VIKTOR
The doors opened again at the afternoon sun, as the young, fully masked enforcer Jeferson walked in with that glass of sweetmilk and the salad dish for the 'guest' waiting in the hospital ward with apparently nothing to do and nowhere to go, all under orders of Councillor Talis. Even Jeferson himself couldn't believe this, and not because of this 'Viktor' not being at house arrest or in prison, though it seemed this one did nothing but survive the worst explosion Piltover had seen yet.
It was rather because Jeferson now had to become both his watcher and even the butler, having to hand out the food, and this was barely the first day. If anything, both Stilwater or his house would serve that one, apparently harmless, all the better. But then, who'd ever question the orders of a Councillor, whom ordered his superior officer at the Precinct to provide 'someone able'?
The doors with both door guards outside closed, as he approached the bed of the figure, which himself was on his feet, staring at the city's coast outside the window.
Well, if anything, for a 'prison' for that one, it had quite a view...
"Excuse me, I just arrived with the lunch.", Jeferson called, as this Viktor, on hospital robes and wearing a mask covering his face fully, turned around.
"Oh, much appreciated, please leave it there.", Viktor replied in a weak voice, returning to his bed and pointing at the nearby, empty trolley, which the enforcer started to approach and properly put the silver tray with the dish, under a lid and the sweetmilk glass in there. Viktor waited as the enforcer turned around to leave. "In fact, perhaps you should have some of the milk. A token of appreciation, if any."
"Uh, sir, pardon me, but I'd not be allowed-", Jeferson started.
"I know of this, but we both also know none of us wished to be here.", Viktor replied, nodding with a small sense of empathy. "And given we'll be spending days on this, we both could appreciate the company."
Jeferson simply looked to the side for a moment and then back to Viktor, whom simply titled his head as if shrugging. "Ah, what the hell...", he muttered, removing his mask, now hanging on his neck by a strap, and lifting his googles, revealing a tanned face. "It's not like my superiors think I've got anything else to do, right?"
"Evidently.", Viktor replied, pointing to a nearby sink. "There's a cup over there you can use."
Jeferson walked to the sink, picking up the cup laying there, empty and left there for some reason. As he approached Viktor with the cup, Viktor took his and poured some of the sweetmilk into Jeferson's.
"Truth be told, I was never much a fan of that...", Jeferson commented.
"It's a weakness of mine.", Viktor said. "I have always enjoyed the... anise flavor. Salute."
Both toasted as Jeferson took a sip of his cup. Jefferson could only feel the strange taste on that one. Must be the mentioned anise flavor. Viktor took his sip afterward, him lifting the mask to only expose his mouth.
"I'll be frank, you do look like a decent person.", Jeferson said. "Which doesn't help make any more sense of this. I mean, you may be close friends with a Councillor and all, but couldn't he just put you somewhere else BUT a hospital? Also, this order to 'confine' you, out of nowhere?"
"Not quite out of nowhere, unfortunately.", Viktor answered, covering his mouth back with the mask. "Let's just say that, in my latest venture into science, some... lines had to be crossed, in that respect."
"Oh.", Jeferson said, non-chalantly.
"Yes.", Viktor nodded. "And yet, think about this: if some lines were never crossed, how would I, a scientist, how would any scientist have ever come across a discovery? Take Piltover, for an instance, what was this city, before Hextech came?"
Jeferson shrugged, as he finished taking his second sip. "Well, it wasn't bad, but still...", he muttered.
"Exactly.", Viktor followed. "And to think all of this now, the comfort, everything, it came out because of... a boom. An explosion. Almost as if... a new universe was born out of it. It would be quite fascinating a theory."
Jeferson simply stared at him, a bit concerned. "Well, that's... your opinion.", he said. "I, as an enforcer, can't say I like explosions as much... Even more with all this that happened."
"Oh, you must mean this Jinx person.", Viktor said. "Quite understandable, I did hear a bit about her. Also had a chance to examine one of her... bombs, if you could call them that."
"And what, you found something?", Jeferson asked, curious, taking the third sip, though he could swear he was a bit more light-headed now.
"No, I couldn't be much of an investigator or detective you enforcers so treasure.", Viktor answered. "But they were intriguing, nonetheless. Such a level of mechanical sophistication, all made out of scraps, and the chemical compositions mostly made out of over the counter products... It's almost, dare I say, on a gifted level."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa...", Jeferson said, a bit dizzy, with a light headache. "I'd be careful with saying that out loud, sir, that'd be almost making yourself an accomplice."
"The fact she is a wanted criminal should not stop us from seeing her talents with admiration.", Viktor replied. "Wasted talents, but still talents."
"You be the judge of that.", Jeferson said, feeling dizzy and almost tired.
"That kind of recalls an old thing.", Viktor said, contemplative. "Do you like birds?"
"What...", Jeferson said, feeling dizzy.
"There was this old fairytale I was told in my childhood, long before I came to Piltover.", Viktor said. "A very young bird, the youngest, daring of all, soaring the skies, in total glee. Living the time of it's life, as if nothing would ever change. And then came the day it did. A bird of prey, on it's hunting day, swoop down the young little bird, making it fall hard to the ground. The bird miraculously survived. But it's wings didn't. And even as time passed and there was no more pain, the wings were ruined beyond repair. He couldn't fly anymore. The bird anguished over that."
"Huh...", Jeferson said, almost drooling, as Viktor 'helped' his fellow man take another sip.
"Days had passed before the bird decided he'd have no more.", Viktor continued, as he subtly took the enforcer helmet, googles and mask out of Jeferson. "On this fateful day, he prepared to jump, fully aware he'd fall to his fatal fate, but he wanted to at least feel that gust of air for one last time. But as he was about to jump, he was pulled away by an unexpected creature. A squirrel. You see, the squirrel had been observing the poor little bird ever since he fell to the ground. Having to survive alone, his dreams shattered. The squirrel decided enough was enough of observing and took the bird in to his village. Nurtured and healed him."
Jeferson himself was feeling heavy, and almost sweating, as Viktor started unbuttoning his jacket.
"The squirrel then taught the bird his profession.", Viktor said, taking the jacket off, even as Jeferson tried laying a hand to stop him, but Jeferson, he couldn't tell how, simply felt too weak. Too tired. "You see, the squirrel wasn't like any other squirrel. That squirrel happened to be an inventor. And this made the bird take an interest in that, in that, perhaps, an invention could help him fly again. A hope renewed. And so went to work with the squirrel until the day came he could have wings again. Wings, this time, of iron. Far stronger than those that predator bird destroyed before. And so the little bird could fly again, but remembered to return to the squirrel, and be forever thankful."
"What...", Jeferson tried asking, but was in a heavy headache. "How..."
"Yes, I know, I too once thought that tale was a baloney.", Viktor said, getting on his feet and helping Jeferson lay down on the bed, checking if no one was nearby. "I mean, it didn't make sense, all this and the bird doesn't do anything against the very one that destroyed his life, his very reason to be? The injured bird simply goes away as if nothing happened? I indeed got outraged at first, I won't deny it. That bird of prey should have got it coming to him."
Viktor arranged for the pillow to be placed under Jeferson's head, as he took what seemed to be a broken half of a cane, with a mesh of hospital instruments, a tray and strings mounted across to simulate a mechanical hand, picking it up as well as a bandage roll.
"Of course...", Viktor continued, taking the cane and the bandage roll and starting to envelop the cane around his injured arm, tying it up with some difficulty. "I had to get a lot older to understand the meaning behind the story. It was never about revenge, that we frequently confuse for justice, for some wrongdoing. It was about the bird, the pain and how he overcame it."
He glanced at Jeferson, almost passing out.
"It's about how bad things happen, and there is nothing we can do to prevent or avoid them. They'll happen when they have to happen. It's instead about how we can choose to react to them. Just like now. This bad thing happened to me, and I'm choosing my reaction to it. I'm choosing that I am not staying here, to wait my fate, no matter how much Councillor Talis wills it. And though I may look like YOUR bird of prey now, trust me, you'll be all the better for it. The drugs should wear off in a couple of hours, and you'll wake up with a headache."
By then Jeferson passed out completely.
"You're welcome.", Viktor said, taking a breath as he got on his feet and went to work on trying to look as close as possible to an Enforcer.
Despite some complications, and the fact we wasn't as able to tie the boots, Viktor looked the part, at least, he hoped, convincingly enough to pass through the Hospital, at least in a hurry.
The enforcers at the door didn't pay much keen attention to how the leaving 'Jeferson' looked like, and the fact he as holding the dish tray at the bottom helped conceal whatever it is that replaced his left hand. They also didn't notice the untied boots.
Viktor managed to get out into the open, but he knew time was clearly against him at that point.
And soon would be everyone else topside.