Cross' Second Pupil

Chapter 29: The Last Words of Suman Dark

At the Black Order

"Once you begin 'The Fall' you can't be helped." Komui begins as he switches the phone to hear other ear. "The Fallen continues to destroy until they die, or... they're killed by Akuma from the outside. You simply can't save one who has 'Fallen'."

"That's a lie..." Leenalee says from the other side of the call.

"It's not a lie. Calm down and listen carefully, Leenalee." As Komui continues to talk to Leenalee through the phone, Johnny places a hand on Reever's shoulder and he looks at the bespectacled scientist.

"Squad Leader Reever, Suman has 'Fallen'? What do you mean?" Johnny asks.

"Johnny," Reever says. "It's when the Innocence goes on a rampage. When it happens," he faces forward, staring ahead. "Within 24 hours, the body is taken in by the Innocence and is destroyed."

Johnny looks at Reever with terror.

"'The Fall' is something that only a few of us know about." Reever adds as another scientist begins to speak to him.

"What will happen... to Suman!?" Johnny interrupts.

No one, even Reever, answers Johnny sudden question.

"I... I've play chess with Suman a few times before. You know how our rooms are close to each other's. Right now, I've got 38 wins and seven losses against him... He seems to be aggravated that he loses to me so much, so when we would see each other in the cafeteria he would ignore me. Even right after he returns from a mission, he comes to play chess." Johnny tells them with his voice shaking.

Tears then begin to stream down his face and he forces a small laugh.

"But actually, I knew... He... was lonely." He sniffs and asks again. "What's going to happen to Suman...?"

"I told you." Reever says. "He's going to die."

Johnny falls silent and the room is once again filled with Komui's voice.

"If 'The Fall' ends, Suman's Innocence will return to its normal form. Retrieve the Innocence before the Akuma do." Komui orders. There is a small silence from Leenalee.

"What does that mean? Nii-san." Leenalee says. "ARE YOU TELLING ME TO WATCH HIM DIE!?" She asks, incensed.

A Komui silence answer Leenalee's question and Leenalee is silent again.

"Retrieve the Innocence." Komui repeats. "This is an order from the Church. What if Suman's Innocence is the 'Heart'? Do you not understand that?"

"He's our companion..." Leenalee argues.

"Suman might not think that way anymore."

"What do you mean...?"

"This is confidential, but... There's a possibly that Suman betrayed the Church. Remember the other day when the Church suffered more than 100 deaths? Right before that, there seemed to be a message to the communication group. It said: 'Give me the names of all the Exorcists that exist right now and give me the information on all the finders.'" Komui informs Leenalee. "There is a lock on the communication golems that allows only the voice of the holder of the golem to use it. We traced and found out it belonged to Suman. And the one who used it was Suman. Usually it's not strange for an Exorcist outside to ask information about his companions. The communication group told him the information without talking to the command room... and right after that, our companions were attacked. Of course, there was no proof that he gave the information to the enemy, but there is a possibility. And now 'The Fall'. If he asks for mercy from the enemy and betrayed the Church, everything would make sense. Suman betrayed God." Komui finishes.