"Magic. The driving force behind human development as a culture, as a race. Yet we're just children playing with forces beyond our comprehension. I implore you if we're to develop any further then these experiments are crucial to finding the one true magic."
"Doctor you do realise what you're asking?" Of course he knew. Months had been poured into this presentation alone. Research like a poisonous fruit just begging for these fat oaths to bite it. They didn't understand. They couldn't understand why this was truly necessary. Every great war had its sacrifices and all they had to do was sign on the dotted line. Sure, they'd shake their heads in disapproval for the sake of appearances alone but the prospect of power was a tempting one.
"I assure you Counciler's that none of this will get back to you. The public doesn't need to know of the actions taken here today." Come on, come on. Just take the bait already!
"Even if you believe it's worth it these are children we're talking about! How can you expect us to turn a blind eye?" Murmurs of approval filled the chamber all too happy with themselves. As if they didn't want this to go through. Sure, let me be a rogue agent but damning the mad man would bite them in the ass.
"Easily. Without these experiments we could witness a magical evolution and not have the resources necessary to combat it. What would happen if this world was to loose it's magic? When FACE is activated how will we come back from it?"
"You act as if it will ever be necessary."
"No YOU are acting like it will be necessary. Why else would you have approved its creation? As a deterrent? If you approve my work you won't need it. Blackwater Bay is the solution." The only one that was worth a damn. Morals were nothing compared to the next stage of genetic destiny! So long as they produced results the lives of a few guinea pigs were inconsequential. They had to approve it! Turning to one another the Council dealt in hushed whispers with the occasional glance thrown his way. Beady eyes picking him apart on the spot. What were they waiting for? At this point he wished he'd just gone to some backwater guild, dark or light it didn't matter, and used them for everything they had. Science was the work of poor men and gods. Equal parts brave and foolish though that didn't stop him from pacing back and forth. Time ticking away till it slowed down and disappeared entirely, the single bead of sweat halting halfway down his creased forehead. Stress rampant across his features.
"We've come to a decision," Snapping back to dreaded reality the air felt heavy in his lungs. A weight that threatened to crush him as they faced him once more. Blank, unfeeling, expressions all too happy seeing him squirm. "The Council approves of the Blackwater Bay initiative, Doctor Archer. We expect you to start your work immediately but it must remain on a need to know basis. If this got out to the public disaster could follow."
"Of course. Thank you for you time." And money and resources. The weight fleeing from his chest a sigh of relief stumbled out of his dry and crusted lips. Dehydrated from too many nights stood stooped over a desk. Staring at charts till he saw stars.
Leaving the chamber behind he was immediately hit with the harsh cold of the hallway. Winter had blossomed into a storm yet the Council didn't believe it necessary to invest in some central heating. The fools. File tooked beneath his arm, pages threatening to flee, he soon spotted his college sat on one of the uncomfortable looking benches. All the stuffing had become misshapen from years of people waiting for one thing and the other. The fact that they would spend their jewel on anything was a surprise the way they kept their purses strung up tight. An incompetent organization trying to keep even worse guilds in check. It was a wonder Fiore hadn't fallen into the ocean yet.
"Nicole." Her ever smiling face turned to face him, even this anxious she refused to appear as anything less than positive. She was like a bar of chocolate. Sickeningly sweet. Despite that she was one of the most brilliant minds he'd encountered whilst making his way through the fields. Always seeking answers to questions that weren't his to ask.
"Gavin!" Practically leaping from her seat she pulled him into an unwelcome bear hug, remaining stiff in her hold. God she was freezing. Had she been waiting this entire time? "How did it go? Is there goods new? Oh, I hope it is we've been working so hard and they've got to see tha-"
Not so gently pushing her away he wormed out of her hold ceasing the barrage of questions. It didn't matter what the occasion was but she made silence look like it was going out of fashion. How anyone had managed to marry her was a mystery for him but certainly not one he cared enough to solve.
"They approved it. I take it you've got a candidate ready for us?"
"Of course! What do you take me for?" Pulling out her own file she waved it about like a magic wand. He could have sworn she had her own kind of sign language that or she'd read too many books. Who even used wands to perform magic anyway? It seemed so archaic not to mention a stereotype most would be happy to stay away from. Not like either of them could actually use the drasted thing. It had escaped his grasp, in fact he seemed to repel the stuff like the very world was rejecting him but soon enough he'd know all the mysteries it kept from him. Every, single, one. "Subject A we're calling him. He was picked up from an orphanage after he decided to set one of the girls hair on fire. Poor thing was lucky to get away with just some burns but he's a feisty one."
"Good it'll be interesting to see how he reacts. How old is he?"
"From what we can tell he's around seven years old but the documents weren't the easiest to navigate. It seemed the sisters weren't all that keen on doing the proper paperwork."
"Any others?" One wasn't nearly enough to get the right results. If this was going to work they needed a wide range to compare whatever they managed to produce. A fire happy seven year old didn't make the cut.
"Subject B. The youngest son of a noble family. Apparently he was born illegitimately and the head of the family wants him gone but lucky for us he's shown signs of unusual behaviour."
"Unusual how?"
"Making things float."
"Gravity magic?"
"We're not sure but it isn't that strong yet. Hopefully we'll be able to find out more with further testing but signs tend to point in that direction. At least with this one we have clear documentation. He's ten years old."
Seven and ten? Not ideal but it was something to work on at least. There wouldn't be many volunteers for the kinds of experiments they'd be doing. Consent wasn't a concern they wished to deal with. Lab rats don't get to say yes or no. Running a frustrated hand through his hair till it stood on end like a true mad scientist he made his way down the hallway. Frustration filled foot steps not waiting for the chatty scientist to follow. Not until she clocked on and started a frantic chase after him. The brightly coloured rubber of her crocs squeaking against the polished floor like nails going down a chalkboard. It didn't matter how hard he tried to stop her from wearing the blasted things she always found a way. Her determination was almost admirable if it wasn't so damn annoying.
"B-but there is another one!" Breath heavy from the mini sprint she cough out the sentence. Oxygen desperately refilling her lungs. Evidently exercise was one of the few things she hadn't experimented with. "However she's a bit of a mystery and some of the staff have... Issues with using her for the experiments…"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she's only three. She was picked off the street by some of the local law enforcements and given to us due to her peculiar gifts."
"Peculiar? How?"
"When they tried to pick her up they simply couldn't. It was like she was weighted to the ground but thankfully she got tired and the magic managed to wear off enough for them to take her. She doesn't know her name, who her parents are, she's a complete unknown."
Three years old and she already had that much magic? That much potential? It was perfect maybe a little too perfect to be true. But experimenting on an infant of a girl would be signing his warrant to hell. Not even the devil would welcome a man like that but what other choice did they have? No one liked making deals with a devil but it was preferable to the alternative.
"She's not a three year old girl, she's Subject C and I don't give a damn that some of the staff have a problem with it. That street rat is the best option we have. If anyone has such a problem with it then they can leave." This was it. All his hard work and effort coming to fruition and it appeared that the gods themselves had gifted him with the perfect starting point. Three, after all, was a magic number.