Chapter Thirty One: Iodine

Hours of discussion around the logistics of what they were planning and how had resulted in a somewhat solid plan to gather more information. Until the last Anna had resisted allowing Elsa to put herself in a risky position, but compromises had to be made if they had any intention of unraveling this mystery.

Elsa strolled in a leisurely manner through the doors of the research lab, making polite eye contact with anyone who didn't shy away from her. She hoped her efforts might aid in camouflaging the fact that she most definitely didn't work in this building. Though if anyone had pegged her as being out of place here she and Anna had worked out an excuse. She was here to assist with Anna's research, nothing suspicious about that at all.

Thankfully most people either didn't notice her or didn't seem to care that she was here. Almost all of them looked frazzled and at their wit's end. None of them would guess that Elsa was here to gather information on the mysterious person signing off on Anna's research requests. The very same person who could potentially be the killer that Elsa had been hunting for so long.

"Sorry I'm late, I got busy with-"

As Elsa's eyes landed on the scene before her she stopped speaking altogether. Milo was diligently taking notes, but Anna was right up on the glass, eagerly communicating with a ghost from Elsa's past. One that made every hair on Elsa's body stand at attention.

"What's he doing here?" Elsa spat, not hesitating for a second as she placed herself between Anna and the glass.

"Do, do you know him?" Anna asked cautiously, "Chernabog agreed to help with research since Adam hasn't been available lately and-"

"Oh isn't this a delightful surprise?" Chernabog's gravelly voice sounded over the speaker, "My, Agent West, you've aged rather poorly."

Hostility bubbled up in Elsa as she stared him down, her gaze not wavering from those sickeningly yellow eyes. "And I see you got your wings clipped. I take it that means you haven't been behaving yourself?"

"Still just as rude I see." Chernabog turned himself slightly, putting the stumps of what used to be his wings on full display. "Truly a hack job though, wasn't it?"

"Els, he's just here to help with research." Anna quietly explained a second time, her hand grazing Elsa's arm briefly. "He's been a perfect subject, no trouble at all."

"Oh, Agent West." Chernabog's tongue clicked as he leaned in toward the glass, his clawed hands pressing flat against it. "Tell me you didn't."

Elsa tensed, her eyes narrowing as she resisted the urge to jerk her arm away from Anna's touch. Chernabog has already seen anyway, it was too late to keep their connection from him.

"Clearly the two of you know one another," Anna stepped between the glass and Elsa, her back to Chernabog. "would you care to elaborate how?"

Though the question was clearly hers to answer Elsa simply couldn't. Her jaw set tight as she reviewed the memory and eventually she had to turn her eyes to the ground to avoid Anna's overly kind gaze.

"Surely you haven't forgotten?" Chernabog sounded practically giddy, "I could never forget that day."

He left a surprising beat of silence, as if waiting to see whether or not Elsa would argue against his explanation, but when Elsa remained quiet he seemed to take that as a queue to begin the tale.

"Oh it was a fateful night when Agent West and her paramour tracked me down. The sky was perfectly black, the stars all aligned for my sacrifice." Chernabog looked almost wistful as he paused. Then with a sickening, knowing smile he asked "What ever happened to her?"

Elsa threateningly hissed the words "Get on with it."

"Yes, you're right. There's time for that discussion later, isn't there?" He grinned maliciously, but to Elsa's surprise continued with no other prompting. "I had very nearly prepared the human for his grand position in my rites, then these two came bounding in like crazed vigilantes. It was horrible, really No respect for the old ways, those two. Then they brought me here and my horns were filed, my wings clipped...all under the guise of protecting humans."

The account was accurate enough so Elsa maintained her silence, but a glance at Anna and Milo told her that the pair was deep in thought over the story. Elsa pointedly moved herself away from the glass, pacing the room as the painful silence carried on.

"...And you understand how your sacrificing humans was problematic, don't you?"

Anna asked the question so casually, so professionally, that it took Elsa by surprise. Anna had taken the interruption and turned it into a situation that would work in favor of her research rather than seeing it as a derailment.

Chernabog made a grumbling sound, "I am an old entity, the old ways have always been mine. With fresh eyes though, I can see the...error of my backward thinking."

Elsa's jaw dropped at the admission. Whether he was truly changed from his time in the cells or whether Anna had had some sort of positive impact on him she wasn't entirely sure, but this was a progress unlike anything Elsa had ever expected out of something, no, someone like Chernabog.

"Els, if you wouldn't mind I could use a few things out of the supply closet down the hall?"

Anna's instructions seemed innocent enough, but Elsa knew all too well that they were the signal to go searching for clues. A signal Elsa gladly would have taken, if not for Milo's habit of being over prepared.

"I made a supply run before we started for the day." Milo preened, "No need to bother Elsa with the small things anyway, that's what I'm here for!"

"At least someone appreciates me." Elsa chuckled as warmly as she could, sinking into a nearby chair and giving Anna a subtle shrug.

Judging by the face-splitting grin on Chernabog's face Elsa could only assume that he had caught the gesture and at least in part picked on on their little scheme. Even so, Anna only hesitated for a moment before Elsa saw the light of another plan spark behind her eyes.

"Milo, why don't you take a bit of a break?" Anna suggested, not giving him time to respond as she slipped the clipboard of notes from his hand.

"You're very good to her." Elsa commented, innocently playing the role of momentary distraction so that Milo wouldn't argue.

"Yes well," Milo's hand was momentarily outstretched, but when Anna returned to the glass Milo seemed to take the hint. "it's part of the job isn't it?"

"Don't be so modest. I haven't seen much of you and Anna working together and I can already tell that you are above and beyond what she could have expected out of an assistant."

Milo's cheeks tinted the slightest bit pink and in that moment Elsa knew she had him. It felt dirty and underhanded to ply him for information this way but she was sure the end result would justify the means. He was truly a sweet man from what she could tell, but outright asking too many pointed questions could end poorly for all of them.

"Is it just you?" Elsa tilted her head ever so slightly, her brows coming together in faux concern. "Helping Anna out I mean."

"For now, yes. That's why I have to be vigilant!" Milo paused his notes to rub the back of his neck bashfully. "This research is important, if non-humans can be rehabilitated into society...just imagine what life could be!"

"How noble of you." Elsa praised, "If only more of the higher ups thought the way you and Anna did..."

Elsa purposefully trailed off, bringing a hand to her chest and letting her eyes go a little misty. Just as Elsa guessed he might, Milo began to ramble to attempt to keep Elsa from crying.

"Of course Felix has to believe in it, he gave it the green light. Someone high up in the cells security must, too, if they're allowing us to utilize their, ah, resources."

"Cells security?" Elsa parroted, inflecting a small amount of confusion into her tone. "I wasn't even aware there was a division for that. Can you imagine, me not knowing about it after being here for so long?"

"Well it's not exactly well known." Milo quickly made to ease her concern, "Not many people like going all the way to the cells, not to mention how depressing they are."

A sympathetic sound escaped her. Out of the corner of her eye she glanced over at the glass between them and Chernabog. She couldn't help but wonder just how depressing it had to be to break a monster like him. Then Elsa put a thoughtful look on her face, raising a hand with her pointer finger up as if an idea had just come to her.

"Since you have things under control here, why don't I see what I can do about accommodations in the cells?" Elsa suggested, "After all, the first step to integrating non-humans into human life is treating them like humans, isn't it?"

A brief look of uncertainty crossed Milo's face but it was clear that Elsa's smile had won him over before too long. "You're right. Every non-human in the programs we have running is treated like a human and that had worked out exceedingly well for S.N.O.. The administrative offices for the cells are on the floor above us..."

Milo's explanation all but faded as Elsa caught sight of Anna sneaking glances at her from across the room. At first they were questioning, but the moment Anna seemed to realize their plan had been successful she all but puffed up with pride. Just as quickly she turned her attention back to Chernabog and their line of questioning, but the feeling of that grateful glance lingered.

"You two ladies are something else." Milo shook his head in disbelief as he handed Elsa what looked to be a map. "This could be a huge step forward for our little corner of the world."

"It could, couldn't it?"

Hours later, well after night had fallen, Elsa was back in the lab. The place gave off haunted hospital vibes when the lights were dimmed and while it wasn't entirely deserted (Elsa suspected that it never really was) she was certainly not noticed by any of the remaining researchers. As long as she could stride through the halls with the confidence of someone who belonged here she doubted anyone would stop her.

The map Milo had given her had been easy to memorize, and though the offices were easy to locate breaking in was another story entirely. The amount of security for simple administrative offices was far beyond what Elsa thought would be necessary. Sure, there were likely files and the like on non-humans being held below in the cells, but what about those files could be so important as to warrant a three person lock and key mechanism?

Frustrated and far too tired to make an attempt at the lock Elsa reached for her phone. She was preparing to let Anna know the mission had failed until a thought occurred to her. She may not be able to break into the offices and find out who was running the show but there was certainly nothing stopping her from going to the cells themselves and attempting to gather intel.

There was no doubt in her mind that Anna would hate the idea of her going alone, but if she came back with nothing then their ruse would have been for nothing. In the end, Elsa knew what had to be done.

It had been quite some time since her last trip to the cells but she walked the path as if it were familiar. She noted that while the security inside had had a clear upgrade, the conditions had not. Elsa had barely made it through the door before Chernabog's familiar voice greeted her.

"Well, well." He crowed, leaning against his door with excitement in his eyes. "Had I known you'd be here so soon I would have cleaned the place up a bit."

A clear attempt at humor but Elsa couldn't even bring herself to feign a polite laugh. "You know something, don't you? More than you're telling Anna."

Chernabog's yellow eyes looked upward as he pulled a face, looking as if he were racking his mind for what Elsa could be asking about. "Perhaps."

With a loud thump Elsa's palm struck the reinforced glass of his cell, "You know what her goals are, so why withhold information that could help get you out of that box?"

The edge of his mouth curled upward, something between a sneer and a smile, but before he could speak another voice came from the darker end of the hall.

"Elsa?" Adam croaked, "Elsa is that you?"

"The two of you are popular among the worst of us, aren't you?" Chernabog drawled, gesturing with a clawed hand in the direction of Adam's cell. "I think you'll find you liked him better before, I know I certainly did."

Elsa narrowed her eyes at the obscure statement but left her position and headed in the direction that had been indicated. Chernabog's meaning quickly became clear as Adam came into view. Elsa couldn't hide her shock as she frantically approached the glass separating her from him.

"What, how?" Elsa stammered, both hands pressed flat against the glass.

The glass kept his scent from her so she could only be absolutely certain that it was him by looking into his eyes. Adam's entire self had changed, as if someone had taken the worst, most frightening aspects of each beast they had on hand and disfigured him with it.

Elsa had seen his wolf's fur, but what covered him know was far from that lush coat. The fur was short and coarse, save for around his head where a full mane seemed to be growing. His once slender muzzle had broadened, and though the fangs atop his jaw were the same as before, below his canines had become something like tusks. Strange horns jutted awkwardly from his mane and frighteningly his feet had become massive, bear-like paws.

"It was Anna." Adam barely breathed the words over a whisper, "She wore a hood, but I could see the red of her hair."

Chernabog laughed from behind them, the short, hyena like sound telling Elsa that in spite of Adam's whisper he had been overheard.

"N-no." A nervous laugh escaped her as she shook her head at him, attempting to gently draw the real truth from him. "Adam, she wouldn't. She couldn't have-"

"She was here just the other day," He interrupted quickly, speaking as if he might be silenced if he didn't tell her the story quickly enough. "talking to that thing. I should have known then, the two must have conspired to-"

"Oh no you don't, you fiend!" Chernabog's deep, rumbling tone pierced the relative silence of the cells with ease. Furiously he defended his honor, "I would never make something as horrid as what you've become."

The two shouted at one another back and forth until Elsa lost her cool, shouting at the top of her lungs, "STOP! Both of you!"

To her surprise silence fell almost immediately after her demand, and in the wake of it she knew they would both hear the heavy sigh she heaved. "Did you get a scent when this person took you away?"

"Of course!" Adam scoffed at the absurdity of the question, "I'm not sure how you can work with her all day, she reeks of chemicals and death."

Elsa fell silent. Though she wasn't entirely certain of what Anna wanted, she absolutely knew what had to be said to draw out the truth. "Do you remember the day you smelled another woman on me?"

"What does that have to do with-"

"That was Anna's scent." Elsa asserted firmly, giving him a meaningful look. "If that wasn't the same one, then there's no way it was her."

Adam was clearly taking a moment to process the new information, his lower jaw jutted out and the tusks became more visible. It was an unnerving sight, but one Elsa didn't have to see for long.

"I was sure." Adam stared off at some point in the distance, "Then who?"

Chernabog's jackal-like laugh began anew at Adams' question.

XXX

Anna rubbed her face, groaning in frustration as Elsa relayed the tale of her trip to the cells. More and more their discussions had begun to sound like the ravings of lunatics.

"He said I did that to him?" She shook her head in disbelief, "He was acting strangely when I went to see him, but I just assumed something was wrong..."

Anna trailed off, unable to find the words to further express her dismay. As she processed the rest of Elsa's statement though the creature she had seen in the cells that day came back to her mind.

Tentatively Anna added, "I saw something else there that day, something odd. It looked like a breeding experiment gone wrong."

"It certainly wouldn't be the first time." Elsa grimaced and held a hand to her side, soothing a wound long gone. "This wasn't that though. Adam was Adam before he was this, this was something else entirely. He was definitely changed somehow."

The wheels in Anna's head began to turn, "Made, you mean?"

The word landed heavily on Elsa whose eyes widened at the implication. Anna knew that the way Adam had spoken of being made had weighed heavily on them both, so to see what had happened to him now gave them even more reason to think this through before acting.

"I suppose it's possible." Elsa admitted, her brows pulled tight in worry, "But not ethical at all. There's no way he consented to that. That look in his eyes was..."

A small but unmistakable shudder racked Elsa, who didn't bother finishing her sentence. It was clear that the idea of changing someone so drastically was frightening, even to someone who has the capacity to change their own body at will.

"You know," Kris's voice pierced the bubble of their conversation, "it's possible something happened when he was turned."

Though he had been there all the while Kris had been so silent through all of the discussion that Anna had almost forgotten he was there. "What could happen that would result in this?"

Kris shrugged. "It was just a suggestion."

"No, no." In spite of her negative tone Elsa was nodding, gesturing to Kris. "He may have a point. We know Adam said he was made, is it possible someone was working on a new were-creature?"

"He turned into a wolf the day he attacked you, Els." Anna reminded her. "And he certainly didn't look the way you described when he did it."

A frustrated sound rumbled up from Elsa's throat as she planted her face in the back of the couch. Kris looked at her sympathetically, but then made another suggestion. "...Could it be a complication of a serum that wasn't tested well enough? If even a single vial of the stuff those two whack jobs were working on got out of the building-"

Anna jumped in skeptically, "We can't seriously think someone survived that explosion?"

Elsa's head rose up from the back of the couch like a phoenix might rise from ashes. A triumphant smirk on graced her lips as she all but jumped up from the couch, beginning to pace as she spoke animatedly.

"Unless they were the ones who set it off in the first place." Elsa's laughter was somewhere between delirious and nervous, "Another counterpart in the building could explain how that explosion happened in the first place. Someone dangerous, evil enough to happily walk out with the serum and leave the women to burn."

Anna watched with confusion as Elsa and Kris made some kind of meaningful eye contact. More of that silent communication that they always did, no doubt, but at least this time Kris had the sense to narrate something of it for Anna.

"He wouldn't." Kris shook his head, but the look on his face clearly conveyed that even he didn't believe his own words.

"Come on, Kris." Elsa spoke as if she was correcting a child, "Who else do we know of here with that kind of cruel cunning?"

"Sorry, who are we talking about?"

"Hans!" Kris and Elsa answered in unison, all but ignoring her as they continued their quick banter.

"It makes sense, Kris." Elsa insisted, but Kris shook his head.

"He's practically Felix's right hand, Felix would have had to okay that if he was working on it. There's no way he has time between all his job duties."

"Unless Felix is in on it too!"

Elsa's brows were raised as she made the suggestion, but for all the sense she thought she was making she looked much more like a crazed conspiracy theorist than the educated woman Anna knew she was.

"And how do you explain the scent Adam mentioned?" Anna gently reminded her, "There's no way you just didn't notice it all this time."

For an instant Elsa looked like she was ready to continue arguing but then she deflated and flopped back down onto the couch looking more forlorn than before. Anna couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face at the sight of a pouty Elsa, but the issue at hand was too great to allow herself to get distracted.

"Death and chemicals." Elsa mumbled quietly, repeating the phrase to herself again. "Death and chemicals. What could that mean?"

"I would guess it probably means...death, and chemicals." Kris smirked at Elsa triumphantly as her head rose, he barely dodged a pillow she lobbed at him for his poor joke.

Anna rolled the words over in her head as the trio sat in silence, contemplating just what Adam could mean. Chemical smells weren't typically difficult to identify, at least not in Anna's opinion. One could easily pinpoint the smell of bleach or antiseptic, anything they had smelled before...

"He's not familiar with the smells!" It was Anna's turn to jump up from the couch, a brilliant smile on her lips. "If we can bring some chemical samples to the cells he can probably pinpoint just what we're looking for!"

Kris and Elsa shared another look before the two of them made a whooping sound in unison, a sign of their excitement at the prospect of finally having a lead on this mysterious transformation.

The very next morning Anna had compiled a small sampling of possible chemicals, requesting that the guards meet her in the cells to gather Chernabog for the day. In truth she planned on having them remove Adam, but they didn't need to know about the change in plan until the last moment. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, or so Anna thought.

To her surprise though as she approached the door there were not only the two guards she had requested but also a host of people in white coats wheeling a gurney with a large body bag atop it.

"What's going on here?" Concern bleed through in her words, she didn't even have to try to fake it.

"Suicide." One of the white-coated men shook his head, looking forlorn. "Shouldn't have been possible, but he found a way."

Anna's heart raced as she bypassed them quickly, she barely registered the two guards tailing her amid the chaos but once she was in the silence of the cells she was absolutely certain of what had happened. Adams cell door was still open and she caught a glimpse of the noose he had made of his bed linens before one of the guards obscured her view.

"Best not." The guard sounded more sympathetic today than he usually did, "Not healthy to see all of that."

Her mind went numb and fuzzy, like static on a television set, but she mechanically went through the motions of having the men remove Chernabog from his cell and lead him to the research lab. The silence in the lab that day was eerie, even Milo seemed to sense that something was off.

"Would you like me to begin, Anna?" Milo asked gently, "Or are we waiting on someone? Will Elsa be joining us today?"

"Can't you see she's mourning?" Chernabog could be heard over the speaker system, kinder and more gentle than he had ever sounded.

"Oh no, Elsa didn't break things off did she?"

For half a second Anna was so shaken by Milo's question that she was almost able to put aside her confusion over Adam. "What, no. Wait, you knew?"

Though it was doubtful that Chernabog could see him, Anna saw Milo glance over toward the glass as if staring into a camera. "I would have to be blind to not know."

Anna grumbled some nonsensical sounds in response, scrubbing her hands over her face and shaking her head. "Adam took his life."

She barely restrained herself from adding that his life ended very shortly after he had accused her of experimenting on him. That information couldn't be good for Milo to have, especially if someone was performing unauthorized experiments.

"No, no that's not possible." Milo frowned, "I certainly can't imagine any way that anyone in the cells would have the appropriate access to anything to..."

Milo trailed off, leaving the rest of his thought unspoken. It needn't be, they both knew where he was headed, but Anna got the distinct feeling that she saw a more sinister underlying cause than merely determination on Adams' part. It was another piece of a puzzle, though the more pieces they acquired the more it began to feel as if they were trying to piece it together backward.