“Hey!” Rocks said eagerly as he increased his speed.

  Remington acknowledged Rocks but noticed that Lux had completely stopped his machine. He slowed down to a stop to see what was wrong. Rocks continued to run.

  “What's wrong Lux?” Remington asked.

  “Rem….is there someone on that treadmill?” Lux asked.

  “Yeah, that's Rocks.” Remington said cautiously.

  “You have a clone?” Lux said seriously.

  “Close…..he is my twin. You know, brothers. It's kind of like having a clone.” Remington said. Lux looked as if he were considering this explanation.

  “Sure, kind of.” Lux said very suspiciously. Rocks ended his treadmill session and hopped off.

  “Hey Rem. Hello Lux. Nice to officially meet you.” Rocks said with a nod.

  “Hey..” Remington was trying his hardest to remain positive as the interaction was suddenly tense and thick with suspicion. Lux only looked at Rocks seriously.

  “Okay…well Rem you want to start some free weights?” Rocks said brushing off the uncomfortable reaction he was causing.

  “Sure…” Remington said, hoping he still sounded neutral. He followed Rocks over to the free weights and got set up with his first set. Everything was fine for a moment until he realized that Lux was pacing back and forth now very anxiously. He hoped that after a few minutes he would calm down but towards the end of his set Lux was now thoroughly inspecting Rocks who was completely ignoring the strange behavior. Remington set his weights down and sat up puffing hard and nearly out of breath.

  “Is everything alright Lux?” Remington asked.

  “I am thoroughly against cloning.” Lux said firmly.

  “That’s okay, because I'm not a clone.” Rocks said looking amused. Lux was even more suspicious.

  “That's exactly what a clone would say.” Lux pressed. Remington got up now hoping to deescalate the mounting tension.

  “Lux he is a recreation just like you are. They remade him.” Remington urged.

  “Ha! I knew it. He is a clone.” Lux said looking satisfied now.

  “I suppose, if that is what you want to call it. Then that would make you a clone too.” Rocks said amusingly.

  “No way. I'm definitely not a clone. I'm a zombie.” Lux said seriously.

  “What's the difference?” Rocks asked, struggling not to laugh now.

  “I died, they made me a new body.” Lux said seriously.

  “Me too.” Rocks countered. Lux looked at Rocks seriously.

  “How did you die?” Lux asked. The color seemed to drain out of Remington's face at the question.

  “The first time…” Rocks began.

  “The first time?!” Lux exclaimed. Rocks paused. “That's rough….sorry.” Lux continued a bit more calmly then he was quiet.

  “…..I died in a fire. I suffocated to death.” Lux seemed to cringe at this information. “I've been recreated again because Remington killed me.” Rocks fell into seriousness now. Lux was struck for a moment then he looked towards Remington as if for an explanation.

  “Why would you kill your clone Remington?” It almost sounded like a demand.

  “Uh!” Remington stammered. “…..because…..” Remington began to choke on the answer. “……. Vezaias told me to…..” Remington managed to spit out very meekly. He looked like a bucket full of shame now and turned to look away and to the floor. Lux was very serious and distracted for a moment. The tension was soaking all three of them.

  “That Vezaias is such a bastard. Can I go have a cigarette?” Lux finally said, breaking the tense moment.

  “Uhh…” Remington began nervously.

  “Yeah I think we are done for today.” Rocks said seriously.

  “Okay. Let's go to the locker room first then we can go back to your room Lux.” Remington said very sheepishly. He couldn't wait to get out of this situation. Remington turned to leave the gym when suddenly Lucius appeared out of a portal followed closely by Ava. Lux immediately stopped and watched them both as Lucius took notice of the newest member of the group staring at him. Remington was suddenly very on edge. Rocks knew the situation was dangerous and stayed near Remington. Lucius wasted no time in coming over to interject himself into the already tense situation.

  “Hello, you must be our newest member, one of Vezaias's cohorts, Lux isn't it?” Lucius said in his most haughty voice. Ava was now peeking around him nervously. Lux seemed extremely distracted for a moment now. “What is it? Are you listening to a much more important conversation at the moment?” Lucius said sourly with a smooth grin.

  “Lucius, I think you need to back off. He hasn't done anything wrong.” Rocks pressed now stepping forward in front of Lux.

  “The simple fact that he is associated with Vezaias makes his presence here unwelcome, and if you factor in that he hallucinates conversations with people who do not exist…” Lucius near spat.

  “There is no proof that they do not exist!” Lux snapped angrily. “And who the fuck do you think you are anyways?! What is your superpower; Being a vainglorious supercilious bastard?” Lucius looked very smug to the insult.

  “I happen to control time, which amplifies my strength and speed. I could kill any of you faster than you could blink an eye.” Lucius chuckled, glancing at Remington's one eye.

  “Lucius, you are going to aggravate him! You know he's not like any of you!” Remington snapped now ready to defend Lux.

  “I know he's not like any of us because he's completely psycho!” Lucius growled.

  “Better than being a imperious flower headed BITCH!” Lux snapped trying to shove past Rocks. Remington grabbed Lux and dragged him back.

  “That's right, hold him back before he gets hurt.” Lucius said letting his arrogance flow.

  “Lux calm down! Lucius will kill you if you attack him!” Remington pulled Lux away from Lucius. Rocks stood defensively between them for more protection.

  “Now I see why Vezaias hated you, you fucking prick! He could always spot a shit head from miles away!” Lux roared, struggling in Remington's grip.

  “Heh, and it felt very satisfying slicing my blade through his neck! If it wasn't a waste of my effort I could have severed his head from his body.” Lucius mused. Lux looked very angry now. “What's wrong, freak?” With that Lux broke through Remington's hold and swung a punch at Lucius who quickly slowed time and sidestepped twisted and throwing an elbow to the back of Lux's head knocking him down to the ground flat to his face. He then summoned his Shinehana and swung a kill shot right at Lux's skull. Remington anticipated this and shot forward bracing for the impact and clashing his crystal blade into the Shinehana just as time sped back up

  “Back off Lucius! I don't want to fight!” Remington snapped.

  “Louie please stop!” Ava was now pulling on Lucius trying to shake his intense focus but before the stalemate could conclude on its own a whooshing sound from near the entrance then a sudden calm feeling wafted through the gym. Everyone was drained of their emotions. Lucius and Remington both lowered their weapons letting them dematerialize.

  “Lucius, you will go through this portal and wait until I speak with you.” Sigil said as he approached holding out his hand for Lucius's keycard. Lucius calmly pulled it out and gave it to Sigil then stepped through the portal. Sigil now turned to Remington.

  “You will do the same. Your card please.” He said. Remington couldn't react with anything but obedience. He handed over his car and stepped through the portal.

  “Rocks take Lux to the infirmary, I believe he's injured and unconscious.” Sigil said. Rocks nodded and scooped Lux up from the ground and left through a portal.

  “Ava, I will need an explanation from you. Please go to your room until I can speak with you.” Sigil said. Ava nodded and left on his own to his bedroom.

  Remington ended up in a holding room again, the door locked and there was no way to get out. He sat on the bed now free from the emotional hold Sigil had calmed him with; he was now riddled with anxiety and worried about Lux. He could only hope the group would handle Lux with compassion as he was provoked and could not control his aggression. It must have been terribly frightening for Lux to be confronted like that when he was used to being attacked, especially by someone like Lucius. Remington sat in the room overwhelmed with his emotions for a short while longer before a portal opened and Sigil came into the room. Remington kept his eyes fixated on the floor awaiting whatever punishment they had for him.

  “I will be acting as moderator and I would like to hear your side of the story. Please tell me what happened.” Sigil was very calm and unthreatening.

  “Zexich suggested that Lux be put on a strict routine as to help his symptoms from his two mental health conditions so I took him with me on my normal routine. As soon as we left the bedroom he became anxious and it only got worse the longer we went on with our day. During gym time he seemed to have a delusion that he wasn't comfortable with the idea that Rocks could be a clone so he confronted him about this belief. We tried to calm him down about it but he only seemed to resist the notion that Rocks was a recreation just like he was. Anyways, thats when Rocks decided we should just call it quits for the day to give Lux a chance to settle himself. We were going to hit the shower and get ready to go to the briefing when Lucius showed up. He came right over to try and intimidate and provoke us. He started talking about how he killed Vezaias so Lux threw a punch at him. Lux cannot help his behavior; he was already anxious and pushed way beyond his comfort zone, and when Lucius confronted him it probably reminded him of when he was in prison how people used to attack him because of his strange behavior. Plus he is not showing any signs yet of any special talents so he was absolutely no threat to Lucius, but Lucius tried to use deadly force that would have killed him. So I stepped into the attack to protect him. I wasn't hostile, I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. I only used defense. I told Lucius I didn't want to fight him!” Remington was in a near panic as he explained, and suddenly he was forced to remain calm. He settled back into his seat.

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  “Lucius believes Lux will follow down the same path as Vezaias did, and you will end up blindly following him next. He has made it abundantly clear that he will do whatever he can to force your hostility and kill you once you engage him.” Sigil informed. He released the emotional hold to gauge a response.

  “What?! But that's not fair! He can't just go around provoking people! And Lux is nothing like Vezaias! He is a very docile person!” Remington shouted. Suddenly he was forced to be calm again.

  “There is nothing I can do to stop him from this agenda. All I can do is warn you not to engage him unless you want to be thrust into a life or death situation.” Sigil said very seriously.

  “Yessir.” Remington said very calmly.

  “Now I do not think you have done anything wrong. You have not been under a cloak and I have been surveillancing you and you have not seemed threatening, yet I understand you have some extremely painful feelings that you have been dealing with. I also see that you are managing them as best as you can. I do see the similarities that Lucius is trying to highlight, as you are just as protective of Lux as you were of Vezaias. So I will ask you now, are you in need of any help or intervention with Lux or any other issue that could be happening? You will not be reprimanded for anything you confide to me. I will only listen without judgement and provide as much support as I can possibly gather. As I have told you many times, I only wish to help you.” Sigil said very calmly. He once again released the emotional hold. Remington was now close to tears and trying desperately to collect himself enough to respond.

  “I feel responsible for Lux. I'm not sure why, because I've only just met him, and I have absolutely no connection to him beyond the fact that he was Vezaias's friend when they were younger. So I have taken it upon myself to be there for him because he seems to be completely alone, without anyone to care for him. Zexich has explained to me what will help him, but it is very challenging trying to handle his symptoms right now, especially when Lucius is fucking with us on purpose. I am trying my best to avoid any confrontation and help Lux manage his issues. This is all I have been focused on while still dealing with the grief I have been suffering and how outcasted I feel. I don't know how anyone could help me with these things, but this is what I have been dealing with. I struggle with justifying why I should stay alive, and continue on to try and find a purpose beyond the loss of control Vezaias forced on me. I think this is why I am trying so hard to help Lux. I really have nothing else left and it's the only thing I have felt I can focus on to find a different purpose.” Remington explained very solemnly. He began to wipe the flowing tears away from his eye. Sigil considered this explanation for a moment.

  “Lux's situation was thrust upon us because Vezaias decided to bring him here, but you are not the only one who can be responsible for him. I want you to meet with Zexich again. He can help you manage Lux's issues, but I also want you to talk to him about your own situation. I will do my best to subdue Lucius. I will enforce a new rule to where he cannot use the gym while you or Lux are there, to keep him from confronting you on purpose. I cannot restrict him in any other way, so it will be up to you to refrain from falling for his efforts to provoke you. This will be the only warning you will get. If there is any more hostility I will have to take more drastic action for all members involved. Here is your keycard. You are free to go.” Sigil said seriously then he handed back Remington's card.

  “Where is Lux? I need to see him.” Remington said looking docile and unhappy.

  “He is in the infirmary.” Sigil said.

  The sour vinegar smell was enough to choke him into consciousness. He cringed and gagged a bit as he woke, seeing Zexich standing above him looking very concerned. Lux groaned and shifted uncomfortably then held his head as it throbbed.

  “I am sorry about the smell, it is only to help you regain consciousness. You were knocked out after a confrontation with Lucius. You were brought here just after to receive medical care, if that is okay with you. Are you in any pain?” Zexich spoke soothingly.

  “My head is throbbing.” Lux said softly as he cupped his temple painfully.

  “I will get you some medication to help with a headache if you want something.” Zexich said softly.

  “Ugh, sure…..just make sure it won't poison me.” Lux said seriously, still holding his head.

  “I will make sure it is safe.” Zexich reassured him then he walked away to get the medication. Lux then realized Rocks was sitting not far from the bed. Lux sat up slowly and looked at Rocks very curiously. Rocks got up and approached.

  “Are you alright?” Rocks asked mildly with concern.

  “I feel like it is a strong possibility that my head could explode, but more importantly I feel like that guy was purposely harassing me.” Lux said solemnly and staring at the floor.

  “He was. Sigil is going to moderate the situation. He may want to speak with you about it.” Rocks said seriously.

  “Sure.” Lux said and he tried to relax back into the pillow as Zexich returned with a small paper cup and two small white pills and a bottle of water.

  “This is acetaminophen, just an over the counter pain reliever. I checked it three times to make sure it was safe.” Zexich said with mild seriousness. Lux took the paper cup and looked at the pills in consideration for a moment then popped them in his mouth and cracked open the water to drink some.

  “I also tracked down the medications you told me that you were taking at the halfway house. I have since stocked some for you if you would like to continue the same prescriptions you were on previously. I have checked each dose, and I feel that you would greatly benefit from resuming these medications.” Zexich said very seriously.

  “As long as you know they are definitely correct. I can't risk being poisoned again.” Lux said, matching his amount of seriousness.

  “They gave you textbook regulation starter doses. I think you should start taking them as soon as you feel comfortable enough to do so. I made sure they were safe. They will definitely not poison you.” Zexich said with confidence. Lux considered this for a moment.

  “Fine.” Lux said solemnly. Zexich nodded and walked away again to get the medication. He returned quickly with the medication but this time he laid each dose out to show Lux what they were.

  “You did a very good job of explaining to me each medication you were taking. You must be very keen on knowing your pharmaceutical situation.” Zexich complimented.

  “I absolutely refuse to take medicine unless I know it is safe. I don't want to get poisoned.” Lux said seriously. He watched as Zexich showed him each medication and what dose he would be taking, making sure to explain the name of the pill, the milligrams of each, and a short description of what the pill would do to help him, then listing any common side effects. Lux looked over each pill thoroughly to make sure he approved of them. Once he had scrutinized each pill he gathered them up and swallowed them all with a large gulp of water.

  “Thank you Zexich. I realize it must be very taxing having to ease all of my concerns. I must put in a rather large amount of effort in protecting myself from things that probably seem irrelevant or ridiculous to anyone else.” Lux said now looking more at ease.

  “As a medical doctor it is my job to make sure my patients are well informed and satisfied with each aspect of the care I provide. I wouldn't be satisfied myself, if you did not fully approve of your medication. I take my job very seriously. Poisoning and overdosing on medication is a concern for any doctor who prescribes medication. I find that some people may not put enough effort into knowing their own pharmaceutical situation.” Zexich soothed. Lux was quiet now, very distracted from the conversation.

  “The doctors I saw in prison were not nearly as patient as you are. They made me feel like they were only tolerating me because they had no choice. As if treating a prisoner was an unwanted chore they must endure. They would be very impatient with the questions that I asked or the explanations I wanted, or rush me out the door and back to my prison cell as fast as possible.” Lux said unhappily.

  “What a terrible way to treat a human being, Lux. I apologize on behalf of doctors everywhere. That is certainly not an acceptable way to treat any patient no matter their status as a citizen.” Zexich said in a very apologetic voice.

  “Don't apologize. You have convinced me that not all doctors are assholes. That isn't an easy thing to convince me of.” Lux said solemnly. Just then there was a woosh and Sigil entered, approaching the hospital bed where Lux sat. He was immediately anxious as he saw Sigil coming towards him.

  “I will do you no harm. I know you are scared. I would only like to ask you a few questions. Beyond this I am only concerned about you and would like to help you in any way that I can.” Sigil spoke gently and offered a smile to try and put Lux at ease. It did not help very much. Sigil paused and observed Lux's fluctuating emotions. He shuffled between anxiety, fear, worry, apprehension, and distrust then he seemed to grow in curiosity.

  “What are your questions?” Lux said apprehensively.

  “Do you feel as if Lucius unfairly targeted you on purpose?” Sigil asked.

  “Yes.” Lux said firmly in irritation.

  “Do you feel like he was being threatening towards you on purpose?” Sigil asked.

  “Yes.” Lux answered.

  “Do you know that he was trying to force a hostile reaction from you?” Sigil asked.

  “Of course I know that.” Lux said angrily.

  “Then why did you engage him?” Sigil asked seriously.

  “Because I was angry, and I felt very threatened. While I was in prison I was often in this sort of situation, and if I did not act fast and take initiative then I would end up at a disadvantage and there was nobody around to moderate like there seems to be here. The guards would often look the other way, and the prisoners would often attack in groups, and I was always outnumbered because I had zero allies. I wasn't expecting for anyone to protect me or intervene in any way. I was only trying to protect myself.” Lux said seriously.

  “Do you have any knowledge of the details of the conflict Vezaias was involved in that took his life?” Sigil asked.

  “He only told me when the conflict would happen, which was accurate, and that it had something to do with Ava. He offered no other explanation.” Lux said seriously.

  “Do you have any idea why he did any of the things he did to cause this conflict?” Sigil asked.

  “Nah, he was always a very secretive person. If he did anything even remotely questionable then he would have had a well thought out motive for it. He was always very purposeful with his actions. He would never do anything out of pure unmotivated recklessness or without a great deal of planning and consideration, but he would always keep these finer details to himself until it was absolutely necessary to reveal them. I had no idea he was in the middle of a conflict when I found him and he did not let me in on any details that he was executing. If you cannot figure out why he did what he did then he most likely planned that you wouldn't be able to easily figure it out.” Lux explained. Sigil looked contemplative for a moment. “I'm not sure why you would ask me any of this, or why you would trust anything I say. I could easily be lying to you.” Lux highlighted.

  “I can tell when people are being truthful, as it is a part of my skill set. So far you seem to be very honest with your answers.” Sigil said mildly.

  “Oh, well how is this for honesty? Vezaias’s plan likely went exactly the way he wanted it to. If you feel like the outcome wasn't very satisfying, then most likely his plan has not been fully realized yet, and he would be the only one that knows what that plan was and what sort of outcome he planned.” Lux said seriously.

  “That's what Lucius is afraid of. We just do not have any proof that we failed to end his ambitions. How can you tell any of this if you do not have details?” Sigil asked seriously.

  “Because we used to get into a lot of situations together, and I know from experience that he was too clever for his own good. He would even lose with purpose. I watched him make a plan to get two of his enemies expelled from school and arrested, which he never explained to me. He executed it successfully by provoking a fight, getting his ass kicked and letting them win and steal all of his expensive stuff, then guilt tripping his father into GPS tracking the stuff and having them arrested and expelled from school. He also came to my house knowing that I was drugged, fully manic, armed and very dangerous, knowing that I would lose my shit and he would end up with a gun to his head, yet he still showed up knowing he would walk out of that house alive with exactly the outcome he wanted. He tried to tell me he wasn't sure if I would hurt him or not, but he lies with purpose too. He knew how dangerous and unstable I was, but he wanted to put me someplace where he knew I couldn't hurt anyone, and I would get some sort of help, even if it meant destroying our friendship in that exact moment. He told me before the police arrived, that he would give me one chance to find him after I got out of prison and try to kill him for snitching on me, and if I was unsuccessful then I had to give up on revenge and forgive him. I tried and I failed. I forgave him. His plan worked exactly the way he wanted it to. This is four years in the making. You have no idea who you were dealing with, and you may never fully understand what his plan was. You should just hope that he wasn't planning your Organization's downfall. Neither I nor Remington would be able to help you stop it.” Lux mused viciously. Sigil looked grave now. He then left quickly through a portal.