Chapter 22
Ted sat alone in his office. Not particularly missing the company of people. The atmosphere was ominous and there was no light in the room besides the brightness of his computer screen. Streaks of silver moonlight attempted and failed to shine through his windows. Leaving the room abnormally darker than usual.
He sat straight, the way he always did. Fixing his glasses every once in a while. He was typing up endless reports of todays results, which amounted to no end of paper work. On the side, he was also preoccupied with locating Rin. Girl was all she cracked up to be. Even damaged she'd managed to elude all his efforts to find her.
The tracker he'd placed on Rin in the super market had been destroyed, with the second not far behind and out of commission. She was no longer on the radar he'd set. As for the boy that was currently in possession of her, Ted hadn't found anything on him.
He'd typed numerous searches into all the systems he had at his disposal. He'd found numerous Len's, but without a last name, it was a bust. Without his last name there was no way to pinpoint exactly who was his Len and his family as collateral. There were major amounts of Len's that attended all different kinds of schools, but if he didn't have a last name the records meant nothing, There was absolutely no way to trace him. Not a single lead. As if he didn't exist.
Ted sighed and leaned back in his chair. He couldn't afford not to find Rin. The boss had given him strict order to do so. Every person that worked for the boss feared becoming useless, since the boss didn't value lives as much as he valued Rin. So far she was the one thing most important to him. Mostly because she was precious to him in ways the others weren't.
Ted didn't know if the bosses love for Rin would last long. He'd seen so many wonderful people come and go. Or more so, ended. Bright people too. The boss killed indiscriminately. Sometimes out of sheer boredom, others just because he was angry or no longer needed you. Often it was a matter of wrong place, wrong time.
Ted was in a position in which he couldn't afford to lose his usefulness. Much like everyone else, he had too much on the line.
Despite that, he was considered all around the company as the bosses most valued member. Anytime something went wrong or astray, employees turned to Ted, not the boss. Ted honestly, ran the company more than the boss himself did. The possibility of him being given it if the boss passed away was exceptionally high.
Not that he was very interested in running such a corrupt company.
Ted had taken part in every project in the organization. Most of them, he'd shamelessly started himself. The main reason for that was because it kept him busy, and they only person he had left alive. Which was his sister.
He rarely, if ever got to see her. Ted was a ghost to her and quite truthfully regretted that fact. Even when he finally retired for the night, exhausted and spent he'd pass out before he got the chance to even set eyes upon her. She could as well be nonexistent and he'd have no choice but to keep living.
In this facility, one could not take their own life. Most never understood why, but Ted knew. Momentarily, he lifted his sleeve, pushing the thin fabric up past his elbow.
Right on his wrist was a visible brand, the agencies brand. A sharp V with coiled initials wrapping around it. Sometimes upon seeing it for the first time, people mistook the initials for thin vines, even chains wrapping around a V.
Once you had the brand you couldn't take your own life and neither could someone kill you. If you lifted a knife and stabbed deep, blood would flow, but not for long. The wound would seal as if it'd never been there and you'd still be alive. Still able bodied to work and eternally chained to this corporation.
If you accidentally had a hand cut off or blown off in an experiment. It would rebuild and attach no matter what you did to try to stop it. People also didn't succumb to sickness or any other ailments here.
Such a luxury as death, you couldn't receive it unless the boss himself ended you. Rin and the rest of her kind also had that power. They were the only people alive in this building, this prison, that could kill anyone.
Ted knew first hand because he'd tried himself. He'd wanted a solution to his depression and loss. After he'd been recruited, Ted had gone through multiple episodes of survivors guilt. He'd suffered surreal emotional injury leading to deep hatred and depression. Soon enough, his emotions felt nullified and he became who he was.
He remembered trying to take his life. The injury had been excruciatingly painful but death hadn't come. He'd felt ashamed of himself after he'd made the discovery.
What would've become of his sister if he had managed? Such a thought, kept him from ever doing so again. He'd worked hard to satisfy the boss and keep all things in check. Recently had been the first time he'd ever let the boss down. He couldn't afford to have this blemish on an otherwise perfect performance.
That determination of his didn't change the situation though. Fact was; Rin was still gone. No longer in the agencies possession. She was free to roam the streets and do what she pleased without orders and instructions. Out there, she was even more dangerous.
Her intention and personality hadn't been hostile when he'd seen her at the supermarket, but she was a ticking time bomb. Not even fully aware of what she could do. Even just a fragment of knowing what she was capable of was just the beginning.
Ted needed to step it up. His mind imagined numerous amounts of horrendous situations. There were endless possibilities for situations that could happen in such short time.
Ted was struggling to hold onto the last piece of humanity he had. His sanity wasn't fairing any better either. He'd done all kinds of things to people and issued orders he wasn't proud of. That last shred was what kept him to his intact sanity. Though he deemed himself already a mad man.
Len, was much more of a ghost than Ted himself was. There was no other schools he could recall ever being in the area. He had searched phone books and records. Even medical records he'd managed to land his hands on through connections.
None. None. None! Held a single fact or trace of Len. At least the one he was looking for. Ted whipped the endless papers across the room in frustration. Papers flew everywhere littering the room like used confetti. He had so much at his disposal. How was it that this Len continued to elude him? It was absurd that one boy couldn't be found by an entire corporations technology.
He'd seemed normal enough. Ted had checked in with every public, religious, and prestigious school in the area. He hadn't even bothered to search the records of that rundown delinquents school. He'd seriously doubted that such a fine looking young man would've associated himself with such a place.
The kid looked smarter than he'd probably claim to be. Ted dropped his head in his hands.
With each passing day the boss grew more impatient. Ted could see it every time the boss did anything. He'd casually mention how many days it'd been since he'd last seen Rin, order more things for her when he got bored. There hadn't been a day where the boss hadn't entered her room.
Ted had watched the boss rearrange the whole entire place. Wondering if that had been the root of the problem.
Ted knew what the boss would do if he got fed up. The man would go look for Rin himself. That was a catastrophe Ted wouldn't allow to happen.
He could vividly picture the complete and total genocide that would ensue. The boss would walk through the streets obliterating everything and anything he saw in his path without lifting a single finger.
He'd leave a trail of death and despair and ruin, till Rin willingly revealed herself and came to him. Even then, he still wouldn't be satisfied. He'd feel the need to slaughter that innocent Len boy infront of her and drain every last ounce of life from him till she learned never to disobey again.
If he was really angry, he'd probably revive the poor boy and do it a thousand times over.
If Rin was already attached to Len...that could spell out worse than destruction. Rin would momentarily panic, but when reality set in...Ted felt himself trembling. He curled his hands into tight fists.
If the boss forcefully separated Rin from Len knowing fully well what would happen...Ted couldn't allow such a thing to happen. He'd directly helped create Rin as she was now and had aided Rin's development.
If the boss killed Len infront of Rin. After reality set in and enough trauma was triggered, she'd by default activate phase shift Termination. Her rampage wouldn't and couldn't be stopped. Her rage wouldn't be quelled until she'd destroyed the boss.
Phase shift Termination unlike other phase shifts didn't create a new persona with detailed characteristics. No, termination enhanced all the senses and the users skills beyond their already insane capabilities. Stamina, speed, and strength would be upgraded like a rush of adrenaline at the cost of the users personality and traits.
Rin would block out anyone and everything else would become a blur. The boss was the only one possible of stopping such a rampage. He was the only one. And if Rin's target so happened to be him, there would be no end. Rin would become a soulless, personality robbed shell who's only focus was the bosses complete and utter destruction.
Ted straightened his glasses. Even if he was capable of stopping Rin in phase Termination it was still rather risky. Since ending the rampage would require he get close to Rin. Since he could only put effort into preventing such a thing, that's what he did. It was the main and only reason why it was important not to separate Rin from Len forcefully.
It would be an endless, perilous battle. One that would rage on through the ages.
The situation regarding the boss was the same as with Len. If Rin did manage, miraculously, to kill the boss another trauma would be triggered and she'd spend eternity fighting against herself. Seeking to destroy everything there ever was about her. Not a moment before then would her rage be quelled.
It wasn't just death that triggered the phase shift. Any kind of serious trauma had the potential to do so. Death, isolation, and rejection were just the most common and proven ones.
A forced phase shift could cause mental damage. With the potential to make Rin a thousand different versions of herself in one entity. A phase that the scientist department called Corruption. Only the strongest of the one thousand would dominate and step forward to be 'Rin.' It wasn't even a given because since she'd be versing her exact selves, victory wasn't definite.
The battle could rage on for days, months, years, and even decades. However since it took place in the mind it also continued to deteriorate the brain as it went on. So even if able to escape that temporary purgatory it wasn't possible that the persona that won would be in complete and dominant control of the mind as well as the body. As the second persona would stay firmly planted in the brain. Pushing and pushing to be able to take control.
The slightest weakness of the host would allow the second to temporarily take control of the body, a switch, as some other scientists put it.
So many dangers...so many things that could possibly go wrong. That's why Rin and the others had to stay at the agency. They were unstable, no matter how much control they thought they had.
"Teddy boy~" A voice whispered into his ear. Ted straightened in his chair. He hadn't noticed the person sneaking up on him and noted that he should work on his guard.
"What do you want Lily? I'm busy," Ted said firmly with an edge in his voice.
"Oh I can tell, you're worried about so many things," Lily purred. "Sitting here feeling regret, responsibility and despair. Wanting to care for your sister but feeling as if you truly don't exist to her. Your main worry though is..." Lily stalked around to the front of Ted's desk. He heard the thick seductive clicks of her high heels. She slammed her hands down on the table and her eyes locked with Ted's.
"Your main worry is concerning phase shift Termination. A phase that blocks out everything except the idea of complete and total obliteration of the cause. A phase that allows the user to create weapons for their destructive purposes. Anything at all for the domination of their opponent."
Lily stretched and crawled onto Ted's desk. She stared right at him.
"Terrifying isn't it?" Lily smiled. "Oh! You're also thinking about not letting the boss forcefully split up Rin and that Len boy. Furthermore the endless details of phase shift Corruption." Lily leaned in. Ted ignored her and fixed his glasses.
"Stop reading my thoughts Lily," Ted warned.
"I can't help it! It's too fun, especially your thoughts," she teased. Ted watched Lily shut his laptop. She leaned in farther and gripped his tie in her hand. "Working is lame Ted, let's have some fun." Ted yanked his tie out of her grasp.
"I'm not interested. There's too much work to be done and not enough people doing it," Ted scolded.
"Well, I'm trying to get to doing it right now," Lily laughed and Ted rolled his eyes.
"Grow up Lily," he commented blandly.
"Teddy, you're always working, take a little break," Lily whispered suggestively. She caressed his cheek and slowly slid off his glasses. Pushing them into an unretrievable place between her breasts. Ted sighed.
"And tell the boss what?" Ted questioned.
"Don't worry about it. You're his best man." Ted forcefully shoved Lily off his desk. She flipped backwards and landed on her behind.
"You know, when you're like this I wish we'd never created those damn things! Why do we need to find the third anyway? He has two more that adore him just the same!" Lily threw her hands up in the air and limply let them drop. Ted hushed her.
"For your information, those damn things have names and are still people, Lily." Lily laughed at Ted's comment.
"Yeah," she snorted. "Whatever you say Teddy. Now come! I've formally invited you to my bed." Lily released the clip that was holding her hair in the neat ponytail she always wore it in. Her golden locks cascaded and hugged her curves.
Ted noticed her skirt was a lot shorter than usual and returned to his work. He lifted his laptop off his desk and tucked it into his briefcase.
"Like I've told you many times before Lily, I'm not interested in the bosses mistress." Ted turned on his heels and quickly made his way to the exit. He didn't stop for a second and didn't bother to glance back. Striking false hope into woman wasn't something he did.
"Ted?" He heard Lily call after him. "It was one time! Get back here! Ted!" Lily shouted for minutes on end but he was already gone. Preoccupied with other thoughts.
Indeed Ted and the rest of the agency had created monsters. The ultimate weapons. Vocal Corp could take over the world if it so pleased. As the government seemed to overlook their existence. It was a harsh truth Ted had learned in his early years here. He knew not how many contacts the boss had in the government, but not once had Ted doubted the system until then.
Sometimes though, Ted did wish he hadn't given into the boss that day. He was content now, accustomed to his workload. He didn't have to worry about rent or any civilian problems. Often, he wished he could. Such petty worries would be everything to him. He'd trade them for his constant suspicion and paranoia of death for letting the boss down.
Accepting what he did for work didn't change the fact that he was still required to do awful things to good people. It didn't change the fact he was required to oversee the deaths of important individuals and replace them. It didn't change the way his sister looked at him as if he was a monster when he did manage to see her.
Before, her looks had deeply wounded him. Ted was beyond tears now. Such emotions were luxuries he didn't possess nor have time for. He was too busy taking care of his current problems and maintaining perfect maintenance of the building.
His sins were plentiful, that Ted couldn't deny. He had a hand in creating the ultimate weapon and used his knowledge to benefit a being worse than evil itself. Therefore, all the dolls were his responsibility, especially Rin.
Of course she wasn't entirely a doll, none of them were completely. More so, it was a code name for the project. The Doll project. Each member looked just as pure and fragile as a doll. Their beauty too, was unmatched when effort was put in. All dolls had an air about them, each a noticeable contrast between them other than gender. Everything about them had been genetically modified by Ted and other scientists with the bosses perfect weapon in mind.
They were next to weightless for farther and higher jumping capabilities. All kinds of traction and body enhancements had been done to allow maximum agility, balance, strength, force and speed in a human vessel. They possessed exceptional senses and reflexes. Not to mention mental capabilities that surpassed anything human and above. All the edits and cross-species genetic engineering overtime had eventually formed powers for each of them. Apart from Rin who had been naturally born with hers and yet still developing and creating new ones to this very day.
At times Ted wondered what the boss really was. It was a fact that he could not die and that he was immortal but what exactly was he? Rin was exceptional from the very first day she was born. Her screams had shattered numerous objects and substances crumbled at her cries.
She'd been able to lift even the heaviest of things from miles away mentally without breaking a sweat. That had made her an instant trouble maker who always needed to be watched and yet also kept in the dark. Endless nannies had come and gone till Ted had been entrusted with her.
Ted knew a lot about the agency but he still couldn't understand why Rin had been added to the Doll project. Her alterations hadn't truly been needed or necessary. She'd already been perfect. Having her out in the world so damaged was a serious hazard. For more reasons than one.
Truthfully, Rin wasn't damaged. She'd just entered a new phase shift. Ted stopped where he was and thought. It just didn't make sense.
Rin shouldn't have been able to access, let alone create a new phase shift. The only possible ways Ted could think it possible to happen was firstly, there was a traitor among them that had created one for Rin.
However, that solution wasn't logical because the chances of someone betraying the boss though high, within his own company building were slim. He knew nobody brave enough to attempt such an act. Not to mention it would take months to develop even a fragment of a new phase shift.
Second, was if Rin at some point had forced a phase shift on herself causing a corruption.
That solution also wasn't very logical or plausible. Dolls couldn't survive a corruption in one piece. Since forced phase shifts corrupted the mind leaving the doll in an extreme state of schizophrenia.
A thousand minds would live and fight in one body. Each with a different personality. There was also a rumor of a possible cerebral brain stroke from all those personas. So how had she managed? And survived for that matter?
Ted was baffled. Rin had always been special. Even still, she'd loved the facility and the organization. So why had she gone? Why and how had she made another phase shift?
"Ted!" Lily's voice broke into his thoughts.
"I'm not interested Lily," he stated firmly and returned to walking. His resolve was firm, and in the timeline of things that needed to be done; Lily was not one of them. She caught up with him.
"Okay, I heard but that wasn't the only reason I came to find you." Lily grabbed Ted's arm and he stopped. She locked her eyes on his and slowly trailed a finger down Ted's chest. He slapped her hand away, fixing his lab coat.
"What other information do you have for me Lily?" Ted said indignantly. His annoyance with her was starting to pile up.
"Well, I'll tell you but you'll have to-" Ted turned to go. "Okay wait! It's about the boss okay. He's-"
"He hasn't left the facility has he!?" Ted interrupted. His voice was frantic and he talked quickly. If the boss had left the facility...if he was already on his way to finish the job.
"No, he's still here Ted." Lily watched Ted release a sigh of relief. "Last I heard from the employees was that he was incredibly angry." Lily tossed hair behind her and huffed. "Then again when isn't he?"
"Anymore details than that?" Ted questioned, eager to know.
"Yeah, he trashed his office. Mans snapped, so nobody is going near him for the time being. However you should talk to him before he does end up leaving. If he hasn't already."
Ted thanked Lily and ordered that she tell everyone to retire back to their rooms for the night. He sped towards the bosses office. He hadn't even been within a meter of it when he saw the complete and utter destruction.
Chunks of drywall and wood strew the floor, along with sharp bits of metal and broken weapons. Bullet cases littered the floor with broken glass and circuitry. Wires hung from the ceiling still sparking and snapping electricity like eels. Some walls tilted at impossible angles but had not fallen from the wall base.
The windows and marble floor seemed to be fine. So was the bosses desk. He hadn't harmed the cabinet of porcelain dolls either.
He was knelt on his knees in the far right corner of the debris staring at a chair. A rather expensive chair with plush velvet red cushions built into it. Ted knew who had always sat in that chair next to the boss.
The place was a disaster and Ted had trouble even opening the door to get in. Several objects scraped against the glass door releasing a deafening screech. Ted cursed at the noise but knew entering the bosses office undetected was impossible anyway.
Instantly a tense aura consumed Ted. It enveloped with him and pulled tight like rope constricting his movements. He choked as he couldn't breathe. Invisible hands gripped Ted's neck and squeezed.
"It's me sir, it's Ted." Ted croaked. The hands released slowly and Ted gasped for air. He coughed violently before he could breathe again. "Sir, just what were you thinking? You've destroyed the office...such actions are unnecessary! What does this solve?"
Still the boss sat. Ted moved closer and realized the boss was talking to himself. Or more so, the chair. His head rested on it and he ran his hands over the cool wood in repetitive motions. Ted walked closer towards him cautiously dodging sharp debris.
"Sir?"
"Where have you gone Rin?...Come back to me...come home already..." Ted heard the boss say. He repeated it over and over. Ignoring Ted as if he wasn't in the room.
"Sir...?" Ted repeated, much softer this time. Accustoming his voice to the bosses fragile and unpredictable state. Finally the boss stopped speaking to himself and lifted his head.
"Ted...? Where is she? Why is it that you always come into my office empty handed?" Ted could hear the angry edge building back up in the bosses voice. He gritted his teeth.
Ted had no idea where Rin was and Teto hadn't told him where she was heading or what she was doing. He saw his sister too rarely to know anything about her nowadays. When she'd left, she had refused to have contact with him for the time being. Claiming that if he knew what she was planning to do, he'd stop her.
Teto had told him that she'd keep and eye on Rin though. So Ted lied.
"I apologize for my tardiness with this manner, but please understand that we need Rin to come willingly to us."
"Where is she Ted?" The boss asked. His voice a threatening command more than a question.
Ted steadied himself. Already feeling the bosses cold protruding fingers on his mind. They were searching for the location. Ted pictured a tall steel wall with reinforcements and blocked the boss from his mind. The hands receded.
"I'll send some troops out to get her in the morning, she'll be back here in a few days, a week at the most." The boss was quiet for a while before he spoke again.
"Didn't I say no other people on this case Ted?"
"Yes, you did," Ted clarified. "However, care to enlighten me on how to get Rin back here without the troops?" The boss fell silent so Ted continued. "Exactly." He was surprised by how wonderful it felt to hear the bosses silence and have the last word for once.
The boss stood up limply and walked over to his desk. He smiled politely at Ted.
"So she'll be back soon?" The boss asked. The room started to shake and objects were repairing themselves. Ted nodded in reply to the bosses question. "That's good...but you'll go look for her without troops. I told you, nobody else on this case and you'll standby that order. Got it Ted?" Ted almost sighed but instead nodded sharply.
In truth he had no idea where Rin was. But now that he'd lied to the boss, he needed to be even quicker about finding her.
Not finding Rin would be the end of him. There were endless reasons why he direly needed to locate Rin. He tried to pick a main one but his problems were plentiful. Too plenty that he couldn't make one reason more urgent than the other.
He had no clue where to start and Ted had never believed in religion after what happened to him. How could he? What kind of sadistic God would take away his family and lead him into the arms of a mad man? A cruel one, a God that had chosen to laugh in his face and deprive him of tears to shed. So he hadn't believed. Ted turned to go.
The second he looked around, the office was just as perfect and orderly as any other day Ted had entered it. All debris had been cleared and repaired, all the bosses doing.
He'd forgotten the boss was also capable of fixing things. However, the man preferred to destroy. The repairing he did was more of a side-affect of his happiness. Similar to a little child who had thrown a tantrum, gotten his answer, and was pleased now.
For a few seconds Ted actually considered and almost believed the boss wasn't a bad man. But the thought fell short and truth killed it. Maybe, just maybe if he possessed Rin again, the man might change.
The void that was his heartless chest would be replaced by newfound care for Rin. The icy sadistic gleam in his eyes would hold compassion. With Rin he'd change and no longer feel the need to murder.
She'd directly been created by the bosses genes. Even still, she loved the facility and the organizations.
Ted almost laughed out loud. What sort of delusion was he creating? No matter what the man had he'd never be happy. Being immortal had a way of doing that to you.
It ate away at your sanity and took away the ones you loved. Mortals you loved. The boss had probably been forced to see all kinds of things in his lifetime. Ted almost felt sorry for him; almost, but not really.
He wondered somehow, if someone managed to rip away the one thing the boss held dear...how would he respond?
Would he shed tears and cry out in agony? Would he collapse no longer having any will to fight? Would he give in and wish only to perish like Rin had? Would the pain sear and burn so intensely that it left him empty? A useless shell of himself that roamed without purpose? Without meaning to life?
Ted so badly wished to see such a thing. Momentarily, the crazier part of him wished it would happen and wondered what the bosses tears tasted like. An even more insane part of him wished he could cause the boss such grief.
Ted had felt that grief along with countless others. He curled his hands into fists and started to leave the bosses office. Forcing his thoughts to something else.
If Ted himself was capable of causing the boss such agony, like he'd experienced. Something inside him stirred at the idea. Revenge, the word felt wonderful on his tongue, as if he'd wandered the desert for endless days and someone had finally given him water.
As pleasing as that idea was to Ted, he couldn't do it. Revenge was a never ending cycle. He'd have to worry about getting all the dolls out of the way to even attempt such a thing.
"Ted," Ted spun at the sudden call of his name. The world distorted and restored after a few seconds of confusion. The boss no longer had a smile on his face. His lips were pressed into a solid line. "Feel free to use the other dolls to track Rin. It might be difficult for those two, but together I'm sure they'll be able to bring her in. Unharmed...or virtually something to that degree." Ted nodded and continued down the hall.
What had he been thinking? Even cruel, deadly, and heartless as the boss was,...he was still the boss. He was still human...or whatever he was. Ted might work for Vocal Corp. He might be a killer and utterly descending into insanity, but he wasn't evil. Nor was he cynical or a tyrant.
He was just Ted Kasane. So badly only wanted to be Ted Kasane who was a good boy and looked after his sister. A responsible child that aided his mother and supported his father.
Ted Kasane who everyone had put high hopes in. Just Ted Kasane fresh outta high-school and living how he wanted. Just Ted who didn't work for Vocal Corp, or torture people, or murder innocents in cold blood.
Just Ted who had not indirectly been the cause of his parents death. Just Ted who received looks of love, affection, and admiration from his sister. Just Ted who could whole heartedly smile back at people with all his sanity.
Just Ted who had nothing to do with the Doll project or the dolls. Ted Kasane, just wanted to be Ted. He didn't allow himself the luxury of tears. Something inside you needed to be able to produce tears. Whether they be tears of guilt, sadness or joy.
Ted had nothing inside him of that sort. Anything that had allowed him to cry in the past was long broken and gone. So he focused on work and battered the bosses proposal around in his mind.
The other dolls could be successful at locating Rin. He thought just once he might use them. Just this once. Ted stumbled and almost tripped. He was so deep in thought he hadn't seen the paper that was stuck to his shoe. He stopped for a second and picked it up to see just what it was.
It wasn't just any paper, it was a picture. Specifically of Rin. Her eyes were a blinding neon blue that couldn't possibly be human. Her head was slightly tilted and she followed next to...
Ted lost his words and felt himself grinning like an idiot.
In the picture was the Len boy and Rin together walking side by side. The picture itself wasn't of any interest, it was what this Len was wearing that caught Ted's eye. Thanks to this stroke of luck, he'd know where to go now, and exactly where to send the dolls.
"Gottcha..., my Len."