TSS 3: Knight's Son Ch. 02

I stepped through the indicated doorway. Two loud pops sounded in stereo around me, and pain lanced down both arms. I jumped back or tried to. My guide stopped me and shoved me further into the room.

"Go through that door, and have a seat," he told me, pointing to another doorway. "Your first briefing will be in a moment."

I looked around, ready for another attack, and saw two men in white lab coats. One pulled a vial out from some kind of contraption, while the other slipped a vial into his. I didn't recognize what they held, but it looked like a cross between a staple gun and a pistol. I pulled up my sleeves, and other than a slight red mark, both arms looked fine.

"What did you—" I started to ask, but the big guy scowled and pointed to the other room.

Returning his look with one of my own, I rubbed my arms and walked to where I was told. Apparently, I was losing my freedom a little sooner than I expected.

The other room held another surprise, though this one was not as violent. About eight other young men sat in evenly lined chairs facing one wall. No one spoke, and they all eyed me as though I was a minotaur. I was by far the largest in the room, but none of them looked out of shape.

One chair sat empty next to a redheaded guy with more freckles on his face than normal skin.

"You're pretty big," the other man said. "You must play football."

Looking back now as I write this, I realize he was trying to be friendly, but after the morning I'd had, I was in a sour mood.

"And you look like one giant freckle. You must play a lot of Connect-the-Dots. I should introduce you to this thing called sunscreen." I tried to look around the room as I gave my off-hand reply, but his laughter caught me off guard. It seemed so out of place in the severe atmosphere.

"My name is Alfred, but you can call me Al." I looked at him, and it took me a moment to realize he was holding his hand out to me. As I took it, he continued talking in an easy-going manner. "If you think my face is bad, remind me not to take off my shirt. I once won a contest to see who had the worst sunburn... I wasn't burned."

"Bobby," I gave my name as he let go of my hand.

"Everyone around here is so solemn," Al went on in an upbeat, though quiet voice. "You'd almost think someone died... Too soon? Sorry. I don't handle serious situations very well."

"Yeah," was all I could say. Either this guy was a sociopath or had a few screws loose. Either way, I understood why the chair next to him was empty.

"Don't get me wrong," Al continued, unable to read my unease, "I'm sad that my father died. He was a good man. I didn't get to see him much. What I do remember of him are good memories. I've been looking forward to becoming a Knight for a long time. I wish it were under better circumstances, but I'm ready to do my duty to protect humanity."

My mind raced as I tried to follow him. He had a good relationship with his father? I admit I was jealous. By the sounds of it, he knew what his father did, and today wasn't as much of a surprise to him. What would it be like to have a healthy relationship with a father?

I know I haven't said much about my father, in part because I'd rather not think about him. He rarely came around. I could count the number of times he visited without having to take off my shoes, every time etched into my memory. He'd belittle mom and me, verbally abusing both of us, and physically abused my mom. When he came by smelling of alcohol, it was worse. But the thing that always made me feel like the dirtiest piece of trash was how mom would sing his praises and beg him to stay longer. She loved him, and any time I spoke out against him, I ended up in trouble.

I don't want to give the wrong impression of my mother here. She never abused me, never hit me when I didn't deserve it and raised me with all the love I could ever want from her. Some of the physical abuse she received while protecting me. I never doubted her love—only her devotion to my asshole father.

"For the third and last time, where is Mr. Brody?" A deep voice broke into my thoughts, and I looked up to see a new man standing in the doorway to yet another room. Dressed in—of all things—a long white robe, he carried an air like an ancient wizard. He reminded me of the LARPers from last night. Though he only had a short-cropped goatee, his eyebrows were bushy enough for the job.

I stood and raised my hand, saying, "Here."

The man eyed me for a long moment, his lips turning deeper into a scowl. "Are you slow or stupid? Never mind, don't answer that. After yesterday, we need all the bodies we can get. Follow me and don't dawdle." His voice took on a patronizing cadence as he added, "Dawdle means to waste time or be slow. There, I taught you something. Come along."

"I'm not stupid," I snapped as I fell in behind him. "Just trying to wrap my head around everything. Until yesterday, something this grandiose and superfluous would have been unimaginable. To think such a storied and clandestine group as the Holy Order of Paladonic Knights would be so inconspicuous as to operate under the esteemed law offices of—"

"All right, kid," the man scowled over his shoulder. "No need to get snarky. There was a discrepancy in your bloodwork we need to talk about before you swear in."

"My blood work?" I asked, assuming that was the vial the one guy took from that contraption. That was fast. "What's wrong with my blood?"

"Have a seat, and we'll talk about it," the man said. I looked, and a metal chair moved back from a thin, matching gray table.

"I promise that I'm healthy," I said as I moved to the chair. I couldn't see any wheels on it and wondered if they used magnets to make it move or if this guy used magic. The hard surface of the chair was uncomfortable as it creaked under my weight. I tried to adjust to get comfortable while my mind raced over what was wrong with my blood.

"I'll just get right to it," the man said, standing near a glass mirror. I had no doubt it was a two-way mirror, and for the second time today, I felt like I was being interrogated. "Have you come into contact with one of those monsters? The Lydonese?"

I stared at him, confused about the switch of subject. What does this have to do with my blood? I wondered. It took a moment to find my voice. "I... No? I mean, I guess I had contact with That one guy's son—Sheldon Lance, I think—a few months ago. But otherwise, no."

"A few months?" he asked. "And you survived an encounter with that monster? I'm impressed. Lyden Snow may act like he wants peace, but his children are some of the most dangerous creatures we know about. Even so, your blood wouldn't show traces of contamination from that unless he laid a massive curse on you?"

I thought about my so-called blurse but shook my head. Even if I believed in that, why would that woman-stealing bastard do something like that?

"I doubt it," I told the man. "How is my blood contaminated?"

The man's very bushy eyebrows drew down as he regarded me. "Are you trying to protect someone? It's better if you come clean now and don't try to hide who it is."

My head shook as I tried to figure out who he might be talking about. My mind flashed to Charlotte and the wild sex from last night but dismissed her. she was undoubtedly human, as I intimately discovered. I don't know a lot about shapeshifters, and I had to admit that maybe she was one, but deep down, I doubted it. What about the LARPers? The thought crossed my mind. I went onto the dance floor around them. What if one or more of them weren't in a costume?

"Um... Maybe?" I struggled to gather my thoughts and figure out how I was going to explain this. "I was at that tavern last night. The fantasy-themed one that plays country music? Dragon's Den. Anyway, there were a bunch of people in costumes, pretending to be wizards, orcs, elves, and other stupid stuff. They're called LARPers."

"I know what LARPers are," the older Knight said, cutting me off. "Were you around them a lot?"

"A lot? Not really. I mean, I went onto the dance floor, and they were there also."

"Maybe..." He rubbed his chin in thought before piercing me again with his dark eyes. "Were you there with anyone else? Some creatures can feed on you or manipulate your emotions from nearby, but let's rule everything out."

"I was there with some friends," I was already shaking my head. It had to be a LARPer. That was the only thing that made sense. "I've known most of them for some time. They're human."

"Most of them?" he pounced on my words.

"Well, Adam was kind of new. It was his birthday, and we were out celebrating him turning twenty-one." I tried to think of what I knew of him and had to admit it wasn't much. "You don't think it could be him, do you?"

"Possibly." I couldn't read him well enough to know if he thought we were on track or way off base. "If he were an incubus, going to a bar on a Wednesday night, with all those emotions, would act as a nice meal. Unless he bit you, I doubt he's a werewolf or vampire. Have you seen him under a full moon or in the sunlight?"

"I-I don't know," I hedged. "I don't pay a lot of attention to the phases of the moon, but I'm pretty sure I've seen him outside during the day."

"Well, that eliminates a few other cryptids." He regarded me for a long moment before continuing. "How much do you know about this 'Adam' person?"

The way he worded that let me know that this guy thought Adam wasn't human. "Not a whole lot." I admitted before adding, "I've never seen him do anything that made me think he's a freak."

"Monsters are well versed at hiding what they are," the old Knight growled. "Look at the bastard, Lyden Snow. Sure, he may look human, but he's been seducing governments to hand humanity over as food for his friends for over two decades."

I opened my mouth to respond but couldn't think of what to say. I hadn't heard anything near that and wondered where he got his intel. Not that I felt it was untrue, but I liked a little more substance than hearsay when forming my opinions.

"I see you're not up-to-date with the latest news," he told me, reading my facial expressions. "Our President admitted last night in front of Congress that she's been having an affair with Lyden's son, that shapeshifter. What was his name?"

"Sheldon," the name escaped my lips before I could think better of it. Why does he keep showing up? I wondered. He stole my girlfriend and was even sleeping with President Louise? I'll bet Megan is regretting that decision now! Except, I'd watched her die last night...I buried my emotions on that before this guy noticed.

"Heh, yeah, that's right. Sheldon Lance," the Knight grunted. "Bastard Snow didn't even have the decency to marry the kid's mother."

I managed to keep my jaw clenched instead of responding this time. I couldn't trust anything that might come out.

"Was there something else you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked, wanting to change the subject. What do I care about politics or who the president allows between her legs? Megan is dead after chasing after that creature. She would still be alive if Sheldon hadn't shown up at the club that night. She—

"Watch your tone, kid. You're not a Knight yet, and even if you were, you'd be the lowest of the low." The man paused, his eyes digging holes into my soul. "Is there anyone else that you may have come into contact with that would be a cryptid?"

I thought hard, dismissing my friends one by one. The only other person would have been Charlotte, but my gut told me she was human even if she was inhumanly great in the sack.

I shook my head again, and he slammed his hands down on the table. "Anyone? Anyone at all?"

"Why don't you tell me how many times you want me to say I don't know," I snapped, losing my patience. "Then I'll add one more so you understand that I have no idea who it could be."

The Knight's voice dropped an octave as he growled, "Some people may think you're funny, but now is not the time to test me."

I nodded, doing my best not to grind my teeth. I needed to remember that this wasn't a place to relax and let my guard down. The Paladonic Knights were labeled terrorists for a reason. "I'm sorry. My dad died, I just found out he was a Paladonic Knight, and then you tell me that I recently came into contact with a monster. I'm trying to process it all."

I felt the old man's eyes boring into me as I stared at the table. Hopefully, he took that as grief with my father's death.

The silence dragged on for another moment before I heard him open the door. I hadn't even heard him move. My head snapped up at the unexpected noise, and I saw him still looking hard at me.

"You've got a choice before you, kid," the man's voice sounded firm and unyielding. "You can walk out this door, return to your life, and pretend all of this was a fever dream. I'll have your contract torn up, and you'll be free to go."

I met his gaze then, shock spreading across my face. I could go? But then I remembered that if I left, I also lost all the financial support. I knew I could deal with that and was young enough to come out on top. But my mother couldn't, and I didn't think I could support her, finish school, and land a job that would get us by.

"Or, you can continue on the path your on and fight back against the Lydenese," the Knight continued after a short pause. "You can get the woman and help save the day. You can be a hero to humanity and ensure that we remain the dominant species on this planet."

"Get the woman?" I asked, thrown off by his statement. Did he know about what happened with Megan that night at the club?

"Oops. Spoilers!" The man laughed and shook his head. In an instant, he went from grumpy grandpa to jovial uncle. Was he bipolar? "You need to be sworn in first. So, what'll it be? The coward's path, or the hero?"

I stood and met his eyes, even as I felt my heart resting in my stomach. I didn't have a choice. Not really. "I'm ready to serve, Sir."

"Great choice!" He rounded the table and reached his hand out. When I took it, his grip crushed mine, and he pulled me in to slap my back. His voice dropped to a whisper as he continued."Keep your head on straight, and I'm sure you'll rise in the ranks. Keep your eyes open, and you'll serve humanity's cause by destroying those monsters. Keep your heart guarded, and they won't be able to seduce you. Keep your feet on the right path, and you'll never be led astray."

The whole thing sounded like a ritual. By the time he released my hand, my fingers were numb and purple. He stepped away, indicating the door again. "Return to the other room. I'm sure they're about to swear everyone in. This is your last chance to walk away. Turn right and forget everything that happened today. Turn left and prepare for a life of defending humanity against its enemies in whatever capacity you're able."

I nodded to the Knight as I passed and turned right. I'm proud of how well my wobbling knees held me up as I returned to the waiting room. No matter what they said, I didn't have much choice. My best hope was to land some desk jockey position and not have to worry about killing anything.

"What did they want?" the boy from earlier asked as I sat down. I looked at him, and for the life of me, I couldn't remember his name. Wasn't there something about a song? Something about a bodyguard and Betty?

"They..." I trailed off, not wanting to admit that I'd come into contact with a freak. "They told me that I need to look more professional," I lied. A glance around the room showed that I was the least dressed up.

"Really?" The redhead asked, looking around the room. "Huh. I guess they take stuff like that pretty seriously. I'll have to remember always to look my best, though I don't know many ways to dress up a tomato like me. Hmm, tomato... Maybe something green with a dash of off-white? I'd make a great salad."

I noticed we were getting more than a few glares from the others in the room, but this man's humble attitude was growing on me. He was weird, but nothing seemed to get him down. I could certainly do worse than him as a possible friend.

I tried to think of something to say, but someone in the front of the room cleared their throat, grabbing my attention.

"On your feet!" a male voice boomed. I found myself standing before I even thought about it. A couple of men took their time standing, and I noted someone off to the side taking notes. Whether I wanted to be here or not, I was determined to put my best foot forward. The man in front—the same that'd interrogated me—spoke up again, and while it was quieter than when he entered, it was still too loud for the size of this room. "You're in luck today, as you'll have Commander Oglethorpe administering your oath today."

"Thank you, Scion Anderton." A broad-shouldered man dressed all in white, except for a stylized golden sun set behind a black cross on his chest. I suspected it was also on the cape hanging on his shoulders. Who wears a cape? While he looked physically fit, his thick gray hair and the wrinkles crisscrossing his face told of great age. He turned to regard all of us for a moment before he continued speaking. "As Scion Anderton mentioned, I am Commander Oglethorpe. I am the commander of the US-West division of Paladonic Knights. While it heartens me to see so many new recruits, I am also saddened by the cause of this. Yesterday, we lost many great men: men that were your fathers and our brothers. Each of them is worthy of the seat they earned in Heaven by fighting the evils that face humanity. Make no mistake, though. While the so-called Lydenese may have struck us a blow, our resolve is as firm as ever. As future Knights and protectors, you carry upon your shoulders the hopes and dreams of every man, woman, and child who wants to be able to sleep at night, knowing they are safe. For a thousand years, the Palodnic Knights have protected humanity from the monsters that were thought to be myths while also taking care of our families and livelihoods. We protect the weak who cannot defend themselves. And while we must do it in the shadows, we will not shirk the duties given to us from the very first Knight. He struck down a succubus that terrorized his village and then spent the rest of his life fighting the evils that we still face today."

Commander Oglethorpe looked around the room, his eyes fierce and determined. "Today, you take the oath and join our ranks. In the following weeks, you'll learn what it means to be a Paladonic Knight. But tonight, you'll enjoy a tradition called First Knight. The future, our future, and the future of humanity rests on your shoulders. Your fathers performed great acts, and I see the seeds for such bravery here in this room. Stand proud as you take the oath today and join our hallowed ranks. I'll leave you with one last bit of advice before I turn this podium back to Scion Anderton. Search with your hearts for that which your eyes cannot see, but trust your mind when your heart is clouded."

The Knights around the room clapped as Oglethorpe stepped back and walked to the back wall. I found myself standing and clapping along with the rest, roused by the speech. I was no great orator, but I'd attended enough debate classes to recognize what he'd done. That wasn't a speech that sounded memorized, nor had he read from any cards or prompters. It came from his heart, and I couldn't deny that I was ready to take my oath and defend my fellow men!

* * * *

My dorm room looked small and insignificant as I stepped inside. The rest of the afternoon became a blur as I took the oath and was given instructions to go home and change into something that represented me. While I'll admit that I wasn't in the proper attire for going to the lawyer's office, I didn't know what they wanted me to wear. Something celebratory, but not too much, as we were still mourning those lost yesterday. Something appropriate for a young Knight to wear, showing that I was confident but not cocky. I needed to look professional but not stand out. Sophisticated, but I had to remember that I am a new recruit and have not yet earned any rank.