The Nemesis Syndrome

38. Leo

"I'm not here to hurt you, please, listen to me,"

"You're the man we saw earlier, on the hill." Eliza spoke up as she pushed Leo's arm down and stepped forward.

"Yes, I am."

Leo groaned inwardly, this girl would never stop.

"No offence, sir, but that's great and all, but, uh - we'll just get going." He reached down and picked up his backpack slowly, not taking his eyes off the intruder as he swiftly reached into his bag, fingers resting on cool metal.

"No, please, listen to me, I'm not here to hurt you, just -"

"Saying you won't hurt us doesn't make us believe you." Leo frowned, "Come on, Eliza, let's go."

Leo moved back slowly, hand reaching out and tugging on Eliza's.

"No, please, listen to me."

Even Leo heard the urgency in his voice, but he was willing to ignore it if it meant he could leave with Eliza alive - he was sick of people dying around him.

He pulled on Eliza's hand once more, and she finally took a step back, moving beside Leo and they moved back slowly.

"No, please," the man stepped forward.

"Stay where you are," Leo held out the knife, moving to wedge his body between Eliza and the man.

The man held his hands up, and stepped back. His built was large and he could have easily overpowered Leo, and the fact that he didn't made Leo think that there was something more to this man.

No, they couldn't afford to think like that. Not when the country was looking for them. Not when there was a bounty on their head.

"Leo," Eliza spoke softly, turning to look at him.

"No," Leo said immediately, recognising the look in her eyes.

"Maybe we should just listen," she continued, ignoring him.

"And then what, let him kill us? Let him take us back there? He could just be stalling so they come here." Leo replied in hushed whispers.

Eliza nodded, bringing her head closer to Leo's, "I get that, but I think we should listen."

Leo looked at her, realising the stubborn pit in his chest was from her, not him and he sighed, "Fine." He said to her, then turning to the man, "You have five minutes, go."

He nodded, taking a step forward in relief but froze when Leo raised his weapon again. "Okay, alright, I won't come any closer."

"Yeah, you won't." Leo placed himself between Eliza and the man again.

"Look, I - I work against the organisation that took you and experimented on you - I've - my daughter, she - no, that doesn't matter anymore."

Leo felt annoyance bubble under his skin, what exactly was this man's point?

A hand clasped around his wrist and Leo's head shot towards Eliza, who gave him a look. Nodding, Leo unclenched his jaw and let out a soft sigh, "Four and a half minutes."

The man froze, closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, "Okay, I just - remember that I'm not your enemy, I want to help. The nemesis and soulmate syndromes were created. They weren't always there.

"The Nemesis syndrome began as an experiment, something that was meant to help stop crime before it was committed." He sighed, "Only those in power were given the drug N12, so that any individual who threatened their safety would be taken out. But, those politicians ended up deviating from their partners and slept with other people. The drug was never meant to be genetic," he shrugged, "but it turned out to bond to the DNA in the chromosomes, so when they - the politicians, that is - spread their... seed, their offspring developed their nemesis names and so on, and so forth.