Children of the Archangels

CHAPTER 15: DARK SOUNDS

Luke was deep inside Sirius, even though the thought of it sounded wrong. He was on the diamond raft, stranded in the middle of an open ocean. Black waves crested over the water around him, but they didn't rock the boat at all—it felt like he was on an island.

Then someone turned off the lights and he was enshrouded in darkness.

"Sirius," a woman's voice called. It was spicy and seductive, like a fluffy venomous snake tempting you to pet it. "Come to momma."

"My grandson," a separate voice spoke. This one sounded more southern. He spoke with a twang, but with the confidence of a politician, as if every word that came out of his mouth were a royal decree. "My young star."

Luke couldn't see anything. He only heard voices, memories. Was he spying in on Sirius's past?

"Someday you will shine brighter than your old grandfather—enough to lift the world out of the shadow of hatred and despair."

Then Luke heard a baby's voice mumble, "Father?" Sirius seemed to fumble with the question, and at the rate it took for both of his caretakers to respond, it seemed like a touchy subject.

"You'll meet him someday Sirius," his mother said. Her voice sounded conflicted between anger and disappointment.

"Yes, you are destined to meet each other," the grandfather spoke. "Because it will be he who stands in the way of your greatest victory."

Luke doubted the child would remember anything his parents said. How old could Sirius have been when he heard this? Three or four years old?

Yet here was the memory.

A roar of thunder signaled a change in scenery. All around him, Luke heard the sounds of dying people, but still saw darkness. Men groaned, women moaned, and some pleaded to be spared before their voices were silenced.

"Where is it?" Luke recognized Sirius's voice. "I don't want to have to hurt anymore of you then I have to."

"I promised him I wouldn't share it. His blood is sacred," the terrified man spoke.

Luke heard shattered glass, and metal clanging towards the ground. "Where is he now? Is he really worth dying for?"

"This blood in your hands would be a disaster upon us all," the old man shouted.

Then Luke heard the old man shuddered, his throat gasping for air, as Sirius taunted. "Dr. Young, is it? You took an oath to save people, right? Well there are souls you can't see that need saving. There are people suffering who need this enhancement. Look around you, look at the lives you've cost to safeguard a relic you have no clue how to use."

Dr. Young couldn't respond—he was too busy dying.

Then—Sirius released his grip. Luke couldn't believe this was Sirius. It must've been someone else.

But what if the doctor was evil? What was the doctor hiding? Could it be the cure to a disease that could save many lives? Why was Dr. Young too stubborn to let it go? Who did he promise to safeguard this item, a person's blood, for?

Dr. Young tried recovering all the air he lost. Sirius continued. "My mission is simply to retrieve the sample. Any blood here is on your hands. Now," Sirius's voice cracked as if the dam of courage and confidence he was storing up had collapsed. "Please help me find it. I don't want to hurt anyone else."

Sirius sounded sincere, hurt, and Luke could picture Sirius shedding a tear as he spoke these words.

But Dr. Young said nothing. His silence was a no.

Luke heard Sirius sniffle. "I promised myself I'd never do this again," Sirius said before hardening his demeanor. "But you leave me no choice."

There was a slight pause before tormenting screams followed. Shelves collapsed, liquid vials cracked and spilled its contents on the floor. Dr. Young was sputtering like a baby foaming saliva from his mouth as he tried to say his first word.

Luke heard Sirius cry out in pain, straining against whatever method he was using to extract the information from Dr. Young's head. "Please," Sirius sobbed. "Just give me the answer....No more...no more."

Then Dr. Young stopped sputtering. Luke heard a limp object fall to the ground. The only sound left in the air was a few sparks from loose electrical wires and the panting of Sirius followed by a slight whimper.

Sirius sniffled, and seemed to slap his face. He walked over broken glass that crunched beneath his shoes. He tapped five numbers into a keypad that made five beeps and then a zing as the locks to whatever safe or compartment disengaged with a loud clang.

Luke heard the sound of glass clinking against one another, a cold frosty ventilation system went off, like a fridge starting up. Luke heard Sirius slip the vial into something and zip it up.

"All this for a stupid vial of blood," Sirius sighed. "I really hope this can lead to the end of misery in the world."

The sound of Sirius's footsteps over broken glass echoed across Luke's mind as light and a cold wind rushed over his senses.