Monster Like You

Chapter 31

I was poorly aware of reality. People were talking about something. I could hear Nathaniel, still leaning on the wrecked car, explaining in a hushed voice to Gervase what had been going on since he discovered three unknown people in his apartment. The security guards, led by Sincere, also talked. But all the voices merged for me into a single indistinguishable hum.

I looked at Kiaran's body, at the pool of blood spreading on the asphalt. The dead eyes remained open and were fixed on me, and for some reason I couldn't take my eyes off them. His voice was still ringing in my ears. It sounded much clearer than the voices of those who were talking nearby.

This is more than just a series of murders, Vet...

Gervase released evidence that linked our magic department to Penn's experiments...

Kiaran's voice was suddenly mixed with a second one, which I knew was worse, but which sounded no less distinct.

I hear conversations... They mention Cerberus Corps. And two surnames: Penn and Elsdon...

Nathaniel found out about it a month before his death. The project "Abyss" already existed then, but Alyss had not yet been created. Nathaniel probably went to the management with this, that is, to Gervase, but he did nothing. Perhaps he instructed me to sort it out quietly, as he then suggested that I follow my colleagues, look for a traitor among them. Nathaniel must have found something, since he was killed and Penn was fired. But why did Elsdon still continue to work? It took twelve years to find evidence against him and his department? Seriously?

It's more like a cover-up, a deliberate deceleration of the investigation, but Gervase hates magicians. So why would he cover for them? Why would he take so long? What was he waiting for?

People were outraged and scared...

Something has broken in society...

I held my breath. Could Geravse have waited for the "Abyss" project to go that far? Could he use this to gain emergency powers, strengthen security measures, and increase hatred of magicians? So that not only the magic department of Corps would bear responsibility, but all the magicians who remained in Britain?

He was so doubtful about whether it was worth releasing Nathaniel, but he did not establish surveillance either in his apartment or in the house...

But even back when Nathaniel's fate was being decided, Sirius had reason to suspect that Draco would one day break loose and become Beast. "Evil has turned into a beast", he saw it on the record. Let him not know what exactly and in what volumes Nathaniel would do, but he was obliged to expect a trick. And still let him go, gave him complete freedom.

Then, when mentions of Beast appeared in the press, he would have to guess everything and reveal Nathaniel. Immediately, and not wait ten years. What could he have been waiting for?

Inside, everything turned upside down from a terrible, nauseating realization. Gervase left Nathaniel unattended so as not to disturb him. Do not prevent the chameleon from gradually taking possession of him, turning him into a monster.

And for a long time he would not intentionally prevent this monster from killing in order to instill fear of Beast in the hearts of people. Long-term, paralyzing. To then dump the truth about him on their heads along with the evidence of the magicians' guilt and provoke a wave of hatred. Yes, that was exactly what he had been waiting for for twelve years. That is, it will wait another decade.

I could tell by Gervase.

"Vet?!"

Tone that it wasn't the first time he'd called me. Inhaling convulsively, I blinked away the tears that welled up in my eyes, tore gaze away from the dead Kiaran and turned to the director. He looked at me with concern and even something like concern. Nathaniel was also looking at me, but I couldn't understand the emotion in his eyes.