Avatara

The two mercenaries grunted and picked up Spector at the arms and legs like he was a bag of potatoes. Then one of them lifted the scientist's lifeless body over his shoulder and proceeded towards the stairs. The other followed.

"And what to do with you?" Knightmare-Grimm's attention shifted back to Brian. Brian decided to keep quiet, talking back carelessly brought Spector to a bad end. He didn't wish to be disposed of too.

"Why are you not speaking?" said Knightmare-Grimm. His voice slithered and shrieked like a serpent. He raised the gun towards Brian's face. Brian hyperventilated, sweat streaming down all over his face and dripping off his chin. Knightmare-Grimm brought the end of the gun's barrel and forced it onto Brian's forehead. A puddle of fluid developed beneath his feet. A few of the mercenaries laughed. Knightmare-Grimm gave one look across the room and they stopped. His red bloodshot eyes beaming and gleaming.

"They are laughing at you because you wet yourself," said Knightmare-Grimm. "Are you a coward?"

But Brian's thoughts were somewhere else, as if his mind had escaped his body. Shocked into a mute state. The sheer fear and anticipation of death immobilised him, making him the walking dead already.

"Answer me!" screamed Knightmare-Grimm. The volume of his voice brought Brian back to reality, who fumbled a response from his quivering mouth.

"No," said Brian.

"No what?" said Knightmare-Grimm.

"No, I'm not a coward."

"It's just a gun," said Knightmare-Grimm. "If you die, you die. Maybe I shoot you now, maybe I don't. That's the delight of it. A little anarchy never hurt anyone."

He paused for a moment looking at Brian's eyes intensely.

"You're a police officer?" said Knightmare-Grimm.

"Yes."

"What level?" said Knightmare-Grimm.

"Inspector," said Brian.

"Hmm, in-spector." Knightmare-Grimm took a step back from Brian removing the gun from his forehead. Brian let out a gasp of air in relief, nearly staggering over at the same time.

"Not too high a rank and yet not too low," said Knightmare -Grimm, reflecting to himself, while waving the gun carelessly with his left hand. "You must have good knowledge of all levels of the police force?"

Brian nodded involuntarily.

"That sort of knowledge might prove useful sometime in the future or maybe not. Nonetheless, knowledge is power and yours is worth acquiring. Tell me, my good man, what is it you seek for?"

Brian gave a timid reply. "I just wanted more money."

"So it was impatience, to do your time and climb the ranks like I did in the army. You wanted to skip the line." Knightmare-Grimm surveyed his mercenaries and paraded in a circular way, swinging around the gun and looking at everyone. The mercenaries stood firm.

"Hmm," he said. "But that's not all. You wanted more power which is why you came to our dearly departed Spector. You wanted to wangle a deal didn't you?"

Again, Brian chose silence.

"Do you want more power?"

"Yes," said Brian.

"Will you serve me?"

"Yes."

'Will you worship me as the one who saved you, as the one who gave you power?"

Brian nodded a yes.

"Get on your knees," said Knightmare-Grimm.

Brian looked at him incredulously but complied. He found himself on his knees, both of them scratching the hard, rough concrete floor, looking up at Knightmare-Grimm like a helpless child. The light behind Knightmare-Grimm's face almost blinding him.

"You belong to me now, my child. Surrender yourself to me and live through me."

Brian did not understand what this meant but he had no resolve to refuse. His own needs, his own ego felt weak and he could not resist Knightmare-Grimm's overwhelming presence. Even now the Lord was in his head. Inspector Brian Burnside, a respected police officer, teetered on the brink of oblivion.

***

"I did it to protect you Grace," said Jazz. Leaning forwards while sat on the edge of a chair.

Grace's disbelief expressed in her face. She could not believe Jazz's willingness to angle his point on the basis of wanting to protect her.

"Protect me from what?" she said indignantly.

"Knightmare-Grimm," said Jazz. "I discovered that he's back and he's probably working on something big."

"Tell me something I don't know Jazz," said Grace. Her response stumped him.

"You know?" he said.

"What surprises me is that you don't know that my flat is now under twenty-four surveillance by security personnel, from one of the most powerful people on the planet. What kind of a police officer are you?"

Jazz who had been seated, jumped out off the sofa chair and paced to the window to look out of it.

"Who are they?" he said.

"Security guards of Sadayuki Suno," she said. "One phone call and they would deal with you. They can probably see us now anyway."

"Why are they here? What does he want?"

"I can't tell you," said Grace.

"Why?"

"It's none of your business," said Grace. "Anyway we are not talking about that now. Aren't you meant to apologise and grovel more?"

"Sorry," said Jazz.

"What annoys me, is that you always avoid the truth. That's why we broke up. The truth is that you only care about work."

"I just figured that if I got the kernel codes from you, then I could shut down Avatara myself, when I had enough evidence to issue a warrant to Sheldrake Enterprises. My colleague Brian thought it would be a good idea to scare it out of you by pretending to be Knightmare-Grimm. But even he didn't know that Knightmare-Grimm is back. In fact, where is he? I've been trying to call him but I can only leave a voicemail. He took you into his car and drove away when I last saw you."

"I have no idea where he is," said Grace. She remembered the monk Yi possessing the mind of Brian Burnside with his spirit. He probably left Brian's mind leaving the officer somewhere safe and probably Jazz would see him tomorrow morning at work. At least that's what she thought.

"I should call him again," said Jazz. They both remained silent for a while, avoiding eye contact. Though to be exact, Jazz averted his eyes from Grace. He always did this when feeling guilty, Grace thought about this for a second on reflection.

"I didn't think you would give me the kernel codes if I just asked," said Jazz, resuming his defence.

"Well you're right, I wouldn't" said Grace. " No one should have them. But that's no reason to kidnap me to try and get me to confess them."

"That wasn't my idea, that was Brian's," said Jazz.

"I don't care if it was his idea. I don't care who he is. How can you go along with that Jazz? Listen to yourself!"

Jazz took a sullen posture with a downcast gaze and 'puppy dog' eyes.

"I know, I'm such an idiot," he said. "Why do I always make mistakes like this?"

"Just stop it," said Grace. "Beating yourself up is just your way of avoiding responsibility."

"What else can I say?" said Jazz, flapping his arms up in despair. "I've said I'm sorry like fifteen times." He sat down but this time on the edge of one of the arms of the sofa chair.

"I don't know," said Grace. "But I know I can't trust you again." The statement made Jazz look despondent, his head bowed facing the floor. Grace changed the subject.

"Perhaps we should stop talking about this. I'm pretty sure Snow Globe, has bugged this place."

"Snow Globe?" said Jazz.

"Sadayuki Suno," said Grace. "The head of Kawakami, I've already mentioned him. Anyway I need you to check out Sheldrake Enterprises for me. Look for anything that suggests that Knightmare-Grimm is back. Regardless of what Sadayuki plans, I will need to make my own plan to get into Sheldrake and shut down Avatara. I need to know what we are up against."

"If this place is bugged, won't Sadayuki hear what we are saying?" said Jazz.

"I hope so," said Grace. "If he does then maybe he would do something to help us out. But I expect he is planning something of his own. Though I'm not going to wait around like a lemon while yet another man tries to control me."

"I never tried to control you," said Jazz.

Grace's facial expression, full of disappointment met Jazz's eyes.

"After this is all over, I don't want to see you anymore Jazz," said Grace. "It's unforgivable what you did but maybe in time you can learn from your mistakes."

Jazz felt his heart sink in his c.h.e.s.t, Grace noticed her heart fall too but there are some things that happen in life where there is no coming back from. No matter how you might feel.