Romeo 🩷

Part one:

"You are an expendable. You are not expected to return."

Those were the last words I remember being given before my life made an inexplicable turn for the worst.

My memory is hazy, and with each passing day it gets no better. From what I can remember, I was sentenced to death after apparently having committed a horrible crime. As for what the crime may be, I haven't the faintest clue.

Yet, instead of the swift death I thought I would receive, I was brought here. The Urbanshade docs, where I will be sent off to go on a...mission?

All that I'm aware of is that I must find the "crystal", while collecting all loose assets and information possible. Nothing more, nothing less. On the off chance I succeed, I will be sent back home and my death sentence will be lifted.

It's the only chance at freedom I have, the only hope I'll ever get. So now, I stand before the submarine that will take me down with the four others who, less than willingly, chose to go with me.

I had the option to go alone, but with how everyone here is so panicked to even step foot in one of these things, I doubt it's a good idea.

What could possibly be so bad? I thought.

---

I sorely underestimated this mission.

Everything was sweet, easy, simple even. All we needed to do was walk through doors and collect information, right?

No.

Before even managing to get to door ten, the lights flickered. I shrugged it off and continued shifting through drawers, thinking maybe this building is simply that old. Some rooms are broken down and flooded, it's not too far off the rocker for the power to be damaged too.

"Shit." I heard one of my teammates udder, "EVERYONE GET IN A LOCKER NOW."

No one hesitated to follow instructions, except for me. "Wh-why?"

"Don't ask questions just GO!" He shoved me in a locker and I could hear the subtle sound of...screaming in the distance. It wasn't the kind of blood curdling scream a human would make, it was slightly more unsettling. A little more vulger and gut wrenching.

I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut, praying to whatever God could hear me. The screeching sound worsened, and before I knew it all the lights went out, swallowing me in a complete darkness. My heartbeat quickened and my breathing came out uneven.

I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die-

Without warning I was pulled out of the locker, the voice of the man who ushered me in only moments ago greeting me. "Hey!" I stumbled and my vision swirled. "Hey, are you alright?!"

After a few breaths, I nodded, before stupidly realizing he wouldn't be able to see me. "Er- yeah.."

"Okay, you just seemed a little... shaken up." The other crew members took out some of their flashlights and lanterns, slowly gathering around. Each of them paranoid and shifty, as if at any moment something could appear.

"No." I took one last breath and exhaled, "I'll be alright."I could see the slight outline of his grim face, his blond hair disheveled and eyes deepest brown. He gave me a comforting look, before turning away and leading forward.

We went through door after door, each monster more horrific than the last. From tentacle like creatures that waited in unassuming lockers, to great large fish with thousands of eyes. Some that could melt your mind, others that would rip and shred you to death.

Every couple of doors another one of us was either killed, or badly injured. There was no mercy here, no salvation in sight.

Not until door fifty.

A vent off to the side of the dimly lit room popped open, and I heard a welcoming but mischievous voice call out. "Over here!"

I was the only one left, the man that saved me previously was the last to die beforehand. Somehow he managed pretty well, his instincts were sharp and more than once he got me out of danger.

But even so, it wasn't enough to stop the inevitability of death.

I myself couldn't help but be a tad bit bruised and battered. Blood dripped steadily from my right arm, the limp I took as I walked was easily noticable. If I had to guess, I only have about five more doors until it was my turn to go too.

I slowly crawled my way down the vent, bones aching with each movement. Once I got all the way through there was a small opening to a room, where that voice from before chuckled.

"Welcome, welcome! Don't be afraid, I'm not gonna hurt you, despite what you have seen, heard, and or been told." A large entity looms above me, his body long and vicious. "My name is Sebastian, your only friend."

I blink at Sebastian incredulously, unable to believe what I was seeing. "A-are you real?"

He lifts a brow, the look on his face a mixture of confusion and disappointment. "Wow, the expendables they send down here are just getting dumber and dumber."

An embarrassed blush crept up to my face, of course that was an idiotic thing to say. I mean, after all the things I've already seen, was this really that insane?

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what to expect down here." I glance around the room, my vision going in and out. I feel so woozy, my body swaying back and forth on my heels.

In the distance, I hear Sebastian go on about how he was willing to sell things in exchange for information I've found. His voice is low and husky, but there's a sweetness beneath it.

"You don't look so goo-" I suddenly lost my balance, and before I knew it my weight was falling to the ground.

---

I groaned painfully, my head reeling in agony. "Ugh..." I blinked once, then twice, "Where am I?"

I was leaning against a cement wall, my ruined arm perfectly patched up in bandages. Although my body burned, I wasn't as bad off as before.

"Somewhere you really shouldn't be." I heard a disgruntled voice across from me, making my senses finally sharpen.

"Sebastian!" I jolt up to my feet, which was a sore mistake given my body was at its limit.

"You shouldn't do that, you know." He was perched up in the same position as before, almost as if nothing happened. The only difference is he held and sifted through files, not bothering to look up.

"You're extremely lucky you had enough assets for a medkit," He spared me a glance over the many files he held. "If I were in a worsened mood, I likely would've let you die there."

"What..?"

"But cleaning up after you would be a hassle, not exactly something I'd want to do either."

"Hey!" I felt tiny compared to him but I couldn't let him mouth off like that, just who does he think he is? "Would it kill you to be a little nicer?"

He gives me a smile that stretches fin to fin, and I pause to think if it would be strange to say it's slightly...attractive?

"Listen little expendable," he says it like a threat. "Saving your wasted life wasn't easy. With that PDG on you, you wouldn't be able to stay here for long before the people at urbanshade decide to detonate it."

"Detonate? What do you mean, I was never told-" I was cut off short by his annoyed, yet smooth voice.

"Of course they didn't tell you, why would they when you're so useful without that information?" He puts his files down on the little table beside him, leaning down to scrutinize me closer. "Since I'd rather not have you splattered across my walls, I used my SCRAMBLER to turn it off."

"O-oh..." I stand there like the dope I am, not knowing what to say.

He grins at my nervous expression, "You owe me big, so if I were you I'd make myself worth keeping around."

"Why? Wouldn't it benefit you more to just kill me, or send me out there to die?" I point off to the vent, now closed off.

I don't know what strives my sudden boldness, perhaps its the slight highness from having lost so much blood. Whatever the reason may be, I push my body forward. Taking a few steps towards Sebastian, a truly beautiful yet daunting creature.

"It would be less troublesome, but I need an assistant," His deep blue eyes faintly glow, "and I think you'll do just fine."

"H-how are you so certain?" I fiddle and fidget with my fingers, "You barely know me, and I could try to betray or kill you at any moment for keeping me here."

"Hmm...yes that's true, you could try to kill me but you won't get that far."

I open my mouth to speak again when he shuts me up, "Enough. Get some rest, you're gonna open your wound and bleed all over my stuff."

Looking down at my bad arm, I realize he might be right. Just moments ago it was fine, but I can't deny it feels more strained now. If I look closely, I can see a tiny bit of red is seeping through the gauze.

Not wanting to upset him any further I sit back down in my little corner of the room. It's not very comfortable but it'll have to do. I wrap my arms around my body, and steal a small peek at Sebastian now that he's too occupied to notice.

His body is so very large, nearly taking up half of the space. He unstraps and removes all the equipment and things attached to his tail, before curling up on the opposite wall of mine. The lights go out, right before he mutters "Goodnight, little expendable."

TBC...

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