Humans Alone (G/T)

Chapter Twenty

Heath pulled Lester to the side of the room, watching the 'High Council' member closely. "So. Tell me. Why did you help us? Why didn't you step in sooner, or just-" His voice caught in his throat briefly but he continued. "-just kill Donnie sooner?"

"Ah, see, that's what is truly strange about this whole thing! I tried. We've all tried at least once. He's been shot, stabbed, hit on the head with a rock even, but he won't die." Lester spoke quickly, sounding excited about the whole thing. He sprinted from the room and returned only a few seconds later with a journal in his hand.

Heath recognized that old, leather wrapped journal in milliseconds. That was the book he'd given to Donnie a few short years ago. His chest tightened, his throat clenching as he fought back the emotions he was suddenly overcome with. Anger. Intense sadness. "Where did you get that?" He spoke, his voice harsher than he intended.

"Donnie ordered it to be burnt, but I snagged it. It's got some pretty fascinating things in here. Here, take a look." Lester held the leather bound book out to the other Masonin, taking note of the hesitance the other man had to take the notebook.

When Heath slowly started to reach out for the journal, he noticed his hands were shaking. Whether it be from nerves, his bubbling anger, or the sadness, he didn't know. 

Once the book was in his hands, he wasn't hesitant to undo the velcro and begin flipping through the pages. What he saw confused him and made him sick at the same time. Page after page of experiments on humans, trying to come up with some sort of chemical that could make someone immortal. And not just immune to age, but immune to anything. Bullets, knives, even simple things like falling.

Each page had 'FAIL' written in what Heath hoped was red ink. However, the last journal entry is circled repeatedly, labeled with the word 'Success'. Who knows how long the experiments had been taking place? Maybe since they had even just arrived on the planet. 

"He was finding a way to never die. And he did it, didn't he?" Heath's voice came out just barely above a whisper, his hands tightening around the cover of the journal. All those humans his son must've tortured, killed, just to finish his research. It made him physically ill. 

"Yes!" Lester spoke, still excited about discussing this with someone that wasn't with the High Council. 

"That means some poor human is out there, immortal, probably scared." Heath's frown remained on his face as he slowly closed the leather book. "Someone should find them."

"Oh, she's already safe with the High Council. We understand not all humans are evil. So we have small groups there in the building that we ensure are kept safe. The immortal one is now part of those groups." Lester spoke calmly now, easily taking the book from Heath' hands. "That's why I came to your aid. That human out there is strong, stubborn. We could learn more from him about their kind."

"Learn more? How? You can't hurt him, I won't let you." That was the truth. After learning Donnie was a traitor and wouldn't hesitate to kill him or Michael, the human was all Heath currently had. He couldn't lose him too. Not now.

"Relax, nobody is hurting anybody. All they'll do is ask questions. He'll be just fine." The violet eyed Masonin smiled widely, his teeth almost a perfect white. They looked so white to the point they could've been fake.

Heath cast a glance in Michael's direction, the human still on the couch and still curled into a fetal position. He couldn't tell if he was asleep or trying to listen in on the conversation. "He'll be safe with the council?" He whispered, lowering his voice to make sure Michael couldn't hear.

"Yes. Why?" 

He grew silent for only a few moments, piecing his thoughts together. "He could stay there. Where he'll be safe and not have to worry about any other Masonin hurting him." Heath continued to whisper. His hands tightened around the book in his hands, his knuckles turning white. If Michael was there, he knew the human would be safe. He knew that he wouldn't lose him.

"Well, I suppose he could. What do you plan to do? The human seems to be rather attached to you." Lester questioned, taking the journal from Heath's tight grasp.

"If the council allows it, I'll stay with him. If not, at least I know he will be in good hands." The light haired giant spoke calmly, his eyes never leaving Michael.

"Ah. We will leave when he awakens. He will be sore and tired but you seem to have no trouble carrying him." Lester's smile never faltered as he turned and walked from the room without another word.

Heath internally scowled. He didn't have trouble carrying Michael, but his own wound was still acting up. He's lucky it's not infected. However, he had no intention of making the human walk on his own. He'd promised him he wouldn't hurt him or let Donnie hurt him, and now that promise was broken. The Masonin needed a way to try and fix things. 

He began to walk to the couch, trying to make his footsteps lighter than feathers to avoid disturbing the possibly sleeping human. Every creak of a floorboard made him flinch. It made Heath wonder just how much trauma other humans have been through. Will things even be fine between the races if peace is able to be created? If Michael cringed in his sleep at a floorboard, how bad would other humans have it?

Heath again felt guilt, anger, and sorrow fill his gut. Once they get to the High Council and get things sorted out, his plan is to help Michael find his daughter. Find that poor little girl that could be out there being just as if not more traumatized by the whole thing than her father. 

Stretching his arms out, he cautiously laid down near Michael, his large arms wrapping around the smaller body. At first, the sleeping man cringed at the touch and attempted to move away, but soon settled and gave into the warmth and comfort surrounding him.

Keeping his arms gentle, Heath avoided any bruises on Michael's body while he closed his own eyes and his own body finally relaxed as he drifted off into a dreamless, unpeaceful sleep.