Chapter Seven

Laying on the couch Neal was having a hard time focusing on the book he was trying to read. He'd basically given up on it, but every so often he would turn the page to make it look like he was making progress. He was waiting on Mozzie to bring him some equipment and having set Peter to work he felt like he should at least appear busy himself. Usually if he had nothing better to do he'd go out for a run or seek out some small con to run on the street. However he wasn't entirely comfortable with leaving Peter alone just yet.

Neal turned away from his book to glance over at the Animula. Peter looked comically out of place sitting at the table in his tuxedo that he was still wearing from the previous night. He had come with a pair of suitcases with a small wardrobe which Neal had moved across the hall into the guest suite for him. He figured that settling into the new space would give Peter something productive to do tonight, but for now Neal saw no harm in letting him stay in the formal wear. He hadn't sent Peter over there directly because he wanted to keep an eye on him for at least their first day together.

For now he had given Peter some companies to research for him thinking that it would help him relax. While Neal had been trying to research Animula Peter had just zoned out, looking bored. Watching him now he didn't look all that much better. Neal didn't know enough about Animula to know if his disinterested stare was normal, but he found it disconcerting. If he truly was 'soulless' Neal guessed that it would make sense that he'd have a blunted affect.

However even over the very short time span that he'd known Peter he'd witnessed several times when he'd reacted emotionally. At the very least he appeared to have a concept of fear, anger, and possibly even pride. At the same time it was difficult to imagine a creature that couldn't love its own mother being capable of loving anything else. Although despite some of the awkwardness between them Neal found that he genuinely enjoyed Peter quiet company.

Spending most of his time conning everyone around him didn't exactly lead to many friends or long term relationships. Mozzie was really the only one he could be himself around. Of course a little of Mozzie's company went a long way, and not always in a good way. Not feeling he could be truthful to people about what he was had isolated Neal from a lot of the social interactions that most people took for granted.

Starting to feel guilty for having Peter just doing busy work Neal put his book down and got to his feet. Peter had been staring sightlessly at the laptop screen but as soon as Neal moved he was on high alert again. He reached out and typed something, probably to deactivate the screen saver. When Neal walked over towards the kitchen table Peter instantly got to his feet, keeping his hands lightly on the table as if to steady himself.

"You don't have to stand up." Neal assured. He noticed the untouched lunch on the table. "You haven't eaten anything. Can I get you something else?"

"No thank you, Master Neal." Peter replied as he kept his eyes down cast. "I'm not very hungry."

"Are you feeling, okay?"

"I'm fine. I haven't gotten much work done. I apologize, it's been a while since I've done anything other than simple book keeping."

"You kept Cheng's books?"

"Some of them."

"What's he worth?"

"I have to advise you against trying to con Cheng again, he is not a man you want to have as an enemy."

"I'm just curious. I'm going to have to invite him to the game in two months, I just like to know what I'm dealing with."

"You are going to host a game?" Peter asked doubtfully as he glanced around the small apartment.

"I won the right to, or rather the responsibility to. Not sure how I'll pull it off, but I'll think of something. I always do."

Neal smiled, hoping that Peter would do the same. Remaining stoic Peter said nothing he just waited. Neal was starting to fear that he wasn't handling Peter properly. He knew that in the case of dogs that often times if they didn't have owners that were strong 'alpha dogs' that they could end up all sort of behavioral problems from aggression to separation anxiety. They depended on a leader to give them direction to keep them happy, perhaps Animula were the same.

"Talking about the game gives me an idea. Stop looking into the companies as investments, start looking into owners. Make me a list of potential guests. Find CEOs that take risks, or anyone rich and eccentric enough that might make good additions to the table. Is that something you can do?"

"Yes, Master Neal."

"Good. Do it." Neal ordered.

Peter nodded and turned his attention back to the computer. Neal backed away from the table so that Peter would sit back down. Having been given a job that had obvious applications seemed to help his focus. Neal realized that Peter had probably known from the start that he had no intention of investing in any of the companies he'd been given to research. Pointless busy work wasn't going to keep him engaged, he was too intelligent for that. Neal was starting to feel a little more confident that he could make this work when there was a knock at the door.

"Neal?" Mozzie called through the locked door. "Neal, you still alive in there?"

"Mozzie." Neal sighed in frustration. "I'll get it."

Peter had turned towards the door but Neal stopped him to answer it himself. Opening the door Neal glared down at Mozzie. He stood in the door frame to prevent him from stepping inside, the last thing he needed right now was him undermining his attempts at peaceful authority over Peter by suggesting a collar again. Neal had noticed how tense Peter had become the first time Mozzie had mentioned the device. He had briefly looked into the collars and although the Market site that sold them claimed that they were humane they sounded like torture to Neal. He couldn't even imagine wearing something that he couldn't remove, let alone something that had the potential to cause pain or as the Market put it to 'incapacitate'. It made him claustrophobic just to think about it.

"What?" Mozzie complained noticing the look he was getting.

"Just stop it. Okay?"

"I just want you to know I disapprove."

"I know you do. You made that more than clear the last time you were here." Neal rolled his eyes. "Did you get me what I asked for?"

"Along with a few other items." Mozzie said as he handed over a duffle bag. "He's not going to be sleeping with you in here is he?"

"No, he is going to stay in the guest suite across the hall."

"Good." Mozzie nodded in approval. "Lock your door."

"Mozzie..."

"Better safe than sorry, Neal."

"Go away."

Mozzie looked past Neal at Peter who was trying to look like he wasn't interested in the pair's conversation. Neal doubted that Mozzie truly believed Peter was a cold blooded killer, he wouldn't have agreed to leave the first time if he felt there was a mortal threat. However it was still clear that he wasn't comfortable with the Animula's presence and wanted him gone. Before Mozzie could say anything more and further hurt Neal's chances of establishing any kind of working relationship with the Animula Neal pushed Mozzie further out into the hall and joined him out in the hall and closed the door.

"Neal, please, get rid of him. This is never going to work."

"What has gotten into you?" Neal demanded.

"I just...I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I can handle him."

"I'm sure you can if you really want to. Just make sure that's who you want to be before you commit to this."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ownership is a two way street, Neal. If you want Peter to be your slave then you need to be his Master...and I just don't think that's who you are."

"I have to at least try."

"Why?"

"I don't know...as odd as it sounds it just feels like the right thing to do."