To The End of Time

Chapter 4: Level Four

Yellow, pink, and orange lights streaked across the early morning sky, illuminating the library through the skylights. Two sabers laid asleep on red cushion pillows, raising their heads at the sound of the door opening. Golden eyes narrowed as a low rumble echoed throughout the room which quickly dissipated at the sight of Pavel. Pushing themselves up, they approached him with soft purrs.

"Hey, sabers," Pavel whispered. His hands scratched them behind their ears, deeping their purrs that moved through his body. His heart ached the longer he stared. They weren't his saber. They weren't his Takon.

Pushing himself up, he continued past the sabers toward the grand table in the center of the room. "Computer, pull up the footage of the festival minutes before the incident." Leaning forward, he watched as the table shimmered and created a mini model of the festival. His eyes study the scene before him, watching the crowd as his voice echoed throughout the library. There was the toast, the lifting of the cups, and then the drinking cups. Nothing seemed out of place.

"There you are." Pavel raised his head at Donovan's voice. His guard sat across from him, pulling up a holofile. "The autopsy came in."

"And?"

"There's nothing that shows any signs of poisoning, trauma, nothing."

Taking the form, Pavel's eyes scanned the words.

"Everything looks normal. We even tested the nectar that was ingested. Nothing is out of the ordinary."

Pavel's eyes furrowed. But that...doesn't make any sense. "From the many, many years I attended the festival, no one ever reacted to nectars like that."

"Maybe it was a freak accident?"

It didn't feel like a freak accident at all though. "Who was the victim?"

"Duke Ezra." As Donovan spoke, an image of the young man came forward. "Was recently given his father's factories after his retirement. From what I gathered this was the first outing after taking over the busniess."

Pavel raised an eyebrow. "You think it was a matter of bad blood?"

"Could be, you know the higher ups aren't without their secrets. For all we know, someone could have tried something before he came and it just unfortunately happened during the festival."

"Well, unfortunately or not, it interrupted my festival." It was time I paid the Duke's family a visit.

Separated by levels based on DNA scores, those of level four or higher lived on what the council had termed the Islands of Purity. Beyond the castle, past the rows of fern gardens and through the steel wall, one of the main gateway elevators laid.

The guards, armed with vapor guns, didn't even glance at Pavel as the prince placed his hand against the palm biometric scanner. As the lights turned green, two clear doors opened as the platform glowed a deep green.

As the doors shut around him, the platform started up. Higher and higher it climbed, past the lower levels with their decaying rust buildings, fog heavy air, and compacted streets. Unlike the more heavy tech lower levels, the purity islands were styled after the 1940s, the last year before the explosion changed life as they knew it forever.

Now reaching level four. A voice chimed through the silence. The doors opened to reveal the main island level, a large park created from flora and fauna from all provinces. A large tiered fountain stood in the center of it all.

From the main island, hover platforms carried people to their destination. Approaching the large neoclassical style home, Pavel pressed his hand against the palm biometric, causing the door to swing open. Stepping into the living room, his eyes scanned around the large, cream colored symmetrical room. Golden molding lined the walls and interior column while jewels glistened in the house's natural light.

"Your highness." His head turned. Bevica, the Duke's mother, was dressed in a dark navy of mourning. A veil covered her face, leaving only her storm gray eyes visible. "I didn't expect a visit so soon."

"Yes, well I came to offer my condolences." He watched Bevica make her way to the couch. "I know Duke Ezra was highly favored by his father."

"Yes, he was. I always knew he would be perfect, even when I was carrying him. He never was a fussy baby, not like those others." Sitting down, she held up a hand. "Tissue."

Footsteps echoed as a maid hurried over to drop the box in front of her. Pavel didn't miss the tracker around the woman's wrist.

Grabbing the tissue, Bevica dabbed at her eyes. "And to think, he had the audacity to actually leave those other...other...mixed blood heirlooms."

Pavel raised an eyebrow. "He left something for his other children?"

"Yes," Bevica waved the maid away. "Some jewelry as if you believe it. Like they need anything from my late husband."

Pavel tried not to look interested. It was very, very rare for men to leave gifts to those he sire of lower scores. Usually the highest score takes all, which meant that maybe, just maybe, he favored one of his other matches more.

"Do you think they might have done something to poor Ezra?"

"Maybe." Bevica curled the tissue in her hands. "But I don't know why. It's not my fault that the wrecked woman produced a hybrid kid."

"If you want," Pavel leaned back. "I see to it that something like this never happens again." He needed to tie up some loose ends, might as well get some "sympathy" points as well with it.

Another sob. "Please, I am just heartbroken." As she dabbed at her eyes, Pavel fought the urge to roll his. The only thing she was probably heartbroken about was losing some money to the funeral cost.

"Then I must take my lead before something tragic like this happens again."

"Yes, yes." She sniffed. "You really are a kind hearted prince."

Pavel fought the urge to grimace as he turned away and finally made his way out. It wasn't until he was out of ear shot that he dared rung for Donovan.

Once....twice...three times.

Where are you? Pavel frowned. He couldn't wait for him to look up the information, not when their only lead could get cold any minute. He needed something, something that- Movement snapped his gaze toward the gardener that trimmed the hedges.

Just like the flowers before him, an idea blossomed in Pavel's mind as he made his way over. "You." Pavel's eyes scanned the dirty, faded overalls that clung to his frame. "I want to make a trade."

"A trade?" The gardener repeated. His eyes scanned Pavel wearily. Like Ursus, he had one gray and one green eye, telling of his low level blood.

Pavel gestured to his own clothes. "I'll trade you my clothes for yours." The man eyed his clothes, no doubt taking in the various worth of just the materials alone.

"Why?"

"That's none of your busniess," Pavel growled. "Now, do you want to trade or not?"

When he flinched at his harsh tone, Pavel quickly caught himself. "I'm sorry, but I can't wait. Do you want to trade or not?" With a hesitant nod, Pavel used the hidden hedges to strip. Tossing the man his clothes, he quickly took the overalls and headed over to where the man was digging.

Now to complete the look. With handfuls of dirt, he dusted his hair and face, making sure to rub it in well. Pushing himself up, he headed toward the elevator. He was finally ready to go to the lower levels.