An Assassin's Guide to Family

Chapter 40: Present

——————-Percy's POV: ———————

"So what happened?" I asked as Damien and I sat at the only two chairs still standing properly.

Damien sat with a huff, almost like a dad who was about to get into a lecture. He looked around at the surrounding area, eyes sticking a moment too long to the scorch mark in the middle of the room. "Well, they came in a few hours ago, banged against the door for a while before coming to the correct conclusion that mom and I weren't going to let them in. They cut open the door, threw a bomb in and then from then out it was chaos. They weren't proper soldiers, probably a throw away task force to just scare us." I nodded, as much as he tried to seem convinced of that, I recognized a few of the people on the ground. Their white suits told me they were on our side. "Where were you?"

I turned back to Damien. His voice had held a hint of accusation, a small hand of guilt gripped my heart. "I was at the doctor's office." I mumbled quietly, rubbing a small spot on my arm that Will had paid special attention to. Damien's forceful glare immediately retracted. It looked like he wanted to ask me more but he didn't open his mouth to speak again.

The sound of a door opening turned my attention towards the side just as Talia walked out, her eyes were dark and cold. She looked over to the two of us, watching us carefully. I watched her back, watching the way her posture seemed tight, her face pulled into her usual glare. Eventually though she broke, her eyes turned strictly to Damien.

"Damien, it's time to start packing." I turned to look at him and an air of conflict seemed to come from him. I turned back to look at Talia and her eyes narrowed. Immediately Damien got up and ran from where she came from. My confusion must've come through my mask because now Talia focused on me. "We'll be leaving for Damien's grandfather's place until further notice. You'll watch over this base from now on. We will send you your missions remotely." I stood up, too many thoughts and questions running through my head all at once.

"Wait wait-" I put my hand out, taking in a deep breath as I regained my composure. "You two are just leaving?" I asked. Talia nodded, her silky hair waving with it.

"Yes, and we'll be leaving this base in your very capable hands." It almost felt like it was the gods all over again, except this time there was no trio, no adventure that lasted a few days, this was me, alone, for who knows how long.

"But-" she stopped me as she put a sickly sweet smile on her face, all her hesitance and worry gone in an instant. She walked over slowly, placing her hands on my shoulders as if she were my best friend giving me a pep talk.

"I have faith in you Orca, the most faith. Grandfather and I both believe you have the potential to rule this place if you were to focus. So do good, watch this place just for a while, just until we figure out how to take care of our little problem. Once we do that we'll come back, or better yet! You can have your own legion to command, become your own sector away from the problems in Gotham. You could help us achieve a better world." I felt a bead of cold sweat roll down my neck, I wanted to protest, having my own legion was the last thing I wanted, I was happy as things were now. But Talia didn't give me time, she pulled me in for a hug, putting my body into a shock as my vocal cords refused to work, my hands slowly wrapping around her as my brain raced to say anything.

The door opened from behind her and with my head stuck on her shoulder I could only watch Damien appear, a small leather satchel wrapped around his shoulder. He wore a beautiful black and gold armor set, one that really did give him an air of leadership.

Talia let me go, pulling down my mask only a little, she placed a gentle kiss to my forehead. It was like something was squeezing against my vocal cords, physically preventing me from speaking. Talia waved to Damien who sent me a last look of sympathy before they both ran out the base leaving me in horrific loneliness.

————————

It wouldn't be till the next day that I would find the base completely redone, a small manual telling me how to work everything as if I hadn't done any of this before.

I was barely contacted by anyone for 4 weeks, the most I got were mission alerts, telling what had to be done and by when. It was horrible, and lonely. I hated to say this, but this job was my only source of normal-ish human interaction, things like talking and training with someone else was now gone, instead replaced with lonely echoing halls, dark rooms and horrific humming coming from the machines surrounding me.

I resented them, I admit. I hated that they could just leave me here with nothing, no one, and an empty promise of returning. I spent most of my time in the base dwelling on this fact, hating the silence and the loneliness.

Most of my days were spent mumbling to myself, somethings I said weren't things I meant, but they spilt out of me. I would talk as I watched the screen for anything. A mission, maybe even a small message telling me they were sorry. I wished a lot for the latter to happen.

But like usual, today I was sent out on a mission with only cold wording, nothing to express any remorse. Like usual though, I listened, leaving the empty base for another job.

——————————
1002 words