The Nemesis Syndrome

4. Leo

One thing the Circle never taught people was that killing your soulmate had devastating consequences on your own body. Each person was linked with their soulmate, you see, not in the way chains are linked, or the way rope was plaited together. Soulmates were linked in the way that they were the same. They were linked in the way that buildings were built: take out the foundations and the entire building falls to the ground. Only, these buildings were never meant to fall – they were never even meant to be built.

Leo had been sitting with his parents and sister, eating dinner, as they always did, when a knock fell upon the door. Startled, Leo glanced at his parents, who shared a look between them. Something passed through their eye contact, a conversation of sorts that left Leo wondering again if soulmates could speak to each other telepathically.

Slowly, Leo's stern faced father placed down his utensils, and slid his chair back, the scraping making Leo flinch inwardly. Leo shared a glance with his sister, who seemed to sense the tension in the room and he offered her a reassuring smile. As his father left the table, Leo nudged Rommy with his knee and flicked a pea in her direction to make her smile. It succeeded and she grinned, grabbing a pea off her own plate.

"Kids," Leo's mother scolded gently, shaking her head as her eyes were focused on some point on the table. She was clearly eavesdropping on the conversation their father was having with the guests. At their mother's lack of attention, Rommy stuck out her tongue, kicking her brother gently in the shins.

A cough sounded in the doorway and their father stood there, hands clasped in front of him as two men flanked his sides. Leo recognised their dark, structured uniforms – they were from the government, the Bringers.

"Leo Jenson?" The man on the right asked.

Leo's gaze snapped from his father to the man, heart heavy in his chest as his instincts told him to run.

"We found your Nemesis, son," His voice was deep and rumbled through the room with authority, "We're going to have to ask you to come with us."

"Sir?" Leo asked as he stood, confused and still wanting to run out of the door, but knowing he wouldn't get two steps out of the door before they caught him.

"We found your Nemesis, it's time for you to fight her."

Leo wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers and glanced at his sister, who looked as if she was about to protest and cry. "I'll be alright, Rommy." He smiled, walking towards his father and squeezing his mother's shoulder as he passed her sitting form. She reached up and squeezed his hand, turning her head to watch him.

"Dad," Leo nodded with a shaky breath.

His father's grey eyes were cold and distant as he nodded, "Kill her."

Leo said nothing, his stomach heavy as he realised how willing his parents were willing for him to become a murderer, to kill another innocent just to save their own lives.

The other male, shorter than the first, moved to Leo's side, placing a hand on his arm, soft enough not to hurt, but hard enough for Leo to get the message: run and we'll kill you.

Leo glanced back at his sister, smiling shakily, "I'll see you soon, okay?"

She nodded mutely, her gazed lingering on her older brother until she couldn't see him anymore.

__________________

As Leo stepped out of the car, his feet hit hard ground. The heat was hot and heavy, immediately clinging to his skin and seeping through his clothes.

"Gets worse every time we come back," The tall male grumbled, pulling as his collar with his free hand.

Leo kept silent, taking in the building in front of him – it was uncaring and dark, but it moulded to the land instead of standing against it. There were no other buildings, and standing alone, the one in front of Leo felt like a blemish on the Earth's skin. It was a ugly building, it's jagged corners and edges far too different from the curving landscape of the soft earth.

"Alistair," The tall, pale Bringer grunted into a button on the side of the building.

Leo glanced around, there seemed to be no doors, so how would they get through? He looked at the other male, who just smirked at him as a hissing sound filled the air. Slowly, a block of the wall in front of them began to rise up.

Oh.

Leo stepped through it first, having no choice in the matter as he was pushed through by Alistair, who followed him through with the other man.

"Take him to the test room, Toby, I'll log us both in."

The shorter Bringer nodded, and Leo was taken through the mostly empty corridors – seeing a face in a white coat once and twice, but they quickly faded from his memory.

"What's the test room?" Leo asked slowly, he felt more comfortable asking Toby, the other one, Alistair, intimidated him a little, and though he was sure not to show it, Leo was pretty sure Alistair knew.

"It's just a room, someone will find you soon." He opened the door to his left, gesturing for Leo to walk in.

Leo glanced at him, and when he realised that Toby wasn't going to give any more information, he did as he was told and walked into the room, the door clicking shut behind him.

____________

Leo paced the room he was in, the stone walls cold and uncaring. His mind raced, going over all the stuff he had been told when the doctor came in.

He had to place down his name and that of his nemeses. He then had to show the name of who he thought was his nemesis to the doctor (which was easy enough, he thought sarcastically, he just had to show them any wrist). He was then directed to another stone, but cleaner room, where a physical test was conducted, and Leo found himself both struggling and reluctant to answer to the questions. He was given clothing, a black shirt and black trousers with boots after the physical examination. They were his fighting clothes, they said, taking away his old clothes, and he was to get back his old ones if he survived. He never showed his names once to the doctors, it seemed that even this place abode by the rules.

He remembered none of the faces that brought him down, below ground level, they all blurred into one collective face and Leo only remembered the words his father had gave. He let them roll around in his head, kill her.

He knew that this day was coming, it was what he had been training for his entire life, but was he willing to kill another person, to become a murderer, just like them, just like his parents? How would Rommy look at him? Would she, too, see him as nothing more than a murderer? Or would she be glad that he survived? If he didn't survive, he wondered how Rommy would end up.

Would she end up like their mother, calm and soft though thunderous when need be, yet unable to stand up for herself? Or would she be trained vigorously by their father, and turn into someone like him? Cold and unloving. At what age would she get her names? Would they be different? Leo hoped to that they were, so she wouldn't have to go a life without love.

The door suddenly swung open, and the nicer Bringer, Toby, stuck his head into the room before entering after a nod from Leo.

"It's time."