Creed of the Leviathan II

28 | M

Mattia

"Who are we?"

I sat strapped against a metal chair, very different from the comfortable one I sat in for my first meeting. It was early in the morning; the sun was not even up yet when I was forcibly pulled out of bed. We were now, what felt like hours later and I was tired, hungry and uncomfortable. The rope that tied my wrist together at the back of the chair was tight, and my skin broke more with each small movement I made.

My ankles were also tied to the front legs of the chair and my feet were flat against the cold concrete floor. I was still in my nightwear, which consisted of loose-fitting pants and a T-shirt. By now I had learned not to sleep in less clothes, as these drill-exercises happen without warning.

"We are Alliance. Our trust lies in The Alliance, our loyalty is to the Alliance. Only God is above us." I answered like a good soldier.

"Who are we?" He repeated himself, after taking a strong puff from his cigar.

I recited the same answer I was forced to learn by heart and to live by as a code.

He took another puff, this time blowing the smoke directly into my face. "Who are we?" He asked once again.

I lost count of how many times I have had to answer that same question. The answer was imprinted in my mind, that I would be able to say it even if I were asleep. Only after my fifth recitation did the repeating of the question stop. His cigar was put out, but the air was still filled with the smoke. I hate smoke. The smell, however, was becoming addicting.

"These past few months," he walked around me and sat himself in the chair opposite me, "You've held your ground. You've convinced most of them out there that you're already one of us." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. "The thing is, Mattia. I need more than a few words and actions for me to believe any of it."

"What else do I have to do?"

"Nothing specifically. Sure, we have lots of other tests that you'll be put through. I want to see how you deal in a ring of fire, when in absolute chaos." He grinned. 

The Alliance was certain that I needed to be broken before I could be molded into one of them and with no other choice, other than death, I complied to every physical and psychological test I was put to. I was told that it was mandatory that I be stripped of my identity, in order to accept and fully give into this newfound one.

"I'll manage." I was sure in my answer. Anything other than a firm answer was considered doubtful and a hint at uncertainty within the person.

"Yeah? Just like you did last night, when you saw Emmanuelle?"

My heart dropped into my stomach. When his head cocked slightly to the right and he smiled, causing his right eye to become smaller than the other, I knew he could read my emotions. Not many people could see through me, but he— Clay, he could. Every time. And it frightened me. 

"I didn't expect to see her at the club. I didn't know they were in town." I explained.

"Hhm." He nodded, his fingers interlocked, and his hands formed one. "Last night, was a test. You failed. We figured you were ready to resurface, get the pot steering before the news that you're really gone. But now I am wondering how that's going to work when your sister, or—" he sat up and scrunched his eyebrows, "Whatever that situation is. She's a hindrance to our plan."

"It won't happen again. I'll carefully do my due diligence and stay away from her. I can track her movement and prevent being in the place as her again."

He wiggled his pointer finger from left to right, "Not just talking about last night. I've been informed that she's been asking around about you and about us. Even involved one of your old, trusted employees, Anthony. We're familiar with him and his background."