Heart Pangs

Chapter 17 - The Facility

Graduation comes and goes for Felix, and he still doesn't have a plan for how he's going to continue consuming.

His hometown is a relatively middle sized city with a decent downtown area. He's sure there are places he can meet new prey who might be willing to go home with him. But going to a seedy club and convincing someone to drive all the way home with him is different than partying with peers and taking one across campus to his dorm room for the night. Besides, Lux doesn't have a reputation here like he did at his university. And he very much does not have the patience to build one up again.

He considers the consuming dens downtown. They're filled with cheap, publicly contracted prey, which Felix has no interest in. (Not that he personally has the funds for it, even if he were.) The dens are also filled with prey hookers, affectionately referred to as "latchers," that specialize in being consumed safely for an agreed upon amount of time. They're far cheaper than contracted prey, but not sustainable for a still unemployed Felix.

Of course, the easiest solution is to simply ask his father. His father has never been shy about offering to order Felix contracted prey. In fact, Felix often thinks his father wants him to start consuming contracted prey. But contracted prey are only meant for fatal consuming and Felix still doesn't want that.

Unfortunately, Felix doesn't believe his father would be interested in paying off a latcher for him, so that brings him back to square one.

Perhaps Felix's father senses his son's cravings, because Felix is home for a only few weeks when his father leans forward across the breakfast table and says, "Felix, what would you think about joining me working at the Facility?"

Felix stops with a spoonful of cereal halfway to his mouth. He feels his cheeks grow warm as both his mother and father look at him expectantly. Is his need to consume really that obvious? Or is this simply a question that his father has been waiting to ask?

"Um," he stutters, searching wildly for a satisfactory excuse. "I'm not sure. I've never really thought about it."

"I think you would like it," his father responds, eyes shining. "In fact, I think you would excel at it."

Felix plays with his food, avoiding his parents' gazes. "I don't know about that," he mumbles. "I don't really think I'm cut out for that kind of work."

His father scoffs. "Nonsense. You digested your first prey in a record amount of time, Felix. Think of how powerful a pred you'd be if you could hone that skill. The Facility could really make use of someone like you."

Felix takes a bite of cereal to stall for time. By the time he swallows, he still doesn't have a good excuse so he just repeats, "I don't know."

His father peers at him strangely. "Most preds would jump at an opportunity like this," he states, his voice flat.

"I know," Felix replies. He feels like he's in trouble, like he's about to be reprimanded even though he's a twenty-two year old adult now.

"How about this," his father proposes, easing back a bit, "why don't you come with me to work tomorrow? Have a look around? I'll introduce you to everyone. Maybe it'll help ease your worries."

Felix nods. He's trapped. He has no good excuse, and even if he did, his father always gets what he wants one way or another.

"Okay," he agrees. "I'll go with you tomorrow."

His father smiles.

The next morning, Felix sits in the passenger seat of his father's car. The same car, coincidentally, that Felix drove the day he first consumed.