Disclaimer: Noblesse isn't mine.

I Am Tao (Part 37)

"What's Principal Lee doing here?" Ikhan waved to the lady at the front desk and walked by without being interrupted.

"Maybe because of what happened at the convention? There were probably a lot of Ye Ran students there."

"He'd just have the officers call him like always."

"What?!" Shinwoo shouted, grabbing Ikhan's arm. "You can't just say something like that and not explain it! The principal's in good with the cops?"

"Yeah, Mark mentioned it once. Well, he was talking about Detective Kim, but when I looked into the detective's phone records, I found Principal Lee."

"Whoa! I can't believe Principal Lee has connections like that!"

"Keep your voice down. Just because they know each other doesn't mean it's a connection." Ikhan tapped on his uncle's office door. "Wait. We should find Suyi first."

[-] [-] [-]

It wasn't right. Not that it mattered. An order was an order. He could not disobey. But it wasn't right. Not with Suyi here. She was innocent. He had known that this would end badly for him, but he had hoped that she would be saved. He could only save one. Just one. And it wasn't him.

Suyi knocked against the door. Even her frantic beating sounded polite and her shouts refined. The girl wasn't afraid. Not for herself. She was worried about the gray haired man and, maybe, about him.

"Hey, kid?" The coolness of the metal gradually warmed in his hands as Jameson held the gun under the table. "That's not going to help."

"But…" Her eyes were wide as she turned toward him. Her fist still rested against the door as if waiting to knock. "But someone has to come."

"Yeah, sure, kid. They'll come." He spoke softly and set the weapon on the table. There would be no hiding this from her now. "Come sit down for a bit. I've got something to tell you."

Her eyes fell on the gun. "Mr. Jameson…"

"You've seen me use one before." He pushed it further away to reassure her although it remained within easy reach. "I've got to tell you something so listen up."

She nodded and slipped into the chair.

"Look, about Mark. I don't want you to tell anyone about him no mater what happens. It'll only bring you trouble. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Her voice was so soft and insecure that it sent a waver through his resolve. Jameson took a deep breath and pushed through his hesitation. He couldn't go easy on her now. "I don't want you to involved with me."

"Mr. Jameson!"

"And I don't want you looking for that guard. Going after him will just get you killed."

She closed her eyes, trying desperately to keep her composure.

"Go ahead and cry. It'll look better if you're scared." He stood, snatching the gun from the table. "Here's how this is going to happen. I'm going to shoot out the lock in that door. The shot's going to draw attention. I don't have a silencer. If anyone sees us, I'll use you as a hostage. That'll at least protect your innocence. I don't want anyone tying you to me. If we're clear, we check the observation room for witnesses. After that, I want you to run for it. You don't know anything. You never saw me. Got that?"

"I don't want to do that." Her gaze fell down and to the side. "If we just wait, someone will come. I'll just explain that I was locked in here by mistake."

"I'm not giving you a choice." Now it was his turn to look away. He walked over to the door and listened for anyone outside. "It's not the police that I'm worried about. There's no telling who's watching us. Now come here."

"I don't want to do this." She left her seat anyway and joined him by the door.

He aimed the gun at the lock, but voices outside stopped him from pulling the trigger. Jameson glanced back at the girl. Her shoulders were trembling as she held her arms against her stomach. "So, an idol, huh? That make you a singer or an actress?"

"Singer."

"Any good?"

"I guess so. One of my songs made the top ten chart last week." The shaking lessoned a little. "'Days of Summer.' Have you heard of it?"

"No, I.. I, uh, don't get to listen to the radio much." The voices died down. He just needed a little longer to give them distance. "Top ten's pretty impressive. That your favorite song?"

"No, I like 'Hold Me,' but it's sad and slow so it's not very popular."

"That's too bad." He lifted the gun again. There had been no sounds for awhile now. "Stay close behind me. I don't want the bullet to ricochet into you."

"Okay." She grabbed the back of his shirt and pressed herself against the wall.

He could feel her hands shaking through the fabric. "You nervous?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, me too."

[-] [-] [-]

He's not here? The thought flowed through his mind like a slow current, thick and unclear as it struggled to form. He's not here. Why? The answer didn't come even as the drugs left his system. Why?

Crombel should be here. He was always present for this. He wasn't here.

He wasn't here.

M-21 watched the door, but nothing moved outside. Should he try to make an escape? Was this a trick? A test?

Where was Regis?

"M-21, how good to see you." Crombel nonchalantly opened the door, concentrating more on the clipboard in his hand than the specimen panting on the bench. "I can see that you have been very well. Excellent condition. Your stats have improved since our last visit."

"You-"

"But I'm not very interested in you right now. The noble you brought, however… Well, that is a different matter."

Regis. M-21 narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth. The show of anger felt forced. The drugs must still be in his system after all.

"I had planned an experiment for you, but I may perform it on the other specimen instead."

Not Regis! M-21 squeezed his eyes shut as a new wave of nausea swept over him. His stomach churned, and water rushed to his mouth. He swallowed hard. It tasted sour. Not Regis. Not that kid. He has never experienced something like this. I'll do anything to protect him. To spare him from this. A thousand more experiments. I would return to that life. To save him, I'll do anything. "I'll do it."

"Hmm, do what?" The pen stilled in his hand, and Crombel looked up.

Did he say that out loud? M-21 set his jaw and met his gaze. He wouldn't look away this time. Wouldn't show a shred of weakness. He would give that man nothing to use against him. Keep his attention on him and far away from any experiment he could perform on Regis.

"Are you volunteering for the experiment?" A smile curved over Crombel's lips. "Now that's an interesting change in events."