Meliora - Emanate - 10

[lady_mab]

No Kaito

My eyes flit down to my phone, waiting for it to light up with a reply from Rhys. 

“Don’t tell me you’re nervous.” 

At my side in the waiting room, Lionel types away at his laptop. I turned a blind eye early on, not wanting to see what he was doing -- even if he assured me that it had nothing to do with Meliora. 

“I’m not.” At least, don’t think I am. Perhaps I just have a lot of pent up energy. Perhaps I’m excited. 

The screen on my phone lights up with a text from Rhys and my thumb immediately moves to open it. 

Lio watches this out of the corner of his eye, and snorts in wry amusement. “Oh. I see.” 

I don’t even bother asking him to clarify. 

You promise to keep an eye on him?

I glance at the boy at my side. It’s sort of a strange request, because sometimes Lio says things that makes him sound a lot older than me -- older than Rhys, even. What am I supposed to be watching out for?

“Is he using you as a snitch, or something?” 

The question takes a moment to register, and when it does, I glare at my phone instead of him. “I don’t see how that’s any concern, unless you’re doing something you shouldn’t be doing. And in which case, there’s a very good reason why you shouldn’t be doing it.” 

“I’m not doing anything illegal, but Rhys has this issue about doing things that are in a morally grey area in general.” 

It’s an effort to not give in to the urge to say then don’t do it, because that’s what Rhys would say. ”Then just don’t give me a reason to lie to him, and we’re golden.” 

His eyebrows lift, but before he can get a chance to respond, the nurse at the door calls our names. 

“Mr. Lions? Mr… No?” 

Lionel and I rise to our feet and he tucks his computer beneath his arm. We reach the door as the nurse looks up from our charts and greets us with a pretty smile. 

I smile back. “Just Kaito is fine.” 

She laughs, which only makes Lio roll his eyes, and guides us down the halls. “I see that your other teammate has already been in, correct? Mr. Rhys Darcy.” She scrolls through a series of pages as they float above the tablet in her hand. I can’t read what they say from over her shoulder, but they must be ALICE’s official files on us as a team. 

Lio did his job thoroughly enough, because there’s no mention of Mr. Lions having already visited. His expression betrays nothing as we walk.

It’s one hall after another, and it’s barely thirty paces in before I’m beginning to think everything is designed to look exactly alike so that people like me get confused. And then we get trapped in here forever and that is how they get their human test subjects -- because in my mental scenario, they need human test subjects. Video game logic. 

“Please, wait in here for a moment. I’ll be right back to administer the shot.” The nurse stands beside an open door. 

My fingers tap against the door frame and I glance down at her name badge. “Thanks a bunch, Janice.” 

She leaves with a smile, and across the small room, Lio mutters under his breath. 

I wait until the door swings shut to turn to him. “What?” 

“I don’t get you, man,” he says, dropping down into the one chair in the room. 

I’m left with the bed that is awkward to hop up onto, so I lean against it as casually as I can manage. “What is there to get?” 

He stares at me like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. But the moment passes and his gaze shifts to the counter. 

We remain in silence as we wait for the nurse to return. I study the reply from Rhys (Just keep him out of trouble) and ponder what sort of behavior I’m supposed to turn a blind eye to, and which I’m supposed to put a stop to. 

Nurse Janice returns with a small, clear box in her hands and sets that down on the counter. 

I watch as Lio's gaze shifts from the speckled linoleum to the box, and the corners of his eyes narrow a fraction. 

He's planning something, and he's about five steps ahead of me. 

"Alright, who will be first?" Janice asks as she dons her gloves. 

Lio is still studying the scene in silence, so I volunteer and roll up my sleeve. 

She swabs the muscle, and smooths her thumb against the spot. "You're not afraid of needles, are you?" 

"If I say yes, will you distract me?" I offer her a grin, and there's a strangled noise from Lionel that we both ignore. 

"I don't know. I might be a little distracted myself," she teases. Janice takes the first needle from the pouch and preps it with ease. She taps it once, twice, and then with swift precision, inserts it into my arm without flinching. Not the slightest hint of distraction. 

"Well, would you look at that?" I marvel as she applies the bandage. "I guess that wasn't so bad after all." I vacate the chair with a wink and pat Lio on the shoulder as he moves to take my spot. 

In no time at all, we are both done and bandaged up. Janice tosses the needles into the hazardous waste receptacle and washes her hands. "I believe you will be receiving messages later on when to come in for the next shot. They are going to be during the last few days of each month, so that will give you plenty of time." 

Lio speaks up for the first time. "And what happens if we don't?" 

Janice arches a delicate eyebrow. She consults the chart in her hand. Her initials are at the bottom with some technical abbreviation about administering the shot. "I don't quite know. We're looped in on the fact that there will be people coming in monthly as part of an event, but the nature of it isn’t something that’s been disclosed.." She shrugs, clearly not that concerned about the entire situation. “I’ll tell you the same as I tell any other patient: It’s always better to get your shots than to not, especially with the way viruses and diseases can evolve.” 

"I see." Lio taps his fingers against his thighs in thought. 

She looks between us, smile wavering, then stands up. "You are free to go. We will see you next month." It must be pure luck that she just leaves without waiting for us to go first. Probably with the intention to let us gather up our things and make sure nothing is left behind. 

Lionel takes the idea of 'leave nothing behind' quite literally, as he's reaching for the box of gloves on the counter. 

"What in God's name--" I start, but he shoots me a glare. 

"Keep it down will you?" The door to the room is still open, and a nurse passes by without sparing us any sort of attention. 

My jaw drops as he pulls on the glove with a too-loud snap. There's a sound caught somewhere in my throat that doesn't quite make it past my tongue. 

"Technology sure is fascinating these days," he says without context, and I don’t have the patience to ask the question he wants me to. 

"Let's marvel about this outside. You know, before someone comes in and sees." 

He gives me a glare that is so freakishly similar to Rhys that the previously trapped sound forces itself out as a laugh. I almost want to apologize. But then Lio turns and steps up to the orange waste bin that the needles were deposited into. "I just need a sample." 

"A sample," I repeat. Again, he says it with the tone of 'this is obvious why are you not picking up on it' and he makes me feel naive. "What do you even plan on doing with this? You have a secret science lab along with that fancy second identity thing?" 

"First off." He pulls a baggie out of his pocket and shakes it out. "I don't have a secret second identity. It's a joint account, and it wasn't secret. No one asked." 

I surprise myself by reaching out to hold open the baggie for him. Christ, does this make me an accessory to theft? To betraying Rhys' trust? "It doesn't work that way. Secrets are secret because you don't tell people, not because they don't ask about them." 

He shrugs in a way that teenagers use to convey whatever and takes the baggie back. He slips it into his computer bag and tosses the glove. "Second, I don't have lab equipment, but you know people who do." 

“I do?” I choke on the words, feeling them burn in the back of my throat. "Is this to be my first role as your Informant?" 

"Ah, you're catching on." 

"You're brother is going to have an aneurysm if he finds out what you are doing." 

"Well, it's a good thing that you suggested to come with me instead of escorting Lia." He pats his bag and smiles smugly up at me. "Alright, let's get out of here." 

"Jesus fucking Christ." I have to shove the breath out of my lungs because it won't go otherwise. 

He either doesn't hear me, or doesn't care. 

Lio steps out of the room, pausing on the other side of the doorway. "I know you mentioned something earlier about not wanting to lie to Rhys. We're not going to talk about this, and so long as no one asks about it..." 

"It remains a secret?" I hate myself for going along with it, but I promised Rhys I would look after Lio. 

Even if that means going along with his game. 

“You catch on quick.” 

“I have to, in this line of work.” 

This makes him laugh, though I’m startled by how cruel it sounds. Lio has always been sharp as a knife. I have a hard time comparing him to Rhys and Lia half the time, even when there are others when it is painfully obvious they’re related. 

He’s talking again, keeping his tone light and casual, his pace brisk and sure. “I’ll hold onto it until you can find someone to analyze it. You’re curious too, aren’t you?” His cold green gaze lands on me from over his shoulder for a second. “What’s in it?” 

“Not so curious that I’d go and--” I cut myself off when we cross paths with a cluster of nurses. They’re watching us leave, though it feels slightly more predatory. My charming smile switches on mid stride out of habit and they dissolve into giggles in response. “Okay, fine. It’s my job to get you information, so I’ll do it without complaining.” 

“Glad to hear it, Kaito.” 

We hurry out of the hospital before my mind can start supplying more video game scenarios that end with us trapped. I am already having a hard time shaking the idea of Lio’s bag glowing like a piece of evidence -- pinpointing our transgression to the overseers of Meliora. 

He’s in front, leading the way, and I hate it. I hate how easy it is to get swept up in his pace. I am An Adult. I need to remind him of that. I can’t have him treat me like a kid. It’s bad enough when Rhys does it. 

“You didn’t encounter any obstacles with Lianel’s files? No traces set to track any changes?” 

His shrug is weightless and carefree. “Don’t know, don’t care. Insofar, I’ve managed to get around everything. I’ll just make sure I’m covering my tracks better.” 

I pull up short at the bottom of the stairs. “No, stop. You can’t just ‘make sure’ you get better. You have to promise me you are at your best right now” 

He’s annoyed. I can tell by the way his jaw stiffens and his shoulders straighten. He gets this way around Rhys when he doesn’t want to make a scene. “Okay, thanks, Mom.” 

And there we are. The childish jab that reflects his age. Sixteen for only a handful of months, and still a while to go before he can be considered an adult. “I’m not trying to scold you. I’m just looking out for you and your sister -- and for Rhys.” 

Lionel snorts and turns away so I can’t see what sort of expression he’s making. “Rhys is an adult. He can look out for himself.” 

My hands lift in frustration and I long for something to throttle. So I shake instead, tremors running through my limbs as I keep my feet rooted to the sidewalk. “You don’t get it, do you?” 

His shoulders pinch. I know he’s waiting for me to continue. Because he doesn’t get it, and he doesn’t want to ask me to explain. 

“Rhys is doing his best to look out for you and Liala. But that’s not the problem. You know as well as I do that the two of you are his weakness as much as you like to think that you’re not. He wouldn’t have gotten caught up in this mess if you hadn’t received that message.” My fingers twitch at my sides, but I force myself to stand still. I can’t let it be too obvious how angry I am, because it’s not Lio’s fault. 

The company running this game think they can just sweep in and disrupt the lives of a select few -- and I happen to care very much about the small select few that are my team. 

“I want you to remember something very important. You’re not just covering your own ass when you do things like this, okay?” I point a finger at the hospital, though I only realize that it’s trembling when the boy finally turns to look at me. “You are covering up for all three of you. And I, in turn, have to make sure that your traces remain covered.” 

His eyes widen and when he pulls himself up straighter, it’s not because of some posturing to make himself bigger than his opponent. 

My breath shakes, but I’m at least able to stop myself from doing the same. “Anything you get into, you tell me, okay? I won’t tell Rhys, so long as you don’t give me a reason to. The moment a line is crossed, your brother is going to be the first person to know.” I owe Rhys that much. He deserves that much. “I don’t want to have to lie to him. Don’t ever ask me to lie for you.” 

A silence descends between us. He studies me, working through my conditions. Then he nods, mouth set in a grim line. “I understand.” 

It’s easier to breathe after that, although the only thing I get is a lungful of stale city air. “Good. Let’s get going then.” 

“Oh? If it isn’t little Lionel Darcy. I thought something was up with you at work.” 

Lio’s shoulders stiffen and his hackles rise. 

We turn together to see who called out. Two guys and a girl, barely in their twenties, descend the stone steps toward us. I recognize one of the guys from the Informant meeting. 

“Rain!” I chime, turning the smile back on. Time to discard the unease from my talk with Lio. “How nice to see you.” 

The ice cold gaze slips from Lio up to me and his eyebrows rise. “I’m sorry you have to work with this one,” he says without preface or explanation. 

Lionel sneers, though he’s nearly a head shorter than Rain. “The little blue bird, come to chirp his head off in the middle of the afternoon.” His shoves his hands into his pockets and hunches his shoulders up to his chin. “Are these your backup dancers?” 

The girl towers over both of the guys by a good several inches, boosted by her high heels. Still, she moves with a surprising amount of grace in her long limbs as she salutes us with a grin. Her mousy hair is pulled back into twin pom poms on either side of her head. “Please, I’m the star. They’re my backup dancers.” 

“Wow, I didn’t think Rain had any other friends. This is a shock.” The second male, all sharp angles and elegant features, brushes a hand through his dark hair and regards us. “I don’t feel so special any more.” 

Rain stares down his nose at Lio for a moment before breaking eye contact with a heavy sigh. “No one asked for your opinion, Mia. And no, Rajesh, we’re not friends.” 

“These two your team then,” I ask as Lio sputters at my side. 

“What?! Really? You’re participating?” He directs this at Rain with an accusing finger. 

He shrugs off the comment. “I didn’t think they invited kids to join.” 

“I’m not a kid! I’m two years younger than you.” 

“Two and a half.” 

They keep bickering, but I’m distracted by Mia clapping her hands together and pressing her fingers to her lips. There’s obvious amusement shining in her green eyes. “Oh my god, they’re adorable tsundere rivals.” 

I choke on my sudden fit of laughter. “It’s so accurate it hurts!” 

“Sooo…” Rajesh inserts, spreading his hands between Lio and Rain and waiting for them to fall silent. “Friends?” 

“We work together,” Lionel growls. He tugs on my arm as he starts to turn away. “Can we go now?” 

Realization dawns and I laugh again. “I told you one of my teammates works with computers.” 

“Ah, yes.” Rain smirks. “Runs off at the mouth, you said? Accurate.” 

Lio smacks my arm. “I do not.” 

“You sort of do,” Rain and I say at the same time, though I’m sure for completely different reasons. 

Lio rolls his eyes and starts walking off without me. “C’mon, Kaito, we really don’t need to stay.” 

We watch him go, and I don’t stop him. 

He doesn’t get very far before he stops and releases an audible sigh of annoyance. He’s waiting for me.

Rajesh grins at his Informant. “Isn’t it helpful that someone else you know is participating?” 

Rain grits his teeth. “Not in the slightest. The two of you are enough of a handful. Why I even agreed to this--” He’s cut off as Rajesh places a finger against his lips. 

“Because you love a challenge. Don’t even try to deny it. I mean, you were so excited when Mia and I asked you to--” 

“Alright!” He explodes in a flurry of movement, smacking away the hand in his face and reminding me so much of Lionel that I have to bite back the laugh. Rain points in Lio’s direction. “We’re not talking about this, alright?” 

There’s a distant muttering from the boy as he shrinks into his sweatshirt. 

Mia snatches my hand as she hurries after Rain, squeezing it once between both of her own. Her nails are painted the colors of the rainbow. “Mata aou, ne?” 

“Mata aimashou.” I throw in a wink for good measure, and she responds with a snort of delighted laughter. It’s been awhile since I’ve had anyone to speak to in my native language since arriving in Eminence. 

Even at home, my parents preferred to use English over Japanese around my siblings and me. The practice of it is a formality because they run a traditional theater and tea house. 

Rajesh takes my hand after Mia pulls away, clasping it in a strangely similar way. He stares into my eyes, holding my gaze steady without the slightest bit of hesitation. Then he grins, lifts an eyebrow in what could very well be a suggestive manner, and flounces after his two teammates. 

Surprised, I just watch the three of them disappear down the street.  

Lionel tosses his hands into the air again and rolls his eyes. “C’mon. Let’s go.” He storms off without waiting for me. 

I watch his retreating form as it gets several feet away, then give in with a sigh and shove my hands into my jeans and follow after.