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Her back was to the wall and she causally scoped the room just like Khlyen had taught her how to do. It wasn't even something she did consciously anymore. Johnny used to make fun of her for it but stopped quickly after she told him about her childhood. She had been born Yaleena, of the Yardeen family. It was her duty to restore their family’s honor, which she had intended to do by marrying into royalty. Khlyen had wanted her to restore the family honor by much bloodier means. At the time she had been extremely loyal to her family but killing was not something she wanted to do. Marrying at least would be a fair compromise. She should have known better though and that’s how she ended up with her husband bleeding out in her arms…. She glances at Johnny and wonders how she could have let him in after that. When she had told him about Khlyen it had been more of a warning for him to run, but Johnny took it as a sign of faith. She then learned the whole history of one Johnny Jaquobis including a detailed bio on his favorite cake. Praise the Trees he could sure talk. That's when they made the pact to be better family to each other than the ones they had prior. It had been a blissful five years until both of their past caught up with them. She twitched slightly when she spotted a man with a gun leaning over the bar, but no luck. Their Warrant was for a petty thief at the moment which was all her and Johnny could handle. She glanced at Johnny who was lost in his own thoughts.
He was rolling the base of his glass in a smooth motion usually a sign that he was thinking. She just wasn’t sure about what. The mystery of where his brother went or the fact that Level Six was splicing human DNA with nano technology. She glanced around the room again and wasn’t impressed by her surroundings. Her and John were now docked on the other side of Westerly at another mining colony, but it just wasn’t the same as Old Towne. They had contemplated moving to Leith, but the rent was too expensive. Fortunately Belus had some local connections and was able to get Pree a bar there. Dutch missed being able to see him at the Royal, but was happy that he was somewhere safer than Westerly. Speaking of expensive, they had wanted quit their jobs as Killjoys after learning about Level Six/Khlyen. Part of it had been out of a sense of pride and the other part had been their desire to search for D’avin fulltime. However they quickly ran out of money to fuel Lucy for the search. So here they are back working for the R.A.C who was in part responsible for the Olde Town massacre.
“Johnny” Dutch nods her head towards the upper level of the club. “Hood at 12:00, do we have joy?” Johnny however is not paying attention so she presses hard on his foot. “Ouch… What was that for?” Our mark is that him she says gesturing subtly to the stranger in the hood. Johnny sighs, blinks to focus the contacts then looks up at the stranger. He blinks a few more time before shaking his head. Can’t tell the hood is obscuring his-“
“Or her” Dutch adds. “Or her” amends Johnny “face too much. It’s not enough for the recognition program.” “We’re doing it the old fashion way then” Dutch says, a mischievous smile slides across her face. The smile never reaches her eyes though.
Johnny stands up to follow Dutch but his heart wasn’t really in the chase either. In facts, it’s everywhere but here. It’s worried about Pawter who’s overwhelmed with Olde Town refugees in an underground bunker. It’s with Alvis who would still be a target of The Company is they learned that he was alive. His heart is with Dutch who still blames herself for what happened to D’avin. And most of all his heart is with D’avin. He accidentally bumps into a man and mumble a quiet apology before moving on. It’s not Dutch’s fault that his brother has been captured by freaks experimenting with Gene Splicing and he knows it’s not his fault either, but he can’t shake the guilt. It was him who dragged D’avin into Dutch’s life, into his life, into the life of being a Killjoys. Yes, it was Dutch who wanted D’avin to become a Killjoy but it was Johnny who let it happen. John who knew deep down that his brother would never be a civilian. That he would jump in front of whatever bullet he needed to, be a hero. With his and Dutch’s lifestyle Johnny basically supplied the bullet to Dav. D’avin was a decorated soldier he could have survived the kill warrant on his own. The truth was that Johnny had missed his brother, he had jumped at opportunity to see him again, to somehow get him back in his life. Now he was gone. Swooped up into some big organization with who knows what being done to him, again. That is, if he isn’t dead, like Carleen. Another casualty in the war against Khlyen. Dutch is behind the hooded figure now, per usual she’s wearing one of her sexier outfits, they tend to provide for a good distraction, she leans in towards the stranger with the hood. Probably saying something seductive knowing Dutch. The stranger doesn’t turn to look a Dutch but instead motions for Johnny to come over. Dutch doesn’t like that and she grabs the strangers shoulder to turn him around but he catches her hand and steps back in one motion, hood still up. Johnny hurries over to assist Dutch, just as the stranger pulls back his hood. John is frozen for a minute. “D’avin he breathes out quietly.” He drops Dutch’s hand. “We need to talk” he says once John is in earshot, before moving to a table. He motions to the waitress to come over, he’s saying something to her but Johnny can’t hear anything above the roar in his ears. Dutch is in a similar shock but she’s recovered quicker than Johnny and has taken a seat across from D’avin. Johnny slides into the seat next to her and diagonal from D’avin. The club is dark and the lights above the dance floor are multicolored spinning in a whirl sending splashing colors upon D’avin’s face. He’s a bit scruffier than normal and has grown his hair out a bit, less military and more casual civilian. His face is neutral as he pulls the pitcher towards him and pours the three of them a drink. He’s dressed in all black, some sort of tac gear that he must have got from Level Six. He slides a glass in front of Dutch and then Johnny.
“More specifically, Khlyen needs to talk to you. We need your help” he says before either of them can speak. Dutch has a million questions she wants to ask, but refrains from doing so. “Then why isn’t he here?” “Oh he has other matters that he needs to attend to, they don’t tell me much.” D’avin says smiling in annoyance. Johnny can’t hold himself back anymore “where have you been. What did they do to you!?”
“You know what they did me” he replies to Johnny. “You had the secret to that hidden in my room” he says and quickly whips an object from his robe, Dutch is already preparing to defend herself when D’avin rams the object into his hand. It’s a knife and blood is everywhere. He removes the knife and grabs a napkin. “The healing process can take a while but it certainly dulls the pain” he comments. “As to where I’ve been it varies by the job. So as for helping us what do you say?”
“No” Dutch says firmly. She holds up her glass takes a quick sniff before sipping it and then nods to John that it’s safe to drink. “Khlyen, said you would say that, but he’s tired of playing cat and mouse with you. So there’s some incentives that he’s thrown in.” D’avin pauses to drink the hokk before setting it down. He rolls his glass on the table just like John much to Dutch’s annoyance. Johnny who has never been able to stand silence tried to wait patiently but when it becomess clear that his brother is done talking he can’t stop himself from asking. “Are you going to tell us what those are?”
D’avin smiles, pleased to have lured him. John and Dutch frown though. The D’avin they remember rarely smiles and when he does it’s never predatory. More that he’s found something amusing or is trying to hide his chagrin. “Answers- and Joy of course”
“Answers...” Dutch prods. “Yes, answers about Red 17, Level Six, who Khlyen is” he pauses “And about your dad... why you are marked for Red 17.” Dutch and Johnny exchange a glance. Dutch can tell Johnny is contemplating the deal, but she know it’s a devil’s bargain. She’s about to open her mouth and tell D’avin that he can take his deal and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine, when he cuts her off. “We know about Alvis and the bunkers in Old Town. The company doesn’t but we might have to enlighten them about it” he says letting the threat hang in the air. “And if we still refuse what happens then” says Dutch before Johnny can say something asinine. “For now nothing. The Old Town refugees can stay where they are until the R.A.C decides to use them as leverage against the company. You don’t get your answers and we both leave here empty handed.” He says taking another sip from his glass.
“Sorry to inform you but we’re not leaving here empty handed” Dutch says whipping out her gun, Johnny quickly follows her lead. D’avin eyes the guns as some of the bystanders run away.
“Khylen also said you would say that…” he says almost lamentably taking another sip from his glass.
“Khylen this Khlyen that. Since when do you care about Khylen,” Johnny asks frustrated.
“I really don’t. I only care about Level Six” he says truthfully. “Well this has been fun but I’m leaving now” he says standing up.
“No you are not” Dutch says unlocking the safety on her gun. “You are coming back and were going to fix whatever they did to you.”
“Right,” Dav raises his hands in mock surrender. “I know you both have a good memory, meet me at the temple from our first official mission as Killjoys two days from now. If you change your minds that is.”
He turns around to leave. “I will shoot you D’avin” Dutch says. “Then he’ll shoot your partner” D’avin points to another guy in a hood across the second floor balcony with his sights set on Johnny.
“I’m your brother” Johnny says in disbelief. “Relax, it’s a poison. It won’t kill you immediately. You can go to the local hospitable and get the cure but it does cause a certain paralysis on impact. Johnny is going to need your help Dutch.” Dutch reluctantly lowers her gun. When Johnny doesn’t lower his “You too” D’avin adds pointing at his brother. “You don’t have to go D’av. We can help you, please. Don’t go back to them.” D’avin looks like he wants to say something, ask a question perhaps, but the words never leave his lips. Instead he walks away disappearing into the crowds. Once out of sight his partner disappears too. “Damn, any chance you got a facial scan of that guy.” Dutch says quietly. Johnny shakes his head. “We’re going to that meeting aren’t we” Johnny says, it’s not a question. Dutch nods. “Then, what…”
“We do what they want, run missions for them. They’ll slip up eventually… We fix D’avin and go.” She responds taking another sip of hokk. “The three of” Johnny asks? “The three of us” Dutch says.
--
D’avin’s slipped away melding into the crowd. It’s not really a skill he had perfected until becoming Level Six. John’s words run over and over again in his mind “Don’t go back to them.” His feet want to turn around and run back to his former partners, his once upon a time lover and his younger brother. His head however keeps him moving forward. He’s a Level Six agent end of story. He still can’t help the struggle he feels trying to remember why he should care about a brother or about Dutch. Tries to remember a time when anything but Level Six mattered to him and feels like he’s hitting a wall. “You think they figured out there was no petty thief” he causally asks his partner who has slipped right behind him. His partner doesn’t respond to his question instead snorting.
“You never used to be this dramatic” comes the voice now beside him. The man grabs and holds up his bandaged hand. “I was trying to make a point. As far as I can tell they got it.” Fancy Lee sighs. “I preferred when it was my job to kill you and not watch your back.”
“That’s not fair. I’m always the one who plays bait anyways.”
“Yeah, because you hate planning.” D’avin shrugs it’s true. He’s more of an improv kind of guy. They walk in mutual silence through the dark streets of the mining town, their ship is located at the perimeter of the city. No one bothers to mess with them as they pass through the dingy streets though D’avin wishes somebody would. His thoughts are jumbled racing. Fancy says it’s because the Red 17 docs had to screw with his brain because he resisted joining Level Six. Not many people in Six are volunteers most are forcefully recruited. As Fancy said it’s usually a choice of join or die. Most when given those two choices elect to join, but apparently D’avin did not. Logically he knows that he should run from the people who did this to him, but he never does. It’s beyond frustrating he remembers having two teams before he was partners with Fancy. They were honorable people, people he loved and cared about. He recalls killing his first team though. He did it because he’s a good soldier. Then there was his second team they ran like clockwork. His relationship with this team was more intimate than his first team, but then he tried to kill them too. He looks at Fancy and wonders whether one day he will try to kill him as well. It’s sort of funny but he wouldn’t mind killing Fancy in some ways because Fancy tried to kill him for Joy. Memories he has a lot of those but figuring out why they matter to him is frustrating. They arrive at their ship, the AI is no Lucy, in fact the AI is called Bob, which makes D’avin feel strange every time he address him. Bob also has no sense of humor.
“I just don’t understand why I was given you as a partner, it would have been nice at least to be paired with another former Level Five not Four.” D’avin sighs not this again. He’s heard it a million times. The only reason he is a Level Six is because of Dutch otherwise he would be dead. However if D’avin recalls correctly he never asked to join Level Six in fact he had told Khlyen to kill him obviously that’s not what happened. He tunes Fancy out and goes to his room. He once asked Fancy if he dreams about his past life. Fancy Lee side eyed him and refused to answer the question. D’avin suspects that he is not alone in having his head messed with but he’s smart enough not to ask around. He let’s Fancy handle flying Bob off this rock and back to their home base on Arkyn. D’avin knows that he and Fancy both require a tune up. He hates those it makes him feel off for weeks afterwards. He enters his room and strips off his clothes before sitting on the bed. He doesn’t really like sleeping but it’s been three days since he last slept. The nano-technology helps him stay awake longer, but he does eventually need to sleep. It’s not that he doesn’t have time to sleep it’s more so that he hates waking up after sleeping. The memories, dreams, or nightmares whatever they are leave him on edge every time. He sighs and leans back on his bed closing his eyes. It doesn’t take long for sleep to come.
His body it feels like it’s on fire. It’s so cold it’s warm. He can’t breathe. He’s holding something important. He wants to let the fire consume him, but he knows that he needs to save the person he is holding. He sees a light and reaches for the surface. A hand grabs his pulls him up. The face is blurred. The person no kid, is calling his name, frantic. He knows who it is. It’s Johnny, he’s worried. He didn’t know if D’avin was coming back. Kipsee, this dream is from Kipsee. The time he saved Randy after he fell through the ice. It had been pure instinct that made him jump. He hadn’t put a second thought to the fact that he might die. That he might leave his younger brother alone with his parents.
“But you did leave him alone” a female voice says. “You left him for the Nova Cadets.” “You stabbed him and tried to kill his partner, Dutch. After you killed your team in the Royal Syndicate. Now you are leaving him for Level Six.” He struggles against that last comment but can’t seem to shake it as a splitting pain goes through his head. He sits up bolt right, panting. He sits with head in his hands for a moment collecting himself. It’s not the first nor will it be the last time he deals with Stress Response Syndrome. He’s not sure that working with his former Killjoy team again is a good idea. But if Khlyen says that’s what he has to do, then that’s what he is going to do.