For A Star To Fall

Chapter 18: Off-the-rocker Ramblings

Chapter 18

Smiling now, Dr. Valin's tone was friendly, or maybe just condescending and superior, Jordan thought, when he told Aaron, "Emyle is here. She's in the facility because I brought her here. She is unhurt at this moment, if I am not wrong, but I fear I cannot say the same about her being safe. Her own safety depends on what she chooses to do now. I gave her a choice, you see. If she chooses to stay in her room, and subsequently stay out of my business and restrain herself from meddling in my work, no harm will come to her."

Dr. Valin then fell silent, as if he was contemplating his next answer, for he began to use his free hand to stroke his chin, as the smile on his face dimmed a little. What an actor he was, Jordan thought, if he truly felt that stroking his chin would make him look deep in thought. Well, admittedly, it actually was quite convincing, mostly because the look on his face was extremely profound, but it kind of looked rather fake and insincere. And Jordan still could not imagine why he would want to stroke his chin. It was as if covering up his true thoughts and feelings was already a habit for him, like some kind of compulsive disorder. 

"And the reason why you want her here?" Aaron somehow managed to look impatient even while he was strapped to that steel table. 

With a decisive nod, more to himself than Aaron, Dr. Valin brightened and his smile came back with even more intensity than before, making him look a little more off his rocker, and crazier than last time. He moved to the right of the screen, where there was a long table that seemed to stretch from one end of the room to the other and most likely served as a type of desk, as there was a sleek laptop resting on top of it. Grabbing the rolling chair that was in front of the desk, Dr. Valin pulled it over to Aaron's steel table and sat down on it, leaning back slightly and crossing one leg over the other as he got comfortable.  He tilted his head, and his mouth worked, like he was phrasing out his words and trying to find the right ones to convey whatever he wanted to say.

"When I first saw Emyle in that old building," he began slowly, perhaps carefully, "she was holding my thumb drive and looking extremely unsure of her own actions. She looked to you for guidance, and I felt that I could use that to my advantage, and exploit that weakness, so I took her too, in the hopes that she would become useful to me in the near future. I had originally planned to start experimenting on her a little, because her physical and mental health was in much better condition than that of the orphans I have been using, so the results of the tests could turn out a little different with her.

"However, when Ana and I came to see her, she--oh yes, Anastasia Gardiner, one of our younger scientists here, though she really is more intelligent than she seems. So we went to check up on her and see if she was awake yet. And when she did wake up, oh, you should have seen her. So tired and confused, but still extremely strong and stubborn. Just like you, actually," Dr. Valin met Aaron's gaze, and Jordan thought that he really looked like some kind of crazy stalker as he talked about Emyle with that mad look in his eyes. Then he continued, and his tone began to take on a weird, dreamy quality as he spoke. "Then I looked into her eyes, and I saw all that distrust and prudence and cautiousness shining out at me in those strange black eyes of hers. And yet, she seemed so young and naive and relaxed around me. She is so intelligent for her age, Aaron. It pains me a little to admit this, but you actually did a great job of raising her the way you did."

Jordan watched for Aaron's reaction, but all he did was raise one eyebrow and keep his eyes on Dr. Valin, like how one would watch a wild animal, the ones that get even more dangerous when they feel cornered. He did not give much away, apart from the open hostility in those grey-green eyes. Aaron twitched the fingers of his left hand, in a gesture that said You may continue. But it seemed like Dr. Valin did not really need much prompting to start speaking again. “She thinks like you, you know,” he told Aaron, twiddling his fingers. When Aaron did not respond, he continued, “Yes, she’s so much like you in character, though in appearance she is very similar to our Kathy. Very cautious, Aaron, so very cautious. I offered her a glass of water when she woke up, but she absolutely refused to take it, and just stared at me with those strange eyes. I had no idea what she wanted, until I thought of you, that is. What would you, Mr. Cautious and Careful, have told your child to keep her safe? So I drank a little bit of the water, and only then did she consent to drink, safe with the knowledge that the water was completely harmless.”