Human Elimination

Prologue

She lay on the hospital bed, placed in the centre of the purely white room. The only sound, other than her deep, low breathing, was the movement of the layer of thin papery fabric that lay beneath her body. The stench of bleach covering her sterile surroundings caused a pain to shoot through her head. She moved uncomfortably, unnerved by the nightmare that played before her closed eyelids. Her body writhed in agony at her loss, at her pain, at what was to come.

She awoke. Her eyes flew open as she wiped the growing perspiration on her forehead with a shaking hand. Sitting up slightly she observed her surroundings. Panic seized her as she absorbed the sight of the vast white room. Many wires were attached to her body, leading to numerous machines portraying recordings and measurements of her bodily functions. The dream she had experienced moments ago had not sprouted from her imagination, but was a replay of the night before.

Fear consumed her as she tried to hold back the sobs that threatened to overcome. But still silent tears fell down her radiant cheeks. She clutched her swollen, pregnant belly, anxiety and dread balled within a tight knot, twisted in her stomach. Fear made her sick. Vomit rose to the back of her throat of which she swallowed with determination. Furiously she wiped the tears away.

Somewhere in the immense room of white light a door opened. Two figures became distinguishable as they walked closer to the bed of which she lay. Dressed in pure white, one of the men observed the readings on the machine. The other met her fearful stare with a look of cold and heartless determination.


Chapter One - A Betrayal of Blood

The night was dark, emphasising the glowing light that exuded from the stars. Nightfall was approaching earlier each day as the warm, colourful season of autumn started to fade into the crystallised frost of winter. Despite the predictions of snow, the sky was perfectly cloudless, the air, dense with a biting cold as Aro Zontini gazed with enticement upwards. His eyes hunted the sky for the magnificent beauty that lay within it. He stared at that same star he had been for weeks now. It was dying. The bright white of it had transformed into a glowing red that radiated its warmth amongst the others that surrounded it.

He had observed the star's happenings for weeks now, watching how it transformed from a glorious white light, how this was devoured by a cocoon of brightly coloured gas which balled around the mass as though for protection during its last dying days. The remains of the star, he knew, would provide enough energy, mass and light for the birth of a new one. Everything was a cycle. Everything, but here on earth. But of course, there were exceptions.

The hallway was dark as he opened the front door and walked tiredly inside. He sighed as a soothing hand moved to the place on his forehead where a piercing pain had started to form. He realised his hands were still shaking from his interview with the government correspondents. The conference had unnerved him. Holding within his secret was easy, keeping a straight face was the difficult part.

Aro sauntered down his hallway, grateful to be within the confines of his house. The slim mobile that lay next to his thigh within his pocket vibrated. He removed it from his pocket and looked who was calling, it was Pete. Not wanting to make conversation with anyone he slowly and reluctantly answered his phone.

"What?" He answered.

"They know" came the short and dismissive answer. Aro felt the words dawn on him as panic crept through him.

"Shit. How?" Aro asked, unable to stifle the tremble in his voice.

"They're coming Aro. There's no time. Take her and go, you won't be known at the airports yet, so you should be able to get away. Go somewhere where they won't think you'd go. Somewhere extreme, but quiet. And hurry up" His tone was hushed and urgent.

"Right thanks Pete. Who though? Which bastard ratted us out" he muttered.

"There's no time to think about that now. Get the hell out of there Aro" With that he rang off.

Aro hurriedly returned the mobile to his pocket while he raced upstairs. He knew his wife was asleep, she always was at this time. He made his way to their bedroom and slowly opened the door. Arianna lay on the bed, her eyes closed, and her arms lying on her sides. Aro did not wish to rouse her from her peaceful slumber. For a moment he watched as she breathed silently and deeply. The drawn curtains made her smooth skin appear darker and yet still radiant despite the subdued light. Her pregnant belly was subtly rounded under her woolly jumper. It was not yet obvious.

"Arianna" he hissed shaking her awake. Her eyes opened slowly and a smile broadened her face at the sight of him. But then she noticed the urgency and panic in his eyes.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"They know. We have to leave now." She didn't need to know anymore. Arianna sprang from her bed and urgently started to gather their possessions together. Aro reached under the bed and pulled out a suitcase for her to place them in.

"Get the passports" she ordered. Aro ran down the stairs, the urgency of his mood increased by his wife's.

It had taken them ten minutes to gather their belongings. Aro carried the suitcase down the stairs while Arianna pulled on her coat and handed Aro his.

"You got everything in here?" he asked.

"Everything we need." she answered. "Credit card!" she exclaimed before running into the kitchen to retrieve it.

Aro picked up the suitcase and the other bags he had dumped in the hallway. He heard a knock on the front door. Panic froze him as an overwhelming dread seeped through his person. Through the obscure glass that made up his door he could distinguish a dark figure. Maybe we could escape through the back he thought.

"Aro" a deep, familiar voice called through the closed door.

"Damn it, North" he muttered, automatically relaxing at the sound of his brother's voice. He opened the door swiftly and with a hasty glance at the outdoor surroundings he allowed him in. Dressed smartly in black North strolled casually in the hallway, his dark eyes drinking in the sight of his brother with a look of internal analysis.

"You going somewhere Aro?" North asked eyeing the suitcases warily.

"They know, North. And they're coming. Someone betrayed us." Answered Aro, picking up the suitcase while Arianna walked hurriedly towards them, a worried expression painted upon her face.

"What!" he exclaimed. "Who?"

"We don't know" responded Arianna.

"But if I did, they'd be dead" Aro almost growled. He stalked past North to put the suitcase in the car.

"We're leaving now, it's the only chance we've got" he heard Arianna saying as he shoved the suitcase in the boot. Aro looked upwards at the sky, the formations of clouds built threateningly around the edges of his sight. He almost ran back inside to retrieve the other bags Arianna had placed in the hallway.

"You're leaving huh?" North asked as he walked back into the hallway. "You sure that's the best idea?" he inquired, his eyes probing into the couple.

"Well of course it is" Aro snapped.

"I just thought, maybe it would make it look suspicious. They obviously have a grudge that Arianna's pregnant" he stated gesturing to her. "You running away is only gonna confirm it." He looked at them as though this reasoned their stay.

"No North, we can't risk it" Arianna rationed. But Aro was looking upon his brother, acknowledging that he was one of the few people that knew of his wife's pregnancy.

"Just stay, for a little while. Let's just sort this out" North put a reassuring, brotherly hand on Aro's shoulder.

Aro stalked up to his brother, as they were of a similar height their eyes met. Their appearances were similar too, dark hair and eyes and smooth russet skin. Within his brother's eyes, Aro could perceive a shadow of deception, of betrayal.

"Why?" Aro hissed, his eyes brimming of ire. North made no answer, taken aback by the accusative tone his brother was confronting him with.

"Why don't you want us to leave North" he asked again, quietly with a dangerous edge.

"I, I just think it's for the best" North's confident tone faltered under his brother's gaze.

"YOU BASTARD" Aro roared as he threw a punch at North. His fist contacted with North's nose and he felt a breakage of bones as it did. North staggered before he fell to the floor clutching at his broken nose. Blood fell through the gaps of his fingers to the floor in the hallway.

"Aro!" Arianna shouted. He turned to look in her direction. "We have to go" she uttered urgently. He turned his gaze back to his brother.

"Why?" he hissed. "Money? Status? What?" Aro spat the disjointed questions to the undignified North.

North glared back at him, hatred daggered towards him. "No" he spat back. "For the human population" he tumbled down again as he tried to regain himself. Aro gave him a kick him in the ribs which he responded with an agonised grunt.

"They'll kill her! And the baby!" Aro snarled downwards.

"So? It's worth it" North's words were muffled by the placement of his hands. "You hand her in, you save the bloody human population. She is the last pregnant woman in the fucking world. They need her. Or do you want us to all die, become extinct?"

"They'll kill her. It's a risk I'm not willing to take. I trusted you North. My own brother! My own fucking brother!" Aro thundered sending another punch to his face. North fell from his upright position to the floor once more.

Arianna had grabbed the bags and rushed past the brothers to the door. "Come on Aro. Let's go." She instructed urgently.

He turned to face her again, remembering her presence. "Right, you got everything?" He asked.

"Yes! Please, let's go." She glanced at North's vulnerable state and back to Aro. North was lying still, he was still conscious as blood obscured his face.

"You're making a mistake" North muttered quietly.

"I'm in the car Aro" Arianna stated as she darted past them, through the door, carrying the last of their bags.

"You betrayed me brother" Aro spat down to North. "Have a good life. I hope to never see you again". North met his defenceless gaze. Landing one last satisfying blow in his brother's side he left his house closing the door behind him.

Arianna was waiting in the passenger's seat of the car. Aro hastily got inside the vehicle and started it up.

"Let's go" he muttered before putting the car in ignition and driving away from his home, his work, his life in Britain for the safety of his wife and unborn child.