Chapter 59: The Monster and The Brother

 

The Underground Laboratory.

"Take him," Victoria ordered, pointing a manicured finger at Julian. "Use the tranquilisers. I want his brain intact."

The mercenaries moved forward, raising their rifles. Julian (Subject 001) backed away, growling low in his throat. He looked terrified. He looked like a cornered animal.

"Wait!" Sebastian screamed from the floor. He tried to crawl toward his brother, but his legs were dead weight. "Victoria! Don't touch him! He is a human being! He is a Sterling!"

"He is a failed experiment," Dr. Ryan corrected coldly, loading a dart into his gun. "Sebastian, don't be sentimental. Your father created It to harvest organs for you. In case you ever got sick."

Sebastian froze. "What?"

"Why do you think you survived that car crash?" Ryan smirked. "Why do you think you healed so fast? We used his stem cells. We drained him for years to keep you healthy."

Sebastian felt like he was going to vomit. His life... his health... was stolen from the brother he never knew existed. "You monsters..."

"Enough chat," Victoria checked her watch. "Bag him."

Thwip. A tranquillizer dart hit Julian in the neck. He roared, ripping it out. Thwip. Thwip. Two more darts hit him. He stumbled. His vision blurred.

"Run..." Julian groaned, looking at Sebastian. His monstrous face twisted in pain. "Brother... run..."

"No!" Sebastian dragged himself forward. "I'm not leaving you!"

The mercenaries closed in with electric cattle prods. ZZZZT! They shocked Julian. He fell to his knees, howling.

Something inside Sebastian snapped. The fear was gone. The pain was gone. Only pure, white-hot rage remained. He grabbed his fallen gun. Bang! Bang! Bang!

He shot three mercenaries in the legs. They went down screaming. "Get away from him!" Sebastian roared.

But there were too many of them. A heavy boot kicked the gun out of Sebastian’s hand. A mercenary stomped on his chest, pinning him down.

"Subject secured," a soldier shouted, throwing a heavy net over Julian.

Julian looked through the mesh of the net. He saw the soldier stepping on Sebastian. He saw the "Lucky One" bleeding.

A guttural sound erupted from Julian’s chest. It wasn't a roar. It was a name. "SEBASTIAN!"

With a burst of inhuman strength, Julian ripped the net apart. He ignored the darts. He ignored the tasers. He lunged. Not at the soldiers. But at the Main Support Pillar of the lab.

"He's going to bring the roof down!" Harper screamed. "Sebastian! We have to move!"

Julian smashed his fists into the concrete pillar. Crack. Crack. The ceiling groaned. Dust and debris began to rain down. The mercenaries panicked. "Retreat! The structure is unstable!"

Julian turned to look at Sebastian one last time. His eyes were no longer glowing red. They were soft. Golden. Just like Sebastian’s.

"You..." Julian pointed to the airlock door. "Sun... go to the Sun." "I..." He pointed to himself. "Dark."

He grabbed a heavy metal desk and threw it in front of the mercenaries, blocking their path to Sebastian. Then he slammed his fist into the control panel on the wall. BEEP. LOCKDOWN INITIATED.

The blast doors began to close between them.

"NO!" Sebastian screamed, reaching out. "Julian! Come with me!"

Julian smiled. A crooked, sad, beautiful smile. "Live... for... us."

BOOM. The blast doors slammed shut. Inside, the sound of collapsing concrete and screaming mercenaries was cut off instantly. Silence.

Sebastian lay on the cold floor, staring at the sealed metal door. His hand was still reaching out. But there was nothing there.

"Sebastian," Harper was crying, pulling at his arm. "We have to go. The whole tunnel is collapsing."

She grabbed Louis (who was groaning, waking up) with one hand, and pulled Sebastian with the other. "Get up! Please, get up! Don't let him die for nothing!"

Sebastian stared at the door. Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the dust and blood. He slowly lowered his hand. He gripped his cane.

He didn't stand up because he wanted to live. He stood up because his brother told him to.

"I will kill them," Sebastian whispered. His voice was no longer human. It was the voice of a ghost. "I will kill them all."

He turned away from the door. He helped Harper drag Louis. They limped into the dark tunnel, just as the ground behind them shook with a massive explosion.

---

[The Aftermath]

Paris Streets. Dawn.

They emerged from a different manhole, near the Seine river. They collapsed on the cobblestones, gasping for air. Rain washed the blood off their faces.

Louis sat up, coughing, clutching his ribs. "Did we... did we get it?"

Harper pulled the Rolling Pin out of her bag. It was dented. Scratched. But safe. "We got it," she whispered.

She looked at Sebastian. He was sitting on the edge of the river bank, staring at the water. He looked hollowed out. He had lost his father (the truth of him), his innocence, and his brother—all in one night.

Harper walked over to him. She didn't say anything. She just sat down and wrapped her arms around him. He didn't hug her back. He just shook. A silent, violent trembling.

"He saved me," Sebastian whispered. "He ate rats in the dark for thirty years... and he saved me."

"He loved you," Harper kissed his dirty hair. "He knew you were his brother."

Sebastian looked at his hands. "Victoria Vance," he said the name like a curse. "Dr. Ryan."

He looked at Harper. "I am done playing by the rules, Harper." "No more lawsuits. No more board meetings." "I am going to burn their world down. Even if I have to burn with it."

Harper looked into his eyes. The Golden Cat was gone. The Wolf was gone. All that was left was a King of Ashes.

"We'll do it together," Harper said fiercely. "But first... we need an army."

Sebastian nodded slowly. He looked at Louis. "You said the Syndicate has enemies. Rivals."

"Yes," Louis wiped blood from his lip. "The Russians. The Triads. They all want the Key."

"Good," Sebastian stood up, leaning heavily on his cane. "Call them." "I'm putting the Key up for auction."

Harper gasped. "What? No!"

"It's bait," Sebastian said coldly. "I'm going to invite every monster in the world to Victoria's doorstep." "And then I'm going to lock the door."

(End of Chapter 59)