The Eden Projects (EDITING)

Chapter 21. Sympathy.

"Base to Malcolm. Do you copy." The man shouted into the radio receiver. "Malcolm. Do you copy-" 

The radio crackled. 

"Jack, try it again."

"I am," he said, leaning into Kasper. "Malcolm-" Jack swapped channels and tried the remaining two.

"Go find him." Kasper addressed the situation as sternly as he could. He let Jack go. Conversely, he felt an awkward uncertainty beginning to blossom between them. "Now." 

"In the dark?!?" Jack shouted. 'Have you- lost your mind?" 

"Fine. We will." The woman spoke. 

"Riley-" 

"What choice do we have." Riley said. 

Kasper's fingers curled into the palms of his hands. He felt them stick together. Blood didn't always make things slick. Sometimes it made things sticky, confusing, and worse. So much worse. Come on Zak, where are you... Nerves prickled deep within him. If he had killed him, there would be no point to any of this and he'd kill them all regardless.

Jack looked on expectantly. Waiting for the next order. "Why- why are you doing this-" Jack staggered again as a large gash closed on his face.

 "You jumped us. Did you think you'd get away with it?" Kasper felt for his knife, it was gone, and his hands were already shaking. Too many people. Where had it gone? Why did he use it when his claws were more than sharp enough.

"What do you want- Guns?" Riley took hers out, tossing it to the ground. "Just take them- if it's more drugs, we don't have any to give you."

"Drugs-" Kasper looked at the weapon, stooping to pick it up. Where the hell are you? "I'm not here for your guns."

"Then we have nothing for you- these people had nothing to do with yesterday." She bolstered. "You killed them for nothing." 

"Nothing..." He couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm not hungry anymore. That's something." Kasper turned the weapon over. Checked the gun for bullets, saw that it was empty and tossed it back to her. "You didn't fire once. Any of you. Are you stupid or scared-"

POP! A single shot sounded and a deep well of pain struck Kasper's side. He spun grabbing at the wound without a word. A kid stood behind him with his shoulders squared, his hands white knuckled around the grip. Kasper grimaced. "Really?!?" The sound of bending metal drew his attention to a nearby rooftop. 

It was Zak. 

He hopped down and moved to join him. Completely scratch free though obviously riding an adrenaline spike. He's alive. 

The bullet-hole had already healed up by the time Zak reached them. "Guns won't hurt me. Understand? It won't do anything." He watched Zak lower his gun. "If anyone hurts him, I'll kill you all." Kasper wiped away the beading sweat on his forehead. Energy was surging through his body in ways he had never felt. So this is what Adam wanted.

Zak shuffled over, shouldering his gun as he tapped the stock. He was out of bullets.

What do I say?

"We're here to take the place." That's what Ace would do right? "I don't want to, but we have to. You left us with nothing." He looked to Riley. "I can give you a choice... Stay, and we can work something out. I don't want to hurt anyone else. Or leave. Either way."

The man with the hair stripe, Jack, chuckled. Shaking his head.

"You expect them to just leave?" Riley shouted. "What makes you think you can demand that?"