CHAPTER TWELVE

After making a few phone calls, Mark was ready to leave. He tried to give Ryan some space. The kid had definitely had a rough night.

     He tried not to think about Alyxx. He couldn't do anything for her if he panicked. "Mark?" Ryan called.

     Mark snapped back to reality. "Sorry, what?"

     "Never mind. Are you okay?"

     "I'm fine."

     "You're a liar."

     "Have you met me?"

     "You know what I mean. What's going on in your head?"

     "I love her..."

     "I know."

     "I have never loved anyone before. Hell, even my soul only had one love over the eons and, well, Chaos sort of ate her."

     "Satis. Tabby's sister," Ryan said with recognition.

     "Yeah."

     "She didn't deserve to die like that."

     "She died for me. I think that's why I didn't even hesitate to jump in front of Alyxx when Chaos went for her... Because that's what Satis did for me."

     "You're starting to sound as angsty as I do."

     "That's unacceptable. Get me some Prozac and a bottle of Scotch."

     "You would drink something as pompous as Scotch."

     "Damn straight. I'll take that over a beer any day."    

     They drove to Zane's house comfortably. Mark and Ryan had spent a lot of time together since they'd met. Ryan had social issues and Mark had a soft spot for a kid with a tragic backstory. Their bond had sort of been set in stone the moment they met as Mark was claiming to be a museum curator and Ryan was about to unlock both of their souls.

     Mark remembered it well. The kid was only sixteen or so at the time. Mark was in the Met and trying to figure out how to get his hands on some priceless artifacts when he spotted Ryan out of the corner of his eye. He was trembling as he stared at a statue of Ra. It caught Mark's attention.

     "Hey, you alright?" He asked him.

     Ryan continued shaking. He looked at him and lied to his face. "Fine."

     "Sure. Let's just say you weren't fine. What might be wrong?"

     "I don't know."

     "You know."

     "I'm just cold." He continued staring at the statue. His eyes then fell to the floor. He looked ashamed.

     "What is it, Kid?" Mark asked.

     "Don't call me that."

     "What do I call you then?"

     "Ryan."

     "I'm Mark. So what's going on?"

     "I shouldn't be here. I don't deserve to be here."

     "What do you mean? It's a museum. Everyone deserves to be here."

     "No, I don't. Not here, not in his presence."

     "It's just a statue, Ki- Ryan."

     "He knows I'm here... Gods... Tabby... Oh my Gods, what have I done?"

     Mark was fairly certain the kid was schizophrenic until he looked into his eyes. Ryan wasn't home.

     "What the hell?" Mark asked. He reached out to touch Ryan's arm.

     Ryan fell to the floor in obvious anguish. Even more confused, Mark knelt beside him. "Hey, it's okay, Ryan," he said gently. "Whatever this is, you're going to be okay. You're safe here."

     "I shouldn't be here... I killed her," Ryan insisted.

     Now Mark was really confused. He should have walked away. Instead, he felt the need to stay with the kid. He put his arms on Ryan's shoulders to steady him. "Breathe, buddy. You're okay."

     "It's not okay! I killed her! She was the only damn person who still believed in me and I murdered her!"

     "Ryan, seriously, what the hell is going on?" He had the strangest sense of having had this conversation before.

     "Kill me..." He whispered. "I'm too dangerous. I can't control the chaos any more. Please, Khonsu. You're the only one I trust."

     Just like that, Mark's soul unlocked. It was incredibly easy for him, unlike for most people. Suddenly, all of his memories were just there. Now he understood why the conversation was familiar. They'd had it before, after Set killed Ta-Bitjet.

     "Oh, Set..." Pity filled Mark's heart as he watched this boy suffer just as his old friend Set had. "That was a long time ago, my friend. I didn't kill you then and I won't do it now, either."

     "Please..." Ryan, or rather, Set begged him.

     "You don't need to punish yourself anymore, Set. Ra forgave you."

     "I don't deserve it. Please, Khonsu. Kill me. Kill me before I hurt anyone else!"

     "I can't do that."

     "Then take my soul. Please. I can't... I can't live with what I did."

     "Set, listen to me. You're incarnated now. It's been a few millennia since all of that happened."

     Ryan seemed to gain slight control at that point. "What the hell is happening to me?" He asked softly.

     "I have no idea... But I think it just happened to me, too."

     They had spent the next few days in almost constant contact as they tried to figure out what was going on. Eventually, the flashbacks calmed down and Ryan stayed in control. Mark took him under his wing. It was over a year before Zane and Olivia found them. In that time, they only had each other to rely on.

     "Earth to Mark?" Ryan called. "We're here. You parked and everything. It was sort of impressive. Where did your mind go?"

     "Memories of simpler times," Mark mumbled. "Come on, let's get inside."