Of Heroes and Villains

Conflict

News of what Omen had done spread throughout the planet. No matter where you lived, you had to have heard of the slaughter of his supporters.

This alone already made the US government willing to get involved. They immediately started assembling teams of soldiers to track the man down. These men were all highly skilled at combating espers, and were used to far worse conditions than regular soldiers.

Out of fifteen, only two teams survived the first day, and Sean couldn't figure out how.

'There's no way he'd be willing to go out and face them himself. He would've retreated to his lair by now. So who was it that killed them all?'

A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts. "Come in."

Pushing the door open, Don entered. "Figure anything out yet? I think I've found the culprit behind the soldier killings." He handed Sean the file he was holding. "Most of it is just stuff we already knew, but there is a detail I've noticed; All of the survivors mentioned several people with glowing green eyes. Remind you of anyone?"

Sean set the file down on the coffee table. "Erin's experiment."

Both of them got nervous whenever the woman was brought up as a subject. "She's playing with us even from the grave," Don said. "Is it possible there are multiple Destroyers? Didn't he tell us his body was gone?"

Sean set his gaze on the window, thinking about all the information he'd been given. "They're different."

"Huh?"

"The Destroyers who fought the esper hunter - they're different from the one we fought."

Don sat down on the couch. "How do you figure?"

"Well, for one, the physical descriptions don't match his. All of them are different, in fact." Sean went over to the door of the room, then closed it. "Also, the one we've fought those few times specialized in fighting espers. His vapor wouldn't have helped him against human opponents at all. That means these ones have different vapors, and probably different personalities, since they're all alive at the same time, unlike the other one, who kept respawning like a gumba."

"Like a what?"

"Nevermind." Walking closer to Don, Sean got ready to say the words he'd been failing to say for a bit now. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

Don looked away nervously. "It's not like you meant to do it. It was Erin-"

"No. It was me."

Don's eyes snapped back to his friend. Sean could barely look at him, because Don's terrified face kept popping up in his mind.

"I could've fought harder. Even back in Russia, I let my hunger get away from me. She probably wouldn't have been able to do a thing to me if I hadn't handicapped myself. As a result, you and the others could've been killed. I'm sorry."

Not at all knowing how to reply, Don stood up, then closed his eyes. What was he supposed to say? That it was alright? They both knew it wasn't. If it were alright, Erin's name wouldn't be so heavy to them both.

"I don't know what to say right now." Don took a shallow breath. "Mind if I just stay mad at you for a little while longer?"

Sean minded. "Sure." He minded it so much. "Take as much time as you need." He really didn't want to waste what potential time they had left.

Someone else knocked on the door, and entered without waiting to be invited. "There you are, Donnie," said Dean. "You ready to go find 'im?"

Don welcomed the change of topics. "Yeah, sure."

Whatever plan the two had going on, Sean hadn't been made aware of it.

Don only just remembered that. "Right; We're gonna go find Liu and see if he can help us, since Lan's out of commission." He ran out of the room without waiting for a reply, dragging Dean along with him.

Seemingly starting to put two and two together, Dean asked, "What's up with you two?"

"Don't wanna talk about it."

"Is it about that date that failed? Hot damn, Donnie. The end of the world can't wait for your hormones."

"I really don't wanna talk about it. Where's Jordan?"

Rolling his eyes, Dean replied, "Take a wild guess."

"And our esteemed guests?"

"I left them with Dimitri."

Don stopped.

Dean knew drama was about to happen. "Don't start."

"He is one of them."

"He used to be, but he's with us now."

"No one we hold in handcuffs is one of us."

"Then maybe it's time to let him out of them."

"That won't happen, and you know it."

Dean was quickly growing tired of it, but wasn't about to back down. "He's my brother-"

"He tried to kill me!" Don spat out, turning around. "Ever thought you were dead for sure, and was unable to do a fuckin' thing about it? No? Well, I've been there, and your brother was the one responsible for it. We cannot trust him."

"Well, I do."

"Then have fun taking an icicle to the back."

"Fine! Maybe I will!"

"Well, maybe I will, too!"

"That makes no fuckin' sense!"

"Neither does your fuckin' hair!"

"To think we were losing to people like you," Inadu said, suddenly standing next to them. "If you two have finished with your little couples' spat, shall we get going?"

Don turned to look at her. "We?"

The girl crossed her arms. "Yes, we. Your friend got drunk and passed out, so I'll be coming in her stead."

Dean scoffed. "Careful there. Wouldn't want Donnie revealing his back to you."

"She never fuckin' tried to kill us!"

"Yes," Inadu said firmly, "I did." Both of them looked at her, surprised by the cold look in her eyes. "I've tried to kill Jordan before. I was there to help John and Dimitri kill you. I've been killing for a long, long time now. Think Dimitri is bad? He always avoided killing if he could help it, and only did it as a direct order from Omen. I, on the other hand, have killed simply because it was the more convenient option. If we're counting sins, Dimitri and Shen are at the bottom of ZONE. You're just scared because of how strong he is."

Don wasn't sure how to respond, for the second time that way.

"It doesn't matter who did what. Right now, we are all going to die if we don't work together. If you can't trust us to become better people, then at least trust us to want to stay alive. We're in this for survival, nothing more. I've not redeemed myself in the slightest. I'll leave that part to the boys." She turned around and started walking. "I've already sent out some worker bees to find the guy. It's a bit of a walk, so stop talking and move your legs."