Chapter 5 – An Important Meeting
~~~~Present~~~~
Nikola exited his daughter's room and closed the door behind him, locking it securely.
He let out an exasperated sigh.
She was so much like her mother it drove him up the wall sometimes. Blue eyes shielded by a cascade of brunette locks, and behind those eyes was a fiery spirit, one that wouldn't sit still as the world revolved around her.
She always didn't take any of his crap, including the medicine he gave her.
He let out a long sigh and looked up, in the way people did when they talked to some disembodied body they pretended was listening to them.
"Oh, Helen, look what you left me with," he shook his head and walked down the hallway of his home, if you could call it that. He had never really felt at home in this place, his home had always been with Helen, this place was more like a tomb than anything, a cage that kept his soul under lock and key.
He was sure Shae felt the same way.
Life's a bitch indeed.
His communicator beeped.
"Yes," he answered solemnly.
"Have you handled the Mulroney case?" came the deep voice of John Druitt.
"It'll be done in the hour," he said.
"Good," John signed off and Nikola sighed.
What would Helen think of all this? He asked himself that almost twice a day. Not like he would have a choice either way. It was the fact that he was referred to as a Ripper, that part had to be the hardest to bear. He knew John had called him that on purpose, everything that man did was just another blow to Nikola. The Magnetic Opera, another petty insult. All Nikola could do about it was bit his lip and swallow his retorts and pretend that John's presence in the room did make him want to live up to his new working title.
He'd been paying for one mistake for 18 years.
Shae was his constant reminder of what he had destroyed, and why he had to do this.
He cranked the hidden lever on the fireplace and it opened up to his workplace. If Shae had found his place of business she'd probably emancipate herself and he'd have nothing. No, keeping her a secret from the world and the world a secret from her was the only way he could protect her.
The entrance closed behind him and he quietly made his way through the dark, almost dungeon-esque room.
He opened a door to a cell and he grinned a pointy-toothed smile at his victim.
"Good evening," he said, his voice deep and unnatural.
The man sobbed and cried in fear, pleading for Nikola's mercy.
A job is a job.
"This won't take long," Nikola ignored the man's pleas.
~~~~Sanctuary Headquarters – Storage Warehouse~~~~
"Where the heck is Druitt?" Kate crossed her arms.
"Probably sulking in his office as usual," Will said uncaring.
"Deciding whose going to take over the Sanctuary after he's gone," Henry said.
"Doesn't he need the approval of the entire Network to do that?" asked Kate.
"He is the entire Network, everyone else doesn't have a spine to stand up to him, except me," said Will bitterly.
"So you're going to stand up to him?" Kate said doubtfully.
"No, but I am the obvious choice, I am his second-in-command, I could start a war with the snap of my fingers!"
"Please, you could lose a war with a snap of your fingers, why don't you just stick to your psychology and let those who have expertise in matters such as these do the work," remarked Henry.
"You? The Phantom of the weapons lab?" Will laughed.
"Yah, weapons, as in high-tech advanced weapons! As in the stuff to win wars with!"
"There was a time when both of you would be disgusted with the thought of war," said Kate with a sigh.
"Yeah, and there was a time when the world hadn't gone to hell, but look outside, times have changed!" shouted Will.
"Exactly!" agreed Henry.
"Time hasn't changed, you all just turned to assholes," said Kate.
"Oh, so we're the assholes, how about you Princess Gloom?" said Will walking up to her.
"What about me?" Kate challenged.
"For the last 18 years you have done the same as us, and instead of accepting things the way they are you get bitter, and angry and are convinced that's it's all our fault because, lord forbid, we're not pissed at the world like you!"
"Keep talking, I'll show you how angry I can get!" Kate glared at him.
"Oh, I'm so scared!"
"There's a reason why I'm angry, and you know why! It's because the only people who have ever been a constant in my life are gone, Doc, Tesla, Biggie and now you two! Before this we were friends, we had good times together, now, Hank, you're so ashamed about the way you look you hardly look anyone but those bimbos you parade around in the eye, and Will, you're so messed in the head by Druitt, I don't know you anymore, I don't know either of you, so excuse me if I'm bitter that the world has gone on without me…Frick, I'm leaving! John isn't going to show and I rather not spend my entire day with you losers."
She straightened up and walked out of the room, her body guard detail trailing behind her. Not like she needed them, they were more for appearance than for actual security.
Will scoffed.
"Bitch," he muttered under his breath.
"Dude, lighten up," sighed Henry.
"Don't tell me what to do! Just go tinker with your stupid little toys and let the grown-ups do all the work, okay!" shouted Will. He looked at the young servant girl. "Scotch!"
The girl squeaked and scurried away.
~~~~Shae's Room~~~~
Shae watched the holo-screen, her only connection to the world. She had to beg her father for two weeks to get it, he finally relented, though he was still uncomfortable with it. He only let her turn it on a few hours a day.
She loved watching the live feed of the Magnetic Opera.
The volume was on medium low so it wouldn't disturb her father or his patients.
"Sally the Mermiad, the voice of the Magnetic Opera, here to talk to you about The Sanctuary."
Shae hated these announcements; she just wanted to hear the singing.
"They gave me my voice, imagine what they can do for you, and with their new product Liquid Lightning, the world is in your control."
Shae watched Sally intently. She must be the most enchanting woman on the planet.
A beep from her communicator caused her to turn away from the screen.
"Yes," she answered, pressing the button on the side of the small comm.
"Hello, you don't know me but I used to be a good friend of your mothers," came a deep voice over the comm.
"What?" she said, feeling a little confused and wary.
"I am John Druitt, the head of…"
"I know who you are, the savior of our century, right?" she said.
"Yes, I am, but this is not about me, it's about you Shae, I can help you, I have your cure, see I know what your father has been hiding from you," he said calmly. "May I meet with you? At your mother's tombstone?"
"I'm not supposed to go outside, I have a blood disease," she felt very shy all of the sudden.
"Is that what he told you?" laughed John.
"If my father found out I left…"
"Who says he has to know?" said John.
"Uhhh," Shae stumbled through her thoughts. He was right, and he said he had a cure…her father was going to be quite busy, she was sure she could be back in time that he wouldn't notice. "Alright."
She finally agreed.
"Wonderful, meet me outside your mother's tomb, I'll be there soon with my car, I look forward to meeting you Shae," he signed off and Shae shut her communicator down afterwards.
There was something very off about this guy, but oddly, at the same time, something very compelling, something her curiosity just couldn't ignore.
She got off her bed and hopped over to her armoir, pulling on a pair of jeans and a cardigan before grabbing her bag and sneaking out the secret exit to the graveyard.
~~~~Druitt Tower~~~~
John slipped on his coat and silently made his way to the elevator.
"Communicator," he ordered to his bodyguards.
The guard on his left handed it over to him and he accepted it with a horrendous whooping cough. The other one pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to him.
John grabbed it roughly and saw the red sputum. He handed it back with a huff.
"Tesla," he said into the device.
"Calling Nikola Tesla - Class: Ripper – Age: Unknown – Species: Unknown," said the automated voice of the communicator.
"Yes," came the deep rumbling voice out of the speakers.
"I have another job for you, I hope you don't have plans," snickered John, Nikola's misery being a source of joy for him.
"Don't condescend me Druitt, just send me the data," snapped Nikola, hanging up.
John laughed his deep throaty laugh and handed the device back to his bodyguards.
"Get my car ready, I have an important meeting to attend," he laughed again as the elevator doors opened to the ground floor, the paparazzi lights flashing through the main door windows.
He pushed past the crowds asking him about Liquid Lightning, yelling about his corrupt crew, raving on about Sally's retirement and the future of the Opera. He didn't have anything to say to them, and he most certainly wasn't obliged to tell them of his eminent death.
He moved past them and to his limo waiting at the front of the building.
He got in and got behind the safety of the tinted windows.
"Vultures," he muttered.
He pulled out the locket from his breast pocket. Over a hundred years he's carried this, at first it was because of his undying love for the woman whose face lied inside, but now he carried it around as a reminder.
A reminder of what he's done.