28 comments/ 10118 views/ 18 favorites Titus Ch. 02 By: Dionysosk Hey. This is the 2nd instalment in the Titus Series. Your reading this is appreciated by the; me! Anyway, there'll be some explanations about various things in this Chapter. Thanks and enjoy. DionysosK. * Titus sat there, looking at Sarah. As surprising as her offer was, it didn't knock the wind out of him. He looked around to see if there was a place in the bar that was relatively empty. When he saw the area near the Job Board was, he stood up. "Sarah; let's go over to that corner of the bar. We can talk properly there." Sarah caught on immediately. Apparently, either his insane strength was something of a taboo, or the patrons of the bar didn't know about it to begin with. "Sure. Lead the way. Oh, and barman, I know this is a bar and everything, but would you mind making me some coffee? Of course I'll pay for it." "S-sure thing, coming right up. I'll bring it to your table when it's ready." "Thanks." And with that, she followed Titus to the table near the Job Board. She had been sitting near there to begin with, which is why nobody had been sitting in that vicinity." They got to the table, and sat down; Sarah 1st, then Titus. They sat in silence, waiting for the coffee Sarah ordered. When it arrived, Titus noticed how everyone was still quiet, and they weren't even hiding the fact that they were listening. "Here you go. Would you like anything else Miss?" "No thank you, not right now." "How about you Titus?" George said, looking at Titus with a look of concern. "Could I have a Russian sausage and some fries please George?" "OK, I'll only be a minute." George said, and walked away, leaving the two of them alone. Titus sighed, and placed his elbow on the table, with his arm bent upwards, resting his right cheek in his open palm and closing both eyes. "Before we start this conversation, why have you come back just for me? I'm just a small time, petty criminal who is considered nothing more than the lowest of the low; nothing special." This was his way of telling Sarah that nobody knew how strong he was, and that he wanted to keep it that way. He was telling her not to mention his strength in the slightest. She already suspected as much, but now he had confirmed her suspicions. However, that made it difficult to explain why she came back for him, as the reason why she came back for him was his strength. "If that's the case, then why did the 'Elite' die, and only you survive?" "That's a fucking good question." He said, opening one eye, and looking at her. "Those guys were extremely strong, and their abilities and powers were clearly levels apart from th—from ours; I just barely escaped with my life." "Well, that information is confidential; however I did come here with the intention of bringing back with me. Listen, that warehouse that you 5 went into, was—" They both looked around to notice that everyone who had been keeping their distance were now a lot closer. Close enough in fact, that Titus and Sarah could hear their breathing. This made Sarah give them all a look of distaste, and was about to stand up, but Titus did first. Everyone knew they had been caught, and suddenly stiffened up; not because of Titus, but because of Sarah. Titus made his way around to the bar to call George, but then he saw something that he should've noticed when he walked in. "No wonder she was able to come in here every day, and wait for me. No wonder it's quiet in here, and no wonder everyone started sweating when she looked at them; she conquered them, and ruled over them through fear." There was a massive hole in the wall, and it had been patched up, although the patchwork was crude, and badly done. "It's only temporary. She already paid me for the wall." George said, coming out from the back, having noticed Titus standing there. "Who'd she fuck up?" "I have no idea. Some new guy who thought—" "Who thought that he could get her alone in a private place?" "Yeah, how did you know?" "Hernandez tried and failed as well. Anyway, I'll need my meal to be packaged; I won't be eating it here." "Oh? You accept her offer already?" "I haven't accepted shit George; it's just a pain trying to talk with everyone trying to listen in on our conversation. Let me know when my package is ready, ok?" he said, and made his way back to his table. As he sat down, Sarah had forced the crowd back, without having said anything. Titus just sighed, and sat down, while rubbing his right cheek with his right hand, and leaning in across the table to get closer to Sarah. When she did the same, he almost whispered. "When George calls me, we'll be leaving this place. We both have shit to say to each other that can't be heard by other people, so we have to get away from those people." "Where are we going? I don't make it a habit of following guys from O.N to unknown places." "We're just heading to my apartment. The building is so shit, that only addicts and alcoholics live there so we won't have to worry about anyone important listening in on our conversation. That ok?" "Yeah that sounds fine actually." "Did you drive here? I'm still hungry, so walking back will be a major pain; I'm low on energy." "What? Did you think I walked here, or used public transport? Of course I drove. Anyway—" "Oh, George is signalling towards me; that means my food is ready. Let's go, so I can pay for the food, and you can pay for your coffee." Sarah nodded, and they both got up, and started heading towards the bar. All the men flinched when Sarah got up, and none of them wanted to risk it by making eye contact. As they reached the bar, they were both reaching for their wallets, when Sarah stopped him. "No, I've got this covered; this being your last meal here and all." 'Last meal? What the fuck is she talking about? But I won't stop her if she wants to pay.' "Here George, this is for both my coffee, and his meal. Thanks for letting me wait here." George just gave her his trademark smile, and nodded at her. He then nodded at Titus, but it was useless. Titus was just as disinterested in saying goodbye, as he was in saying hello. "Titus; if this happens to be our last meeting, then let's at least say bye to each other you bastard!"George huffed, clearly hurt by Titus seeming uncaring. "Why should I say goodbye to someone I'm going to see again?" Titus said, closing his eyes and running his fingers through his hair. He then grabbed his package with his free hand, and looked up at George, directly into his eyes, and smiled warmly. "I'll see you later George. Whether it's tomorrow, or in 10 years; I'll still be seeing you." And with that, he started walking away, and Sarah followed. "Did he at least use a smooth line before you fucked him up?" Titus said to Sarah, nodding his head towards the hole in the wall. "No, he just tried to grab my butt." "Ah, I see. Even Hernandez had more tact than that." And with that said, they both walked out of the Dragon. "Are you sure that's all you want to say to him?" "I could be seeing him tomorrow. I haven't said I'll accept your offer; it'll just be a pain trying to talk in there. So, where's your car?" Sarah led Titus to her car, and he directed her as she drove. During the drive, the area they were in progressively became worse and worse, and the awful fog that was in the air became thicker and thicker. Eventually they reached a building, and she parked the car. "Will my car be safe here? If it gets damaged or stolen, we won't have a ride into the city." "Yeah, it'll be fine, don't worry. Everyone can see it's from N.N, so they'll stay away. This car sticks out like a sore thumb, as it's still in immaculate condition. All the cars here, whether owned by rich or poor, have the same look. And stop talking as though I'm definitely coming with you. Now follow me." They stepped out of the car, and Sarah was struggling to breathe. It felt as though something tangible was trying to force its way into her lungs, and it stung like crazy, however, she didn't want to show even the slightest bit of weakness to this guy. 'No wonder he just sat there inhaling when we arrived in N.N last week; he's been breathing in this shit for who knows how long! "You're doing quite well. You're clearly struggling, but you aren't showing it. Anyway, let's hurry up. The fog is less thick in the building." And he walked into the building. He walked up to the lift, and pressed the button. It opened up, and he walked in. Before he could turn around, Sarah was already inside with him. "Which floor?" She asked, clearly out of breath, but doing her best not to show it. "5th." 'Shit, she's quite strong. It appears she's going to be persistent in trying to convince me to take the job.' The lift ride was made in silence, and they didn't speak a word until in front of his apartment. He stuck the key in the keyhole, unlocked it, and then opened the door. Sarah stood there with her mouth wide open, staring at the chaos in front of her. There were clothes on the floor, plates still covered with leftover sauce and bits of meat and vegetables and the like, not only in the sink, but on the counters, and tables as well. There were also tonnes of instant noodle cups and the like everywhere. Surprisingly it didn't smell, but Sarah just attributed this to the fact that the fog smelt worse. Titus just walked in, without a care in the world. "Shit, I forgot to switch the lights off—" "Forget the lights, don't you EVER clean up after yourself?! I mean seriously, LOOK AT THIS PLACE?!" "Look, cleaning this apartment is a pain, and those who live in this apartment don't complain about the living conditions, so why should you?" "'Those'? You mean you aren't living in here alone?!" "No; it's me, and about 4 rats; well, actually 3 rats now. One died in my fridge last week." Sarah just stared at him, unable to figure out if he was being serious or not. How could someone so strong, have such massive flaws, and she was sure these weren't the last of them. "Anyway, stop standing outside and come in. You can sit where I normally sit, it should be relatively clean." He said removing his jacket, and placing it on the stand. He then waded through the filth, avoiding everything on the floor with ease. She followed the path he took, and sat where he pointed." "Where are you going to sit Titus?" "Here." He pointed to a spot covered in instant noodle cups, before sweeping every single one off with a free arm, and placing his package on the now empty space. He walked over to the kitchen, and squirted a generous amount of soap onto his hands, before washing them thoroughly. After pulling a clean towel out of somewhere, he dried his hands, and made his way back to Sarah, before picking up the package, and sitting in the spot it vacated. "You're surprisingly concerned when it comes to personal hygiene." "Not really; it's just that getting some sort of illness is a real pain, as I have go a doctor, and the only clinic around her is a long way away." 'Really; HOW LAZY CAN SOMEONE BE?!' "Well, you start Sarah. You came here to find me, so you start. You obviously want me to tell you why I'm living like this, and that's, how did you put it again; confidential. You tell me your secrets, I tell you mine. If you don't mind though, I'll just go ahead and start eating, as I'm starving." Titus then opened up the package, and started eating the sausage. "Ok, well, here we go; I don't know how much you know about the world we currently live in, so I'll just tell you everything from the beginning. In this world, there are many countries, but only one continent. We all live on a giant continent, which means allies and enemies are all neighbours of each other. The country we live in is called Amenthium. It's a country, which is unusually barren and dry. Barely anything can grow in this country, which is why it was such a massive shock when it was discovered that Nexus was not only fertile, but rich in ore, minerals, and oil. A few of the rich people who lived in Amenthium immediately made moves, to start developing the city, and having it grow. They formed a council, and all had to agree on how to move forward. Once The Council had done so, they started with the real development. They did this in secrecy though, and by the time other rich people of Amenthium, and around the world picked up on their actions, New Nexus had already been built. It was also pure luck, that Nexus had loads of Titanium ore, which is the most resistant to the powers that many people have. Because of this, The Council had the giant wall erected. You may think the walls' only purpose is to keep you guys out of N.N; however, it's also there to keep everyone out of Nexus as a whole. The wall surrounds the entire city, both O.N and N.N. It took considerable effort to do this, however it was deemed as necessary, as Nexus is the jewel of our country, and many would try and seize control of it. As eff—hey! Are you even listening to me?!" Sarah said to Titus, whose eyes were not focussing on anything, as he chewed on his food, making a slight humming noise. It looked as though he couldn't have been less interested if he tried. "Yes, yes, I'm listening. This is my listening, as well as my concentration face. It got me in a lot of shit during my school days. Anyway, continue. As effective as..." He said, his face moulding back into its 'Listening and Concentration' mode. Sarah cleared her throat and continued. "As effective the wall is in keeping people out who try to enter with force, The Council recognised that people could be bought, and thus assembled an organisation of a few elite individuals; all blessed with some kind of power, to act from the shadows to keep N.N, and Nexus as a whole, safe. The reason why there is so little crime in N.N is not because of the police, but rather, because of this organisation, which moves to quickly move and exterminate any minor issues, before they become major. This organisation however was mainly formed, to ensure that if any threats were to enter Nexus that they are dealt with quickly, and quietly, without the rest of the occupants of the city ever getting involved." Sarah stood up, passion burning in her eyes. "They move above the law, but in the shadows. They protect those who can no longer protect themselves. They make the sacrifice, so that everyone else doesn't have to. They are; the Nexus Advanced Defence Squad, or N.A.D.S!" Sarah looked at Titus to see him looking back at her, with 3 fries sticking out of his mouth, raising an eyebrow. Titus was actually getting sucked in, when Sarah was spouting her propaganda, and as that final line was starting to burn that passion that every man has (no matter how lazy), she had to go and ruin it by telling him the name of the organization. "N.A.D.S? That's the name of this secret organization? You just said all that cool shit, and that's the name of the organization? Se—" "Please, spare me. I've heard every joke there is to be heard about the name of the organization. Anyway, as I was saying, this is the organization that I work for, and I'm hoping that you will agree to work with us, in keeping Nexus safe." Titus just stared at her, as he finished the last few fries, and dried his hands using a few serviettes. He then sighed, and spoke. "Okay, and that job that those 4 died doing, was that job for you, or for this secret organization of yours?" "It was for N.A.D.S, however I can't tell you anymore until you agree to join us. However, now that I've spilt my secrets, time for yours; who are you, why are you so strong, and why are you living here?" Sarah sat down, and looked at Titus, waiting for him to start talking. "Okay, fair enough. My name is Titus. Before I can explain why I'm strong, I have to ask; do you know about how we all got our powers? Well, those of us who have them anyway?" "Yes, I'm familiar with the legend explaining how we got them, but I don't believe it, it's too farfetched." "Well, it's not a legend. Thousands upon thousands of years ago, 5 Elemental Gods, who also happened to be brothers, were bored. They were Arrox, the God of Water, Dillas, the God of Fire, Trius, the God of Earth, Quixas, the God of Wind, and Zen, the God of Lightning. The brothers, who were looking for something to hold their attention, were happy when they discovered that there were intelligent beings living on Earth and took an interest in mankind. They saw how, despite being weak and fragile beings, we still fought to carve out an existence, and be happy. The hardships that they saw us endure for our families, and to keep them fed touched their hearts, and they decided that they would try, and help mankind in their endeavours, by making them stronger. They each descended on to Earth, carrying boxes. Each box contained an array of powers, varying in power and quality. They all opened their boxes, and watched as millions of jets of lights, flew around the world. For water they were blue, earth, brown, fire orange, wind translucent and lightning, gold. All of the brothers, with the exception of Zen, left their boxes open for a very long time, allowing a vast number of powers to go out. Zen on the other hand, quickly closed his box. He was the most powerful of the brothers, and decided that if too many flew out, then there would be too many over powered people. This is why Lightning users are so few in number, and usually strong. As you know, every element has its own characteristics, as well as its own spells that are unique to it, and the more powerful the elemental power inherited is, the higher level techniques you can use; so Earth Element users are better suited for support roles; as Earth has the hardening characteristic, and hardening spells. So when I told you last week that I could take up any position in the team, I meant it, as Lightning Element users have the power characteristic. Even if our defence spells and techniques aren't that great, our characteristic makes them more powerful." "Look, I already knew all that, but that didn't answer why YOU are so strong. I've met Lightning users before, but none as powerful as you, and who could use as many techniques as you did, in quick succession." "Well, I guess I just lucked out, and got a strong Lightning Element power." He said with a shrug. Sarah could tell he was lying, but didn't want to push. "Okay, you've answered 2 questions. What about the 3rd?" "Oh yeah, why am I living here huh? Well, that's because I don't have to live anywhere else. Here, I can live simply, work to earn enough to support myself, and that's that. When I run out of both food and money, I find another fast paying job, and do it. The weak live simple lives, and I was brought up on simplicity. I've never wanted more, because I've never had to have more." "But you're strong enough to rich, to be a Boss, or at least a Boss' right hand man, with cars, and a better place to live!" "Yeah I agree, but I already told you that I don't complain about where I stay. Being a right hand man means responsibilities and tasks and shit, and I just don't need any of that." "What about your family? Don't you want to earn more money, and move them into a nicer area or something? I mean, even if you go into crime, you can move to an upmarket area in O.N, and move your family there, and—" "I don't have any family; I'm an orphan. There's no one else I have to work for, so I just work enough so sustain myself; well, myself and the rats, but apparently, I've failed at that, seeing how one of them died last week. Anyway, I really appreciate your coming back for me, but I--" "Look Titus, I get what you're saying, but your lack of ambition is really not making anyone happy. Tonight is the last night I've been allowed to come here, and it really is do or die. If you didn't show up, I would've been fucked, because I really stuck my neck out for you. Just come to N.N, and—" Titus Ch. 02 "I didn't ask you to stick anything out for me Sarah. There's just no reason for me to go. I'm not unhappy here, so I see no issue." "Are you happy though? Are you happy with your current existence Titus?" He had no answer. He just looked at her, thinking about whether or not he was happy. "That kid has brilliance in his eyes Miss; it's just that no one can see it. Rather, he doesn't let anyone see it. He's intelligent, witty, and can think on his feet. He's way too good for this place, and isn't in the same category as the pond scum that lives here, and frequents this bar. I've known him since he was a kid, and he's always showed a shitload of potential. But for as much potential as he has, his lack of ambition is just as powerful, if not more so, and he's a lazy dick. I used to preach this to him every day, but he'd just shrug me off, and never changed. All I've ever wanted for Titus is to leave this place, and be happy. I haven't seen him smile a happy smile since I met him, and that isn't right. I didn't want this life for him, but then again, I'm not his father, and didn't have the right to tell him what to do. Look here Miss; please get him out of here. Even if he refuses the job, knock him the fuck out, bind his arms and legs, and DRAG him out of here. I genuinely care about him, and can't bear to watch him waste his life like this. I'm sure you know the statistics and the life expectancy these kids have; even if you don't, just look around this bar, and you won't see a face older than 30. I don't want that for Titus. Please; get him out." After Sarah finished saying this, she looked at Titus, who was just rooted to the spot, head down, and his hair hanging off his head, providing a screen that blocked his face from view. She saw two droplets fall from beyond the screen, onto the floor. "George...George said that?" "Yes, he did." With that being said, Titus walked past her, and disappeared into his room. She heard a lot of things being opened and closed, things being thrown about, and things breaking. After about 5 minutes, he emerged with a small bag, and walked up to her. "Sarah, I accept your job offer, if you're willing to have me. I can't let George down any more than I already have. I'm ready to go when you are." Sarah just smiled, and nodded at him. Inside though, she was doing back flips, and fist pumps, and break dancing. She REALLY stuck her neck out for him, as none of her superiors wanted to even consider hiring someone from O.N and having them accepted into their ranks, and Sarah had to put quite a bit on line for him to even get the slightest chance of joining. "I'm ready Titus. What about your apartment and everything else?" "Yeah, you're right. One second." Titus walked over to the fridge, and opened the door. Then, he turned around, and walked towards Sarah. "What did you do that for?" "Well, the rats lost one of their own when it tried to get a piece of cheese from my fridge, so this is my way of making it up to them. Now if you're ready, let's go." Sarah smiled at him again. 'Despite his massive flaws, he does have a few good points as well.' She thought to herself. "Yes, I'm ready. Let's go." And with that, they both walked out, and Titus locked the door to his apartment one last time. As they walked to the lift, Titus looked over at Sarah, who seemed to be more relieved than anything at his accepting her job offer, and wondered just how much she had stuck her neck out for him, and why. The lift ride was made in silence, and he noticed Sarah bracing herself, as she was about to head into that awful fog once again. She exhaled, and steeled herself. This made Titus respect her just a little bit, as she hadn't recovered from her 1st experience in the fog, yet didn't say a word about it. They got out the lift, and rushed to her car. The trip outside was gruelling for Sarah, but they got to her car, and got inside quickly. Once inside, she started the car, and set off. "Well now that I've agreed to join N.A.D.S, care to tell me about the job you had us do last week?" "I'm sorry Titus, but you agreeing with me hasn't automatically landed you the job. There's still one more thing you have to do." "What; you being serious? Fucking hell, what do I have to do?" "Well, normally there is a test that potential recruits have to go through. This test is usually held for those who will fill the administrative positions within N.A.D.S, and not the actual 'field agents' so to speak." "What exactly did you tell these guys about me Sarah?" "That you were extremely strong and talented, and that we had to move and hire you, before you were picked up by some crime lord or something." "So you told them that I'm strong, yet you I have to take a test that weak candidates have to go through?" "Um, yes, that's the current situation." "So how do you guys usually get the 'field agents'?" "Through scouting; we usually look for elite children, and have them trained. There aren't that many who can withstand the training and those that do usually become squad leaders, and have a small team assigned to them." "Is that how you joined N.A.D.S?" "Yeah, that's how I joined; or more accurately, how in was found, and then joined." "It makes sense then, why I have to do this shitty test. I'm from O.N, and I'm a criminal at that. If they had seen where and how I lived, I don't think they would have even allowed me to take the test." "Yeah, unfortunately, I have to agree with the last part; you are one filthy mother fucker." "Well that's really vulgar language now isn't it?" "Shut up Titus; you've been swearing since we started talking earlier tonight. Tell me though, why didn't you take all of the money after the job? I mean, everyone else was dead, and you could've just taken everything. Instead, you only took your share, with a slight pay cut. Why?" "Believe me, I thought about it. I seriously did, but something just didn't feel right about taking their money. I mean, Hernandez did say before you socked him in the face that he didn't need payment from you in the form of money, so I just took money from him. I didn't take the full amount, because I didn't complete the job, as one person was still alive. I know, it's weird for a criminal to have morals, but like I told you; I only work to make enough to sustain myself, and 9 grand was more than enough. Anyway, we're at the gate now. This is marks the end of my being a resident of O.N" "Does it make you feel sad? Or happy? Or anything?" "Nah; not really. O.N is just a place to me, just as N.N is. George is the only person who matters from O.N, and I already told him I'd see him again. However, I am excited to be breathing in some fresh air again, that shit was really cool." Titus said, as the car pulled up in front of the gate, and Sarah gave the guard her permit, causing him to signal towards the guard post. With a "KA-CHUNK!" the ground started vibrating, as the gate opened. Once open, the guard signalled that Sarah could drive on, which she did. After crossing the threshold into N.N, Titus opened the passenger window, and smiled while he inhaled a massive breath, smiling at once again being able to breathe fresh air. "Thanks Sarah. Although not much in my life is particularly great, being able to breathe this shit into my lungs, is fucking fantastic." Looking at Titus, Sarah felt as though all the effort she put into securing guy a shot was worth it. Sure, she didn't know him from a bar of soap, but what George said to her in the bar really touched her. She hadn't expected to see genuine love in that place, but it was obvious that George loved Titus, as Titus himself loved George. "You're welcome Titus. And it appears we made it in time. It's just before midnight, which means we met the deadline. Now we have to drive to HQ, and get you ready for the test." "Wait a minute, what time does this thing start?" "At around 6 am. HQ is 3 hours from here, and then we have to get you inside, and have you registered. Once that is done, you should as much sleep as you can before the test starts; although this test is for admin positions, they don't really give you any 'admin-like' things to do In fact, it'd be great if you just got some sleep now as well as it's all combat and stealth, testing your skills, because at the end of the day, if a large enough threat does breach the gates, all of our members need to mobilize and fight. We don't have enough members who are strong enough to do field work. Our numbers aren't dismal, but they aren't that great either." "Okay, but I don't really need to sleep just yet. If you want me to perform at my optimum, get me something to eat. I work on energy, not rest." Sarah looked at him with a smile. "What's the point of you storing up energy, if you rarely use it?" "Shut up. It's a pain running out energy when you're using it, so it's better to make sure that there is always something to tap into." "I guess I have to agree with that." Sarah said laughing. 'That's actually quite a nice sounding laugh; not rough and crude like I'm used to. It's really nice. I want to hear it more often.' After the 3 hour journey to HQ was almost over, and they had gotten Titus a meal, he looked over at Sarah, who was starting to feel quite anxious. "Well, I have a question for you; just how far have you put yourself out for me? What did you have to offer in order for me to get this chance?" "Don't worry about that now ok? Just focus on preparing yourself for the test; even though you're really strong, it'll still be difficult if you let your guard down." Titus just dropped it, and nodded, before looking out the window of the car. He noticed that they were now in what looked to be some sort of industrial park, filled with trees, wonderfully maintained grass, and expensive buildings and cars. They then pulled into a building that looked like a warehouse, and parked. "Ok Titus, follow me and let's go. People will be expecting us, and will also know who you are, and where you come from, so expect some hostility and looks of disgust, okay?" "Okay, no problem. Let's go." They got out of the car, and walked towards the door. Once they entered, there were 2 men in suits, wearing dark shades. One of them looked at Sarah. "Morning Captain. I assume this is it; the thing from O.N that you convinced the higher ups to allow to take the test?" He said, giving Titus a look of utter disgust. When he noticed that Titus didn't react in the slightest, this pissed him off. He stood directly in front of Titus, and looked down on him, both literally and figuratively, as Titus wasn't the tallest of men. The guard tried intimidating Titus, but Titus didn't even acknowledge the big man standing in front of him. "Sarah, didn't you say we have some sort of time limit? Let's go inside before we miss it." "SARAH?! YOU WILL ADDRESS THE CAPTAIN PROPERLY LOW LIFE SCUM!!!" "Come on guys, just let us through. I'm really tired, and have been driving all night." "But Captain..." the 2nd guard said "We just don't understand why you're going so far, just for this piece of—"the 1st continued before being interrupted "Enough! Let us through." "Yes Captain." He said, voice filled with hate as he moved out of Titus' way. They walked through the door, into a smaller room, that was plain white with a lift at the back wall. Sarah then placed her right hand on a pad next to the lift, as a red line went up and down the length of her hand, making a scanning sound. "Ooooh, that's some high tech shit there Sarah." This made her giggle a bit. 'Even her giggle is nice, and so is that hand.' The scan was completed with a beeping sound, and the doors to the lift parted, as the hydraulics made their trademark sound. They both walked in, and the lift went down. "We're headed underground?" "Well this isn't exactly a skyscraper now is it Titus?" "Shut up. Boy, it must've been hard work building this base; fuck, am I glad that construction isn't my occupation." Sarah just sighed, and wondered if he'd actually be able to pass this test. When the lift doors opened, and they both walked out, almost everyone stopped what they were doing. It appeared that they had entered some kind of lobby, and were heading towards a reception area of sorts. Every single look Titus was getting was filled with disdain and disapproval. He could even hear people whispering as he and Sarah walked past. They were saying some pretty derogatory shit about him, but he couldn't care less. He was there for George and Sarah, and other opinions didn't interest him in the slightest. As they approached the reception area, Titus noticed that Sarah gad gotten more and more tense. She really was putting something important on the line for him here, but he knew she wasn't about to tell him. They reached a desk, and a very serious looking woman was sitting behind it. "So this is him?" She asked, in an uncaring voice. "Yeah it is. Just give me a second to talk to him ok?" "Fine, but don't take too long." She pulled Titus to the side, and looked him in the eyes. He had to look up slightly, as he was shorter than her. "Okay, this is where you and I part ways. They'll be injecting you with some kind of drug that knocks you out for a bit, and they'll conduct some tests to see if you're healthy or not. After that, they'll dump you in a room with all the other people. I'm not sure whether or not they know where you're from, but that doesn't matter, as most of them will be resting anyway. If you need to, get some rest, otherwise, prepare yourself. They usually have a group, then individual tests. And one more thing; they will be gunning for your lives. People do die during the test, and all of them have signed an indemnity form because of it. I didn't bring one with me, so—" "Sarah; even though I'm just some guy from O.N, you've put something pretty important on the line for, and although I don't know what it is, I take it everyone else does, otherwise, they wouldn't be hating me this much. Whatever it is you're risking, it's not going anywhere. Don't worry; not only am I going to pass the test, I'm also going to dominate it, and make sure that nobody taking the group test with me dies." And with that, he turned around and walked over to the receptionist. "I'm ready for the drug. Where do we get injected?" "Through there, but 1st I'm going to ask you a series of questions... Titus found himself waking up in a strange room that was dark. He couldn't see shit, but could hear about 9 people breathing in the room. "Fuck. I said all that cool shit to Sarah, but it's going to be a pain just taking this test, but now I'm responsible for the lives of 9 other people as well? Fucking hell, that's what I get for trying to be manly. But this woman is risking some important shit for me, so putting in a little effort is the least I can do." Just then, he heard some of the people wake up, and after a while, started talking. "Have any of you heard? We'll be taking this test with someone from O.N. Apparently some Captain told them that if he fails the test, then—" "Attention all candidates, the test is about to begin. Remember that you guys are considered the elite amongst your peers, and that is why you are taking this test. Even if you should be killed, you will die as one of the elite. With that being said, best of luck to you, and do your best." "Pssh, that's just bullshit to make these guys feel important. Sure, they're stronger than those who died alongside me last week, but they're still all weaklings. It's going to be a fucking hassle keeping them alive.' All of a sudden, he sensed 10 people enter the room, and could feel that these people meant to kill. "Listen you useless idiots, 10 people have just come in to kill us all! Pay attention, and don't do anything stupid! We can't see them, but they can see us. They'll probably try to kill us in one shot, so try to notice where they are before they attack!" "What? Who are you? What are you talking about? No one has come in..." 'SHIT! USELESS WEAKLINGS!' "Lightning; Reflexes!" The golden glow surrounded Titus' body, with the streaks snaking off his arms and legs. This didn't do much for visibility; however they could all see his outline. That however, was only for a second, as he ran towards them. He caught guy, who was driving a flame enhanced blade straight towards the back of one of the candidates, and gripped him by the wrist twisting his arm behind his back, and holding it there. He then chopped the joint, popping his elbow out of its socket, before doing the same to his shoulder, leaving him to fall to floor, screaming in pain. "Pay attention! There are still 9 more people in here, who are gunning to kill you!" He then noticed two of these people coming up behind him. He elbowed the 1 to his right in the gut, and gripped the back of his head from over his shoulder, throwing him over his shoulder, and slamming him into the ground, before going down on one knee and driving a fist deep into his gut, causing mini streaks of lightning to spark from his fist, causing the room to light up a bit. With the second guy, he spun around, still on one knee, placing both hands gently on his stomach. "Lightning; Surge!" The room lit up properly this time, and the golden lightning streaks danced around the guys torso, and he screamed in agony, before passing out on the floor. Titus then stood up, with his eyes closed, and listened for the remaining 7. When he heard 2 of them, standing next to each other, about to attack one unsuspecting candidate, he rushed off in that direction, and upon getting in front of them, pushed off his right foot, bending his left, his heel almost touching his ass, spinning around, he brought his leg high, and swung it down in an almost looping motion, catching the 1st guy on the cheek, hearing a crack. As his right foot touched the ground, he pushed off of it again, repeating the motion and catching the 2nd guy on the cheek, hearing it crack as well. This double spin kick was completed in the blink of an eye, and he landed gracefully on his right foot, left still bent, resting his left foot on his right thigh. Four of the more competent candidates had taken advantage of the light Titus was giving off, and had taken care of the guys who were left. Once they were all taken care of, the voice that spoke earlier, spoke again. "Erm, well done to all of you; you all showed great skill and ability in not only avoiding being killed, but also incapacitating your foes. Well done. That ends the group Test. Now for the Stealth test. You will each go through a door, into a room, in which there will be 5 men. Get through the room without being noticed, or knock them all out to pass. Good luck to you!" 'Shit, more moving around in the dark? Maybe I'll just speed through.' With that, a door opened in front of him, as well as 9 other doors. He realised that a few people were going to die in those rooms. He walked into his, and the door closed and locked itself behind him. Lightning Reflexes was still active, and was at risk of giving his location away. "Lightning; Speed!" He activated Lightning Speed with Lightning Reflexes still active, and set out to accomplish his task. He was running when he sensed his 1st target to the left. In an instant, he had chopped that guy on the back of the neck, knocking him out. He did this with the remaining 4 as well, and knocked all of them out in less than a minute; the fastest anyone had ever completed the Stealth test. The door on front of him then opened, and he deactivated both techniques, before walking through the door into an empty room. There he sat down on the floor, and waited for the guy to start speaking on the microphone again. After about 10 minutes, the man spoke again. Titus Ch. 02 "Well done to those of you who got through the Stealth test. You all did well, and only one more test stands between you, and your admission into N.A.D.S; the Singles Combat test. We will be pitting you up against one of our combat masters, and you will have to survive a 30 minute battle with them. You don't have to win, just survive. If you do that, you will become a member of our organization. Do your best, and good luck!" 'Just have to survive huh? I'm going to beat this guy, and beat him quickly. Fuck, I'm going to have to do nothing for a WEEK to recover after all this shit' Just then, the door opened, and a huge man walked in. This man was just a hulking mass of ripped muscles, and hairless flesh. He looked like a body builder. "Okay tough guy, let's go" Titus said, striking a battle stance "You're that piece of trash that came from O.N aren't you? Somehow you've been doing ridiculously well, but that won't las—MMMMMPFFF!!!" Titus caught him with kick to the mouth. As his feet touched the ground, he gave him two punches to the gut, causing him to double over, both arms wrapped around his stomach, almost puking. Titus then spread his arm wide, and brought them together, chopping the tops of his arms simultaneously. He heard both arms break, and the man in front of him screamed in agony, as his forearms flopped down from his stomach. He then bent his arm, and cocked it back, still bent, and quickly gave the man a short uppercut right on the chin, and he heard it break, and felt it shatter, before bringing that same arm around, delivering a right hook to his jaw, again hearing it break, as the man fell onto the floor, having completely lost consciousness. Titus then stood to his full height, and tilted his head up to the left, looking towards black windows. He then stretched his left arm up, pointing it an angle towards the windows, with his hand open. He then clenched his fist in triumph, looking directly at the windows, knowing that Sarah was behind them, looking back at him. He had completely dominated this test, repaying the faith Sarah had in him, and also ensuring that she doesn't lose a thing because of him. All of a sudden, the door in front of him opened, and a man dressed in a suit entered. He walked up to Titus, looking at him with cold eyes. "You; who and what are you, and why haven't we heard about you before?" Titus didn't give him an answer. He just looked back at the man who was looking at him. He didn't feel like answering, and this man knew he couldn't force him to. "Do you know what Sarah put on the line just for you? It was her job. She told us how if you performed less than satisfactory in any of the tests, she would not only step down as a Captain, but also leave N.A.D.S. This organization has been her life since she was born, but she was willing to put that on the line, just to give you a shot." "And? Does Sarah have to start looking for new employment?" He asked, not really looking like he cared, but he really did. "No, no she doesn't..." the man replied, as he turned around, and started to leave the room. Titus was genuinely happy about that. "I'll only accept Sarah as my captain. I refuse to follow anybody else, other than her." "Very well." he said, and the man left the room. The voice from before suddenly started speaking again "Congratulations to those of you who survived! Please walk out of the door in front of you, so you can receive your rewards and hear about N.A.D.S." Titus then walked out of the room, and just as he did, hordes of paramedics rushed past him, going to the rooms he just vacated. He then looked in front of himself, and saw a man in his 50s, with grey hair and a moustache. He also noticed Sarah standing behind him to his right. Titus walked until he was standing next to 2 other people who passed. They were battered and bloody, and one appeared to have a broken arm. They looked at Titus who was clean and hadn't broken a sweat, and couldn't believe it. The man in front of them then started speaking. "Congratulations to you 3. You are the newest members of N.A.D.S. We at N.A.D.S have dedicated our lives to...." Titus looked over to Sarah, who was looking at him with a smile and a look of pride on her face. She then mouthed the words 'Well done!' to which he just nodded, with a slight smile. He then turned his attention back to the man who was talking, and the instant he did, his look of 'Listening and Concentration' immediately plastered itself on his face, causing the look of pride to disappear from Sarahs' face, and was replaced by a wince, and a very audible groan... * So guys, this is Chapter 2 in the Titus series. What did you think? Lemme know in the comments section, or via feedback. I really do appreciate you guys. Peace. DionysosK.