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"Weird choice for a location..." Rick said, stepping out of the cab. He looked up at the building. Then he realized the location was part of what was the labs. The building was mostly destroyed, with a lot of rubble around. Rick shut his eyes for a moment. He thought about the day he rescued Maru. His thoughts then wandered on to think about the last time he saw Norio.

Fourteen years ago, a family was getting ready for bed. A man tucked two boys into bed. "I'm gonna go say goodnight to your sister now," The man paused for a minute. He then gave a smile. "Boy...I just wanted to tell you..." He gulped, and looked down. But before he could get a word out, they heard banging on the door. The man quickly turned his attention toward the doorway. "...hold on." He said. As he stepped out into the kitchen, he saw his partner standing, looking at the door. "Larkin?" The man c.o.c.ked his head. "Is somebody there...?" Larkin did not answer. "Must've been the win-," before he could finish, men burst into the house. The man gasped. Larkin took a step back. No emotion on his face. "What the h.e.l.l is going on!?" The man cried. The men pushed into him, knocking him down. The intruders ran into the bedroom where they boys were. The younger brother screamed. The older brother however, stood in front of him. Anger in his eyes. The intruders hovered of the children, smirking. The younger boy began trembling behind his brother. "Grab 'em!" One intruder barked. The man, pinned to the ground began screaming. "Please, what the h.e.l.l is going on!?" He screamed. "Boys!?" His voice sounded desperate. The intruders, carrying the boys smirked. One stepped on the mans face, causing him to scream out in pain. "Where are you taking them!?" He cried. "Where the h.e.l.l are you taking them!?" He continued shrieking. "Larkin, do something!" He cried. The intruder then stepped off of him, walking out with the others. The man, struggled to get up. "Mikael," Larkin looked steadily down, as Mikael got up. Mikael glared at him, panting. "What did you do." He glared. Larkin didn't answer. "Larkin, what the f.u.c.k did you do!?" He shrieked. "Our job, no, my job here is done." Larkin smiled at Mikael. Mikael's eyes widened. "You son of a bi-" Larkin began walking toward the door. "Don't you," He kept walking. "Don't you dare!" Mikael screamed. Larkin paused in the door way. "The older boy has use," he said to an intruder that had stayed behind. Mikael's vision started fading. "The youngest," Larkin paused. Before he heard the rest of what Larkin had to say, he fell to the floor, unconscious.

The younger boy struggled desperately. "Let us go!" He shrieked. The older boy was silent. The intruders stopped walking. "Take him toward the facility," The intruder who had stayed behind ordered, pointing at the older brother. The boy said nothing. "Got it," The man carrying him said. The intruder carrying the older boy looked at the younger brother. "What about him," The head of the intruders glared. "Go." He said sternly. "Rick!" The younger brother cried out. "Let him go!" He sobbed wildly. Rick turned his head and smirked. "Don't be such a cry baby, will ya?" The younger brothers eyes widened. Before he could continue, the man carrying him smacked him hard on the head. "No more talking!" He barked. Rick turned his head, but the other men were already waking in the opposite direction. All he saw was the bewilderment in his younger brothers eyes.

The men, carrying the younger boy threw him to the ground. The boy grunted. "You know the orders," The man began. "Kill him." One man pulled a match from his pocket. Another man handed him a branch. "That b.a.s.t.a.r.d Larkin didn't give us anything." The boys eyes widened at the mention of one of his father figures. He sat on the ground. He looked exhausted. "Norio," a man said, lighting the branch on fire. "This might hurt." The man smirked, throwing the lit on fire branch at the boy. Norio began screaming in agony. "No point of staying," the head said, as he signaled them to leave. Norio roller around desperately screaming in pain.

As the fire went out, Norio rolled onto his back. Burn marks covered the left side of his body, and face. Norio opened his eyes slowly. His eyes lost their color. The color in place, became despair. He watched as a branch from the tree next to him came plummeting down, stabbing out his left eye.

By the time Norio regained consciousness, he was being carried. "Is his eye really gone, mommy!?" A little girl cried. A woman carrying him did not respond. She, followed by two little girls, ran desperately toward their house deep in the woods. The world faded to black as he fell unconscious once more.

Rick frowned. "I should have never said those words..." As he looked up, Rick noticed a man standing in the rubble. His back turned. His eyes widened. "Norio..." he whispered to himself. Norio looked over, noticing him. "Happy birthday, brother." He smirked.