Chapter 1-4 Karl Heisenberg
Work was the only thing he knew, ever since he was given the title 'Lord' by his adopted mother. He was seen as one of the leaders in this isolated community, but with no regular humans left to tend to the village, it was practically a ghost town now. Not that he cared, he never mingled with them to begin with, those towns folk and their blind devotion. For as long as he could remember, his whole life had been stationed in his rustic factory that belonged to his ancestor in a distant past. He tended to it over the years, upgrading it to accommodate his own visions and goals. Striking a match, a small flame collided with the end of a fat cigar. Once lit, gloved fingers held onto the base and brought it to a pair of lips that took a drag. The tar in his mouth made the man feel alive, of course it wouldn't do anything to his body. Still, when you have no consequences for what you do to your anatomy, you may as well have fun with it.
Smoke pushed out of his mouth, as he relished in his study. His body sat on the desk, next to a large wall covered by a cloth, his private research that he didn't want anyone to just see. On the surface of the desk were a few items that belonged to Lord Heisenberg. One of which was his ashtray filled with the leftover cigars he inhaled. He had become accustomed to smoking at this point, he couldn't live without having it in his lungs now. A microphone was set up for him to speak into, he wanted his factory to echo with the sounds of his voice if possible. Especially in the event of an intruder, one must give them a scare to remind them this was his territory and whatever he says is law within these walls. What his eyes were looking at through his glasses though was a screen attached to a tv monitor that was playing live footage.
A room cluttered with gurneys, spare tools and parts was the thing the camera captured, yet it was the actor on the stage that caught the interest of the Lord. Resting one on of the few stretchers was his most current prisoner, who had just woken up from her slumber. The golden- haired woman was panting, sitting up on the cot as she was covered in sweat. A smile spread across the beard of the man who was spying on her through the cameras. "Looks like sleeping beauty has finally woken up." He mused.
Alice looked around the room she was in, trying to gather her surroundings. Once her eyes had settled and she was back into reality, the woman began to curse to herself. "Still in this shithole…" Her tone indicated how she felt: disgusted. This wasn't the first time the woman had woken up so brashly in her chambers. The Lord noted this, as he wondered if she was just scared due to the situation she was in, or there was something more?
Regardless, Heisenberg finished his cigar and placed the remains in the tray. He let out one final breath of smoke while keeping that toothy grin in his beard. "Guess it's time to check on my guest." He declared, getting up from his desk. It had been many hours since he last talked with his prisoner, so he needed to make sure she was doing well. "I went through quite a lot of trouble to have that woman under my domain, so losing her now would be a sore setback." He told himself, as he walked away from his desk and made his way through the factory.
This building had been in the Village for decades, centuries even. They had once belonged to his family who had settled here before it was under Miranda's control. It wasn't as big as it is now, he had to upgrade it over the years to make sure it accommodated his needs and experiments. It wasn't easy to make those adjustments without being detected by his 'Mother', but he was able to do what he could. Heading into the corridor and going up the stairs, he turned to the left and entered the garage before moving to the cargo bay. This was all the Factory used to be before Karl took over and modified it. Many more secrets were down below, but only a few ever saw them. "Gotta take the long way, might as well make sure things are fixed up after the damage Miss Winters caused."
Of course, this place would be considered a maze to anyone who didn't know the layout. Karl Heisenberg though, he knows this place as well as he knows himself. Looking around the scraps of the cargo bay, he began to lift his hands and fingers up, controlling the fields around him to manipulate the metals. He managed it with ease, as they came around to form a staircase with the debris of scrap metal, he was able to find his way around this run-down civilization. It wasn't much, but being an engineer, you had to work with what you got to make something grand. Stepping up on the parts, The Lord of the Factory managed to get to the top and enter the cargo control room. He would often spend some time here to gather his thoughts and take a smoke, one of the many rooms he didn't do manual labor in. Still, it was one of the places within the factory he would go to think without any loud noises from the machines or Soldats.
He continued on, making his way into the maze connecting to the room. The same labyrinth that he watched Alice try to escape while it was filling up with gas. In the end, she managed to escape. "To think I put on quite a show for the Winters, and she didn't even appreciate it." He retorted. Seeing her struggle was quite entertaining, but he never planned on killing her. He continued down the line, going through a passageway, then being taken to the walkway before heading to the elevator. He decided to take that to get where he was holding Alice, since he rather not go all around the factory before seeing her. He waited for the shaft to arrive, and once it did he stepped in. As he entered the space, he noticed that the merchant who stationed himself at the north side was not present now. The Lord was curious at first, but didn't ponder it for too long. He hit the button and began to descend to B3 of his factory.
All around him were the noises of machinery from the clinking of cogs and the whistling of pistons. These were only a few of the many things he was exposed to over the years since owning this place. Eventually, he had grown used to them all as they had become his life. All he ever knew was the Village and this Factory for most of his life, and that could get boring after a long while. Even more so when there wasn't much to do aside from experiments and putting on an act with the other Lords. It was all the more reason Heisenberg was grateful he was able to keep Alice Winters as his prisoner, since he now had a pet of his own to keep him occupied.
Once the elevator stopped at the level, he got off and began to make his way to the operating room. It was a bit of a way from where he was, but he already knew where to go. Stepping out of the shaft, he went down the B3 walkway to be taken into a storage unit. He had many rooms dedicated to keeping his things in place. Much like this one, they usually hold metal scraps, rusted scraps and gunpowder. Any fragments of metal or powder that he could get his hands on to be used for his Soldats and other projects. Even though this Village did have some modern technology between cars and lightbulbs, they were still many decades behind from the world beyond these mountains. It didn't help that Miranda had banned knowledge about the outside world many decades ago, so no one in the Village would even know what they were missing out on.
Once he exited the storage, he walked through the Maintenance Passage and entered the Boiler Room on the far right. Many of his undead and enhanced servants were walking about, keeping their distance as they knew not to get in the way of the one who remade them. "Glad to see things have been picked up around here… you boys have been busy." The Lord noted as he brushed past them as he approached the door leading to the L passage where he went down, took a left and then up to the materials room. It was a large room with many walls and a staircase leading down to the MB4 basement. Within the big and mini-maze area, a Soldat and Panzer roamed around as they were guarding the place. "Good job keeping an eye on the place, boys. Last thing we need is another rat scurrying around, messing up our plans." He told his creations as they wandered around. The only thing on their mind was to serve their master by guarding and attacking.
Climbing down the stairs, the Lord of the Factory turned a few corners before entering another room, the foundry which was where he kept many things that would be used later. Going to the door on the far left, he entered the generator room walkway which took him closer to his destination. Heading to the first entryway in this corridor, he reached for a button next to the door which opened it to reveal the room. The walls were made of small square tiles, giving it a bit of color when the lights hit the material. Furniture from table drawers, large cabinets and multiple gurneys made up the majority of the room. This was where he made notes on the bodies he was able to dig up, but most of the time this is where he also stashed the bodies. The examination room, which was next to this one, was where he mostly got his hands dirty. But for now, he would focus on the prisoner he had.
His boots stomped on the rusted floor as he walked through the door frame that took him to the other half of the room, where she waited for him. Alice had been pacing around ever since she woke up. She had limited space, between the loose furnishings and Soldats hanging on the wall, there wasn't much she could do to keep herself entertained. But she hadn't gone mad from the isolation… at least not yet. The moment her ears picked up the sound of the stomps, she turned with disdain as her eyes locked onto her captor.
"Great, as if this room couldn't get any more cramped and ugly." Alice mocked.
Heisenberg chuckled at her comment. "Not a wise thing to say to the man who is holding you as a prisoner. If you were anyone else, I would remove that tongue of yours for how much venom you're spitting out."
"So I'm supposed to consider myself 'special' all because you aren't torturing me?"
"Of course not. I torture all of my prisoners, but you're more of a hybrid between a captive and an experiment." The Lord remarked, reminding Alice of the reason why she was here.
Her green eyes narrowed at the Lord, despite his intimidating stature, the Winters refused to submit to him. She had been facing monsters her whole life, therefore she felt no fear despite looking one directly into the lenses of his glasses to get to his own pupils. Even so, despite his appearance as a regular man, Alice knew for a fact that what he had underneath the skin is what made him more dangerous than the average joe. "You know, if I'm going to be staying in your factory, the least you could do is give me some food and a bath. Just because you work with grease, doesn't mean I have to be exposed to it."
Karl had to admit, despite how big her mouth was, he was finding it entertaining to hear her complain. As if she believed her desires would be answered by him. "You only get those privileges when you earn them by being a grateful guest. And so far, you haven't shown an ounce of gratitude."
"You expect me to be civil to you after you ambushed me and kidnapped me? Then put me in this steel box with minimum contact on the outside for god knows how long?" She shook her head while speaking, crossing her arms over her chest as her eyes glared at the Lord. "You really think my standards are that low?"
Raising his hands, the man of the factory replied nonchalantly, countering her banter. "If they aren't, you better start making it so. Here in the Village, the only dreams that matter around here are those that belong to Miranda."
Alice scoffed, hugging herself as she turned her eyes away from Karl. He should have expected her to be difficult in cooperating with his demands, but she was clearly still in denial about her situation. Especially when he finally heard her stutter some words in a semi-defeated tone. "Let me go…" Alice finally lifted her head so she could see her captor. Despite how strong she was trying to be, the light in her eyes were fading to indicate how desperate she appeared. "I want to go home to my family…"
Instead of being sympathetic, the B.O.W merely chuckled. "Yeah? Well tough shit. You ain't leaving unless Miranda says so."
"Then let me die!" Her tone rose, attempting to fight back as much as she could. "I would be better use to you if you killed me, right? That's what these monstrosities you craft are, right?! The corpses of the fallen villagers?"
"Woah now, that is a bit harsh, isn't it? They were once people like you and me."
"Didn't stop you from defiling their remains to be used by your experiments." She shot back.
Heisenberg shrugged as he didn't have much of a reaction to such an accusation, especially considering it was true. "And defiling their remains is better than turning them when they were alive and conscious?" He retorted. Alice opened her mouth, ready to make another come back at his words, but no words came out and she once again whipped her head away to not make eye contact with her captor. The Lord went on with his own thoughts to help Alice come to grips with this reality. "As much as I would like to recycle your body parts, I have my reasons for not just turning you into another Soldat. Aside from Miranda wanting to have some use of you on her own merits, I also don't use women or children for my army. I have some lines I don't cross. Hence why I'm the sanest out of all my other siblings."
Alice bit her lip, no come back this time. Guess she was losing that fight, or maybe she didn't think it was worth it. Regardless, Karl had to make sure she knew her place. "The reason you are still alive is because Miranda wants to use you, either as an experiment or bait for your family. You're not just my prisoner," his boots moved forward, making his body approach Alice. Gloved fingers reached out and grasped under the chin. The Winters was forced to gaze back into the eyes of the one who ran this factory she was held against her will in. "You are also the captive of the other Lords, of Mother Miranda and of this Village. So long as you are within this community, you are the prey. You aren't in any position to be making demands, and anything you want, you won't be getting it. So, stop complaining about wanting to go home or to be killed through sheer mercy. You don't have the luxury to request such things unless I or Miranda says otherwise."
Alice's harsh glare was all she could give to the Lord at this point. Despite how much she wanted to punch, kick, or even spit at him for his brash language and rough gestures. The reality was, she was in a position of powerlessness. Without her weapons or ways to get into contact with the Hound Wolf Squad, she was on her own. And right now, Alice had nothing that could aid her in taking down these mutants, let alone escaping them in one piece. When she didn't respond to him, that sly smirk spread on Heisenberg's face as he had won. "Now that we got that cleared up, I think it's about time I get started on what I was going to do with you." Letting her chin go, he watched her stumble back as she rubbed her face from where he had gripped her.
"I've given you a few days to settle in, so now we can begin our experiment." Once again, Heisenberg found himself staring down at Alice's harsh glare, but he was unbothered by it. "Of course, I'll have to gather the supplies first. Can't do my research without the proper tools. So be a good girl and stay here while your host gathers what he needs." Turning on his heels, the fourth Lord walked out of the Operating room and sealed it up before Alice could try and make a break for it. Seeing the Soldats staring at him, he barked at them. "Keep watch over the prisoner, make sure she doesn't leave her room. If she escapes, bring her back with only minor wounds." They didn't respond, but he knew they would obey. He remade these corpses into his image, and what he said was their will to carry out.
"Might as well get the Cadou implanted into Alice Winters now. If I wait any longer, Miranda will think I'm slacking and might take her. Plus, I think she's worn down enough, so she won't fight back." He chuckled while thinking of the things he needed. He would have to gather his tools for the operation. Scalpel, scissors, forceps, drill and clamps to name a few. Those he would find in the Examination room, since he was doing some other minor experiments in that room. Then he would need to get some anesthesia to put Alice under, since it would be better to implant the parasite within her body while she couldn't physically fight back. Even with all the straps he could tie her down to, it didn't hurt to have extra insurance. He had those supplies in his quarters, since he didn't trust his Soldats to be near them and it was hard to get such medication around these parts. He might also have some alcohol within his chambers, may as well get something to drink while gathering the supplies. If he was also going to get the Cadou, he would need to get it from the Duke. He should have one jar of that Mold, after all he tends to give them to the Lords as courtesy of Miranda. Then all that left him was his journal, which he left back in the study on the first floor. He needed to make sure he took notes regarding Alice's transformation in case they needed it for reference.
With those items in mind, Karl Heisenberg began to walk around the factory to gather what he needed to finally make Alice the project his 'Mother' wanted to make her. Since he was still on level 4 of the Main Basement, he would gather the items on this floor before advancing upwards. The Examination room and his Quarters were located here, which meant he could gather it all within a walking distance. The room that was closest to him was the Examination room, so he would head there first. Exiting out of the Operating Room, he headed towards the door connecting to the Entry and went to the Generator Room Walkway. He then walked straight ahead and took the door on his left which led him to his first destination. When he entered the room, he had to take a right because a wired fence was in front of him, making a knee wall to separate the room. He headed over to the wall on the left and saw a workbench, one of many scattered around in his factory.
On the wooden surface, he managed to get surgical scissors. They were all clean and still sharp, so they would work well for Alice. He still was missing a few other tools though. Turning around, he saw another table in front of a surgical chair that was empty. The bright light inside the stone wall shone on the furniture, indicating that something was once resting on the cushions.
The Lord of the Factory grunted, approaching the centerpiece of this room. Resting on the table before there were a few things. Two of which were more equipment he planned on using on Alice; the forceps and scalpel. He grabbed those items, three down two to go. Other objects that were scattered around on the smaller table were blueprints of one of the versions of the Soldats Karl had made. It was one of his many attempts until he found out how to properly craft them. He checked the date on this version, which was labeled as April 14th, 1995. "Ah, I remember this one…" He muttered as his eyes noticed a small device. It was a green box with a flat disc that resembled a small vinyl. A needle was already on the disc, ready to be played. Pressing the button, he heard his own voice from long ago speaking from the machine and echoing off into the room.
"Medical log, revitalization surgery. This is my… 18th attempt. The subject is Oskar the stable boy, 20 years old. He fell down the well while drunk. Body's in good condition." There was a moment of silence aside from static on the other end. When noise could be heard, it was the sound of Heisenberg grunting before he spoke. "Chest incision complete. Now to remove the heart and vital organs, and implant the control device." The sounds of tearing could be heard in the background, giving any listener a vague idea on what was going on. "Excellent. Cadou has begun adhering to the nervous system. It's progressing even faster than before. It seems upping the ratio of meta-albumin in the artificial blood was the right choice. Now to pass a current through the brain stem using 6600 volts." More static could be heard, aggressively matching the tone in Heisenberg's voice. "Come on… it has to work this time." Silence for a moment, while the Lord waited for the ending, despite already knowing the results as his lips curled into a cruel grin. "Yes…Yes! Hahaha! Wonderful! My creation! At last! I'll get that bitch yet! Hahaha!" After his laughter, he let out a sigh. "...Ending recording."
Once the voice message was over, the Lord in this time chuckled. "To think it took me so many attempts just to make my first version of the Soldats. But the best part about experimentation is that there is always room for improvements." He mused, before gazing back at the empty chair. There was a Soldat that had been stationed there, being given upgrades before it was completely destroyed by the rat that infested his factory. "All that work only for a certain woman to destroy it all…" He grumbled, though he wasn't mad. His feet walked around the table and went behind the surgical chair, being taken to a smaller room with other supplies resting on shelves. He found the remaining items he needed for his surgery on Alice: drills to poke holes and inserting things within the flesh, and clamps to keep certain arteries from spilling too much blood.
"That should be all the tools. Still got a bit more to collect before I tend to Miss Winters…" With the tools in his pockets, he began to leave the Examination room and explored to gather the rest of the materials. He still needed the alcohol and anesthesia which rested in his quarters. Luckily, his room was on this floor, so he could just head there without much distance to cover. Heading out of the Examination room, he took a right, then left around the corner and headed towards the wall before taking another left while making his way across the walkway of the Generator Room. Then taking the door at the far end of the hall, he was back in the Foundry before heading to the doorway on the other side of the area, leading him up the stairs to his Private Passageway.
When he turned left, he headed to the heavily secured door he laid his eyes upon. It was made up of various iron parts from gears, bars and cogs. But the most grandiose piece that was plastered onto the gate was a golden horse inside of a horseshoe. The very symbol of the Heisenberg bloodline that was known throughout this land for many centuries. The metallic parts were a bit dirty, but that was to be expected in this setting. Usually, the Lord could just open it with his powers. But, with his new guest he didn't want to just rely on his powers. Digging into his trench coat, he took out a key made of cast iron, with the head being the same symbol on the door. Placing the key into the hole, he unlocked the entrance and watched as they slid apart for him to enter.
The inside of his quarters wasn't anything grand. Despite this being a place he tended to rest or find solace in, the decorations were lacking. He had a lot of gurneys scattered around, which he used to hold the large case on one of them, containing his prized hammer he crafted himself to be used as a weapon. Other times he used them to get some rest when he needed a break from his work and the other Lords. There were two white bed frames stationed near the end of the wall, right in front of a four-tier shelf with trinkets and being slightly covered with a dirty sheet. The said posts were rusted, and neither one had a mattress. Heisenberg stared at the bedpost with a slight nostalgic expression, but it was quickly brushed off with a shrug. "Really gotta get some pads for these things, still in good condition and would be better for my back. Maybe Donna could spare a bedspread or two." He told himself.
The rest of the room looked similar to many others in this factory in terms of design. Half of the wall was covered with dirty gray square tiles from the ground up, with certain areas that had been chipped from small to larger gashes to show off the foundation of the wall. The other half of the walls were in a carbon shade, with a few picture lights attached to the wall, glowing with a fluorescent brightness to illuminate the room. There was another one attached to the ceiling, between a few large pipes that gave off a different shade of light. There was also an abundance of open case surgical carts with different tools and objects. From bloodied saws and pliers, to scrap metals he used for his experiments, along with canisters and bottles of liquids. He went over to one of the carts near the workbench, covered with gears, sheets of different colored metals, and any other spare parts he needed for his projects.
He looked over one of the shelves, grabbing a large, black gas canister with the word: Anesthesia in bold white letters. He picked up the container, giving it a few shakes and listened to the liquid inside. "Should be enough to put a dainty woman to sleep for at least a couple hours." He remarked. He pocketed the sleeping agent, then noticed another bottle on a lower shelf, with familiar brown looking water. He swung the glass container around, watching the liquid inside splash like a small ocean within. "Best part about alcohol, it gets better with age." He mused. Now with his drink and the sleeping agent, he just had to get two more things left before he could begin his surgery on Alice.
Just when he was going to continue his progress, he was halted by the annoyance of a familiar ringing. Turning in the direction the noise was coming from, his eyes landed on the hand-held phone with the antenna that he used for communication. Approaching the desk, his hands reached over and grabbed the device. The Lord was slightly hesitant to pick it up, mainly because he didn't know who was on the other end. Though he had a strong feeling it was his maker, checking in on him and his project. If so, he would have to put on the loving son act and reassure her that things were going well. With a deep breath, he pressed the button and placed the phone in his face so he could hear and speak. "Hello, Heisenberg Residents." He greeted with a smirk, doing his best to be courteous to the person on the other end.
"Well, about time I was able to reach you." A disgruntled female chimed on the other end.
Heisenberg relaxed himself, as he was not communicating with the 'Mother' of this Village, but his older sister, who was a pain in his ass. "And I was stupid enough to answer… times like this I really gotta install color ID."
Dimitrescu scoffed on her end. "Lacking etiquette as usual, I see. Well, believe me I wouldn't even be conversing with you if I did not have an urgent matter to discuss with you."
He rolled his eyes behind the glasses. "I am already preparing Alice Winters for her Cadou surgery, but you interrupted me just as I was gathering the materials. So, there's no need for you to tattle on Miranda that I'm slacking on my experiments with her." His voice regained that annoyance he did not need to hide. At least she wasn't here, otherwise Karl would not hesitate to put that abomination in her place. The only thing preventing those two from killing each other at this point was Miranda herself.
There was a moment of silence from Alcina's end, and it made the fourth Lord wonder if he had rendered her speechless with his backtalk. If she thought that she would get one up from Karl for hounding him on playing with his prey, she had lost that battle before it even began. Finally, that regal yet screeching voice picked up. "On the contrary, I had another matter to discuss with you." She finally admitted, which caught Karl off guard. "Though I am pleased to hear you are actually being productive and using the prisoner as you were instructed. Perhaps you are not useless after all. Though only the results will determine how successful you are with this experiment."
Heisenberg ignored that last comment, knowing he would succeed regardless of what his 'older sister' thought. "What else do you want, oh dear sister of mine?" He mocked.
Alcina grumbled at his tone but remained professional. "As you are aware, that woman Mother Miranda allowed you to keep did quite a number in my castle. It's bad enough that she hurt my daughters, but she also destroyed a number of rooms that my girls frequent."
Curiosity got to the fourth Lord, as he leaned against the desk. "What sort of damage?"
"She broke a window in the dining room, the ceiling window in the library is busted due to overusing the switches, along with a bunch of shelves that have been destroyed. And there is a giant hole in the armory where Cassandra fell out of! Each room is creating a cold draft that my daughters would be vulnerable to go into."
"Well, that's what you get for not updating your sanctuary every now and again. The age starts to catch up, making many places a weak point." He pointed out with a grin. Heisenberg knew this was getting to Alcina, and he was enjoying hearing her squirm on the telephone. "So that's why you called me? To get me over there so I can fix your mess?"
"...As much as it pains me to admit, you are the only one that has the background to repair and mend housing and mechanisms." The fourth Lord could practically feel the venom dripping from her fangs that leaked into the speaker. Even so, that smirk was not wiping itself off his face.
"I dunno dear sister. I mean, I did just say I was in the middle of experimenting on Alice Winters. You were the one who was bitching about the fact you couldn't have her, and now that I am delivering on my promise to our Mother, you want me to turn around and cater to your needs? What would Miranda think if she found out you were delaying my project because you were more worried about your castle than the results of the woman?"
Even though he was toying with her, Alcina knew he had many points. She was already on thin ice with Miranda after the stunt she pulled in their last meeting. And knowing Heisenberg, he wouldn't hesitate to snitch on Dimitrescu for stalling in the Cadou procedure on Alice Winters. With a disgruntled exhaust of her breath, the Lady spoke. "What. Do you want?"
"Pardon?" He questioned, knowing he got her on the ropes.
"What do you want me to give you, in exchange for you to put your experiment on hold and come to my castle and repair the rooms?" She elaborated, asking through gritted teeth at this point.
Now that he got the bargaining chip, he would take it. "I'm not interested in any of the fancy materials you can give me, but I am low on the essentials. In exchange for my services, round up all the gunpowder, chem fluid and scrap both metal and rusted. I need those parts if I plan on fixing up some of your holes, and whatever is left over I'll take with me."
"Anything else?" Alcina asked.
"Alcohol." He didn't miss a beat. "Preferably whisky. And none of your wine, I rather not be drinking fermented blood. You can keep that shit-tasted drink."
Dimitrescu grumbled at his remark but had to put up with it for the sake of her home. "Very well! I will get your materials. When can I expect you?"
"I just have to gather a few things for the surgery, then I'll head over. Give two hours… three tops."
"That is acceptable. I will wait for your company until then." She declared, then hung up on her end, letting the Lord hear a beeping on his end.
Heisenberg growled as he set the phone down. "Couldn't even give me a good day or goodbye. Prim and proper my ass." Still, he would be getting more supplies that he was low on. And it would be nice to have a one up on his older sister, even though he had quite a few stacking at this point. With the materials from this room gathered, there was no more reason to stay in his Quarters. So, he headed out the door to gather the remaining supplies needed for Alice's surgery. All that was left was a Cadou specimen he would be placing within her body, and the journal he would use to write down the progress of her transformation. Which meant he would have to go to the upper levels for those materials.
Heading out of his chambers, Heisenberg went back to the foundry and made his way to the south door which took him to the materials room. Once there, he took the B4 stairs down to the workshop of the same level, he went through the door to get to the passageway and headed down the hall until he took the door that brought him to the B4 walkway. His destination was on his right, where the Elevator of this factory was. It could take him to only certain levels within the building, just enough to get to the main ones. The elevator also had another purpose, it was a shop set up by a certain merchant to help gather materials that the Lord needed.
Heading over to the wooden desk, a large man sat behind the table taking a long drag of a cigar. The moment his eyes landed on the owner of the factory; a smile appeared on his chubby face. "Greetings, Lord Heisenberg. It's a pleasure to see you in one of my shops."
"Hey Duke," the Lord of the factory greeted the larger man. As with the others and Miranda, the Duke had set up a few shops around the Village to sell and buy from the villagers and Lords. He had quite a few things he'd be willing to purchase, and many materials from faraway lands to be used by the villagers and leaders here. "I'm surprised you're still here. Considering a lot of your patrons are Lycan food." Heisenberg remarked.
The Duke bellowed at the Lord's comment. "Oh-ho, I assure you, there's still quite a few things left in the Village that hold value. So, I plan on sticking around a while longer. Plus, I still have you Lords and Miranda, all five of you are my biggest supporters. And now that you no longer have the villagers for financial support, your next bet is me."
He wasn't wrong there, the Duke got most of his payment from the top dogs around these mountains, so as long as the Lords still ruled this Village, the Duke would be able to get some financial compensation from someone. "You say that, but I doubt even Miranda will be pleased to see you sticking around here for too long."
"Well, she'll have to kick me out herself if she wants me to leave." Duke retorted, not losing his smile. It was refreshing for someone to share his humor around here. Duke was civil toward all the Lords and Miranda; it was the only way he could keep his business around here. The Lord went over to the buttons and began to make the shaft rise so he could get to the upper floors for his remaining supplies
"I still don't get why you set up your shops around here. Aside from this Village, there aren't any inhabited places to buy and sell things. Plus, this place isn't exactly the most welcoming and friendliest."
The Duke didn't waver with the Lord's comment. "I have many reasons to stay here, there are plenty of treasures still hidden within this community. Each one tells a story of the past. And that is something you can't put a price on."
Despite the words coming out of the merchant's mouth, the Lord could only hear nonsense at this point. "Do whatever you want, as long as you keep giving me supplies and respect my rules in the factory. Speaking of…" The Lord moved closer to the table as he was reminded of something else he needed to gather. "You got a Cadou on you? I need one for my new experiment."
The Duke raised a brow the Lord's way. "Alice Winters, I presume?" He questioned. Heisenberg didn't ask how the Duke knew he had her in the factory, he probably gathered that information from a source around here. Especially since the young woman was the talk of what was left in this community. With a firm nod, it confirmed the Duke's question. "In that case, I can offer you a Cadou… if I had one." He trailed off as his smile faded slightly.
"You don't have it? You usually have one of those parasites on your stash." Heisenberg remarked.
"Usually, but I haven't been able to visit Moreau the past week. I get those 'gifts' from him. However, he has not been seen around his Reservoir as of late."
That caught the interest of the Lord. Holding his chin, he began to speak out loud. "Moreau still hasn't come out? And considering there's been no word of him from the others, they haven't gotten in contact with him either." It wasn't like the third Lord not to be present, he was always the first and last to their meetings and always wanted to be in the loop of these projects and ceremonies. Of course, it was all for the potential praise he would get from his so-called 'mother'. Even so, it was odd he hadn't shown up after a week had passed since the Winters infiltration of the Village. "I wonder if that moronic freak finally bit the dust after he fought Ethan and his sister." He theorized.
"If Lord Moreau had been slayed, I'm certain Miranda would have sensed it and told you all. Plus, should he have died, I would have gathered his remains." The Duke added the last part with a sly smirk, and a hint of creepiness. Heisenberg turned to the Duke to see that expression, suppressing a shudder. Sure, the merchant couldn't do anything to the Lords, as far as Heisenberg was aware he didn't have the powers to kill them off. Even so, there was quite an uncanny feeling from this large man that not even the metal man wanted to dissect.
"Guess you got a point…" He admitted, as the statements he uttered held weights of the truth. "Still, he's gotta be somewhere."
"If I see him, I'll let you know." The Duke promised.
"Eh, he's not really a priority for me." Heisenberg shrugged nonchalantly. "Although, I can't do Alice's procedure without a Cadou. And Moreau is the only one that can deliver a… 'clean' specimen." Maybe the Lord did need his brother after all.
"Why not use the Cadou from your own source?" The Duke suggested. "You have one of the roots, after all."
Once again, he brought up a factual point. Yet Heisenberg had his own qualms about the idea. "I would rather get the parasite that is either clean or from the source. While I could get my own Cadou, using a sterile one on Alice Winters would be more ideal for Miranda."
The Duke nodded at Heisenberg's argument. "That is fair, I suppose."
With a grunt of annoyance, the fourth Lord was in a predicament that he couldn't get out of. "Looks like I'll have to get in contact with Miranda and ask her for a Cadou, if I can't get in touch with Sal."
"Then it seems Miss Winters has been spared from your scalpels and forceps on this day." The larger man chimed in.
"Putting it off for another week won't be so bad. Maybe by then Ethan will man up and come get his little sister." A chuckle escaped the bearded lips. "Eh, probably for the best. Lady of the castle wants me to come to her today to fix up some damages Alice Winters caused." Now a groan escaped his lips this time. "Not what I wanted to do today but may as well get it over with."
"Well, can I interest you in purchasing the materials you would need for your renovation of the Castle?" The arms belonging to the Duke stretched across his table, gesturing to all the materials and treasures he had on his person at the moment. "I have plenty of stock filled for such a task."
The Lord turned back to the Duke, seeing the items presented to him. May as well save a trip around the factory and gather what he needed here. Stepping over to the desk, Heisenberg purchased supplies he would need for the repair job at the Dimitrescu Castle. The main thing he needed was some glass panels, which he would use to fix up the window in the dining room that had been busted. He also managed to get a few more metal and rusted scrap that he could use for mechanical needs. With the items purchased, he thanked the Duke for the supplies.
"Thank you, Lord Heisenberg, for your patronage." The Duke beamed in his direction. As long as the merchant could make a profit, it didn't matter who bought from him. Regardless, Heisenberg managed to get what he needed, and the Elevator made it to B1 floor. Now that he was on this level, he had one more thing to gather. Even if he couldn't do the procedure on Alice, he may as well gather all he needed and put it in one area so when he does the experiment, he would have everything at his disposal.
Heading out of the elevator onto the walkway, he took a right to get to the passageway, then another right and then a left to enter the maze. At the end of the maze, he headed out of a door leading to the control room of the Cargo Bay, where he left that small space and jumped down to get to the cargo bay access. After that, exited the room, entered the garage, left the garage to the entry, took the stairs down the corridor, took a left then a right until he was back in the study.
He headed towards the end of the room to where the desk was. The place he was stationed at earlier when he saw Alice waking up. He headed to the desk with all his equipment to keep his eyes on the factory and a way to echo his voice out within the walls. Laid down on the surface near the monitor, was a booklet with a leather cover. He had a few journals that he kept around to write notes about his experiments or get out his thoughts and feelings. This was a newer logbook he purchased from the Duke when he brought Alice into his domain. He had only written a few pages so far in terms of his observations of the Winters. As he opened the cover, his eyes scanned the words he wrote down to get a summary of what he had learned so far.
"February 10th, 2021
"Alice Winters is now my prisoner. After a bit of debating with Miranda, she gave me permission to take the sister of Ethan Winters under my care. It was quite a sight to see my 'dear sister's' reaction. That blood sucking excuse of a lady was ready to cut up the poor woman just as she was getting into a verbal argument with her. Had it not been for 'Mother', Alice would have surely met her end. It's also satisfactory to know that I had gotten both Winters to toy around with, while the Lady of the Castle didn't get either. I guess being Miranda's favorite does have its perks, even if I despise it.
"February 11th, 2021
"I have set Alice Winters up in the Operating Room on floor MB4. It's close to my quarters so I can keep a close eye on her. I made sure to strip her of all her weapons and ammo, to ensure she doesn't have anything to defend herself with. For extra measure, I sold all of her belongings to the Duke so she wouldn't try to sneak around and get them back to try and escape. I got a bit of Lei in exchange for it as well, which I pocketed to be used for later. I also debated about having her change outfits, but I scrapped that idea. I didn't have anything fit for a woman in my factory. Plus, I doubt her clothes will give her any kind of advantage. I am curious to know who made it though, the design looks quite familiar, but I can't recall where I've seen it. Maybe I'll ask Donna, she's a master when it comes to fabrics and fashion. Though it's not a priority.
"February 12th, 2021
"It has been a few days since I had Alice Winters as my guest. Despite my humble manners and hospitality, she refuses to talk to me unless it is to verbally assault me like with Alcina. She even attempted to fight me with her bare hands, due to her frustration. Of course, she was no match for me. All I had to do was trap her with some loose metals around the room and she was powerless. Even so, despite her lack of weaponry, her spirit is still strong, and she is determined to fight. Guess she is as stubborn as her brother; I'll give her that.
"February 13th, 2021,
"Due to yesterday's incident, I've decided to monitor Alice Winters via the camera within her room. I've been observing her for a while to wait for her to calm down, before I begin experimenting on her. As much as I do not want to ruin her with the Cadou, I know the longer I wait, the more impatient Miranda will be. Which might result in her snatching Alice away from me to use for herself. Ideally, I want to give Miss Winters a few more days, try to get her settled. Last time I inserted a Cadou into a subject that had died from high levels of anxiety… they didn't turn out as sturdy or handsome.
"February 14th, 2021,
"Alice Winters seems to be having trouble sleeping. At first, I assumed she was just uncomfortable in the room she was stationed in. But after watching over her sleeping habits, I noticed she would usually wake up in a panic state. She would either scream, hyperventilate, or both. When she woke up, her skin became sweaty, and before that, she would toss and turn while muttering under her breath. Is this really related to her current environment and situation? Or is there more to this ailment that is plaguing her? Perhaps I should run a few tests and observations. Especially if this could affect the Cadou procedure."
Those were all the notes Karl Heisenberg had made of Alice Winters since she came to stay in his factory unwillingly. Even though she had been with him for almost a week, she still hadn't given up the idea of escaping or being rescued. She was either that optimistic or foolish. Either way, the Lord knew she was not a match for him in her current state. So even if she tried anything, it would only end in failure. With the journal added, Heisenberg gathered everything he needed for his experiment with Alice. But without the Cadou, he couldn't do the procedure on her like he planned. Oh well, just a minor setback, he thought.
"No Cadou, no procedure. Oh well, there are other things I can do with my guest for now." Once he got the parasite, he could get to work on placing the Mold inside the Winters. Until then, he could do other experiments on her, like learning more about the night terrors she's been having recently. And perhaps attempt to pry more information out of her that she hid during that meeting. With that in mind, he decided to head back and meet up with Alice again. Taking the way, he came to the elevator, he went back to the MB4 floor and made his way around the area. He planned on checking up on the woman and inform her she has been spared of experimentation until further notice. Maybe that will cheer her up, Heisenberg thought. Of course, he could still have some fun with her.
Passing through the Foundry and walking down the generator room walkway, he opened the door leading to the entry of the operating room. Passing through the frame, he kept his eyes open for any sign of the blond. He even made sure to close the door behind him and locked it so she wouldn't try to escape. He checked the room, eyes scanning any nook and cranny as well as places she could have hidden. After a good look around, there was no sign of the Winters anywhere. This caused him to become agitated, as the Lord knew he had left her right here. "Oh Alice, where did you go?" He called out in a playful tone at first, trying to get her to come out of her own will. Yet when that didn't work, he got more annoyed. Metals and other loose scraps began to lift from the floors and surfaces. Floating around the Lord, Heisenberg checked the room more thoroughly to see where his prisoner was hiding.
Narrow eyes behind the rim of dark glass caught something that piqued the interest of the Lord. Over on the far end of the room, against the wall where the gurneys were, a lone grate was laying on the floor next to a square shaped hole. Stepping over, it was revealed the grate attached to the vent system of this room to help circulate air flow. He made them bigger than usual designed because of how much carbon and other toxic fumes had to be filtered out at a time. The vents were big enough for a person… to squeeze through.
"Son of a bitch…" Heisenberg spoke through his teeth, then turned on his heels and stormed out of the room. He followed the vent from the operating room to locate where the other end was. Heading back to the Foundry, he went up the stairs to the private passageway and forced open the gate to his quarters. The moment he entered his chambers; he was able to see the other end of the vent with the grate removed and on the floor. No doubt the work of that woman. Heisenberg stared at the open duct, imagining Alice Winters squeezing through the shaft and onto the other end. Making her escape while he went around gathering materials as a distraction. He didn't know how far she had gotten, or even if she was still in the factory. The anger on the whiskery face was replaced with enthusiasm, as laughter escaped the lips of the metal man laced with ecstasy.
"She really hasn't given up!" He remarked, finding amusement in this situation despite the circumstances. "She's even more clever than her dear brother." He praised, while walking over to one of the stretchers that held a large case on the cushion. Using his powers, he opened it and held out his hand, waiting for a large, metallic hammer made of various parts to float over and be grasped by the gloved fingers of its wielder. "Well, run all you like, Alice Winters. But no matter how far you go, you won't be able to escape me. And hiding is pointless, when I know all of the good spots in this Village." After all, some thrill and excitement never hurt, especially in this dull and lifeless community. If she wanted a chase, then so be it.