Z.E.R.O (Wattys 2016)

Element

^^^😁😁😁

***

I stood outside the room, listening on the conversation. I'd come back from cooling off when I heard the discussion, and I couldn't help but eavesdrop. Jayme was already packing our stuff into an unregistered SUV so that we can head out to meet his dad.

"Nick? Nick is Zero? That makes no sense!" my fiancé said, clearly not believing a single word.

Except Karr was right.

"I'm telling you man. Why do you think I was so surprised to learn that he and Elle are siblings?" Karr asked him.

"Nick can't be Zero. I agree with Xander here. It makes no sense," Aziel supported his best friend.

"I haven't had the pleasure of being in Nick's presence, but I am telling you what I've been investigating. Of course it doesn't make sense that he's Zero, but that's only because he's that good. I don't have solid evidence, but the name Nicholas Solano popped up on my data, and I'm sticking with it," Karr said strongly.

"Who are his parents?" my aunt asked.

My aunt.

It feels weird saying it, let alone seeing her. I may not have my memories from before the fire, but I remember her face. I didn't know that she adopted my fiancé, and when he showed me a picture of her, I was shocked to say the least.

But I couldn't show him that.

"According to records, his mother's name is Viola Solano, previously Nolan, and his father's name is Gerhard Nolan. Gerhard died a couple of years ago but his body was never recovered," Karr informed.

The boy is good, I will give him that.

My aunt laughed humourlessly. "This is beyond me."

"What do you mean?" Xander asked her.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, but Cypher and Genesis are basically one," she replied.

"Do you always speak in riddles?" Malachi asked her. I had to stifle a laugh at that.

"How did Viola get our last name? Did she marry my brother?" she asked.

"Yeah, she did," my fiancé confirmed.

"I thought so. Karr's theory about Nicholas being Zero isn't so far off," she said.

Before I could hear the explanation, my phone flashed in my hand and I answered it. "We have to go."

"I can't just leave like this," I said lowly.

"Sis, you'll see him again in a few weeks, but we really need to leave now. They've taken mom, and who knows how far they are. We've already lost time," Tyson told me.

"You know, I'm the eldest one here. You have to listen to me," I argued.

"Yeah, not right now. Aunt Silver probably just found out that you're still alive, and now she's going to be on a quest for answers. We need to get out of here," Tyler was the one to reply.

"I'm actually looking at her now," I whispered.

"WHAT?" they shouted.

"Would you keep it down? I wanted to hear just how much they reveal to her before I leave. That way we at least know how much they know, and how much we need to hide," I replied.

"That's both stupid and smart. Don't get caught. You've got five minutes!" they said before the line went dead.

I will never get used to them being so synchronized.

"...of the data I have. There are files I obviously don't have access to, but I'm pretty sure that I'm right about this," I caught the last part of what Karr was saying.

"This isn't happening right now," my fiancé said. It pained me to see him so confused, but it had to be done.

"Where is my supposed niece right now anyway?" my aunt asked.

Malachi scowled. "You don't believe that she's your niece?"

"I'll believe it when I see it. She shouldn't be alive. Not after..." my aunt trailed off.

Not after the project.

"She left here fuming just before you got here. She should still be here somewhere," Zuri replied.

"You need to find her and bring her back to me. I need to make sure that she's real, and then I need your help to find her mother. If Serena is alive, then she's in grave danger," my aunt told them.

"We already know that Black is after her," Aziel informed.

"Oh my son, Black is small waters in comparison to the person who really wants Serena," my aunt said.

Like I already didn't know.

"You mean she's in even greater danger than we thought?" my fiancé asked, not bothering to hide his panic.

"We're going to protect her Xander. I can promise you that," my aunt told him fiercely.

"I need to find her," he said, getting up.

"Xander," my aunt said, trying to stop him.

"Dude, she's coming back up. Stay here with your mom," Malachi told him.

"I need to find my fiancée. I can just feel it," my stubborn Bond said.

"Xander..." my aunt said, sounding breathless.

"I'll be back!" Xander said as he turned to leave.

"THANOS! DO NOT LEAVE THIS ROOM!"

Silence overtook the room. I think everyone was shocked to learn my fiancé's first name. I was taking a risk by still standing there, but boy was I glad that I did. He has such a beautiful first name, and it's obvious that his father must've given it to him.

I noticed that he was fuming though.

"Do not call me by that name."

"Listen to me. She will come back. I need you here with me," my aunt told him, but he didn't look bothered.

"I'm going to find my fiancée," he said before walking towards where I was. I had to get out of there, and fast.

Just as I turned, I was met by the last person I wanted to see. "Hello little one. I missed ya!"

And that's the last thing I remember.