Amanita: Poison Shot

Chapter 78: This Is My War

I felt hot under the collar with embarrassment. My apprehensiveness towards that plan was crystal clear, though.

"WHAT?!" If only Agape knew the truth, that Eros might already be nurturing those sweet feelings for me. Should I tell her about me becoming the model for Oyster's ad and Eros' involvement in the issue?

"Seduce him," she went on. "You're not allowed to hack his nanochip. If he wants to develop a vaccine, he's on his own. You cannot help him. But he'll be safe, don't worry. He won't defy Apollo again. He's not suicidal."

Her casualness felt both logical and condescending at the same time. I frowned while I sensed a wave of disillusionment break on me. She didn't believe in him and what he could achieve with his skills and determination.

"Just make him fall in love with you," she added in a zealous tone of voice, "make him trust you so deeply that you gain access to Apollo's faculty lab and office. I want the top-secret info you said Eros' read. Those reports that chilled his blood. And samples. Do what it takes, but get me some samples of those palaeoviruses, too."

My mission concerning Eros had metamorphosed drastically from its initial stages. Since his father, the former Secretary of State, was dead, Agape had obviously switched my target to Apollo. Eros was simply a means to an end – and I didn't like to treat people like that.

"Why would you want samples?"

"To analyse them. Well, not me, naturally," she admitted. "I'm not an expert in biology or medicine. Taro is."

"Taro?" I asked in amazement.

"Yes. You shall bring the samples to him," she explained with pride. "He's a biology freak. Self-taught, obviously... like you. Traditional humans cannot go to college. That's only for clones, but you know that. He might be an amateur, but he trusts himself and his skills. And so do I. He's elated by the news, you see."

Why didn't I like the sound of that? Besides, engaging with Taro so closely felt like a gruelling task.

"Why is he elated? Those viruses are lethal, very dangerous," I pointed out.

"He knows the risks." Her confidence in him emanated from her whole self, especially from her charming smile. "Anyway, haven't you noticed his tats? For a Maori, tats are spiritually vital. They tell who they are, their history, their wars, the events that have marked them. He's got his family's murders tattooed on every inch of his back – and he's getting a new one as we speak. About his next mission... with you."

"Really?"

"It shall be the corona of those viruses, posing as a rising sun -or a setting sun- over the Neon Sea, symbolising our rise – and their demise."

I couldn't stop myself from picturing it in my mind: a malevolent viral cell posing as the sun, with its corona as sunrays. Deadly beautiful.

"When I've told him earlier today that he'd get his hands on those palaeoviruses, he was thrilled by the prospect. I've told him you'd bring them to him in due time, that he needs to collab with you. He's agreed to be more civil towards you. It all depends on your success in this mission. I've managed to make him stop considering you dead wood."

So, his opinion of me was that I was useless, but he was willing to make an exception for as long as I brought him what he craved. Great.

"What's his role when I bring him the viruses?" I asked, full of hope that I might just make a new friend out of an enemy. "Will he develop a vaccine in Eros' place? God, I hope so!"