SWRC: Too Soon... (Book 3)

Chapter 16 Twins of Long Ago.

Sorry for the foul language in the song. I only watched xTEXx's amv above because of the sayings at the beginning and at the end of the video.

<Several hours earlier...>

Aside from the encounter with the cloned Neeran earlier and his subsequent message to his seven students, Jax had felt another presence that needed investigating on Gorse.

Namely, the presence of his younger twin brother.

Juan Briaxe.

Being twins of a species that closely emphasised familial bonds, the connection between twins and other multiple births was always revered and considered special. And the environment in which Jax and Juan were raised in had only strengthened the bond between them and their sister Star.

Until they all ultimately fell apart.

"Juan," called Jax softly as he stood amidst the darkening ruins of the outer suburbs of Gorse.
"You know me too well Jax," came his twins reply.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Jax, cutting straight to the chase. "Why now?"
"You were never really one to dally on trivial matters brother," replied Juan.
"Why?" repeated Jax not backing down.

Silence between them lasted for a while until Juan began walk around to the left and Jax returned the movement in the opposite direction.
"It was the girl."
"You know her name Juan, use it," said Jax, watching his brother with every intent, oblivious to anything else that was going on around them.

"Your seven apprentices," said Juan, as if he'd only heard part of what his brother had said. "Shakkuri, Jyuo, Coattra, Galleion, Harron, Bronnick and the girl, Neeran."
Jax was slightly surprised that Juan knew all their names, especially considering they were only their fake names and he knew Juan had been at the base and knew their real names.

"The results," chuckled Juan, circling his older twin brother in the shadows. "were the ultimate soldiers."

Juan watched his brother follow suit in circling him as he continued, "Your mistake is seeing Neeran and everyone her age as just 'military hardware' for our disposal. She was to show Humanity their next step. Their destiny, as a species."

"Do you believe that Neeran succeed because she is still, at her core, broken?" asked Jax, not believing his little brother could have been so heartless and cruel to the teenage children he'd raised and consider his own.

"Do not underestimate them," said Juan as he turned his back on Jax and began to fade into the darkness surrounding them within the alleyway.
"But most of all, do not underestimate..."

With that, he disappeared from sight with one final word hanging in the air.

"Her."