Young Offender, Part 37:
Takuma Shimamura paced back and forth, watching his sister sip a glass of wine. He liked her stolid expression; it meant things were going well, and she had no worries. He picked up his own wine from the coffee table and sat beside her.
"You have news about your activities in Vietnam?" he started off.
"I've had a fifty-seven percent return on our joint investment on the weapons' shipment. Thankfully, Rhys-Davies was taken care of by those rogue cyborgs, and we could open the market for ourselves."
"Good. And how is my son?"
"His nanny reports he's growing strong. A very silent child. He'll be a Shimamura like us."
Takuma threw his head back and let out a dry laugh. "So the world is cursed with one more. I intend for him to be the heir to the family's electronics company."
"That will be up to you and how he's raised. Now, you have news that interest me," she said.
"The Merchants of Death board meeting?" he asked, not missing the gleam in her eyes. "They voted to sell 003 and 004 in a silent auction next Thursday. There are some bidders for 003, but the starting bid for 004 is pretty high. Still, he's well sought after. 001 is on his way to a new body. At least they think. I gave your Russian friends your well wishes."
"It's a horrible shame to have a son so rebellious. I'm sure she'll correct him."
"The Gamo's have persuaded the Black Ghost to not put him on the market. The Merchants voted to keep him on Ghost Island at their request; he'll be working for the Black Ghost. He's too powerful for one country to acquire just now. The Black Ghost need him for the final plans when the world is engulfed in war."
"When the Earth is embroiled in war, it'll be him that will bring all the countries under the Black Ghost rule?"
"Exactly," Takuma answered his older sister. "Anyway, he stays with the Gamos on Ghost Island. Meanwhile, we had a close vote over what to do about 002. Doctor Yana made a petition to put him to death, but the cost was so high in building him so that failed. The fear was that 002 would be too rebellious to be a useful servant. The compromise is that his vocal cords will be cut after he's sold along with a kill switch on a remote control. He'll be sold to a country of Scar's choosing. Someone strong enough to control him, and apart from the other cyborgs."
"I see. Things are progressing nicely for the organization. I think, by next year, we should expand our operation to the continent," she said. "When I go back to films it'll be a good opportunity for you to take over and expand."
"I should have known you wouldn't take on rearing my child forever."
"Well, let him stay with me. I'll raise your son as a Shimamura. After all, you like how Ryu is turning out."
"Maybe," he said, letting the idea grow on him. His nephew was growing into a fine student and just as devious as his mother. He stood and set aside his glass. "I'll call you tomorrow morning to make arrangements about my son. Let me sleep on it."
She gave a hollow smile and murmured, "Of course." She drained her wine glass and left with the children. After she closed the door, Takuma felt the acid drain from his stomach.
"But I don't want to go!" Ivan screamed, glass and debris floated around slowly like dust mites in sunlight.
"But you must," Katharina insisted softly. "It's time to go scout the situation with your friends, and then wait for me to make the way for your escape."
"You must come with me! I will not leave without you." The scraps shivered with Ivan's fury as he clenched his fists tighter.
"I cannot. This is going to be Ann's mind in a few short days. You will just have to accept that! I will no longer exist! My endurance to accept abilities will be graphed onto Ann and I will be no more. Accept this!"
"No! I will change this! I can reverse it. My father is nothing but a crazy butcher. I can undo anything he's done! I know it! I'm much stronger now."
"You still have no discipline over your emotions. Besides..." she walked over and put her hands on his shoulders, "...I have foreseen this. It will happen."
"Please..." He threw himself into her arms and hugged her frail frame tightly, begging her, "...don't leave me."
"It's time, Ivan. I need to spend the rest of my time with Ann while you contact your friends. You need to reassure them."
"But what about Ann? Can't I at least take her with us?"
Katharina pulled away from him, shaking her head franticly. "No! It's not her destiny."
"I can teach her and protect her!"
"She needs to learn from your mother, not you. You aren't ready for that kind of responsibility. I have foreseen you would only damage her if she were to leave with you now. It won't be for decades that you and her will coexist. "
"Erika will teach her to kill! How could you support that?"
"Because! The future is not yours to control. You must learn you have limits. It's going to be a lesson you will not hear from me, but it's something you will learn rather painfully in the same way I did. I will no longer discuss this with you. You will do as I say!"
Ivan felt a jolt hit him; the glass shards and debris wavered and crashed around them. It then hit him why she was guiding him like this. "You mean... I'll go mad, don't you? One day! You want to save Ann from me."
Katharina said, in a firm voice, "Go, my darling. It's time."
He nodded feeling a black sorrow creep into his mind. "I'm not ready. I have more I need to learn from you," Ivan admitted, helplessly.
"Don't loose yourself to arrogance like I did. It's the last thing I have to teach you. Now is the time! I will have to say I love you. There won't be time again!"
Ivan felt his vision blur as he hugged her fiercely again. "I love you, too," he got out before he started sobbing.
"Then don't make this any harder with your tears," she said, holding him close for a few moments longer, and then parting from him. She backed away slowly. She stepped into Ivan's chilly bog mindscape and smiled at him. There was now a gold glow around her.
"Good bye, Aunt Katharina," he whispered and stiffened his back.
"Good bye, my little Ivan. Know that I loved you very much," she said with a peace in her large, brown eyes. It didn't make the acceptance any easier.
Ivan closed his eyes and felt the ground under him grow cool to icy. He felt as if it were sinking through the odious peat around him, and then he was tugged towards his body. Slowly, he began to feel a tingle within his mind; it spread to his chest and then quickly to his limbs.
He drew breath again, and it stung his nose with the cloying antiseptic. He opened his eyes and could see his parents standing by his bed, once again, both looking anxious. Ivan could feel the anxiety from them, and then their sudden spike in happiness lapped at his mind. He was amazed he could, for once, separate his emotions from others. It was a huge improvement.
"Say something, Ivan," his mother pleaded.
"I'm fine, Mother," he insisted.
"Thank goodness," she said. Her face took on a dower expression. "There was a set back with what we promised you. But we've been reassured it can be fixed."
Trepidation hit Ivan, but he flung off his sheets. He felt so awkward and heavy as he stumbled towards a full-length mirror on the wall, but his parents helped him. He was disoriented as his mind tried to process that he was still in the same body; not a new one. He looked like the same boy, only slightly thinner. He was so lanky , and no taller now. His hair was still the same strange starlight color, and his eyes were still mismatched. One brown, blue. Nothing had changed.
"I know you don't look different yet, but give it a week or so. Dressler promised me he'll find why his formula had no effect on you," his father insisted.
Ivan was numb at first, then furious they had put him through the stress of attempting a new body. He could tell he was sick... beyond sick. His health now was in serious jeopardy, but he didn't know how far. He took a deep breath and summoned a mental echo to keep his mother's mind at bay. It was him replaying the time when he confessed his feelings to Francoise. It was very emotional and very loud. He knew his mother couldn't wade through it easily.
He forced a smile and said, "I want to see friends. I want them to know the good news of the gift you're giving me."
"As you wish," his mother mumbled, looking concerned. He could tell she was probing his mind, but she was fooled. Erika had no clue about all the time he spent training with Katharina. He felt a genuine smile come to his lips as he followed her out of the hospital room.
Albert sat and watched his fellow cyborgs. Jet was practicing his writing at the foot of Albert's bed, while while Francoise used the window sill to steady herself as she did some graceful stretches. He didn't want to let them know what he was starting to suspect about Ivan and the Black Ghost's plans for them.
The Black Ghost would be moving them soon, using them as weapons of war. He kept glancing at the door every few minutes, not able to shake his tension. The one thing he certainly inherited from his father was incredible patients, but even his was starting to get strained.
He felt Jet shake his foot and give him a worried expression only after Francoise's back was to them. Albert gave him a lop-sided smile and shook his head. Jet gave him a disbelieving scowl and handed him the paper he was writing on. The word "Lügner" was the only thing on it.
Before Albert could retort with "And so what if I am a liar?" Francoise gasp and swirled towards the door. They both looked over in nervous anticipation. Moments later it unlock. He couldn't repress his shock at seeing Ivan in the door. He was sure they had brainwashed him, judging by the hollow look in those mismatched eyes.
"Ivan?" Francoise finally murmured, braking the spell. She flung herself into his arms and they embraced for several long minutes. Jet hopped off the bed and parted the two with a hostile attitude towards the Russian cyborg. He gave a firm shove to the boy and glared as Ivan's mother came in, her eyes a deep, angry amethyst glow.
Albert didn't miss the belligerent posturing Jet had now as he put himself between Francoise and Ivan. /No! don't fight me. Just still your minds and emotions!/
Albert took a deep breath; he wished he was in physical proximity to wrap his arms around Jet and Francoise and yank them away. Ivan started to pace and make a vocal speech about submitting to the Black Ghost and regretting running away; however, Albert's mind buzzed with Ivan's real words.
/My mother can't hear me./ Ivan kept his back towards her, his right eye glowed a dim blue. /I have a friend who will help us escape in a few days. You must not try to escape until she says so. Hopefully, I can foil my parents plans of giving me a new, adult body./
Francoise gave a loud gasp. Ivan then then explained to Francoise unspoken question /If I accept an adult body, my mind will expand quicker in ways I'm not ready for. It's best for everyone on the planet I stay like this./
Albert could tell Jet was, no doubt, giving Ivan a mental lashing along with a migraine. The Russian's eyes squinted, but all he did was glare at Jet; Albert would give anything to have telepathy right now.
"Enough time waisting!" Ivan snapped, flinging his hand towards Jet's nose. "Do as they say or suffer the consequences!" Then, Ivan's mental voice projected /Have some faith in me. I swear I'll do right by all of you, but for now you have to reject me to throw my mother off. I have her too distracted to pick up anything from the three of you. Do it now!/
"Don't you worry, Ivan. You're home now, so stay. Have a nice life as a dog," Albert said, incredulous at his own bitter tone. Francoise and Jet both stepped back and looked away from Ivan awkwardly.
Ivan turned on his heels and marched out of the room. It was his mother's furious expression that made Albert shiver. "You'll all pay for hurting my son! Especially, you!" she screamed in German, pointing at Francoise.
With that, she swirled and lumbered out after Ivan, slamming the door to their dormitory. Albert looked over to the other two, both looked drained and shocked. He smirked and said, "Well, Jet, I thought you'd be grateful they didn't let him get taller than you."
Jet gave him a dirty look and an extended middle finger. Albert laughed out loud, then Jet smiled as much as he could and rolled his eyes. What Albert didn't like was Francoise's dark expression as she stared at the door.
To be continued.