Lieutenant Newman listened to the vibrating hum of the tanks surrounding him. His creations seemed almost peaceful as they bobbed up and down in silence, breathing through apparatuses fitted on their faces that were connected to oxygen tanks. Newman considered that as he watched them, admiring the rare moments of tranquillity one often found in silence when no one else was present.

  At least they're peaceful. We granted them that small mercy.

  The factory was shrouded in darkness, the faint blue glow emitting from the tanks the only source of light other than the occasional flash from the streetlights outside. Now, he had time to think, a moment to convene with the voice.

  Of course, that's if you're in the talking mood, Newman reflected, searching inside and finding nothing. It frustrated him when the voice did this, forcing him to question its existence, or whether he was doing the right thing. It was the latter that forced him to return his gaze to the creatures resting in the tanks, causing his expression to darken with tension.

  Sacrifice. There must be sacrifice…

  'Yes,' Newman whispered to himself, nodding as he turned and began making his way to the metal staircase that led back to the surface. He placed his hands in his jacket pockets as he walked. 'That is why I must continue. Even if those closest to me cannot see what I'm trying to achieve.'

  Of course, there was no one to answer him. Most of the time, there never was. Newman remembered a period of his life when he had depended on others, seeking their guidance as he faced the myriad of problems facing his race. It had been a suffocating experience, dwelling in the apathy and depression that pervaded the Institute. It was only when he had taken the first step towards his dream that he realised the issues with his race ran far deeper than anyone would admit. The Institute was part of the problem; it trapped you amongst those who rocked back and forth, who moaned and screamed. Yet, even the most dire of situations can become normality. The cycle had to be broken, and he had begun by killing Hela's human lover. A part of him regretted that, but it paled compared to the realisation that struck him not long after doing it.

  That part of him had enjoyed it.

  It had been catharsis, to cut down one of the race responsible for his kind's misery. The desire filled him then to do it again, but Newman forced himself to focus his mind on his steps as he climbed, admonishing himself for the mental slip.

  No. It's wrong. We must work with the humans. I cannot let that happen again. We can become allies. It is the only way my kind will ever be free.

  Exactly, the voice rose in reply, freezing Newman as he stopped halfway on the staircase. Even though you despise them. Even though you hate them with every single fibre of your being. We must succeed in the dream.

  'Yes,' Newman agreed as he shivered. The voice was never wrong. It was the truth, and it soothed him while restoring his focus. He had needed that. He also recognised his need for a cigarette. Newman pulled one from his inner pocket and placed it between his lips, using his left hand to find the lighter, which he opened with a flick of his wrist. He had used this technique many times, doing it in such a way that a flame emerged the second the lighter opened. Newman drew the small flame towards his cigarette and began sucking in the nicotine, relaxing. Footsteps emerged from the platform above. Newman sighed then, not doubting who was coming.

  The Captain.

  Of course, his intuition was correct, and he emerged onto the platform to find a bald man with sharp features regarding the tanks below as though he hadn't heard his arrival. The Captain of the DFA wore strange black armour that glistened from the streetlights outside, covering his body like the shell of some prehistoric crustacean. Still, it gave the Captain a certain majesty. His face was clean-shaven, adding emphasis to his pronounced features. Wisdom radiated off him, a sense of calm and serenity that never wavered, especially as he turned to regard Newman, his eyes so dark they were practically black.

  'I'm surprised you didn't consult me before releasing them,' he said, which was his roundabout way of saying he should've been asked. The Lieutenant shrugged. While this worked in agitating his fellow agents, he knew it wouldn't work on the Captain, who instead nodded, turning his attention back to the tanks below.

  'Still, apart from a few calls from concerned citizens, they ignored humans.'

  'They obey my command. They would not dare attack humans.'

  'Unless you order them to,' the Captain added, casting a flicker of a glance towards the Lieutenant, who bristled under his superior's gaze.

  'You know I'd never do that,' Newman said.

  'Perhaps…'

  'You doubt my conviction?'

  'No. That you have in spades. Though our suspect is a man who seems to possess a similar sense of conviction.'

  Newman said nothing to that, despising the comparison.

  'You hate him, don't you?'

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  'Yes,' Newman admitted, figuring there was no point in lying to him. The Captain always seemed to sense when you were lying. He seemed to nod in satisfaction at Newman's answer, appearing to weigh his next words.

  'I'm concerned,' he said, his expression unchanging. 'According to Officer Greene, you've been acting erratically. He's voiced concerns over your mental state.'

  Newman sighed, not surprised that the Titanius had contacted the Captain. He had probably done it as soon as he had left.

  'With all due respect,' he began, knowing that Greene's actions had good intentions, 'I had only just shown him this warehouse. I doubt many would feel comfortable after doing so.'

  'That would make sense, to a certain degree,' the Captain remarked, eyeing Newman as though he understood he wasn't being told the whole truth. Newman regarded him with a level stare, knowing that he couldn't reveal The Place That Doesn't Exist and what had happened there.

  The Captain held himself for a moment before continuing. 'He also brought to my attention his concerns over your motivations surrounding Lucifer Armedeus. However, I'm allowing you to stay on the case for now. I want him apprehended for questioning.'

  'That's proving more difficult than I expected.'

  'I can see that. After all, I didn't think you just unleashed…whatever they are, if you didn't believe it was necessary. How many did you use?'

  'Three, but I fear they've failed to bring down Lucifer.'

  'You think they found him?'

  'Yes. He can only succeed in his goal if he's outside the Institute. I ordered them not to go anywhere near that place.'

  'Yet it stands as a colossal beacon of where our suspect lives,' the Captain said, trailing off while Newman waited for what was coming. He watched as the Captain turned to face him. 'If your struggle continues, would you consider going there and issuing a warrant for his arrest?'

  Newman said nothing, looking at the floor and shaking his head while sighing. 'She won't give us him, Captain. If I were to go there—'

  'I understand, Newman, but if Lucifer continues, you know what will happen. He seeks to undo all the work you've done to show humanity that they can work alongside the Hateful. Besides that, they also must see the DFA as acting against this threat. Word has already spread, and we must extinguish him as quickly as possible. Because I hold great respect for you, I will not issue the order, but please understand that if things continue in this vein—'

  'If it reaches that point, Captain,' Newman interrupted, unable to hide the anger on his face, 'then I will have no other choice either. As you've pointed out, he stands to ruin everything I've done. You know I cannot allow him to succeed.'

  They looked at the tanks once more, allowing a moment of silence to fall between them.

  'What are they?' the Captain asked.

  'They're an experiment. The Hateful Division of the DFA is too small. No human can perform my role. So, this is my solution.'

  Newman glanced towards the Captain. 'Consider them hunting dogs for my kind, wielding all the Divinity's Blessings and able to interchange between them simultaneously.'

  'How?' the Captain asked. 'Only your kind can do that.'

  'Yes. I've been experimenting with various…substances and seeing what happens.'

  'Are you trying to tell me you've created a substance that can give someone all the Divinity's Blessings?'

  'No, not at all. If I could do that, then I'd be in the wrong business. My contact asked me not to reveal anything.'

  'So this is black market work you're performing here, using what I'd guess is some kind of illegal substance?'

  'It would be if the public knew about it,' Newman admitted. 'Fortunately, my contact refuses to allow anyone but me access to it.'

  'Why?'

  'I don't know,' the Lieutenant admitted. 'He's a strange man, Captain, but he's helped me a lot over the years. I explained my ambitions to him and he believes creating these will help me reach them.'

  The Captain nodded again, seeming to understand what the Lieutenant was saying. 'Very well. I believe they will aid the DFA. I'll allow you to continue without me prying, for now. However, I have one question that I want you to answer truthfully.'

  'Go on.'

  'What are they derived from? What were they before you changed them into what they are now?'

  'Something much happier now compared to before. Something in which they can find peace.'

  'I asked for the truth, Newman. What are they?'

  'Descendants.'

  'Descendants of what?'

  'Of the original source, our great father…Descendants of the Divinity himself.'

  The Captain stared at Newman for a long time then, his expression unreadable, though Newman could tell that he knew he wasn't getting a full answer. The Captain turned, making his way towards the door before stopping, turning his head back slightly. 'Before, you said that you believe the three you sent had failed. Am I to expect phone calls about dead bodies of unimaginable horrors lying in the street?'

  'No, Captain,' the Lieutenant answered, 'If they die, they share the same fate.'

  'Which is?'

  'They fade. They decompose and rise towards heaven.'