Chapter Five
Just in time too, for three men walked just past them, one being Slader, Jeta's adviser. The man was evil to the core, even surpassing Jeta on occasion.
The Reaper was tense and only relaxed his hold on Viper after the men had disappeared around the corner.
Ryker recognized another Enforcer in the group, Sigma, and frowned, ready to launch himself out of the alcove to murder the bastard. He had commissioned and oversaw the burning of the east Village twenty years ago. The fire consumed most of East Radant, burning innocents in their beds and homes. So many innocent people died.
Ryker was shaking in fury, vowing to return to kill him, and all of the bastards who called this glorified Hell home.
"Hush, hush." Apollo soothed as he felt Viper shake in his arms. "Later." He added, slowly drawing out of the alcove, looking out to make sure that the hall was empty.
"Are you alright?" He asked of Viper in concern. The man looked ready to kill.
Ryker nodded, still pissed. "Fine. Let's get on with this master plan of yours." he said quietly. He wondered for the umpteenth time just who this Apollo was. Why was he so kind, especially to the enemy--it was as if he were almost human.
"Just uh...ease down until you're out of here." Apollo murmured quietly. "Then you can come back, okay?" He didn't know what Viper's specific beef was with the three men who had walked by, but it was obviously important.
"So," Apollo started in a louder voice, "is my slave hungry?"
Ryker stared at Apollo, before adopting his subservient role yet again. "Yes, master." he said quietly. If his voice rose too high with too much agitation, the collar would shock him. And if he disagreed with or denied Apollo directly, it would shock him. So, not being a fan of getting shocked, Ryker tried to reign in his emotions.
"You know, you don't have to eat if you don't want to." Apollo said as he began a brisk walked down the hall, in the opposite direction of Sigma and Slader. "I'm actually just hungry myself. I'm thinking of something involving pie." The Reaper said rather happily as if he was trying to cheer Viper up.
"What are you? Really?" Ryker asked, looking at the male as if he had two noses.
Apollo cocked his head. "What do you mean?" He paused, giving Viper a shrewd look. "What are you?" The Reaper countered.
"You don't act very much like a Reaper," he said simply, staring at Apollo. He refused to answer the male's other question on sheer principle.
Apollo gave a shrug. "I don't think I know what you mean." He could be stubborn too. If Viper didn't want to share, then neither would he.
Ryker rolled his eyes, saying no more as he followed the Reaper. He wondered why he cared so much about knowing about the male--if at all. It was just something about the guy that set him on edge but for a completely different reason than the fact that he was the enemy.
Ryker sighed, a flash of a smiling, tanned face with bright white teeth and dark eyes appeared behind his eyes and he shook his head, he was putting up with this guy so he could return home to Symion, and he hoped the male would forgive him for what he had to do. Ryker opened his eyes, resolving to put all of his prejudices away--just for a while. And…it helped to have an ally on the inside.
"I am simply a fighter for the Division--a tool used by the Division Heads to help perpetuate this war. I am full of hate for your people, and I don't expect that to change, even as it threatens to consume me. So answer my question, Reaper. What are you, really?" he asked.
Apollo had resigned himself to Viper not telling him anything, so when the man spoke, the Reaper was rather flabbergasted and it took him a moment to respond to the answer coolly. "That his hardly an information at all. I could say the same to you. I am a Reaper under Jeta used to help form attacks on the Division."
The Reaper shrugged again. "How about to start with, you tell me your real name, because I know for a fact that it isn't Viper. I myself have a tattoo of a dragon on my inner thigh, yet people don't call me the "Dragon." Well..." he paused, "they do but that's a story for the bedroom."
"Viper is my codename--it sounds much better than Quick Strike or some other name like that." Ryker said shrugging after grimacing a bit when Apollo mentioned his "Dragon."
Ryker walked with the male, looking at Ryker. "My name is not something I'm going to give you." he said calmly, shaking his head.
Apollo made an irritated sound that was less Reaper and more toddler. "Oh, come on." He whined. "Viper is such a silly name. You know my real name, right? It's only fair that I should know yours."
Ryker looked vaguely amused. "I'm afraid not--Argh!' He jumped, grasping his neck as the collar let out a painful jolt in his neck. "What the fuck!" he growled, about the rip the little thing off and cursing vehemently as it shocked him again.
Apollo burst out laughing, hands on his knees as he doubled over from the force of it. It wasn't a wicked laughed, simply one of amusement. "Slave, remember?" He asked between giggles, wiping tears from his eyes. "Shocks you if you don't answer me. So, let's try again." He straightened, trying to look serious but failing. "Slave, I demand to know your true name."
"N--FUCK!" he cursed as it shocked him again. Ryker growled in agitation. "Ryker. My fucking name is Ryker," he spat and hissed as the collar buzzed again. "What the hell?!" Ryker frowned, hand going to his neck as he rubbed the abused flesh.
Apollo stopped being amused the more Ryker became irritated. Ryker. It was a nice name and he had heard it before, but he just couldn't remember where. "Here," Apollo offered, running his finger over one of the rubies to reduce the amount of shock Ryker would get. "It should be at a tickle now.”
The Reaper smiled and backed off again. "At any rate, it's nice to meet you Ryker. And for formalities sake, I am Apollo."
Ryker sighed "I'm aware of who you are." he said, rubbing his neck. "Dammit..."he murmured, touching the collar. He looked at Apollo, frowning. "These are annoying little buggers." he frowned.
"You were the one who wanted it." Apollo reminded with a small smile as he brushed some of Ryker's hair out of his face again. "It shouldn't be a bother anymore. Come along." The Reaper began walking briskly again towards the kitchen wondering why it was he couldn't seem to stop himself from touching Ryker.
This thought plagued him the rest of the way to their destination. Once in the kitchens, it was loud enough that Apollo could forget for just a bit. Everyone was so busy running around doing this and that, so that Apollo simply just moved to grab a tray and cover it with food.
Grabbing a jug of wine, he motioned to Ryker to continue to follow him outside.
Ryker wondered at that too, and he wondered why he couldn't bring himself to mind the man's touches--even though he knew he should.
Ryker followed Apollo outside, saying nothing. He just sighed, reassuring himself that he would be out of here in less than 24 hours--at least he hoped.
Apollo meandered his way out into the back garden, plunking down behind some secluded blushes. That way, no one could see them and bother him.
"Pull up a patch of grass." The Reaper motioned for Ryker to sit as he set the tray of meat pies and bread rolls down along with the jug of wine. "You hungry?" Apollo asked, as if this was a very important question.
Ryker sat frowning, wondering if he should. "I suppose so," he said as he sat down, tossing his hair back. He crossed his legs, looking at Apollo. "Why are you being so kind to me?" he asked, folding his arms.
Apollo blinked as he pressed a meat pie into Ryker's hands, biting into his own with a hum of pleasure. "I don't think I'm being overly kind." He replied slowly as he had swallowed. "Would you like it if I were more cruel?"
Ryker shook his head. "I just find it strange that a Grues--Gurutian Reaper would treat a Division soldier with any measure of kindness." he said. "It's unheard of. " He bit hesitantly into the pie, surprised at the richness of the taste.
Apollo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in thought. "I find no reason to be cruel to anyone. I was born after this idiot war had started. The way I see it, why should I be prejudiced against the so-called "enemy" when I'm trying to end--" Apollo suddenly shoved the rest of the meat pie into his mouth to stop himself. What the fuck was he saying? Talk about being indiscreet. He rolled his eyes, mentally smacking himself.
Ryker knew what the male was about to say, and he filed that information away later. "Things are different in Radant. So many of our people are suffering under Jeta's hand. They're dying--innocent people: mothers, children, and fathers. All for nothing--that's why I fight." he frowned, thinking of that city so close by, but far away from this glittering, evil place.
"And you think it's any different here?" Apollo asked, trying not to wince at the sound of his uncle's name. "Outside these walls the same innocent people are dying every day because of the Division, and for what? A senseless war. I fight for a way to end this war, not for more bloodshed." The Reaper finally said, knowing it didn't matter now.
Ryker looked at Apollo seeing the male's point but not being able to change his own views. He chose to keep silent, chewing neatly, running his hand through his hair. "How old are you?" he asked suddenly, blinking.
That's the same problem Apollo ran into with everyone else. Each faction only cared about their own people, when in reality, everyone needed to be important to finally fix things. At Ryker's question, Apollo looked up from his musings.
"Twenty-five." He said. "You?"
"Nineteen..." Ryker admitted, shrugging.
"So young?" Apollo blurted before he could catch himself. It felt like the soldiers were getting younger and younger by the year. Ryker was still very much a young man. A child even! The Reaper shook his head, disgusted at the idea of fighting someone even younger in the Division.
"Please," Ryker said, rolling his eyes. "As if 6 years is so much of a difference. And I only say nineteen because that's how long ago they found me. I could very well be twenty by now," he said, shrugging.
"Trust me. Six years can be a huge difference." Apollo quipped before curiosity got the better of him. "You were found? How'd that happen?" The Reaper asked, leaning forward as he hoped Ryker would tell the story.
"Nothing much to tell. I was abandoned as a baby in a dumpster on the east side during the fire twenty years ago." he said, shrugging an elegant shoulder. "They found me, raised me and I've been a fighter ever since. "
Apollo listened with a sympathetic ear, nodding. "I remember that fire." The Reaper replied, looking rather vacant. "My father died in those fires. Fighting of course." He added, trying not to sound disgusted about his own father.
Ryker just nodded, finishing off his meat pie. He watched as the sun slowly began to sink and sighed. Who would've thought that HE in a million years would be eating meat pies with a subordinate of Jeta? He nearly scoffed at the thought.
Apollo took a swig of wine to wash down his own pie before offering it to Ryker. He too was watching the sun dip below the horizon. If he wanted to be honest with himself, he would have said that he was anticipating the coming night with Ryker.
Too bad he wasn't being honest.
