Madness

Roman Godfrey, The Golden Boy

When I woke up (with every muscle of my  body aching), Peter wasn't home. I explained to Roman that he left the night before and that he was supposed to call.

He just nodded looking kind of worried though, before heading towards the bathroom.

Roman Godfrey had changed a lot since the first time I had met him. He wasn't as cocky as he used to be and was much more ... discreet ? I never thought I would use this word to describe Roman. Some could put this on growing up but I, on the other hand, think that little Nadia had something to do with it.

I joined Miranda and the baby downstairs and we sat in the kitchen. An awkward silence fell between us and I hoped for something to break it ... Anything ... Even bloody Olivia would be good.

"Rose" said Roman, hair still wet from his shower. "Could you come with me to the tower ? I need help with ... with some papers."

Some papers ... ? ok, weird.

"Well if you can drop me by my house before so I can shower and take some clean clothes, sure"

"Didn't you leave some clothes here ? We don't have time to go by your house  and I really need you to come."

"You can borrow some of mine if you need to." Miranda proposed. "I mean we are a bit alike, it might be a bit tight for you but it should be fine." Roman said it was a brilliant idea and I tried to refuse but neither of them listened to me. I took the clothes and after a quick shower, I was in the car with Godfrey.

---

We had been in the car for a couple minute and Roman kept tapping his hand on the steering wheel and biting his lips. I put my hand on his to stop him, the sound becoming quite annoying.

"If you have something to tell me, just say it." He quickly looked at me before looking back at the road.

"It's just ... Today is my last operation and I don't know .. Should I really do this ?"

"Roman Godfrey, the golden boy, having second thoughts." I wanted joke a bit but he was awfully serious about it. " If that's what you really want, then you should do it. I don't really know what to tell you ... I don't know what it feels like to be an upir."

"Fucking horrible."

----

We arrived at the Godfrey tower and went straight downstairs so Roman could change and wait in a room. Roman and I left messages to Peter all morning but he never answered.

"Peter where are you ? I got your half message. You better not try to do this without us. Miranda's home alone with Nadia and Rose is with me. I'm worried. Call me back." When he hanged up Doctor Pryce came in the room and looked positively shocked to see me here.

"How are you feeling ?" he asked like any doctor would ask his patient.

"Peachy keen." But of course not all patient are like Roman.

"It's a big day for you. I just reviewed the latest results from your last sessions, and I'm pleasured to report that your sed rate indicates -" I stop listening to what he was saying. I didn't understand a single word he was saying and I could feel a wicked headache settling in. " You will, in effect, be symptom free, the hunger will be gone and - What's wrong ?" Roman was intensely staring at me and seemed to be thinking of ways to get out of this situation.

"Something came up ... with the baby .. " He told Pryce and started walking towards the door.

"Wha- Is she sick ?"

"We need to postpone." He was about to grab my arm to leave the room but Pryce placed himself on Roman's way.

"No you can't"

"I can do whatever I want." said Roman, his old smug self I used to know showing itself.

"You are at a critical juncture. If you don't go through with this final treatment, the mort virulent and resistant retroviral fragments will rush into the microbial void, multiplying unchecked, rebounding to your DNA, causing them to mutate with unpredictable and potentially catastrophic results. It will be virtually impossible to eradicate. All of our gains, all of your suffering will be for naught." Conclusion ? Roman walking out of this now will be bad. No need to make such a long and complicate speech ...

"Fine. Let's get this fucking thing over with."

---

Roman was being prepared to go to surgery and was being rolled out to the bloc, me next to him when Olivia came out of the elevator.

"Mother, behold your son. After today, the filth that you infected me with will be gone." And then he disappeared behind white doors.

Olivia looked at me but not with this sort of contempt she usually has for me, she was much more ... human ?

"I see that you are still friend with my son. He hates me you know." At that point I should assure her that it isn't true but unfortunately it is so I kept my mouth shut.

"I know he hates me but he adores you. Even if he doesn't say it, it's quite clear that he does. So could you please keep an eye on him ... please ?" She tried to give me an encouraging smile but it was clear that her cheeks were not used to be stretched that way and it gave an odd result. Nonetheless it was actually nice of her and I couldn't help but wonder what happened to the evil Olivia.

--

I was waiting for Roman but I knew he would not come out of the room before 3 or 4 hours. I got comfortable on my chair and starting reading a book. I was focused on it but I could hear some weird sounds coming from the doors. Thinking it was nothing I went back to my book when I heard a little scream of surprise. I put my book back in my bag and the sound of  footstep was getting closer along with a dripping sound. Seconds later, Roman erupted from the door, bare foot, tubes still hooked in his arms but connected to nothing, leaving a trail of blood in his path.

Before I could ask him what was going on he told me to follow him and went to some strange yellow room. We came down the stairs and the Russian doctor I saw a few times around was shocked to see us here.

"You shouldn't be here-" she said in an heavy accent.

"Open the fucking door. Now!" She got scared and quickly put her hand print in order the activate the doors. The access was granted and two massive doors opened. Before going inside, Roman turned to her and in a terrifying voice I did not recognize him he told her that if she said anything to anyone he would put her head on a spike. He then went into the room, telling me to stay behind and then waked to a sort a yellow machine in the center of the room. He hooked himself to the machine with the tubes still in his arm and pulled a lever down. A sort of pink substance came out and Roman started to moan. The doctor looked at me and put her finger on her lips, telling me to stay quiet and walking behind Roman with a syringe in her hand. I yelled at Roman to look out and he yelled back at me to get out of the room. His tone, the fury in his eyes made me immediately listen to him and when I left all I could hear was a long scream and then nothing. Complete silence. I was a bit scared to look back and after a few minutes, Roman grabbed me my the waist and hurried me out of the tower, back to his house.