Omega 17

(Chapter Twenty) The Man Behind The Strings

*Amara descends slowly holding up her hands to keep herself steady as the winds around her gently lower her down. she looks down expecting darkness but finds the neon lights glowing faintly at the bottom*

"You better be ok Jake...you better be..."

*Closing her eyes softly she begins to hum a soft gentle melody to herself to calm her nerves. moving from her we move now down into the pits below to our young friend Jake as he begins to move again wincing and coughing blood down his front. the force of impact was negated slightly from using the Night Walker as a platform but not all of it. moving to his knees he crawls from the still form of his adversary and leans against a steel pipe*

"f-fuck....why d-did you have to be such a pain..."

*he looks at the creature and a thought suddenly dawns on him. Who was this being truly? who had been controlling it who or what was it made from?...moving again but slower as to prevent any more damage he crawls to the Night Walkers side and taps on the helmet*

"Hey ugly you still alive in there?"

*without warning the cyan eyes spring back to life but the being makes no other moves. the glowing orbs move around roaming over Jake and over the surrounding area before settling on Jake again unblinking*

"Freeeedoooom.....yooouu....givvvve....freeedoooom..."

*it croaks out its words a mixture between coherent speech and gurgling most likely from blood pouring from its lips under the helmet. Jake moving into a sitting position looks at the creature with a strange look*

"What do you mean i bring you freedom? is this what you wanted?....you wanted to die?"

*bewildered but curious Jake leans forward a bit and the creature speaks again*

"Deaaath....freeedoooom....froooom....heeer....memmmmorrrieees..."

*Jake stops cold his eyes locking with the Night Walkers*

"Her memories?....what do you mean her memories?"

*Moving sluggishly the Night Walker reaches over and opens its palm...showing a etched phoenix in its palm in the armor itself with glowing rubies eyes*

"Phhoooenixxxx...."

*Jake can only sit and stare. Phoenix...Dippers sister the one who he was unable to save back then....but..why? how? who was this person how did it know who Phoenix was? unable to stop himself he reaches forward and grabs its hand*

"How do you know Phoenix? HOW!?"

*he shouts tears springing to his eyes desperate for answers and the Night Walker stares back at him*

"Phhooooenixxxx.....saaaved....liffffe....mmmmmy....loooove..."

*Jake reels trying to process this. a lover? someone she saved? but how? the creature Jake saw back in the sewers of the city was NOT Phoenix..not anymore...was this person in front of him a victim of her or  another Meta-human put into the Crucify program? as he goes to ask bright lights suddenly flick on and he shields his eyes. a soft clapping can be heard as foot steps echo down steps and a unknown voice speaks a soft male voice*

"ah bravo bravo Mr.Brackson i must say i am slightly disappointed you are still alive but i must say it presents quite the opportunity to test out the effectiveness of Crucify"

*Blinking Jake begins to adjust. Crucify? so this WAS another Meta-human part of that program...but who was this man speaking? if only he could make him out...blinking again he rubs his eyes trying to clear from the sudden blindness and as he does the voice chuckles*