The Annihilation Code

Chapter Twenty-Two ✰ Chase Huxley ✰

I sauntered down the staircase with Marisa by my side. Where were we going? I don't know. What were we looking for? The Annihilation Code, I guess. I'll be honest, I don't really know what we're looking for here. Isn't the Annihilation Code a song? How do you find a song? I'm so confused. I'm still fairly sure we're in a normal spa, but if searching this place gives Atlas peace. I'm willing to do it.

"So, what do you think we'll find down there?" I asked Marisa.

"I don't know," she muttered as she hugged herself tightly.

"These are a lot of stairs. Why the hell do they have so many stairs? They should install an elevator."

Marisa just nodded along.

"Do your legs hurt? Mine do. Well, I guess I only have one leg now, but it hurts." I stopped talking when I realized she'd come to an abrupt halt. "Hey, are you okay?"

She shook her head, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Oh, no! She was crying! I don't usually do well dealing with people in emotional distress but spending time with Atlas had given me some practice.

I patted her head. "There, there. Don't cry."

She sobbed louder.

Okay, I needed a new plan. I tapped my toes in a repetitive motion as I tried to come up with something to say. Then I remembered I had an infinite amount of knowledge at my fingertips. I typed, How to console a crying person? Into my cybernetics. I pulled up an article on the topic and began skimming. Step one: Witness their feelings. What the hell does that mean? "Um, I witness your feelings."

She glanced up at me through tear-soaked lashes. "What?"

I returned my attention to the article. Step two: Affirm that their feelings make sense. "Your feelings are valid."

"What would you know about my feelings?"

"Nothing," I confessed. "I don't know anything about how you're feeling." I sat down on the stairs and patted the space next to me.  "Do you want to talk about it?"

She chewed on her lip anxiously as she eyed the space next to me. She reluctantly slumped down next to me.

I closed the article so I could give Marisa my full attention. 'Now tell me what's wrong."

She buried her face in her hands. "Atlas hates me."

I rubbed gentle circles on her back. "What are you talking about? Where would you get a crazy idea like that?"

She didn't look up. "I can tell he's furious with me for talking to Vindicator. I don't blame him. I know it was the wrong choice, but I was scared, and I didn't know what else to do. He made me feel so stupid."

I gave a sympathetic nod. "He could've been less harsh."

Marisa shot me a quizzical look. "You're not going to make excuses for him?"

"Nah, he's responsible for his outbursts. I understand why he's upset, but that doesn't give him the right to be an asshole. Just because we're friends doesn't mean I have to excuse everything he does."

She wiped her tears away with her sleeve.

"I know he doesn't hate you. He adores you." It was true, I could sense Atlas's feelings through our link. His affection for his sister was unmatched.

"How do you know that?"

"I can sense it," I said before remembering Marisa didn't know about our cerebral link. "Because I'm... um... an empath." I decided to roll with it. "Yeah, I'm an empath, and by using my mystical empath powers, I can say with absolute certainty that Atlas adores you."