The Disparate One

Chapter 28

The glowing moon rose from the horizon as their ambulance drove through the expressway. Soothsayer yawned as he stared at the barely lit road in front of them. Keeping his head on his hand, he glanced at Ray who he told to get some rest. Ray was curled on his seat, facing the window. He didn't make sudden movements despite being fully awake.

He was pretending to be asleep because he really couldn't shut his eyes. Soothsayer's voice saying that he would be betrayed persisted in his mind. He kept his legs close to him, hugging it, as he stared at his own reflection on his window, seeing himself in the darkness.

At first, he was glad that he would get out of the facility alive, but through betrayal? Who would betray him? Could it be someone from the facility? Himself? Cal? What if Soothsayer was the traitor and he was bringing him to the facility where Cal was waiting for him?

After another hour rolling through the asphalt, Ray pretended to have woken up, yawning and stretching his arms out. He scratched his head when he looked at Soothsayer who showed no signs of fatigue. He wondered if there was more to be told which Soothsayer couldn't. He glanced out of the window, admiring the moon.

A few minutes later, they pulled to a ramp and parked in front of a diner. Their ambulance squeezed through between the trucks. There were some drivers drinking coffee on the bar when they walked in and found themselves a seat at the corner. Thankfully, no one noticed that one of them was wearing a white general uniform, together with someone who was oddly wearing an eye mask.

After giving their orders, Ray calmly tapped his fingers on the table, staring out the window, recalling their recent conversations. He never expected Oxford to befriend someone who worked for the management, the management who separated him from his predecessor, the management who created this prison deep under the earth. He turned his gaze at Soothsayer who sat straight across him, suspiciously staring at him.

Ray opened his mouth, he decided to leave some of the questions he continued to drag to be answered by Soothsayer.

"Why did you join the management in the first place?"

The question made Soothsayer blink curiously at him.

"Because someone needed me."

"Who?"

"Micro."

Ray turned his eyes away when he heard the name. He sighed at his reflection on the window, seeing himself wearing the uniform which he still couldn't figure out why he was wearing it.

"What did he need you for?" Ray resumed.

"To be prepared."

"For?"

Soothsayer opened his mouth for a second but instantly shut it. It wasn't because of their waiter coming back to serve their dinner, it was because of how he remembered everything that had happened and would happen during his lifetime. None of them touched their plates, both were eagerly exchanging curious gazes. Ray raised a brow, awaiting Soothsayer's answer.

"A once-in-a-lifetime event," said Soothsayer nonchalantly.

Ray retracted to his seat, the red leather squeaking on his pants. It was not exactly what he was hoping to hear, but at least it was answered, vaguely. As they ate their meals, Ray brought up another different question.

"Why are you helping me?"

Soothsayer was swirling his spoon around his soup, when he heard the question, his swirling gradually slowed to a halt. Images of Oxford pressing on his wound flashed before his eyes. The way Oxford said it as he answered the same question. He firmly looked at Ray, keeping his composure, and said: