The Billionaire Throuple

Samuel the Third [An Offering]

It is a very fortuitous day indeed, though this day should have come much sooner. Today is the day I shall save my dearest Andreas's life. His health has grown dire, so I haven't much time to spare. He has been moved to the top of the list for transplants, but there aren't any O hearts available for his procedure.

There were never going to be any.

This is by design. It took much longer than it should have for me to come to terms with what I must do. Both Andreas and Cameron have suffered needlessly and for far too long due to my disobedience. The Simulation requires Cameron's life, not his grief and it has made that requirement unmistakably clear.

Yes, it has given me the most gruesome test of all, but the test has been the same since I first begged for mercy that night in the ambulance. I have no choice but to take the Simulation at its word. I've been living the consequences of calling its bluff and time has nearly expired. Andreas won't live otherwise. Murder is the inescapable prerequisite if he is to receive a compatible heart in time for surgery.

Perhaps then, a Butterfly Effect will restore things as they were, but if not, I shall endure. Andreas's life will always suffice as proper reward for whatever atrocity I might be asked to commit. It is my hope that the Simulation is aware of this fact and sees the untapped potential in using me as its reaper, as its slayer.

I venture toward my panic room with utter dread toward what I must do. The act will be especially difficult since I've grown quite fond of Cameron. I do not wish to kill him. Killing him means I will never be able to speak to him again and I do not want that. I know an honest friendship cannot exist between jailer and prisoner, but I will miss him dearly. My heart shall be forever burdened by his absence.

Despite the beatings, he refuses to show his disdain openly, but I know it is there. It must be. I've no other experiences with torture or imprisonment to form a proper comparison, but his unconditional surrender cannot be genuine. He follows instructions the first time I give them and hastily positions himself as I require for restraint. If this is the product of foresight with purpose to create complacency, then his resulting efforts have been feeble.

He has never tried to attack me, despite having ample opportunity and there has never been a path of escape, nor have I ever given him reason to believe there was. Still, his complete obedience has created an illusion of trust that I do not wish to betray.

There are other illusions that have been created by circumstance and I am no doubt to blame for those as well. After I beat Cameron, I apologize profusely, every time. He is the only person I've ever apologized to and I mean it whenever I do. I am sincere in the sense that I feel sympathy toward his misfortune, though I do not regret my actions. I am decisive in the same way the Chief of Medicine is in giving hearts to those not named Andreas. The only difference is that my meaningful apologies have created an unnecessary complication.

At Cameron's request, I have always held him as recompense for his suffering. Due to the nature of his isolated imprisonment, he yearns for any companionship and mine must suffice. I grant him two hours of my time each day, during which he listens intently as I explain the logic behind my actions. He knows everything there is to know about the Simulation.

Moreover, he either believes in it entirely or is playing a long term con that will never bear fruit. Though, in a way, it has. I can honestly say that I love Cameron Wallace and today I must kill a man I love, so that a man I cannot live without may survive. The only pleasure I'll take in this is knowing, his suffering will end.

I trudge through the warehouse with utter reluctance as I make my way to Cameron's bedroom door. I've brought chicken Fettuccine Alfredo from Luciano's this time instead of the four-cheese lasagna. I've learned this is his favorite. I hear the clap of feet against concrete as I swing open the steel door. Since I've supplied him with shoes, I move around the door with caution, wary of an attack.