The grail of clockwork and death

Chapter XI

Narrowing her eyes at her brother she leans back against the wall, relaxed but still very tense and warey.

“talk fast then” she spits out

With an exaggerated sigh Jayson nods once again fiddling with the button holes of his jacket.

“They had secrets, that would have least to their demise weather it by my hand or your precious friends from Scotland yard,” he mutters adding a hint of venom to his voice at the mention of Scotland yard. A distaste that did not go unnoticed by Dakoda.

“I dislike those imbeciles at scotland yard just as much as you do, the only difference is that I can trust they will be on my side when the time comes,” she hisses. “now get on with it you fool or scotland yard will arrive to your body in a puddle of blood, exactly how you left mother and father, brother dearest,”

Gazing over her with a curious glare he nods.

“I have no doubt that you will,” Jayson shrugs “It all started with Menachem,” He states with a biting hiss.

“My maid? You are trying to tell me you killed everyone because of my maid, the one you claim is an abomination!?” Dakoda scoffs.

“Yes… and no, she was the start of it all, however not entirely the cause of it,” He says softly.

“The reason I killed our parents, and everyone else, is because they were playing God… experimenting with human life,” Jayson mutters with distaste, looking up from her shuffling feet Dakoda gives him a curious glance.

“human experiments?” she mumbles.

“The would start with humans, the end result was far from being considered human,” Jayson says. Taking up her habit of pacing Dakoda hums to indicate he should continue, Jayson, still fiddling with the button holes, sighs

“The maid… well, the monstrosity that you call a maid, She was their first victim, the one that made them realise what they were capable of,” He says quietly and with a saddened tone.

“We were only young then, but I loved her and that was all that mattered, I just wanted her to be happy, to be healthy. They had taken her to the basement to try to help her but what came back was a monster,” he whispers

“Menachem?” Dakoda mutters “Menachem was a human?” her face pales in colour as she becomes slightly nauseous.

“She was, I was to marry her, but she fell ill, fatally ill… and while trying to save her life they performed a surgery which is forbidden in the medical field, They fused her body and soul with a machine, so perfectly that she would still look and age as a human, but her mind was gone, immune to all illness and pain, unable to think for herself or to remember anything of her past… they made her into the perfect machine, a woman who never disobeys her husband but can easily be ridded of if anything goes wrong,” Jayson continues his eyes glistening with held back tears. He turns to Dakoda and she stands still her vision blurring slightly as her wide open eyes stare blankly down at the ground.

“I….I remember her, when she was a human, How could I not have noticed before? How could nobody have noticed?!” Dakoda whispers as tears drip slowly down her face, her lip quivering

“After her, nobody noticed, they kept her hidden until everyone assumed she had died then brought her back out and made it seem the had just remade her image into an automaton, but I believe a more fitting description would be a cybernetic monster, she is neither human nor mahine, and that means she is an abomination, after people saw the handy work and praised them for such a beautifly build, they started kidnapping young women from off the streets, ones which nobody would miss, and they performed the same surgerys on them. They would then be sold off on the black market as maids, servants or as wives, most are unable to provide a husband with children so they were mostly sold as slaves and servants, hidden away from the world and never giving second thought to why,” Jayson continues. He throws his hands through his hair and with a look of pure rage he turns to Dakoda throwing his Arms out around widely.

“They took my love and made her a monster then lied about it and lied about what they were doing behind closed doors just because they were making a little bit of money by selling their lies to anyone who was willing to pay for their monstrous creations!” he screams falling against the wall of the building he slides down and curls up

“All of this… everything I have ever done… I did it all for you, all I ever wanted was for you to happy and safe!” he exclaims somberly

“Well… you are doing a poor Job at that, brother dearest,” Dakoda mutters curling her hands into fists so tight that the recently healed over scar on her hand opens under the pressure of her nails and draws beads of crimson blood to the surface. “How many?” she asks.

“I'm not sure, I only know about as many as ten or maybe fifteen but the amount of money that they had tells me it must have been more,” Jayson mutters. He looks up at her and frowns.

“stop your hurting yourself,” He mumbles while standing and gently taking her hands in to his own.

Harshly pulling her hands away Dakoda steps back and scowls.

“This is nothing compared to the pain you have brought upon me brother!” she hisses swinging her hand to slap him. Inches from his face her hand was erruptly caught, his fingers gripped firmly around her wrist slightly digging into her flesh.

“They took these women, these girls… from orphanages, from off the streets, where ever they could without it being suspicious. Then they would cut them open and replace the brain and other organs with machines and metal. They would be mindless and have no thoughts of their own, but they were efficient at following instructions, the perfect slave… never fighting back, never needing food or sleep. The only thing drawing them back is the ability to die, they still have human souls but they are trapped and until death is brought upon them they will never be free,” Jayson mutters slowly letting go of Dakodas wrist.

“but… they cannot feel pain?” Dakoda enquiries both disgusted with what her parents had done and amazed that they could even do it “that is horrible,” she whispers. Jayson nods and stands taking his coat off he lays it over Lord watson corpse and mutters a silent prey. “why did you make them look like suicides?” Dakoda mutters curiosity overtaking her.

“What do you mean By that?” Jayson mutters stepping away from the body.

“I mean, mother and father were stabbed. I understand that would have been the easiest option back then. You were to young to over power them and didn't have that elixir back then, gun would have been to loud…. But why make them look so perfectly like normal deaths now? Why not just keep with a method of stabbing other shooting?” Dakoda enquiries pacing while thinking over possible answers to her query.

“Because it was while… killing mother and father that I realized I do not like the sight or smell of blood. So I decided to develop a way to effectively kill a person without drawing blood, after studying botany and herbology I discovered that this elixir made of very precise measurements of nightshade berries and hemlock, it causes an untraceable reaction which painlessly suffocated the victims, after I would make to look like a suicide so it would not be looked into as suspicious, or that is what I hoped, I made them look like self inflicted deaths so I could do what I had to and then get away safely, but you saw past it and now I am going to turn myself in, if that is what it takes to make you happy,” he says smiling sadly. Dakoda shakes her head slightly and sighs.

“It is the right thing to do, my happiness is another question though, I do not think I will ever really be happy without Virgil and I still don't understand why he had to die,” Dakoda huffs

“he had to die… He was part of it all I'm sure of it,” Jayson snarls. Dakoda glares at him and bares her clenching teeth at him, scrunching her nose up she pulls her revolver out of its holster and aims it at him her whole body unnervingly steady as she hovers her finger over the trigger.

“Where you actually sure of was it just that that answer suited your needs!” she screams pulling the trigger and shooting the wall next to him.

“watch where you shoot that thing, sister dearest, you might hit someone,” Jayson growls brushing the brick dust from his sleeves and hair. Blood trickles down his cheek from where a piece of the wall had ricochet and hit him just under the eye.

“be thankful I was not aiming to hit! Or you would be long dead already you monster!” she hisses

“You really want to know what pushed me to end our parents plans… to kill them, virgil and everyone else. why I wanted to stop them from continuing their work… because honestly I could not care less for those women they had taken in off the streets, out of orphanages… nobody missed them anyway, most had no homes not familys to mourn their loss… but when I heard what they wanted to do… I could not allow it,” Jayson mutters his hair falling over his eyes giving him an ominous appearance. He slowly walks forward, head down, fists clenched tightly.

“I told you I did everything for you, sister, and you thank me by throwing it aside like the ungrateful girl you always have been!” he screams slapping her. The sound echoes throughout the alleyway and Dakoda stands frozen in place shocked by the numbing pain shooting through her from where his hand connected with her cheek. She stares down at the ground her vision blurring subconsciously her hand brushes over the tender flesh of her cheek, scoffing and knowing that if she got out of this alive that a bruise would surly form from that hit.

“You are questioning why I do not accept you oh so gracious gift of death and pain? A gift which you have so kindly delivered right to me,” she huffs quietly, she steps back to gain some space between them.

“I hate you. You killed my friends and family, and then come back to me expecting that a simple sorry and I did it all for you will somehow make everything all better?” she hisses looking up at Jayson with a fire of rage burning in her eyes “I should just shoot you and get all this over with! But then I would be no better than you are would I, solving the problem by killing you is not up to me to decide is it. No, it is up to the law, to decide your punishment,” she mutters turning to walk away, she moves to take a step only to hear him shuffle behind her, moving quick she turns back around and ducks down drawing her gun yet again, in a stand off of her, crouched down low with her revolver aimed up at her brothers head and Jayson, with the small blade which had been in Dakoda’s belt. standing over her in a stance which gave him an advantage should he be quick enough to bring the small knife down to s***h at Dakoda’s face quicker than she can pull the trigger and shoot his.

“I thought you said something about not liking the sight of blood, brother,” Dakoda sneers narrowing her eyes as strands of her hair fall over her eyes displaced from being pinned back in the commotion.

“I said I disliked the sight and smell yes, but that does not mean I have a problem with doing what I must, If that entitles killing you then so be it, that seems to be what you want anyway!” he snarls not daring to make a move.

“So you would stab me in the back for not standing by your side after all that you have done? How petty of you,” Dakoda snidely remarks while slowly edging away from him.

“And I thought you said you had thought of how you had wished death upon yourself because of what I had done? Well I am complying, giving you what you wanted once again and yet still you do not accept what I am giving to you, how dreadfully ungrateful,” he snaps in reply. She scoffs and cautiously stands up keeping her aim trained on him, he adjusts his position so that he is poised to leap at her and fight.

“While it is true that I do want to take my own life and bring an end to all the pain and suffering that has come from living in this broken world, but not until after you have been caught and taken to justice for all that you have done! I refuse to let someone as evil and horrible as you be the one to end my pitiful existence,” Dakoda snarls, she narrows her eyes as her hands begin to shake slightly with the adrenaline which coursed through her veins, he finger twitching on the trigger and knees growing slightly wobbly. Taking deep breaths to try calm herself down a little she bites her lip and glares at the monster of a man who had once been her innocent older brother.

“Give me one good reason not to just shoot you, a good reason not to put a bullet through your head and have your brain staining the brick wall behind you,” Dakoda demands. With a Sly grin Jayson raises his arms in surrender, he drops the knife so it lands just out of Dakoda’s reach.

“You really want to know the exact thing that pushed me to kill our parents. The reason all of this was set into motion,” he exclaims stretching his arms up and crossing them behind his head.

“stop being so cocky with me brother! Just spit it out already!” Dakoda hisses stomping her foot.

“They were going to use you, take you away to their lab and turn you Into one of their little creations then artificially return fake memories to you and then marry you off to that damn boy as the perfect little wife. I killed them to save your life, though it would appear it would have been better to leave them to do it!” he smirks. With a shrug he turns to the corpse of Lord watson which lay covered with his coat.

“After all what is one life to the life of so many,” Jayson chuckles. Dakoda stiffens her eyes widening. Her breath becomes shaky and her hands tremble.

“They were… they were going to…” she whimpers. The world seems to grow dark and the walls of the alley seem to close in on her as her pulse quickens. With a quivering lip she shakes her head and take a small stumbling step backwards. Her legs start to feel heavy as though suddenly filled with lead.

“your lying, it's not true your lying!” she whispers her voice croaking and weak.

“but I'm not, and deep down you know I'm not… but then again if you feel so strongly that I am lying well then go ahead and shoot me,” Jayson smirks boldly holding his arms out as though asking her to shoot him.

“I was their daughter… they would never have hurt me!” Dakoda argues not wanting to believe with her heart, what her mind told her was the truth. “Would they?” she mumbles as her fragile mind shatters with the conflicting thoughts causes by what her brother had said.

“You tell me, sister dearest,” He quips walking past her.

“stop, please don't run brother… just turn yourself in, you said that Lord watson was the last one on your list of people, you have don't what it was you had set out to do so please, save everyone the trouble and turn yourself in. It would not only make me at ease, I'm sure it would please the families of everyone who you killed happy to know that you have the decency to do one thing right,” Dakoda preaches with tears running down her face as she stares blankly and dead eyed at the wall which she was still aiming at as though her brother had not yet moved and was instead still stood in front of her.

“ypu had your chance, I gave you the opportunity and you brushed it to the side,” Jayson mutters.

Gritting her teeth and scrunching her eyes shut Dakoda’s grip on the gun tightens the metal weapon now warmed by her hands.

“I will not let you get away,” she whispers. What she would have once said with a firey determination was now spoken in a pitiful whimper.

“And how are you going to stop me now?” He scoffs.

Dakoda, on the verge of hyperventilating slowly raises her revolver clicking open the barrel, with a slight gulp she flicks it shut and turns to face her brother.

“Not enough bullets?” He snorts with humor.

“enough to do this,” Dakoda murmurs raising the revolver and pressing the barrel to her temple.

“If you truly are so insane that with in the space of a few minutes you have gone from being ready to kill nine people for my so called safety, to hating me. Loathing me with a burning passion, then I invite you to walk away. Leave London, get away from this place and get away with murdering several humans. Leave me to just end myself hear and now… but considering the fact that you claim you killed them because you thought I was in danger of being harmed, then you would be apposed of my death now wouldn't you? Sure you did just threaten to kill me but when it comes down to it would you really be able to, now that I am actually in a position to die will you really let me?” Dakoda enquiries her nerves settling with her decision. Her fear gone as she fully prepares herself to meet with death.

Jayson gulps, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly with the gesture.

“ypu don't have the guts to, it's one thing to hold the gun up. A completely different level of stupidity to pull the trigger,” he mutters with a tone of uncertainty.

“You do not believe that my mind is broken enough to do it? I would disagree, brother, I have had no problem with causes harm to myself before, this would be no different than that. Only this time I would be ending the pain completely rather than just distracting myself with it,” she declares.

The sound of rushing footsteps on the cobblestone indicated to the siblings that even if he tried to run Jayson would be caught now. It was only a matter of if he would go in quietly and have a chance to try explain to inspector Keeland what the reason behind his actions were, or weather he would be immediately sent to prison to be executed for his crimes.

“that will the the yard brother, your decision is slowly being chosen for you, are you prepared to accept the outcome?” She questions.

With a frown Jayson grits his teeth and turns slightly to glance behind him. Taking a deep breath his shoulders shake slightly.

Inspector Keeland skids around the corner of the alley entrance with his gun drawn and ready to shoot. He pauses once he sees who the killer is and slightly lowers the gun.

“Jayson?” He mutters. “damn it looks like you were right about your parents murder to, I should have just listened back then this wouldn't be such a mess now if I had,” he sighs before freezing as he spots Dakoda poised with her revolver pressed into her temple.

“Ok now I don't know what has happened but Dakoda, this is definitely not the answer, so many people still need you,” he says as the other officers all group around the ally entrance waiting their next orders.

Dakoda looks past Jayson to keeland and with teary eyes gives him a sad smile.

“sorry Keeland, it's the only thing I could think of, I tried, I really did but…” she whispers with a slight shrug.

“You won't actually do it, sister, you don't have the guts,” Jayson challenges with narrow eyes.

“You would be surprised, with how brave your sister actually is Jayson,” Inspector Keeland offers while walking forwards slowly. Jayson’s eyes flicker slightly towards the Albino haired detective with a slight look of disbelief.

“My God,” he mutters before turning to Dakoda.

“Put it down! Please Dakoda drop the gun I'll go in if that's what your want but you can seriously be considering this as an answer!” he shouts with wide eyes.

“I did tell you, brother, that I was not afraid to meet with death,” she mutters.

Jayson takes a step towards her and she tightens her grip.

“easy Dakoda, take it easy,” Keeland murmurs.

Jayson slowly and cautiously walks up to her with his hands raised. Once he was only a few feet away she stepped back.

“any closer and I will pull the trigger,” Dakoda declares her hand shaking.

“Dakoda Sophornia Chiper, if you are so stubborn and stupid to pull that trigger what is to happen to your servants, to young Audrey, Ezekiel and Bartholomew… to Menachem,” Jayson snaps at her.

“They are capable of taking care of themselves,” Dakoda mutters.

“that is not the point, if you die then who is to pay them, house them, give them the life they need. You pull that trigger they will be forced to work for someone else, or they will live on the streets like scum,” He says softly, Dakoda looks to keeland who mearly nods to confirm.

“If I leave them the estate in my will, then they will own it, they can not be forced out of their own home,” She announces.

“It won't just be them Dakoda, your employees, who will pay them, who will run your business? It's not like you have a child who can take up the job,” Jayson points out.

“No I don't have a child to take on the business but my employer has a young protégé, an apprentice who can learn and help them to keep everything running. Every thing you are saying it have already thought of, It will all be perfectly fine without me. No different than when I had been sent to the asylum, only this time there will be no returning,” Dakoda utters. Keeland gazes at her with a sorrowful look.

“And what of everyone who you will leave behind? Have we not been thorough enough grief? You may have thought thoroughly of what will happen to everyone after you Are dead, but what of how we all feel, you can not predicted how a human will react to the death of one who they care for, your servants, friends, workers… they will all be devastated by the loss. Are you so heartless to cause them that pain?” He asks.

“It is not ideal, Inspector, but it is necessary. Besides they will not mourn for long,” Dakoda says.

“I may not have acted very friendly, but we were not enemy's, Dakoda, if you pull that trigger, I don't think I could ever forgive myself for not being able to help,” Keeland addresses. Pausing in thought she sighs.

“I apologize inspector, I truly do, but it's to late,” she mutters. Stepping back one more time her finger tightens on the trigger. Both Jayson and detective inspector keeland dash forward as the gun goes off. Time seems to slow as the weapon recoils with the loud bang. The cool metal being pushed away from her head by the force of the gunpowder exploding in the barrel. A trickle of blood oozes down her face and she wobbles on her feet. Jayson wraps his arms around her to keep her on her feet. Her ears ring and eyes water as she stares blankly past him to inspector Keeland and the other officers behind who all had their wide eyes focused on her.

As her senses slowly return she can hear her brother cursing as he holds her steady.

“You bloody i***t, what were you thinking hurling your life away like that!” he shouts, although to Dakoda it sounded as though she were submerged in water.

Her fingers and toes tingle as the numbness starts to vanish making way for the dull throbbing pain cause by the gunpowder of the gun hitting her from such close range.

Jayson once satisfied that she could stand herself puts his hands on her cheeks staring into her eyes.

“don't ever scare me like that again! I will turn myself in, if that is what you want that is what I will do but never ever do that again!” he says moving one hand to carefully pulling the revolver out of her grasp. Her mind still foggy she makes no move of protest and watchs as he steps back with the weapon in hand.

“It was a blank, maybe she planned it maybe she hadn't realized but… it was never going to kill her,” Jayson mutters turning to keeland. He holds the gun out to the Detective. Dakoda falls to her hands and knees as tears fall down her cheeks mixing with the blood which dripped from the grazed injury on her temple.

Cautiously, Inspector Keeland takes the gun from Jayson while clicking handcuffs around his wrists.

“office Langdon, call for medical assistance and help Lady Cipher, officers Maloney and Gregson take care of the cadaver, Jayson Cipher you are under arrest for the murder of six people you have the right to remain silent,” Keeland orders.

“nine, I have killed nine people,” he admits. Dakoda feels office Langdon lift her and wrap an arm around her waist to help her keep her balance.

“You really are full of surprises Dakoda Cipher,” he mutters slowly assisting her away to the alley entrance.

“I thought it had a bullet in it…” she whimpers in defeat. “It was so sure that I was pulling the trigger to kill myself, and I didn't flinch at the idea, does that make me insane?” she asks quietly.

“I think it might mean you are unstable, but Bloody brave, I don't know many people who have the will power and determination… or stupidity to even think of trying to pull at stunt like that,” Langdon offers while they hobble slowly to safety.

“although I do think after all this is sorted you might owe detective inspector keeland a long and sincere apology, he might not show it but I know deep down he looks out to protect you. Your like the daughter he could never have,” Langdon says nodding in Keelands direction.

“He has no children? I was certain he had a young daughter when I had first met him all those years ago,” Dakoda mutters.

“there was an incident, she got caught in the crossfire died before she hit the ground, that is why he was so adamant that they let you return home from the asylum, I think he couldn't bear the thought that a capable young lady such as yourself be rotting away in away place like that, he saw the woman you had become and was reminded of his daughter,” Langdon explains with a sad look and a sigh.

“I promise I'll talk with him later, right now I'm in pain and regretting shooting myself in the head,” Dakoda murmurs with a groan as her head starts to ache slightly.

“Ok well then let's get you to the medic,” Langdon chuckles. Dakoda rolls her eyes and chuckles as well.

“It's rather funny, I just attempted to take my own life and now I'm laughing as though we are friends,”Dakoda murmurs shaking her head in amusement.

“And are we not friends? We may not know each other well, or be of the same social status but I would think us friends,” Officer langdon smirks. Dakoda chuckles only to fall into a fit of coughing.

“Yes I suppose we are friends, although if you keep flirting like this people might talk,” she huffs

“Talk is all people do these days,” Langdon utters while setting Dakoda against the wheel of the medical carriage.