Chapter 7: The Director's Deal
I stood and reared up my vectors to attack. The director held up his hand and the soldiers pulled Musume to her feet and threw her to the ground. She let out a shrill cry of pain and looked at me for help. I almost lunged at the soldiers when I noticed the guns pointed at her, so I stood still, trying not to get Musume killed. The director lowered his hand and walked over to me.
"Listen Sora, I am going to make a deal with you. If you refuse, then I will torture your little daughter until she begs for death. You will leave this facility and we will monitor you but will never interfere with your daily lives or bring you back to this place under one condition. You stay in Kamakura where we can stay close to you." I was surprised.
"Is that it?" I looked at the director with pure rage and confusion. My inner Diclonius clawed at my sub-conscience desperate to escape and tear everyone in this room to shreds. The only thing holding him back was my desire to make sure Musume is safe.
"Of course Sora. What else do we need to do? All we need is to be close enough to you that we can make sure you don't do anything foolish. Also, we still might have a use for you in the future. Basically, keeping you here is the best option for us. You would just break out of our facility so we only ask that you stay close by. We will pay for your housing and food and we will provide you with the provisions to continue your education and care for your daughter." He looked at the soldiers that held Musume and they let her go.
"Why do you need me? And why do you do this inhumane research to Diclonii if you and your son are both Diclonii? What is it with you people?"
The director's face didn't have a hint of emotion at all. He only had a stern face and a strange smile as he absorbed my question. "No questions Sora, just say yes or no so that we can proceed." He raised his hand again and all the men that were armed pointed their guns at me and Musume. To spare her more emotional stress, I covered her ears and held her closer to me. She seemed to take greater comfort in this action. Director Kakuzawa's face grew a little obscured with impatience.
"Alright. I accept your terms." The Director lowered his hand. The soldiers released Musume and began to exit the room. Musume ran to me and cried out when her injuries from last night made her stumble and trip. I knelt to catch and embrace her outstretched, flailing arms. She squeezed me close to her face, damp with tears and vibrant with sobs and other sounds of fear and sadness. She nuzzled my chest as I continued to talk to the director.
"What happens now Director? When do we leave? And are you going to hold it against me or Musume that we killed half of the people here?"
I felt Musume tense up at my last question. Not surprising. She does display a huge dislike for herself as a former Diclonius.
The Director released an echoing laugh that made him gasp for air. He humorously pulled his wig off and wiped tears out of his eyes as he walked towards the exit of the massive room.
"Me? Care about you killing a few of my guards?" He asked as he put his wig back on. "That's a good one Arachnid!" he laughed for a little while longer and finally turned to face me in the doorway.
"For now, just go with Kurama and find Shirakawa when she returns with clothes for Musume. They will arrange all the necessary provisions you will need to return to Kamakura. But before that, go to the surgery to have Musume's horns removed if you still want that." I was a little shocked, I had forgotten all about getting Musume's horns removed. The director disappeared down a hallway, calling back only to say: "No need for goodbyes Arachnid, I don't care for them and we shall meet again."
Musume pulled on my sleeve and I leaned over when she indicated she wanted to whisper something to me.
"Who's that?" She pointed a small finger at Lucy. She was being wrapped in that cloth material with belts fastening the folds to her body.
"That's Lucy, she's who the people here call, the Diclonius Queen." I glanced back at Musume and saw that she was staring intently at the Helmet on Lucy's head. I began to stare as well when one of the researchers pulled the helmet off. A shock of surprise shot through my body as I saw a face that looked extremely familiar. Yumi's face flashed in my mind but I also felt a huge wave of doubt that Yumi could be a Diclonius. The wave receded and I felt like an idiot. How could I have missed something like that?
But why did she look like Lucy? Numerous things involving Yumi's relatives, her siblings and other physical details such as her hair and eye color hit me all at once. But I lost the idea for no apparent reason.
I picked up Musume and started walking down the hallway that led to Kurama's lab. He would know where the surgery would take place and the answers to my new questions. I looked back and realized that armed guards were following me. They flinched and pointed their guns at me when I turned. It was clear that Kurama or the Director was just taking precautions.
Musume pulled herself to my ear and whispered to me. "That wasn't the real Diclonius Queen." I didn't really feel a physical shock but I did feel something similar.
"...Why do you say that? Why isn't she the Diclonius Queen?" I looked at her and stared into her new blue eyes.
"What I mean is that she is A Queen Diclonius but she is not THE Diclonius Queen." I got even more confused.
"Then..." I began. "How are you so sure that she is not a-, sorry, THE Diclonius Queen?" I asked with the most confusing tone I had.
"Because Mommy is the real Diclonius Queen." She smiled.
