to anticomedygarden: thank you, it pleases me I managed to evoke this many emotions out from you.

to Alwaysandforevermylove: I am happy to hear my storytelling has improved compared to last time I wrote this story. hope the rest of this story and the upcoming stories in this series will be equally as interesting.

to fiiirth: a mistake I overlooked in my first attempt of this story. glad to hear my bigger focus on the many characters has paid off.

I decided to have the first part of this remade chapter from Frank Conagher's point of view. In my opinion, he has an interesting, although biased, view of the world he lives in. I would like to show the antagonist's perspective, mostly to expand the world I have created out of Phill Pullman's universe.

The news from New France wasn't what he wanted to receive; quite the contrary. According to the message he got from the base near Boston. One of the colonels has gone rogue and commanded some of his men to attack Dell's workshop.
This colonel needs to be severely punished, even if this person made the excuse that Dell kept declining his very generous offers, forcing him to act. Frank isn't sure why Dell declined, but he must've had his reasons.
A small groan escapes his throat, and Frank returns this message through the long-distance telegraph. 'Will report Colonel Turner's action to Cardinal, STOP.' A headache sneaks up through his temple, and attempting to massage it away does little against it. Frank can only pray that Dell was resourceful enough to survive that traitor's onslaught. Another sigh, and he resumes sending the message through the Morse code. 'Report about my son's whereabouts? STOP'

The telegraph soon responds, and Frank memorizing the code into second nature, listens intensely to what the person on the other side is reporting: 'Unknown if your son is alive, STOP. Found only severed hand, STOP. The rest of the bodies were Colonel Turner's men, STOP'

This brings him hope, yet also worries. "Dell might bay missin' one of his hands?" That will cause his son trouble with his carrier. His poor son, his future ruined. The colonel must suffer the consequence of having robbed the world of a brilliant engineer who can no longer build his inventions. 'I should offer him a worthy assistance.' One who can help his son construct his inventions, spare him from the embarrassment of having to abandon his chosen path.
Frank message the soldier that he got what he wanted, changes the transmission to the heart of the Church and reports the colonel to his higher-ups. The moment he received the message, they got it. He leaves the telegraph.

He heads to the main office, knowing Ross will be there as this is the time the head doctor is having his break.
The man, indeed is, reading the holy book while drinking his tea. Frank takes a seat on the other side of the table, waiting for Ross to address him, as this man prefers to avoid getting interrupted on his break.

Flipping the page and placing the cup beside his grooming daemon, "Of what do I owe you the favor?" Ross asks absentminded, his gaze kept to the book with the words of Authority.

"You mentioned a report 'bout thuh boy."

"Indeed," Ross slides over one of the folders beside him.

He begins to read the report the doctor, Ross, suggested to investigate Nathan's unfortunate daemon problem. The more he reads, the more disheartening Frank becomes about Nathan's salvation. The last experiment Doctor Ludwig did is damming, yet Frank does cling to a slimmer of hope. "Are y'all sure thus doctor's tests is legit?"

Ross breaks his gaze with his readings, meeting his eyes. "Doctor Ludwig might be troublesome and tends to ignore authority, but he is the best when it comes to this line of work. If his report state that this Defile's daemon has settled, then I believe his words." Frank opens his mouth, and Ross takes his hands up, stopping him. "I checked myself. The Defiled is attracting Dust."

That cannot be. There has to be a mistake, "But thuh daemon can still change shape." Frank argues, unable to wrap his head around the fact that Nathan's daemon has Settled.

"Yes, it confounds me as well. But the photograms do not lie, and if you want to know my opinion." Ross taps his book, and Frank skims that he was reading the part where the snake tempted Eve. "These tests reveal that our forefathers were right in disposing of these people. They were those who dammed the rest of us."

He is aware. The book does not fully say that people with a changing daemon were the snake, only that the devil was a shape-shifter. The parents of humanity's daemon Settled when they ate the forbidden apples. So, if a person whose daemon can still change shape, even when they are an adult. It only makes sense that those people, Nathan included, are the children of the tempter. Still, Frank had hoped he could've saved Nathan, but it seemed it was too late.
"Maeybe if we find thuh Defiled when thay is younger–"

"Sho you can shave them?" Ross's eyes leave the book, a brow slightly raised. Frank turns around, facing the newly arrived Viper. The man does not remove the battle suit or helmet covering most of his face, even around them. The head infiltrator of the Church laughs as if he is speaking a joke. "I tried that onche, and it worked. For a while, but no matter what I did, hish true nature alwaysh lurked."

"The tempter," Ross says.

Viper's daemon nods, "It ish their nature." she turns to him, amusement in those black, cold eyes. "Nothing chan change that."

So Nathan is truly a lost cause. It's a pity. Nathan does seem to have potential, but Frank can also see what his coworkers talk about. That boy has tried to tempt others; it might be a matter of time before he succeeds. Perhaps it's for the best that Viper deals with him. Speaking of which, "Whut is you plannin' on doin' with thuh Defiled after y'all done?"

The best infiltrator of the Church heads to the kettle, turning it on with, "I haven't yet deshided. Maybe I will ushe him to infiltrate the terrorishtsh. They are very good at that." With the black snake adding; "Thish one's hash weak willpower, eashy to break."

That reminds him. "Speakin' uh which. The men managed tuh capture thuh terrorists the Alchemist warned us 'bout." With the Alchemist dead, as the facility they were kept in is destroyed, they cannot track down more. They have to rely on the old fashion way once again. Perhaps it's a good thing Viper is around. "Do you wish tuh be part of thuh interrogation, Viper?"

"Doeshn't the prishon ward have the nesheshary toolsh?" The large black snake asks, meanwhile, Viper soaks the tea bag into the hot water.

Doing his best to ignore that Viper lets his daemon speak, Frank shakes his head. "Thus group destroyed a large part of thuh nearby facility. Accordin' to thuh report, thay seemed tuh bay searchin' for sumething. Might've succeeded if our soldiers weren't warned."

Viper sighs, "Very well, I will aid in the extraction of information."

Good to hear, as there might still be remnants of the terrorists, and Frank wants them all weeded out, as these terrorists are known to recover fast from hard losses. "I will inform Leonard hay an' thuh men can use thus facility for thuh interrogations."

"Who is the interrogator?" Ross asks. Frank looks at him, and that is enough. The head doctor groans tiredly, "Of course, it has to be Rahul…" he never liked that man, and Frank can somewhat see why. For some reason, Rahul tends to request Ross for medical examinations or whatever he now would need for the torture. Not sure why he wants Ross around, as the doctor loathes to be around this man who enjoys his job a tad too much. "I swear if he kills the terrorists before we gain the information…." Ross grumbles and leaves the room as well.

Frank sits silently, ruminating about what he has learned and how to go from there. Haina leans up against his leg, and he pushes her away, not wanting to give her a chance to put voice to his feelings about Nathan being a lost cause. It is a pity, truly, but the world will be better off without the offspring of the first tempter. That does put Frank in a bit of conflict, as he has allowed Nathan to be around the children. He did it out of pity, for this young man will never come home, be free to roam once again. He cannot be saved, yet Frank wants Nathan's remaining time to be somewhat free of worry. But what about now? Now that he knows it is in Nathan's very nature to be a tempter. Will he try and tempt the children onto the path of evil?

He does not have enough information to come to a proper conclusion, so Frank decides to speak with one of the people who tends to the kids.
The canteen is brimming with this facility's men of science and the women helping the men with their experiments or to keep the unruly children in check. Frank decides to first speak with one of the nurses; he catches one right before she goes to stand in line for the food. "May I ask you a few questions regardin' thuh children?"

The nurse is one of the older yet still young compared to some senior workers. She is taken aback by he is speaking to her, which isn't something Frank usually would do, but he wants to hear the view of his little conundrum from all sides. So that meant he had to converse with the lowest rank. "Oh, yes, o-of course." She replied, giving him a sweet yet awkward smile. Her terrier sits down beside her, unable to stop his tail from wagging. "What can I help you with, head engineer?"

"I would like tuh know how it's goin' with thuh children."

The nurse's smiles widen, but he can see that it's not fully genuine, simply training kicking in. "Everything is going just fine, sir. Seveal of them have successfully gone through the schooling progress and ae allowed to be sent home. There wee some who wee too unruly and wee sent away to The Station. The rest still needs moe time befoe the decision of whee they will be sent can be decided."

Good to know everything is going to plan, but that does still not answer what he wants to know. "how hav thay been lately?"

This time, the smile is replaced with a slight frown, yet there is relief in this nurse's eyes. "They have been incredibly well-behaved, sir. Ever since that strange young man joined, we haven't had any trouble with them. Even the troublemakers ae small angels." She shifts on her feet, suddenly avoiding his gaze altogether, "But something about that young man… I swear his daemon wasn't a rabbit." her daemon whimpers in response, disturbed about it as well.

That is Nathan alright, and according to this nurse, it sounds like he is making everything easier for them. He most likely just wants them home, but it does not matter; Nathan is helping them keep this batch of children in check.
"Thank you fer yer time." He tips his hard hat and leaves the nurse to presume her own business.
Frank asks other nurses and pretty much gets the same answers. Nathan's influence is making the nurses' job easier, and that is good. But what about those scientists that perform small tests on them?
He finds all of the men of science cluttered together at the table; Doctor Ludwig is there as well and seems much more interested in hearing what Doctor Rees is talking about.
Approaching, he hears, "– no idea what he said, but after your freak joined in handling the kids. All of them are acting like angels." the man grumbles, and he, for some reason, sounds disappointed about it.

"Oh, don't be disappointed you can't spank them anymore." Doctor Ludwig teases the senior man; it earns him a glare, but it only makes Doctor Ludwig widen his grin. "See it on the light side; it means you have more time for your actual work."

"True…" Doctor Rees muses but does not sound happy about it. "The Court of Discipline will be pleased to know so many have seen the light, but…" his daemon, taking the shape of a culpa, bares her teeth yet stays submissive stance, and Fabian suddenly becomes nervous. "The General Oblation Board has requested for more children, but with none of them acting out…."

"Just pick one of them." Doctor Palmer speaks, and his jackdaw flaps her wings, giving the fox a hard stare.

"I've tried, but Conagher and Ross keep stonewalling me." Doctor Rees grumbles, "It better be them that gets the blame; I am not going down because they "stick to the book.""

"It was thuh cardinal who gave thuh command 'bout how we should proceed with thuh children's schooling." Frank speaks up, thinking he heard enough. Even the doctors can feel the difference between when Nathan started helping. He may be a tempter, but as of yet, it sounds more like he guides the children toward the path of salvation. So, for now, he can permit Nathan to stay around the children. As for what the men of science spoke about. "Until we git another command, thuh General Oblation Board will hav tuh suffice in whut thur own people find an them few we send thur way."

"Of course, Mr. Coneghar, I meant no disrespect." Doctor Rees apologuises. Frank understands this man's troubles; he is currently the link between the other branch and theirs in the scheme of things.

He is willing to grant the doctor some piece of mind. "If thuh General Oblation Board causes you trouble, inform me, and I'll remind them of thur place." Doctor Rees nods, and his culpa lies down, much more relaxed by this small save. Now that his questions about whether Nathan should continue being around the kids have been answered, a new question about the dammed young man comes to mind. "Doctor Ludwig, whut is your current experiments?"

"I am currently doing a few tests about pain tolerance." The doctor replies, giving him an enthusiastic smile. "So far, my current tests resolve looks good. I will soon move to injuries known to create severe pain."

In other words, doctor Ludwig will soon do more than the few cuts Frank has noticed on Nathan's arms. Doctor Ludwig has permission, and Ross does mention that this man is brilliant at his skill. However, Haina wordlessly reminds him that Nathan will be exposed to torture while still being relatively innocent. He pushes her side of thoughts aside with the reminder that Nathan and every Defiled like him are not sinless. They are the children of the tempter, the one who dammed the rest of them. Whatever if he is innocent at the moment. It is only a matter of time before Nathan tries and tempts others to sin.
"Bay sure your future tests will not bay lethal." He reminds the doctor, who looks at him offended. Frank can see that he got that in common with Doctor Ludwig; they both pride their skill in their chosen field.

He leaves the doctors, and Nathan be, seeing no need to meddle in their affairs. Instead, Frank focuses on checking the security system maintenance, and so far, he sees no flaws. But he rather wants to be certain everything is alright, especially now they soon will get prisoners that were part of that infuriating and inferior group that dares to call themselves freedom fighters. That group is nothing but murderous gunmen that likes to destroy everything that does not fit their idea. They want anarchism, a world where every man and woman can only depend on their singular strength. Frank can almost laugh at how the terrorists believe in a world where women can be equal to men when it was a woman that caused the downfall of men.

"How ar zings going wis ze Defiled?"

Sounds like Vigil is off-hours at the moment. Good, Frank could use an ear with the troubling thoughts Hania has forced into his head. "One of thuh scientists has proved thet there's no hope for them people." He feels sorry for the Defiled, born to be tempters and never will be granted the grace and forgiveness of the Authority. Like the snake their forefather used, every child of the tempter will always have to crawl through the world and be feared by any as they are unable to resist their nature. "Thet young man's daemon has Settled, and since she can still change shape."

"It undoubtedly proves he is a Defiled." Frank nods that his old friend is correct. Vigil hums, and his daemon flaps over to the nearby shelf, briefly bobbing her head to focus better on him. Vigil allows his rifle to rest up against the wall, and he pulls out a pack of cigarettes. "By how you're ahcting, I say you got a bit too attached to zat one." He lights one of them and a good drag, "Best keep yoah distahnce, oah bettah yet, let me take caeh of him. I can make it quick, won't see it coming."

"Viper wants him alive." Vigil hums; Frank would, too, be taken aback by this. If he hadn't heard what he wanted to use Nathan for from the spy's mouth. "He wants to use thuh young one as bait."

"I see, to luah something biggah." Vigil puffs out the smoke and then sits not far from his spot. Allowing the humming of the machine envelops them is a calming sound. Tuning out the faint voices from the hallways. "I am commahded to anotha location."

"The terrorists?"

"No, ze gypsies ar ahcting out. Ze General Oblahtion Board went too fah by taking almost all zeuh children from zem."

Hmm, that can be a problem. The gypsies tend to keep to themselves and stick to the rivers of Britain, but they do not follow the Church's way, and that does cause conflict from time to time. The Cardinal leading Brytain had given the command to leave the Gypsies be, only enforce the rules if they start sticking their noses into Magisterium business. Which they seem to be doing now. "Try not tuh cause bloodshed." He informs Vigil, as he has taken notice of what the resistance tends to attract certain types of people. "We don't want them to join thuh resistance. Not when we is so close tuh finally gittin' rid of it."

"Zat is entiahly up to zem." At least Vigil won't be ready to shoot the leaders immediately. And hopefully, these vagabonds on the rivers aren't stupid enough to pick a fight. The alarm goes off, a signal the prisoners have arrived. Vigil bobbed his head in the hallway, the beard hiding the smirk. "I zink I will stick around foah a little while. I am curious as to whaht membahs you got."

That is always the big question; Frank does hope the others got the easier ones or, better yet, got the leader of this team. He and Vigil head to the main entrance, where Ross awaits the arrival of their prisoners. "Hey, what's going aun?" Defiled's voice cuts through the still blaring alarm.

Vigil meets his eyes, reminding him. Frank sighs but knows he has to break what feelings he got towards this one. He turns around and commands the nearby guard, "Take him back to his room." the soldier leaves his spot and grabs Nathan, who struggles against the grip.

"Hey! Let go auf me, asshole!" The young man looks at him, there is disdain, yet he still expects him to be kind. "What is going aun here, old man?!"
Frank turns his back to him; he does not want to look at this one more than he has to. Not when he knows he cannot be anything but a Defiled. Instead, he focuses on the people coming through the double door.

Several soldiers, all of them wounded, are dragging the prisoners with them. The first they get inside is a lean man around his late thirties. Frank is pleased to see they got hold of the scout, the member who is often the hardest to capture due to their obnoxious speed and agility. Thanks to the bullet wound on the right leg, this one stopped running. Leonard forces this man down, his komodo dragon holding the roe deer by the neck, yet no matter how hard the lizard bites, the deer still struggles. Frank groans at this, 'Of course we got a spirited one' he loathes dealing with those. The scout looks up; behind the middle-long reddish hair, brown-green orbs stare daggers at him. However, softens when they land on something behind him. Frank turns around and notices that the soldier hasn't taken Nathan away, and the Defiled stares at the scout, gone in a shocked stupor at the exchanged look.

The guard breaks the quiet exchange by forcefully dragging Nathan away, "Wait," he commands. A thought has come to mind, an idea to perhaps save this one's soul just a bit. "let him stay." the guard does, and Nathan looks at him, horrified, though he changes to befuddlement when the shouting from outside comes closer.

The next one they get in is a large woman. Paul and another soldier have to hold her, and even with her binds and the left arm close to being torn off, she does not come quietly. "Я сломаю каждому из вас, козлы, позвоночник и посмеюсь над диареей, которую он вызовет у ваших слабых жоп!"
She shouts in what he presumes is Bulgarian, maybe Russian. Frank can't honestly hear the difference. Whatever she is saying probably isn't something good.
What's worse, this woman has a tiger for a daemon, and even if he's muzzled, two ropes held by two other soldiers, and their daemons, both big dogs, are barely enough to keep that large beast in check. He is fighting against the restraints, and every swipe of the paws forces the dogs to back off; otherwise, they will get those claws deep into their faces.

Paul kicks her behind the leg, forcing her into a kneeling position beside the scout. Frank cannot see the logo on her shoulder; the cloth has been torn from the injury she received. Not that it matters; neither of them got their weapons. She shouts several choice words at Paul, and the big man punches her hard across the face and forces her head to the floor. Still holding her like this, "Oh, do look forward to seeing you break." he voices, a dark grin on his face.

"I die befoe I brek." The woman speaks in a thick accent and has the gall to spit in Paul's face. Understandably, the man is pissed by this show of disrespect but cannot do much other than slap her over the face against that defiant attitude.

Finally, the one causing most of the ruckus arrives. Like the rest, a well-built man was soaked in blood and still got a lot of fight in him. "Yu think yu have beten us?!" this man screams at the top of his lungs out into the room, a crazed look in his blue eyes. "Ha! I have fougt against bigga odds and left a tral of you maggots on my path! You better savor this moment, for soon, yu will be at the otter end of my gun, begging us for mecy!"
Frank exchanges a look with Ross; he, too, is already done with this loudmouth who cannot see when he's lost.

"Someone shut him up!" Paul shouts, and one of the men carrying this loudmouth's daemon inside a cage, having the shape of a bald eagle, gags the man, but that only tones down the volume. He is still yelling, only that no one can understand him now. "Crazy has been like that all since we caught them." Paul snorts, and Frank is surprised he hasn't killed this guy if this is what they have dealt with these past days.

Ross shares the same thought. "Then why didn't you kill him? We didn't need them all."

It's not Paul who answers, "We found this on him." Leonard shows the icon of four trapezes shaped into a circle. Seeing this instantly catches Frank's attention, as finding the logo of the terrorists on one of the members means not only getting a high-ranking one but possibly the leader. And right as Frank pondered if they got the latter. "He gave ow cawmands to the others; we got their leadah."

That is quite a catch, indeed. "Lucky catch," Paul's wolf demon growls in response; oh right, they had to listen to this man's shouting. "Did anyone git away?"

"I definitely put the spy down." Greg proudly reports, nodding to Leonard, "He got some good shots on their sniper, but I didn't see him drop."

"The Hevy took him and the Demomahn. Thy got away." Leonard responds calmly and kicks the still muffle, yelling soldier, "He myde sure of thaht." adding to the man walking inside from the doors. "Don't undeahstimyte this one. He's feahless and resoahceful."

The man Leonard addressed snorts a mocking laugh at the warning. "Let him try. Thee hasn't been one I haven't broken."

"Because most of them ends up dead," Ross points out darkly, earning the attention of Rahul.

The man with a large cut scar over his mouth smiles widely as his eyes land on the head doctor. "Oh Ross, so noce to see you hare! You just kan't get enoug of me." His daemon, a hairless and badly scarred cat leaps over to the hedgehog and begins to poke the spiked one like any cat would a wounded mouse. Rahul forcefully puts an arm over Ross's shoulders, still with that sadistic smile. "Loking forwad to woking with you agan, old chap."

The head doctor does not share the same sentiment and is a bit too happy to say, "Sorry to disappoint, but another has been assigned to the interrogation." he brushes the arm off, still having a fake smile, the mildly surprised torture. "But don't worry, he is very good at his job."

Rahul lets out a snort, "Pity" Still smiling, he leaves the room. And passing the young man, "Mabe I'm luky Vaper will let me play wit the Defaled." Frank glances back, and it seems Viper has revealed to the man who the Defiled was as Rahul casts a look at Nathan, showing yellow teeth in his smile. "I woud love to see how many shaps I can make it turn befoe the last breat." said Defiled's face goes white, and he tries to create further distance, but the guard has him tight.

"You sick motherfucker...!"

Rahul laughs. "Sure, I can do your moter too. Women's scrams are so sweet—"

"Enough." Frank stops this needless drama; he would like the show to end so they all can get back to work. "git yourself settled in an' put thuh doctor on interrogation duty sat up to speed on whut you want frum him. Viper will explain whut information we is lookin' for." Rahul makes a mock bow but leaves to get himself prepared.
He then turns to Nathan, 'lord, let him hear your words gist this once.' Frank quietly prays as he approaches this dammed young man. "Nathan, I need you to listen closely; thus is very important." He speaks softly and slowly, as he always does when addressing a child. Depending on Nathan's upcoming action, this may be the last time he will show him such respect. "We captured these people at one of our other locations. Searchin'. I think thay were the members y'all got in contact with durin' your liddel mishap out on thuh sea." Nathan's eyes widen, startled by his theory, and Frank hopes he will do the right thing.
"d'you recognize any of their voices?"

"I um… I'm not sure." Nathan replies, hesitant in his frightened stupor.

Paul snorts loudly. "This is a waste of time." He pulls the scout up, dragging him through the room. "We don't need-"

"Let him do zis." Vigil words cut hard, and the sharpshooter casts Leonard a titled side-glance.

Leonard stares at Vigil momentarily, then meets his gaze with Frank. He does not understand why, but at least their years of working together are enough for this favor. He closes his eyes, letting out a small sigh. "Fine."

Thankful for this chance to save this perhaps unruly but still so young Defiled. "Whudja tell them? How much do thay know?" He asks Nathan, but the young man does not speak for some reason, only stares at the three terrorists. Does he really have to tell him? "Nathan, these people is thuh source of all strife in our society. Everywhere thay go, mayhem an death follow." Frank puts his hands on Nathan's shoulders, trying to meet the brown eyes. "Do thuh right thang for once. Tell us what thay know; help us capture thuh remainin'." He begs Nathan, begs him to understand that he can still salvage this situation. He still can turn away from his true nature.

Nathan turns his eyes at the three members; for once, none of them are fighting against their captures or shouting a storm. Each of them stares at Nathan, awaiting his answer. Like Frank, waiting for Nathan to make his choice.
"I…" Nathan hesitates, afraid of what has been put onto him; it feels like he's fighting against his nature and the opportunity to do the right thing.

"There's always a light ahead." the scout suddenly speaks, breaking the silence. He winches in pain at Leonard's lizard biting down on his daemon, but it does not stop him. "Fight for this light, even if the fight might kill you."

The two eyes meet, and slowly, Nathan lowers his. His daemon changes shape, taking the form of a cat, and Frank sees a hardness appear in those brown orbs. It saddens him to see that the Defiled followed his nature to damnation "I told them you kidnapped children from families, brainwashing them, and yeah, I told them exactly where it was happening." The eyes are filled with defiance, but it only saddens Frank, for he can no longer see the young man he tried to save. "They will be coming."

"So it seems." But they will be ready. This mission is too important for the terrorists to destroy. "Take them to thuh prison cells." The prisoners get dragged away, and Frank turns to the Defiled, "Why d'ya you have to do thet?" why didn't this one refuse to be saved? "I am trying tuh save you."

"I don't want your help." the Defiled sneers in return, so much anger coming from him. "You think you know best, but your help is shit! And I ratha wanna be an outcast than be something I am not!" He struggles against the soldier, but it only gets the Defiled a single step against Frank. "I got a shape-changing daemon, and I am fucking proud auf it!"

Dammed he is, then… such a pity, but as Viper said. Only for so long can one hold their true nature down. "Take him back to his given room. Naw one but Viper and them given mah permission may enter his room."
The soldier drags the Defiled away, and Frank wishes it hadn't been this way, but there are just some people who refuse to hear the Authority's words.

_

Well, this new task Ross gave him was quite… intense? He did have to keep the prisoners alive, a difficult task considering that the torturer, a small and somewhat feminine-looking man who seemed to have used his daemon as a test subject in his earlier days in this job. The torturer enjoyed his career a lot, yet it quickly became apparent that he forgot that the human body is not as durable as people might think. It is actually very susceptible to damage.
Intense is a good word, but not to describe this first day in this new job. It was definitely bloody. The last time he got that much blood on him was when his mo… when someone bled out right on top of him. He shouldn't think about the past but instead about current events.
The prisoners were part of the terrorists, and two of them do live up to the image the radio and higher-up soldiers make when they share stories about meeting these splintered groups. The leader, by first glance, could easily have been mistaken for someone of Nordic decent, as he did have a Danish accent, but no, the prisoner proclaimed to be the last true American. That was a bold claim, but Josef doubted that guy knew anything about the old United States of America, only enough to go on a long-winded spiel about how proud he was about the whispers of a long-gone society. Pretty sure it was his way to resist the pain, for the torturer did not get anything but a history lesson out of him.

Josef admits that he is impressed by that man's resistance to the intense interrogation, though wish he could've been standing a safer distance as that man was loud, with a capital L.

The woman was Russian, her accent said as much. Most likely of Tartary decent, she was big and muscular, and although the one with the most wounds, that did not ease down on that bloodthirsty spirit those people have. Josef admitted he did not want to be near that one. Not only was the tiger demon willing to lash out at them, being the extra limbs and weapon none of them could remove, something Tartarian people were known for.
The only thing that kept limbs intact was the cage, and although Josef does not worry about bleeding out, he is glad that the tiger could not touch him with those claws as he could not for the life of him make a legit explanation as to why he wouldn't have a wound at the given spot the next day. He likes having this simple ability from his witch heritage, but it is also his biggest weakness. If not super careful, people will know something is different about him.

The torturer was quite set on breaking this female Tartar, but knowing those people's battle-harden lifestyle, Josef doubted that would happen. As she said, that woman would die before she would break.

The last one… the scout. He stood out among the two; he wasn't loud or overly aggressive. Defiant, however, that he had a lot of. Quite quick witted too. Did throw some rather good ones at the torturer and himself. Josef did find the nurse part offending, yet did see the humor in it. That man, he would break at some point. Though again, Josef doubts they can make him betray his comrades. There was a strong loyalty and a strong flame of hope in that man's eyes. Something the two others held as well, and something tells Josef that this scout was the cause of it.
What the man held hope at, he cannot tell, only that the torturer would be very proud of himself when he extinguished that flame.

The torturer was eager to perform his job and made it difficult for Josef to do him by keeping these prisoners alive. That must be why Ross was nearby, jumping in to scold the torturer, giving Josef the space and time to stabilize each prisoner. He did not like that Ross held his hand over him like that, but the torturer didn't heed his word throughout the entire progress. The man barely listened to Ross, a sign he do not care what others think. All that mattered was he performed his sadistic antics on the people put before him.

The first day was quite eventful. Bloody and intense, Josef prefers that above the bore of constantly following the flow Ross created. Aiding a torturer isn't a job he ever expected to get. Although Josef does not enjoy tormenting others to near death, he can see the opportunity to learn more from this unfortunate event.
Mr. Conagher did talk briefly to him about having been granted permission, but Josef was too deep in his own thoughts to fully hear what the topic was about. Not that he would admit that, so he was quick to pretend he listened to the man's words and appreciate the hoops the old engineer did for him.

Back at his office, Josef puts his tools into the bucket where all his used gear ends; tomorrow, a real nurse will come and clean them for him. Like his coat, the gloves smeared in the prisoner's blood come off, and he throws them in the trashcan. Noting himself 'I need to empty it before bed. Otherwise, my office will smell of blood', which involves all his clothing. The coat did not protect it from the blood, dotting his chest and parts of his pants with droplets of prisoner blood. Right as he moves to remove his coat, the door opens, making him put it back on again and check who decided to interrupt his private time.

A soldier steps in, dragging Nathan with him. The young man is not very responsive to being handled that way, and one look at the floor is enough. The soldier's mastiff daemon got a strong bite around the current dog-shaped daemon of this unusual young man. The man throws Nathan onto the floor, "Here's the subject. I'm outside if you need me." and leaves. The mastiff drops the terrier mix and follows her human outside the room. The door gets closed behind him. And Josef resumed getting the blood-soaked coat off, not bothering with the "subject" recovering on the floor. The bigger daemon's grip must've been hard by how Nathan is wheezing, a sign that he is no longer under Mr. Conagher's protection.
'Guess the rumors are true that Nathan let his "defiled" side come out.' The torturer did brag a lot about how he would enjoy getting his hands on Nathan and forcing his daemon into different shapes before taking his life.

He throws the coat into the basket for all his dirty clothing. And as he moves to remove the shirt. "Did you hurt them?" Nathan asks him weakly; one check and the young man has gotten up from the floor, though still not fully recovered from that guard's rough handling.

Ah, so Nathan knows about the prisoners. It must be where he "confronted" the old engineer. Such a foolish action. Meeting Nathan's eyes, Josef notices the gleam in them is different. The young man is scared, but not only for his own bleak future. Huh, this is a surprise. 'He feels sorry for the terrorists.' But is it because they will have to endure torturer to near death, or is it more because these people might've been Nathan't only hope of rescue. No idea, but it is an interesting thought to have.

"No, I kept them alive." he responds. Although proud, he managed to do just that. Josef is annoyed at how the torturer utterly ignored his words of warning. Not caring what he said and instead continued to try and kill the prisoners. Josef hates working with people who do not care about his medical opinion and instead do their hardest to ruin his good work in actually keeping someone alive. "All so the torturer can do his job." That is the downside of this new job and a very big one.

"Are they gonna die?" Nathan asks slowly, worried and afraid for people he has only laid his eyes on once.

The young man already knows the answer, but Josef can tell that Nathan wants to hear it. "Yes." He replies, walks into his private quarters, and puts on new clothing. The old, bloodied one gets thrown into the dirty clothing basket.
Nathan stares at an empty space between his writing desk and the table where his chemistry tools lie. A thoughtful frown over that young face as if considering his options. This is quite interesting as this one hadn't done much thinking beforehand. Josef is curious about what is on this one's mind, "What's on your mind, young one?" he asks, hoping Nathan can sort out his thoughts well enough to form coherent sentences.

"A lot, really, I mean, about everything that happened." Nathan admits, having a small, humorless chuckle. Still, the young man is trying to hold up a facade that whatever troubles him is more amusing. Not very good at hiding his true emotions, though. "That old geezer looked at me like anyone else who learned about Nalini. I'm used to it, but it still sucks, you know? Been stared at like I am a freak— he ain't talking to me anymore. Guess I really made him mad."
And here goes the hope of avoiding a long-winded speech that one likes to talk. Terrible sorting his feelings and thoughts into simple sentences, though. "It's like everyone is— I don't know, lying. Giving me shit, not being like anyone else. I'm getting sick that everyone is treating me like something lessa. But it still felt good to give him a piece auf my mind, but Mr. Conagha, he– he no longa got my back, right?" Nathan looks briefly at him; the fear for his own well-being is strong in those plain brown eyes. Then the young man averts his gaze away, unable to stand still as he continues translating his messy thoughts into words. "I mean, I doubt he will. Not the way he looked at me; no aune who gave me that look eva got my back." Nathan lets out a small, scared laugh, dropping to the floor beside his daemon. "that scarface guy… he's going to do the same to me as he does with those people, ain't he?" Josef jerks his head slightly at the long-winded talk turned in this direction. But it's not like Nathan is dumb; he merely lacks certain awareness of his surroundings, enough to know that he is screwed. "when Viper is done with me. I'm no bedda auff than them, right?"

He figures this is where Nathan wants him to give him a pep talk, but unfortunately. This is a hole Josef cannot help Nathan up from. "You are a fool." He tells the young man straight out. It makes Nathan look at him, and Josef does wonder if he is looking at this one the same way Conagher did. "If you had been smart, you would've played along with Frank Conagher. He could've kept you safe from the torturer's tools, maybe kept you relative safe from Viper as well. But now." Josef sighs, as much as he hates to admit it. He has come to relatively care for this fool. Nathan isn't the only one who knows how it feels to be shunned for something he cannot help. Though unlike him, Josef knew how to hide, but… hiding such big parts of himself, it is torture all on its own. He decides to take a small risk and takes one of his birds out of the cage. And while petting it, "You gave him the push to view you nothing but as a Defiled." he states to Nathan. Letting the dove join Achemedies, "I can't risk sticking my neck out for you." Josef loathes himself that he has come to care for this one, creating a bond he knew would be torn away as those mercenaries did to someone he cared deeply about. He hates feeling just as helpless as he did when those people removed a link to the more fantastic side of his genetics.

Nathan drops his head, hiding it between his arms. His daemon sits beside him, making a small whimper of worry. "I really fucked up, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." He tells that one straight out. It did not make Nathan feel better, nor did it for Josef. Why did he allow himself to let this foolish boy in? He knew Nathan had a knife to his throat, a test subject for him to use. He should've let it stay that way, but of course, this one had to discover his secret, and Josef was stupid enough to open up to him. He sighs and waves dismissively at Nathan. "All I can do is keep up the act of you being a useful test subject," He walks over to his desk, sits, and rests his chin on his folded hands. "but I won't get in between if anyone comes for you." Josef simply cannot risk it. Not when he has worked so hard to survive in a world that does not accept someone like him.

It is harsh words, but Nathan does not get angry at him. Instead, the young man makes a half smile. "Yeah, I get it. Thanks anyways." This takes him by surprise, and it must've shown on his face that the young man is kind enough to elaborate, "You're the aunly one who has been honest with me. I, uh…" Nathan scratches the back of his neck. Out of all time, now he is at loss of words. So his daemon looks at him, speaking for the young man, "Appreciate it."
Nathan nods, still avoiding looking his way. "Yeah, I mean, I am still fricking stuck in this crap show, but well, it- it's kinda nice to have someone to talk to, you know? Someone not treating me like a lessa person, just a normal aune."

Josef finds this somewhat amusing, in the manner that Nathan used too many darn words when he could simply say thanks for being treated as a person. "We freaks have to stick together." He gives the young man a smile, which Nathan weakly returns.

The soldier came and pulled Nathan away an hour later, but Josef likes to think that the talk he had with him helped the young man's mood a bit. However, this small window of peace won't last long. It is only a matter of time before Viper sets his luring plan in motion, and if this target does not arrive, then the master spy will throw Nathan to the torturer. Sealing his fate along with the prisoners. 'I like to think these people belonged to your team.' For Josef got this faint sense of knowing them when he looked at these terrorists. Something tells him he got these feelings because she had been interacting with them, but Josef is not sure. He sneers in annoyance 'It at these times I wish I had learned how to see and hear the world through you.' But he never got the chance to learn how. Leaving him unaware of what she sees as anyone else. Sometimes he hates being normal.
The silence of his office surrounds him; only his finger tapping on the table breaks the eerie quiet. 'I don't know how much she knows from our link. If she can put a voice to what I know. If there is a way to…' he stops his tapping; an idea has come to mind. Josef might not know how to see through her eyes, but Sylvia is still his daemon; the link is there. She feels what he feels. Josef gets up, heads to the books he brought himself over the years and grabs one he has only used a few times. This time, it might be the game changer.
He puts the book that translates Morse code, and after sharpening his pen, Josef begins to tap onto his arm, carefully making sure to do each letter correctly. "Are… you… alive." he speaks to himself as he makes the dot and dashes into his skin, using the pain as communication. He continues to repeat that sentence, only stopping when he feels the touch.

He recognizes it is from her protector, one he has never laid eyes on but has come to care about. The touch is gentle like he remembers, and Josef would've lost himself to it as he usually did… if the touch hadn't changed.

Dash-dot-dash-dah... dot... dot-dot-dot.

The moment the touch— the message stops, Josef frantically hauls the book over, repeating the dot and dashes, and one by one, he finds the letter they translate into. He breathes out in relief, but of course, that is obvious; otherwise, he wouldn't have felt the protector. But it's more than his idea bore fruit; he got a line of communication.
Retaking the pen and checking each letter, he carefully messages back, trying to make them as short as possible. "Caught…. three… members…" he waits for a moment, then continues."Your... team."

The protector answers, making sure the dot and dashes are slow so he gets a chance to translate, "They... with... you."

The answer is simple but loaded. "Yes."

"Where."

Again simple, "Bristol."

The reply takes longer to come; something tells Josef that the protector is weighing their options. And when he writes down the translation, "How… big… army." it is clear the protector wants to save the others, though something tells Josef that it won't be that easy.

Still, he responds, "One.. platoon…" and it only takes him a moment to add the extra danger. "Master… spy. Head… engineer… too."

The reply comes as soon as he stops. "How… long."

How long do their team members have? Josef is certain that is the full question, and with how the torture is. "Two… week… if… lucky."

The dot and dashes are much more… hesitant this time around. And he can see why as he translates; "Can… you… help." Josef frowns at this question.

He is unsure how much Sylvia has told them, but surely she must've revealed that he is educated in medicine. He taps the pen into the skin but finds himself hesitating. Josef wants to aid the protector; he wants to meet them. But doing so will put his life at risk. 'Since when did you worry about your own safety?' He can almost hear Sylvia asks him with a hint of snark; Josef chuckles at it. Still, with a smile, he responds, "Yes… very… risky."
He does not get a response, only a gentle touch down his back. It causes his body to release tension he did not know he held. Breathing out, Josef opens his eyes again. A smirk on his lips from the idea of how to do this help. "Hm, looks like I have to use Nathan as a test subject." He's sure the young man wouldn't mind. His beloved pets land on his shoulders, and Archemedies coos at him, sounding almost like a question. Josef often pretends his favorite dove is talking to him. "Oh yes, Archimedes," he brushes a finger over the bird's chest, and the smirk widens at the first excitement he has felt for years of boredom. "time for some proper work."

**Next day**

The moment he is allowed to leave the prisoners, Josef commands the guard to fetch Nathan; he is eager to get to work. And surely, if this works, the prisoners will forgive him for aiding the torturer.
The second bloody clothing is thrown into the basket, new set on, and right as he corrects the sleeves, Nathan arrives.
The second the guard has closed the door, "I have a plan to help the prisoners." he grabs his old notes, leaves his private quarters, and makes a quick stride over to his chemistry lap. "If I can get them back on their feet and free from their cages. They should be able to cause enough chaos so you—"

"And the kids?"

"And the kids." Josef nods, though do not openly care about them. Thanks to Nathan's influence, the children are safe from harm and likely only a couple of weeks from being sent home. "I have been experimenting with the theory I can use my inert healing on others." Nathan's face lights up, but he has to burst the young one bobble. "however," he lifts his hand, "this concoction is still in its early stages, and I am under a very strict time limit as the torture is doing his job a tad too well." The scout almost died today when the torturer broke his daemon's back, the man survived. But Josef doubts the roe daemon ever can use her hind legs again. Anyway, back to the topic, "I need to test it on you."

This takes Nathan by surprise by that deer in the headlight look he got. "Um, sure?" He shifts around on his feet. "Is it… is it gonna hurt?"

"Most likely," Josef shrugs. It involves needles, and he has taken note that Nathan here does not like those. "I need to cut you and use hypodermic needles." Not to mention the healing serum might hurt like a horse kick to the stomach. But with Nathan's consent, "Let us start" Josef takes out a needle, finds a blood vessel, and takes out some of his blood. Past tests did reveal a major part of his healing lies in the blood. With that set, he takes out several things he wants to test if they can form the binding he needs. "Injecting my blood into others does not transfer my healing to them… so, let's see what allows it to stick." He decides to start with something he knows will add to the healing properties; blood moss. He crushes the plant and drops the pieces into a vial. Bobbles begin to float up from the concoction, a sign that this can close larger injuries. Still, this blend will not work on other people. Tried once, did not work. "What if I add hydrogen peroxide?" Josef ponders and grabs the bottle. Besides, it is something he managed to smuggle inside. "Oh, let's try out this too," he grins and pulls out the bottle with snake venom. Of course, he cannot add too much. Can't have he kills Nathan, that wouldn't look good, and Josef does pride himself that no one dies under his care.

While he makes different vials with different amounts of contents, Josef barely takes note of Nathan, though he does hear the annoying feet tapping. "So, uh, can you do any magic? Witches can do magic, right?" At least he stops the tapping by talking. Josef prefers talking.

He pours some of the snake venom into one of the vials. "Oh, no, I can't do any magic. Only heals faster than normal." though he wishes he could do magic or at least partly share his inert healing.

"That's all you got? No ability to fly aur long life span?"

"No, quite the disappointment, really." He chuckles, then, with the vials, gets over to Nathan. "Males got the short end of that stick. But I have heard men learn to control the weather." he briefly explains while getting the first vial into the hypodermic needle.

Nathan grins, "Hey, that's pretty cool."

"Indeed," he cuts the young man's arm, causing a winch from Nathan. Ignoring the reaction, Josef injects the vial with mostly hydrogen peroxide. Clearly, that hurt a lot at how Nathan let out a scream of pain, and if Josef didn't hold his arm, then that one would most likely be rolling on the floor. "That hurt like a bitch!" His daemon exclaims, the rabbit is jumping around, also in clear pain.

Okay, so no hydrogen peroxide; it does not help with the healing. Only cleaning the wound, but that he can do the old-fashioned way. "oh, don't be such a baby." He brushes Nathan's cry of pain off and takes another vial, this one with snake venom. Again, it hurt Nathan, but Eruka! The blood bonded to another. "Oh, this is good." Josef smirks and quickly adds the snake venom to another vial, adding blood moss and giving it a good stir. When the moss cannot be seen. Josef injects this new concoction into the wiring in pain, Nathan. The wound heals instantly, and the young man slowly stops acting up. This is a great breakthrough. Now to larger damages. He takes the scalpel and leaves a larger cut over Nathan's arm, big enough to be dangerous if not treated. Josef injects this concoction, and it does stop the bleeding, but not as potent as he would've liked, so that cut will leave a scar. "Perhaps a bit more blood moss?" He goes to do that and decides to add a bit more venom as well.

"Hey doc, have you eva thought about joining the terrorists?"

Josef chuckles, all the while adding more of the dried-up blood moss. "I probably have to after this." for he will definitely not be safe if this plan works. Hmm, maybe if he adds fresh blood moss? The healing properties will be enhanced. Worth checking out at a later date.

"So, why do you help them?"

"My daemon is with one of the members." He simply replies, not feeling up to explain how he knows that. Never thought he would join the terrorists before, but now, well, maybe they can give him the freedom to experiment as he would've liked.

Nathan sends a small smile his way. "Hey, maybe we can join togetha." This is a bit of a surprise for Josef; sure, the Magisterium has not been fair to Nathan. But is this truly enough to make Nathan ready to risk his life for… whatever the terrorists fight for. Or maybe Nathan is just so pissed that he wants to put a bullet through the soldier's head; Josef won't judge if that's the case.

I decided not to make Doctor Josef too open about himself to Nathan. Sure, they have shaped an alliance, but trust is still getting there. And honestly, they aren't friends. Merely allies in a tricky plus dangerous situation.
The healing serum he's making is heavily inspired by how the medigun from Team Fortress 2 was created but with other substances. My sister suggested the snake venom, while I long knew blood moss would also be part of it.