Following

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84 Chapter 85 Chapter 86 Chapter 87 Chapter 88 Chapter 89 Chapter 90 Chapter 91 Chapter 92 Chapter 93 Chapter 94 Chapter 95 Chapter 96 Chapter 97 Chapter 98 Chapter 99 Chapter 100 Chapter 101 Chapter 102 Chapter 103 Chapter 104 Chapter 105 Chapter 106 Chapter 107 Chapter 108 Chapter 109 Chapter 110 Chapter 111 Chapter 112 Chapter 113 Chapter 114 Chapter 115 Chapter 116 Chapter 117 Chapter 118 Chapter 119 Chapter 120 Chapter 121 Chapter 122 Chapter 123 Chapter 124 Chapter 125 Chapter 126 Chapter 127 Chapter 128 Chapter 129 Chapter 130 Chapter 131 Chapter 132 The Phone Call Louise's First Costume When Keyla was Here A Day at the Garcia House The Keeper Sibling Bonds Once Upon a Time in High School Lillie's Recipes Lightning the Mentor A Miraculous Medical Aide Louise's Day Off An Ethereal Fairy Eternal Youth A Miracle Manifests Three Generals Deep Thoughts Over Lemonade A Miracle of Science Three Branches, Three Days Dreams of Heroes The Makings of a Thief Girl Time Wishing for More Courtney Larsen, Age 15 A Greenhouse Tour Odin's Evening The Keeper's Evening Cleo's Seventeenth Birthday Never to Thaw Again 2617's New Arx Techs Payday Party Prime's Board Game Party Temperature-Regulating Potions

Arx Nubibus
Ongoing 1497 Words

Chapter 49

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Rebecca frowned at her tablet as she ate her breakfast. Quincy shoveled food into his mouth while Iliana picked through the stuff she didn't like. Opal was still in the bathroom. 

Bruce glanced at his phone as he put the last batch of pancakes on the table. No notifications. He looked around the table and focused on Rebecca. 

"Something happen?" 

"Just the news. You read about that Phantasma lady?" 

"Oh, right," Quincy said, swallowing his food. "She died, right? Just some medical complication nobody saw coming or something?" 

"That's what the military's saying. To me, it smells of negligence, but we'll see what the autopsy reveals." 

"Negligence?" Opal asked, rubbing her eyes as she came in. 

"Basically the military should have been able to save her, but they weren't paying attention or ignored her or something," Quincy replied. 

"They say she was under 24-hour surveillance," Rebecca added. "If that's true, they should have noticed any sign of medical distress. I really doubt a young healthy woman would have just died peacefully in her sleep. What do you think, Bruce? You're more knowledgeable than the rest of us." 

Bruce frowned in thought for a few moments. 

"It is possible to die in your sleep without many external signs, but it would be strange unless Phantasma had some underlying condition. Is it protocol to check prisoners for those?" 

"Yep. They've got dedicated doctors for it." Rebecca swiped at her tablet a bit. 

"Then I'm sure they would have known she could die at the drop of a hat." Bruce sighed and took another bite of pancake. 

"Did the military kill Phantasma?" Opal asked. 

"No way," Iliana replied immediately. "They aren't allowed to do that." 

"The death penalty was removed years ago," Rebecca added. "And they definitely wouldn't have killed her before she even got a trial. The whole thing is just a mess. I hope there's a public inquiry after the autopsy comes out. And I'm glad I won't have to represent anyone in it." 

"I guess one thing the military could have done is ignore her distress and let her die that way. If anyone deserved to die, it was probably Phantasma," Iliana said. 

"Iliana Londyn Garcia!" Rebecca glared darkly at Iliana. 

"Sorry, Mom. I know, I know, innocent until proven guilty and whatever. Let the system deliver justice and whatever." Iliana pushed her plate away and left the room. 

"Is it bad that she died?" Opal asked. "Didn't she do a lot of bad things?" 

"It's not that simple, Opal," Rebecca replied, hanging her head in a hand. "If we can just decide to mete out 'justice' without any rhyme or reason, things will get so much worse. Innocent people might be killed for crimes they never committed. Justice will be left in the hands of maniacs like Achilles, and normal people won't have a way to grasp it." 

"Phantasma may have been a bad person," Bruce added, "but she was still a person. A human with rights like you and me. Would you want to just die without even getting to defend yourself in court?" 

Opal sat quietly in thought. 

"It's a messy situation," Quincy said. "On the one hand, I can see why people might be happy. But it's also terrifying what kind of consequences this will have." 

"Exactly," Rebecca said. A ping on her tablet drew her attention. 

"So basically even if Phantasma was a bad person, the next person this happens to might not be bad?" Opal asked. 

"Something like that," Bruce replied. Rebecca put down her tablet and stood. 

"And that is my cue to leave. Work wants a meeting. See you guys at supper. And..." She glanced hesitantly at Bruce. 

"You can talk to Iliana when you get home," he replied with a smile. "I'm sure she knows you have good intentions. You two can work it out." 

Rebecca smiled. "Thanks, honey." She gave him a kiss on her way out. 

"And Opal, that means we need to get going to school," Quincy said, hurrying his little sister along. "You don't have time to eat all of that. Pack up half of it and Dad will heat it up tomorrow." Opal nodded and did as Quincy said. 

"Thanks, Quincy," Bruce said. He started helping them clear the table. 

"No worries, Dad. Have a good day at the hospital." 

"Help lots of people, Dad!" Opal smiled brightly as she hurried off to finish getting ready. 

"I'll do my best," Bruce replied. 

But a shadow still lingered in his thoughts. Was Phantasma's death really an accident? And how would this change Arx? 

 

When Cleo first heard about Phantasma's death from one of her classmates, she almost dropped her tablet. She'd looked at him, the terror probably obvious on her face. 

"What...?" 

"That lady they locked up the other day, Phantasma or whatever - she died in prison." 

He'd said it so nonchalantly. Cleo had spent the rest of the school day trying not to panic. Information went in one ear and out the other - even more so than usual. She'd have to study hard to catch up. 

But that wasn't what was on her mind. As soon as she got home, she locked herself in her room and curled up on her bed. 

How? According to the article, Phantasma had died peacefully in her sleep, but...

Should I have seen that coming? 

The thought made her hate herself, but at the same time, Cleo couldn't push it away. She was a freak, same as Phantasma. Same as Olivia. 

And this freak decided to see if she could find the truth. She sat up and closed her eyes, trying to focus the images where she wanted. It was hard. So hard. 

Looking at the past was apparently harder than looking at the future, which seemed strange. Wasn't the past the immutable one? So why was it harder to see? 

But finally she caught fleeting images. A man. Olivia. Staring each other down. 

"Who are you?" 

"The executioner." 

The images fluttered before her, moving so fast she could barely keep up. 

"I just need you to die quietly." 

"Don't bother resisting. I can do this all day. All week actually." 

"If people believe the military can no longer protect them, order will collapse. Achilles will only accelerate that process with his cute vigilante justice act." 

"I need to shoot the messenger to make an example." 

"The world has never cared." 

"I'm just acting to cull the dead weight." 

"If I have to, I'll kill Paris, Achilles, Jumper, Lightning, Light Master, Manifest, Magnetic, Mist, Prime...I'll cut off anyone who threatens Arx Nubibus. And I don't care what methods I use." 

"Drugs or bullet?" 

Cleo couldn't hold back the scream as the truth hit her. Her breathing accelerated until she was hyperventilating. Tears streamed from her eyes. 

She'd just seen what was not to be seen. That man...

He was the most terrifying thing she'd ever seen. And he had said he'd come for the Miracle bearers. 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! 

Desperately, she tried to calm down. He wasn't coming for her. No one was. She was safe. Wasn't she? 

But...

Cleo screamed again and tried to lock up the memories of what she'd just seen. 

Ignorance was bliss. 

 

Light Master was quietly doing homework while the news played on the TV. His parents were watching, and a news story about Phantasma came on. 

"I wish they'd stop covering these superhero types," his mom muttered. "They're just encouraging this behaviour." 

The headline read "Phantasma Found Dead in Cell." As the story played, he noticed his mom becoming more and more agitated. 

"See, Tanner? This is why I don't want you going out there," she finally said, looking at him firmly. 

"Phantasma's the villain, Mom. The military's not gonna lock up the heroes like me." 

"The definition of hero and villain aren't as clear as you think," Dad replied, not taking his eyes off the TV. "You could still be arrested for disturbing public order. Or if you accidentally hurt someone who has nothing to do with that stuff." 

"I'm not gonna do that," Light Master scoffed. 

"Easy to say now. But how do you know you won't let a stray shot hit a bystander?" 

"I'm better than that." 

"Tanner!" Mom looked at him desperately. "I don't want you to be in danger. Please listen to us and stay out of that Achilles business." 

She was trying so hard to hold him back. But not for much longer. Once he'd secured a place to stay, he'd be out the door and never coming back. There was no other way to fulfill his destiny. 

"It's called the Legion, Mom." 

He pushed the tablet away and stomped upstairs. They were worried about nothing. If Phantasma died, it was because she was a villain. Heroes didn't get arrested. And they certainly didn't die in prison. 

And he was a hero. 


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