Disclaimer: I don't own Noblesse.

Author's note: As a little late christmas present, a new chapter for you! And worry not, the ending is turning out so long that it will take a few more chapters still. Enjoy!


Chapter 53: Good old times

Cruor clenched his jaw.

Fool that I have been!, he cursed himself. How could I even think that there would be no catch? Yet the possibility to know where she is, to meet her before she knew M-21...It wouldn't have been a fair win, but perhaps I might have forgotten that she would never have chosen me?

He balled his fists. Crombel's words echoed in his head, spoken in a tone of playful delight: It might drive her mad.

When did I ever stop to desire killing him? 'Who was your enemy before you knew me?' Indeed, he has been right about me from the start. How humiliating!

Cruor pushed himself off the wall and started walking swiftly down the corridor. I need to get her out of here. And there's only one person I can trust to help me.

Hyun Ae was alone. A female scientist had led her to an adjoining room with a bed. Her face and the strict hairdo had felt dimly familiar, but Hyun Ae had no mind to give it much thought.

She had crawled under the crisp white covers and lay there, motionless, staring up to the white ceiling.

Her skin where the electrodes still stuck, itched slightly. She was cold, more from the inside than due to the steel table she had been lying on. Her head felt mushy, she suspected they had given her tranquilizers.

She felt strangely detached from the things Crombel had disclosed to her. It gave her a tiny spark of satisfaction since it was likely he had only told her to plague her some more.

I have finally accepted being a selfish person, she thought without spite. What do I care for those poor innocent strangers who might die because of my decision in the future? I do only care for those I love. Things might have been different, had I realized that sooner. I am no perfect doctor, even if Bae wants to believe that. Good old Bae, I hope at least he is alright.

She sat up suddenly, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Is there a flaw?", she whispered. "Is there a flaw in his plan?"

If he doesn't want to erase my medical knowledge he will let me keep my university memories. Memories of my friend Bae. Why should I not want to contact him some time and tell him how work in the USA is? Is it true? Did Crombel not know of my connection to Bae? I do not recall Pandora ever telling him. I only told him things I deemed important. But he would have read my records. Still he would need to draw that connection. No, no, he must have considered I would have old friends. How does he plan to erase them?

Hyun Ae sank back again, her thoughts racing. Fleetingly, she cursed her weak resolve. She had been prepared to sacrifice herself without looking back. Now such a tiny ray of hope shattered her calm.

And if I try to leave a message here?, she thought. Won't the others find it and know what to do? But how can I notify them?

She threw a gaze up to the security cameras silently observing her.

A way to pass a message. To pass a message. Pass...

While she was still wondering, sleep caught her unawares.

Cruor stood in front of the door and took a few deep breaths. They would have to be fast. As soon as he entered the room, Crombel would know sooner or later that he had spoken to M-21 and he would put two and two together. In fact, he suspected that Crombel had known he was there while he spoke to Hyun Ae. He was interested in his reaction. He was testing him, playing with him. It only made Cruor angrier.

He touched the opener and slipped into the room, ready for an attack.

He found the gray-haired human lying on a pallet, sleeping peacefully. For a long moment, he stood there, unsure what to do and observed his adversary. He had rolled to his side, head cushioned on one hand, the blanket pulled tight around him. His chest rose and fell regularly.

With a pang, Cruor remembered how it had felt to drive his claws into that flesh. It seemed wrong, suddenly.

He approached the pallet to wake him, when suddenly a scent caught his attention. His head whipped around.

Shit! Crombel!

Frantically, he searched for a place to hide. He heard the sound of footsteps in the corridor outside. The last minute, he squeezed himself between two large machines and the wall. Through a gap between them, he could see the door opening and Crombel step into the room.

M-21 immediately woke and sat up. Did he only feign sleeping?, Cruor wondered.

"Well-rested now?", asked Crombel jovially.

"Well enough", replied M-21 and ran his hand through his tangled gray hair. "If I keep my word you will keep yours, I suppose", he said evenly and stood up. He was still in the black pants from the fluid tank. His muscles rippled as he flexed his shoulders.

"Indeed", smiled Crombel and took his jacket off.

Why the heck is he undressing?, thought Cruor. He craned his neck to get a better view on the strange expression on the scientist's face.

"You better be convincing", said Crombel, loosening his tie.

"You don't have to tell me", spat M-21 back and kissed him.

Cruor nearly choked trying to hold back a shocked gasp. Disbelieving, he stared at the scene unfolding in front of his eyes. Soon, he averted his gaze, but hearing and smelling them, he could still see all that passed vividly behind his closed eyelids.

Is that what he meant with 'special uses'?, he thought. That's plainly disgusting! How can he lower himself to such a degree? It's a disgrace to Master Alan's heart...!

He caught himself gritting his teeth and peered through the gap again, frightened Crombel might have noticed. He realized that Crombel was much too engrossed now to be aware of his surroundings.

A thought shot through his head. What if I kill him now? He is weak and defenseless now. It's the perfect time.

But the thought had no longer formed in his head that a drawn-out moan told him that the chance had just passed.

He took a look through the gap and saw Crombel standing up, already pulling on his pants, a satisfied smirk on his face. M-21 was still on the ground, breathing heavily.

"You'll let her go tomorrow?", he panted.

"You will be able to witness with your own eyes that I keep my promises", replied Crombel and shrugged on his jacket. "I will take you up on yours."

With that, he left the room.

After he was gone, M-21 pushed himself up with some effort.

"You can come out now", he said without turning around.

Cruor emerged from his hiding-place and swallowed uncomfortably.

"Listen, I...", he began.

"What?", snapped M-21 whipping around to him. "You didn't want to spy on me? You're sorry for being such a goddamn idiot? You didn't know Crombel was a sick bastard? No, you listen to me!"

He stalked over to the werewolf and pushed him against the wall with his flat hand.

"You knew that he had Doctor Choi and yet you did nothing", hissed M-21 and a golden flicker was in his eyes. "She came here because those fucking fools told her you were here. You hear? She came here for you! And all you do is let Crombel lay his dirty fingers on her? I thought you were just a pitiful man who has to resort to trickery to get a woman. Still, I thought she meant something to you, at least. I thought it would be alright to step back, as long as she was happy. But now...you..."

He broke off and hit the wall with such force that a large dent remained. He turned around, fists balled.

"Fuck off", he whispered with a voice of ice and steel. "I promised to take you back. It won't do to rip your head off."

"Listen", said Cruor, stretching out his arm, but not daring to touch the other man. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I tricked you into killing that man. I thought he was just one of those scientists I wanted to kill anyway. I'm sorry I took Hyun Ae from you. I wanted to get back to you. I wanted to break through that unmoving facade and make you acknowledge me. I'm sorry I went here. She wouldn't come back with me. She wanted to stay with you. When Crombel said he wanted to erase her memories, I thought I would finally get the chance to be her first choice. That was foolish, I realize that now. I didn't come to mock you or anything. I came to ask you to help me get her away from here."

Anxiously, he stared at M-21's pale back. Then the shoulders began to twitch. It took Cruor a moment to realize that the other man was laughing.

"That's rich", he said and turned around to the red-head, grinning. "I'm bitching at you because I had Crombel all over me. You've been bitching at me because of your inferiority complex. We're a nice pair, ain't we?"

He clapped Cruor on the shoulder and shook his head, still smiling.

"Can you get me some decent clothes?", he said. "And then let's talk business. I had the feeling you had the same idea as me."


Note: I hope you liked it. Reviews make me happy!