Mech

Chapter 12: Shocking News

"Petrocoff?!" The five of us shouted in unison. Aaliyah remained stunned in silence.

"You weren't aware of her family history? Did you even know anything about her?" Fink asked. He adjusted his monocle and looked intently at Aaliyah's bewildered expression, "Does she even know?"

Aaliyah shook her head.

"Invite our guests inside, please, and escort them to my office at once. There is much to discuss."

The caped man turned and disappeared into a house as we were lead inside the walls of the Cause's base. It wasn't as militaristic as I thought, and not at all close to what the Moxi had going on. There weren't just soldiers, but women, elderly, even children of every kind. Of course, none of them had any ailments. The people stared at us with stabbing eyes, as if we were aliens first arriving on the planet. Any children we saw stopped playing and looked at us with fear. They had never seen anyone else as close to their age as we were. As we walked down the crowded street and more and more curious onlookers judged us, I felt increasingly uncomfortable. However, my anxiety wasn't the biggest thought on my mind. Aaliyah. Petrocoff? It couldn't be.

"Here." Said Walker, motioning his gun into a building.

Inside, an elaborate staircase lead to a large, copper door that had turned a brilliant green. Torches lined the walls and soldiers swarmed about, protecting their valiant leader. Entering the decorative office, Fink sat at his desk and discussed something with Captain Florence. He noticed our arrival and waved her away. All the soldiers left the room.

"So. Five children wandering the world with such an important missing icon. Tell me your story."

Esclave stepped forward, "These four, they're Rebels, sir. And I'm.." She paused, "Not important. We found Aaliyah unconscious with amnesia. She doesn't remember anything."

"Our camp got raided," Ian added, "Which is why we're so far down here. My brother, Jason..we got separated before your soldiers found us."

Fink pondered this input, "Rebels you say? We share some ideas, but not most. Interesting," He pushed a button on a strange device, "Have Walker fetch that rascal that tried to get into the hospital. I believe he belongs with our new guests." He turned back to Aaliyah, "You do not know anything of yourself, child?"

Aaliyah shook her head furiously, "I-I am sorry.."

Fink laughed, "Please. It isn't your fault and I know all too well why. Take a seat, children. I'm going to tell you a story."

He motioned towards the two couches to the side of his desk. We cautiously took our seats. I couldn't stop looking at his desk. That deep brown color..it was unlike anything I had ever seen. It wasn't rust, it must have been painted somehow.

Fink stood by the stone fireplace observing the dancing flames lick at the humid air.

"All of you know the story of Utopia, do you not?"

We nodded, and Max spoke up, "I studied it tons of times, sir. Mister Alexander Petrocoff was th'guy that made this whole place."

"Correct," Said Fink with a smile, "Alexander was a genius with a plan. He was already a billionaire, so he took it a step further to build himself an empire."

He rested his elbow on the mantle and leaned against it. Sparks fluttered from the flames and threatened his cape, but he wasn't afraid.

"There's lots of things they don't tell you. For example, Alexander's wife died because she came down with a serious illness while at their summer home and couldn't escape during a fire. Lightening had struck the power lines and the sparks caught their wood pile on fire, which caught the lattice on fire, which lit the wooden floorboards...and so forth. He loathed nature, it's destructive powers, lightening, fire, disease..it took what he loved most away from him."