It's Not True

[Jerry]

It was two weeks almost to the day since Durante made a wild accusation that he was a god.  That he had wielded the power that day in the hospital. Jer woke up with a mild fever. It was nothing really.  An aspirin or two would take care of it.  But it only got worse.  And with the fever the pain grew.

It felt like he was being stabbed and torn apart at the same time.  It was horrible.  Fever swept in the hallucinations.  He saw things.  Things he didn't want to see them.  His father, his mother, the men he killed.  The voices, the damage, everything he kept under wraps flooded in with the hallucinations.  

Jer was alone in his misery.  His small apartment near the old Bacaratt Mansion empty except for the echo's of his screams that could not be heard outside. He'd prided himself on the sound proofing for Atharim privacy.  But now, no one knew the pain and agony. There was not a sound anyone else heard no matter how loud Jer got.

[Jerry]

When the fever broke and the pain subsided Jerry was left with nausea. He was a god!

Protocol dictated he kill his family and then kill himself -- that was the way it should be done. But Jer sat on the edge of his bed, his clothes still soaked in the previous day's fevered sweats. He'd woken fine like nothing had happened except for the words of a boy god who called him out. He still had a job to do? He had to kill himself for the honor of his family and to insure the world remained a safe place.

The dilemma his prey faced was now all too real. He had been a traitor to the cause the moment he didn't kill himself. Now Jer felt the exact same way. But he had so much more to do. His hunt for traitors still on going. Jer hung his head and pondered the ramifications...

[Jerry]

Silence left him in a daze. The internal thoughts made him wonder if the power could be used for good. But then he thought of all the things that he'd been taught. It wasn't just that power inside existed it always corrupted the person. It was the way of all variations of power. It could be quick or slow, but it always inevitably corrupted the person.

Even after a shower Jer had no idea what he'd do. Where he'd go. Or how he'd go about his life. But he knew in that moment he dd not want to die. But where did that lead him?

[Jerry]

Hatred coursed through his veins. He hated Durante for telling him the truth. He hated himself. He hated the gun that sat on the table next to him. Jer was avoiding everyone and everything. Durante was off the grid and that was his priority to find, interrogate the traitor and then kill him for the god he was. In that order.

But he was a god reborn. Did that trump his goal. His job? The dilemma raged in his mind.

Jer had picked up the gun several times, but now it lay still and untouched for hours. Hatred... rage... doubt... All feelings he never expected to see. And now it was all he felt.

[Jerry]

Three weeks since the traitor had told him he was a god almost to the hour when his phone went off with from an untracable number -- and by gods he tried to find the location of the source, but it bounced everywhere and even the tech guys lost it in the strange net of bounces.

New Atharim Godling, You feeling any better? I can make sure you don't die from it.

Fucking asshole!

Jer thought about shooting himself moments before the text -- thought about ending his life. But he just stared at the gun each time. He didn't want to die.

How?

The response was not instantaneous even though his response had been sent near to reading it.

Several minutes later after all the bouncing of connections a return reply happened.

I have a hunt in the tunnels. When I'm back we can meet.

He was still hunting? He was a traitorous godling.

I'll go with you

The next response came with coordinates of where to meet him. With a simple warning.

I will kill you if you lay a finger on any of my companions.

[Zephyr]

Zef had a notification set to alert her when anyone updated the location of any godlings that were of any note -- specifically an Ahtarim, or one young enough to train -- both would be better. She was surprised when one came through a few days after her initial request.

A young American Atharim in Moscow who was classified as a traitor had his status updated to a future date and location. If that wasn't fortuitous. Zef smiled with glee as she added herself to the god hunting detail. She wasn't an archangel, but it was never their job solely -- and honestly she thought that was a bunch of bullshit anyway. Who needed god fighting squads -- they had failed in most of their attempts anyway -- specially this traitor boy. Twice now he had escaped. Yes, she liked that -- to tame the untamable.

Grym didn't express the desire to capture the godling when she brought it up before, but hunting a god... that was different. The inquisitor wanted him alive -- and that suited her just fine.

Got a line on an uncatchable godling. You want in? It's a capture not kill -- inquistor *rolls eyes emoji*

With the encrypted message she sent along the coordinates.