Chapter 4
Likely Suspects
The savory scent of sautéed onions would have greeted Viktor as he returned home had his mask not filtered out the aroma. As it was, it was the sound of oil sizzling in a pan that first alerted him to Ren's presence. Viktor went to the kitchen and found his apprentice cooking at the stove, softly humming a jaunty tune as he did. The melody, as Viktor recalled Ren saying, was one that his father would hum as he worked.
"Welcome home, Doc." Ren greeted without looking up from the pan.
"Good evening." Viktor replied.
He walked over just as Ren added a bowl full of minced pork to the pan. Ren mixed the meat in with the already cooking onion and celery. Every few stirs, he sprinkled in dried thyme, ground black pepper, brown sugar, and cinnamon powder.
"Remember that butcher we helped with fixing her augment?" Ren held up his augmented hand and flexed his fingers for emphasis. "Stopped by her shop on the way home and she gave me a good deal on sausage filling. This won't be the prettiest looking meal but it should taste good. And best of all, I didn't even spend the whole food budget."
He pointed over his shoulder to where a handful of washers sat in a pile. It wasn't much, but Ren was continuing to stay within his allotted budget and using the change to save up to expand their spice rack. Viktor gave a nod of approval.
"Food should be ready in 'bout ten, fifteen minutes or so." Ren continued. "One of the nice things about you Doc is that like you're always home between sixth and seventh bell. It makes planning when to cook easy."
Ren grabbed a bowl containing little bits of chopped apples and dumped them in with the rest.
"Do you require assistance?" Viktor asked.
"Not from your unwashed hands. Thanks though. I've got this under control."
"I will go sanitize."
Viktor left the kitchen.
Leaving parts of his care in the hands of another was still something Viktor was getting used to, even after so many months living alongside Ren. He had always enjoyed being self-sufficient but he would not deny that between the two of them, Ren was the better cook. There was nothing to be gained in pretending otherwise.
Back in his room, Viktor placed his staff on its stand and hung up his cape. His hex-claw and most of his armor however, he kept on. He had too many experiences in life that left him with paranoia to be prepared to fight at any time. At his workbench he disinfected his augmented hand with practiced swiftness before moving to do the same with his organic hand in the washroom. Only after that did he return to the kitchen.
By now Ren had finished cooking and was scooping the meal onto plates.
"Don't know what I would call this, but it smells good." He said as he placed the plates on either side of the table.
Viktor removed his mask and put it down by his seat, finally allowing the aroma of onions and herbs to reach his nose.
"It smells appetizing." He commented.
"Thanks."
Ren went to the oven a final time and placed a baking dish full of chopped apples covered in sweet spices and topped with chunks of butter into it before plopping down into his seat.
"Dig in."
And Ren did.
It was not a beautiful meal, minced meat rarely was, but it smelled wonderfully savory and tasted even better. Apples and onions leant their natural sweet flavors to the fatty meat, while the crunch of the celery balanced out the savory dish. Viktor thought it was a pleasant combination.
Viktor would have been content to eat in silence. Ren however, was not. After only a few minutes of eating in silence, he attempted to start a conversation.
"So, what do you think?"
"It was competently prepared."
Ren gave a small smile and smirked at the response.
"Thanks. And how was your day?"
"Productive."
"You were able to help your patient?"
"I was. She was in worse condition than I had anticipated but the operation was a success and she will recover."
"Good. I'm glad."
"And there was one surprise."
"Oh?"
"One of the nurses who aided me, Lazar, was an assistant of mine from before the destruction of my first lab. He appeared to be keeping with his studies over the years, which was pleasing to see."
"Former student?"
"In a way. Back then I was so occupied with my work that I did not teach those who followed me in the same manner that I more directly instruct you. They learned by working under my direction and observing me as I worked."
"You? Too focused on your work? I don't believe it." Ren chuckled. "It's cool that you met up with him though. It's nice to run into old friends."
"He was not a friend, he was a follower, but yes, it was pleasant to see him doing well for himself. He always had a bright mind and was dedicated to the ideal of a better Zaun. The Church will be a beneficial place for him."
Ren nodded and took several more bites of his food. Then he continued to speak, sparing Viktor the need to ask the obligatory question of "and how was your day?"
"My day was alright. Went shopping, helped some people, got into a fight."
"Renatus."
"It was fast, I won, I didn't get hurt."
"I advised you to avoid conflict."
"You advised me not to overexert myself, which I didn't, it was fast, and to use my best judgement, which I did. If you had been there you would have agreed with me."
Viktor let out a thin sigh. He had anticipated this, response and all, but was still mildly frustrated to see that his prediction had been correct.
"Did you injure yourself?"
"Nope. Guy couldn't lay a finger on me."
"You can still injure yourself from your own actions. Monitor your body. Tell me if you become sore or develop bruises."
"I will."
There were a few more moments of quiet eating and then Viktor's curiosity got the better of him.
"What was happening that you felt compelled to interfere?"
Ren's eyes lit up. He swallowed what was in his mouth without bothering to chew it further.
"Extortion, happening right out in the open."
For the next several minutes, Ren recounted his tale and Viktor was able to eat without being expected to respond. When he had finished, Ren let out a sigh.
"I might have overdone it though. That man I saved, he seemed afraid of me."
"You approached them suddenly, started a fight with little provocation, destroyed the augment of an opponent larger and older than you, and then threatened to disfigure your opponent's face. To a bystander, you would have appeared to be a dangerous and violent individual. But that is the way of the world at times. People will fear the aid you offer."
Ren's expression fell but he still smirked as he spoke.
"Sounds like you speak from experience."
"I do. You believe what you are doing is right though."
"And that's what's important, yeah, I know. Thanks."
A timer on the oven dinged and Ren got up to check on the apples. He pulled them out, stirred them around so the now melted butter coated them all, put the dish back in the oven, and set the timer again. He was quiet when he sat back down, mentally going over what he had done earlier, when a question came back to his mind.
"Hey Doc, there was one more thing I wanted to talk about. Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Who are the Matches? The guy I beat up was pretending to be one of them."
"They were a gang that used to operate here in Entresol."
"You've heard of them?"
"Yes, I am familiar with them. We are sitting in their old hideout. Moyna had discovered that they were planning to release toxic gas through vents after several merchants refused to pay the protections they demanded. She told me and I eliminated the threat."
"Oh."
Ren knew that the Emberflit house was a building in which Viktor had fought people in. He saw the scorch marks all over the house every day, never paying them much mind beyond plans to cover them up (priority 30) someday. But hearing Viktor use the word "eliminated" gave grim new context to the burns.
As if sensing his apprentice's thoughts, Viktor spoke.
"You are wondering if I killed any of them. I did. They were threatening to poison an entire district. I had to act decisively. The last time I faltered in my resolve many died. I do not regret my decision to kill the Matches. I believed what I was doing was right."
Viktor studied Ren's expression, watching his brow softly crease with concern, his lips purse tight, and his eyes search Viktor's own expression for something. Answers? Remorse? Self-assured confidence? He wasn't sure.
"Do you think less of me knowing I am a killer?"
"No. I, I understand."
Though Ren's voice wavered, Viktor believed him. The boy had grown up in the Sump. He knew life could be violent. He knew that he had attempted to kill Jayce.
"Just hope I don't ever have to make that choice. Breaking bones and augments is one thing but, you know." Ren shrugged and crumpled his expression further.
"I hope for that as well. It is not a pleasant choice to make." Viktor answered in as comforting a tone as he was capable of.
"You think they'll try to take revenge?"
"I would hope they would not, but if they do I will fight them again. Something we should also consider is that we do not know if the individual you fought even knows if the gang has reformed or not. He could have lied about that as well."
"Yeah." Ren sighed. "Sorry to bring the mood down. I should've asked after dinner."
To Viktor there had been only the slightest shift in mood from when they had first sat down. He had spoken as matter-of-factly about the Matches as he had his patient and the quality of the food.
"You asked a question in earnest." he said. "I would rather you ask me them than let them trouble you."
"Thanks."
For the remainder of dinner, Viktor directed the conversation, explaining his ideas for improving the sump scraper's augmentation. When dinner was done Ren took the baked apples from the oven. Only when he took a deep breath of their sweet aroma did his mood begin improve again. They ate the dessert and Ren shared his ideas for improving the recipe. He admitted to being a little hesitant to add the savory hint of thyme to a sweet desert, but after tasting it he agreed that it was right choice and mentioned that the next time he made the dish he planned on adding more maple if he could afford it.
With both dinner and dessert out of the way, Viktor took his leave for his workshop to begin drafting blueprints for the improvements he had spoken of. Keeping the kitchen clean was Ren's responsibility as the apprentice. Ren hailed the automatons Mary and Percy, directing them to sweep the floor and wipe down the table while he washed the pans. Once the kitchen was suitably clean, Ren grabbed the Piltovan Inquirer and sat down to read in hopes that the "valueless tabloid" could take his mind off its lingering troubles.
A peaceful hour passed and Viktor was well into drawing the blueprint when Ren's voice cut through the silence.
"Hey Doc,"
There was a concerned whine to Ren's voice that Viktor did not like. Before Viktor had a chance to replay with even a "what," he heard the younger man's steps rapidly approaching. Then, with more force than Viktor thought was necessary, Ren threw open the door to the workshop and practically fell over himself stumbling into the room. The Piltovan Inquirer was in his outstretched hand opened to an article about a murder.
"Right here," Ren panted, "it paints you as the suspect to this murder! You haven't been topside the whole time I've known you, but it did!"
Viktor remained calm.
"This is not the first time I have been accused of a crime I have not committed. I am these cities' boogeyman, remember? I do not believe you need to concern yourself."
"But the docks and the burns and the victim –"
"Renatus, tabloids such as this will imply my involvement to create intrigue for their stories so they can sell more copies. They never have evidence to support their accusations and if they do, they are purely coincidental and are easily disproven with even the slightest amount of actual investigation."
Ren still held the article out. He was not calmed by Viktor's words in the slightest.
"Do you remember the name 'Voso' at all?" he asked.
"It is familiar."
Ren did not give Viktor time to search his memories.
"That Piltie last month, the one I broke the arm and nose of? I took his enforcer armband and you made me look up which clan he served. He worked for Clan Voso. Viktor, we could be suspects!"