Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.
Author's note: We're nearing the dramatic climax, dear readers! Though I can't promise you to finish the story until christmas, there is at least one more chapter in the line for you. Now enjoy this one!
Chapter 52: Dismal prospects
M-21 regained consciousness to the familiar feeling of floating. He did not bother to open his eyes. There was nothing here he wanted to see.
I have failed, he thought bitterly. Is it something about these white and steel rooms, the smell of disinfectant and sweat that makes me weak? Do I in secret yearn to be here, the only place I aspired to live in? Am I not hoping to forget my doubts and give myself over to the Organization, killing, slicing, maiming on their behalf? Is that what lured Cruor? Does he hear the same beckoning voices in the back of his head, softly murmuring of the joy and freedom of the hunt? That rush of adrenaline, the smell of freshly spilled blood, the power to take lives, this addictive promise; the Organization welcomes it. If I went back to Crombel, he would let me experience this pleasure, unpunished, rewarded with even more power.
And then I would have lost myself completely. I would have betrayed my comrades and the promise I made with M-24 would have been for naught. The trust Rai and the Principal have put in me, a mistake. And Doctor Choi would have been right to loathe me, all along.
A soft sound startled him. Finally opening his eyes, he saw that he had heard someone knocking against the glass of the tank. Crombel was staring up to him intently, a smile played about his lips. The light reflected in his glasses made his eyes unreadable.
How long has he been standing there?, M-21 asked himself. What does he want?
Crombel turned to the console and made a few adjustments. The water began to drain. Without its support, M-21 felt how the ordeals had weakened him. He could barely hold himself up.
The glass slid open. On shaking legs, he climbed from the tank, gripping the edge of the pane for support.
With a patronizing smile, Crombel offered him a towel. M-21 took it thankfully and began to dry himself off slowly.
"What can I do for you?", he spat with mock friendliness.
"No, no!", replied Crombel, still smiling. "The question is: what can I do for you?"
"Easy", growled M-21. "Let me and the werewolf go and drop dead."
"So you won't help poor Doctor Choi?", said Crombel. "Aw, she will be devastated."
M-21's eyes narrowed furiously. Then his face relaxed. He cringed his eyebrows and sniffed.
Crombel stepped aside to have the furious man charge past him. M-21 stumbled and caught himself the last moment. He whirled around.
"You have Doctor Choi?", he snarled.
"She came to pay a little visit", answered Crombel. "Though I have to admit to her credit, that she had no intention to visit me."
"Let her go", demanded M-21. "You don't need her. Let her go. I'll do anything!"
"Anything?", asked Crombel and a cold spark lit in his eyes.
M-21 snorted. "How pitiful", he hissed. "Still so easily lured by that prospect?"
He let the towel slide to the floor and approached Crombel slowly. "Fine. You shall have what you want. I'll even give you a little foretaste, that's how generous I am. But if you don't let her and Cruor go, that's all you will get. How about it?"
Crombel's smile broke into a grin. "We have a deal", he said.
"Let's get this over with", said Hyun Ae and lay down on the examination table.
As a group of scientist bustled around her fastening cuffs, installing monitoring equipment and puncturing veins, Crombel stepped up to her, as ever impeccably clad in a dark gray suit.
"I would like to inform you now that your memory removal comes with a little extra", he said smoothly.
Hyun Ae pricked her ears. "What kind of extra?", she asked, suddenly suspicious.
"Just something for my amusement", replied Crombel. "I am afraid you might not enjoy it quite as much, though. You know...", he went over to the monitor and made a few adjustments. "We have this nice new biological weapon we would like to test. And it is quite tedious to find fitting carriers."
Hyun Ae's eyes widened. She tried to sit up, but found she was already unable to. "You don't mean...?"
"You have guessed it. Our little pox strain. I adjusted the incubation time a bit. If it was too short, the source would be too easily tracked. How about it? You leave this facility without memory of the past few years, I would not dare to remove your medical knowledge, that would be a tragedy. So an idealistic young doctor has traveled to the United States for some working experience in foreign countries. Around her, people start to fall ill and die. She frantically tries to find the reason for the illness and how to cure it until at last she realizes that she herself has been the angel of death for all those people. It might drive her mad."
Hyun Ae gazed into that smiling face, realizing just how horribly he had planned his revenge. She wanted to cry and beg him for mercy, but she knew there would never be clemency for her.
"Just do it", she whispered. "It's my loss."
"Indeed", said Crombel. "But I will give you the pleasure of one last night with all your memories. I hope you enjoy it!"
He left the room, humming to himself.
Around the corner, breathing heavily, stood Cruor, pressed against the wall, trying to grasp all that he had heard.
Note: As you already suspected, Crombel has more sinister plans with the pox virus. How do you think Cruor will react? Review!
