Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter 4
Regis frowned at the message from Cor but looked to Clarus who had obviously also received it. He stood from his desk and took up his cane, Clarus walking ahead to open the door. For Cor to be sneaking in the proverbial backdoor, telling them to tell no one…what had he found? He wasn't even on an intel mission! Then again, it was Cor.
They took back corridors to keep from being noticed as much as possible, heading down deep into the Citadel to the room. It was empty so Regis sat at the small conference table to get off his leg in case he needed to stand later.
The door opened again and he stared in shock as Cor entered, guiding young Prompto Argentum by the arm….his hands cuffed in front of him. What on Eos was going on? He stood up in alarm as Cor pushed Prompto down into the single chair bolted to the floor on the other side of the room, chaining him to it.
"Cor?" Regis asked even as Clarus moved into a protective position at his side.
"Our security procedures need an overhaul your Majesty," he answered formally.
Regis looked at the boy who had his head lowered, staring at the ground. He was utterly silent and still…the boy Gladio complained couldn't hold still for more than five minutes. Security overhauls…his heart sank. No…this would kill Noctis, his son loved this boy, to find out he was what, an Imperial agent?
"Look at me," he ordered, and the boy raised his head. He'd met Pr…Argentum before, he'd been a bundle of nerves, blue eyes bright – now they were dull. "Who are you?"
"Prompto Argentum," he answered softly but clearly before swallowing hard. "MT unit 05953234," he finished, staring at the wall beyond Regis.
"What?" Clarus spoke up in shock, and Regis agreed with him, MT's were machines, their troops had killed enough of them over the years.
The boy shifted slightly in the chains, tugging at his shirt and Cor moved in to pull it up, revealing a mess of scars…the injury Regis assumed had led to his limited diet. Cor ran his fingers down what appeared to be unmarked skin and motioned Clarus over to do the same.
"There's something…scar tissue?"
"They had him sedated and cut open in an operating theatre," Cor told them, and the kid flinched slightly.
"They do it every summer," he admitted without prompting. "They cut me open and take pieces out, replace them."
"With what?" Clarus asked in disbelief.
"Something that looks almost like human organs from what I managed to see."
"Still want to know how you fit in there," Argentum muttered, and Cor smirked, moving to where the boy could see him as well.
"Let's start from the top," Regis looked at Cor.
"I was returning from my mission when a dropship passed overhead. When it moved to land I went to see, saw MT's surrounding Argentum and moving him onboard. I assumed he was being kidnapped and followed, the Glaive team was already long gone. I infiltrated the base and got into the crawlspace. That is when I found him in an operating theatre but the odds were bad for a rescue attempt. He saw me, but purposely looked away until he was sedated."
Regis was surprised by that. Why would an Imperial not indicate the presence of a likely enemy?
"They put up scans and that was the first indication that something was wrong. That was when Besithia himself showed up."
"What?" Argentum jerked in the chains, eyes wide. He looked…terrified. Why would he be scared of one of the Emperor's most trusted men? "He…he was there?"
Cor nodded. "He examined the scans and then they cut Argentum open to expose his organs which did not look normal. They spent time talking before stitching him up and then they moved to his head." He glanced at Argentum who shuddered but turned his head to the side and Clarus moved over, feeling along the side of his head.
"More scarring, I believe."
"They cut out a section of his brain Regis," Cor said, sounding disgusted, and Regis blanched.
"His brain?!" he looked at the boy, the dullness of his eyes was maybe more than having been caught, what damage would that do?
Cor nodded even as Argentum seemed to try and curl into himself but couldn't with the chains holding him down. "Oh, it gets worse," Cor admitted.
Regis wasn't sure how it could get worse. "How?"
"They removed his eyes and replaced them, that was why they needed to cut into his brain, for the hardware."
For the first time in years, Regis thought he was going to be sick, and Clarus didn't look much better.
"They let him go a day after the operation and I found him on his hands and knees about an hour from the base. He didn't put up a fight, didn't plead for his life. All he did was ask how I'd fit and then passed out."
"I lied about how I was adjusting so they'd let me leave earlier," the boy spoke up. "I knew whoever it was had seen, didn't see a point in keeping walking."
"Why not alert the scientists to Cor's presence?" Clarus asked.
"Because it would have gotten him killed." He finally looked up again. "They would have tortured him for information and killed him. I didn't know who was up there but I couldn't cause that to happen."
"Argentum claims that he's been going against orders for the last year and a bit," Cor added.
Regis met blue eyes, staring at him. Was it possible the boy had turned on his handlers? "Why were you sent here?" he asked.
"They wanted someone close to Noctis so I was pulled out of the MT program. I was failing anyway, would have been decommissioned soon. I thought that was why Besithia called me but instead I was put into training on how to be a person. There were surgeries too. They gave me a name instead of my number, I was put into a dorm near the human soldiers and made to interact with them. They gave me fake records, an apartment was acquired, and I was dropped off a few days walk from Insomnia."
"How old were you when you joined the military?" Clarus asked. He'd been very against Cor being allowed to remain in the military when his true age had been discovered, seeing him as too young.
"I didn't. I was born in it like every MT. We're clones, bred in tubes to be made into MT's."
That was…sickening. Born like that, with no choice, raised by the military… "MT's are machines, how can a person be made into one?"
"They inject us with this black sludge, it burned, and left me feeling strange, like I wasn't in control of my body. They stopped it when I was picked for this but I saw it in older clones…their eyes slowly went red and they just became…empty. They became one with the armour. They changed on the outside, but the scientists have been changing me on the inside, taking pieces out every surgery."
Regis wanted to introduce Iedolas and Besithia to the Royal Arms for what they were doing to who knew how many children, clones or not. Still, that didn't change the fact that this boy had been spying on his son. Who knew what he had told the Empire that could endanger Noctis. What did he hope to gain by volunteering information?
"And getting my son to fall in love with you?" he asked.
"Wasn't part of the plan…and I never told them. If they know, they never said anything. If they knew I was holding back or lying they would have done something."
"And why would you hold back something so important?" Clarus asked, arms crossed as he glared at Argentum.
"Because I love him," he stared right at Regis when he said that. "He…confused me at first. No one had ever treated me like he does. I always made myself think of him by his title but over time it got harder and by the time they gave me a birthday party my second year here…he'd become Noct. I tried not to, so hard. Ignis would work so hard to cook food I can eat, Gladio would give me fitness tips. They were nothing like what I'd been told, nothing like anyone I'd ever known," he paused, swallowing, and Regis nodded to the empty pitcher of water on the table.
Clarus picked it up and went to fill it, holding a glass to Argentum's lips and the boy drank.
"Thank you Sir."
"Noctis has never said, who initiated the relationship," Regis shifted to lean against the table.
"It was a few months after that birthday that I realised something had changed. I had to compare his behaviour with our classmates and people on the street before I realised Noctis was attracted to me. I didn't know what to do but I didn't report it, I'd already started leaving things out. It wasn't until I came back from that summer trip that I realised I'd made a decision. They…they cut out my heart, replaced it, and I couldn't stop staring at where the scar should be," he took a shaky breath, closing his eyes.
Part of him wanted to tell Argentum to stop, to unchain him, and then find a counsellor for him, but the rest of him knew it could all be a ploy for sympathy. He said he loved his son, but how could Regis trust that to be true?
"I went to Noct and I was going to tell him but when he opened the door he looked so happy to see me. I couldn't do it, there's someone else, highly placed in the Citadel. If I was found out.. he would have been vulnerable to them. I kissed him, I didn't understand what he made me feel but that it felt good. I had to protect him, protect Gladio and Ignis too because Noctis needs them."
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Prompto was glad that they were giving him water, he didn't think he'd ever talked so much at once. They were digging into everything but he refused to hold anything back, he knew his life depended on it. Then again, he doubted there was any chance of escaping execution, hopefully a quick, secret one. He was surprised when the Marshal left and then returned with a tray of food before loosening the chains enough to allow him to use his hands to eat. He stared at him and the man smirked.
"No sedatives this time, it's clean."
Prompto nodded and picked up the speciality, very easy to digest, soft bread sandwich, the kind Iggy would make him. Seemed the bread was coming from the Citadel itself, he'd wondered where Ignis had been getting it from. It tasted good, not quite as good as the ones Ignis made, and a lot more filling then the soup he'd been living on in Cor's custody. "Thank you." Part of him wondered if it was his last meal.
He knew they had no reason to believe anything he said but he didn't know how to prove any of it.
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Clarus was alternately angry and sick. He was sickened by the truth behind the MT's, he doubted anyone wouldn't be. At least anyone with a conscious, which apparently every scientist in the Empire lacked. He was angry that somehow Argentum had made it through their security checks, even with his supposed mixed heritage. If he had been an assassin instead of a spy…
He would have to find a way to search his apartment without anyone realising, look for any records or evidence of correspondence with the Empire. They had nothing but his word that he had falsified his reports. If he was telling the truth, if he had turned against the Empire, what were they to do with him?
The bigger question was, was he telling the truth about the Empire having an agent highly placed within the Citadel? If he was, that explained why he had not attempted to come clean to someone there, he wouldn't know who to trust. If he'd come without Noctis he likely wouldn't have made it to Cor or anyone alive. If Argentum suddenly vanished, what would that agent do? Would they target Noctis if they lost their spy on him? Try to plant another?
The Father in him wanted to believe the boy, to believe he was now loyal to Noctis and would give his life to protect him. But he was an Amicitia, the King's Shield, before he was a father.
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Cor listened intently to every word Argentum said, it all matched what he'd been told before. Not word for word, that was humanly impossible unless it was something that had been rehearsed a lot, but the facts remained the same. It was no less sickening the second time to hear about what depths the Empire had sunk to.
Truth or not, what were they meant to do with him now?
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Noctis sighed and flopped down on his couch, picking up his phone despite knowing there'd be nothing. He wasn't allowed to text or call Prom when he was outside of the city. Prompto usually messaged Iggy when he arrived in Lestallum and he had, but he hadn't sent a message saying he was on the way back yet. He should be leaving any day or already have left.
He hated summer, he worried about Prompto every time for the whole time he was gone. How could he not? The first trip he was mauled and almost died, leaving him permanently injured. The next trip he had come back badly shaken, clinging to him, unable to speak and that had terrified him even if it had led to their first kiss. He just wanted Prompto to stay in Insomnia where it was safe.
He was going to ask him to join his Retinue when he got back. He knew Prom was looking at photography classes and he had real talent but he was selfish enough to want his best friend and boyfriend with him. And there was no rule saying he couldn't continue his studies, he could be his official photographer one day if he wanted. If he could, he would marry Prompto immediately, he didn't care what others said. He loved him, he'd never thought he would love someone like his Dad had loved his Mum.
He opened the photos on his phone and flipped through them, smiling at the ones of them together. He needed to talk to Ignis about the exact laws.
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Regis looked over at where Argentum was slumped exhaustedly in the chair. It had been three days of interrogation but the boy had soldiered on, never asking for a break. Only Cor remained the whole time since no one knew he was back in the city. Regis and Clarus both had meetings they had to attend and it would be mentioned if they missed them. The more intel they got from Argentum, the more Regis believed he was correct about a spy in the Citadel. They did not want that person learning Argentum had been caught.
The door opened and Marcia Albero entered with Clarus bringing in equipment. Argentum shifted in his chair, trying to see what was going on. It had to be very nerve wracking to be chained in a chair, unable to tell who was behind you.
"Thank you for coming Doctor," he smiled at the woman who walked further in, eyeing the chair.
"Of course, how may I help Your Majesty?" there was none of the normal familiarity, not in the current situation.
"We need a medical examination, without anything leaving this room," he answered.
Her eyebrow rose and he saw the look of distaste.
"He has been questioned only," he cleared up. "He has admitted to having been surgically altered and I would like assurance there is no danger."
"Understood," she nodded and moved over to the chair, looking surprised by Argentum, probably due to his age. "Well now young man, let's take a look at you."
Argentum's head went down even as he obviously forced himself to relax, posture opening as much as the chains allowed. His breathing was becoming shaky.
She looked up at them and Cor moved in.
"Look at me Argentum," he called and the boys head immediately snapped up, focusing on Cor. "Breath with me. This is Doctor Marcia Albero, she helped save Noctis' life after the daemon attack when he was little. She is not going to cut you open, she's just going to do a standard examination. Staff members get them all of the time. She is nothing like an Imperial Scientist, you have my word."
Ah, he should have considered that and told Argentum what would happen. The boy had been the subject of experimentation since before birth, he had no reason to expect anything else from them now.
"Mr Argentum," Regis called and the boy looked over at him. "I do not allow torture or experimentation on anyone."
Argentum looked between them all and then nodded slowly, his breathing evening out. He closed his eyes and slumped in the chair.
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Marcia wasn't sure what was going on, but she recognised the name Argentum. This was the Prince's friend? Listening to what they said had her heart sinking in dread. The young Prince had become so much happier since they had become friends and by the sound of it…he was an Imperial plant. He was so young… and his fear of a doctor made her wonder just what her Imperial counterparts did.
"All right, I am going to start with the basics. Do you know your height and weight?" She asked as she slowly reached for his wrist, taking his pulse.
"173cm, 85kgs," he answered immediately and she blinked, looking him over.
He did not look anywhere near that heavy. He was skinny although muscled from what she could see through his shirt. "Are you sure about that weight?"
"MT clones have increased bone and muscle density."
She froze at that. MT what? She looked to the King who nodded. Okay, they would be talking later. "Well, your pulse is a little fast but I'd say that is due to the circumstances. I'm going to lift your shirt," she warned and he remained still. She immediately saw the scars, proving his altered diet was due to injury…or was it? "Can you tell me how you got these scars?"
"They were surgically added the summer after they replaced part of my digestive system. People were assuming I had been attacked on the road so they thought it was a good cover," he explained quietly.
"They replaced…why?"
"Continuing surgeries under an alternate MT program."
"Do you know what has been…replaced?" she'd thought she'd seen it all, apparently she was very wrong.
"Uh…my heart, lungs, a lot of the organs. They…my eyes this time."
"They took out a section of skull and brain to do that, I had a front row seat," young Leonis added.
"I want to run full body scans but I am assuming moving to medical is impossible?"
"It is," Regis answered.
"Can we at least get him out of the chair and laying down?" she offered in compromise.
"He hasn't made any attempts to escape," Leonis offered.
"Very well," Regis agreed and the two other men moved in to unchain him.
"Please take off your shirt and lay down on your back on the table," she told him, and Argentum nodded hesitantly.
He went to stand only to stumble, but Leonis caught him and helped him walk to the table where he obediently lay down, hands at his side. It was obvious the boy was still nervous, despite their assurances but she couldn't blame him for that.
"Just breath Mr Argentum," she told him gently.
A cooperative patient was the best option, spy or not, an MT or not, he was still a person, barely more than a child. She had taken an oath to heal and not harm and from the way they were treating him, she did not believe he had harmed anyone either.
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Clarus watched the exam, seeing the boy slowly relax, answering all of her questions as best as he could. She'd been the best choice, not just because she was the King's personal physician, but because she looked like someone's grandmother, utterly harmless and kind.
He still didn't know what to think about Argentum but he got the feeling Regis was planning something. He found that he didn't want to have to kill the boy, the horrors he'd been put through - the brainwashing, training, dehumanisation…and yet he was able to say he loved Noctis. It could be a lie, but it didn't feel like one. Noctis had somehow reached the human buried beneath all of that and taught him about love and real loyalty. He could have given Cor up, should have, and yet he hadn't.
Still, could they risk letting him back into Noctis' life? And if they did, how would they keep him away from the Empire too? Then there was his insistence of someone in the Citadel being an Imperial Agent, someone highly placed. He agreed with Argentum, it was someone linked to the Glaive. If they could find that person, then they could eliminant any threat to Noctis.
TBC….
So now they are learning the true horrors of the Empire. And struggling with seeing him as a tortured kid vs threat.
