Pacific Rim: King of the Monsters

Chapter 42. Cometh the Devils Disciples

The Shatter Dome, home to the pilots and their jaegers, had gone completely silent. Every human had frozen in place. Time had not stopped, but they had ceased their movement, only breathing while still.

Only the now conscious pilots and Pentecost could fear for their lives, staring at Oblivion who stood right outside the blast doors of the base, having broken them open and permanently smashed them apart.

The one man who could move was Pentecost, and he knew he couldn't leave his pilots. They were all defenders of the planet, and so was he at one point in his life, he couldn't run, it wasn't his nature to face danger and flee. Delta Wolf had left them there an hour earlier, yet they could not move from the floor. It was like their bodies were locked in place.

Above the armored kaiju, descended the Xilien ship next to Oblivion. Its vast size could have crushed the kaiju and possibly the entire base. The chrome spacecraft rested into the water, gracefully landing on the ocean floor.

The pilots could only observe the ship and the sudden appearance of a bright light escaping the doors. Stepping out from the ship was the hooded man, having returned inside to retrieve a fourth person. Now a body rested on each shoulder while he held the survivors in each hand.

Yumi instantly recognized Jay on the man's right shoulder. Wataru was held in one hand and in the other was Adaine. The last body wore torn shorts and dangled off the figure's other shoulder.

Pentecost, Raleigh, and Mako. Yumi and Emi. Mack and Gage. Allison and Sebastian. Muramasa and Kujo. Every one of them watched this strange cloaked individual approach them, laying Wataru and Adaine before the group and then casually lifting Jay off his shoulder and placing him on the floor with the others.

The last person was held out to the group, facing the lifeless body out to them all, revealing to the group of pilots as Ryo Hariya.

The pilots were nearly shocked to see the boy and how preserved his body was for someone who had gone missing for nearly a month.

The man tilted his head, watching their expressions, hearing their thoughts on what he planned on doing.

Oblivion was right there, the pilots couldn't move, and the base didn't contain a single jaeger. They were all left defenseless and the hooded man knew it.

Every pilot feared for the boy, wishing to god that he was alive and well.

Pentecost felt a cold chill go through his spine as he struggled to speak, fearing a single word might set off this horrifyingly calm cloaked individual.

Ryo lifted his head to the surprise of the group, his eyes opening as he stared at them, seeing the boy was just as confused as they were. He reached up to the hand that held his throat, letting out a scream.

His voice filled the entire base with his fear and sudden confusion, and then silence.

The pilots screamed, petrified at the sight of the back of Ryo's head facing them; his body became motionless, hanging from the man's grasp.

The deceased pilot was dropped to the floor, crumbling at the man's feet.

Yumi and Emi cried out to the pilot. Sebastian and Mako threw up. Muramasa couldn't believe his eyes, but Kujo couldn't hold in his fear anymore, weeping as he knew this was the end for them all. No matter how much he wanted to move, no matter how much any of them wanted to move, their bodies would not.