Soldier

Chapter 33: Jace

I don't want to believe that this is who I am. Who I've become. Why I have killed people, why I am so manipulative. What can I do to change all that I did already? There is no f___ing way I can go back into the past and change it... What's done is done. I don't want to be the bad guy. So why do I feel like one? I just wanted to be a hero, someone others look up to. Not this person, who everyone ignored and cast aside, who kills others and has thoughts of making the world his own... I just wanted to be like Alex. It's like I have become a different person...

Who am I...?

I slammed my hands onto my forehead with enough force to jerk my head back for an instant.

I am Jace...

The one destined to change this world!

My thoughts disappeared and I froze still as something moved in the bushes behind me. Perfect timing. I need to turn my mind off for a while...

I stood up quickly and turned around so that I faced the forest. More bushes rattled in the distance. I quickly pulled out my pistol from my back pocket. Where is it...?

A blur of a creature jumped out of the bush.

'Boom!'

I squeezed the trigger of my pistol and the creature fell onto the snow bleeding out blackish ooze. Heh. Just like the others... Guess it wasn't alive either.

I kicked the scrap heap.

"Nothing but a bunch of trash. That's what these robots are..."

I heard another noise to my side. I pointed the pistol to my right, nearly about to pull the trigger, but stopped just in time so that I didn't shoot Evangeline.

She looked at me terrified as I stood with the gun in my hand, and pointed it at her face. I pulled the pistol back and stuffed it back into my back pocket, then looked down at the machine. Quite the ugly thing. Its claws are attached loosely to thin metal arms, a face that resembles that of a dog skull, just more silver and shiny. Topped off with a small body in the shape of a wolf covered in metal plates, with gaps big enough to see all of its internal parts. Pathetic.

Evangeline walked up to me.

"Jace... what the hell is that?"

She took another step towards me before she stopped suddenly at the sight of the clockwork dog.

"Why isn't it...? It can't be! He promised that... he said..!"

What did she say? He?

I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close to me. What did she mean by that? Who exactly is, he? Guess I'll have to find out.

I looked Evangeline strait in her eyes. She looks scared. Hmmm. Might work to my advantage.

"Why are you scared? I don't want to hurt you. I really don't. What did you mean by 'It can't be?' And 'He promised...!'?'"

Evangeline looked at me as she tried to pull away from my grip. I pulled her even closer and looked her in the eyes again, hard enough that it feels like I can see into her soul. For just a moment the world stopped as I gazed at her.

"What did you mean?!"

Evangeline hesitated for a second.

"It's my brother, Jace. Evan, don't you get it?! He said that there weren't going to be any here. That we'd be safe...He promised me!!"

Knew that sly bastard was up to something. That he couldn't be trusted... Better find out where he really was at the Academy...

I loosened his grip on Evangeline's arm. Softly, he told her,

"So. You're actually Evans sister, are you? Then why did you tell me he was you? Why'd he have you lie to everyone? Dress you like a guy and lie to everyone? Why would he have you do such things? To his own sister."

Evangeline took a moment to say anything. She looked at me with such surprise. I knew I said it right on the dot.

Evangeline's eyes started to tear up.

"Evan was doing something every other day. So he had me take his place, he made me dress like him and conceal myself as best I could... I didn't even have a choice in it... I... he said that change was coming. I only did it because he was my brother...because he's my only family. That's how I met you. But why did he do that... why did..?"

Tears ran down her cheeks. Sorry for that, Evangeline. Ahhh. So I was right after all. That bastard really was working for the Creators. He probably still is. Evan probably got Mr. Mystery man to have his sister land here as well. So why didn't Sensei do anything about it if he knew? Wish I could have asked him.

I ran my hand through Evangeline's hair as she looked up at me with a sort of... thanks. I pulled her to where she was as close to me as she could be.

"Don't worry. Evan doesn't have to be here anymore. Because your mine, remember? I won't lie to you. As long as you stay mine, I will love you. Understand?"

Her cheeks turned red as I held onto her. The last of her tears rolled down. I pulled her close to me and kissed her. I meant what I said, or at least part of me did. The other part felt that she is my revenge on Evan after all. I'll take care of her though, because now she's my doll to play with.