CONTINUATION     OF     BOOK 14
Encounter

Chapter 124
Tell Us

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Okay, so this was asked of...
And I just remembered about it.....

Ray's perspective when he saw Norman kissing the reader when he was getting shipped out!!

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Ray's POV

I walk out of the room, going after Y/n.
She was going to harm herself...

My eyes widened slightly as I watched.
They were hugging and she was crying...

I frowned slightly, then I saw Norman lean in and kiss her.

I didn't react much, I knew this was bound to happen. But my heart hurt.

Y/n.
I love you too...
But that's not needed right now.

I turned and left.
My heart felt heavy.
I wasn't sure if it was because of the kiss, or because Norman was leaving.
It was both.

Tears ran down my face and I let them.

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10.

Reader's POV

The two looked at us, while the more calm and collected man served us tea.

"My name's Cislo,"
the man said, staring at us with wide eyes.

Emma was sweating, nervous.
I tried to reassure her by putting my hand on her shoulder.

"And that's Barbara,"
he added, looking at the woman.

"And the smart one over there is Vincent,"
Cislo added. 

I nodded slightly, looking him in the eyes.

"You're Emma, Y/n, and Ray, right? From Grace Field,"
Cislo said.

"Right,"
I said, glaring at Barbara. 
She was making Emma uncomfortable.

"We're also escapees, got it?"
Cislo said.

"Actually, we're more amazing!!"
he then exclaimed.

"We're destroying farms!!"
Barbara exclaimed.

"Yes, they're childishly competing with you. I apologize for the trouble, but can you just go along with it?"
Vincent said.

I sighed slightly, but Ray went along with it,

"Wow, that's amazing. You're crazy good. We can never pull that off. I'm impressed!"
he said in a sarcastic tone, which didn't get through to them since they smirked and posed, clearly pleased.

I drank the tea with a sigh.

"Um... thank you for yesterday! You treated Dominic and Chris,"
Emma smiled, turning to Vincent.

"Yes. Boss thanked me for that as well. I hope they get better soon,"
Vincent said.

"Thank you!"
Emma said with a smile.

"Yeah! That's what we want to know!"
Barbara said, pushing Emma so we were squished.

"Yeah. Tell us stories about him,"
Cislo said.

"Him?"
Ray and I asked in unison.

"About the Boss. Minerva! James!"
Barbara gushed.

"Or as you guys call him... Norman! Tell us about Norman!"
Cislo also gushed.

"Yeah. The truth is they love the Boss."
Vincent said.

"Shut up, you love him too!!"
they said.

"And they can't hide their excitement because you are the Boss's friends from before,"
Vincent added.

"Of course I want to know!!
This morning after I came back from patrol, the kids downstairs were talking about it.
I was told that the Boss was acting completely different from yesterday. 
Like different how?! Of course I'd think that!! Of course I'm interested!! And I heard that you're really close to him!! So what kind of person is Norman?!"
Cislo exclaimed.

"Yeah, spit it out!!"
Barbara said.

{ They're trying to hide their embarrassment... }

"I don't really think that he's changed from how he was before...
Norman is kind, smart, caring. And he's always smiling warmly,"
I said, my voice softening.

"Warmly?"
"Smiling?"
"He's completely different!!
they laughed.

I tilted my head.
"He's that different? What do you mean? What's he like now?"
I asked.

"Serious."
"Winter."
"Emperor."

Ray spit out his tea, trying to contain his laughter.

"So aren't there more things? Maybe something like... embarrassing stuff from when he was a kid."
Cislo said.

" Like how he used to wet his bed until he was 10 years old?"
Ray suggested.

"Yeah!! Like that!!"
Cislo exclaimed

"I don't think there are stories like that,"
Ray said, turning to me. 

"He didn't wet the bed either,"
Emma said and I nodded.

"There's nothing really..."
I muttered.

"So he didn't?"
Cislo asks, seeming disappointed.

"Oh, but before he tried to cure his cold, and..."
Ray started the story and I chuckled.

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"I totally get that!"

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"And there was also..."

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"Thank you. You've told us verrry good stories."
Vincent said.

"In the end, you were the most interested!"
"And you're crying!"

"So the Boss has been cool since before, eh? Thanks.
I'm glad you told us,'
Barbara said with a smile.

"I know! He hardly talks about his past,"
Cislo said.

"So the current Norman is..."
Emma said.

"A good guy. Cares about his friends,"
Vincent said with a smile.

"But he's not smiley or warm,"
Cislo added.

"He's sacrificing time to sleep in his dedication to save all of the children.
All of us were saved by him. He was also the one who made us realize... this power and how to use it,"
Cislo smiled.

"The power... from Lambda?"
Emma asked and Cislo nodded slightly.

"Experimental farm Lambda 7214. 
we are comrades who all met in that dung heap. 
Originally me and Barbara are from Goodwill Ridge.
Vincent was born in Glory Bell,"
I looked up instantly at the name.

"The three of us obtained power from the vile experiments at Lambda.
Every day was like hell. No, even hell isn't a strong enough word. 
A bunch of children died or were killed. We were treated worse than objects.
If the Boss hadn't come, I wouldn't be alive. A 12 year-old kid looked liked God to me at that moment,"
Cislo said with excitement.

"He comes up with the strategies and the four of us including Zazie carry them out.
All of the farms we destroyed were released by the five of us,"
he finished.

"Five of you?!"
"That's it?!"
Ray and Emma exclaimed.

"Yup! Like I said... we're amazing!
Don't worry. His strategies are perfect. Our power and victory are absolute.
I can't wait. I want to kill them all soon,"
Cislo said with a great smile.

"Every time I kill a demon I feel better,"
He told us energetically.

"Me too. My anger dissipates when I kill them and eat their meat,"
Barbara agreed.

Oh... that's what that it.

"Huh? Then could that meat be..."
Ray trailed off.

"Haha, they're freaked out,"
Cislo chuckled.

"Yeah, this is demon meat. This one is a staffer of the farm we attacked the other day,"
Barbara said.

"It pisses me off that they keep eating us.
I still remember everything.
Their eyes. The pain and suffering. Repeated everyday...
They're all the same. They're enemies. Just killing them isn't enough.
That's right. The Ratri Clan, the demons... can all experience what we do,"
Barbara said.

I frowned.
I understood her point of view, she was tortured by them.
I understand why she wants them all dead.

But I also understand Emma's point of view... some of them are only living as us.

Barbara was now standing on the table, looking at Emma with a blank expression.

"What's that look? You're not feeling sympathy for the demons, are you?
Why don't you look happy? Aren't you happy?"
She asked, her brows furrowing.

Ray stood up and backed away.

"Barbara,"
I started, pushing her away from Emma gently.

"You were raised as food, but you're not thinking that you don't want to kill the demons, right?
You said you "wanted to talk to the Boss." It better not be some disgusting talk about changing his plan,"
Barbara said, stepping on the bone causing the table to crack.

"Hey, stop it. You're going to break the base,"
Cislo said.

"Demons are monsters that need to be exterminated!!"
Barbara yelled and the table cracked more.

I stood up, glaring at her.
"Whatever we have to discuss with Norman is nothing you need to know at the moment. Now step away, you're scaring her,"
I said, gritting my teeth. Emma looked relieved.

I had no intention to get on their bad side, that's why I didn't yell.
I liked the nice time we had.
But I wasn't going to let her yell at Emma.

"Stop it, Barbara,"
Cislo then said and I sat back down.

"Either way, it's too late. Everything is fine, there's no change.
Boss expedited the plan and started the operation this morning. Even if we went after him now, we won't make it.
By the time he comes back, no one can stop it."
Vincent said.

"You said he was out. Where did Norman go?"
Ray asked.

"He went to go see... one of the pawns,"
Vincent told us.

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6.11.2020
Word Count: 1422