Project LOSS

Prologue

“I want you to know that I understand on some level, why you don’t want to help us,” the woman said as she leaned in, placing a wrinkled hand over his own. She cast her eyes about the room, taking in the flimsy wooden furniture and dusty ornaments. It had to be obvious Kai did not live here.

             “Oh, yeah?” Kai pulled his hand away and laced it with its partner behind his head. He leaned back in his metal chair and smiled, waiting for this woman to explain to him his motivations, or lack thereof.

            “We did this to ourselves. Humankind. We created the monster you young’uns call the First. We called it God. And we believed in it. In hindsight, creating something so powerful was never going to end well.”

            “Then why do it?” Kai asked.

            “He promised to make the world a better place, bring peace, end famine...” the woman trailed off.

            Kai laughed. “Yeah, well, killing off all the humans would do that. You couldn’t see that coming? Human beings are dumb. That is the reason I won’t help them.”

            “Unless the price is right?” the woman said. She offered a humourless smile, skin peeling back from her lipstick-smeared teeth.

            “Yeah, 35K for every person I change back to normal,” Kai confirmed. The woman shifted uncomfortably, adjusting the fabric of her silk gown. She dressed well, but Kai could tell she didn’t have the credits, not to hand at least. They ones who had the payment rarely tried to barter or beg.

            “What about the ones they’ve bitten? They change back to normal and you get nothing for it.”

            “I can’t do anything about the knock-on effect of my ability. What do you expect me to do? Hunt down every person I’ve saved by accident and charge them a fee?” Kai considered it. It wasn’t actually a bad idea.

            My brother would never go for it. He will whine, “It’s immoral.”

            "I do have credits... they are just tied up in investments. I can get your fee, but it will take a few days,” the woman said.

            “So come back in a few days,” was Kai’s best advice.

            “He could be dead by then—” she began to protest as Kai got up to leave.

Kai shrugged.

            “So?”

            “You’re a hateful creature,” the woman spat.

            “Careful, my prices can increase at a moment’s notice,” Kai said, trying not to smile.

            He saw the way her lips quivered at the corners, itching to say more. She fell silent.