Interstellar Legend

026 Truth

Bang!

Brad fell to the ground from the air and sat down, unable to get up again. Despite the repeated bumps, even with the protection of the lurker, he was still dizzy from the impact, sitting on the ground with the world spinning before his eyes.

After a while, he finally regained consciousness. Then he saw himself in a spacious compartment, surrounded by pipes entwined with various types of wires, like a giant dragon leading to the unknown depths. The occasional rumbling from the pipes proved that the equipment here was in use.

Although he didn't know where he was, Brad realized that he should be in the energy or power compartment. If the series of bumps were intentional by Reno, then his arrival here should be part of his plan. But why did he bring him here?

In just a second, Brad found the answer— not far from him, a bulky pipe, the lurker robot was firmly attached to it, motionless.

"Magnetic field," Brad blurted out. No wonder Reno brought him here; he intended to deal with the lurker.

If that was the case...

Brad thought for a moment and shouted loudly, "Reno, come out!"

"Reno, come out!"

"Reno, come out!"

"Reno, come out!"

The echoes reverberated in the spacious compartment, but no one responded.

"Reno!" Brad lay on the ground, shouting, "I know you're here! Come out!"

Clang!

With a crisp sound, a compartment door behind Brad slowly opened. Steady footsteps sounded behind him, one after another, like iron hammers pounding in his heart.

He struggled to turn his head and saw a pair of military boots standing behind him. Looking up along the boots, a familiar yet unfamiliar young face appeared before him.

It was Reno.

Behind him was Clarice, who hadn't left after all.

"Nate Brad?" Reno uttered the cold words.

The mustache smirked, "Looks like I'm not your first captive."

"But you'll be the last." Reno squatted down, his face close to the mustache's, "I think you know what I want to ask, right?"

"Of course," Brad replied disdainfully, "It's simple why you were captured. Just come back with me."

Reno shook his head, "You know that's not what I want to hear."

"But that's all you'll get," the mustache smirked, "Want to know what I'll do to you? Beat me up? Or kill me?"

Reno looked at him with pity, "Of course, I won't kill you, Brad, but not because I'm afraid. Under the circumstances of being secretly arrested without violating any criminal laws, I have no reason to be afraid. The reason I won't kill you is that I don't want to become a crazed murderer. It has nothing to do with courage but everything to do with conscience. So, in other words, if there's something that requires courage but doesn't test the moral bottom line in my heart... I'll do it."

As he spoke, he stood up, took out an old-fashioned pistol, and aimed it at Brad's leg.

Bang!

Brad's thigh was pierced.

"Ah!" Brad screamed in agony.

Blood gushed out of the hole in his leg, staining his whole body red. The intense pain made him convulse all over.

"You bastard!" He screamed hysterically.

The bloody scene made Clarice cover her face.

Reno squatted down again.