ELIXA

CHAPTER 1

Blue and red lights continued to hover about them as tones and tones of crimson sports cars kept pulling by. As usual, the Garrison hid their faces under a black helmet, contrasting their red uniform and adding more life to the black strips and boots.

Damian has seen the Garrisons before, but not so many at a time. He could only guess that something bad had happened? Or was this about the fifteen Cents they had stolen from Ember's castle?

"Put your hands over your head," someone said from the microphone.

Fred's hands were already on his head and the fright that dilated his eyes sent a disturbing sensation through Damian's stomach. He was afraid too, but nothing compared to Fred. This was all his fault. He had dragged Fred away from Granny and into the streets. If he had known, he would have instructed the eleven-year-old to stay indoors while he carters for their wellbeing. That way, he would be the one feeling the brunt of the hardship. But now they were in trouble and if adequate care was not taken, they might just end up in jail. What will Granny say if she learns that we are in jail?

Damian raised his hands over his head but looked past the officers, towards their small house. Granny was in there, waiting to pass the transition and possibly to give them her last words. Her time on earth was over. They might not see her smile after today. This was the end she had struggled so hard to prevent. An end that had caught her by surprise.

"Are we in trouble?" Fred asked.

His voice had wavered and Damian could only guess that the boy was shaking.

"Only if we play guilty," Damian whispered in return and took his brother's hand. He was right. Fred was shaking and the sweat on his palms made his hands soft.

A little squeeze was all Damian needed to reassure the younger boy. This was not his first encounter with the Garrison. Even though he was notorious, there was no way the law was going to convict them without adequate evidence.

"What about the Fifteen Cents we stole? Perhaps we should return it and beg for mercy. They might forgive us and let us go"

"Don't be foolish, Fred." Damian hissed. Negotiating with the Garrison is like hungry snakes and rats. One evidence, however little, is what these men need to put us behind bars. And you know what? They will not bat an eyelid. They wouldn't consider our age when they prosecute us."

"What are we going to do?"

Damian clenched his fist. That brings them back to the situation. At least, twenty to thirty sportcars were stationed around them. Running away was the best option, but that would leave them dead as the Garrison was commanded by the Firstborn to shoot a criminal who decides to run. Even if Damian wanted to risk it, he would not abandon Fred. He would rather die than abandon the only family he had.

"Just keep quiet and let me do the talking."

Fred nodded. If he was convinced that Damian was going to handle the situation, he didn't show. He just stood there, looking at the officers who barricaded the road leading to their doorstep.

"Damian Goddison,'' one of the Garrison said as he walked up to them.

His gloved hands were behind, and unlike the others, he wore no helmet. His dark hair had been shaved, leaving a clean line on the side of his head. There was no harshness to his features. The lanky shoulders were as straight as his uniforms, making him look like a Firstborn.

"And I guess that's your brother? Hi," he waved at Fred, "why did you let Damian drag you into his shit?" The man sighed disdainfully and tucked his hands into the breast pocket beneath his suit. He was smoking the next moment.

"What do you want?" Damian asked. He had pulled Fred behind him, trying to keep the boy safe in his own little way.

"What I want?" The man smirked and puffed the white smoke, "why not start by handing over every penny you took from Ember's castle. And then we can talk about Roland's mansion, the theft in the market, last year's robbery in the streets downtown, and why the hell you dragged your brother into your wayward life?"

"Roland's mansion was a mistake. I was not involved in it."

"Oh, there are other kids who got guts like you? Damn, I thought I had one little case to solve. The inspector never mentioned your gang. What are their names, if you don't mind"

The man had hung the cigarette on the side of his lips and was scribbling something on his small jotter.

"I don't have a gang"

"See why I hate you, Damian. You lie so well at your age. By the way, aren't you supposed to be at school instead of causing trouble in the entire streets of Bel Haven?"

"Please let us go, sir. We promise not to cause any trouble again" Fred said and dropped the bag, bearing the fifteen Cents.

Damian gnashed his teeth at the boy. Another day, he would have given Fred the beat of his life. Why would the boy expose them after all his instructions?

"The smart one," the officer smiled at Fred. "And here I was, thinking that the two Goddison brothers would be a hard nut to crack. I like your courage boy, what's your name."

"Fredrick," Fred said even before Damian could stop him. "Fredrick Goddison"

"I see," the officer nodded before squatting. He took a long draw from his cigarette then nodded to one of his men who took the money bag to the waiting vehicle.

"Fred, my name is Justus Cuper. Detective and private investigator of the Crime and Anti-Robbery squad, C.A.R.S., do you know what we do to teenagers like you that have decided to make their living from other people's sweat?"

"We are sorry sir. Please let us go,"

"Of course, Fred. For telling the truth, you are free to go."

Confusion wrapped Fred's expression at first and he exchanged a disturbing look with his brother as if it was too good to be true. Officer Cuper had stepped aside, giving them the room to leave, but Damian would not move. He just stood there like a tree waiting to be chopped from its root.

"Come on, Dammy. You heard the man. We are free to go."

"I don't trust anything he says," Damian grunted without breaking his attention from the officer.

"But we are free."

"We?" Justus laughed, "I only permitted you, Fred. Damian however still needs to pay for the crimes he had committed."

"But I thought you-

"-go on without me, Fred." Damian cut in, "go check on Grandma"

Until Fred wiped his eyes, did Damian know that the boy had been crying. He looked as if he was going to argue with the officer, but turned instead and hugged Damian.

"I will be waiting for you inside."

"Don't worry about me Fred," Damian smiled weakly, "I will be alright" he looked away just before his own tears fell. He hated lying to Fred. He knew he was going to rot in jail, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Fred will only insist on coming with him, even though he knows nothing about prison.

"So," Justus folded his hands on his chest, "are you ready to go to jail?"

"Enough with the drama, Officer," Damian said and pulled out his wrist.

"I will enjoy this." Cuper smiled as he handcuffed Damian, "do you know how much I will earn by having you in our net? Do you know how many powerful houses are paying to have you rot in jail?"

"I don't care," Damian hissed and started toward one of the sportcars. It doesn't matter if he didn't see daylight again. What matters was that Fred was alright and can…

"Damian!!"

Damian turned sharply at the voice of his brother. There at the far end, was one of the Garrison, pulling Fred by the hair and dragging him towards the cars.

"You think I was going to let him go like that?" Justus chuckled and yanked off the badge on his uniform, "the Goddison's blood is special, and men are paying heavily to have it."

Damian's brow tightened as the bile that lingered in his throat caused his head to swell. These men were not Garrison, they were bounty hunters. Men whose greed would make them do anything for the best price.

"Let me go, Damian, help me" 

Fred's cry drove an icy chill through Damian's skin. It was a propelling factor that caused a sudden heat to invigorate his body. The sensation was lovely and even as Damian struggled with the men, he could only see his brother as they dragged him into the car.

"Let him go!" Damian shouted and the handcuffs melted from his hands like rubber. He did not know how he had done it and he didn't care. All he wanted was his brother.

"Im...impossible" Justus' eyes widened when he saw the handcuffs. "How did you-

He broke off when a sudden wind rushed about him and lifted him from the ground. It was gentle at first but began to swell until they were roaring like a tornado.

"Please, I am sorry"

The man's scream and every other thing around Damian, faded as the roaring wing and dust suddenly died down.

"Fred," Damian called, but he couldn't feel his feet or his hands as everything around him seemed to be spinning.

"Fre…" Damian wanted to say again but fell to the floor when darkness enveloped him.