The Scientist

Captured

Xavier pov

The plan for Dr. Zedaph would have to be a little more complex if I wanted to get that damn goat-or sheep, or whatever he is-alone. He was always surrounded by people, always in the wrong place at the wrong time. But now, I wasn't working alone, and that gave me some flexibility. I'd started taking requests on which buildings to burn, and apparently, a lot of people had old grudges to settle. It made good money, too-better than I ever expected. Who knew arson could be so profitable?

Of course, I still had to keep up the ruse. The dead-end job, the quiet life. It was all part of the mask I wore. But behind it, I was starting to enjoy this other work. There was something about watching a carefully chosen target go up in flames, knowing it wasn't just the building burning, but the history tied to it. And the cash didn't hurt, either.

I fixed up the shack a bit, even though I told myself I wouldn't stay here long. It had become my base of operations for a while now, and I guess I was getting a little too attached to the place. The old wooden walls, the creaky floorboards-somehow, it all felt right. Like this was where I belonged, at least for now.

The shack had seen things, just like me. It had secrets in its walls, just like the ones I carried. Maybe that's why it felt like home, even though I knew better. I shouldn't be settling in. I shouldn't be making this place more comfortable. But the truth was, I didn't really want to leave. Not yet. Not until everything was finished.

I sat down at the table, blueprints spread out in front of me, my next move clear in my mind. Dr. Zedaph would be trickier than the others, but I'd already started setting the pieces in motion. As long as I kept playing my cards right, it would all fall into place.

I had to wait until around Christmas to make my move. The villa was always full of people, and with the snow starting to melt just enough, I knew folks would be itching to get outside and explore the forest again. That damn goat-sheep-thing would be right there with them, wandering the trees. Perfect.

But I had to be careful. I couldn't afford to attract too much attention, and my initial thought of starting a forest fire was quickly dismissed. It was reckless, and Wels... I couldn't risk him getting caught up in something like that. As much as I wanted my target alone, the fallout of a fire would have been too chaotic. No, I needed something cleaner, more precise. A plan that would make the most of the distraction Christmas would provide. Catching him while he was out shopping, maybe-it seemed more beneficial. But first, I had to know his patterns. That meant hanging around the villa, blending in, getting close enough without raising suspicion.

That's when things took an unexpected turn. At my dead-end job, we got a new employee: Dr. Zedaph himself. It couldn't have been more perfect if I had planned it. Maybe the villa wasn't making him enough money, or maybe he needed a little extra cash for Christmas, but there he was, standing in front of me, waiting for me to show him the ropes. A scientist turned fry cook-ironic, really.

I had to train him on how to flip burgers and handle the deep fryer, all while pretending not to know who he was. But the whole time, I was studying him, watching his every move. He was annoyingly capable, picking up the job faster than most, but I could see the cracks. He was out of place, uncomfortable, like this life wasn't meant for him. And that's where my opportunity lay.

It was late one night, and the shift at the dead-end job dragged on like it always did. Over the winter, I'd managed to scrounge up enough money for a car. A beat-up thing, but it worked. It got me where I needed to go, especially with all the other jobs I'd been taking. The timing was almost too perfect when Dr. Zedaph asked for a ride. He wanted to know where he could go, how to get around town, and I couldn't have planned it better myself. Fate seemed to be looking upon me, handing him over without a fight.