A/N: Welcome to yet another story by yours truly. XD; This is for a fill on the kink meme and is currently a work in progress, seeing as I only have a couple chapters done. Anyway, the request was that the nations are not actually nations - it's just a conspiracy and they are simply long-lived/immortal. So... this is what came to me... XD; Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING. Just sayin'...

Prologue

I haven't always been like this, you know.

Puffing, panting breaths filled the air, accompanied by the heavy footfalls of someone running. In the darkness, it was difficult to see the man, save for a flash of glasses in the moonlight. As he passed under a streetlight, the man looked behind him, face illuminated briefly, as if terrified that someone might be following him. Nothing was there, and he turned his head forward once more and ran at full tilt.

Once upon a time, I was just like you. Normal. Happy to live and die as the world saw fit.

Turning a corner, the man almost ran face-first into another person standing just outside the light of the next lamp. He managed to pull himself up short and stood there, panting heavily, trying to catch his breath and seeming uncertain as to whether or not he should start running in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing here?" asked a voice in the darkness, perfectly calm.

A sigh escaped the first man and he suddenly relaxed a small amount. "Thank God, it's you."

Shrouded in darkness as this new man's face was, it was difficult to tell if he was frowning, though it certainly sounded like he was. "Yes, it's me. Answer my question, would you?"

A deep breath. "Arthur, I've just… They're not doing this for research, Arthur. Or to make the world a better place. It's bigger than that. It's for … Arthur, they're …"

But after a time, that wasn't enough. I wanted more. And so I reached for it, hoping to create something new and beautiful for myself and my kin.

"Very good, Arthur," chimed in a third voice, stepping around the corner at a nonchalant pace. "You managed to apprehend him. I'm proud. Maybe I'll change your share of things."

The first man stiffened and turned slowly. "You…"

"You said you wouldn't do anything to him, remember!" Arthur spoke up suddenly, his voice full of apprehension. "You said you'd leave him out of your plots!"

The new figure waved a lean hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, I remember. Don't worry. I'll take good care of him while he's in my custody."

For a long moment there was silence and then a gunshot rang through the air. "Like hell you will!" The yell was barely audible in the aftermath of the gunshot, and moments later the first man was running away again, this time for his own freedom.

But instead I created a monster.

"Oh Alfred," said the newest voice in a whisper, seemingly to himself, for Arthur was much too preoccupied with trying to find where the man had went to pay any attention. "You shouldn't know better than that." He held up a small object that flashed in the tiny sliver of light. It was the bullet that had hit him in the chest. "It takes more than that to kill one of us. But you'll pay for the pain you've caused me."

I am so sorry…