John dropped into a fighting stance. "I'll stop you both from harming anyone else ever again."
Knox did the same, fists raised and ready. Only Nixon remained relaxed
.
Before the two could clash, Nixon stepped forward and stopped Knox. "No. Don't do it."
Knox looked at him in confusion. "Why?!" Knox asked aggressively.
"We're being treated like puppets, Knox. And I hate that. It makes me — it makes us — feel small. It reduces us from humans to mere toys," Nixon said.
"Do you want to be treated like that?" Nixon asked, looking directly at Knox.
Knox exhaled sharply, clenching his jaw. "No."
Nixon raised his hands. "We'll leave her alone, okay?"
John lowered his fists. "Okay…"
The three of them walked back toward HEX through separate tunnels. Yet John still wasn't sure whether Nixon had meant what he said.
"I thought you said we were going to kill her together?" Knox asked once they were alone.
"We are," Nixon replied.
Knox's eyes widened. "Was that a bluff?" he asked, grinning.
"No. Now's simply not the time, Knox. John probably didn't want to fight either," Nixon explained.
Knox exhaled. "What exactly do you hope to achieve, Nixon?"
Nixon stayed silent for a few seconds. "To become king. To replace Sovereign and take his position."
Knox hadn't expected that answer. "Why so sudden? You've never felt that way before. Every time I asked, you always said the same thing — 'I don't know.' Why now?"
"That moment made me realize who we really are, Knox. We truly are nothing but puppets. Puppets of amusement in Sovereign's eyes," Nixon said.
"Do you know what that means?" Nixon asked.
"Tell me."
"It means the entire purpose of our lives is to serve as living decorations for Sovereign's entertainment," Nixon explained.
"That's… very dehumanizing."
"And dehumanizing is exactly what it is," Nixon replied immediately.
"The more I think about it, the more I understand what you mean," Knox admitted.
He glanced at Nixon. "But if you truly want to achieve that… you do realize you'll have to kill Sovereign, right?"
Nixon sighed. "Yes. It seems impossible, and it probably is. But killing isn't always the path to winning, Knox. There are many paths."
"Whatever it is, I'll help you. Me and you — the two kings," Knox said.
Nixon chuckled. "Yes. The two kings."
---
"Hey, Ashley," Sovereign called out.
Ashley hurried to his side. "Yes, sir?"
"Is John back?" he asked.
"Not yet, sir. But I will inform you the moment he arrives," she replied.
Sovereign exhaled sharply. "What?"
Ashley didn't know what to say. She simply gulped.
"I didn't hear you. I'm asking you to repeat what you fucking said," Sovereign demanded, rubbing his forehead.
"Apologies, sir," Ashley said, clearing her throat. "What I said was that John has not arrived yet, but I will inform you the moment he does."
"Again."
Ashley cleared her throat once more. "John hasn't arrived yet, but I will inform you when he does."
"Again."
Ashley grew more frightened. She didn't know if she was doing something wrong — was she?!
She exhaled shakily. "John has not been seen anywhere around HEX HQ, inside or outside, sir. But I will immediately inform you if he is spotted near HEX."
"Again."
Her breathing became rapid. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. "I will inform you the moment John is spotted around HEX. Everything he does, I will inform you, sir."
"Again."
Ashley inhaled sharply, as if she had been choked. "I'm sorry, sir. Am I doing something wrong?"
"Yes, you are. I'll give you one more chance. Again," Sovereign said, narrowing his eyes at her while she avoided his gaze.
She exhaled deeply. "John hasn't arri—"
"Do you value your life, Ashley?" Sovereign cut her off.
Silence.
Ashley said nothing. She simply nodded slowly.
"Will you just talk to me like a normal person would?" Sovereign asked.
"Talk to me like you talk to one of your relatives, will you?"
"Will do, sir," she said.
"Go on, then."
She inhaled sharply, then exhaled. After gulping and clearing her throat, she spoke. "John hasn't arrived yet, but I will inform you as soon as he does."
Sovereign didn't react. He simply sat back down in his chair and continued staring at the skyline, waiting for John's return.
"It's always that same strong and irritating smell…" Sovereign muttered.
Ashley didn't understand what he meant. She stayed silent to avoid any further danger. Then her device pinged.
She glanced at Sovereign, who wasn't even acknowledging her. "Sir, John has returned to HEX HQ."
---
John walked through the halls calm and composed, careful not to raise any suspicion. He entered the elevator, reached the floor where his room was located, and slowly made his way there. Just as he thought everything was fine, he received a direct summons to Sovereign's office.
"Shit."
---
"Sir?"
Sovereign spun his chair around. "Welcome back, John. How did it go?"
John looked nervous. He felt as if Sovereign already knew what he had done.
"Not good, sir. She wasn't at the place she usually is," John answered in a shaky tone.
"Not at the place she's usually at?" Sovereign leaned forward. "How many times have you met with them?"
"Did you know them before the day you left the empire?" Sovereign pressed.
"No, sir." John looked up, meeting Sovereign's gaze. "I simply have an excellent memory."
Sovereign chuckled and leaned back. "Is that so?"
"Well, do you recall the time when you mercilessly killed those five staff members?" Sovereign asked with a faint smile.
John looked confused. "I've never done that, sir."
"Oh, but I thought you said you had an excellent memory," Sovereign replied.
"I do, sir. But you made that up. That never happened," John said confidently.
"Are you wearing a mask… or are you not?" Sovereign asked after a long beat of silence.
"I'm sorry, sir. I don't understand what you mean by that," John said.
"I'm sorry, John. I think you know exactly what I mean. You're a clever man, after all, aren't you?" Sovereign said with a smug look.
John's expression hardened. "No, sir. I'm not wearing a mask. This is who I am."
"And who are you?" Sovereign asked.
"John Harper. The man who wants to destroy everything," he answered boldly.
Sovereign chuckled lightly and clapped his hands twice, slowly. "The Unmaker."