Warning: massive use of German… it's because when it's written in German, in the story it was really spoken in German. I made the translation and I put it down below, under the ficcie, just to make sure that you read it all….
Not mine and probably will never be…
words- means it's thought...
Lovechild 4: The Boy Who Hears Voices
I looked at my watch; the train I was riding would be in Vaduz in about twenty minutes. I took a glance over a file projected on the screen of my laptop and studied a face of a teenager with blond hair draping around his face with a pair of aqua blue eyes. I tore my sight away from the beauty of the face and studied again the writing below it.
Christian Gottfried Liebeskind, born Christian Gottfried. I carved the name on my brain, and also all of his data down to the details.
Age: fifteen.
Suspected power: telepathy or empathy.
Name of reporter: Dr. Rainer Raupe and Thomas Sauer.
Then followed by certain data that supported the evidence.
Followed by health information, that showed that the boy was born premature at the eighth month and two days, and was threatened to die because of fever that seized him on his fifth day. His teeth had been braced for two years and he just took them off last Christmas. He was hospitalized for appendicitis on the age of ten and his hand was fractured about a year ago for attempting to jump from the third floor of his school building a year after merely because of a truth or dare game at school. Now he was hospitalized in a soul asylum in a village near Vaduz, Liechtenstein.
There were also his school records. He was almost a perfect student in marks, almost, if it was not because of his attitude. There were reports that he went fighting with his friends or attempting crazy stuffs. But his last school report was very nice. Short listed as the best student of the semester. If it was not because of the murder he did, he might have had the title.
It was followed by his legal files. The first one was about his adoption by his own grandfather from his mother's side and the adding of "Liebeskind" as his surname. The second was filed only a few months ago. The boy had shot his own friend on the head, and now he acted to be dead friend.
Interesting.
And then it was followed by details of his childhood. What his parents did for living, where he took his studies, who were his childhood friends, down to what kind of ice cream that he ate, what brand of candies, or shoes, or candies, or clothes.
I wondered if Eszet also owned a data similar to this, but about myself, and I knew that they must had one. They seemed to know everything.
The speaker announced that the train had arrived in Vaduz.
I had to force my hearing to understand what the speaker said. I could understand German very well, but I still had to push myself a little bit to hear the distorted sound from train speaker. Sometimes they still sounded like nonsense especially when my thought was somewhere else. I hurried turning off my laptop and put it in its case. I only had this laptop and a small traveling bag for this mission.
The mission didn't sound like something big either. I was simply assigned to retrieve the boy to the head quarter, but I had to see if his power was telepathy or empathy or perhaps even both of them. An empath would not do much for Eszet because all he could do was to feel, on the other hand, a telepath would be a good asset. A telepath could also plant some thoughts on people rather than merely reading them.
I met Thomas Sauer at the train station. He didn't seem to be surprised to see that I already knew his face. He didn't know mine. We exchange our formal "Wie geht's Ihnen? (1)" and then we headed to his car.
"Do you want to go first to your room?" he asked politely with flawless English.
"That could wait for later," I answered as I looked at my watch and saw that it was about three. My eyes closed and I saw that if we went straight there we might be able to talk to Dr. Raupe first before seeing Dr. Elmer who took care of the boy.
"Fine," he said again and the sceneries around me turned to some landscapes.
"Dr. Elmer is a friend of mine in the varsity," Sauer told, "I didn't know then that my master was a telepath, so I thought better to put him under someone I knew. But then came those telepathic signs, like he could tell what some patients in that asylum actually thought or felt."
I surely had already read all those evidence from the report, but I let that man talk. I didn't interfere him.
Thomas Sauer was a member of Eszet. He got to get involved to the organization when he was still studying in the university. He was a bright student and as soon as he was graduated, he got a job in Liebeskind's enterprises. The entrepreneur liked him so much that he gained trust so easily and in no longer than two years after he came, he already became his right hand man. He might have inherited the company if the old man had not found his lost daughter and her son.
The manwanted his company. Eszet wanted their telepath. It was a fair trade. Eszet would take the Liebeskind boy to Rosenkreuz and Sauer would get the company because the boy claimed to be incapable of handling the company, or maybe simply sentenced dead. Then after Sauer became the president of the company, he would have to support Eszet and Rosenkreuz financially from 20 of his income. That was a very good deal.
We came to a gate and Sauer had to talk to some intercom to tell who we were and what our business there was. The door opened automatically. I noticed that this soul asylum had a very good security system. They had video cameras everywhere and then there were infrared detectors on the fence. It didn't have guns and other things that were installed on the Eszet headquarter, but it was good enough.
The car stopped in front of the main building and we went in. A male doctor was already waiting. He was short and a bit bald above his temple, with curious green eyes. He served as one of Eszet's psychotherapist, although he never really knew what those agents had gone through. He would take care of this Liebeskind boy once he was assigned to.
"Wie geht's Ihnen, Herr. Crawford (2)?" he asked politely as he shook hands with me. In Eszet, age didn't matter much, what mattered was what your function was. A full agent was a little bit higher than support functions such as medics, technicians, and financer, although for the last one, Eszet never really showed that they were actually lower elements of the organization. People with money always wanted to be important.
"Gut(3)," I said, ignoring the fact that I was a bit worn off from sitting too long in the train and that I had to be contented of a piece of sandwich as my lunch and that actually I would rather lay myself in bed to drive away my exhaustion. But I wanted to take care of this telepath as soon as possible.
"Und Sie (4)?" I asked back, sounding all business and no play.
"Prima," he said, "Ich freue mich Ihnen zu treffen."(5)
I didn't say that I was also pleased to meet him, because I wasn't.
We went to his office and then we talked about the boy. He went through the evidence and said that there was no mistake that the boy had some special ability. He said it was more telepathy than empathy, because he could mention clearly, what was in those patients minds rather than simply saying if the patients were afraid, angry, or sad.
It was already arranged that as soon as I came to Liechtenstein that the boy would be taken under his care. I was supposed to watch over the boy and persuade him to come to the headquarter. If persuasion failed, I had to use force. Nobody stood on Eszet's way. Not even their prey.
Next, we walked to Dr. Elmer's room. He had just come back from a check on the boy I wanted to get. Sauer and this young doctor surely seemed to be well acquainted. They called by their first names, even though they always addressed each other to other persons by their Surnames. It was their way to be polite and to get away from familiarity in business, as I noticed.
Dr. Elmer didn't seem to like the idea of letting go his patient to another doctor, and I noticed that he didn't like me. I didn't know why, but I could see it clearly from the way he looked at me. It was not important though. He was just a supporting character. However, I knew that without him, we would not see the real person we wanted to see.
The young doctor took us to the patients' ward where the boy was kept. We came to a room, where I saw him lay down in his bed, attached to some infusion. Dr. Elmer told us that he still wanted the boy to get some tranquilizer because the substance seemed to make the symptoms of hearing voices lower.
I looked at the fragile figure on the bed. I dislike delicate things, and this one sure seemed to be one. He didn't look too different from the pictures I saw in my files. He was only a little bit skinnier. His hair fell around his face, framing one long face with pointed chin, high cheekbones and two straight lines of his closing eyes. On second thought, I decided that this person seemed totally different from some I saw in the files. He was too delicate.
Dr. Raupe beckoned me to come closer and I walked to the bed.
He said, "We will move him to one of the private bungalows in the garden."
I gave a nod of agreement. The use of private bungalows was one good. We could do anything to him without arousing such suspicions. I knew that this old man would want to put some tests to the boy, making sure about the powers that he had. Eszet would want to know for the most part before he was moved to Rosenkreuz.
I listened to the doctor patiently. The details about his therapies were none of my concern. All I needed to do was to retrieve the boy, nothing more. Suddenly I saw the eyes of the boy opened. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear. My gift of Sight never allowed me to hear anything. It would happen in a few moments now.
"He's gaining consciousness," I said just before his fingers twitched and he stirred a little.
"Still sharp as usual, aren't you, Mr. Crawford?" Dr. Raupe smiled.
We went silent to watch the boy stirred. Dr. Elmer was still standing at the door. He was just waiting there because the patient was no longer his responsibility, but as he heard that the boy gained consciousness, he straightened his back.
"… Schuld..." (6) the boy voiced as his eyes began to open slowly, the orbs turned towards me.
"… bin Schuldig…. 'st du's…?" (7)
For a moment, I thought he was introducing himself, as the person he was claiming to be, but then I noticed that he was talking to someone. Me, perhaps. I saw the photograph of the boy he killed, he also had black hair, and his skin was rather dark. Perhaps he mistook me for the boy.
"Nö, bin ich es nicht (8)," I said calmly, a bit surprised that I was saying it in a rather comforting way.
Suddenly he chuckled, though still in a weak voice, and said, "Du kannst mir Schuldig nennen. Mir ist egal." (9)
I could hear Dr. Elmer snorted at the point.
The boy had strong mind power. He could breach my barrier and read my surface even without effort. I had to take care of this. This was the first time I could be penetrated and I didn't even notice it. But one more thing that was more important, to teach this boy that I was no laughing stock.
Dr. Raupe started his tests a few days after the boy was moved to the bungalow. I visited him everyday, but most of the time I was just standing at the doorsill while Dr. Raupe made a conversation with him. On the first session, he asked the doctor if it was all right that a third person also present. He said it was against his right for privacy.
I had to keep note that the boy was rather sharp and critical. Maybe if one day I could make my own team, I would not want to have him with me. I didn't like anyone who asked me over anything.
The doctor asked if I should leave, but then he said that it was actually all right. He only wanted to bother me, but it was nothing personal.
After the session was over, the doctor left me alone with the boy. I was supposed to talk him out to come with me. As far as I knew, people that came to Rosenkreuz willingly would survive a better chance than those who were dragged there. Like I care if he survived.
I was about to open my mouth to speak when he suddenly asked me with his tired voice.
"You're different from the others," he said with very fluent English, though still with a tinge of German accent, "You are more silent than them."
More silent? Does that mean I still voice something?-
He nodded, eyes looking at me, revealing two turquoise jewels. Correction, he was not as fragile as he looked like when he was sleeping. He could look at me straight to the eyes without any fear. In fact, I began to feel his strength.
"Yes, I am more silent than most people," I said with confidence.
He looked at me as if he wanted more explanation.
I took off my glasses and started to wipe it with lens paper.
"Liebeskind," I said, I always used family name to address anyone to avoid any close relationship.
Before I could continue my sentence, he cut through.
"You can call me Schuldig if you want to," he said, a naughty smirk curled on his lips.
I gave him a glare, but he only looked back at me.
"Anyway, Schuldig, or whoever you are," I said indifferently, "I'm here to offer you a way to shut those voices from your mind."
"Death?" he snorted.
"No," I said, "A control over it."
"And what do you have in return?" he asked, "No, wait, I already know. Twenty percent of Tomi's income? A power to abuse?"
He turned his back to me, "Your superiors would have them. But what would you have, Mr. Brad Crawford?" He tilted his head and then shook it, "Nothing. Or, well, if you succeeded to bring me there, at least you don't have to suffer anything. I didn't know what they would do to you, but I sure know you dread it."
He must have heard from Dr. Raupe's head. The doctor had pretty good barrier for normal person, but if the boy could breach me, then going into Dr. Raupe's head wouldn't be a big problem for him.
"I know when I have to bark, I know when I have to bite," I said.
"And suppose I say I wouldn't want to go?" he asked as he lazily walked across the room and took some cookies from the cookie jar. Dr. Elmer put the cookies there. The young doctor came from time to time to this room, even though the boy was no longer his patients. But he always came on visiting hours so nobody could stop him.
"I will do it with force," I said, feeling the gun in its holder against my body.
He wiped his hands on his jeans and then he walked to me.
"You don't have anything to force me with. I have nothing left. You cannot threaten me. Not even with your gun," he said, "No, I didn't hear it in my head about the gun, but I can see it from here. My eyesight is not as poor as yours."
"How about your Dr. Elmer?"
"Kill him if you want to. That only makes him better. He always wanted to die anyway. And to die to defend somebody would be a nice ending for him."
I lifted an eyebrow, wondering how the boy could say that calmly.
"I killed my mother," he said.
All I knew was that his mother died in a car accident.
"I purposely crossed the street because I knew that the car wouldn't have enough time to hit the brake."
He smiled.
Maybe I was wrong, but that smile was far from evil.
"I killed my grandfather."
All I knew was that his grandfather died from heart attack.
"Do you know that his heart was weak. It's so easy to make it fail."
I knew it from the report I read, but I didn't know that it was murder.
"And Schuld…." His voice trailed off.
He looked up to see my eyes.
"You reminded me of him," he said.
"Really?" I asked him coldly.
He gave a nod.
"But then," he said as he heaved a sigh, "I might come with you without resistance."
"And what would you gain?" I asked. He asked to bargain, I gave him one.
My sight suddenly went blank as I saw him in the halls of Rosenkreuz. I knew he would come anyway.
"Nothing," he said, making me taken a back.
"Nothing?" I asked back, something I shouldn't have asked.
"You don't have anything to offer me anyway," he said, "Not even the silence," he paused, "Let me tell you something," he moved to his bed and sat there, "I have lived with these voices for my whole life. Wouldn't it be strange if I suddenly have myself shut alone? I have no interest in whatsoever power that you have. It's not my problem. You can kill me for sure, if I refuse. I'd be dead, so I wouldn't suffer any consequences. But you, Mr. Crawford, you would suffer the consequences from that organization."
"True," I said, "But my safety is not your concern anyway."
"You're wrong," he said lightly, "it is my concern."
But he didn't explain why.
"I will go with you," he said again, "I've thought of that the first time I saw you."
He never told me why he had decided on that ever since he saw me. I didn't want to know. I didn't want to get involved personally with this boy. He stayed in that bungalow for three weeks before we moved to Rosenkreuz. I visited him everyday although I hardly ever talked.
Surely, this Schuldig was a talkative person. He commented over almost anything. I didn't know which one of the faces he showed to us was the real one, the obedient patient to Dr. Raupe, the nice and innocent teenager to Dr. Elmer, or this ignorant and hardheaded boy to me. I didn't inquire him. I didn't want to know.
After the tests were over, we moved out from the hospital. It was played as if Schuldig was transferred to another doctor because he was stable enough and didn't need to stay in an asylum anymore.
The boy only said goodbye to Dr. Elmer. He didn't even regard Thomas Sauer as the man dropped us at the train station. The only thing he told the man was not to let the company fall apart and that it still belong to him no matter what. He didn't say he wanted any money though, but I knew he still owned one account to his name from the share he had.
- to be continued to chapter 5 -
Translation:
(1) "Wie geht's Ihnen?" "How do you do?"
(2) "Wie geht's Ihnen, Herr. Crawford?" "How do you do, Mr. Crawford?"
(3) "Gut." "Good"
(4) "Und Sie?" "And you?"
(5) "Prima. Ich freue mich Ihnen zu treffen." "Wonderful. I'm pleased to meet you."
(6) "… Schuld..." actually, he was mumbling a name, calling Schuld, which probably all of you already know, means guilt.
(7) "… bin Schuldig…. 'st du's…?" at this moment he was actually meaning to say that he's guilty… the translation combined with the number (6) would be, "Schuld, ich bin Schuldig…. Bist du es?" "Schuld, I'm guilty…. Is that you?"
(8) "Nö, bin ich es nicht." "No. I'm not him."
(9) "Du kannst mir Schuldig nennen. Mir ist egal." "You can call men Schuldig. It doesn't matter."
Well, actually I first thought of not making any translation at all… I just read Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, I was so pissed of the massive use of French there, and I couldn't understand the language. Well, if I were to live in that time, people might see me as uneducated… but well, never mind…. I love that book very much…. Levin is such a hunk!
Finally, one from a non-OC point of view… uh, well, aside from that little Schuldig at the first chapter. Should you think that Brad is a bit OOC, please tell me... maybe i need some psycological insights about the man... but keep in mind that it's 7 years before Kapitel began.
So? Comments? Flames? Or just say "Hi"? Simply say it in your review…. Thank you for reading this far.
