Eyes Of A Rookie (Infinite and Rookie)

Chapter 19

What could have been better than spending some time with my little brother in the city? The answer is spending time with him by destroying many Egg-pawns alongside him. Just him and I, firing Asteroids and Lightning whips, destroying the surroundings of robots and enemies. I even showed him a little trick: toss the weapon up, lunge at the enemy, toss them back to where the weapon will drop, catch the weapon, and destroy. It's not really useful or consistent, but it's fun when it happens.

All was going well. Advancements upon the city, the robot army being destroyed by a ragtag rebellion, and fighting alongside others as a source of strength. What could go wrong? I'll tell you what could: seeing that damn Jackal, YET AGAIN. Met on a bridge, his back turned towards the both of us.

Infinite: More ants to crush. I wonder if this world will actually offer me a challenge. And as if to answer...

He glanced over his shoulder and stared at me. I grabbed CJ by his collar and pulled him back from the Jackal. I could tell he was shaking in his boots, but I held his head and nodded softly.

Infinite: The world sends me a trembling child and his older, hotter brother.

CJ: Hotter? How can big brother be called hot by the likes of the enemy?

Me: Charlie, not now. Why are you doing this, Jackal? Why do you hate the world so much as to destroy it?

Infinite: It is not that I hate this damned world. It is that I hate the people that cause harm and mischief among themselves. There is no person in the world that won't harm another for something that they do not have access to.

Me: What are you implying here, Infinite? That we're all doomed into eternal pain and suffering? Is that what you're trying to say?

Infinite: And yet, not all of us understand that to live, there must be pain and sacrifice.

Me: Sacrifice? I'm not one to question much, but why do we sacrifice when we can prosper without it?

CJ: I think he's trying to say that we sacrifice the weak to make the strong stronger.

Infinite: Your brother, he's a smart kid. It's a shame, really, that he sees you die.

Me: Like Hell it'll happen.

Infinite: Like I say, the nerve of some people is just infuriating, wouldn't you agree with me, Gadget? And you as well, Charlie?

CJ: I don't like being called that name.

Me: Leave him out of this, Jackal. This is my battle, and I will see through to the end.

Infinite: You know? You're right. I'm three, two, one...

I heard the sharp creaking of metal scraping against itself, and I happened to glance up and see that there was a TON of falling debris overhead. I held my head low and dragged my fingers across my chest in a cross as the debris crashed all around me. I held CJ tight in my arms and kept my eyes shut as the debris kept falling around us. His claws sank into my arms, but all I cared about was his safety.

As the crashing came to an end, I peeked open my eyes, and as the dust settled around the two of us, ass I could see was the Jackal, hovering in the air, glaring at us.

Infinite: So... you survived the crumbling tower. No matter... there is still always Plan B. I think I'll torture your brother like I did to you, Rookie. I'll rip his teeth out like I did yours.

CJ: So THAT'S why you hurt to talk, big brother?

Me: It's more numb than anything. There's no pain, just numbness.