. He was falling fast. There was nothing he could grab on to. All he could see was black. That eventually changed when he hit the hard rocky ground at full force. His last thought was of his father’s blue eyes turning red.

‘There is no way that we can get down there and search for the white hole without being seen and eventually killed.’ Lykan whispered. The gargoyles seemed to be getting ready for an upcoming battle and were just hovering above the ground waiting for them to come. The white hole would probably be beyond the army of gargoyles Lykan thought putting the glowing Amythyst back in his pocket. He didn’t want to alarm them with the purple light.

‘There is a way. A very slim chance we can get by them.’ Kara said looking thoughtfully at Rose.

‘How?!’ asked Lykan.

‘Rose can your hologram take the form of a gargoyle?’ Kara asked..

Rose intently studied the gargoyles below and slowly turned into a gargoyle. Lykan touched the hologram to see it fluctuate for a bit before returning back to its original stony self. ‘That could work.’ Lykan said. ‘But how are we supposed to get there?’ 

‘Just jump on my back silly..The hologram can conceal you both..’ Rose’s screen flickered.

Kara giggled and Lykan gave a nervous laugh. They were jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire. This better work thought Lykan.

Lykan, Kara and Rose, concealed as a gargoyle descended into the barren wasteland awkwardly as Rose jumped down from ledge to ledge slowly. Most of the gargoyles were on the ground so they wouldn’t notice a gargoyle that couldn’t fly. But they had to make sure the hologram didn’t touch anything or any place which would show what was underneath for just a moment. A moment was all it would take to get their heads crushed in by the gargoyles.

They made their way slowly into the colony of the gargoyles. They just seemed to be walking around the barren rocky land waiting for them thought Lykan. He had no way of taking the Amythyst out of his pocket to find the white hole. They would just have to wait till they were past the gargoyles.

As they made their way through the menacing creatures Lykan was sweating profusely hoping to get past them soon. Kara seemed calm though, her fingers itching to shoot some of them no doubt thought Lykan. He wished he could be more like her, brave and enigmatic. He was pondering over these thoughts in hopes that he could forget all about the gargoyles surrounding them when he felt a little bead of sweat rolling down his right arm.  He looked in horror as it rolled down his arm and struck the hologram. It fluctuated revealing the people inside.

The eyes of the gargoyles surrounding them slowly turned and looked straight at them. They snarled at them showing their ravenous teeth stained with blood. They were surrounded!

There was no way out.

Lykan and Kara started to shoot at them as Rose took her hammer and slammed it into the gargoyles in front of them making a path in the front. Rose ran with Kara and Lykan on her back hopefully trying to find a space to hide. There was nothing they could do. The gargoyles were coming from all sides. Lykan’s eyes closed as he awaited his impending doom as he felt the air rush to him from above.

‘Stop!’ a chilling voice echoed throughout the rocky land.

Lykan opened his eyes to see a cloaked man descending from the skies holding on to the neck of a gargoyle.

‘Grandpa, we are trapped in. What do we do?’ asked Lykan finally giving up hope while Rose still seemed to be looking around trying to find something that wasn’t there.

‘My boy, don’t worry, Rose will find a way out. She can get out of any complex situation, that’s what she’s trained for.’ The old man said.

‘Well her hologram doesn’t hide shadows! Guess that’s something you’ll have to look into and fix!’ yelled Lykan, frustrated.

‘Oh my, I’m sorry my boy, but she is still in development and we still haven’t got the trajectories of light perfected yet. Don’t panic, she will get you out of there just fine.’ The old man replied.

‘Rose! Get us out of here!’ yelled Lykan even more frustrated.

Rose seemed to be intently studying the ceiling and suddenly swung the hammer upwards smashing the ceiling miraculously making the debris go upwards.

‘Climb on to my shoulders and get up there’ Rose’s screen flickered.

Kara and Lykan climbed up Rose and helped Rose up to the hollow interior of the mountain. Rose quickly closed the gap with a blue gooey substance and flickered ‘We should hurry..It won’t last long.’

They heard the gargoyles smash through the barrier that Kara had made earlier and they started running trying to find a way out from inside the mountain. Light seemed to be streaming from the top indicating a way out.

‘How can we get up there?’ asked Lykan frantically.

‘Hold onto me and I’ll get you up there’ flickered Rose.

Lykan and Kara held on to Rose’s shoulders as she climbed the wall of the mountain with ease jumping from ledge to ledge and finally to the top.

‘Whoa! That was pretty cool!’ Lykan exclaimed to Rose.

‘I know’ Rose replied with a smiley face blushing face.

There seemed to be no gargoyles around, they must still be inside the mountain looking for them thought Lykan.

‘Lykan look!’ Kara said pointing to the pocket of his shorts. It was glowing.

The Amythyst

He took it out and the symbols on the object seemed to glow more brightly and a purple ray shot out of the Amythyst pointing downwards onto the other side of the mountain.

‘We must be close.’ Lykan said and they all looked down below.

The sight terrified them even more than what they saw at the decimated village.

It was a barren wasteland crawling with Gargoyles.

They made their way up the winding path that would lead them to the top of the mountain and finally to the other side where hopefully, the white hole was located. The sun looked at them from above while emitting searing hot breath which burnt their skin slowly. It was the mid afternoon and they still had no idea when they would reach the top. Rose followed them both with the hologram intact so that no one would know they were there. They blended right into the mountain walls.

They had climbed half way up the mountain when they noticed a stony creature circling the skies above them.

‘It’s probably a look out. There is no way that it can see us with Rose around.’ Kara said after seeing the worried look on Lykan’s face. They continued on, trying to ignore the large beast circling the mountain when suddenly the beast looked at where they were. It had stopped gliding and was flapping its wings staring intently at their exact position.

Lykan gulped and looked at Kara wondering what to do. ‘Stay still’ Kara ordered and looked around. They were on a steep winding path and there was no where they can hide. Lykan looked around frantically as well when he suddenly noticed something. The way the sun was shining and the point where there were made their shadows fall behind the winding path. Maybe the hologram that Rose was using to conceal them weren’t concealing the shadows.

‘Look! ‘Lykan whispered urgently to Kara indicating their shadows. Kara understood in an instant.

‘Run!’ Kara ordered and they started running up the path as quickly as possible.

The gargoyle gave a loud screech and started flying straight at them, snarling.

‘Rose! Weapons!’ yelled Kara as they made their way up the winding path. Lykan looked back to see rose opening her screen revealing guns and a large hammer. She took the hammer in her right metallic hand and threw the guns to Kara and Lykan, who had to jump sideways to catch them. The gargoyle was nearly upon them when Kara started shooting and Rose looked on with the hammer in hand.  The blue blasts from the gun didn’t seem to faze the gargoyle at all; it only seemed to slow down. Then Lykan started to notice that the areas that Kara shot at had turned blue almost freezing the areas. Lykan got the idea and started shooting as well; missing the first few tries, and finally hitting on the gargoyle’s head which instantly turned blue. Next thing he knew was that Rose had slammed the hammer into the gargoyle’s head breaking it into pieces and they fell rolling down the length of the mountain.

‘We need to get up there and find a safe place to hide. The screeching was a way to warn them of intruders. Keep the gun in hand Lykan and be ready!’ Kara said as they ran up the winding path; a girl and a boy carrying guns accompanied by a large bulking piece of metal holding a large hammer. This was madness but he was loving every second of it! Lykan thought wondering what he would have to do to make people believe him when he finally got home. Adrenaline rushed through his body and he was ready to fight!

Gargoyles started to stream down from the top of the mountain. Lykan and Kara blasted as many as they could with the guns and Rose smashed them with her hammer as they got closer to the mountain top but they were getting outnumbered by the second. They finally saw a small crack in the wall which Rose smashed open on Kara’s command and they rushed in to the small makeshift cave. Kara conjured up a blue shield at the entrance with her bare hands while the Gargoyles tried to scrape their way in.

‘Rose, find us a way out, now! I can’t hold them off much longer’ yelled Kara over the screeching from the creatures.

Lykan looked over the small makeshift cave Rose had made for them and there seemed to be absolutely no way out.

They were trapped.