Chapter 149

  The instincts were problematic. Wild mentality, functionality, and psychology could all go awry, creating true monsters no matter what happens and where.

  There was much more to be said about Darks than that. They had a century of maddening growth while an entire planet was at their disposal. It was convictions, change, evolutions, and utter Corruption that completed the largest of gaps.

  Darks of lower Ranks had a less systematic approach to their hunting besides craving for it. They seized the flesh and ate, and sometimes met a wrong match. That sort of thing was a normal process of wild beasts. However, what if one added numbers and more than concerning insanity?

  The very first records of Swarms and Hordes were terrifying, while Rifts were another disaster altogether when they formed for the first time. They could happen suddenly, unlike the forthcoming Fogs or tremors of large numbers of Darks.

  Those records and secrets regarding their scattering ideas were confidential and restricted on the upper floors. Back in the beginning, living and fighting were different and humans couldn't cope with both. In the twenty-second century, many lands constantly shifted their attention from resources and people to actual living possibilities. The best did it with ease and appeared thriving, even if the dept of every place was that of struggle.

  Trying to know the movement of Darks at every given opportunity was to know the first strike. It was a fight of knowledge gathering, thus those Swarms and Hordes were a big deal.

  William heard plenty about them Outside, and he did live through some of them and knew how scary it could become. More about them was closer than ever, beyond that door, yet stopped by Kaufman. It should be capable of influencing his head, but it was still waiting because this old man had some nefarious intentions.

  He even called out Forced Awakening again, which wasn't uncalled for.

  Ever since the process of research existed, considerable attention diverted knowledge, Thus, research about the Darks was an endless process with many layers and vital organizations.

  Hordes were an accumulation of Dark societies, with Alpha, Betas, and numerous lackeys. They would be coherent pieces of power akin to clans or packs, but they were much more brutal than some lions, wolves, and others in the animal kingdom.

  Hordes were the usual cause for the destruction of camps. William witnessed them in action a couple of times. Depending on preparations or tricks, pushing Hordes away was easier than dealing with Rifts, which had to be crushed from inside or outside, and that required powerful Walkers.

  Working with Hordes was possible for regular people, so Hordes were easier to manage as long as their numbers and qualities weren't excessive. Still, their destruction was more up to Walkers, while some strategies were the same. Observing Hordes were finer chances, and camps couldn't afford it every time.

  Relying on the greatest help became a game of sacrifice, wit, and observation. Neither of those was the final and absolute answer to finish the Dawn. Sure, enough missiles, bullets, and weaponry could deal even with some Rank 5 Hordes, but what about the rest and those beyond?

  Darks above Rank 7 were true monstrosities that had unique properties and even minds and psych wards that required Walkers at the same Rank if not even one part higher.

  William looked at Kaufman with uncertainty and understanding that this old man was strange. He had an unbothered and calm face and thought of himself as clever and superior senior.

  “Oh, yes. Yes. I supposed the Flash has been my nickname at some point. I suppose you connected a few dots by yourself, or Elie told you so? Perhaps you would have no idea what is going on without her, yes? Maybe she should go away.”

  “Perhaps she should stay because of that,” William argued, still standing straight. “I am dumb after all and she is clever. Maybe you should be interested in her much more than stopping me or looking at me as if... I don't know. I don't think I can judge anyone,”

  “Really? Am I stopping you in this act? Judgement or not, you are young and clueless. Or are you?”

  “Aren't you too old for this shit?”

  “Oh,” Kaufman chuckled and looked around, seeing no one but the upper floors and large open space beyond the railing.

  “Sir, I know you are a high-profile Walker who shouldn't waste time with me. Isn't there a rather recent conflict spread around the Federation? Walkers like you must have been quite important pieces of making it safer. Federation is what it is today because of all of you, so why not protect it?”

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Kaufman stopped his mouth and raised his brows. “Protect. Hm. I don't know about that, but I am sure folks around can protect it just fine. I am here for personal gains, you see.”

  “What do you want then? Before or now, I am a firm believer that interest is due where respect is, and I made my point. I am nobody. I said that when Luke came to me first and then at you, so I plan to follow through with it.” William managed to surprise Kaufman once again. That first serving was rather old-fashioned for his taste.

  “There is a need for clarity there and deeper, clever boy. Here I thought you would have a much harder time adapting than to the camps or Outside, or is this about Ellie's influence?! It wonders this old man.” He shot her another look and made Ellie back away further, feeling uncomfortable in many ways.

  “I didn't do... anything out of my position. I work here... under Miss Heidi and Burton,” she muttered.

  William didn't catch that and continued arguing with Kaufman. “We as Outsiders live willingly even where death can come from any corner. Was it not like this for most of the human history? I read about the past and it is very similar to my feelings. I think I like this library and what it puts into my head, so playing around isn't my interest. I will be a Walker, sir. I will be that without you.” William mentioned an opinion of not only his kind but a whole lot of other people.

  “Live freely? That isn't that bad of a choice if you have been a silly moron. You might be that more then fine, but Walkers can't possibly fall into the same pit. It might feel like fake hope.”

  “It is better than nothing. So? Why does it even matter? Can I go to that door and reach this floor or not?” William pointed at the door while still hiding the card in his pocket. He felt like Kaufman was running around the boiling soup. It wouldn't go anywhere, nor become hotter because of it.

  “Hm. Sure, you can visit it because I don't give a shit, but only after something I want to try. It involves Emblems and your... issue. Or mine? Well....” Kaufman smirked, stepped towards him, and his hat flew up, becoming weightless when the majority of the surroundings became abnormal and extremely tense and heavy.

  Ellie was thankfully outside of the range, or Kaufman let her be out of the way.

  The floor began to creak, the walls tattered in trembles, and even the railing wavered as if made of soft tofu. More distortions spread, yet how many of them were fit for the human eye, or fell to the naked eye?

  William saw nothing clear as he felt the space tremble. Kaufman stepped in and was way too close. Before William had a chance to speak a word, an invisible force pressed onto his neck, disallowing him to speak or breathe. Then, horrors spread, emotions rose, and something frightening began to turn and happen.

  He felt as if he encountered this situation before, yet it wasn't feeling the same or comparable to death alone.

  “An experiments, you see, have pledges and layers. Old fools do it differently, so excuse me,” Kaufman started, watchful and feeling he was doing nothing wrong. “Your stories have been passed for ridiculous claims and rumors. No one believes them much, though some of them have been swiped under the rug. Oh, and you are kind of a flash yourself, by the way. Well, not as if you can do what is right or mine. Nothing is right, after all. I doubted numerous hins until I see them with my own eyes, little Gale.”

  William tried to push something out of his neck, yet there was nothing there. Kaufman smirked, standing before him as the beaming Emblem in his hand flickered with light. His clothes moved in no wind for sure. It felt as if William was fighting with his neck since there was no sense.

  Ellie gasped, unable to help as she stood aside, helplessly shivering as if she couldn't move or speak. The unknown was always terrifying, or was it excitement to see an active experiment done by Kaufman? Was this Walker before her doing something terrible, or was William in danger? She felt no less than five emotions and dared to do nothing about them.

  William felt helpless like in many portions of his life, feeling pressure and lack of breath squeezing his lungs and stressing his muscles and bones. Even when his body went up into the air, giving him the idea as if he was flying and drowning, kicking and trying to beak something did nothing. He choked and tried to speak anything.

  He couldn't piss this shitty old man. He couldn't curse him to oblivion either, which was a shame.

  [This... again?] a sudden voice called from nowhere, speaking to him and him alone.

  *Not again... no...* William wasn't panicking because of everything. Some matters were worse. Then, the heat began spreading, until some noises turned into horrifying mockery.

  Crimson felt challenged, trying to bark back what emotions stirred and started to revolve. Kaufman was very impressed by such a curious movement, which exceeded his expectations.

  He had to turn the notch up if the first sign was this good.

  “Can you see something, boy?” Kaufman asked as he watched William hovering ten feet above the floor. He kept struggling and kicking without a voice of reason coming from his body, creating a fearful expression.

  The situation around his hand was gradually turning obvious, moving in cracks of space, attempting to seek the crimson that was hard to see because of this space. Unfortunately, William couldn't see what was Kaufman implying, but he certainly saw something. Anger. Terrible futile attempts... Rows of bodies and red.

  What he saw wasn't here or anywhere. His eyes were open, however, albeit distorting since.. well, he wasn't reaching what Kaufman was doing. He turned into a caricature of his former self as he began to choke and see black.

  *Fuck this... old...* William couldn't even finish his thoughts as he hung in empty space, which was fighting back in considerable terrible ways against him or something else.

  Until something did fight back much more fiercely, coming from within, and shouting for him to rock up and do what was right. Underneath that sleeve, a dense crimson light escaped, blazing like a light flickering against the formless pressure. What came next were swirling crimson lines, trembling and looking weak, with none able to move up or fast because of the surrounding burden. They ended up looking like snakes, or were they rather like worms?

  Kaufman still clapped. “Very good. Out we go. Good.”

  The force applied to William's body was like dozens of haystacks, but it was the constant force around his neck that was insane, albeit not lethal. It pushed and pushed until emotions and a startling meltdown cracked that bit by bit.

  He wanted him unconscious.

  Did Kaufman know? That's where the worst nightmares lie bare and waiting.