A/N: Okay, here I go again, further and further. Some more mystery, some more stuff to happen...
Special thanks to my dear beta/gamma Dances With Irrelevancy on FFN - we (I and you, my faithful readers) owe her some good and important scenes. Be glad that this lady asks many questions! Lowest bows to her.
Thank you all, who is reading this. Love all my readers. And - enjoy!
P.S. And, if possible, I'd like to know how it feels to you... ;)
Your faithful.
Chapter 5. Friday morning. Divad, or Vaddy. Pros and cons of saying 'thank you'.
He ran away. Mike was trying to stop him and have him explain what had happened last night, but Davy just laughed. He kissed his man deeply, surprising him, before pushing him away and running out of the bedroom, down the stairs and away from the pad. He was feeling wonderful and he had some thanks to say.
Only at the door of the Boxes he stopped and hesitated. The black square on the door looked at him mockingly. Davy looked back at it, then around. The world was shining. It was filled with life. Davy regained his courage and knocked at that door. He hoped that the one who opened the door wouldn't be Comrade – or Istvan.
The door opened to the inside – strangely, because the previous night it opened to the outside. Davy looked up into Jorgen's shining black eyes. The man smirked and tilted his head a little, like a bird.
- David? Nice to see you – though quite surprising, too.
- Good morning, - Davy said confidently.
- Excellent, - Jorgen agreed seriously. – Come in.
Davy was about to take a step in, but suddenly hesitated again.
- Listen, - he said, looking back up at Jorgen, - I'm here to do one thing… I guess it'll be quite unusual…
- Come in, - Jorgen said quite friendly and his black eyes sparkled. – Don't worry. I'm not Istvan. What's more, you won't even see Istvan today, so nothing to be afraid of.
- He and Comrade must be away again? - Davy asked, coming in. Jorgen closed the door behind his back and bared his crooked teeth in a grin.
- No, they're both here. Bjorn just gave him a good punch in the face yesterday. Said it was from you!
Davy laughed.
- Oh my God, but it was! – he exclaimed. – And Bjorn really did?! Oh my!
- Yeeah, that was fun, - Jorgen said with a smirk. – To be honest, somebody had to. Istvan always understands Mstislav's words too literally… to me, he deserves all kinds of punishment for literally everything he's done.
Davy grinned.
- But you were about to say what you are doing here, - Jorgen suddenly remembered.
- Yeah, I was, - Davy said thoughtfully. – Jorgen, listen, can you please send me to my Box? Right now.
Jorgen squinted and looked at him suspiciously.
- Whatever for? – he asked.
- You see, - Davy looked down, - I need to say thanks to… to the Box inhabitant.
He looked back up at Jorgen and saw him smile – not with his usual grin, but softly. Something warm appeared in his scary black eyes.
- If you want, - he said absently.
- And, please, I don't want anybody to know, - Davy said quietly.
- Of course, - Jorgen said in the same absentminded way, putting his light arm around Davy's shoulder – he had large palms and incredibly long slender fingers, Davy noticed.
Jorgen led him in some little room and pointed to the armchair in the middle of it silently. He himself took a needle and a little bottle. Davy sat down and made himself comfortable. He didn't want it to be like the previous night.
- Thank goodness I was here, - Jorgen remarked after a second or two. – You see, I have a bottle of the Liquid without Mstislav knowing, - he turned to Davy and winked at him.
- Why do you have such privileges? – Davy asked with a little smile.
- What privileges? – Jorgen asked with genuine interest, filling the needle quickly and adroitly.
- Well, you even enter the Boxes somehow specially! – Davy remarked. – You have the bottle of that Liquid… what is it, by the way?
- Ah, the Liquid? – Jorgen checked the needle. – Well, you know, it's an easy way in and out. When it fills your body, it prepares you to entering the Box. And then it forms the Drop between your collarbones and guarantees you an easy way out – just press it and it will break – and you will be out of the Box. Simple as can be.
- M-m, - Davy drawled. – What's more, everybody says that you know. What's that you know and in fact – why are you so special?
- I'm mad, - Jorgen stated simply. – Now roll your sleeve up, I need your shoulder.
- Wait-wait, - Davy said, frowning. – What do you mean – mad?
Jorgen sniffed, unbuttoned his shirt cuff with a moment-long move – and before Davy could even blink the needle was deep in his shoulder.
- That's better, - Jorgen said, injecting the Liquid to Davy. It was opal-coloured and it burned his insides.
And then it was like the previous night – his body became heavy, he felt like falling… this time he didn't fight. He just let himself fall.
He jumped right off the stage and looked around. The room was empty. The blue and the golden were surrounding him.
- Hey!
He heard quick steps – and in a moment he saw a figure at the door of the room. The copy hurried through the aisle towards Davy. A smile greeted Davy, a smile on his lips and something unreadable in his amber eyes – the eyes of the different man, dressed in Davy's flesh.
- David! – he said, and joy sounded in his voice. – What I didn't expect, ha! Haven't seen you in ages!
- Ages? – Davy smiled. – I've been here only yesterday.
- Yesterday? – the copy raised his eyebrows, then frowned. – What yesterday?
- The previous day… - Davy said, frowning.
Vaddy sighed and looked down.
- Days… previous, next… time… I don't even know what those five minutes are, - he smiled bitterly. – That's been ages here. That's why I'm so glad to see you back. Nothing changes here, you see.
Davy looked down. He was feeling kind of guilty.
- Well, anyway, don't worry, - Divad looked back up at him and smiled. – That's nothing. Glad to see you here, though I didn't know you could even return.
- Ah, but you could expect, - Davy said, smiling widely, taking a few steps towards the copy. – Because you didn't let me do what I wanted yesterday.
- When? – the copy asked, looking at Davy with something strange in his stare.
- Well, when I was about to thank you, - Davy answered softly. – I owe you…
The copy looked down.
- Well, - he said a bit confusedly, - that's good. Though you don't owe me anything. A pleasure to see you, anyway, - he paused. – You don't even know my name… - he held his hand out: - Divad. You can call me Vaddy. If you wish.
- Vaddy? – Davy smiled. – Nice. Well, okay, now… let me just thank you.
And he took another step, covering that little space that was between them, and hugged Vaddy close. The copy held him, but then pulled away quickly.
- Enough, - he said. – You thanked me. There will be a thing to remember while I sit here.
- It must be terrible – this lonely life where neither time nor space does exist, - Davy said quietly, suddenly imagining the copy walking these rooms which were all the same, all the same, he saw the boy in that labyrinth – endless and so little at once.
- It's good that you asked, - Vaddy said, looking him in the eyes piercingly. – It was.
And something so menacing suddenly sounded in that 'was' that Davy stepped back, worried.
- What do you mean – was? – he asked quietly.
Divad looked at him straightforwardly and something familiar suddenly flashed in his deep dark eyes.
- You know, - he said, - I have to thank you. For everything. I, in fact, owe you too. But, you see, I can't help it. My life here is monotonous. It drives me crazy – slowly, but… it does. And you there outside enjoy the sunshine, love your Mike, breathe the air, get lost, get found and get older. Have mercy. You've had twenty-something years of it. And I haven't.
Davy's eyes widened as he touched the edge of the stage with his back. Vaddy stopped, looking at him calmly.
- I'm sorry, David, - he said quietly. The next thing Davy felt was a wave of pain starting between his collarbones and running through his veins. He choked with that pain, he tried to cry out – but he couldn't. He was falling down – down, down, to the endless abyss where he had to fall forever…
- David! David!
- Mstislav, darn it, you said it was unbreakable!
- Shut up you two! Help him!
A white hand with enormously long fingers pulled him suddenly up – and he felt like a drowning man at the surface, a man whose lungs are still full of water, but he tries to breathe, he holds on to his life. He choked and coughed. The strong arms lifted him off the ground easily and somebody carried him somewhere – he could barely understand a thing. His head was filled with pain eating his brain from inside, but the recess between his collarbones hurt even more.
Somebody slapped his cheeks, making him cough even more, somebody brought something to his lips and it poured into his half-opened mouth – it burnt his tongue and made him cough even more.
- David, can you hear me?!
He finally recognized the voice – it was Jorgen. He didn't sound desperate, he was almost official, though his words were filled with tension – but he was doing something – and Davy was grateful for that.
It took a great effort to open his eyes. Jorgen was leaning over him. He barely noticed Istvan holding Bjorn – Bjorn was desperate, he was trying to run to Davy, not knowing what to do – but he wanted to be sure at least of one thing.
- What… happened… - Davy managed hoarsely, weakly, barely understandably.
- Divad ran away, - Jorgen said, pushing his head down as Davy tried to lift it. – You stay down. Don't move. We're working.
- Vaddy…
This thought stung Davy. Vaddy's betrayal was something so terrible it was breaking his heart. That man dressed in his flesh could smile at him and hug him – and then just… run away, leaving Davy…
- What… has he… done? – he managed, finally finding enough strength to make his intonation a bit more questioning.
- He's just ripped the Drop off your jugular recess, Mister Jones – good for him he is the Copy, so he didn't break the Drop. And good for you, too, because, if he did, you'd be locked in the Box forever, - Bjorn shuddered on those words. All in all, he didn't seem so desperate, though still quite worried. – He ran away – out into the real world, out of the Box, where he belongs.
He knelt down near Davy, looking at his face.
- Mstislav! – Jorgen raised his head, he was furious. – Are you even searching?! Or what are you doing there in your damned armchair – relaxing?!
- I'm not a machine! – Comrade shouted angrily. – I'm working, and you shut up! Or take a notebook and now write down!
- Istvan!
Istvan was already there with a notebook in his hand.
- Name: Divad, shortened – Vaddy, - Comrade said sharply. – What he is you know, type normal, with no special powers. The reason for the runaway: the Idea. Idea with the capital I. Appearance – look at Mister Jones. Character – cowardly, cruel, though a great master of disguise.
- He is… - Davy managed, quite in shock. Jorgen squeezed his shoulder.
- And what did you expect, dear? He's your copy, which means he's your complete opposite. In the Box he must help you, so he can show only his good sides. But the Idea woke his entire character and so we have that little beast now.
- Shut up, will you? – Comrade cut off sharply. – Write, Istvan: Incredibly patient. Can do everything himself, but demands protection. Selfish, sly, will do anything for his own benefit. Weak heart. A full stop.
- Does he block? – Istvan asked busily.
- He is blocking, - Comrade said darkly.
Everybody raised their heads suddenly. Davy used all his strength to turn his head and look at Comrade.
- Are you kidding? – Jorgen's trembling sarcastic voice finally broke the silence.
- I wish I was, - Comrade Hatred answered darkly.
Bjorn gasped quietly. Istvan scratched his head, but his face said a lot.
- So he is a blocking one… - Jorgen almost whispered.
- He is, and it's terribly wrong, - Comrade answered, standing up. – I'll even say – this is scary.
- What is blocking?
Everybody turned to Davy. Jorgen bit his lower lip.
- Blocking is a phenomenon when a runaway copy makes you inactive while he or she is active, - Comrade Hatred explained darkly. – To say simply – while he's out there doing what he wishes, you can't leave the Boxes. This means he can make quite a… - he paused, - mess.
Davy swallowed. For a second he imagined Divad – the creature whose character Comrade had just explained – in bed near his Mike. Mike… he sat up, wincing, but determined.
- What can we do? – he asked hoarsely, but much more lively.
- Look at him, he woke up, - Comrade said quite mockingly. – We can do, means I and Istvan, Jorgen and Bjorn. You relax.
- Shut up Mstislav! – Jorgen cut off furiously. He looked at Davy and said with worry: - Listen, David. I guess I know what you're worried about…
- His Mikey, - Comrade threw. – Jealous, my boy… afraid to let him go.
- I said – you SHUT UP!
The words rang through the room as they shattered and faded. Comrade waited till the very last tingle disappeared – and his face lost its mocking softness. His eyes flashed steel as he looked at Jorgen menacingly.
- Now I've had enough of this, - he said quietly and threateningly. – You forget yourself. You'd better mind your place.
Jorgen stood straight under his stare. Then he said calmly:
- Okay. Calm down, you see the situation, - he paused and then added quite with an effort: - I'm sorry.
It wasn't pleasant for him – apologizing, Davy felt it. Comrade grinned. Jorgen looked at Davy.
- So, listen. I guessed right. It's just that I can't peer into your mind and read everything that you have there, - he cast a significant glance at Comrade. – So, okay. We will surely find a way to help you. I know… I know what you feel and…
He stammered a little and Comrade Hatred decided to interrupt:
- Well, David, they will find a way. Someday. And I have it now.
Davy turned to Comrade. He didn't really want to trust him – but what if he had to?
- Why would you help me? – he asked almost glaringly.
- You don't need it? – Comrade asked calmly.
- Make your suggestion, - Jorgen dropped.
- Okay, - Comrade Mstislav said with a slight delighted smile. – Any Copy needs to feed somehow. They're not people. They're different in many ways. And it's hard to explain the way they get their energy. It's something close to eating, but not quite. In the Boxes it happens automatically. The runaways, though, don't have the automatic way of getting their energy back. As our celebrated Vaddy, our runaway is without his Box since about… nine o'clock in the morning, - he glanced at his watch, - I could say that he'll need some food – or let's say 'recharge' – at about nine in the evening. That means he'll have to go somewhere – and nobody knows where the runaways are when they recharge. No-body. Don't want you to think that the Copies run away everyday, but this has happened before. You know how it always happens – the first time it was a great mess. Nobody was familiar with any of the phenomena and all… but we were improving ourselves. The runaways have been tracked during the researches we've had. But you know what's the funniest thing? They all were stopped completely accidentally. There's no one way to catch a runaway. At least we tried our best to avoid this at all – but this still happens. Because nobody can control Ideas…
He made a long pause and then glanced at Davy and shook his head as if shaking something away.
- Well, the greatest experts couldn't find the place where the runaways recharge – that's what we were talking about. But it doesn't matter where he goes. What matters is that as long as he's there you, David, can take his – no, your – place back again. If you wish, - he grinned. – I can't leave you without a choice. Though I surely know what you'll choose. I mean, you can go to the Pad, talk to your Mike and all… but I think Vaddy will be very careful – that would be absolutely in his style. You won't be able to tell Mike everything. It's the part of blocking. And anyway the phrase: 'You know, Mike, you'll be dealing with my evil copy because he's blocking me' sounds ridiculously funny, don't you think? You can give Mike some hints, though – to guide his thought.
Davy took a deep breath, then exhaled.
- What's more, he'll have to explain his odd behaviour somehow, - Comrade Mstislav said with a shrug. – He has such a strong personality, not one you can easily hide. Plus, he won't eat a thing – as a Copy, he can't. You know, such a simple little thing… but can raise some suspicions. If your Mike really loves you so much – he'll understand the difference. It's the perfect time to test his feelings, m?
Davy looked at Comrade and something flashed in his eyes.
- How do I know that you're not doing this just to separate us? – he asked, trying to sound calm. – How do I know that your celebrated 'feeling testing' is not gonna work out by breaking our hearts? Explain. You know so much – share. Just so I trust you at least a little. If I get it right and I'm locked here for quite a while now – that'll be good for us both as we'll be here together.
Comrade Hatred looked at Davy seriously. Now for the very first time he was completely serious – and kind of strangely sad.
- Okay, - he said. – Let me start with telling you the entire concept of the Box. The Box is my invention. Imagine a little cube. Its walls have some layers: time isolator, space isolator – and the inner cube is the Box itself. The random interior. It also may be a prairie or a forest – anything comfortable enough. It this clear?
Davy nodded.
- For now, - he said. – This is quite understandable.
- There are more complicated things, - Comrade Hatred said, rubbing his palms together. – I have some more useful inventions that go with the Boxes. One of them is the Liquid. The Liquid breaks through time and space and makes you here in the armchair and there in the Box at once. And at the same time you're neither here nor there. It's hard to explain. You won't understand. Accept it. Once you have the Liquid in you, the transformations start. During them because of some changes in time and space and your body and mind divide, there appears your double. They are called the Copies. When the transformations are over, you find yourself in the box and see your Copy – and the Liquid forms the Drop between your collarbones, - his eyes suddenly became softly, warmly grey. – I work with such delicate substances… they're so fragile… and so mighty…
- Okay, okay, - Davy interrupted. – That I understand. With the Boxes it's still not quite clear. What is this whole concept even for?
- It's for helping people.
- Oh, that I heard a million times already!
Comrade Hatred grinned and shrugged.
- That's the truth.
- How do I know?
- You don't, - Comrade said reasonably. – Don't wanna make you trust me less, but have to admit that we hurt people the most when we want to help them – sometimes this happens.
Davy smirked sarcastically.
- I don't understand a thing here, - he said. – So are you helping or do you just want to help?
- I want, so I do, - Comrade's smile grew wider.
Davy sniffed.
- Very clear.
- As clear as I can, - Comrade shrugged. – I don't force anybody to come. They come themselves. But only after they realise they need to go to me.
- And… you help them realise, - Davy said, looking at him piercingly.
- I don't want to discuss my methods, - Comrade said with pressure. – Not now. Not with you.
- But you do make them, - Davy insisted.
- Did you hear me?
Comrade's eyes flashed steel and Davy decided that he'd better close his mouth on this matter.
- Okay, - he said. – Then tell me about the Copies. They have to, let's say it, help. Right?
- They can't help but help! – Comrade smirked proudly. – The program of the Box tells them to. But the personalities they have… mmm, they're mostly evil concentrated, - he grinned, then became serious. – The Box makes the balance. And that's why the runaway of the copy is so terrible. See now?
- Clearly, - Davy replied a little absentmindedly. He suddenly thought of Mike, who had Divad by his side.
Comrade looked at him.
- Thinking of them, right? You're afraid of Vaddy. You must be.
Davy nodded slowly. Bjorn's hand squeezed his shoulder.
- Jorgen, - the guy called. – He has to see them. Maybe he could borrow… the ability to see…
- I do not own the ability to see, dear, - Jorgen said quite sadly. – Mstislav, - he looked at Comrade. – You're the only hope. Will you give him a bit? Just on Michael, that's all. Just to see, no more options.
Comrade looked at Davy, then back up at Jorgen.
- We'll need some technique, - he said. – Some machines. Or do I say it wrong? You see, he is nothing special. His Mike – ooh, he is! The one who died and was resurrected by love, - he said it somehow especially proudly – but mockingly at the same time. Then he glanced at Davy and his lips formed a little grin. – David is not extraordinary. Nothing special, I say. If I let him borrow the ability, I don't think his mind will accept…
Davy listened, not quite understanding.
Bjorn looked at Comrade.
- Please, Comrade Mstislav, - he said quietly. – Try at least something. I'll prepare all the machines, if you only agree.
Comrade Hatred looked at everybody in order. Bjorn's eyes were begging. Jorgen looked at Comrade arms folded, waiting. Even something in Istvan's barely visible motion was saying: 'come on, just agree!' Comrade shrugged.
- Well, whatever. Bjorn, go bring all that stuff. I hope it's in some acceptable condition.
Bjorn nodded happily and disappeared.
The sight of the real world in front of Davy's eyes slowly blurred and was replaced by something like a screen, covered with some thin fabric.
- See anything? – Jorgen's voice asked.
- Barely, - he answered honestly.
Someone's hands moved the plates on his forehead and temples a little. The thin fabric effect disappeared and Davy saw Mike – and himself beside him. He gasped quietly.
- Any better? – Jorgen asked.
- I… - Davy managed and choked. – I see… him… and… I think it's Divad… there.
- Okay, you see Divad, - Comrade said seriously. – You will be telling me what Divad is doing, because I can't watch them now, for this I need to concentrate, while now I have to control the machines. You hear me?
- Ye-eah, - Davy managed. Vaddy was sitting by Mike on the couch snuggling up to him. Mike embraced his shoulders and answered something.
- I… can't hear them, - Davy said quietly.
Somebody must have done something because Davy heard their conversation.
- Hey sweetie…
Davy winced. The word 'sweetie' used towards Mike was so harsh to hear. He himself never said it that way, especially with that saccharine intonation…
- What are they doing? – Comrade's voice asked from the background.
- Nothing I'd like them to, - Davy answered. Suddenly he thought that maybe Comrade was testing him this way – he could control people, couldn't he? Maybe he did it all for that reason? Maybe he wanted Divad to run away?
- Hello! Are you gonna answer normally? – Comrade sounded quite annoyed.
Vaddy raised his head and kissed Mike on the cheek. And Davy didn't want to watch any more. He pulled all those little plates away from his head and jumped to his feet.
- Listen, you! – he exclaimed, pointing to Comrade. – I know what you want! You want to separate us – and that's why you sent that copy! You created Divad and you let him run away! That was your plan, ha? Don't try to object, I read you! All that story about the concept… and everything is just to keep us separate. You thought you'd kill our love?! Like hell you will!
Comrade tilted his head like Jorgen – a little to the side. His eyes flashed steel.
- What in the whole world are you saying? – he asked in a strange intonation. – I don't know how you even dare…
- Just what you heard! – Davy shouted. – It's all your fault! Mike was feeling wrong – and I should have listened to him and not trusted you or any of your creations! You moron! I hate you!
A strange bitter smile appeared on Comrade Hatred's face.
- Now how do you like that? – he asked mockingly sadly. – I help him and he's blaming me for everything!
- It's indeed your fault, only it's your security failure, - Jorgen remarked, folding his arms. – And the poor boy doesn't understand a thing. Maybe you should explain everything to him at last? Because this one will stab you if you are just a little rougher!
- What are you talking about? – Davy shouted, mad. – Listen, stop your professional talks! What should you explain?! TELL ME!
Comrade sighed.
- It's not yet time, - he said. – It's too early. None of you will tell him because I still can control and still can see. David Thomas Jones, will you please calm down? – he turned to Davy. – Divad is not my creation, why can't you understand. He's a product of your entering the Box. Once you enter, he appears. And then he lives there. I don't control him. I can't even hear what's going on in the Boxes. It's confidential, you see. I'm telling you, I'm here to help people, to solve the problems, not to make things worse!
He was interrupted by a ring.
- Damn it, - he said quietly. – A client. Istvan!
Istvan turned to him sharply. He was ready to do anything Comrade Hatred said.
- What are you standing here for? – Comrade Mstislav was annoyed. – Go there and prepare them. Jorgen will come in a minute.
Istvan nodded and quickly disappeared. Comrade turned back to Davy.
- Listen, - he said, trying to be calm. – It brings me neither happiness nor benefit that Divad ran away and took your place. I just found a way out of the situation. I can assure you that the runaway wasn't planned. Maybe only by Vaddy. This could ruin my career and a lot of people's lives. We have to stop Divad, but as he's not a real man, he can't be controlled – you know what control is, that's what I used on Lettie. I have to apologize, you know, because I had to do this. You know, you guessed right, I wanted to wake your love towards Lettie and I wanted the boy – and you – to be happy.
Davy frowned.
- What the heck? – he asked, completely lost.
Comrade smiled.
- If you guess something from the words I'm saying now – it's only my fault. One day I'll tell you. And I want to assure you that whatever my goal is – it isn't to replace David Thomas Jones by Divad the Copy.
- Mhm, - Davy mumbled darkly. The man scared him, but now he surprised him much more. – Whatever, - he said finally. – I don't wanna watch this stuff. It's just… unbearable. Just let me wait calmly till nine o'clock in the evening. And – I hope – I'll come up with some solution to this… this.
- Okay, - Comrade shrugged. – Whatever you wish. Though I still don't really know how to actually stop Divad. He doesn't depend on his Box anymore. He's uncontrollable. The Copies are not people – but they are not just things. You know, if the Box isn't planned to be used again, the Copies are painlessly erased. Their minds come to the clients' and there they are just absorbed. And everybody lives on. But the runaways… that is completely another talk. A long professional talk between the experts on secrets… a long dispute about moral and law. A plenty of thoughts on feelings and needs.
Davy sighed quietly.