CHAPTER TWO: THE DAYS BEFORE EVERYTHING CHANGED: PART II
It was a starry night.
Moonlight illuminated the woman's entire apartment as she pried open the door and stumbled inside. After slamming the door shut and neglecting to lock it afterward as usual, she slumped to the kitchen only several feet away and immediately turned on her microwave.
The kitchen was awfully cramped and neglected like the rest of her living arrangement, which reeked of stale, black coffee that just barely managed to mask several repugnant odors that permeated the air for the longest time.
Not that it was her intention to make the space smell less horrid when she nuked yet another cup to hold her through the late hours — but it was something that made her arrangement more bearable.
After quickly downing the liquid as miserably bitter as her, she haphazardly tossed the mug into the sink and collapsed on a well-worn couch with her impression sunk deep into its leather cushions.
Like many of the other commodities she owned, she could afford no better and thus had to deal with whatever scraps she had from her former union years ago. She was still wearing the black suit she bought when she considered visiting his funeral, even, despite all the stains that accumulated since.
See, it was a difficult divorce that was hardly humored by her ex-husband's death not long after the proceedings concluded — although that bit of karmic justice did occasionally bring a slight grin to her face. And it was almost humorous enough to have her forget a tremendous loss of her own blood not long before that, but she often shoved those thoughts to the furthest corners of her mind.
After all, there was no point in ruminating what could have been.
And so she looked up from her couch, no longer bothering to ask what she had done in the past to deserve her fate and instead wondering when it would all come to an end. Perhaps she could find another visionary scientist to fall for before having her heart shattered beyond repair a second time.
Maybe she would re-enlist into the military, and hope they actually consider her for research before making her another one of their disposable rooks. Or was pawn the correct term? Whatever, it's not like she cared to use the correct terminology — chess was her ex's game and all she knew was that there was a pretty little horse piece known as the black knight that she would always play first.
Back to her suffering — maybe she would see how long she could sink into her couch before it eventually consumed her and she would no longer be a burden. All of the options were equally tempting in her book, but while she brushed aside her purple bangs, dyed the same color as her lilac eyes, she considered that perhaps the most ideal choice for her future prosperity would be to seek the assistance of her ex-husband's former work associates: the Consortium.
They were a group of powerful, enigmatic men with vastly different professions but one common goal, and that was total rule over everyone and everything. A terrifying prospect to most people with common sense, but she truly didn't give enough of a shit to ever really question their over-inflated egos...and so long as they were paying well, did it really matter what they wanted?
She was still in contact with them — especially after becoming a widow and having some of the members offer to 'console' her during those 'trying' times. Their true intentions were quite obvious to her and it was for that reason alone she selectively chose to speak to those who valued her intellectual blessings over her physical ones.
Indeed, something could have come out of contacting them, but what could she have to offer? They weren't interested in being revered as samaritans who ended world hunger, cured cancer, or anything that her knowledge could contribute to.
She could hardly fathom why they were so invested in the pipe dream that was the Nanite Project to begin with, so all things considered it was probably best to continue laying on the couch and wait until it swallowed her whole. At least that way she could finally be reunited with her—
The ringing of the phone interrupted her thoughts. She hated when that happened, but whatever. It was just a phone call. As long as it wasn't someone trying to sell her snake oil or bring up her failed attempt at starting a family, she could tolerate a bit of conversation in the middle of the night.
She checked the ID before answering out of pure curiosity, and was more than surprised to see that it was an old friend who had been recruited onboard the nanite development team a while back.
A position he landed instead of her, granted, but she could put aside her pettiness for but a minute to address him for the first time in what she believed to be years. After all, he wasn't much of a social caller and thus had to have an important reason to break the silence.
"Hello? State your business." She was exhausted and wasted no time skipping past the formalities to get to the real purpose behind the call. And it seemed like he hasn't forgotten that attribute of hers considering his persistent tone — but right off the bat, he made the grave mistake of addressing her by her ex-husband's surname and nothing made her more spiteful than hearing that name aloud.
"How many times must I remind you I no longer share that Bastard's name? If the reason you're calling for the first time in years is to bring up that son of a bitch I swear I'll—"
The scientist, not interested in her incessant complaining, quickly rectified his naming error and brought up a development she thought would never come: the news of functioning nanites.
Taken aback by the news she sat up straight. The implications that this new breakthrough had were energizing, but she was also cautiously skeptical at the same time so she demanded to know more.
"You're kidding. Do you have proof?" She questioned with a genuine interest and curiosity that left her feeling dizzy while she hunched over at the edge of her seat. Or maybe that was the weeks old expired coffee finally settling in. But lo-and-behold, he informed her that they had proof — living, breathing proof at that.
"Damn." was the only word that could aptly surmise her reaction. There was so much to process and so much more to do, and she was sure to act upon that information as soon as possible.
"Yeah, I'll get in touch with the Xanubian and the rest straight away. Will call back when I'm done with them, see ya." She hung up the phone and combed her hands through her hair in excitement.
"What sort of things are the nanites capable of? How long can a subject survive while possessing them? How much more support is the Consortium gonna give to this project now that there's proof of its success?" she rambled to herself—and so with that last thought, it struck her.
She heard whispers of the development team struggling with funds after an incredibly dry period in progress, so if she could somehow convince the Consortium that the nanites could fit their agendas and so much more? She could sweeten the proposition into a much more lucrative deal that would have her set for life while also guaranteeing her a spot developing the greatest invention conceived.
The opportunity presented to her brought a wicked smile to her face, and the unfortunate details of her past were all but forgotten now. The board was set, and she was ready to advance.
Back at Abysus, the Salazars continued to embrace their son long after his pulse returned and they were certain he wouldn't lose it again — at least, that's the excuse they gave to Rylander who suggested that Rex might've needed some space. In the end, however, they heeded the godfather's advice and announced to all the others they would be taking their son to his room after the incredibly long day he's had...after the incredibly long day they all had.
But before they escorted Rex back to his bed, Rylander instructed everyone in the emergency room to swear secrecy regarding the unauthorized operation that took place on his godson, as any spread of rumors regarding human experimentation would have put an end to the Nanite Project and all of their professional careers — no matter how good their intentions were for doing so.
And with Rex filled with all those nanites inside of his body, it was more imperative than ever to learn exactly what nanites were capable of and that research team was the only one able to do so.
So with all loose ends tied up, the trio finally made it back to Rex's cozy little living quarters and Rylander tucked him in as snug as he could without suffocating the boy. After wishing Rex a goodnight he wasn't conscious enough to register, Rylander informed the couple that he would be looking for his own son to get him ready for bed as well, and disappeared with their well wishes.
Not long after he left, Rex began to stir underneath his sheets and finally woke up with but a tired and slightly puzzled expression on his face. "Mami? Papi?" He let out an exhaustive yawn with both his arms stretched as far as they could go. "See? I told you I was gonna go to bed on time." he fibbed, clearly not aware of how he got there in the first place or the incident that he was involved in prior.
"It's several hours past your bedtime, mijo." Violeta politely corrected, simultaneously processing emotions of amusement and intense gratitude at hearing her son's voice again.
"Guess I lost track of time...which wouldn't be an issue if I had one of those new phones—"
"Keep dreaming Rex." Rafael chuckled while messing up his son's hair. He wasn't against the idea of spoiling Rex a little bit after what he's just been through, but the fact that he hasn't acknowledged that at all yet was unusual, if not a bit concerning. So he sat down on the side of the bed and looked at a Rex with a more serious expression such as the one he often bore when chastising him.
"Oh. I was just kidding about the phone—" Rex sheepishly backpedaled before Rafael spoke.
"This isn't about the phone Rex. And there's no need to look so worried, te prometemos you're not being punished."
"Mijo," Violeta crouched down to be at the same eye level as her son. "Can you tell mami what you were doing the past couple of hours? Or the last thing you remember before waking up?"
"Well I was hanging out with...no wait, wasn't I doing that yesterday…?" he mumbled to himself. He began counting his fingers, and after stopping at a fourth he asked "Today is Jueves, right?"
"Today is Friday, Rex. Jueves is Thursday and Viernes is Friday, remember?" Rafael reminded Rex.
"I've been practicing my spanish Papi, I thought today was still Thursday. I think I'm—I'm not forgetting things again, am I?" Rex anxiously asked.
[1] "No te preocupes de eso, mi princero lindo." Violeta hummed while stroking her son's hair. "Probablemente es mejor que no recuerdas the terrible accident you were in. I can't imagine how terrifying it must've been for you." She winced imagining the sort of pain and agony her son endured due to the carelessness of some crook...and themselves as his parents.
"Don't cry mami, I feel perfectly fine right now! Think of it as the start of my superhero origin story!" He joked in an effort to make her feel better. It was a coping mechanism of his that was often hit-or-miss when it came to making others feel better, but in this case it worked and she giggled as she smothered her son in kisses that he only started pushing away from after several seconds.
"Easy Violeta, you know how long it takes to clean those marks off." Rafael stated before scooting closer and embracing the two of them in a big group hug. Even if Rex refused to admit it, the physical contact was a nice feeling, especially since he's been receiving a lot less of it with how busy his family was working at Abysus. The warmth, comforting pressure, and wholeness was nice.
He never wanted to forget what that felt like.
But alas, there was still unfinished business that the eldest Salazars had to attend to and so they kissed their son goodnight and tucked him back into their covers. After turning off the lights, they both said their piece on how much they loved him and were walking out, but Rafael paused at the doorway to say one last thing to Rex.
"...Rex." Rex lifted his head from the pillow for the last time that night, unsure what to make of his father looked down at his feet while standing there at the doorway.
[2] "Déjame decir esto en inglés," he murmured before looking directly at his son. "You are a hero in so many ways you don't understand yet, but will someday. Your love is what makes you strong. Never forget that." Rafael awkwardly corrected his jacket while his son stared at him with tired eyes. There was much more he wanted to say, but it wasn't the time nor place to do so.
"That is all. Buenas noches Rex." Rafael uttered as he gently slid the door shut and jogged to catch up to his wife.
"Good night papi." Rex yawned before his dad left, after which he finally collapsed into his bed and experienced the most peaceful dreams a boy could have.
And with the changes in Abysus to come, they were also the last dreams he ever had.
While their son was busy unwinding from all the chaos, the couple were rushing to confront the madman responsible for the incident. Neither of the Salazars were surprised when they learned who led the experiment astray after one of the witnessing assistants ratted him out, but they never anticipated just how much he would get away with before someone finally put him in his place.
And if they were the ones who had to teach him a lesson, so be it.
Still active inside of his laboratory—the largest of all the labs at the Abysus facility—the man in question continued to make repairs to his still-smoking machine after it was safely disengaged.
Despite the major short-circuiting that occurred, lots of progress could still be salvaged if he were to continue without interruption, and so, he brushed aside a large strand of his skunk-striped, jet black hair and continued tinkering away.
Though every now and then, he did pause for a few seconds at a time wondering if he should step aside for but a moment and check if Rex was okay after being rushed out of the room. If it were any other day he would have been the one to transport and operate on him personally, but he was nearing so close to a breakthrough on his experiment that he couldn't stop.
Especially not when he had incredibly personal motives for succeeding in his trials.
Such a level of selfishness and coldness wasn't the easiest thing for many people to live with and still manage to sleep soundly at night, but he always believed himself to be a cut above all those who even thought of equating themselves as his equal.
It was indisputable that his mind wind a vast sea of possibilities and that he had the capability of changing the world and unlocking all of its secrets — his namesake was loosely inspired by the ancient Greek word for 'key', in fact. So every day, he was certain to live up to his name—
"VAN KLEISS!" Violeta screamed after kicking open the door into the room, causing several assistants to scatter and hide themselves from her sight.
"Of course it's the Salazars." Van Kleiss sighed in exasperation as he finally halted making repairs on his machine and put aside his tools to greet both the good doctors. But before he even had the time to turn around and wipe his brow, Violeta was already in his face and backing him up into a corner.
"Do you care to explain what kind of sick experiment you are running here? And why you thought it was a good idea to use my son as a lab rat!" She exclaimed while burying her finger into his chest.
"Oh, that. I understand that you may be a bit upset—" Rafael swiftly backhanded Van Kleiss' face faster than he could react. He momentarily cowered before standing up and rubbing his face, unsure whether to strike Rafael back or perhaps run away until everyone had the chance to cool down.
"Upset doesn't even begin to describe how I am feeling!" Violeta shouted.
"But of course. I'll be sure to phrase my words better next time." he hissed at her. "Now have you come here to assault me or talk like a decent human being?"
"Don't get fresh with us Van Kleiss, we have the capacity to do both." Violeta reminded him.
"Clearly." Van Kleiss murmured. "However, the exact details of my experiment are confidential and thus none of your business—"
"It becomes our business when my boys are involved, Van Kleiss." Violeta growled. "Don't make me say it again: I want to know exactly what kind of devilish stunt you think you're pulling here and how Rex ended up involved in it!"
"Oh, now don't you act holier-than-thou when you have your own self-centered reasons for working on the Nanite Project! I know that the true reason both of you chose to stay with this team is because you wish to cure your eldest son's attention disorder and Rex's retrograde amnesia."
Van Kleiss looked as if he were going to say more, but took a deep breath and considered that showing a sliver of sympathy was the only way out of his situation. "Sigh, just as I wish to cure my niece of her schizophrenia. From one parental figure to another, I get it. I really do..." Van Kleiss explained his involvement with the nanite development team with the utmost sincerity.
Both the Salazars looked at each other and calmed down considerably, having never considered that the odd little girl that was under Van Kleiss' care was—well chiefly, his relative—but more importantly someone affected by such a disease. In that regard they certainly understood Van Kleiss' obsession with his research, but Violeta still couldn't find it in herself to forgive him entirely.
"Well, if it's any consolation for your device malfunctioning we have evidence that the nanites work. Perhaps you can take your research and work off of our data for the sake of all our children." Violeta offered to Van Kleiss' surprise; more so the cooperativeness and not the functioning of nanites, but that was also an interesting bit of information to be sure.
"I'm guessing you used the nanites on Rex?"
"You didn't leave us with many options." Violeta sternly mentioned. "Can you just…let us know what happened to him? Whatever you did caused his heart to stop, Van Kleiss."
"That...certainly is lamentable." He admitted. "It should have never come to that, but I need not remind you it wasn't my fault—"
"What the Hell are you on?" Violeta spat out, immediately recalling all the spite she felt towards the man and doing her best to avoid striking him again.
"Look, fact of the matter is that when you allow Rex to run around the entirety of this facility unsupervised, something is bound to happen. And unlike Rex, Rylander's son never causes a scene nor does my niece for that matter! The only people in all of Abysus who create disorder are you Salazars, so it is not my fault you do such a terrible job at supervising your own child."
"If you were half the scientist you claimed to be you would at least follow OSHA standards! And I find it nothing short of cynical for you to suggest we are negligent of our own child's well-being when you barely allow your little girl to leave her own room!" Violeta vehemently argued.
"Oh, my bad. I suppose I've lost track of all the times my child interrupted your experiments."
That was it. Violeta was driven off the edge and reached her hands directly for his throat. Van Kleiss was able to ward her off after a few light jabs with his elbow and Rafael finally managing to pull her off of him. He was furious at Van Kleiss as well, but didn't expect Violeta to lose her composure to that extent! It was a day of many firsts, it seemed.
[3] "¡Violeta! Calmate mi amor," Rafael began pleading in a futile effort to pacify his wife.
"No. I refuse to calm down until este maricon is put into the ground like the piece of shit he is! He nearly killed our child—no, he DID kill our child, Rafael, and as far as I know the Lord is still waiting on a soul to come his way!"
Violeta caught glimpse of a syringe on a nearby counter, and being the master improvisationalist she was, swiped it and in a quick motion and lunged at Van Kleiss' carotid artery.
This time, he was unable to avoid the surprise attack being backed into a corner, but fortunately for him Rafael caught his wife's arm only millimeters as the needle sunk into his skin. Blood was drawn and it dripped from the small scratch that formed from her arm being forced back, but nothing vital was affected and Van Kleiss was spared from bleeding out.
[4] "¿VIOLETA! QUE ESTAS HACIENDO?" Rafael clamored at his wife while turning her around and shaking her in equal parts anger and abject terror. Regret instantly overtook the hatred that consumed her moments ago, followed by absolute shock which caused her to drop the syringe as she began to reign in her murderous intent.
"For fucks sake, woman!" Van Kleiss lambasted while clutching his neck with a vice-like grip. "What if I strapped a whole bunch of needles onto my hand and stabbed you with it! How would that make you feel!?" He cried out in exhausted, shaky breaths.
"I wasn't trying, I, I didn't mean to—"
"I understand exactly what you were trying to do Violeta." Van Kleiss snarled. "Neither of you will make any further mention of the events that transpired here today, and if you so much as think as approach me like that ever again, you're done for." he finished with gritted teeth.
"N-not so fast Van Kleiss. You still have to answer for the harm you did to our son. The Consortium will hear about this—"
"And when they do, they'll learn of your son's remarkable revitalization only made possible by your incredibly illegal use of nanites. Face it Salazars, we all have something to lose. Now get out."
Rafael and Violeta held each other close as they slowly paced their way out of the lab, with all of the scientists looking at them with looks of fear, disgust, and somber understanding
Van Kleiss, on the other hand, glared at them with pure, seething, unadulterated hatred as he pulled himself off the floor and witnessed them exit at last.
To think that they, mere scientists, nearly ended him and all of the work he had yet to do long before he was set to expire. It was insulting. It was maddening...
It was vilifying.
And a declaration of the feud between Van Kleiss and all of the Salazars — Rex included.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This is more or less representative of the chapter length I will be aiming for going forward. Let me know how it reads and if you have any suggestions/requests to improve the story/writing.
UPDATE [7/9/2019]:
Edits have been made to improve grammar, structure, and translations which can be read below.
TRANSLATIONS:
[1] Don't worry about that, my adorable prince. It's probably for the best you don't remember...
[2] Allow to me say this in English,
[3] Violeta! Calm down my love,
[4] VIOLETA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?