Staring ahead, Lucas watched an orchestra play with great intensity. Each note, each individual instrument, fought with one another, desperately trying to make itself stand out and be heard. Staring at it, Lucas couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. Next to him, Alannah shuffled through the crowd and leaned over, ready to say something. Lucas lifted his hand to stop her and placed his finger over his lip.
"This is the best part." Lucas pointed ahead. The battle that was taking place between each member suddenly ended as it synced up in harmony, as if peace had been made. Lucas looked to Alannah and nodded.
"I've got word, everyone is in position." Lucas nodded and closed his eyes. Alannah watched as he twitched every few seconds, lasting for over a minute. Each twitch seemed to increase the music's intensity, and Alannah pulled out her phone, opened social media, and searched for the tag "Newport". Refreshing the page every chance she got, she waited. After aminute, her eyes dimmed, seeing the first sign of tragedy.
Lucas opened his eyes and wiped the sweat building up on his forehead. Looking at Alannah, he smiled and turned back towards the orchestra, letting himself be swept away by the music.
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James tried his best not look nervous as he stood in the airport, waiting to board Xavier's private jet. Although it was only the Lord Redeemer who had spotted him, he was sure that his picture would be spread around. It was that paranoia that made him ask the ISD agent for help. After a few days, he was given a diplomatic passport with a new name, one that allowed him to avoid normal customs.
"Fredrick, find out whatever you can about Zoktis. Look into everything, not the normal myth." Xavier said with a serious shout, trying to speak over the jet engine as he and his entourage marched towards it. James rested his head against the seat and let himself relax once he entered.
"What about the book James found?" Fredrick asked, taking a seat in front of James, grabbing a bottle of water from the mini fridge built into the table's stand.
"Try and look into it, but don't waste too much time. If the Children have it in the Archive, there is a near-zero per cent chance you will find anything about it." Fredrick nodded in agreement and watched as Xavier sat down, signalling to one of the flight attendants to bring him a drink.
"That book. I've been hung up on it." James finally spoke, having seen the two finish. Both looked at him, waiting, "Five jewels and five natures make sense. The jewels are the keys, the natures, I assume, are abilities linked with the key. Afterall, I saw the power of space in it." Leaning forward, James tapped the table. "So why five children?"
Fredrick and Xavier looked at one another. James leaned back, feeling the plane move and grabbed a packet of gum, chewing a piece, hoping it would make the takeoff better than the first time.
"Did the Zoktis myth ever mention children?" Xavier turned to Fredrick, making the old man fall into thought. Narrowing his eyes, he stopped himself from speaking and shook his head.
"Not that I can remember. Although I can't claim to have read all versions of the myth." Fredrick pulled out his phone and quickly searched the question on the internet. Seeing it pop up with a no, he showed the others and chuckled. "Maybe it's wrong, but I would wager it's not."
"So the real question is, do we trust the book in the archive or every other piece of media out there?" James said, looking to Fredrick, having seen Xavier defer to him on numerous occasions.
"The Archive. The fact that it had an aura and allowed you to read it means it's not a normal book, but something... alive, maybe. No, that doesn't feel right. A living Artefact is a theory, nothing more. Maybe you met the conditions, or maybe it has a built-in feature that allows anyone to read it." James nodded, agreeing with the final theory. It was the only one that made sense to him.
The conversation drifted off into silence as the three stared out the window, watching the jet fly through the clouds.
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"Excuse me." Jenny looked down at a child sitting alone on the metro holding a small backpack in his hands. She had received many reports about a lone child sitting alone, looking lost, and with the state of emergency the metro was under, she had been sent out to deal with it. "Are you lost?"
The boy looked up at her with dead eyes and shook his head. Suddenly, he twitched and opened the bag. Jenny looked down her eyes, widening in horror, seeing a flashing light. Backing up she tried to push through the packed carriage.
"BOMB!" Screaming at the top of her lungs, the boy reached in and pressed a button on it.
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Inside another carriage, a woman with dead eyes twitched and reached inside her shopping bag, pulling out a small box. Looking around at the carriage, she saw a camera in the corner watching the people. Creating the seal the extremists of New Horizon always used towards it, she ripped the top of the box open and tapped the button on the bomb inside.
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Another man with dead eyes twitched. Staring ahead, he tapped the inside of his empty buggy, pressing a button.
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In the metro tunnel, a group of engineers looked ahead at the tunnel and waited. One's phone vibrated, and with the signal, he nodded towards his coworker. Pulling out a detonator, they looked towards the end of the tunnel and pressed it.
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"Sir." One of Xavier's staff ran over with a computer and placed it before the three, clicking the video. James could see she was panicked, nervously looking around, trying her best to stay calm. "We have a problem."
The video started in the room where the mayor of Newport always gave speeches. On it, he saw Hopkins sitting with a dark expression. On closer inspection, it was clear he was wearing makeup, hiding his red eyes, which showed he cried.
James, however, didn't focus on that, instead looking down at the caption underneath.
'Bombings in the Metro.'
James forgot to breathe as the video began to play. Looking at Xavier, he saw him watching the screen without a change of expression as if already knowing what had happened.
"Today." Hopkins voice spoke with a suppressed anger, "We as a community, as a people, have been attacked." Hopkins took a deep breath as he stared ahead, "All across the Metro, numerous bombs have been detonated. The exact death count has yet to be verified. I implore all citizens of Newport to stay at home. NPPD and NPSD had received word of these attacks and managed to stop two of the terrorists in time, but are currently investigating the culprits behind them."
Hopkins paused to let his words sink in as he collected himself, "This... tragedy will not be forgotten. But Newport stands strong; we have always stood strong in the face of these villains. Together as a community, as a city, we will overcome this. I promise you, not as your mayor but as a resident of Newport, as a man who loves this city, I will stand with you, I will use all my power, all my wealth to help those affected, to find the culprits behind this and to bring justice to all those we have lost. Thank you."
Unlike the usual time when reporters would bombard him with questions, they remained silent. James stared at Xavier as he calmly closed the laptop and looked to the woman. "Thank you for bringing this to me."
"Sir, our sources inside have already claimed that New Hor..."
"That will be all. Thank you." Xavier said again, with a sterner voice. Bringing his hands together, he shook his head. "Savages." Telling himself, he pulled out his phone. Waiting patiently, it took a few seconds before the call was answered, "I need that favour now." Xavier waited a few seconds, "You saw what happened. Take the fall. Give it a few days to sink in. Don't worry, I know our deal.
Hanging up, Xavier looked at James, who stared at him in disbelief. "Did you..." He couldn't finish what he was saying, still shaken about everything. Pulling his own phone out, he looked at the news and saw hundreds of reports about the bombing, seeing videos of the stampede being caused as people ran for safety out of the metro.
"I knew, but believe me. It wasn't us, not even those extremists. It would be best if you leave the airport when we land without me. New Horizon will be under fire for the coming weeks," Xavier said with a soft smile and turned to Fredrick. "I made preparations already. But I need you to deal with those old pricks and keep them calm."
Fredrcik nodded and got up, making a series of phone calls.