"... So? Are you gonna tell me what happened to you?"
Jacob and Nicolas were looking at each other while sitting on a table by the lobby's bar.
Ha. I can't even laugh.
Nicolas wanted to break into laughter but he kept a straight face. His whole body was white. His hair, his face, his beard, his clothes. He was like a talking snowman. On the other side, Jacob was giggling every time he looked at him.
"So?"
Jacob asked him again. His voice almost broke in his chuckling.
"... What do you think? I'm making fun of your color."
"Haha, I see!"
"I don't see!"
Jonathan shot up from his chair on the other side of the hall. His face turned red from the anger. With giant steps he reached them within seconds.
"It's obvious that you did something in your room! One of the men staying here heard an explosion in the middle of the night! Also, why'd you reek of garlic?"
Compared to Jacob's carefree attitude, Jonathan was furious at Nicolas. Not only because he blew something up in his room, but he also insulted his boss. Though Jacob didn't seem to mind it at all.
"Anyways, I came early here to get you. You're coming with me to meet some people."
Jacob's teasing tone reminded Nicolas that Jacob was still nineteen years old. At an age, close to his, where he would laugh with his friends and family, study, live without caring about anything.
At least he's having fun... He's not as cold as before.
"Who do you mean? Gangsters, criminals or maybe serial killers?"
Jacob's voice lost its laughter as he replied to Nicolas.
"Hm. A few of each category, I think. I was too busy to look into all of their backgrounds."
Nicolas was dumbfounded. His face became stern without him realizing.
I said it as a joke. Fuck.
"Also, we're leaving right now. I want to get there early."
Jacob got up from his chair and grabbed Nicolas' arm. With a single pull he got Nicolas off his chair. Unsurprisingly, Nicolas tried to release his arm from Jacob's grasp but to no avail.
"Hey! Hey! Wait a minute!"
Jacob dragged him out of the safehouse like he was a stuffed toy. He didn't even try to hear Nicolas.
Jonathan stood by the table with a displeased look on his face. He just watched them leave without doing a single thing.
"Did they...just ignore me?"
"No sir! They would never do that!"
A gangster suddenly got up from the table he was sitting. The other gangsters sitting with him signaled him to not do anything but he saw that too late.
At that moment Jonathan turned over the table Jacob and Nicolas were at just seconds ago, with one arm.
Bang!!!
Without sparing a glance at the man who had supported him he spoke to him.
"You clean this up."
The man was startled by what Jonathan said and he froze on the spot. His fellow gangsters were snickering at him behind his back, but then Jonathan spoke again.
"I meant all of you."
The men stopped chuckling. They dropped their heads and looked at the floor, resenting laughing earlier. In discouraged voices they replied in chaos before Jonathan left the hall.
"...Yes, sir."
"Yes sir."
Then, the previously lively lobby became quiet once again.
*
Ten minutes later
Nicolas and Jacob were at the doorstep of a gianormous building. It was dozens of meters wide yet only a few meters tall, the word bunker would describe it better. It was entirely made out of cement and not a single window was visible.
This is... the army's?
Although the walls were brown in color, the structure was similar to the bunkers used by the military.
Jacob knocked once and the door opened immediately. It was as if they were expecting them. A man wearing a cap was leaning against the thick, metallic door. He seemed around his fifties but his arms were incredibly muscular and covered in scars.
"Python."
His voice was raspy and he had an emotionless face, worn-out and also covered in scars. He wore a black shirt and black pants. Compared to Nicolas' outfit, the difference was like heaven and earth.
I didn't know gangsters dressed like this.
"I've brought an enlightened with me."
Replying to the tanned man's remark, Jacob nodded towards Nicolas.
What the fuck did he say? Enlightened?
The man sized up Nicolas and made way for the two. Nicolas was looking at Jacob with wide open eyes as he followed him in. The temperature dropped dramatically in the claustrophobic environment.
The passage was narrow, leading to a bright room. Distant voices could be heard from there. With a gesture, the scarred man showed the room with his finger. After that, he bowed towards the pair of youngsters.
Well, I'm surprised. Quite unlike his looks. Anyways.
"What do you mean by enlightened Jacob?"
Jacob continued walking towards the end of the corridor. He didn't look back at Nicolas following him nor did he show any reaction to the man bowing.
"...There are many throughout the world that have trained their bodies for decades and achieved super strength and there are others who are drawn to a single emotion... We call them enlightened... people like you with special powers."
"Like me?"
Nicolas tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows. He clenched his fists and his nails dug into his flesh. Nicolas squeezed his teeth. His tone turned heavy suddenly.
"You knew all this time and you tell me now that I'm what, someone with emotional problems?... I thought I could trust you but..."
Nicolas didn't finish his sentence on purpose. Blood dripped down from his palms as they reached a luminous room. People were coming and going carrying papers or their morning coffee. Others were chatting loudly and laughing while many more were having some serious discussions in hushed whispers.
Unwavering, Jacob started speaking again. His eyes were rapidly shifting, scanning the crowd in front of them.
"This is the guest hall. In here- Oh fuck."
A blonde man was walking towards them with a smile on his face.