The Permutation

Apex (Part 5) Paul

Saturday, November 5th, 1:11 a.m.

Paul's instincts towards self-preservation woke him with a start, just in time for him to hear the words, "They're coming."

He let out a loud, prolonged groan. Paul's back ached, actually his everywhere ached, but his back was screaming in protest while everything else was a dull roar. Cold metal digging into his back wasn't doing him any favors either.

A grouping of faces he didn't recognize peered over the lip of the truck. None of them looked familiar except for that homeless millionaire and the officer that had arrested him earlier. Paul didn't know which of them had woken him so he addressed the general vicinity.

"'they?' Is it safe to assume you don't mean a late night pizza delivery?" Paul asked.
A man groaned and Paul paired it with Officer Perry Durant.

That's what that fucker's name is.

Paul didn't like the fact he didn't know where he was, or the people around him as a matter of fact, so he grasped at the some semblance of control in the only way he knew how. Sarcasm.

"Officer Durant, if Rohypnol is involved can that really count as consent?If you're going to take me out to the middle of nowhere, the least you could do is buy me dinner first."

Paul grinned at the tightening of the man's jaw.

"I would, but something tells me I wouldn't be able to afford it," the officer jibed back.

"Vergil," another man interjected, "This large human should be perceived as a threat, he was affected by the Resonator in much the same way you were, but he appears to be unstable. Blujh and I attempted to incapacitate and capture him. It appears he is craftier then I first imagined."

It took Paul a moment to realize he recognized the man. He was one of The Beings. The man's face had changed, but Paul could tell by the way he carried himself. Paul's tendrils accepted leapt at his behest, poised and ready to defend Paul. He had a feeling he was surrounded by enemies.

"Maybe we could use someone with a little craftiness to them," said an individual with ratty, blond hair like he had foregone washing it to perfect beach bum look.

The homeless millionaire.

Paul remembered seeing an article about the boy's mother dying a couple of years ago. He found the boy's disregard of his newfound wealth as admirable as it was foolish. It was rare a human could set aside his basest urges if they meant material gain.

An Asian woman spoke up. She glared her eyes drawn to two thin slits. Paul enjoyed the look.

"Even if the man is a murderer?" She asked.

"Let me dispose of him," said the other Being. Paul also didn't recognize him until he spoke up.

"When all of this is over, he will stand trial in a court of law. Until then, somebody is going to have to keep an eye on him," said Officer Durant.

Paul revelled in the naivety of the officer and wished they did not need to be on opposite sides of the law. In another life, maybe they would have even been friends. The man's integrity was a rare find when it came to the boys in blue. If Paul was a younger man, maybe he could've steered him straight, restored his faith in humanity or something else cheesy like that. Unfortunately, the time for that had passed.

No use dwelling on the past.

"Gentlemen, I don't mean to distract the conversation by staying on topic, but who are these 'they' tall, dark, and creepy was referring to. Something tells me they're not coming out to the middle of nowhere for a social call."