Battle Born

59: Fatherly Advice and Deceit

Luka sat in his bronco across the street from the LA Malcolmson Laboratories. A brutalist style building, sitting in the hills. He knew his presence was known as he sat. His window was down as the wind blew through the cabin of the bronco. He listened to the sounds around him as he noticed movement coming from the building as he looked over with his peripherals, seeing a man coming out in a dark suit and white hair.

He looked over as he took his keys out of the bronco. He got out as he stood in front of his vehicle. He stood vigilant as his father walked over to him. "It's a strange seeing you here without being asked to be here." Dr. Malcolmson spoke as he looked at his son. Luka nodded his head as he lit up a cigarette and took a puff. "I know." Luka mumble. "Nasty habit." Dr. Malcolmson stated. "So is stealing children and torturing them, but I'm not here to talk about bad habits. This might seem strange to the both of us, but I am here to ask for fatherly advice. You do remember how to do that right?" Luka asked as he looked up at Malcolmson.

"I do know how to do that. It's hasn't slipped my mind. What is bothering you?" Dr. Malcolmson asked. "Everything. I don't even know where to begin." Luka said as he took another puff of his cigarette. "Look, I'm going to be honest here. I can really use a fatherly figure right now. I don't want Dr. Malcolmson. I want what my dad would be like if he wasn't you. Can you fucking entertain me for a while?" Luka asked as Dr. Malcolmson gave him a small smile and he gesture with his hand towards the building.

Luka shook his head. "I'm not going into the building." Luka stated. "There's some picnic tables out back for employees." Dr. Malcolmson stated. "That's alright." Luka admitted as he followed Malcolmson. The two got sat down as Luka puffed away on his cigarette. Malcolmson escape into the building coming out with a six pack of beer. "Where has this guy been my whole life?" Luka asked with his arms out and a second cigarette in his mouth. "He's been here the whole time, but I can't show that part. Business." Dr. Malcolmson admitted as Luka nodded his head. Dr. Malcolmson stated as he popped the top of the bottle as he sat down. He handed it to Luka as he looked at it. "I'm going to say I am suspicious." Luka admitted as Dr. Malcolmson nodded his head. "You are right to be that way. Dr. Malcolmson grabbed the bottle and took a drink from it. "See safe." Dr. Malcolmson said as Luka took it and took a drink.

They sat in silence, both drinking a beer, as Dr. Malcolmson broke the silence. "I never thought I would be in this situation right now with you. To be honest, it is something I would have dreamed of." Dr. Malcolmson said as Luka looked at him. "I'm going to stop you there. Did you do this to my sister too? Was she like mom and I?" Luka asked as Dr. Malcolmson looked at him confused. "What do you mean your mother?" Dr. Malcolmson stated as Luka raised his eyebrow. Dr. Malcolmson nodded his head and took another drink. "You time traveled. Clever." Dr. Malcolmson stated. "Did she recognize you?" Dr. Malcolmson asked. "No, but I could tell the signs. She had the Russian red star for the programs." Luka admitted as Dr. Malcolmson nodded his head. "I want you to know that I never intended to have a chosen wife, but as a young doctor. It was expected to have specific attributes." Dr. Malcolmson stated as he took a drink of his beer and watched Luka take another puff of his cigarette.

Luka looked over at him and fully looked at his face. Seeing the aging white haired man in front of his as his father. A man that hasn't acknowledged him as his son since he was five years old. "Why me?" Luka asked as Dr. Malcolmson was caught off guard. He stopped sipping his beer and wiped his lip. "What do you mean?" He asked as if he didn't understand. "Don't play stupid with me." Luka stated as he took a drink of his beer and a puff of his cigarette. "You know, I didn't want this to happen. I never chose for this to be..." Dr. Malcolmson stated as Luka interrupted his with a hand puppet of his jabbering along. "Yeah, yeah. Same shit different day. You wanted a spot, and you took it. You could have said no, but you didn't." Luka stated as he took another drink.