A Taste of Horror

     When one lose his everything, what does he do? Search for something more? Try to take back what he had lost or wait and waste away? Tanner didn't know that answer to those questions until he saw with his own eyes what despair can do to someone. Hurt themselves, grieve for something that will never come back, never would happen, give up everything they hoped for. And, for one, leave everything in someone's shoulder, the pressure, the responsibility, the pain.

     As he was drowned by his thoughts, everything that's buried inside his mind popped up like annoying funguses that no one asked for. This is just another reason why he never rests, never stops, for everytime he falter, every thing  comes back. Blinking, he found himself asking the same questions again—what does someone do when they lose everything? The same questions he asked to everyone he knew, and everyone gave the same answer. They do nothing, they said. They either and die, they said. They leave everything behind, they said.

     But that was before, the time when he has nothing, when he was nothing. But now, he was eveything. The savior, the honorable, the genius, the man that already marked his own history on Arcane's ground. Feeding himself with this thought, a satisfied smile etched across his lips, pleased with himself. For decades, he dreamed of where he is now. The luxury, the recognition, the power. Everything paid off.

     And someone wants to ruin it.

     "Ah, and so, you came here to tell me that you are still going to put the rest in action, even with it's dangers for us?" The man in front of Tanner asked. The man leaned forward, his face mocking. "I'm hoping you are not going to make the same, stupid, pointless and utterly disappointing decision you once made. The one that brought every one of us at the cliff's edge."

     "This one might have succeeded, but it doesn't mean  we don't have to make precautions. Take it from me. You know that annoying, little bitch that wanted us gone, right? She's back. And if we don't do this, it's not only the higher ups would be cold dead, but also you." Tanner warned.

     "Are you threatening me, Tanner?"

     "I'm merely stating the truth. No one is threatening no one." he mused. "Everything is going according to the plan, including the God Carriers and getting inside Aegis. Now, why don't you just sit back, relax and enjoy the whole show?"

     "I suggest you don't make the same mistake twice, Tanner," The man whispered, his dull and dead eyes glinting dangerously under the cold, dim lights. "because if you do, we will rip everything apart from you. Everything. Consider yourself warned."   

     "Of course, V."

     He should have known better, should have waited a bit before going back to the man—to V. The threats are not faux, everything he said, he meant it, now Tanner was brimming with terror and anxiety. What if he fails? No, that does not seem right. He will not. Everything he do is a success itself, a masterpiece. There was no time for doubt, for terror, for being intimidated. He's Neill Tanner, the man who took the world by storm because of his brilliance, his success.

     If he failed to do what he's ordered to, what the others demanded of him, everything he worked on to become what he is now will disappear. He would not let that happen, not anymore.

     Swearing under his breath, he finally left V's place, disguised as a normal, Arcane citizen, just like what he was before any of his accomplishments. Being in Tritos brought back some memories that Tanner would rather lose than to remember. Back in his days, in Tritos, there were riots, protests and bloodshed, though a bit more different in Antes, the last part of the Den. The bloodshed in Tritos barely happened on the streets, the real battle happened behind the scenes.

     He really wished that V chose a different place for him to meet, maybe in Theios where Tanner lived or even in Sequi, but the man wanted to keep low profile for some reasons he could not understand, at least not completely. Low profile means hiding yourself, and Tanner never hid himself. Being there, announcing your presence, being active—makes people respect you, remember you. That's basically what he lived for.

     In front of V's so-called 'house' was another man, but this time, it was Neill Tanner's chauffeur. Standing like a statue, keeping eye contact with everyone and basically being more than a bodyguard than a chauffeur.

     The chauffeur—or Werney, as Tanner liked to call him—nodded at Tanner and stood beside, offering a way towards the expensive-looking car behind him for Tanner. "Mr. Tanner," he said. "Are we ready to leave?"

     "Obviously, Werney," Tanner groaned. "I wouldn't be here if—"

     A fraction of second, and Werney's formal face turned blank, and then he fell on the ground, his eyes still open while looking distantly right at Tanner. It took Tanner a second too long  to realize that Werney has been shot dead, when he saw blood gushing out of his temple. Everything went frozen, including the blood running down Neill Tanner's veins. His eyes wide in shock, his jaws slack, then he realized that Werney has been shot dead.

     He didn't know how to react, his eyes focused on the dead man in front of him. Werney has been shot dead, but by whom? Ignoring the frantic look son the people surrounding him, Tanner shipped his head from where the shot came from, from where it possibly came from, but there was no one. He was used to this, hell, he grew up  seeinh people die day by day, but a sudden feeling of uneasiness indulged him, drowned him. What if Werney was not the one supposed to be shot dead? What if the bullet is for him?

     "Gods..." Tanner murmured under his breath, watching the blood from Werney's head gush out slowly,  the thick darkness swallowing everything surrounding it. Frightened, he took a step back, took a deep and counted to three. "Calm down, calm down."

     The mere thought of him being targeted frightened him. Tanner is not oblivious of the people he wronged throughout his whole life, the people that wanted him dead for revenge. There were threats for him, warnings, but it  never got this close, no one had the guts to actually do something to introduce themselves to him with death. Werney's death, for Tanner, was a death invitation. A warning.

     For what seemed like forever, people crowded the chauffeur's corpse, murmuring with frightened look in their eyes while glancing at Tanner. These people knows him, and that made them look more frantic than before. Tanner wanted to hide himself. Yes, he liked publicity, but never in this kind of way, where people would look at him like he was the one who pulled the trigger and got his own chauffeur killed.

     Not long after, men in black uniform came into the view, shoving the citizens away from surrounding the corpse of Werney. The people actually dispersed instead of being shoved away and staying. Tritos' Force, Tanner thought. What in the world are they here for? Tanner has heard of Tritos' Force, hand-picked by Mau Prior himself, one of Tanner's acquintances a long time ago.

     One Force came towards Tanner, leaving the other three that was searching and looking at Tanner's dead chauffeur's body, his or her face  covered with a black mask, "Sir, are you alright?" the Force asked.

     "Everything is," Tanner answered. "Except  for the possibility that I was really the one who's lying there, dead, instead of my chauffeur."

     "All right. We'll handle everything here. For now, come—"

     "Absolutely not," He snapped, his eyes cold and piercing. He wanted to curse I'm different languages for no apparent reason. How could this man just walk towards him and say that he has to follow them? "I'm alright on my own. Someone will get me out of this place.."

     "Mau Frior himself wants to see you." The Force said formally. "He delivered us here to get you, although this surprise is really not on the plan." the Force said with grudge, glancing behind him. "Calm down and we'll get you out of here."

     Everything that happened and what's happening left Tanner exhausted. He did not know why Mau Frior wanted to see him that time. He and May Frior are only acquintances, and neither of them became interested with each other's bussiness.

     Not exactly knowing what to do, Tanner looked back at the his chauffeur, his body swimming in his own blood. The most disturbing thing with Werney's corpse was his eyes. They were wide open, full of shock and horror, while staring at Tanner. It's not the blood, or he bug hole that spluttered and cracked his skull all the way out to its other side, but the eye. Werney's dead, blue eyes seemed like to follow Tanner even though he made distance from  the corpse, and that's when Tanner felt a pair of cold hands grip him on the shoulders.

     Ripping his eyes on the chauffeur's, strangled corpse in front of him, Tanner turned around to see who was behind him. It was a man, one that he's not familiar with at a first glance, but when Tanner noticed the small Triangular tattoo on the man's neck, he immediately knew who sent him. His eyes widened with this. It has been months since he had any interactions and contact with them, and now one of their messengers popped out of nowhere right in front of him.

     This hidden organization is the one that made everything for Neill Tanner possible and easy, but of course there are some kind of complications when one gets involved with some things that should not be messed with. And in Tanner's case, everything he did was a mistake for them. A strange knot formed inside his stomach as he think about the possibility of him, losing everything he had, not just by V—the man that he talked to earlier, but also from the hidden organization that he thought was gone.

     "Mr. Tanner, right?" The young man asked in a low voice, his eyes suddenly feral and threatening. "You saw what happened to that man? That will happen to you if you don't do your work rightfully. Consider this as a warning from my master."

     Glaring, Tanner ripped the man's hand on both of his shoulders. "Did you do this? Did your master ordered you to? Well, tell him that there was absolutely no need to kill my chauffeur, really. Now I need to find a ride home." Tanner shook his head, some chuckles escaping from his lips. "Is he not impressed with how my plan has gone? Are they not?"

   "This is a warning, Mr. Tanner. We know what you are up to, especially my master. Be thankful for he did not expose you and your doings. Yet." The young man said, looking down at Tanner. "I am nothing but a messenger from the above. The Eye sees you, watches you. May you  act on our rules once again."

     As Tanner watch the messenger leave him and disappears slowly with the crowd of people left, Tanner's horror swallowed him whole. Everything was falling, everything, to their places. He wanted to let out a laugh, right there and there. Who would have thought that everything will go this way? The Eye—he thought that they are gone, but they're not. A threat. A demand. For one moment, he forgot about everything he bragged. The God Carriers, NEXUS, his success—and it was replaced with terror. With fear that everything he is will be stripped from him. He forgot about Werney's body in front of him, the blood that was spilled on the ground.

     A sudden searing pain pierced Tanner's head, the same pain that he always felt whenever things don't go exactly as expected. It was years since he last felt it, before NEXUS and his success.

     Mau Frior did not waste any time, as expected of him.  Once Tanner arrived on his office, which was located at the very top of the tallest building in Tritos, he got into  his bussiness. If was one thing that Tanner actually liked in Mau Frior. He does not waste any time and is direct, but for the first time, Tanner wished that Mau Frior stopped a second for a whiskey or something among those things.

     "You were caught talking to one of Tritos most notorious criminal," Mau started off as a greeting. He was wearing the usual cold and dead look on his face, one that Tanner can remember clearly. "I do not think that you can just barge in Tritos while doing that, Mr. Tanner."

     Putting his friendly and charismatic mask on, Tanner walked confidently towards Mau Frior, his hands raised mid and said, "If it isn't my old friend, Mauie!" He exclaimed, a big smile etched on his face. "How long has it been? Three years? Four? It's so good to see you again!"

     Mau just stared at him, clearly unamused with how Tanner acted. Tanner knew that Mau Frior is not really the type of person who would want to have a small, useless and pointless chat. It's one of the things that actually made Tanner respect Mau Frior more than anyone. Unlike most people, Tanner had no challenge about getting them to like him, to get them enchanted by his social charms.

     Making himself comfortable, Tanner sat ont the middle couch, where there was a glass table and a bottle of whiskey readied for him—or for anyone who comes in that place. Tanner didn't mind the disapproving looks that Mau gave him and said, "I'm here now, old friend. What do you want to talk about again?"

     "I have already told you," Mau said, a stern look carving itself on his ragged features. "I get that you have bussinessess attend to, but if you had to deal with a notorious criminal like V—"

     "You know V." Tanner noticed.

     "Or other people, then, I would suggest that you do it in other places, not in Tritos. Not in my zone." Mau Frior continued, ignoring Tanner's comment. "And, surely, you do know that your appearance here is the reason why another man was shot dead right in front of the citizens. Do you realize the disadvantages of that, Mr. Tanner?"

     Tanner waved his hand in a dismissive manner, "You talk like we did not see each other in front of a dead man's body years ago, Mauie."

     "Don't call me Mauie."

     "All I'm saying is, why don't you just let it go?" Tanner groaned, leaning back towatds the couch. "And no, I don't think that the other killings that happened here is because of me. The last time I came here was three days ago, and  everything was as shiny and bright like it is."

     "That is the last time someone died, right on the streets, with a bullet inside their skull. The same bullet that's found in you chauffeur's." Mau Frior stated darkly, his eyes intense as he stare at Tanner. "I know you have things happening on the background, Tanner, and that's affecting everything. I don't care if someone is trying to get rid of you, but I don't like the fact that you're bringing them here."

     This stopped Tanner. As he look at Mau Frior incredulously, he said, "You think I'm being targeted?"

     An  irritated look crossed Mau's face. "As expected. You're oblivious of your own consequences. How long  has it been since you got out of your shell—NEXUS—to actually know what people think of you, Tanner?" Mau  Frior asked. "Some might have looked at you as Arcane's savior, the one that will end the gods, but there's also the  counterpart. And, really, did you not think of that? There might also be someone out there, much powerful and  capable, that wanted you gone. And I'm not talking about the Pyramid."

     Tanner blinked and looked at Mau like he's a different person that before. The last time he heard the word Pyramid was years ago, when he was nothing but a person that wished for everything. The person that was so desperate and helpless. A pawn. A puppet. Pulled by the strings attached on his back. And the  ones who pulled his strings was the Pyramid. The same people—organization—that sent that man to him. The messenger from the above.

     They really are back, Tanner thought. He could feel the  strange anger and anxiousness rising inside him, eating up his insides. It's been too long that even he, himself, was once a  part of it, he didn't know what to feel.twenty years ago, he was clinging desperately on the Pyramid—on anyone that can help him and serve as a ladder  for himself. But ut turned out that he  made the ring decision, fearing of what might happen to him, he laid low, and the Pyramid disappeared. Without a trace, a notice. And now it's back.

     Mau Frior leaned back onto his seat, a calculating look in his eyes as he stare at Tanner. "So, you do know the Pyramid... I can say I'm not surprised, but, Mr. Tanner, you should be aware that your connections are affecting everything—including Tritos and my position. You realize how much I've worked for this, I assume? Given that we were both desperate people back in the days."

     Tanner's brows knitted, but immedietly smoothened it out with a soft smile, the smile that always seemed useful at times like this. "I understand. How can I refuse an old friend?"

     For what seemed like forever, Mau stared at him with an intense look on his face. Unlike the others, he's not convinced that quickly, but then, what could Tanner do after he told him that the Pyramid is back? There are several sharks circling him around now, and that includes Mau Frior, and not just the Pyramid. When Tanner didn't show any hesitation about his own words, Mau nodded, pleased.

     "I don't want to see you roaming Tritos again, Mr. Tanner." Mau stated firmly, "Especially with criminals like V and other people that took interest in you. You're too prone to illegal things, Tanner, always surrounded with blood. None of us here want that." Mau glanced at the big, wooden doors and gestured towards it, urging Tanner to leave.

     "Before I go," Tanner started as he stand up from his seat. He faced Mau, the smile still etched on his face, but it was thin, unlike earlier. "How did you know about the Pyramid?"

     "I have eyes everywhere."

     Vincent Chase's eyes darted from side to side, wondering if there was anyone around them. Vincent had fair amount of weird and rare things happening to him day by day, but getting called by Tanner in the middle of the day instead of him feeding his ego by boasting and being that man who had nothing better to do than to boast, is a bizzare thing to happen.

     He wondered what Neill Tanner wanted to tell him, or order him or both as he wait on the empty hallways, hearing the faint beeping of machines coming inside the rooms around him. For Vincent, Tanner is everything but humble and kind, and he could not see himself getting along well  with him despite all those years that he spent with him, creating the Gods Implanting project and making them successful. Just like your typical, evil bosses from Old World movies, Tanner is one those people that takes a little too much credit than he actually deserves.

     He respected Tanner as a man of science, but never as a person. And now, with all the grudge-worthy deeds of Tanner, he now want Vincent to stop his tea time to release some stress, and meet him with no explanations. Groaning as a complaint for obviously everything, Vincent tried to think of other things other than his irritation with his workmate, Tanner, which gave him the chance to think worser things than that. Say, about the daughter of his old friend, Shiina Mashiro, or the other god wielders that he doesn't know how to actually handle.

     Tanner being Tanner, he left his after work to Vincent claim all the credits from literally everything, boast about himself in different places and announce himself as a savior of basically nothing.

     "Mr. Chase?"

     Drowned in his own thoughts, Vincent turned his head towards the doors oat he end of the hallways. There stood Ygnil Bard, still looking like a boy who was just revived from his own death. It was one of the side-effects of the project. The god's core that is implanted in the subjects sometimes messes with their own system, resulting for the subjects to become worn out and exhausted quickly  if they are not practiced. And in Ygnil's condition, it was obvious that not even once, he had let his Anda take-over.

     Offering a friendly smile, Vincent waved playfully at Ygnil. He didn't want to be that kind of guy that has  nothing to do but to intimidate people. But that's not enough, even for him, to feel a bit friendlier. The place where he is right now is strictly prohibited, it is where all the magic works. And it looked like Ygnil Bard knew that,  too.

     "What are you doing here?" Vincent asked, squinting his eyes a little to see Ygnil's face clearly.

     "I was kind of lost. I'm looking for doctor Fabian, the one who—"

     "Why?" this time, Vincent could not help to furrow his eyebrows and lose his friendly smile. "You're supposed to be with Sandoval, not in here."

     "Ms. Sandoval told us to rest for today instead of exhausting ourselves too soon. And Shiina said that this is where I can see Dr. Fabian, the one who's responsible for our adapting vials," Ygnil answered. "I also have questions to ask him."

     "You can ask me."

     Vincent offered a smile, which Ygnil replied back with,, "It's alright, Mr. Chase. I don't have to bother you with my useless questions." He turned on his heels and said, "I should be going. I have a feeling that Doctor Fabian is not here."

     "You're right," Vincent agreed. "He's not."

     As he watched Ygnil go back to wherever he came from, he couldn't help but to think how he found this place. Vincent didn't mention it, didn't give a hint that that place was not supposed to be found by just anyone, because if he did, it would rise suspicions. Shrugging off the things that formed inside his mind, he just sighed and waited for Tanner again. Should he tell Tanner about Ygnil's strange actions? Of course not.

    For what felt like forever, Tanner finally arrived to meet him, looking as ragged and cruel as ever. And he is. t was something about Tanner that people didn't like, but it also was something that made them respect him. Neill Tanner has the power to destroy someone's life if he wanted to, manipulate and fool, a sly wolf than a fox. For how many years Vincent worked with Tanner and he didn't see a change one bit except of his growing ego. Vincent was fine with it, because even if he hated Tanner in some ways, he was attached with him, too. A friend and an enemy, he would say.

    He and Tanner both started everything together, failed and succeeded, repeated the process until they didn't and the rest was literal history. He couldn't even remember the last time he and Tanner actually talked about what happened years ago, about the things that made them who they are. Despite Tanner's overwhelming aura, he was actually quite the coward, at least for Vinect. Too afraid to look back from where everything had started, like he  could just forget everything like nothing happened. It was another thing that he hated Tanner for. Also something he was thankful for.

    "You're very early. Why didn't wait for another hour, ateast?" Vincent greeted sarcastically.

    "How are the subjects?" Tanner ignored him, pulling  a pack of cigar from his pockets. It was the first time he saw  Tanner smoke in NEXUS, but he didn't care.

    "You made me wait here just for that?"

    "They need to be deported in Aegis right now. That's where they will continue to train. They shouldn't be here any more." Tanner said, taking a deep breath of his smoke, sighing a little as if the chemical calmed all of his demons. "They shouldn't be here anymore. They shouldn't be here anymore. Everything will still go smoothly if we speed things up a little."

    For a moment, Vincent said nothing and just stared at Tanner, who seemed to have his own thoughts drifting away. It was rare to see him like this, Vincent thought. Distant and transparent. There was no doubt that something happened because of the worrisome that's etched on every inch of his face. He was troubled about something that Vincent was not sure of if he would care to know or what. Vincent scratched the back of his head because of what Tanner said. It will be a problem, something that NEXUS never dealed of.

    "Are you hearing yourself?" Vincent's brows furrowed as he ask, looking at Tanner incredulously. "That's way too risky. The subjects are not yet ready to be trained without our supervision, they might kill themselves in the progress. Both you and I know that."

    A fraction of second, and Tanner was already gripping both of Vincent's collars, his eyes looking wild and distraught, like an animal that was out of control. Gritting and clenching his teeth, Tanner slammed Vincent's back against the wall with so much force it created a hollow sound that echoed across the hallway.

    "I told you already, didn't I?" Tanner seethed, already choking Vincent with his grip. "They shouldn't be here anymore. If they are... If they are..."

    Putting a little effort, Vincent pushed Tanner away, his anger boiling. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He exclaimed, glaring at the now distraught Tanner. He looked like he was out of his mind, shaking his own head while mumbling incoherenty. "Neill."

    With the sound of his name, Tanner looked at Vincent again, but this time, the wild in his eyes was gone, replaced by something he couldn't place. Panic, terror, anger. At that moment, he looked nothing like the man that everyone saw him to be. Vincent felt like he was seeing another man in front of him, a person that he haven't met before.

    "No!" Tanner bellowed, taking a step forward towards Vincent. "You have to listen to me. The Pyramid..."

    Vincent was frozen.

    "They're back."