The Disparate One

Chapter 35

As Ray sank deeper into the abyss together with other debris, his eyes reflected the orange light rays waving through the water. It was the last beautiful thing he had seen before being left to be buried in the facility, before feeling someone grab him by the collar and dragged away. He didn't know what happened or who it was, his vision darkened as his body was consumed by darkness.

Was he dragged by an unknown creature into the depths to be eaten? Was this how his life would end? He felt something pressed on his chest, at first it was soft. Then he felt something touch his lips. He didn't know what it was. But it was solid. Tasted metal.

Then, the pressure on his chest intensified, compressing the air out of him. He suddenly coughed and coughed again this time with warm liquids splattering on his face. His eyes shot open when he wheezed and continued to cough. He policed himself, finding himself alive, in the middle of darkness.

He thought he was in hell or heading to it until something nearby glowed gold.

Shit, Ray thought, resting on the ground. He knew those shades of color. He knew whom it belonged to. Was he Death all this time?

"Never thought this day would come where I found myself saving you," Cal's voice shivered Ray.

Still, on the floor, he furrowed. Did he hear that correctly? Was Cal the one who grabbed him? Why would someone like Cal save him after what he did? Was this all a test? His mind couldn't focus more on his thoughts when he heard Cal chuckled in the darkness.

Then, he heard something shake nearby followed by some flipping switches. There were footsteps, he could tell those belonged to Cal. He remained still when he heard something banged. Not a gunshot. But a slap against a metal surface. What was Cal doing? Was he putting him on a pod?

Something roared to life, it wasn't an animal, it was a machine. A generator. He heard Cal sigh when numerous bright lights took the darkness away. Ray blinked when he turned his head around. They were back at the old-fashioned hall. He still remembered seeing those quaint lighting fixtures on the wall that didn't work, replaced by construction lights.

He found Cal sitting on the floor next to the mumbling generator, right arm on it, or what remained of his arm. His body was almost obliterated from the blast. A few traces of gold were still on his body that was now fully exposed, revealing its internal wires and intricate mechanisms. Both of his ears were gone and the glass protecting his eyes was as well. It somehow reminded Ray about Nite.

"So how has your plan worked out so far?" Cal looked at him with a smirk.

Ray didn't say anything. He decided not to. Because of what happened. He dropped his worth when Oxford watched him fall. There was nothing he could do to live any longer. But, he was curious as to why Cal saved him and asked about "his plan". What plan?

"Oh... that's right... you don't remember..." Cal whispered, turning away as if concerned.

Ray returned, staring at the ceiling in confusion. It even became more confusing when he found the entire hall dry, aside from his puddle of course. After seeing the amount of water pouring into the facility, he demanded to know why this hall wasn't completely submerged. There was not a single trace of water.

His lips finally moved.

"Why did you save me?"

"Because Micro told me to," Cal said nonchalantly, keeping his eyes on Ray.

Micro. That name again. He couldn't escape from it ever since he heard that name.

"You told me to," Cal said. It was simple but it caught all of Ray's attention.