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Book of Names

Chapter 1: The Last One

By Evan MoronesPublished 4 years ago 7 min read
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Report Subject: The Last One

"Origin is unknown, sex appears to be male, reproductive organs are unknown, abilities are unknown, facial recognition profile is unknown, current location is unknown,” The computer recited.

“Do we know anything!?” Dr. Princiotta shouted. The other scientists looked around nervously.

“We have been looking through the images and documents. It seems that at every turning point in history he appears. Whether friend or foe is unknown,” said Dr. Lex.

Dr. Princiotta threw the research papers at him. He blinked in response. She was furious. They had come across my image by complete accident. I hadn’t even noticed it at first. I began to recognize the researched items, locations, dates; I had been involved in every one. After decades of being a walking void, I no longer cared where my adventures took me. I studied with legends, learned from famous scholars, and even partied with a few prodigies. Every century or so, I’d take on a new subject and master it completely. Tesla was my favorite. I learned quite a few things that have helped me manipulate the world in unimaginable ways.

Wanting to share my knowledge with these mortals, I went to school. Got my degree, again, and joined a bunch of nerds on a whim. I don’t bring attention to myself. I keep everyone at bay. They see me as a quiet nobody with no social skills whatsoever. Needless to say they just don’t strike me as the most interesting people to talk to in this era. I watched and guided them as best I could with out being discovered. Until I foolishly provided them with a clue from my past. It was an accident really. I was searching up articles for our new research project and got bored. Surfing through some historical events I saw myself at JFK’s assassination. I had gotten a job as his guard back then. Being highly trained and such.

Then I wondered if I could find myself in other events. Foolishly, I did this at work where others had access to my findings. Curiosity took over my peers as well and then I became their focus of interest. The never aging immortal. They had a few details wrong but they had me in every historical event. I had the pleasure of knowing what they knew, being on the inside. I was able to change some facts and even convinced them the person in the pictures was a man.

The written documents were a little harder to fake but I learned a few tricks growing up with the geniuses that created this world. Currently, Dr. Princiotta was looking for her Nobel Prize. What better way than an immortal non-aging human being. Bets between her staff were even made as to whether I was a vampire or not.

“Eternity!” I heard my name being called. It wasn’t my actual name. I had to change it every 80 years or so, I always faked a death. No one ever came to my funeral. This one was an inside joke. Nobody got it but me.

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.

“You’ll be working with Mr. Anon,” Dr. Lex said, reading off the assignments.

“What? Why?” Anon protested.

“Because I said so, anyone that doesn’t want to work in pairs can leave now,” She warned.

I stood up and walked out. I could see the surprise in everyone’s face. Even Dr. Princiotta was left speechless, such a bold move from their most awkward employee. I didn’t care. I needed to leave and destroy all the evidence they had. I would come back after closing. The training I’d taken over the centuries should come in handy. I glanced back in time to catch a coworker watching me. He smirked as if sharing a secret joke. I shivered a little but continued. I dropped off my badge at the gate, letting the security guard know I’d be back for my stuff tomorrow. I had known his great grandfather, and he was just as kind and humble as his elder. He trusted me.

It was raining by the time I made it into my driveway. I had already run a list of things I would need for my new mission. Scientists were annoying sometimes, they always wanted to figure shit out. Some questions didn’t need answers. I was too lost in my own thoughts to notice the visitor sitting on my patio. He seemed to observe me with a straight face until I finally noticed him. Then he smiled again.

“Joe, what are you doing here?” I began to shiver, I assumed from the cold.

“May I come in?” He stood and approached me slowly, “It’s raining and I forgot my umbrella.”

I had unlocked the door before he had finished requesting to come in and so he just rushed in before me.

“Sure,” I said. “Why not?”

“I came to ask you to reconsider.” He looked around my house, taking everything in. I could see him making mental notes. I looked around too, feeling a bit self-conscious. I always pic secluded houses in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes I make friends. Sometimes I enjoy the solitude. This century was to be lived in solitude. With the occasional bed partner to pass the time with. I was a playgirl the previous century. There were a lot of good men in that time, and women. Maybe Joe was here to fill that spot?

“Reconsider what?” I asked, staring at an early painting by Davinci. He stood beside me.

“Working with a partner,” He whispered.

“No, I like to work alone,” I replied, shrugging off my coat.

“You have a lot of interesting items here. All yours?” He called after me. I stalked over to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate.

“Family,” I answered, quickly. He smiled.

“What are you making?” He watched me pour milk into a pot. “Hot chocolate,” I replied, with a smile of my own. It was an old routine that I had caught from an old friend.

“Best way to warm your soul in the cold rain,” Joe recited . I turned to look at him, really look at him. His blue-grey eyes, his thin lips, his stance. He seemed familiar. I couldn’t place him.

“Where’d you hear that?”

“My grandfather would tell me stories y’know. His years working as a secret agent. Childhood stories,” Joe spoke, softly. “There isn’t a story of his I didn’t commit to memory. In all his stories he’d mention a young lady. She was smart, brave, gorgeous, but she had a terrible secret.”

“Sounds like your regular fairy tale,” I said. I made my way to the other side of the kitchen, slowly.

“Yeah, I thought so too. Until he showed me this,” Joe took out a small picture.

I looked at it, stunned. I was there with James Anon. It was the last mission we had together. I had completely forgotten about that. Joe watched me, waiting for my excuse. The hot chocolate boiled over, giving me a small window of distraction.

“He said her name was Alison at the time. She never aged and always had to wear a mask to hide it. She had confided in him once and that was all he needed,” his voice filled with emotion. “He said, she saved his life more times than he could count and if it wasn’t for her he wouldn’t have met my grandmother.”

“Look I know how this looks but-,” I began.

“Imagine my surprise when we find The Last One. Even more so when it turns out to be a man! But then, there you are, the same as you were in the picture,” He said, looking at it again.

“Joe, you can’t honestly believe-“

“You have his gun,” He said, cutting me off again.

“What?”

“He asked me to come looking for you. I would know it was you because of his gun. Because you made him a promise.” Joe walked into the living room and opened one of my cabinets.

He removed the silencer I had stashed there and brought it over to me. He showed me the gun and the picture. They were an exact match, down to the worn handle with a small silver scratch on it.

“I found you,” Joe’s words rang in my ears.

I stood frozen, for the first time in my life, I was truly frightened.

fantasy
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About the Creator

Evan Morones

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