Dual Minds: Deep Web

He didn't want to come.

Even now, as his feet moved him in the direction of where it all began those years ago, his thoughts screamed to him "What the fuck are you doing!?"

When he saw them, would he get flashbacks? Would Kubi's face bring back the memory of Peter's head busting open like a fucking watermelon? Would the school bring him back to the first time he was shot? The numb, stinging, crippling wound which he always remembered when he looked at that damn scar? What if he happened upon the site where his house once stood? Would he remember the smoke? The fire? His mother?

But of course, no indication of such thoughts appeared through his actions. He looked perfectly calm. Apathetic; perhaps eerily so. He didn't look upset, or angry, or scared as he walked through the double doors and into the halls he had walked 16 years ago. He actually looked very approachable, as a friendly smile spread across his face. It was an act, of course, but very convincing.

But the strangest thing of all, was when he recognized them, through the crowd of other former students, no flashbacks actually occurred. He was actually happy to see them.

"Hey, how's it going?" Nick asked in a friendly voice as he walked up "Wow. To think it's been 16 years already. Kubi, Tina, still best friends I see. And Stella, good to see you. How you all been?"

 

Leon looked at the kid, there wasn't much warmth in his expression. "Make it quick kid." He said, none of the warmth and kindness that he had years ago showed in him much these days. Ever since Joe had killed himself, it was like there was a void in him that just wouldn't close or be filled. It was like a piece of him died... which in a way it did. He had always figured that Joe and him were two pieces of a whole, they had done everything together, they were born together, they grew up together, shared the same room until they were ten, went to the same school up until they moved to Great Barrington. They had been inseparable, until that incident happened before they had moved here.

 

Nick was instantly met with a crushing hug and a high pitched squeel. "Oh goodness! Nick it's really you! Ahh I didn't realize how much I missed you." She gives two greeting kisses on the cheek then steps back to get a better look at what he had become.

"Iy-ya...you've grown much too tall since last time we knew each other, I feel short. Or, maybe it's that you arn't walking on a busted leg anymore? If that's why then I'm happy, truely I'm glad you atleast seem to be getting on with life."

 

"Make it quick kid." He said, none of the warmth and kindness that he had years ago showed in him much these days.
Tam grimaced, but pushed forward.
"Well, in regards to the past, there are rumors that something bad happened," Tam said, hesitantly. He frowned, then put his tools aside.
"Off the record," he said, curiosity in his voice. "What happened here way back when? Was there really a spree of murders?"

 

"You're talking about my brother's killing spree no?" He asked crossing his arms, he grimaced, he wished he could yell out 'That whole thing started because of that whore and Damon Laplace! My brother is innocent!'. "There's no real secret behind anything, my brother terrorized everyone, he even bombed the school, killed the oh so great Stella's parents and kidnapped her and her sister, he was going to be found out, he panicked because after another shootout engineered by him went wrong and police were closing in, threw himself off of the hospital roof, though he did leave a nice little note for the police telling them how big of idiots they were and how he was behind everything, happy, kid? Could have just read about it anywhere, or asked anyone, or just took a look at the cemetery, you'd find a horribly vandalized tombstone, that's his." He said crossing his arms.

 

Tam took a step back, a look of guilt on his face.
"I apologize sir," he said. "I just wanted to get the facts to that situation. After so many years you hear so many rumors. I just... I'm sorry."
The teen reporter walked away, guilt in his chest. He sat at a table and looked over his notes and glanced around the room.

 

Happiness filled Stella's heart at seeing all of them together again, just like old times. At least, this was under better circumstances.

"So you said you're married, Kubi? That's so wonderful, congratulations!" Stella exclaimed. "Life has been treating me and Cole very well, we've been married too for almost ten years now. He's busy working tonight, but I hope he makes it to see all of you. We moved to Los Angeles four years ago when I was cast in Game of Eathers. It was one of the best things to ever happen to me! I love playing Lake, she's always caught up in so much drama and adventure." Stella laughed.

"I've also been cast in a few upcoming movies, but those won't be filmed until after the baby is born. Actually I believe I won't be doing much after the season finale. It will be nice to have some time to relax for once. But enough about me, what exciting things have you all been doing?"

 

"Not much, after the uhh...events of 16 years ago I have been living as quietly as I can. I like it though, the peace, well as peaceful as it can be with two little ones to take care of and a husband who thinks he's superman." She chuckles.

"But married and with a little one on the way, that's so sweet. I'm happy for you truely. By the way, I never got the chance before, and I know it's been a long time. But I just wanted to say, thankyou." And she gives a slight bow.

 

"Oh wow." Nick said, in honest surprise "You're both married? And to your high school sweethearts. Congratulations. Where is Max and Cole anyway?" Nick asked, his sorrow of the Vector incident dissipating. He was truly happy for them both. Back when he was a student here, his infatuation with Kubi quickly vanished once his senior year came around.

 

Lazily the blonde name who refered himself as Wilhelm Dietrich, a name that did not belong to anyone, entered again and passed by the happy chatting... happy for everyone besides the boy that looked like Joe, the supposed culprit.

He didn't felt any necessity to speak with them, yet he did felt a need to say short words to Leon.
Wilhelm walked aside from the group, ignoring them and got close to Leon.

"Sorry about what happened to your brother...there are some people who knows the true story"

It didn't matter if Leon or anyone could identify the man's identity, he never had conctact with any of the students, still he had to say those words at least. There was certain respect for Joe, though the reason was unkown.

 

Leon regarded the stranger coldly, this hadn't been the first time that some whacked out conspiracy theorist had come up to him saying they knew the truth or tried to get him to spill the beans. "And you believe that you do? There is no true story, my brother threatened everyone for his own selfish purposes, that's it discussion over." Leon said, he had to keep Joe's final secret... no matter how many people continued to scorn him to this day for the lives that he had supposedly taken, if he revealed what happened one of two things would happen, one, no one would believe him, or two, Laplace would come after him and the others... the only thing that he had on his side was buried, their protection, something that Joe thought would be able to incriminate him and everyone else involved in the incident and protect everyone, something he had entrusted to Leon before he died, it was a trump card that he hoped would never come to the surface and threaten everyone once more.

 

Wilhelm didn't flinch. He only said what he had to say, all that happens after that was of no importance to him.

"Are we talking about the same person right?.... well it doesn't matter. What's your name by the way?" asked the man to the person who looked exactly like Joe used to.

 

Leon eyed the man for a moment. "His brother, Leon." He said simply, he truly hoped that this guy wasn't going to cause any trouble... or else it would definitely end in bloodshed, tonight wasn't a good night to fuck with him.

 

Wilhelm expected a different reply, he sighed in dissapointment.

"There are several Leon, well if you happen to met someone who proudly calls himself Leon Doyle in front of everyone tell him that we want the world to know who was truly behind those events 16 years ago, either he wants it or not" said the man with a despective tone, emanating dissapointing and rejection toward that man.

 

Leon fixed him with a cold gaze and waved him away. "Sorry, not in the mood to speak with morons that have nothing but conspiracy theories, there is no secret culprit, the explanation that was given sixteen years ago is the one and only truth, just accept it and get on with your miserable existence and out of my face." He said pointing toward the door, he didn't make it a secret about who he really was, he knew that there wasn't going to be much hiding if someone were to remember Joe's face, his appearance didn't change much over the years, his hair had grown longer, he had grown taller, that was about it, anyone with a photo or a good memory would easily be able to tell who he was.

 

Tam stood in the crowd, and listened to Leon's conversation, thinking.
Could there be more than what was told? Something does seem a bit off...
He frowned, concentrating on Leon's conversation.
Who is that guy he's talking to anyway?

 

"Oh wow." Nick said, in honest surprise "You're both married? And to your high school sweethearts. Congratulations. Where is Max and Cole anyway?"

"Max is busy." Tina interjected, having remained politely quiet up to this point. "He's always busy with his company, but he sends his regards." She lied. He'd actually said almost the exact opposite before they left, protesting that those specific people should never gather in the same place again, much less Tina and Kubi should be interacting with them in any way.

Despite his protests, they had gone anyway, Tina determined to show both of them that there was nothing to be frightened of anymore. Except for perhaps the very company that had done this. LaPlace had done some strange things to Vector over the years. But whether they were for better or worse, Tina had yet to discover.

"Hi, by the way. Good to see you doing well." She said with a nod of her head. "And it's good to see you again, Stella. And pregnant? That's fantastic. Congratulations!"

 

"Tina's a bit slow joining the party, still playing cops and robbers she is." Kubi says to Stella givining Tina a teasing grin. "If she doesn't hurry up she's going to turn into a kungfu grand aunt."

 

Slaughter.....


As the pop song ended the DJ on stage wasted no time in placing a new CD into the player. Soon many eyes shifted towards the DJ himself who’s eyes even those locked in conversations with passed friends had to raise an eye brow at the music man on the stage.

The hip hop he’d been playing had been traded out for a classical score that belonged more at a theater then at a high school reunion. Despite the new found attention the DJ ignored the confused on lookers and simply turned the music up to ear splitting levels.

The opera erupted throughout gymnasium even shaking floors and doors.

---

Some cupped their ears and others moved towards the DJ to make a complaint. Something wet splashed on to the left side of Tina’s face and as everyone in the vicinity turned to see the source.

All eyes widened for a brief moment as they saw that a man was suddenly missing a piece of his head.

His brain matter and head chunks had flown in every direction. The first person to scream was a woman who was obviously the man’s wife but her shrieks couldn’t match the sound of the maddening music and nor would it have its chance.

The sound of a gun being fired was the only thing that was able to out noise the music and the bullet’s target was the widowed woman. She spun around gagging blood squirting from her throat as she face planted on to the floor a pool of blood forming around her wounded area.

More screams went off and soon crowds of people were rushing towards the door trampling each other in a frenzy to escape.

But as they neared it the door was slammed shut by a black leather glove and the figure in front of them caused the frightened to even stop. Large abyss black eyes stared at them with an inhumanly white face and dark lipstick stared back at them.

A doll's face

Its long dark hair falling in front of its face as it stalked closer towards.

This thing’s head tilted to one side as it held a rifle firmly in its hand moving towards them slowly.

It didn't take long for the crowd to go back into their terror and they all rushed at the uncanny creature before them but then shadows dropped from the ceiling.

Multiple people in hood cloaks fell down a top the frightened people and soon half the party had been forced into an orgy of violence.

Despite some attempts at fighting their attackers it was futile those who hadn't ran towards an exit watched in horror. The cloaked figures all share the same doll like face that their gun toting partner wore but they carried no such weapon.

Some squished on the eyes of whoever they were targeting and others produced knives slit the throats of the victims.

People were being torn apart left and right by these things

---

And the DJ? Well he just kept the music playing

 

Leon looked at around at the carnage around him... he wasn't phased by it... he wasn't afraid... he wasn't even saddened by the senseless violence around him... in fact... he smiled. These people were getting exactly what he deserved... all of these faces that he had seen at the funeral that spat on Joe's grave, that rejoiced at the death of his brother and drove him and his family out of town, that forced him to endure so much pain... he hoped that their last moments wouldn't be peaceful, that they'd be filled with pain. He let out a low chuckle and even clapped a little, that smile never leaving his lips, even when he got splattered with some girl's blood. "I enjoyed your little show, but I really must be leaving... try to kill what's already dead and you'll find that it's utterly futile." He said.

He looked at one of the tables near him and saw that one of the legs were loose, he delivered a quick and firm kick to the top of it and watched as it came crashing down, he quickly picked up the leg and gave it a few experimental swings. It wasn't his katana, but it'd do, he walked toward an exit that wasn't far from him at a leisurely pace. Ready to send any of these doll faced freaks packing. He saw someone crawling toward him begging for help, severely injured, he smiled at him and swung the table leg in a clean arc into the poor man's face, sending the poor bastard backward a few feet, blood gushing down his face, his nose crooked and a large gash running down his face from where he had gotten struck.

Leon made his way to the exit, shoving anyone that got in his way, still holding the bloody table leg, though he doubted anyone saw him or cared enough to pay attention, they'd likely assume that it was from the carnage that they had caused. He didn't want to leave the show just yet though... he turned around still smiling and watched as more and more people were ripped apart. They deserved everything they got.

 

Kubi grabs Tina and takes her to the floor. "Crawl." she whispers, and they make there way to the exit.Leon was standing there with a smug look, Kubi for her partwas mostly calm, maybe only because to her it all felt so brutaly sudden that maybe it had been a dream. Yes a dream, she wouldn't treat it like one but it must have been.
"hey!" She calls to leon, "The police, did you call them?" She says popping up. "And why are you standing there move!"

 

Tam ducked under a table and dialed 911 on his cell phone, quickly whispering instructions and details before shutting it off and using the camera function to snap some pics. Tucking his phone safely in his jacket pocket, he crawled out from under the table, keeping low to the ground, and glanced around.
There!
A grate only a few feet off the ground was on one side of the wall. He glanced around and spotted a couple of people hiding.
"Hey!" he whispered, gesturing to the wall. "Go! Get to safety."
Somehow, he managed to herd the survivors to the grate and yanked it loose.
"I used to crawl through these ducts to get shots for the paper," he explained. "Go! You guys can fit through it, I promise."
Hurrying them in, he glanced around some more, and spotted Stella and some of her friends. He waved at them, then pointed at the grate.

 

Leon looked at Kubi with a cold look in his eyes. "I'll move when I damn well please, and if you want to save these fools, do it yourself, I'm not lifting a finger to help, if they can't help themselves, let them drown and let them be thankful I'm not the hand on their head keeping them down as they thrash around, trying to get to the surface and save their pathetic miserable insignificant lives, though I'll be glad to sit back with some popcorn and just watch." He said smirking.

 

They called him The Valentine
​

Masked beings dancing like possessed dolls covered in black and crimson.

The man walked through the side entrance not knowing what expected him inside, yet the spectacle did not surprise him, the man had seen enough to easily suppress the brief feeling of surprise.

He threw the cheap cigarette to the floor and pressed it with his foot while sighing, he was supposed to met a man who called himself Wilhelm Dietrich, but as usual on his daily life things weren’t going to be easy.

He slowly walked, his long coat closely following his feet, a man dressed in dark brown and black colors and his eyes green coloured and deep, both covered by bangs of a light brown long hair that reached the middle of his back, and covering it, a hat, a cowboy hat to be precise, strange to look nowadays but that matched his attire perfectly fine.

His feet moved one behind other, his head analyzed the situation quickly, a dance of pure chaos, the hall painted in crimson, a macabre music ornamented by the screams of despair coming from the people and the sound of metal and flesh. Still the man just walked, he had a meeting after all, an important business, where did Wilhelm run to was unknown to the man so he had just to find him.

A devilish masked figure picked the strange looking man at his target and took a frontal attack for an option, the knife raised as soon as it got close to the man, it was just a matter of seconds, no, milliseconds for it to end his life, yet that didn’t happened.

The figure fell violently to the ground after its face met with the man’s fist, a swift movement that took just an instant and enough to render the figure unconscious, it would had been easy for the man to remove that mask but that wasn’t of his concern now.

Because he was surrounded.

The man smiled and asked. “I’m looking for a man called Wilhelm, had any of you seen him?” And then they attacked.

 

Kubi blinks, absolutely shocked by his response. "Leon? what the...what are you talking about? when did you become vector corp, you wicked man!"

She had no time to argue with him however, anger flares up inside her, anger and desperation. All her life she had been weak, powerless, only able to scream and cry. But the past 16 years had changed her. She was not the same weak girl she used to be. She had made damn sure of that. The palm of her hand smashes into his nose, while she kicks his legs from under him. he falls backwad crashing to the ground.

"If you won't do anything then stay out of my way." She growls, and attempts to open the gym door, and free the panicked crowd.