Chapter 5: Hope

Neo X and Torque J arrived 2 hours later, bringing Foxtrot K with them. Neo X quickly explained the plan to us after we gave him the information we have and the plan draft we made.

"TJ, go," I commanded.

"So we all know that the Torques have had this weapon in their drafts for as long as RAYA existed. In 13 years, they have been running simulations, testing the weapons to make a holocaust big enough to destroy half the Earth," Torque J presented.

"The weapons were made to be a last resort, in case of mankind fails. This only came to mind when the first Ultimates and the creator of RAYA, Viviane Miller, came to them with the idea in 2020, which is also the year RAYA was created, and the year mankind almost fully failed."

"Now, I'm not saying that we shouldn't trust them, but we can't be sure. Who we can trust now are the people in this room, and even that is doubtful. But trusting no one is as foolish as trusting everyone," Rogue F cut in.

"The parts of this weapon stolen can be used alone, in parts. Lorenzo and Evangeline Bianchi took 4 out of 7 parts of Project Holocaust. What could they be? The Ultimates did not reveal this to us, or anyone else. We would have to find out ourselves."

"Yes, so now, dig through the Torque logs and find out which parts they stole and give me all the information we have on 2020."

"What's in there?" Alpha Q asked.

"Didn't you exist in 2020?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Yes, but no. All perfect-born were mind-wiped as soon as they joined RAYA. I could only remember some things like where I'm from, my parents, the important stuff, you know? The rest, they wiped out."

"They chose which memories you get to keep?" I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"Yeah, and so, I don't remember anything from that year. At all."

I nodded, huffing out a sigh, "Must be nice."

"There was a war in 2020, find out the reason why they went to war," Rogue F instructed.

I quickly opened the tab about the war.

"Alright, I found it. The Project Holocaust has 7 parts, all leading up to the next and when the last one hits, it would be unstoppable. It goes in this direct order; first, they have a vaccine that they will use on people." Torque J said.

"What's so bad about a vaccine?" Alpha Q cut in.

"It has a component in it that makes people feel less, making them apathetic, and then, they move on to the second stage, using them," Torque J explained.

"But it doesn't make sense why they use people as weapons," Alpha Q reasoned.

Torque J scoffed, "What do you think we are to them?"

"Alright, the second stage?" I asked, changing the topic.

"They use the vaccinated citizens as pawns in their game. RAYA made the stimulations herself," Torque J said, pressing a button on his tablet to make the screen descend from the ceiling.

On the screen was showed how they will use mankind as a weapon to destroy themselves.

Torque J continued his presentation, explaining each part of Project Holocaust clearly. When he was done, Alpha Q went up to the front and told everyone to pack their bags.

The plan was a go.

➰➰➰

I was putting the rest of my gear inside my backpack when Alpha Q knocked on my door. He just stood there, not talking. It annoyed me.

"Are you just going to stand there all day or do you have something to ask me?" I ask, throwing in my extra suit.

I heard him sigh, walking inside my room. "I have this...uneasy feeling about all of this," He told me.

"Well, suck it up. Plus I'm not one you should tell your worries to. We have Imbues for a reason," I said, gently placing my whip in my bag.

"Look, Phoenix X, we came to Venice to complete a simple mission. Instead, we find out that RAYA may be planning doomsday," He sat on my bed.

I turn around, raising my eyebrow at him.

"Something's not adding up...," he trailed off.

I sighed, taking a place beside him. "I get that you're worried. And you have reasons to be. You're new. This," I waved my hand around, "is new. But I need you to get your head in the mission. If we're right about this, that RAYA is planning an apocalypse, rather than preventing one, this bit is not something to worry about. Not yet."

Alpha Q nodded, "Let's hope we're wrong then."

I pursed my lips, "There's not much to hope for here."

"For the record, I hope we can start over once all this subsides."

I smile at him, knowing we probably won't, "Me too."

"Start with a name, then?" He asked, smirking at me. That smile would kill me one day.

I chuckled, "We already know each other's names."

"I mean, our real names, Phoenix X."

This wasn't supposed to happen. I thought he knew it was all an act.

"I'm-" Alpha Q said before I cut him off.

"No! Doing that would be suicide. We'll learn each other's names after we're done here. Deal?"

He sighed, "Deal."

➰➰➰

"We good?" Rogue F asked as he entered the main room.

"We're fine, Rogue F. We always are," I answered him.

"Look, Phoenix X, I love you. I always will. And I need you to know that I will never let anything harm you more than it has already," He said, holding my hand tenderly.

I sighed, "Well, it seems I can't avoid you entirely, or at all. We're stuck with each other again, aren't we, Andreas?"

He smiled, recognizing the name as one of his own, "As we always are and always will be, Katerina."

I chuckled, "Not my best work, that one."

He followed along, sinking into his seat, "I'd like to disagree on that. It feels quite fitting."

"That mission, I would always hold dear, as I will you. I need you to know that."

Rogue F nodded, "I do. You're special, love. I've known you all my life and yet, there's so much I've forgotten about you."

I chuckled, "It's probably from the time we spent apart."

"We'll get to know each other again, won't we?"

I nodded, smiling. It's fake. It's all fake. Unfortunately, Rogue F seems quite certain in helping the humans. So I'll give him hope, so that maybe his would affect mine.

Me? Personally, I know I won't be able to let anyone in, never again. But we all need hope right now. So I smiled, giving him the hope he would need, just like I had done with Alpha Q.

I, too, need hope. If only hope needed me back.