The Devil's Crown

LXV Loose Ends.

Shaw eyed Jake as he stood there amidst the running lab, his dead eyes staring blankly at the safe’s door as if he has was talking to someone inside. What kind of conversation that was is a mystery that Shaw didn’t bother to solve.

He expected the reaction, yes. Seeing a magical being for the first time had that kind of effect, Shaw was no exception. During his power search, he didn’t believe the treasure that fell right into his hands. The intention to use an elf as the…inspiration wasn’t initially. He never planned for Jake and Ash to be created with the cells taken from an elf.

The note that he never believed in their existence was a joke now. His rectangular-shaped head dangled low as he allowed a faint chuckle to echo in the hallway in front of him. There was no need to be down there any longer, there was something else he had to take care of up there.

The memory of the bullets floating in mid-air under the effect of an invisible force was stuck in his mind. There was no news, none of the other tycoon families know anything. It wouldn’t be a lie to say that they were as lost as he was, there was no logical explanation for this leap in technology. Even with Jake, he doubted that he would reach that far.

There was also the burning of the Tower…there were too many loose ends than he would have liked. Shaw clenched his jaw at the reminder of the dead men, his dead sons, Orathan on the loose. There was no way news about the boy, there was no data left on him. It was almost as if the whole thing didn’t take place, to begin with.

It was possible to say that he took the power and was using it to feed his own greed, Shaw thought. Usually, that would be the answer but, why wasn’t he feeling at ease?

“M-My lord!”

He halted glancing behind him at the figure of the doctor that suggests they lower the dose.

“Doctor,” Shaw grinned slyly, making the man gulp. “I’ve just seen Jake. I got to say that I’m impressed, I’m starting to regret not leaving it in your hands since the beginning. Your name is Doctor…”

“Blake sir,” he stated. “My name is Blake Johnson.”

The smile sent the creeps down the researcher’s spine. He has dealt with both him and the elf inside that safe, and there was no doubt about which was dangerous. A monster on a leash or another that’s roaming free. He gulped.

“Is there something that I’ve to know,” Shaw asked, his glare stripping the doctor naked?

“I-I’ve just come on t-the news that we are taking in more…more subjects,” Blake stuttered as he fixed his glasses.

“That’s true,”

“T-Then I would like to bring your a-attention that we would need a big…bigger facility,” he stuttered again, it was getting worse now that he was in front of Shaw. He could feel the sweat trailing down his brow. “We n-need more space to be able to monitor s-such numbers, not to mention more staff…” he swallowed his words as he locked eyes with the dark abyss staring right at him.

There was no reading what this man was thinking, and Blake didn’t have enough curiosity to try. All he knows is that there is a job to be done and to do that he needs the resources. He took a deep breath as he gathered what was left of his courage to hold his knees firm in place. This was his work, Blake reminded himself.

He wasn’t here because he wanted…

Shaw blinked while fixing his stance. “Consider it done.”

He turned around to leave wanting no reply. Blake stared at the dark maroon suit walking away from him….*it was now or never* he breathed out.

“And m-my lord,”

Blake felt his heart come to a stop from the sudden stop of Shaw’s footsteps. “I-I need permission to acc-access the safe anytime…it takes a-a lot of time to get your permission m-my lord.” He gulped down his saliva, barely keeping himself on his foot. But it had to be done.

Shaw glanced over his shoulder before he held out his phone typing something. Blake felt his ID vibrate in his pocket, he pulled the little device out, and there it was. The green card to let him pass through the safe’s doors.

“T-Thank you, my lord!” Blake bowed.

He didn’t bother to stand still and watch the terrifying man walk away but, turned on his heels and ran back inside the lab. He couldn’t contain his heartbeat from excitement, he glanced down at his ID, the green card was still there. He was finally achieving what he longed for…to satisfy his greed for knowing more.

A one-on-one take with the elf. He always wanted to know how he got there. No one knew anything, only Shaw and the selected few knew about the origin of the elf in the safe. All these men were here to find that core – the elf was already there.

“Give me the secret to his very life force,” that was Shaw’s order.

He halted in front of the safe and glanced around. No one dared to wonder what was happening here on the panel, they all liked to stay clear of that door. More than half never laid their eyes on him either from the fear…

The fear that started when they started hearing the howling coming from inside, the cries that came from beyond the walls were enough to make anyone fall to his knees if not used to it.

*What were they all expecting from keeping a being like that shackled!* Blake always screamed inside himself. He had no right to protest, he just didn’t have the authority to do that. All he could do was place another sedative I.V into the power being’s arm.

He took a deep breath before scanning the card over the panel. He was worried until he heard the clatter as the doors slide open. The elf was still in place, not even an inch out of place. It was just not possible under the weight of those chains, it was a miracle he was holding on till now.

Blake halted hearing the movement of the chains. A pair of tired eyes blankly stared at him before they were dropped again and hidden behind the curtain of hair. He had to hold back the urge of touching it. The elf wouldn’t like that, he thought. In that split second when they locked eyes, he saw them almost disappointed.

“What were you expecting…h-he always see you with a needle in hand…” he mumbled under his breath. The heavy doors behind him were shut after the time was out leaving the two of them in the silence of the cold safe.

Helios’s ears flinched as they caught the low words of the doctor. He recognized him as the doctor from before, the one that suggested they lowered the dose. It wasn’t much but he was thankful for his little gesture. At least now he could hold his head up without struggling…he could actually do more but there was no longer a will to fight.

For a moment back there when he saw the screen in Shaw’s hand, he felt hope for the first time…but it was before long that it crashed down. Even after his body was creating immunity against this poison, he needed time to recover and the continuity of it was still eating away at his strength.

“You are the doctor from before…”

Blake panicked as he held his head up. “Y-Yes!”

Blake narrowed his eyes behind the lens of his rectangular glasses, wondering if that was a grin plastered on the being’s face or just his own lack of sleep.

“Thank you,” said Helios.

“F-For what?” Blake said, taking a few steps forward but keeping some distance.

“You lowered the dosage. Thanks to you I’m capable enough of talking like this,” Helios smirked. When was the last time he had a conversation like this when he didn’t want to tear apart the man in front of him? He didn’t care to count.

“Y-you…” Blake paused as he took in the state of the elf now and before…when he was in here with Shaw the other day. It didn’t take a genius to see the color that returned to his pale skin, it was almost as if his body was regenerating without energy his muscles seemed better, healthier even.

“You…you are...immune to it now,” Blake mumbled. “But why?! Why are you staying here?! Y-You can get a-away. E-Escape!”

Helios chuckled. “I can’t.”

He used the little bit of recovered energy to rattle the chains above his head that were connected to his arm. “This poison is still strong, my body is weak,” Helios said. “Nevertheless, why do you care human?”

“B-Blake, my name is Blake,”

Helios stared out at the doctor with such sad eyes, carrying the weight of the world. Wisdom that can overflow from a hundred books. Yet, here he was shackled like an animal…this wasn’t why he came here for.

“I-I’m a man of knowledge,” said Blake, his legs giving in underneath his feet so he helped himself to the tiled floor. “I-it’s freezing…” he changed the subject as he felt the cold tiled floor with the tips of his fingers.

“To numb my legs and prevent my movements,” Helios explained. “You should know better, doctor.”

“N-No, as a matter of fact, you know about this room more than of us. You are the one feeling it,” said Blake. “I can’t even say anything, this place was already here when I arrived….you were already here.”