Creeping Paranoia

Andrew Ashford POV

"10,000 men, women and children. Gone in a matter of hours. Several thousand more still missing, and nearly DOUBLE of all that combined are severely wounded–and you still dare to tell me to calm down?!"

With a resounding crash, his fist met the table, fury blazing in his eyes.

"Prehistoric dinosaurs! Creatures that roamed the Earth that went extinct millions and millions of years ago appeared out of thin air! THIN AIR! That is beyond absurd!"

"This has been established before, matters to do with arcanum have proven to be extremely volatile and unpredictable."

"So what? Are we expected to just sit idly by? Let highly dangerous entities have free rein all over our populated cities?! Expect goddamn magical children just to appear out of nowhere to solve all of our issues?"

"Lamenting about it now will not rectify the situation at hand. If we may, let's begin to collect our thoughts together, shall we?" Senator Brown interjected, hoping to defuse the escalating tension.

With an irritated wave of his hand, the Indian representative conceded the floor to Senator Brown to steer the conversation.

"I wish to direct a question to the representative of Brazil, a query I'm sure many have been eager to hear."

With a solemn nod, the representative replied, "Ask away, Senator."

"There have been rumors that the undisclosed individuals who took more… 'decisive action' across the world appeared for more diplomatic and organized efforts when dealing with your nation's 'domestic' affairs. Are you still in contact with those individuals?"

The Brazillian took a moment to deliberate his words carefully. "Yes and no. The individuals you speak of, yes, they did in fact come into dialogue with our armed forces. A teenager, and a few others who were under her direct command. Initially reluctant, the commanding officer eventually recognized their expertise in containing such unconventional threats, based on reports from overseas."

The political envoy took a moment to sigh, before looking down my way. Giving him a subtle nod of approval, he continued.

"When pressed for identification, they referred to themselves as 'Os Poucos' - 'The Few' for simplicity. They advised methods on how to efficiently entrench and combat the containment lines against those saber-tooths."

"Areas that had significant resistance and strength, they personally came down to lend their… abilities. Once the situation was deemed stable enough, they left it to the armed forces to clean up what was left, after leaving some ambiguous words: 'We will intervene when necessary.'"

Isn't now necessary?

"Isn't now necessary?" A voice that whispered from beside me spoke my thoughts aloud.

Ah, well good to hear that I'm not the only one to think that.

"The Few… do we have any descriptions on their appearance, any trail on where they went?"

The Brazilian diplomat shrugged.

"According to all interviewed personnel who saw and had direct contact with The Few, all could perceive that they were there but… that was that. They could recognize a person, but nothing more. It's as if they forgot." The diplomat took a moment to look through his laptop.

"Even the officers, who directly spoke to their leader, described their voice as 'androgynous-both sounding like a young boy and a girl.'

"Were you able to tail, or gain any leads on where or what they're doing after they left?"

The Brazilian diplomat folded his arms.

"Short answer, no. Long answer, we found nothing drastic. Of course, we wouldn't simply just let The Few leave, we already had drones and UAVs with thermal imaging capabilities within the area. Those assets managed to watch them momentarily until they lost any and all visuals on them due to the unfavorable terrain. Once they lost contact, they never regained a visual of them."

"You said something about finding 'nothing drastic.' That implies you found at least something, doesn't it?"

"I was about to get to that point." The Brazilian replied. "When a ground search team scoured the last known area, equipped with ALD technology, they came across a 22x22 meter squared area, irregularly dense with arcanum. With the ambiguous nature of arcanum, we believe that whatever that artificial area was, was the reasoning for their complete and sudden disappearance."

"So truly, nothing? Magnificent. Is there anything else that needs to be discussed that'll effectively bring us nowhere? Or can we finally begin discussions on moving forward?"

A moment of audible silence washed over the entire room.

"Moving on. As of this moment, it is incredibly crucial that every nation on the globe undergoes an appropriate level of military preparedness. This… enigmatic, if you would, danger we all face requires swift decisive action from all corners of the world. We must take whatever measures necessary, no matter how large or small, to safeguard our planet."

A chorus of mostly affirmative murmurs rippled through the gathering. I waited for the room to quieten naturally before taking the lead to address the assembly.

"If I may? I have matters that I believe everyone would like to hear about." Projecting my voice over the last few whispers, I gained the attention of the entire assembly.

"As you all know, ALD technology and other ways to predominately search for Arcanum have been temporarily monopolized by my company and its close affiliates. As of now, I am prepared to openly share both the information and technology with all the governments present here today, as well as the general public."

Sharing files from my laptop onto the public display, I continued. "A general summary detailing materials, construction, general usage, and other relevant information relating to the prototypes are all there. For the betterment of mankind, I propose mass production and funding for this technology across all nations as soon as possible."

"I should also mention that this isn't an instant solution to the containment zones manifesting across the world. It should be able to thoroughly aid in predicting the locations of such zones and search for other anomalous oddities, especially once more powerful stationary radar installations equipped with ALD capabilities become more commonplace."

"Please, take a moment to review the materials I've shared."

Allowing a brief pause for the delegates to examine the documents, I exhaled deeply before continuing. "Other than that, I have relevant information about the effects that arcanum has on humans." The room fell silent, as all eyes trained on me. 

From my pocket, I pulled out what seemingly looked like an ordinary pen, before pulling it apart to reveal a concealed knife.

"I apologize for introducing something that can be considered a weapon into the chambers, but I figured that this would be the most effective way to demonstrate my… 'progress.'" 

Ignoring the worried shouts and calls for caution, I extended my hand, palm up, and with a swift motion, drove the blade into my palm with as much force as I could muster. The blade bent upon impact before snapping.

Turning my palm around to show the table, I revealed only a minor graze atop a subtle bruise. Shocked gasps and an "Jesus Christ…" circled around the many political figures.

"I assure all of you, that was a real blade. Due to what I can safely assume is my repeated exposure to arcanum-related phenomena, my body has undergone significant changes. As to my current knowledge, I am one of the few to have acquired superhuman capabilities."

"One of the few? As in, you know more?!" A voice from across the room shockingly asked.

"Yes. A very select few within my organization–primarily those with whom I have worked closely–have shown similar abilities. It is reasonable to anticipate that those with enhanced features are to be more common each day. Not just from my direct company, but generally, around the world."

Sitting back down in my seat, I glanced around the table. Many were stuck in deep dialogue, some were busily typing away on their devices, and few were still staring at me in disbelief.

"With the emergence of arcanum-enhanced humans, an occurrence that will undoubtedly become more widespread, it will be imperative for each nation to address and regulate these new oddities as they see fit. Whether through legislation, education initiatives, or specialized agencies–each country must determine its own course of action."

I glanced down at my now scarred hand before meeting the many gazes around the table once more, I concluded. "I'm well aware of certain… trepidations and curiosity one might have about aracanic humans. So, to the best of my abilities, as well as trusted individuals within my conglomerate, we'll do our utmost best in learning, understanding, and moderating these new abilities."

"That is all I have to share at this time. I'm sure that many of you have several questions and other inquiries but we'd be here all day if we had to go over everything. Feel free to contact me through the UN for further information. Shall we continue regular discussions, ambassadors?"

…

"Very well. With the regular damage to the local infrastructure-"

—-----------------------------------

"Good to see you again little Andrew!" The man greeted me warmly, taking a moment to size me up. "Haha, maybe not so little anymore, you've grown!" 

"Hey old man, indeed I have." I replied with an amicable smile.

"Baha! You will still be just a boy to me." he chuckled.

"Does that mean I get a child discount?"

"You know the rules here Andrew! The d-word is not allowed. I don't make the rules here, I just follow them." he reminded me with a playful smirk.

"Don't you own the diner?"

"Hahaha! Only in appearances! The wife is the real boss!" He laughed.

"Oh, I see. Well, make sure to let her know I said hi." I said before turning my attention to the menu.

One of the benefits of being part of a wealthy family is the opportunity to travel nationally and internationally for a mixture of reasons, whether that be business, politics, or simply leisure. During said travels, you often encounter interesting places and eccentric people.

Frank here, fell under that eccentric category. He was a plump, balding elderly man with a thick accent from somewhere in Eastern Europe. He owned this little cafe diner that sold a peculiar mix of mainly coffee and hotdogs. REAL good coffee and hotdogs.

I first visited this establishment roughly over a decade ago when Logan took me on one of his business trips. Now, every time I'm in New York, I have to visit at least once. Since then, the only thing that has changed in this place is the bald spot on the back of Frank's head that's gradually gotten larger.

"So! What can I get for little Andrew?" Frank enthusiastically asked, flicking a dish rag over his shoulder.

Taking a quick moment to read the menu overhead, I deliberate for a moment. "I'll stick with the two regular hotdogs with extra onions."

…

"Andrew."

"Yuh-huh?"

"The hell is a hotdog."

"Please don't make me."

"We only serve what is on our menu, you wish for an item, you have to say the name."

I sigh.

"...Can I get two 'Fantastic Frankies' with extra onions?"

"Of course you can, little Andrew! Frank will make the most fantastic Fantastic Frankies just for you!" He then begins to prep the ingredients for the food that was ordered. "You may sit wherever."

Thanking Frank, I slid off to the corner of the diner to shuffle into a booth. Curiously glancing around, I notice a couple of other patrons within. One sipping a coffee, typing away on a laptop and another eating a… hotdog.

I wonder if that guy was also coerced into saying the food's very 'creative' names here.

Pouring myself a cup of coffee from the pot dispensed to each table, I mixed it with a couple of sachets of sugar before hurriedly taking a sip from it.

Ah, shitty instant diner coffee. At least it tastes exactly how it looks.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I read a text from one of my employees.

Afternoon Andrew, I thought I would give you a quick heads up, but New York's arcanum readings have been fluctuating from heavy to light. Nothing like a new zone appearing, but as if something like an artifact is moving about.

Didn't think it's dangerous or anything to be specifically worried about, but thought you'd like to know regardless.

Just before I could send a reply, the chime of someone entering the diner diverted my attention.

"Frankie!"

"Sarah!"

Oh god, it's her.

My sister bounded up to the counter, full of energy, to chat with Frank.

Well, with their conversation in full swing, the other patrons and I can enjoy a moment of peace.

At least that's until she inevitably comes over to bother me.

"Andy~"

" So, you're gonna take a seat?" I nod to the empty space across from me.

"Mhm! But first, bang!" She slaps a hotdog in front of me before sliding into the booth with her own, already half-devoured.

…

"Sarah."

"Yaa?" she speaks with her mouth full from another bite of the hotdog.

"I need to tell you something incredibly important and confidential, lean in."

She swallows, before leaning forward curiously.

"What's u?-OW!"

As she draws close, I flick her on the nose. She flinches back, clutching her nose with a scowl.

"The hell was that for, you ass?!" 

I point at the almost entirely gone hotdog.

"You ate my stuff." I answer matter of factly.

"Womp womp." She finished my hotdog with a final bite. "Like your fatass needed a second one, I was just looking out for your health." she quipped between chews.

With a sigh, I grab my own hotdog and finish it within two bites.

"Hoooooo… Check you out Andrew, you're a true glizzy gobbler, it must be all the experience from hanging around with all those guys." She teases, giggling at her own joke.

Cleaning myself with a napkin, I folded my arms and leaned back into my seat. "Do you ever wonder why I smack you a lot? It's because you say a lot of stupid shit."

"Oh? By the sounds of things, you're not denying it either." She said, a mischievous glint in her eye

"Do I really need to bother correcting something that's clearly a bunch of crap?"

"So then tell me, have you ever been with a girl?" Sarah questions, resting her chin on her hand.

A shit-eating grin spreads across my face.

"Ask your friends, they can answer for you."

Sarah recoils back, her face scrunching in on itself in a mixture of surprise, anger, and disgust.

"You don't mean… not with… you serious?" she asked as her expression became more shocked by the second.

"As serious as they come. Like I said, ask your friends."

Sarah just sighed. "Whatever. Moving on from that, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

Glancing at my watch, I answered. "I've got about another twenty minutes until I'm supposed to meet with Ambassador Brown. And more testing."

Sarah threw a suspicious look my way. "The last time you were actively testing something, you were attempting to blow something up. Should I be concerned?"

I chuckled, waving off her concern with a casual shrug. "No explosions this time, I assure you."

"Soooooooooo… what exactly are you 'testing' then." Sarah inquired, her attention divided between her phone and me.

"Myself." I admitted, stirring the last of my coffee absentmindedly.

Sarah frowned as her eyes shot from her phone to me in a glare. "I thought you said I shouldn't be worried."

Breaking eye contact from her dangerous stare, "I mean technically I just told you that I wouldn't be blowing anything up." In my peripheral vision, I couldn't see her gaze harden. "Don't worry, I won't be hurting myself or anything."

Looking back up to meet her now softer gaze. "Probably, I think." Her piercing stare immediately returned.

Sliding her phone on the table, she now perceived me with her full attention. "What sort of testing do you need to do where you have to test yourself?" 

"Okay, so you know how people tend to absorb arcanum over time passively?" I began, and she nodded. "And you know how arcanum does some freaky magical shit?" She nodded again, with an eyebrow raised.

"You gonna spit it out, or…?" Sarah impatiently asked.

"I can do some freaky magical shit. Well, kind of."

"You gonna elaborate on that?"

"Well, when I was doing my regular training at the gym a few days ago, the weights that I'd usually struggled with felt incredibly light. INCREDIBLY light. So I figured I'd try my luck with some bench pressing. Long story short, I kept lifting until I couldn't fit any more weight onto the bar itself."

"So you're telling me you got super strength?"

"Yeah, basically."

"With this testing, I imagine you're gonna go into further detail with that? See what your actual limitations are?"

"Yeah, basically." I took the final sip of my coffee, finishing it. "I'll also be looking into other physical capabilities, like stamina, agility, whatever."

Sarah rested her hand on the side of her face, as her eyes looked away deep in thought. "You think I'll get abilities like that too?" she curiously asked, as her eyes returned to meet mine.

"Most likely. And probably soon."

"Hmm, is that right..?" She trailed off. "You also said you had business with the ambassador. And what's that?"

"He's asked for my help and opinions in discussing and planning the future of arcanum in the United States, piece together a proper plan of action before he takes it to his superiors." I checked my watch once more. "How about you? What will you be doing?"

She tapped her chin, before shrugging. "Well… I was gonna go see a couple of my friends here initially… but I don't think I wanna do that anymore. I think I'll probably just go home."

Yawning and stretching, I rose from my seat. "Well suit yourself, don't let me spoil your fun. Make sure to settle our tab."

Sarah looked up at me, still seated. "You're leaving me here with this mess?"

Ignoring her, I turned around. "See you later."

I quickly sped-walked out of the diner before she could protest.

—-----------------------------------

"That'll be all Mr. Ashford, thank you for your time." Ambassador Brown released his handful of documents across the table. "Your insights are invaluable as ever, I might just have to call upon your expertise in the future again."

With a courteous smile, I nod my head slightly. "It's always a pleasure to contribute, Ambassador. You may contact me whenever and I'll reply as soon as I can." 

Slipping back into my jacket, I gathered my few belongings and secured them within my metal briefcase

Exiting the room, I found myself in the dimly lit corridor of the office. The office was almost entirely silent, as mainly only the soft hum of the nearby ACs and lights gave the surrounding area a gentle reminder that the office wasn't entirely lifeless. 

With steady steps, I made my way down towards the end of the hallway, the occasional glimpse of a passing figure served as a reminder that I was not entirely alone in the building. A few turns later, I reached the elevator bank. 

Pressing the button, the doors parted with a subtle ding, revealing the empty metal interior. Stepping inside, I pressed the button for the ground floor, affirming a soft glow from the control panel.

Leaning back against the cool metal wall, opposing the doors, I allowed my thoughts to wander as the elevator began its descent. Of which didn't last too long, as the lights within the elevator flickered violently as the elevator stopped abruptly.

Initially alert and startled, A surge of adrenaline shot through me, as a thought echoed within my mind. Is the elevator about to fucking fall? Thankfully, a moment later, the flickering ceased as the light stabilized. Upon the panel of floor buttons, I noticed that the second floor had lit up, signifying that someone had called for this elevator.

I feel like something is amidst… that couldn't have just been some weird freaky coincidence, right?

With a shaky exhale, I allow myself to relax against the wall again irresolutely. Allowing the benefit of the doubt, being that the incident prior was some minor glitch. My thoughts return to the meeting with Ambassador Brown.

Initially, the biggest hurdle in dealing with arcanum was disclosing it to the public, but that hurdle had essentially sorted itself out. From the numerous breaking news of Frontiers appearing across the world to the previous and now current UN meetings being accessible to absolutely anyone.

Essentially, if someone either has regular access to social media or relatively keeps up with the news–they know of the emerging element.

The public reaction to it in particular has been rather amusing. From seeing viral videos on social media labeling arcanum a conspiracy created by governments gone wrong, to posts discussing how arcanum just may be the world's greatest discovery to date.

It's in the limelight now, and it'll further gain more and more publicity by the day.

Governments aside, once more overall research and tests have been done on arcanum, especially its effects on humans, the next major question would be how to effectively control all the variables that an arcanic society would supply.

I have already begun to develop abilities that have started to surpass superhuman capabilities. How would the world react once hundreds, thousands, hell even potentially millions of people gain said abilities? 

It's going to be one hell of a headache.

Speaking about headaches, that reminded me.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I hit the button on the side to bring the screen to life, intending to flick a text to Sarah that I'm on my way back now.

…

Only just to see the blank reflection of my own face, as my phone refused to turn on.

I swear that it was almost entirely charged before coming here! What the hel-

Then a thought surged back to my mind, the elevator malfunction, my phone… 

It couldn't be right?

As if answering my thoughts, the elevator doors spilled open with an ominous chime, revealing a person, someone I'd never laid eyes on before.

Something is wrong.

My eyes darted up to meet the strangers.

His etheric golden eyes locked with my own in a piercing stare. His scrutiny seemed to see straight through me as if I was entirely transparent, completely stripping away my defenses until I felt utterly exposed. It didn't feel like he was matching my gaze, no…

It's like he's peering into the depths of my soul itself.

What is going on…?

I don't even feel like a human, I feel insignificant. Like I'm an ant.

No, that's not right either…

I feel like I'm less than nothing.

The man's golden eyes seemingly emit an eerie glow, as he subtly tilted his head, as a wide, almost malevolent smile sprawled across his visage.

I staggered backward, my side colliding roughly with the wall for support. My legs trembled beneath me as if the weight of absolutely everything had been shoved upon my shoulders.

Darkness began to take my vision, as the man's silhouette began to blur and fade before me. A wave of dizziness swept over me, as my mind struggled to fight the threat of unconsciousness.

My quivering hand rose to cover my mouth and nose, only then did I just noticed.

I couldn't breathe.

I'm suffocating.

Am I terrified?

Am I about to die?

The strength in my legs waned, buckling once more before I crumpled completely.

I fell onto my back, my arms struggling to maintain even a partially upright position.

Suddenly, reverberant laughter assaulted my senses.

"Hahaha! Now, wasn't that just entertaining?"

The oppressive pressure I felt crushing me had disappeared, as abruptly as it came. It left me gasping for air as if I had just emerged from a deep underwater dive.

With each breath, the world around me regained both its color and clarity as my vision cleared.

Taking a moment to steady myself and catch my breath, the man stood over me, his eyes reflecting a blend of disgust and amusement as he observed me.

His hair, cropped short and seemingly bleached to an unsoiled white, swept to the side with an exuberant amount of gel, as each strand on his scalp stood rigidly sharp. The other most distinguishing feature of the man was that he also possessed a round pot belly as if he hadn't done a source of exercise in years. 

His appearance defined the notion of laziness.

Instead, he exuded an aura of immense power. 

He could kill me right here and now on a mere whim, and I do not doubt that there is anything I could do that would stop him.

I'm at his complete mercy.

"Who… are you?" I choked out breathlessly.

The man's wrinkled face wrung into a scowl. "Did I give you permission to speak, foul-born?" he uttered sharply, his words slapping my face as a reminder of my helpless situation. "I'm very sure your inferior mind can comprehend what I am."

"Arcanum…" I murmured. The word left a very foul taste in my mouth.

His eyebrow raised before a diabolic smirk stretched his lips. "Hohoho! If stares could kill, I'm sure I'd be as good as dead right now!" He began to laugh as if somebody just told him a hilarious joke. "Disgusting trash like you could never."

The pressure that drove me to suffocation returned for a moment, twice as heavy. Twice as imposing.

However, that was all that was needed. I felt myself violently gag and retch as I struggled to contain the bile rising in my throat, just mere moments away from being expelled.

I turned my head to the side, I couldn't for a second longer. With an intense lurch, I explosively churned out the contents of my stomach, splattering all over my hand still loosely clutching my briefcase.

"Did I say to look away from me boy!" The monster of a man screamed at me.

In a near instant, my eyes returned to his, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of the barf dripping from my chin onto my clothes.

"Heh. That hollow look on your face suits you much better." That disgusting grin returned on his face. "On your feet boy. I'm here to come to an understanding with you."

Awkwardly rising from my almost fetal position, my shoulder leans against the wall, still feeling weak.

"My name is White. Lawrence White. We are going to have a nice chat." 

—-----------------------------------

'Arthur?'

'Arthur!'

'Haha. Catch me if you can~'

'Awwwh, did something happen to my little bear? Are you hurt?'

Voices. Silhouettes. Ghosts of the past... or a fabricated imagination? 

'Arthur~ Let's play~' A soothing voice of a girl. 

'Arthur! Let's break some trees!' A girl's voice, desperate. 

'Arthur…are you ready to drown?' A girl's voice with an ocean-deep sadness. 

'Be a good boy and keep it between us, ok?' 

Desperation, too much. 

'Let go of me, Arthur, let go.'

Insides, melting. Heart, bludgeoning.

'Don't let them know, ok? Live your life normally.'

The same voice. So, so full of love. And as the silhouette turns around, the expressive, vacant eyes lined with tears. 'I love you, dearest—.'

"Gah!"

The chime of the phone ringing sliced the soothing calm of the room as Arthur's eyes fluttered open. His face was covered in sweat, his eyes wide open as his long ashy-brown strands laid sprawled over his face haphazardly. 

"Huh?"

Touching his eyes, he felt a wet sensation. A single streak of semi-dried tear still lingered, originating from the side of his eye and making its way along his cheekbone. 

"God, I hate these dreams." He grumbled to himself and punched the blanket off him. Reaching out for his shirt on the side, he quickly wore it and threw his feet over, landing on the carpet beneath. 

Rubbing his eyes, he reached out for his phone. As the screen flared to life, he squinted his eyes. 

[All the heirs are to be immediately dispatched in groupings of 2 to the current frontiers that have spawned. The pairing is down below.]

[Zara and Trisha]

[Dotun and Finn]

[Maria and Yuki]

"You have got to be kidding me." Wiping the tear from his eye, Arthur scowled. 

[Arthur and Michael]

The phone gave away and broke into hundreds, if not thousands of pieces into his hand. The screen splintered, shrapnels digging into his raw, unprotected skin. Thin streaks of blood started to flow from his palm and dripped down on the carpet, making the sound of a single droplet falling into the basin from a tap, forming a thick, crimson blot.

These damned dreams… are they even remotely related to reality? Or am I just simply schizophrenic? No one knows who this is as well… At least someone has to know about her… 

Letting out a groan, the remaining broken pieces of his phone fell from his grip. 

"Shit…" He mumbled to himself as he saw his phone broken and a few objects in his room floating in the air. "...get a grip." He spoke to himself, before slapping both his cheeks and making his way towards the bathroom.

 I will find out about it, one day or the other.