Black Dawn

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Adam enters the second building, and even though there no guards posted, he's wary of whatever awaits him, and keeps his weapon ready. He knows he didn't escape the sniper rifle just because he got lucky. He was allowed to escape. He knows that Derek wants him alive, and whatever death wish Derek has for him is very much personal. But Adam assumed that the plan was for the sniper to trap him, so that the guards could deliver him to Derek, which seemed to be the original plan.

Adam also notices that Kevin's not there.

It's time to assess the situation. His goal is to get Maria out. It's become increasingly clear that he's in the middle of power struggle between the government and Derek's group, which seems to be a type of extremist anarchist faction. Adam himself has no interest in this struggle. He absolutely does not care if the White House gets blown up. Hell, he's dreamt of that a few times himself. But it seems to Adam that civilian casualties would be unavoidable if the strike happened. Even though he doesn't like to admit, Adam is a hero - it's the way he's built, it's the way his brain works, it's the way his particular set of genes function. And as a hero, Adam can't turn his back on innocent civilians. It's the sense of heroism that has caused Adam to get into trouble more times than he'd like to admit.

This was always a big thing separating Adam from his twin; Derek was always more pragmatic and lacked a sense of heroism. It's not that Derek lacked idealism, he was always very idealistic. In fact, Adam knows his brother and does feel that this incident and the potential attack on Washington is a result of Derek's sense of freedom and justice. Adam is the last person to defend the government, but fears that his brother has gone off the deep end too much in his quest for freedom. Or whatever it is that he's after, Adam's not sure.

Adam is truly caught between a rock and a hard place; either he fights for the government that left him for dead, or he allows innocent people to get killed.

After searching the area, Adam can't help but fear that something happened to Kevin. Maybe he just went ahead to wherever Maria's being held, but Kevin knew that Adam's lost in the facility without him. He has no means of navigating the maze.

"Kev?"

No answer.

Adam's getting slightly worried. Less than 24 hours ago, Adam was contemplating suicide, due to the grim realization that he had nothing to live for anymore. Nothing to offer. The world is not what it once was. However, now that he as a breather after everything that's gone down during the past few hours, Adam is caught up in the surrealism is of the day. How is it even possible that he got dragged into this again? And moreover, should he be worried that it doesn't bother him more? He has a purpose - even if that purpose is killing other people. He quickly backs down from that thought, which is scarily familiar and comforting, and reminds himself that his purpose is to save Maria.

He starts to go through memories of Maria. He feels guilty that Maria got involved in all of this, seemingly just to lure Adam out. Maria knew what Adam was, she was the daughter of a soldier, after all. But Adam never felt like a soldier with Maria. She was the one person he felt like a human being with. It's painful irony that knowing Adam is now the reason her life is in danger.

But where could she be? Where to even start looking, the facility is huge?

Adam's questions are quickly interrupted by the sight of a guard on post, which causes Adam to quickly hide behind a corner. The guard appears to be talking to his communicator.

"No sign of him here, either. He's in here somewhere, so keep looking. He's probably on his way to the detention area, so stay posted."

Adam waits for the transmission to be over, and silently and quickly grabs the guard from behind.

"Whether or not your neck breaks right now is totally up to you. Trust me, I'm very good at this."

"Hey, don't hurt me, I'll talk!"

"I don't know, I swear!"

Adam tightens his grip, as the guard struggles to speak.

"Okay! She's being held in the detention area. To the east."

"How do I get there?"

"You go through those doors, to the east, until you run into a big elevator. The detention area is in B2. But you need an ID card to get there."

"How many guards?"

"Seven."

"Pick up your communicator. Tell them you found me."

The guard does just that.

"All units in the detention area! I got him! I repeat: all units in the detention area, move into the corridor of the second building!"

"Thanks."

Adam puts pressure on the chokehold long enough for the guard to pass out, and as he does, Adam goes through his pockets, looking for a card that he hopes will open the doors to the detention area, and hopefully to wherever Maria is being held. He also grabs the communicator to stay on track with what the guards are doing. At least for a little while, he knows that guards will find their partner eventually. But maybe he can avoid detection just long enough.

As Adam starts heading to the east, another guard who watched the situation from afar is speaking to his own communicator.

"He has the key. He's on his way to the detention area, as planned, boss."

The voice on the other end is Derek.

"Excellent. Good work. Keep an eye on him, make sure he makes it to the detention area, but don't let him know he's being watched."

"Understood."

"I have some business of my own to attend to."

---

Derek shuts his communicator and turns to Kevin, who has been brought before him, handcuffed to a pipe on the wall with no means to defend himself.

"Well, well. Long time no see, 'Kev'."

Kevin doesn't respond.

"We can do this easy way, or the hard way, Kev. You're not like my brother, you don't share his naive sense of heroism. You were let down by our government just like we were. So, you're not here for them, either. Why don't you tell me why you're really here, hm?"

Kevin still doesn't respond.

"I have ways of making you talk, Kev. Besides, I know why you're here. I just want to know who you're taking orders from. Because they sure as hell don't come from the Chameleon. You may be able to fool Adam, Kev, but you can't fool me. You never could."

Derek gives Kevin an opportunity to respond, but since he doesn't seem to be taking up on the offer, Derek responds with a swift punch to the face.

"Adam's not coming to your rescue. He has no idea what's going on, and when he does, it's going to be too late."

Derek grabs a vial of some sort of liquid from the table and shows it to Kevin.

"This is what you're here for, isn't it? This is what they sent you here for, right? This is what The Order sent you to get from me. Isn't it?"

Derek can tell from the look on Kevin's face that he's onto something.

"What I want to know, however, is why. I know you. It's not the money. It's not to serve the government. So, why are you here?"

Derek softens Kevin up with a few more stiff strikes to the face.

"Who are The Order, Kevin?! And why did you sell yourself to them?"

As Kevin still doesn't open his mouth, Derek continues the violent attack, getting more and more aggressive.