The Awakening: The Truth about Order series, Book One.(Part 1, En Garde)

"4..." (Part 1/2)

“They should be ‘ere by now,” Zack muttered, the all-to-familiar impatience creeping into his usually smooth and steady voice, “if tha’ bastard betrayed me...” His voice trailed off, though Fawlk was smart enough to imagine a few different ways Zack would have ended the sentence.

            The both of them sat in Zack’s spotless Nissan GT-R, the black leather interior free of any discernible blemishes and still somehow retaining the new car smell even after seven years of ownership. The rain outside lightly tapped against the hood; it mockingly threatened to open into a downpour, but held out just barely. Droplets that did dare fall simply beaded on the hood of the immaculately waxed car and rolled off, taunting Zack’s impatience further as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and narrowed his eyes. The squinting furrowed his brow and etched dark lines high on his face; his gel-ed up hair offering a perfect canopy for the shadows that danced their way down his forehead. Despite Zack’s look, Fawlk could tell that the twenty-five year old was not actually trying to see anything outside, the rain mixed with the darkness of the Boston alleyway at night created a curtain that even Zack’s lit headlights could not successfully cut through. 

Fawlk sat back in his seat, closed his golden-green eyes and ran his hand through his short brown hair. As Zack’s impatience grew, so did Fawlk’s nervousness. It was only a matter of time before his counterpart decided to do something stupid.

            “I’ll jus’ do it without ‘em,” Zack finally said on cue, his fingers kept drumming on the steering wheel as he spoke. “I don’ think I’d have any kinda problem. I’s jus’ two of ‘em, ain’t it?” He chuckled to himself when he finished, as if he was trying to downplay what he had said. Fawlk clenched his jaw at Zack’s suggestion before he spoke.

            “I don’t think that would be wise,” Fawlk answered, biting back some of the more coarse wording. To anyone else, Fawlk’s tone would have sounded more like a threatening growl, but Zack knew Fawlk well enough to know that his unusually scratchy voice became distorted when he talked quietly. Zack stopped drumming his fingers and turned his neck to look at his passenger, eyes squinting even further into a glare. Fawlk couldn’t help but to glance over at the back of Zack’s left hand, a hollow maroon circle tattoo etched into his skin with a contrasting blue wolf’s head imprinted within the shape.

            “Why?” Zack snapped, “they don’ even know I’m comin’. I could be in an’ ou’ ‘n no time, I’m sure of it. I dunno why I ev’n asked for their ‘elp.” He justified even as Fawlk opened his mouth to respond to his first question.

            “There are two of them and one of you. You have no way of knowing what they are capable of.” Fawlk replied, his fingers scratched nervously at his dark jeans. Zack turned his head back to look out the windshield again and lowered his gaze as if he was considering Fawlk’s explanation. After only a brief time, Zack smiled and looked back at Fawlk.

            “I go’ faith in my abilities.” Zack said as he pushed the key into the ignition and turned. The engine roared to life and the headlights flickered once. Zack threw the car into drive and stepped on the gas, lurching the GT-R forward into the empty road just as another car skid to a halt to block them in. Zack slammed on the brakes and brought the Nissan to a stop. The other car, a jet black Corvette ZR-1, sat idling in the road as if it were waiting for a reaction. It only took a couple seconds of Zack’s silent fuming until his phone to rang.

            “Answer!” Zack yelled, and the car’s hands-free system answered the phone. “Where were you?” He yelled before the caller had a chance to speak.

            “Relax, man, I got caught up on the way here.” A squirrely, scared little voice answered from the other end.

            “Caugh’ up?” Zack repeated in a hushed voice, “wha’ the fuck else you gotta do, Ted?” There was silence on the other line. “Wha’ever, le’s jus’ go. Try not gettin’ caugh’ up on the way.” Zack tapped a button on the steering wheel and hung up. Again, he stepped on the gas and sent the car shooting forward to pull out of the alley and turn onto the road. The street lights whipped by as Zack sped down the strangely empty street and Fawlk turned his head to look out the side window.

            “A’ight, you ‘member the plan?” Zack asked, his words speeding up as he got obviously excited.

            “I am taking the front door, Ted is wrapping around and coming through the back.” Fawlk replied as he stared in the side mirror at the ZR-1’s headlights speeding behind them. His response sounded like an overly rehearsed line he was being forced to practice again. Zack nodded, satisfied at the answer and he slowed the car to pull into a fenced off parking lot. The entire space was empty, save for two bright white cars parked in the far corner. It would have been easy to miss seeing them, parked away from the nearest light post and across the vast lot; except Fawlk was looking for them. Zack turned off the headlights as he approached the two white cars. The large, brick warehouse that loomed over the barren lot looked abandoned, no lights were on that Fawlk could see and the exterior of the building looked to be in complete disrepair.

Zack stopped the car, not bothering to park in any actual parking spot, and immediately unclipped his seat belt. He looked over at Fawlk one last time before he popped the collar on his long, black trench coat and stepped out of the car. Fawlk followed his lead, zipping his black track jacket up as far as it could go before he stepped out his side. He took a few quick steps to catch up to Zack, who was already walking quickly for the front door. It only took a couple seconds before Fawlk was completely soaked by the late autumn rain, water dripping off his brows and into his eyes; but he felt no chill.

            As they drew closer and closer to the door, Fawlk’s body only grew warmer and warmer. He could feel the blood in his veins start to quicken, and could feel as it started to simmer. Zack reached the metal door first and grabbed the handle as he waited.

            “Locked.” He said quietly when Fawlk reached him. Annoyed, Fawlk put his palm flat on the door, just above the handle. His hand flashed hot, and in a spark of blue light the door blasted open, the doorknob and lock completely disintegrated. They both stepped through the door, scanning for any signs of trouble, but the room was empty. The darkness and complete silence was concerning until they saw another door that led deeper into the warehouse. Zack got to the door first, again, but paused before reaching for it. He turned his head to look at Fawlk.

            Zack smiled, his sharp pointy looking teeth showing through a small gap in his thin lips, “remember, no survivors.”