Decision

A deafening silence filled the bare streets as they darted through them. Every street was identical to the last. Not knowing where he was going, Antoni's mind pounding with questions, but they all had a common theme why. Why were his parents killed, why he was being chased, why they wanted to kill him, and why was it, Jean. His icon, everyone's big brother, the one who put the community first. He was Antoni's dream, who he wanted to be when he grew up…but he didn't have time to think about any of these. As his stamina started to reach its limit. He started panting and wheezing more, his clothes were soaked from sweat, and now tears started to block his view causing him to stumble, slowing down. Still, he wouldn't let this stop him. He could hear the echo's from Jean's footsteps creeping up behind him, his loud panting looming in.

As Jean bolts through the streets, his mind starts racing, and memories he wished he could forget start rushing back. As he stared at Antoni in the distance, all he could see was a young Arthur leaving him behind. When he looked at his hands, all he could see was blood…her blood. His breathing sped up as the silence rang in his ear; all he could hear was a voice asking *Is it wrong to be weak?* he shook his head because he couldn't think of these things right now. He had to catch the kid, and he wasn't going to let Arthur down. He wasn't going to be weak again. Jean pulled out his pistol as he sped up, getting closer to the boy. As he tried aiming at the boy, the ringing loudened, causing his vision to blur as he pulled the trigger striking the boy's shoulder as his body fell to the floor and skid for a few steps. Jean finally came to a stop as he took a short break panting over the boy who hadn't given up.

Although on the floor and bleeding out, Antoni started to scrape the ice floor, trying to get away. Not being able to look Jean in the eyes. As he stood there frozen over the boy's body, his gun was drawn and aimed at the boy's head. His hands started to shake his breathing sped up as nothing filled his mind, but his ears were haunted by a single voice asking if he was weak. If he would be next.

He screamed *SHUT UP!* as he pulled the trigger, killing the boy. Then suddenly, the voice in his head became silent, and he stood there lifeless for a moment with a clear mind before picking the corpse up and taking it back to the house.

-

Back to the group that was kidnapped. They were sent to the Hall, a factory that burnt down a few years ago under unknown circumstances. Ana woke due to a giant splash sound with her head ringing causing her to feel dizzy. She sat there for a short while before looking around the dimly lit room she was in. The only light entering the room was from the slightly open door behind her. She then noticed an ominous figure shrouded in the room's shadow sitting at the desk in front of her. All she could make out was the objects on the table. Some bottles, cigars, a pen, papers, and a strange-looking knife. It didn't seem like he noticed that she was awake, so she began slowly shifting off the chair, keeping her eyes on the figure.

*Isn't it rude to leave before saying bye?* shocked stiff, she just sat there as the owner of the voice flicked on the lamp that sat on his desk, revealing a man with raven hair that was slicked back neatly and pitch-black eyes.

*Hello, my name's Arthur, what's yours?* the silence in the room grew as they stared at each other. Ana's mind raced as she questioned everything happening to her, but she knew one thing the man in front of her was dangerous. He gave her the same feeling an agitated stray dog would. His eyes filled with nothing as a smile plastered itself on his face, and she began to shudder.

*Ana*

*Ah, what a pretty name. So Ana, would you mind telling me where you found this.* he slammed her suitcase on top of the desk, took out her teddy bear, unzipped the back, and took out the necklace.

*Ana, I am not a patient man. Tell me, where is K*

Outside the room was a large open space where three guards watched over Noah and Sofia. They were tied to their chairs in front of a large water tank with a man with short blonde hair and blue eyes dangling upside down over it.

*Hey, chaps can I get something to eat already? I'm starving.* the dangling man groans annoyingly *

*Argh can you stop already. I'm sick of you. One more word and I'm gonna* Leon says while reaching for his pistol.

*Calm down, Leo; we need to wait a bit longer for Lucas to come back, then we can finally change shifts* Jan reminds him.

*Hey, you guys seriously suck. I'm never staying here again.* he chuckles.

With a sudden click noise, the chains holding the man up let loose, and he plunged into the water. Roch stood next to a lever, and a giant grin on his face turned to laughter as they all started laughing. Water started splashing everywhere as the man twisted and turned, trying to hold onto life.

The loud sounds jolted both Noah and Sofia up.

'What happened? Ahh, my head,' Noah asked while trying to get out of his chair.

'I don't know. Where's Ana' as her blurry eyes darted throughout the room.

'Sofia, we need to focus on getting out of here first. Ana's probably fine. Just pretend you're asleep for now. We'll figure something out soon.'

*That's enough, Roch, time to lift him* Jan says while gesturing at him. He lifts the lever, and the chains start pulling the man up. He starts gasping for air and panting while spewing water as he comes up.

*Great one, now how about some bread* while barely being able to speak after which he starts chuckling.

A sour look came on Leon's face as he stormed out of the factory.

*Hey, where are you going* Jan asks while slowly following him

*Smoke break*

*Wait for me then*

*If you guys leave, then I'm going too.* Roch yells as he follows them.

The man glanced around the room, still panting before his eyes caught sight of the two tied in their chair. They looked different for some reason, he thought to himself before asking.

*Hey, are you guys awake? *

They didn't respond.

*Hey, come on, I know you guys are awake. You moved, I can tell.*

They still didn't respond, which frustrated the man.

'Hey, four-eyed redhead,' he shouts in English.

'What did you just call me?' Sofia shouted back.

'So you were awake, why didn't you answer me?'

'How were we supposed to know what you were saying?' Noah argues as he opens his eyes.

'Wait, you guys came to a country you don't even know the language? That's has got be the dumbest thing I have ever heard.'

The two stare at him before returning to their sleeping positions.

'Wait…wait, I can get us out of here if you help me.' He pleads.

'If that were true, you'd left already,' Noah says while opening one eye.

'I'm telling the truth; it's just I can't get out of these chains. I can get down from here, but after that, I'd end up drowning.' He says while wiggling around. 'And even If I got out of the tank, I wouldn't be able to fight these guys, especially not the guy in there as he gestured to a door on the other side of the room.

Noah stares at him for a moment before asking, 'what do you need?'

A smile shoots through the man's face. 'Okay, I just need anything sharp and thin if you find it, throw it in the tank, and I'll take care of the rest. Noah and Sofia start looking around before Noah notices Sofia's glasses. They had a thin frame and could probably work.

'I think I found something. Could her glasses work?' he says, gesturing at Sofia with his head.

'Brilliant,' the man exclaims.

'Wait, you're not going to break them, are you? These took me a few months of my pay to buy. Also, I can barely see without them.' She protests.

'Are you serious? I'll get you new ones after this.' The man answered.

Back in the office, Arthur was getting tired of speaking to himself. He started flinging bottles of liquor past Ana, who flinched at everyone.

*Child!, this will only work if you work with me here. I'll have to take out my frustrations on your friends out there, and I don't mind killing them.* Ana started stuttering as she answered with tears in her eyes

*I-I r-really don't know anyone named K*. Arthur stood from his chair in a huff; he cleared his table, tossing everything off as he went closer to her like saying.

*Ana, I've been very nice to you, so I'll ask you one last time where did you get the necklace?* he said with eyes full of pure unbridled anger. Ana sat there shaking, which made Arthur furious as he backhanded her, and she fell on the floor. He then kneels and says

*Look, Ana, stop making me hurt you. Just tell me what I want to know and we can both go home.'

Back to Sofia, who, after giving out a sigh, finally agreed and leaned over to Noah, who used his teeth to hold the glasses before throwing them into the water.

'Brilliant, now just wait,' he says as he lifts his torso towards his legs before flicking his hips, unhooking the chains from the beam that they were tied to. As he dove into the water and started wrestling with it.

The guards came rushing back in a panic.

*What do we do? Lucas said to keep him alive* Roch says.

*Shut up, we have to get him out* Leon snaps back in frustration while dashing towards the tub where two hands rose from the water, instantly pulling him in. A large struggle occurred underwater for a brief moment before it became silent, and the blonde man came up from the water.

*Leon!* Jan yell's.

In the office, Arthur, still kneeling on the floor look at the door and said

*What on earth are those idiots doing*

*Mister*

Ana whispered. As he looked back at her, she slashed his eyes with the strange-looking knife. A loud howl came from Arthur as he gripped his face with one hand and Ana's leg with the other where she stabbed him to get free. An even louder howl came as she started backing away, jumping up to grab her things and running out of the room.

*The hell?* Roch shouts. Confused as he stared at Ana, he was sure the boss was supposed to be in there with him; as he slowly realized what was going on, the man jumped out of the tub and lunged at Jan him pinning him down and slamming his head down.

Roch seeing this, swiftly grabbed a plank and swang at the man who caught it, sending an instant jab into Roch's face. Who's grip loosened, allowing the man to rip the plank away and smash his face rapidly as he moved back until both the plank and Roch's nose broke and collapsed. The man then stood there staring at Ana who's eyes opened wide, not sure if he was a friend or foe.

'Ana, ' Noah cried out.

'Where?' Sofia wonders trying to see.

As soon as Ana saw the two, she ran to them.

'Ana?'

The man asked as he stared at her for a moment before kneeling to a barely conscious Jan and asked him *Where is my jacket?* he pointed at the door. *Thanks* he says before slamming his head in the ground again. He then goes to his jacket and puts it on, and turns to the others, saying, 'Michael, my name is Michael.' He rips off his mask, revealing actually to have black hair and blue eyes. The others all stood there in shock. 'Wait how'd he do that?' Noah whispered to Ana who simply shrugged.

'What's going on?' Sofia asked.

-

Back to Jean, who finally reached the house, dropped the boy's bloody corpse next to his parent. Nothing anymore, he thought to himself.

*Burn it*

Not questioning him, they throw the bodies in the house and set fire to it. They then entered the carriage and drove away as civilians started exiting their houses as the fire noticed. Back to the kidnapped group, they set Noah and Sofia free before stealing a carriage.

'So where to now?' Noah asked, concerned while staring at Michael. 'Well, I know a place we can spend the night.' He said as they entered the carriage, and he drove away. On the way there, they could see a fire in the distance. 'It seems the whole city was chaotic tonight.' Michael comments.

'Hopefully, this is the.' Noah mutters to himself.