Error 404: An Anthology Series

'Till Betrayal Due Us Part Pt. 2

The night went on and much of it had gone sleepless. After arriving home the previous night, Sonya explained to Samuel of what had happened to Arlo and his shop, even showed him the security footage that was sent on her way home. On the footage, four familiar figures were seen, along with the shop owner and his partner. Although the footage showed the four foreigners being as civil as they possibly could, it had seemed Arlo refused to say anything about anyone or anything, since what Arlo told Sonya the night before stood true.

Caesar, the oldest of the two children and who had heard his parents' conversation, knew he had to be more careful, for himself and his younger sister. Caesar didn't know much about the people in his mother's past. Any names he was told were forgotten, just as his mother had forgotten. The only name that ever stuck with him was of two women, one named Octavia, though she was more creature that woman, and a Doctor Abbot, who was the only human he know that lived for centuries and was essentially the family doctor. A bio-suit Sonya often "used" was the only reason why he ever remembered Octavia, they shared it and his mother often spoke well of the Octavia she knew from her past, considered her a good friend. Caesar knew, if the former Octavia was able to come through just as the foreigners did, he would be able to trust her just as Sonya could. Just not them, never them, especially with the scar they left him years before in their first and only interaction.

"We should tell the counselors," Samuel suggested.

"And tell them what exactly? They think he's dead."

"They'll think it's his brothers doing the dirty work."

Sonya continued to oppose the idea. She didn't want to risk putting anyone in front of danger, even if it was with someone who she was familiar with, let alone someone she barely trusted. Even though it had been many decades apart from him, what happened with Arlo was enough for her to know that the person she once knew was still there. She didn't remember his name, pushed herself to forget everything about him, and only nicknamed him Red, in association with his anger and love of fighting, as well as his affinity of the color. Those were perhaps some of the very few things she couldn't make herself forget.

Because of those things, she stayed clear from ever speaking of him to and near her kids, at least for the time being. Caesar knew this. Caesar became the newer reason as to why she refuses to ever mention Red around him and Michelle. Last encounter with the foreigner, Caesar found himself and Michelle in the middle of a crossfire between Red, his brothers and companions, and the Operators and their bio-suits. In an attempt to save his sister, who was merely a toddler at the time, from a burning flame that came from a collapsing building, he endured pain from burning pieces that found their way onto his body, leaving him with third degree scars along one of his shoulders and partially on his back. Their mother was the first to their rescue, as her motherly instinct kicked in and pushed her to save her babies, her treasures. Before having been married and birthing two kids, Sonya had disliked the man who was considered a freak in their younger days. Since the day her son was burnt and nearly killed at a very young age, the dislike became animosity and frustration.

Returning to Pine Relay and accompanied by Samuel in his upgraded Old World Titan armor, equipped with night-vision, a cloaking device, and vision that allowed him to see any nearby living creature. Umbrae left hours before the couple did, to guard Arlo and his shop. Arlo's shop was completely empty, some of the shelves remained broken from fight. Anything that was on the shelves were stored away for protection, due to their value to the Operators and other buyers. Sonya stepped in, with Arlo nowhere in sight. Only the sound of his voice echoed from the back of his store.

"Bastard got some nerves," his voice echoed to the front, "Do not dare come back, ya'hear. Your red friend caused enough trouble. Now go. Leave."

Sonya waited patiently as Arlo made his way back to the front of the store with a box of tools, hoping to show she was calm and collected.