The Phantom: Code Breaker

Chapter 38: End Draws Nigh

"I'll... be... wa..iti..ng. My friends.....will.....defi...nite...ly....come. I believe in them, that is why, I'M NOT GIVING UP!."

Markus tried to stand on his ground though his body feels so heavy like he was carrying the weight of the sky. He cannot see clearly because his blood is blocking his sight. He knew his body is suffering real pain. He tightened his grip on his sword but it gradually falls from his fingers. He's losing his strength and his consciousness.

"Ma..ma... that won't happen" Kirk stepped towards him and said "..in forever!" he kicked him again in the groin and Markus roll over the steep ground. He almost fell to the abyss but he managed to hold and grip on the edge of the cliff.

"Why won't you just fall there, Markus?" he leaned to get close to Markus' face that was hanging from the edge of the cliff. "Because, you know, you can die here in the VR. It will lessen your suffering in the real world because you will experience it like a dream but of course, your body will stop functioning considered being dead." He stomped on Markus' fingers that were holding on the edge." What do other books call this? " he walked back and forth parallel to the edge. "Ahh, I know. It's what they called Apathy syndrome."

"Why are you doing this?" Markus tried to ask, trying to buy some time. He knows somewhere, his friends were already there. He can feel it.

"WHAT WAS THAT?, ma... many things happen but the worst thing is when you humiliate me in front of the crowd. Showing your cockiness and all that pisses me big time!" he kicked Markus' right hand. He almost let go of his grip because of the pain. "Na, Marky, have you ever been to the ground without any means of starting again?"

"What are you saying?" Markus said grasping his breath and his grip. "You're talking nonsense."

"This is not nonsense." Kirk took a deep breath and started to share his past. "My mom died in a car accident when I was 7. Dad said it was because of an engine failure but I know it was something deeper. I was 10 when I learned the truth. Mom had insurance that can pay part of my Dad's debt. And that's what the companies were after." Kirk sat on the ground, still facing Markus, hanging on the edge of the cliff.

"Then why are you blaming me for ruining your life when your Dad had started it all?" Markus said

"Shut up!! What do you know? My Dad,,, our life was ruined by your dad and it is just the right thing to do to get revenge, through you, to destroy ORION!" Kirk exclaimed

"Orion? How---" Markus said

"My Dad worked as a programmer at ORION 9 years ago. He was given a project financed by the department my dad was in. The Boss was urging him to finish it ahead of time but my dad cannot meet the deadline. He was exhausted every day, no sleep no eat, just to meet the expectations of the department and his superiors. They were jealous of my dad's success throughout the year, he's an employee of the year back then. His co-workers and superiors got green-eyed that's why they plotted on destroying him." He raised his sword to see his reflection on the blade "To meet their expectations," he continued "...my dad loaned for an additional computer and other additional materials for the program. He got workers of his own with computers and stuff just to meet the deadline, in the end, he was scammed." Kirk gritted his teeth and punched Markus' left fingers.

Markus screamed in pain.

"If he was just given enough time, if the department was just considerate, he could have done a better job and finished the program. The ORION ruined my dad, Orion is the one who killed Johan Chester! He was a great programmer and yet the fault of the department and his superiors were brought only on him. Since they have found malicious controversies on the program since it posed discrimination, they chose to rub all the sin on him and fired him. Because of them, my dad went blank. He jumped from the rooftop of our apartment and dropped dead. I saw it with my own eyes. I was 10 back then..." Kirk was engulfed with silence for a few moments.