Part Three – Deal with the Devil

Kolvan dried her face – tenderly – but the touch of his hands made Michele feel sick. She couldn't think through the fog of panic and dread clouding her thoughts. All she could do was clench her fists and tug at the chains that held her in place.

In answer to her silent protests Kolvan grabbed her chin and jerked her face toward his. "Now, none of that," he said, his voice dark, threatening. "I wasn't planning on hurting you, but that doesn't mean I won't. I have quite a fondness for the sound of a woman's screams. Keep that in mind."

Even through the haze, the truth of his words registered and Michele stilled.

"What do you want?" she asked again, her voice trembling.

He smiled the same smile as before, only this time Michele saw through its surface – to something cold and maniacal. "I need to test out my baby – to see if it'll work. I considered picking up one of the homeless downtown, but then I found you..."

"Me?"

"Yes," he said, and reached out his hand to play with a lock of her hair. "After our conversation in the lab I knew you were the one. You made me realize that I needed someone … worthy … of this momentous event, someone who could appreciate my accomplishments."

"I don't…" her eyes flicked to the empty glass and back up at him. "What have you done?"

His eyes grew distant and he looked past her, through the wall and beyond, to memories of things Michele was far too young to have known. "I've created the weapon of the future," he said. "For thousands of years I wielded the sword, but this …," he drew a vial from his pocket and showed it to her. "This is the end of time – the apocalypse. And I will be the one to deliver it unto the world."

Michele watched Kolvan's eyes ignite with the fires of madness. If not for the sharp sting of the metal cutting into her wrists she would have sworn this was a dream, a nightmare. "You're insane," she said, for no other words suited the moment.

Kolvan laughed. "A little, perhaps," he said. "But who wouldn't be after living in this world for four thousand years?" He traced the side of her face gently with his fingers. "I meant what I said earlier, about disliking deception. I wanted to tell you my secrets – and now I have."

Tears began pouring from Michele's eyes. "What have you done to me?" she sobbed.

"If everything works according to plan, I've just killed you, and if not … well, I'll just have to try a little harder." His eyes told her he'd be delighted either way.

"Kolvan … please."

"Kronos," he said. "My name is Kronos."

Michele shook her head. He wasn't making any sense. "The god?" she said, not knowing if she'd heard him right.

He laughed. "The titan, actually."

"Before the gods…" Michele remembered now.

"Yes," he said, nodding. "I was there … before the old gods had names."

"Crazy…" she shook her head.

"Perhaps," he answered, "but true."

Michele shook her head again, trying to convince herself that this conversation wasn't real, that Kolvan and the chains were a delusion she would wake from soon. She closed her eyes, but the sound of his voice, and that strange from-nowhere accent, could not be ignored.

"It's a hemorrhagic fever – my own special variety. This one is waterborne, or at least, I'm working to make it so. It needs some more testing before I can put it to use."

Michele shut her eyes tighter. It had to be a dream. "No," she whispered. "It's a dream."

Kolvan or Kronos, the demon madman laughed again. "Wasn't it you who told me you'd dreamed of the world's ending? You said you didn't want to live to see humanity destroyed. I've granted your wish. Now you'll be the first to die."

"I lied."

"Did you?" he asked, curious now.

"I don't want to die," she cried.

He was quiet for a long time and in that silence Michele dared once more to open her eyes. He was still sitting there, looking down at her, curling a lock of her hair around his finger.

"How about this," he said looking once more into her eyes. "I'll make you a promise. If you survive my little virus, I'll let you live – at least – long enough to see the world end."

"Please," Michele begged. She didn't want to die.

"Alright then," Kronos said, and smiled. "We have a deal."