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[color=red]Trigger Warning:[/color] 
[color=gray]This post contains content about self harm and death. Including, but not limited to, suicide.
Stay safe.[/color] [/center]

[b]"[i]Shit[/i]."[/b] Aaron mumbled to himself. Some of his muttered whining was coherent English, French and Japanese, while some of his verbal assault, not so much more than pure frantic gibberish to anybody who didn't know coding, [b]"...Open parenthesis... dot hack... [i]mort [/i]intel. Hollow, Hallow. No. No no no- [i]no[/i] Closed bracket. Not them. Give me dragons. Give me explosions and burning buildings. The end of the fucking world. But not [i]them[/i]. Desu mort. [i]Shi[/i]."[/b] Who was he talking to? Himself. But there was no concern if the girls heard his frantic tone.

He'd been the one who turned on the submarine. The roar of the engine was a decent peace of mind, but the idea of leaving his brother behind? Knowing full well that the Hallow was in the facility? It just didn't sit well with him. And what about Ramses? He still needed to go figure out where the fuck his partner had wandered off to. The idea that Ramses' sudden attitude change was being caused by the Hallow, wasn't lost to him. He didn't know too much about Ramses past, beyond how he'd unwittingly met Nick at Karnak, but hoped he had way better coping skills than Nick did. His brother damn near jumped down a 620 foot elevator shaft the last time they'd dealt with the Hallow, completely mesmerized. Enamored with the idea of just [i]ending [/i]it all. And sure, Aaron would be the first to admit his big brother had behavioral problems that started after their parents died, but not like that- [i]Never like that[/i]. 

[b]"I can't. I- I [i]can't[/i]. I'd never be able to sleep again!"[/b] Aaron turned to the girls, 3 in particular, and knelt down to her eye level, [b]"I'm going to get you out, but I have to help Nick first. You understand, don't you?"[/b] His voice broken with worry, [b]"My brother didn't leave [i]you [/i]behind just like [i]I [/i]can't leave [i]him [/i]behind."[/b] He stood back up, looking to Star. His voice broken yet had an air of forced confidence, [b]"We'll [i]all [/i]get out."[/b]

He pushed on some more buttons, reinforcing the ready steadiness of the beastly safe haven. The engine was soothing, causing Aaron to sigh to himself again. Fully aware of the bullshit he was about to step into. He turned once more to Star, [b]"Everything's ready to go. The autopilot seems to be fully functional if you want to use that instead of inputting manual coordinates. This pressure gauge says there's enough air and fuel to get to the surface [i]and [/i]to land. I don't blame you if you leave without any of us. I don't know what you know about the Hallow, but I can tell you first hand that it's just not worth it."[/b]

Aaron walked over to where he'd left his hazmat suit and started pulling it back on. It needed to be put back on if he was headed back outside the sub again. He swore to himself, [b]"[i]Dammit[/i], Nick. The shit you get yourself into. Couldn't you just go back to being a mechanic again? [i]Jesus[/i]. How does Thierry even emotionally survive you?"[/b] A brother's true frustration was peaking through as he spoke.

[b]"So, the Hallow..."[/b] He started with a change of subject to explain to Star just in case she didn't already know, [b]"Is a humanoid shadow... or we [i]think [/i]they're a shadow... that feeds on human energy. Or... we [i]think [/i]they feed on human energy. Every museum, society and institution that knows about these damn things has a different theory. Bastards can't even agree on whether to call them Hallow or Hollow. I personally call them Hallow as they just seem... sacred to me. Nick on the other hand, calls them Hollow. For the exact [i]opposite [/i]reason. But I'm sure you already know where I stand with respect towards others verses Nick. Oh and I forgot to mention, [i]nobody [/i]knows how to [i]kill [/i]the damn things. But I can tell you that flashlights and fire [i]are your friend[/i]. Ya know, just in case you decide to be an idiot like I currently am." [/b]

He stood cautiously adjusting the suit the best he could. It was more oversized and bulky than he remembered from before, [b]"The hell man? I know I'm small for a guy and all, but does HiveMind only hire [i]ogres[/i] or something? Jeez."[/b] There was no more hesitation as he exited the sub. For self entertainment, he Naruto ran back to the facility once he didn't see Stella anywhere nearby. He wasn't keen on going back inside by any means, but getting this shit done and over with quicker, the better. Once inside, he quickly pulled the helmet and tent off. It was nice to breath properly and not forced air, but forced air was still longed for the deeper into the darkened facility he went. Ramses didn't seem to be anywhere and neither was Stella. He had his flashlight ready as he knew he'd need it.

He needed to... find Ramses, Stella, Thierry and save his stupid ass brother. [i]Again[/i]. Not necessarily in that order [i]and [/i]not die in the process. [i]Preferably[/i]. Check, check, and check. His checklist full of mental checks was interrupted by saving bright lights turning back on. [i]Good[/i]. That meant he could use his computer during his interpersonal war on idiocy. Aaron wasn't too bad at relying heavily on guns, but just guns wasn't his style... [i]that [/i]was his brother's style.

Getting his laptop out and back on was a breeze... if you considered damn near electrocuting your moist self as easy, of course. The laptop was waterproof, but the cord and socket he'd plugged into? Not so much. Regardless of the blue sparks, everything had been easy peasy. Everything right up until the light at the very end of the hall flickered off. He looked up, panicking enough for three people. Nobody had been in the hallway except himself. And then the second light at the far end of the hall flicked off as well. With laptop in hand, Aaron made his way deeper into the facility. He was currently playing a game of tag. Lights on verses lights off with The Hallow that were hiding around every darkened corner. He hadn't managed to get a full charge for his laptop and currently sat at only 62%. It was only a matter of time before he'd be plunged into complete and utter darkness, save for blinking emergency lighting and whatever battery life was left. Things didn't look good.

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[i][b]And then there's this bullshit.[/b][/i] Was Nick's initial reaction upon seeing Aurélie. He wasn't upset with the girl, of course, but with Von Galloes.

While he was a complete stranger to her, as he'd met Thierry [i]after [/i]the abduction, Nick knew exactly who she was upon first sight. He'd seen the many family photos hundreds of times. Photos that laced Thierry's office desk back at the Louvre as well as his study back at their old family estate. Even found himself jealous of them once or twice. Despite his occasional bickering with Theo, Nick always figured an absent father who loved you to be much better than a dead one or a stepfather who hated you. Every now and then the jealousy became so ripe that it reignited former ideologies. The kinds of thoughts that he frustrated his therapist with on a weekly basis, once upon a time. None of the headache inducing heartache seemed necessary at the time, but it certainly did now. Nick knew exactly where Thierry stood when it came to his children. How even after years had passed them by, Thierry had never once stopped looking for Aurélie or Cosette, despite dwindling Louvre involvement, save for Nick and a few other de Villiers loyalists.

Because at the end of the day, there's no point to this job... if there's [b][i]nothing [/i][/b]to come back to. Nick knew what needed to be done, what would be done, but wasn't so sure on where Thierry stood in regards to him. He stayed quiet as he eyed Thierry, who was still reeling with freshly dug emotions brought back up by the Hollow.

[b]"Papa… où étais-tu?”[/b]

In the midst of Thierry's panic attack and interrupting Aurélie, the speaker chimed in again. Nick shook his head at Vonny's long lecture. What? Did the man think Thierry was just going to run away? Not live up to his aspirations as a father to his children? To just lay down and die? And that's when he heard Sabrina's voice in Thierry's earpiece. Thierry's expression seemed to harden a bit. Not of anger, but with a certain level of dutiful dignity that he'd previously lost control of as whimpered breathing turned into uncontrolled sobbing. A mixture of utter terror for the situation at hand crossed haphazardly with pure joy at knowing one of his precious children was alive, even if unwell. A feeling of fatherhood that Nick knew nothing about, but wasn't against.

[b]"Je suis... Papa ...est là."[/b] The lights had come back on, which also helped the man snap himself back into place. Thierry turned on his heels to face Nick, [b]"Take this."[/b]

[b]"Thierry..."[/b] Nick raised an eyebrow as he questioned the father seriously, [b]"Why are you giving [i]me [/i][url=https://i.imgur.com/w5KBNNE.jpg]The Map of Thieves[/url]?"[/b]

[b]"Because the minute I started signing everything with that added [i]James[/i], was the minute that I trusted you [i]with my life[/i]."[/b] Thierry turned to Aurélie once again, stepping into the room, [b]"Sweetheart, [i]this [/i]is Nick. He's going to help get you home. Now give me the syringe."[/b]

Damn she was strong. It took both of them, Nick and Thierry tugging in opposite directions, before they could pry the needle out of Aurélie's grasp. Nick wasn't too thrilled with the idea of having the map, but he was okay with the idea of this girl not killing herself. You win some, you lose some? Or at least, that was where Nick's state of mind was, as fumbled around with the map. The map didn't exactly come with instructions and Thierry hadn't exactly told him how it worked.

[b]"...Well. I'm waiting, Monsieur..."[/b]

Thierry looked up from Aurélie. He was currently smothering her in a held position that Nick was very familiar with, like any morally good father would. It was a very comforting place to be, and honestly this was strange coming from someone who typically hated any human contact. The sensation towards the whole situation for Nick was odd. On one hand, he didn't want the map. The other? It was kind of... is this what parents feel like? Despite Aurélie being a few years older than Nick, he still felt heavily responsible for her.

Thierry Claude [i]James [/i]de Villiers. Thierry Claude de Villiers? James de Villiers. His husband's name kept repeating itself in Nick's head. He hated that figuring out how the map worked wasn't his brain's top priority, but refocusing was hard now that he was alone with Aurélie. The girl seemed to stumble a bit, so he held onto her so she could stand properly. As if shit couldn't get any worse...

A devastating thought hovered in Nick's mind just as the lights went out; [i][b]Cosette is Subject #003.[/b] [/i]

[hr]

[b]"You know, Mr. Galloes..."[/b] Mr. Cress started, not sipping from his glass, but swirling it regardless, [b]"I can only uphold my end of the bargain."[/b] The man smiled, setting the [i]probably [/i]tainted drink down, [b]"I can't stop other museums or ...[i]de Villiers' loyalists[/i], but surely you knew that." [/b]

The door on the far side of the room opened with a swoosh. An extra large drone had finally brought in Vonny's current favorite plaything, [b]"Ah! The man of the hour!"[/b] Cress chuckled, raising both arms happily at Thierry, [b]"Please, have a seat, Monsieur de Villiers. We've got plenty of business to discuss, don't we, Mr. Galloes."[/b] While Cress did a fantastic job at fooling the room with his happy poker face, his innards were numb. His cheerful tone of voice held back a sickness for his colleague, [i][b]I'm so sorry, Thierry[/b].[/i] It'd taken him 4 years to locate Aurélie and Cosette in the first place, and then another 3 to be able to finally have this damned meeting.

It was unfortunate that Thierry's marriage to Sabrina hadn't lived to see this moment. And while Cress was originally unsure of Thierry's romantic involvement with Mr. Bergman or his true intentions, the young man had proven himself to be a worthy ally indeed. Much of what they'd found out about the Hollow came directly through the Bergman brother's good efforts, pleasing both The Louvre and The Council, putting both boys in their good graces. It had taken several years of dedication to finally come to this point. This meeting. This place. 

Hopefully, should Cress not make it out alive, someone on the inside, be it The Council or The Louvre, they'd see the breadcrumbs he'd left behind. All the redacted information. The inconsistency with time slots. Meetings that never happened. All of it lead to HiveMind, should someone take the time to fully examine all of the information. It had pained Cress when various other top officials simply stopped caring to look for the de Villiers girls. This line of work had started growing cold over the years. As cold as the dirt they excavated. He never would have guessed it was Sabrina who'd figure it all out, but certainly not surprised as the mother was just as determined at finding these two girls as their father was.

He had been dragged to the control room by one of the many HiveMind drones. There was no shame as Thierry hadn't wiped the heavy stream from his face. There was no move to do so, however, he did adjust his suit jacket to sit down. And did so calmly, despite every inch of him wanting to finish the job with Galloes. The real man and not a hologram, [i]right there[/i] in front of him. As close as the other side of the room. The only thing that kept Thierry's temper in check? The thing that stopped an angry father's rage and kept the man prudent? Aurélie and Cosette. And if Aurélie was here, then so was little Cosette. [i]He could feel it.[/i]

There was hell to pay and Thierry was the calm before the storm.


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