Monster Like You

Chapter 13

There is nothing scarier than the unknown. Nathaniel continued to believe in this statement, but in recent days he has been thinking more and more about the fact that something scares him more. Predetermination. Hopelessness. Inability to influence your own future.

He lost track of time, but assumed that about a month had passed since the day he escaped from Penn and landed straight into the open arms of Cerberus Corps. He was kept in the ward for about two weeks, and then transferred here.

Memory suggested that it was an underground storage. Actually, it was intended for the maintenance and study of unknown creatures and various dangerous artifacts that were discovered during investigations. Everything that was too dangerous to keep upstairs, in wards, offices and laboratories, was removed here. Nathaniel suspected that he was the only person being held here.

A whole hall was converted for him, creating a kind of small apartment in it. Almost the same as he lived in... More precisely, he remembered how he once lived. Only without windows. But there was a bedroom fenced off by a screen, a tiny kitchen and a perfectly acceptable living room with a sofa, a TV, a small dining table, bookcases and an aquarium with small fish. What kind of idiot decided to put an aquarium with fish in his cell, and most importantly - for what purpose, Nathaniel could not even guess. To calm his potentially aggressive nature? Very funny.

They continued to study him. No, they hadn't taken anything for analysis for the last two weeks, they hadn't taken him for examinations, but he could feel the surveillance of hidden cameras on his skin. The constant visits of Vet, Kiaran and Gervase were also hardly dictated by a sincere desire to communicate. Kiaran knew the protocols of investigations and laboratory observations very well and understood exactly what stage his "case" was at. As he understood what would follow.

He was waiting for an opportunity to escape. Alyss did it once, after all. Almost succeeded. He behaved deliberately restrained, lulling the vigilance of observers. I was waiting for the guards to make a mistake and allow an attempt to be made, but they behaved extremely cautiously. Apparently, having burned themselves on the fragile-looking Alyss, they preferred not to take risks with him. And this brought closer the only possible ending for him, which was dictated by the rules and protocols of Corps. Every day his inevitability scared him more and more.

A softly clicking lock announced the guest's visit. Nathaniel allowed himself only a slight twitch of an eyebrow. He was just about to drink tea and put the kettle on the stove. In his position, there was almost nothing to do. The day passed between meals while reading books. At the same time, books on magic, of course, were not given to him, and Nathaniel could not practice his existing skills either because of the protective spells imposed on the underground storage.

Today someone decided to make a company over a cup of tea. Usually, he was visited at more neutral hours, but here they were specially timed. And of course, it was Velvet Treasure. Who else?

She looked paler than usual today. She seemed either very tired, or a little sick. Nathaniel realized with surprise that he hadn't seen her for almost a week. She missed her last duty visit.

Vet was holding a brown paper bag in her hands. Nathaniel immediately became terribly curious about what was inside, so he pretended not to notice it at all. He understood that Vet had taken the package precisely in order to arouse his interest, because no one had brought anything with them before.

"Good afternoon," she greeted, walking into the kitchen uninvited. None of them ever needed an invitation.

Vet sat on a high stool behind the counter that divided the space into kitchen and living room zones, defiantly put the bag next to the cup he had prepared for himself, folded her hands in front of her and stared expectantly at Nathaniel.