Monster Like You

Chapter 19

The idea of looking after Nathaniel belonged to Rea for a while. Elsdon suggested taking him to work in Corps to keep him closer. Arrange everything so that it will be his own choice, I asked.

“And if he doesn't want to?” Gervase looked at me doubtfully when I suggested it. “What if he leaves?”

“He won't leave,” I said firmly, although I didn't feel such unshakable confidence.

“He has nowhere to go. He will accept your offer. And if it is a proposal, and not an ultimatum, we will achieve a better result. That's what they do with people: they are offered options.”

Eventually Gervase gave up. And now I'm relieved to know that I was right.

Deep down, I was afraid that Nathaniel would decide otherwise after all. It would mean that I didn't understand it well.

“And then what?” I asked.

We were sitting together again in Gervase's office, but this time not at the conference table and without a drink.

“And what's next?” He was surprised. “We make him documents, we take him to work, as promised. I've already ordered him to be moved from the underground storage to a regular room. You can help him find an apartment. Or I'll assign it to the secretary. Kiaran is getting acquainted with the materials of the new investigation, tomorrow you leave, Nathaniel will go with you. He will master all changes in the rules in the process. Let's see how you work together now. And together, let's hope that one day we won't have to regret the decision made today very much.”

I looked at the director across the table, sitting in the visitor's chair, and struggled with the desire to voice a question that could cost me dearly. In vain. The question was asked anyway:

“It's all clear. I'm interested in something else. What about this investigation? We decided the fate of Alyss and Nathaniel, but that wasn't the main goal. What about Penn's experiments? With the missing documents? With her accomplices? After all, we have to figure out who did all this and stop them from conducting new experiments. I don't want anyone else to have to go through this, the three of us are enough…”

I broke off, catching Gervase’s heavy gaze on me. Kiaran looked at me almost the same way when I once expressed suspicions about the leadership. Is it really true?

“Or are we closing the investigation because we already know the answers to these questions?” I couldn't resist. “The documents were still not stolen, but seized, right? And now what? Will the corps continue what Penn started? Who will be copied next? And what will they do with the new chimeras? Will they join the ranks of the British army?”

Gervase smiled and shook his head.

“What a hothead you are,” he remarked with a chuckle. “I wonder what you would do if I confirmed your assumptions?”

I pursed my lips, realizing there was nothing I could have done. Cerberus Corps is not accountable even to the Law Enforcement Corps. Its leadership reports directly to the Government and the Minister of Internal Affairs. It's not even clear who to complain to. The president?

“Don't think of us as monsters,” Gervase asked gently. “If Nathaniel and Alyss were our project, everything would have ended after my first report to senior management. They wouldn't try to change any of them, much less let them go. They would just disappear along with the documentation. I thought you were smart enough to figure that out.”

I was embarrassed. Probably even blushed. Gervase was right: we would not be allowed to let go or mess with chimeras for a long time. Why didn't I think of that right away? Apparently, after all, the rule prohibiting employees who are personally and emotionally involved in what is happening from conducting an investigation did not appear in vain.