As the terrorist duo sat in the cozy ambiance of the tiny diner on the edge of North Borough, the faint scent of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air. The diner's retro décor, with its classic red side booths and checkered tablecloths, lent a nostalgic charm to the atmosphere.
Callos, a man with a soft demeanor and a twinkle in his eye, perused the menu with a hint of excitement. Across from him, Reed Rowley, his companion, leaned forward, his demeanor more tense. "Anything catching your eye, Cal?" Reed asked, his voice carrying a touch of amusement.
“Meat! Gimme Meat!"
Reed glanced around nervously as Callos's outburst drew the attention of nearby diners. Clearing his throat, he leaned in closer to his friend, his voice lowered to a hushed tone.
"C-Cal! Calm down… Reed said, his tone a mixture of exasperation and embarrassment. "There's no need to shout like that. We're in a public place."
But Callos seemed oblivious to Reed's plea, his eyes fixed on the waitress as if daring her to defy his request. "Meat! Gimme meat!" he repeated, his tone brash and demanding.The waitress, taken aback by Callos's aggressive manner, tried to maintain her composure.
"Sir, please, I understand you're hungry, but there's no need to yell. We have plenty of options on the menu, including various meat dishes. Can I help you with a specific choice?"
Reed, like a meek parent, took over for Callos. “He’ll have steak and eggs. I’ll take an order of bacon and sunny side eggs with a glass of water.”
“Understood sir.”
As the waitress walked away, Reed rubbed his eyes and grimaced in discomfort. “Can we not do this today, Cal? You’ve already been a part of Testament for over a year, and you’ve still not
adjusted to society. I’m surprised you’ve even lived this long.”
Callos paused his tinker with the thermos bomb, his expression turning serious as Reed's words struck a nerve. The mention of parents elicited a distant stir of memories within him, bringing forth fragmented images of his past. With a vacant stare, he murmured, "Pa…rents...?" The recollections flooded his mind — crashing waves, rays of light, humid air, and crowded streets, leaving an indelible mark on his consciousness.
Sensing his insensitivity, Reed lowered his head, offering a heartfelt apology. "Sorry about that. That was uncalled for, even by my standards."
“...”
As Reed offered his sincere apology, the waitress approached their table with their orders. The sight of the steaming dishes interrupted the moment, prompting Callos to dive into his meal with primal gusto. Without hesitation, he seized the steak with his bare hands, tearing into the tender flesh with voracious hunger.
Meanwhile, Reed maintained his composure, adhering to proper dining etiquette. With a poised demeanor, he delicately cut into his sunny side eggs using his right hand, methodically slicing through the yolk-soaked center. Reed then lifted each piece to his mouth, savoring the flavors with measured elegance.
In mere moments, Callos finished his plate of food, his hands covered in seasoning, sauce, oil, and bits of meat. He looked around and observed the other customers of the diner. Behind him was a family of three peacefully enjoying their meal. At the bar area, a sulking middle-aged man complained about his work life to the annoyed, but understanding waiter.
Regardless of their particular circumstances, they all chose to live their own time in their own way. And today, their lives would abruptly come to an end.
Reed's confusion deepened as Callos abruptly stood, gripping the thermos bomb in his hand. He asked, “Eh? Are you done eating?” Setting aside his utensils, he watched with growing concern as his deranged companion launched into an unexpected monologue.
“You asked me about my parents, right?”
“Yeah, I did…”
“From the moment I was born, I never once considered the thought of family, nor have I ever considered someone to be above myself.“ In the midst of his monologue, he raised the thermos bomb he had previously tampered with.
Reed's eyes widened in realization as he pieced together Callos' intentions. "Wait... you couldn't have," Reed protested, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Wait…you couldn’t have!”
But Callos pressed on, his gaze fixed on Reed with unwavering intensity. "Do you remember what I said when we first met?" he questioned, his tone laden with significance.
“What…?” Reed's mind raced, memories of their initial encounter flooding back to him. And then it clicked —
“I told you that love was worthless.”
Before Reed could react, he hurled the bomb into the air with a swift motion. Panic surged through Reed as he grasped the gravity of the situation. What had seemed like innocent play was revealed to be a calculated act of sabotage.
In the tense silence that followed, the diner seemed frozen in time, the air thick with apprehension. Callos's actions had set in motion a chain of events that could not be undone, leaving Reed grappling with the harsh reality of his friend's betrayal.
As the bomb sailed through the air, its timer ticking away, Reed could only watch helplessly, knowing that in that moment, no one could stop the impending catastrophe.
With a deafening roar, the bomb detonated upon impact, unleashing a devastating wave of destruction. The force of the explosion shattered windows, sending glass shards flying in all directions like deadly projectiles. The shockwave rippled through the diner, causing tables and chairs to splinter and fly through the air.
Chaos erupted as screams filled the air, mingling with the sound of crumbling debris. The once-cozy atmosphere was engulfed in a maelstrom of smoke and dust, obscuring the vision of those trapped within.
The structural integrity of the diner was compromised, walls collapsing inward with a cacophony of groans and splintering wood. Flames licked at the wreckage, feeding on the debris and sending plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.
Callos emerged from the putrid flames with a confident stride. He laughed at the carnage and turned to his partner-in-crime. “Hey Reed! Wasn’t that fun? You got a front row seat to the explosion!”
Reed hacked and coughed as he followed Callos to the car. “You know, you could have warned me beforehand! I hate smoke!”
“What a crybaby. Whatever. Let’s go have some fun downtown!”
Reed looked up at the easy-going Callos and wondered, damn it, we’re murderers. We’ve really killed people! Doesn’t he get that? We’ve chosen to abandon the rules of society in favor of the Shura! So why…why do you shine so brightly, Cal? Why can’t I look away from you?
That’s right…that’s the reason why I joined you. You destroy and defile without consideration for societal norms, ethics, or humanity, because deep down, you hate society just as much as I do.
Reed got up from his knees and wiped the tears from his face. With sincere admiration, he responded, “Yeah, let’s have fun!”
As the terrorist duo sat in the cozy ambiance of the tiny diner on the edge of North Borough, the faint scent of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air. The diner's retro décor, with its classic red side booths and checkered tablecloths, lent a nostalgic charm to the atmosphere.
Callos, a man with a soft demeanor and a twinkle in his eye, perused the menu with a hint of excitement. Across from him, Reed Rowley, his companion, leaned forward, his demeanor more tense. "Anything catching your eye, Cal?" Reed asked, his voice carrying a touch of amusement.
“Meat! Gimme Meat!"
Reed glanced around nervously as Callos's outburst drew the attention of nearby diners. Clearing his throat, he leaned in closer to his friend, his voice lowered to a hushed tone.
"C-Cal! Calm down… Reed said, his tone a mixture of exasperation and embarrassment. "There's no need to shout like that. We're in a public place."
But Callos seemed oblivious to Reed's plea, his eyes fixed on the waitress as if daring her to defy his request. "Meat! Gimme meat!" he repeated, his tone brash and demanding.The waitress, taken aback by Callos's aggressive manner, tried to maintain her composure.
"Sir, please, I understand you're hungry, but there's no need to yell. We have plenty of options on the menu, including various meat dishes. Can I help you with a specific choice?"
Reed, like a meek parent, took over for Callos. “He’ll have steak and eggs. I’ll take an order of bacon and sunny side eggs with a glass of water.”
“Understood sir.”
As the waitress walked away, Reed rubbed his eyes and grimaced in discomfort. “Can we not do this today, Cal? You’ve already been a part of Testament for over a year, and you’ve still not
adjusted to society. I’m surprised you’ve even lived this long.”
Callos paused his tinker with the thermos bomb, his expression turning serious as Reed's words struck a nerve. The mention of parents elicited a distant stir of memories within him, bringing forth fragmented images of his past. With a vacant stare, he murmured, "Pa…rents...?" The recollections flooded his mind — crashing waves, rays of light, humid air, and crowded streets, leaving an indelible mark on his consciousness.
Sensing his insensitivity, Reed lowered his head, offering a heartfelt apology. "Sorry about that. That was uncalled for, even by my standards."
“...”
As Reed offered his sincere apology, the waitress approached their table with their orders. The sight of the steaming dishes interrupted the moment, prompting Callos to dive into his meal with primal gusto. Without hesitation, he seized the steak with his bare hands, tearing into the tender flesh with voracious hunger.
Meanwhile, Reed maintained his composure, adhering to proper dining etiquette. With a poised demeanor, he delicately cut into his sunny side eggs using his right hand, methodically slicing through the yolk-soaked center. Reed then lifted each piece to his mouth, savoring the flavors with measured elegance.
In mere moments, Callos finished his plate of food, his hands covered in seasoning, sauce, oil, and bits of meat. He looked around and observed the other customers of the diner. Behind him was a family of three peacefully enjoying their meal. At the bar area, a sulking middle-aged man complained about his work life to the annoyed, but understanding waiter.
Regardless of their particular circumstances, they all chose to live their own time in their own way. And today, their lives would abruptly come to an end.
Reed's confusion deepened as Callos abruptly stood, gripping the thermos bomb in his hand. He asked, “Eh? Are you done eating?” Setting aside his utensils, he watched with growing concern as his deranged companion launched into an unexpected monologue.
“You asked me about my parents, right?”
“Yeah, I did…”
“From the moment I was born, I never once considered the thought of family, nor have I ever considered someone to be above myself.“ In the midst of his monologue, he raised the thermos bomb he had previously tampered with.
Reed's eyes widened in realization as he pieced together Callos' intentions. "Wait... you couldn't have," Reed protested, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Wait…you couldn’t have!”
But Callos pressed on, his gaze fixed on Reed with unwavering intensity. "Do you remember what I said when we first met?" he questioned, his tone laden with significance.
“What…?” Reed's mind raced, memories of their initial encounter flooding back to him. And then it clicked —
“I told you that love was worthless.”
Before Reed could react, he hurled the bomb into the air with a swift motion. Panic surged through Reed as he grasped the gravity of the situation. What had seemed like innocent play was revealed to be a calculated act of sabotage.
In the tense silence that followed, the diner seemed frozen in time, the air thick with apprehension. Callos's actions had set in motion a chain of events that could not be undone, leaving Reed grappling with the harsh reality of his friend's betrayal.
As the bomb sailed through the air, its timer ticking away, Reed could only watch helplessly, knowing that in that moment, no one could stop the impending catastrophe.
With a deafening roar, the bomb detonated upon impact, unleashing a devastating wave of destruction. The force of the explosion shattered windows, sending glass shards flying in all directions like deadly projectiles. The shockwave rippled through the diner, causing tables and chairs to splinter and fly through the air.
Chaos erupted as screams filled the air, mingling with the sound of crumbling debris. The once-cozy atmosphere was engulfed in a maelstrom of smoke and dust, obscuring the vision of those trapped within.
The structural integrity of the diner was compromised, walls collapsing inward with a cacophony of groans and splintering wood. Flames licked at the wreckage, feeding on the debris and sending plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.
Callos emerged from the putrid flames with a confident stride. He laughed at the carnage and turned to his partner-in-crime. “Hey Reed! Wasn’t that fun? You got a front row seat to the explosion!”
Reed hacked and coughed as he followed Callos to the car. “You know, you could have warned me beforehand! I hate smoke!”
“What a crybaby. Whatever. Let’s go have some fun downtown!”
Reed looked up at the easy-going Callos and wondered, damn it, we’re murderers. We’ve really killed people! Doesn’t he get that? We’ve chosen to abandon the rules of society in favor of the Shura! So why…why do you shine so brightly, Cal? Why can’t I look away from you?
That’s right…that’s the reason why I joined you. You destroy and defile without consideration for societal norms, ethics, or humanity, because deep down, you hate society just as much as I do.
Reed got up from his knees and wiped the tears from his face. With sincere admiration, he responded, “Yeah, let’s have fun!”
