Descension

CHAPTER 7

"He... did... what?" Liam asks.

Breath ceases in his lungs. It's as if all the oxygen around him has been violently ripped out and destroyed, like no matter how much he gasps, he will never get it back.

Tiberius shakes his head. "I'm sorry, Liam."

Liam stares at the floor. "How many people died?"

"Antonov survived," Tiberius says as his eyes turn down.

"That wasn't my question," Liam snaps.

Tiberius pauses, biting the inside of his cheek. "152 troops died."

It was as if a knife had been wrenched into Liam's heart. I don't believe it.

Liam shakes his head and raises his gaze to Tiberius. "Let me see him."

Ben sits on the floor of a cell, his back pressed against the cold metal wall. What have I done? He thinks to himself, tears welling in his eyes as he pulls his knees up to his chest. He had been dwelling within the cell for almost a week as the Ordership arranged his trial. His mind is plagued at the thought of Omnicore in their hands, every possible mismanagement that could lead to every possible failure of the core. It makes his stomach twist with nausea. His eyes flit to the cell door at the sound of footsteps and, once the door opens, it reveals the saving grace of his brother's face.

"Liam!" Ben gasps, standing up to throw his arms around his brother.

"I know what you did." Liam seethes as he grasps Ben's wrists before he could receive the embrace.

Ben's face pales. He looks down in guilt as Liam wipes his hands on the fabric over his thighs as if even touching Ben might contaminate him.

Liam scowls at Ben, stepping into the cell. "I never thought you'd be so..." Liam mulls over words in his head, his mind sifting through his vocabulary visible in his eyes, "Depraved!" Liam shouts, "You deserve to rot in this cell until you die to rot in hell!" Liam screams, shoving Ben backward, "You... vile... repulsive, disgusting waste!"

Liam slams Ben into the wall, knocking the wind out of him. Ben gasps for a fleeting breath, clutching his shirt as he stares up at his brother with watery eyes. Liam shakes his head in disgust as he takes a step back.

Ben croaks, "Liam... I'm your brother-"

"You're not my brother." Liam sneers quietly, "Not anymore." He turns around and storms out of the cell.

The door slides shut behind him, leaving Ben alone once more. Ben cries out a loud sob, burying his face in his hands as he wails louder and louder. For hours he cries until he can cry any longer, eyes too weak to stay open. It's just a bad dream. His mind feels like it's drifting from his body, his muscles relaxing into the relief of sleep. Just a bad dream.

"Get up."

Ben jolts awake as a guard shakes him, then lifts him onto his feet.

"You're being transferred to a different facility," the guard says.

Ben moves instinctively to rub his eyes, though the guard pulls his hands back to cuff them.

"Get moving," the guard commands, nudging Ben with the tip of his gun.

Ben's back arches away from the weapon, tears beginning to prick at his eyes. Pull yourself together. He thinks to himself. He takes in a sharp breath through his nose and straightens his back, holding his head high as he strides down the hall. The guard turns him left, reaching over Ben's shoulder to open the door.

"Strip down and wash off," the guard says.

Ben sheepishly wriggles out of his lab coat and shoes, clearing his throat as he reaches for the buttons of his shirt. "Is privacy an option?"

The guard stares at him wordlessly.

"...Alright, then," Ben grumbles as he strips off and shuffles to one of the showers, fumbling with the rusted handles before turning it on.

Ben hisses at the feeling of cold water. He shudders as he leans his head back to wash his dark hair, rolling his shoulders as he stands back up straight. He turns around to wash his face, wiping the water from his eyes before rubbing his arms, then turns off the water. He snatches a towel from the guard and scrambles to wrap it around his waist, his face burning with an embarrassed flush. He peers at an orange suit that lies beside the guard on a thin desk. He knew it was coming, yet still pauses for a moment as the realization hits him full force. I'm going to prison. He never thought he'd end up anywhere close to here. Leader of Omnicore, lifetime straight-A student, chemical engineer, doctor, and now, criminal.

Ben finishes drying off, then slips on the clothes provided to him, smoothing down the orange jumpsuit. The guard then places him back in shackles and leads him out the door where another guard waits. Ben looks over his shoulder to his coat, his gaze fixated on Alex's handprint that marks the sleeve. The guards flank Ben, leading him out of the prison and to a small white hovercar van, opening the back doors for him. Ben steps into the van, the guards buckling him in, checking that he's secure before leaving the van and shutting the doors behind them. Ben waits. They should be going soon, right? He waits longer. Then, the doors open again, and another prisoner is shoved into the van with Ben.