Chapter 76 — The Boy Behind the Glass
Brook stood completely still.
The chamber hummed around him.
Hundreds of sealed containers lined the walls, but he could only see one.
Elias.
Or at least…
the boy who looked exactly like him.
Brook stepped closer to the glass.
The boy couldn't have been older than fifteen.
His eyes were closed.
Thin wires ran from the back of his neck into the machinery surrounding the chamber.
Brook placed his hand against the glass.
Cold.
"Who are you?"
The boy didn't move.
Brook looked at the Keeper.
"You said this is B-00."
"It is."
"Then where is the Elias I know?"
The Keeper didn't answer.
Brook turned sharply.
"Answer me."
The Keeper finally looked at him.
"The boy you're looking at is Elias."
Brook stared at the chamber.
"Then who's been with us?"
The Keeper's expression remained calm.
"The same person."
Brook frowned.
"That doesn't make sense."
"It will."
The Keeper walked toward another console.
He pressed a switch.
The chamber lights changed.
The boy's eyes opened.
Brook stepped backward.
The boy looked directly at him.
For a moment, Brook couldn't breathe.
Those eyes.
That expression.
It was Elias.
But younger.
Confused.
Afraid.
The boy lifted his hand against the glass.
Brook instinctively placed his own hand against it.
Their palms met through the glass.
The boy's mouth moved.
Brook couldn't hear him.
Then the chamber suddenly filled with white light.
Brook staggered.
A memory entered his mind.
A younger Elias sat inside the chamber.
He was crying.
A scientist stood outside.
"Again."
The machine activated.
The boy screamed.
Another voice spoke.
"His memories aren't stabilizing."
"Then remove them."
"But he'll lose everything."
"That's the point."
The memory changed.
Elias stood in a hallway.
Older.
But still young.
He was running.
Someone chased him.
A door opened.
He escaped.
Then another memory.
Elias standing outside Xcution's headquarters.
Crowley opened the door.
Henry looked over.
Sera smiled.
Kael laughed.
Elias smiled.
For the first time…
he looked happy.
The memory shattered.
Brook opened his eyes.
He was breathing heavily.
The Keeper watched him.
"You saw it."
Brook nodded.
"He escaped."
"Yes."
"He joined Xcution."
"Yes."
"Then why does he think we stole his life?"
The Keeper's expression darkened.
"Because someone taught him to."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
The Keeper didn't answer.
Brook stepped closer.
"Who?"
A distant explosion shook the chamber.
The Keeper looked toward the ceiling.
"We don't have time."
Brook looked around.
"What was that?"
"They found you."
"Who?"
The Keeper looked at the sealed chamber.
"The people who want B-00 back."
Brook's hand moved toward his sword.
"Then open the door."
The Keeper shook his head.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because you're not supposed to be here."
Brook frowned.
"Then why bring me?"
"I didn't."
The Keeper looked toward the ceiling.
"Something brought you."
Brook's three Sources stirred.
Michael.
Lucifer.
Death.
Brook felt all three at once.
The Keeper noticed.
"You see?"
Brook looked at him.
"See what?"
"You aren't just a vessel."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Then what am I?"
The Keeper smiled faintly.
"That's the question everyone has been trying to answer."
Above them, the facility shook again.
Henry looked toward the collapsed corridor.
"Brook!"
Elias stood beside him.
"He's alive."
Henry looked at him.
"How do you know?"
Elias hesitated.
"I can feel him."
Crowley noticed the hesitation.
He looked at Elias carefully.
"Interesting."
Elias looked at him.
"What?"
"You've never mentioned being able to do that."
Elias smiled.
"I've learned a lot recently."
Crowley didn't smile back.
"Apparently."
Kael stepped between them.
"Can we save Brook before you two start staring each other to death?"
Henry nodded.
"Right."
They began clearing the rubble.
Sera suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at her.
She pointed toward the wall.
"There."
A faint red symbol had appeared.
The same symbol from the black emblem.
Crowley walked toward it.
His expression changed.
"Elias."
Elias stared at the symbol.
"Yes?"
Crowley touched it.
The symbol disappeared.
Elias looked unsettled.
"What does it mean?"
Crowley looked at him.
"You tell me."
Elias shook his head.
"I don't know."
Crowley held his gaze.
"That's becoming a problem."
Below…
Brook heard footsteps.
Lots of them.
The Keeper moved toward the chamber.
"They're here."
Brook drew his sword.
"How many?"
"Enough."
The first door exploded.
Armored soldiers flooded the corridor.
Brook moved instantly.
White light flashed.
He teleported.
His sword struck the first soldier.
Another attacked.
Brook disappeared.
Reappeared above him.
Strike.
He landed.
Another came from behind.
Brook marked the wall.
Flash.
He appeared across the chamber.
His movements were faster than before.
But controlled.
Michael's voice whispered inside his mind.
Do not chase power.
Brook breathed.
"I know."
Then prove it.
Three soldiers surrounded him.
Brook lowered his stance.
They charged.
Brook didn't attack.
He waited.
One swung.
Brook ducked.
Another stabbed.
He stepped aside.
The third attacked.
Brook teleported.
All three collided.
Brook appeared behind them.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
They fell.
The Keeper stared.
"You've improved."
Brook looked at him.
"Still working on it."
The Keeper smiled.
"Michael chose well."
Brook froze.
"What?"
The Keeper turned away.
"You heard me."
Brook grabbed his shoulder.
"What does that mean?"
The Keeper looked at him.
"You think Michael chose you because you're powerful."
Brook stared.
"He didn't?"
"No."
The Keeper's eyes moved toward the chamber.
"He chose you because you can still say no."
Brook didn't understand.
Before he could ask—
The chamber doors opened.
The younger Elias inside suddenly began convulsing.
Brook turned.
"What's happening?"
The Keeper rushed toward the controls.
"The system is failing."
Brook ran toward the chamber.
"Open it!"
"I can't!"
"Then break it!"
Brook drove his sword into the glass.
Cracks spread.
Again.
More cracks.
The boy inside opened his eyes.
He looked directly at Brook.
His lips moved.
This time, Brook heard him.
"Run."
Brook froze.
The glass shattered.
The chamber exploded.
Brook was thrown backward.
The boy disappeared beneath the smoke.
Brook scrambled to his feet.
"B-00!"
Nothing.
The chamber was empty.
The Keeper stared at the wreckage.
"He was never supposed to wake."
Brook looked at him.
"Where did he go?"
The Keeper shook his head.
"I don't know."
Brook's expression hardened.
Then a voice echoed through the facility.
A deep voice.
Cold.
Familiar.
"B-00 has escaped."
Brook looked toward the ceiling.
The Keeper's face went pale.
"That's impossible."
Brook raised his sword.
"Who was that?"
The Keeper whispered:
"His handler."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
The Keeper looked toward the eastern tunnels.
"Coming for you."
A massive blast tore through the facility.
The walls began collapsing.
Brook looked at the Keeper.
"Get out."
"What?"
"Go."
Brook turned toward the approaching footsteps.
"I'll hold them."
The Keeper stared at him.
"You're going to fight them alone?"
Brook smiled.
"I'm getting pretty good at making bad decisions."
The Keeper shook his head.
"You really are B-01."
Brook turned.
"What does that mean?"
The Keeper smiled.
"It means you don't know when to stop."
Brook's smile faded.
"I'll figure it out."
He stepped forward.
The white mark appeared on his hand.
The first Source stirred.
Michael's presence filled his mind.
Control.
Brook took a breath.
Then another.
He didn't unleash everything.
He waited.
The footsteps grew louder.
Brook tightened his grip.
"Come on."
A shadow appeared at the end of the corridor.
Brook stared.
The figure stopped.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then the stranger spoke.
"Brook."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"You know my name."
The figure smiled.
"I knew your name before you did."
Brook raised his sword.
"Who are you?"
The stranger removed his hood.
Brook's expression changed.
He recognized the face.
Not from his memories.
From the photographs.
The man had been standing behind the glass in nearly every image.
The man who had watched B-00.
The man who had watched B-01.
The man who had been there when Brook was created.
Brook's voice became quiet.
"You."
The stranger smiled.
"Finally."
The facility shook again.
And somewhere above them, Crowley suddenly looked toward the floor.
His expression changed.
Henry noticed.
"What?"
Crowley slowly drew his weapon.
"Something's coming."
Kael frowned.
"From where?"
Crowley looked toward the darkness beneath them.
"Below."
A deep roar echoed through the underground complex.
Elias stared into the darkness.
His face went pale.
He whispered:
"He's awake."
Henry turned toward him.
"Who?"
Elias didn't answer.
Because deep beneath Shinokuni-01…
the first person who ever knew what Brook was had finally returned.
End of Chapter 76