Bjorn nodded deeply, nearly bowing, before exiting the room.
Gavil and Chaunders exchanged unsure glances as they sat alone in the room with what was very obviously insanity wrapped in bloody flesh.
“Mr. Young,” Dr. Williams abruptly turned to the wide-eyed metasoldier. “Please prepare a squad to accompany you and your brother to Texas. You’ll need to add to the ranks of our Perficio Res, so chose carefully. If these metas prove themselves valuable during this task, they can be offered the additional serum upon your return.”
“Am I to lead the team, sir, or will Creed?” Gavil’s mind was racing as he thought back to all the times he may have been monitored by Williams and was completely unaware of it—but he said nothing.
“Oh, you’re going to have to work that out between yourselves, Gavil.” Williams grinned wickedly. “Let’s see who the soldiers find themselves choosing to follow. That will be the true leader, won’t it?”
“Sir.” Gavil mumbled and stood to leave.
“Gavil, I hope you realize by my allowing you to be privy to the conversations that took place this morning, that you are being groomed for even bigger things. I also hope you took note of what happens to those who cross me.” The doctor shrugged innocently, as though simply stating the most obvious of natural consequences.
“Of course, sir,” Gavil nodded, feeling his stomach drop.
“Good. I’ll see you in the hangar at eleven.”
“Yes, sir.” The door clicked closed behind him.
“Dr. Chaunders. I have other matters to attend.” Williams locked eyes with Chaunders.
“Of course.” Getting the hint, Chaunders rose from his seat and grabbed with shaking hands at the papers in front of him. He stumbled a bit working his way out from between the empty seats around the table, but he was in a hurry to get away from Kenneth Williams. Being in a room alone with this man made Chaunders feel like a moth playing on a freshly spun web. He couldn’t get away from the bloody mass fast enough.
The click of the door had Williams reach into his front breast pocket, not for his soothing metallic marbles, but for a small case he had taken to carrying around with him. He opened it carefully on the desk and removed one of the syringes found there, popping off the protective cap. Only paying partial attention to his own actions, he removed his gloves, flicked the syringe to be sure there were no air bubbles, and then slipped the needle into a bulging vein in his hand. Pressing the plunger with a hand that trembled only slightly, he stared at the puncture site, enjoying the icy cold of the fluid as it slipped up his arm. He closed his eyes at the sensation, taking a deep breath. The tremors that had been building in his body smoothed away within seconds. Williams smiled to himself at his genius as he replaced the tools of his survival back into their case and secured it in his pocket.
Chapter 28 The Enemy of My Enemy
Gavil knew he had a job to do, and no matter what he couldn’t get out of it now. But there was one person he needed to see before he could do anything else.
“Step aside. I have to deliver a message from the Director.” Gavil stared, unflinching at the guards stationed outside the room he’d learned his brother occupied. It didn’t take much digging. Everyone knew Gavil Young and they knew him to be one of Williams’ chosen inner circle. He asked a question, and answers were immediately forthcoming.
“Right away, sir.” One soldier fumbled with a key from his belt unlocking the door to Creed’s quarters while the other stood to the side and saluted. As soon as physically possible, the door stood ajar and no one stood in Gavil’s way as he entered his brother’s room.
Gavil marched into the room and closed the door behind him. His brother was seated on the edge of his standard issue bed. He hadn’t even looked up; his eyes were locked onto the image of the girl.
“Creed,” he whispered.
Creed didn’t look up, but spoke. “I can’t decide, Gavil.”
“You know you don’t really have a choice, right?”
“I know if you’d succeeded in killing me back at the Match, I would have never met this girl. I can’t decide if that would have been better.” Creed’s voice sounded disconnected, even to Gavil who couldn’t give a rat’s ass.
“What the hell difference does it make now? You know you have to get on the plane, right?”
“I’ve dreamed of her, Gavil. I remember her in my dreams, but until just now, I thought she was just that—a dream.”
“There’s no one that’s going to rescue her from him, except you. If you want her to live, you have to play along with his game, until we can kill him.”