Downgrade

Taking an Ally

First Level: Long Range Fountain:

Carmilla Everdeen’s POV

I still can’t believe that I’m with him for a mission right now. I still don’t get how Dad wanted me to be with Trench. This man is totally gauche. Man, this day is not that good isn’t it? I took myself around the fountain, passing by him as he leaned over the side. Blending with people at each level is a thing I usually do. Escapades are my drive and I enjoy every inch of my journey with a father who’s willing to do anything to support me. I should say that I’m grateful and lucky to have such a man as him. I giggled in silence. I looked around. It has been a week when I dealt with the dread in at street. Wandering my eyes, I scooped Trench who was currently talking to a man with ragged brown clothes. His sullen eyes were concentrated on the boy. They quite having fun talking to each other. How can he even have a normal conversation with someone who might be an enemy? This is ridiculous.

I grabbed him by the collar to the side.

“H-Hey.” He utterly said.

I crossed my arms. “Can you be more conservative right now?”

His face showed curiousness. He was hanging there. I exclaimed with a sigh. I don’t have really have a choice, but to bring a child with me. “Trench Dickman, are you on drugs?”

“N-No. Of course not. W-Why would I?” He replied, scratching his neck.

“Cause you’re acting like one. Get hold of yourself.” I tapped his arm. “We’re not in our place right now. Don’t act like you know this place.” I added. I heard him took a gulp as he sighted the first level.

The Orphanage is not that far from here. We need to get that child. We still have a week before the elimination. Taking our dark jagged hoods on.

“Let’s go.”

We headed straight. We needed to act fast. Time was our opponent. Father said that it would be easy for us to get the girl. We just need to do what he wants. Trench was walking behind me, but I didn’t like the idea. I stopped and waited for him to be beside me. And there it was again, his oddity. Does he even know how stupid he looks right now?

I don’t want to slap my rudeness. Having someone behind me is not my thing and I would rather have them to walk by my side. I knew that it was a form of showing respect for me as the daughter of the Elites’ Leader.

“W-Why did you stop?”

“Don’t be such a tail. Walk beside me and act normal. Don’t treat me like someone who lives in a castle.” I uttered.

“B-But, you act like one.” He replied.

I gave him a cold stare. “Move your butt. We’ll be showing later how good we can act.” I scoffed, clapping my hands.

This surely will be fun.

After a while, a couple wearing plain black trench coats. They were being clingy to each other; shoulders touching, holding hands and giggling. Standing in front of the rusted crimson red gate. It was the Orphanage. Care Orphanage. I missed this place, but I don’t want my personal issues to embrace me right now. A nun greeted us with a delighted smile. Of course, every nun would love to have someone to visit the Orphanage. The kids were roaming around, doing their childish acts. My lips curved as I instantly perceived the house I used to know. It was still the old, frivolous building.

I turned my gaze to a nun. It was her, I remember. Sister Ali. She had a lengthy reddish hair up to her waist. She had a seductive brown eyes and rosy flirtatious lips. She had a lovely body figure. She was having a rest under the tree, sitting herself on the sagged, green grass as she reads her book– her favorite spot and her being the favourite nun to most children inside. My feet stood just a few inches away from her. She slowly raised her head and gave us her prettiest smile.

She put a tiny piece of cloth on a page and gently closed it.

“Good morning. Is there something I can help you with?” She smilingly said. Her wrinkles waved at us.

“U-Uhm, we’re planning to get a child.” I stated.

It is really her. I wish I could hug her again, knowing that I missed her much. Yet, despite of her responsibility here, she also wanted to run from the system and have a better life – not in the Orphanage and maybe have her kids as well. Most children who are in the Orphanage are Lowies, who typically take grudges among those above them. Trench was wiggling his fingers over my side.

“Oh, do you have someone you want to take here?” Sister Ali replied.

“Well, we do have someone.”

“That’s great. May I know the name of the child?”

“It’s…It’s Hannah Miller.” I persuaded.

Her eyes went serious, trying to recall me on her memory, but she hid it so well that I barely recognized her reaction. But, I also know her as a sister in the Orphanage. Perhaps, we are the same – same level, same perspective, same goals. We have shared a lot in common those past years. I wonder if she can still acknowledge me the same way we saw each other that time.

“Oh, that kid. She’s a lovely child. Please do wait inside and we’ll get her for you. This way please”

“T-Thank you.” Trench said and bowed his head.

Sister Ali took us inside the building. The smell of talc powder lingered the whole place. The blankly high wooden walls were as neat as the full-blown flowers displayed inside a low vermilion vase on top of the desk. We sat over a capacious high-backed couch. Sister Ali went to talk to the head nun, who eventually gave a glimpse at us. Trench was moving his jittery legs.

I wearily hissed. “Will you stop that? Those kids, look at them.” I pointed some at the garden who’re enjoying themselves planting and plowing vegetables. “Do you recognize some familiar faces?”

Trench rubbed his double chin and thought. “Well, I-I don’t seem to recognize one. They are new. And, a-and I think my friends here also have their own families or maybe joined the forces too.” He looked around. “Just like you.” He whispered.

In a minute, Sister Ali came back with a young girl. Her eyes were dazzling together with her dark silken eyelashes.

“It must be here.” I said.

The girl looked at us unemotionally. The Sister pushed a girl a little to us. “Say hello to them, Hannah.”

“H-Hello. Nice to meet you.” The girl uttered almost in a whisper.

I gave her my warmest smile as I knelt in front of her. I gently held her shoulders and said, “You must be Hannah Miller. I’m Carmilla and this is Trench. We’ll be taking care of you now.”

The girl stood still, bowing her head and stared on the cold surface. I know how she feels, because I felt that too. “U-Uhm. Don’t worry we’re not bad people here.” I laughed a bit.

“But…I am still waiting for someone.” The girl said.

“Excuse me, we’ll process the papers now. May I get your names, please” Sister Ali snooped.

“Oh, here.” I gave her my wrist where my chip was located for her to scan my name and also Trench did also the thing. The chip implants were used as biodata, but to us, we used hacked chips for us to be unrecognized. We don’t want to seek much attention from the mass and even from the sisters themselves. I’m using another name every time I go to another level and Trench was able to get his from Dad a week ago. It was all his plan after all.

“Carmilla Grace and Trench Huntsman, thank you. Please do wait as we process the documents. Thank you.”

The chips were able to secure the personal data of those who’re killed. Basically, we’re using both names who’re already dead. Dead people don’t seek basic information. They are erased from the system. But my father is a wise man. He got someone to make those chips from those dread work again. He was called as the Linkman, Benjamin Fintstone. He loves chips. He loves information and he definitely loves his job – filing and deleting names in the system itself.

He works under the Committee, but his loyalty is for Zyrender Everdeen, the man who saved his life from the Orphanage. Both Trench and him are buddies and had the same year of being taken by Dad. Despite the fact that they’re from the Care Orphanage, the two men didn’t go to the training ground like me. Dad didn’t take them in. He trained them on his own, from their childhood up until then. He was their master.

I looked over Hannah who’s tapping her feet. I rubbed her hair, making her gazed at me.

“You know…He’s not coming back…” I abruptly said to her.

Hannah blinked her eyes twice then they began to water. I wasn’t able to clear the name, but it seems that she already knew the person I was talking about. Her tears rapidly sank to the ground as she held herself tight. She had carried all the weight by herself and it didn’t take long for her to collapse in the ocean of sadness. I took a deep warry sigh. This kid doesn’t deserve it.

I placed my hand over her shoulder and slightly pinched it. “Hannah…Listen to me. We know where he is…And we can still save your brother. We…just want to ask for your…trust.” I locked my eyes unto hers. Please believe us.

The girl sobbed as she wiped her eyes and nose with her loose shirt. “People…are mean…here in the city.” The child blunted in.

“Yes. But…trusting is greater than doubts.”

“Can I really trust you?” Her face suddenly showed hope and longed to be helped. She gently held both of my hands. “Can I trust you…Auntie Carmilla?”

My lips lusciously curved to their side. “Of course.” Then I hugged Hannah tight around my arms.

Hannah looked at Trench and pulled him to join our hug. I looked at him and hinted at him with my eyes, saying no. But there was a smirk on his face and eventually, he hugged us two. We looked like a loving family. Wow.

I felt my cheeks reddened. It was getting longer and I cleared my throat, shrugging him off with my shoulder. He finally came to his senses and instantly pulled from the hug, giving us an awkward sneer.

“Ma’am Carmilla, will you sign this paper, please.” Sister Ali gave me the paper and pen. I directly signed it and thanked her.

“Now, you’re all good. Congratulations.” She added with a smile.

“Thank you very much.” We said in chorus. I looked at her once more and said, “You still look good with your necklace, Sister Al.” Then we left for good. I didn’t turn around to look for her reaction. I and her, for sure, both know that we recognized each other and that was enough to take the old smiles we shared a long time ago. I’ll see you soon again, Sister…when I finish my plans.

___

Candies – the thing that makes kids joyous. It was their wish and someone granted it for them. The sun was usually taking its solitude high above, bending all of its grandeur upon us.

“W-Why is this taking so long?” Trench said irritatingly as he scratched his head.

“Come on. Just wait a little bit more and we’ll finish this.” I said, turning my focus on Hannah. She was holding my left hand as she patiently waited for her turn.

Yes. The most awaited person had come – the Candyman. Of now, the line was long but we’re getting near him. Ten more kids and it will be our turn. I heard her giggled several times. Her eyes strolled around. She just came out from the Orphanage and she deserved a treat. She’s amused as she saw the things again she usually sees each and every day. Trench’s forehead creased from the heat.

“W-What will we do after this?” He asked me.

“We’re going to meet them.”

“Are they creepy?”

I thought, remembering every member. “Kind of, especially that guy who’s ill-mannered. I forgot his name, but he’s cool.” I said.

“Are we going to be safe, now that we have a kid with us?”

I looked at him with awe. I patted him. “Now, you’re talking straight. Keep it up. Don’t be like…I-I’m a-afraid o-of t-them.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Now, that just suddenly turned around.

“I often talk like this when I’m worried.” He added.

“So, you’re worried.”

“I am.”

“Don’t worry. I know them…well…especially the two.” I said and glimpsed at the path leading to their place. Just wait for us. Now, it was our turn. A matured, plump man, maybe in his fifties, greeted us with his podgy, rosy cheek. He’s vigorous. I made a small cough and caught his attention.

“Hello there, beautiful creatures! Do you want some candies from the Candyman?” He said with his laughter.

Hannah’s eyes glimmered. It’s her first time to see the man so near. I used to believe and waited for the Candyman when I was still a kid. Every night I would love to hear stories about him from Sister Ali. And now, I finally meet him. It took him several years for me to see him. What took you so long? I smiled in silence.

He reached a pink candy to Hannah and hugged him. She thanked her as she gave him a sweet kiss on his cheek, making the old man flustered.

“Thank you.”

We were about to leave when the Candyman stopped us.

“Uh, uh. Who said that adults can’t have candies?” He stretched and pulled out our hands, placing each candy for us.

Now my smile was clearly visible. I could hug the man, but modesty is a must. I chuckled and took the candy. We thanked him again and waved our hands. The Candyman continued giving sweets to the other children. The line became long and we have barely seen its ending.

Hannah hurriedly opened hers and munched it. Her eyes dazzled as if a neon sparkly lights flashed on the side. I took a fine look at the candy. Something is not right. The kid giggled in awe and her eyes were now glowing. I looked around and saw the others too. They were sparkling. No, it can't be. My pace became fast when I turned to see the Candyman but he's already gone. Damnit.

It was a power-up. I should have recognized it in the first place. We hid Hannah using my hood. What's up with that man? Why does he need to give the people candies and power-up treats?

Questions have been gathered in my head, and no one can give me reasonable answers, except for the man. I looked at her once more, and now the glowing did stop.

"Are you okay, Hannah?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yep. The candy was just so sweet."

I sighed weariness. Instead, we focused on our first goal.

"Where are we going, Uncle Trench?"

"We're going to meet someone you know." He smilingly replied and rubbed her hair.

After a while, the three of us stood upright in front of an abandoned house. Anyone who's not familiar with the place will expect that no one resides inside. I smirked and stepped forward. This won't take long, isn't it?

The rusted, cracked walls of the house were conspicuous. Its wooden door was sallow and despondent. I made a knock. Of course, I had expected that there will be no response from any of them.

I cleared my throat and composed myself. "I know you're in there...Vixen."

Seconds turned into a minute. Slowly, the door opened a bit.

"Who are you?"