The Cure

XVIII

Griffin sits in the cold damp cell, his fifth day alone, yet not. Maycroft has come everyday to ask the same questions, which Griffin still refuses to answer. Even with threats and torture, nothing sways his resolve. 

"You're not relenting are you. What's with such a stoic philosophy. I think we need to give him a little, incentive, don't you?" Maycroft address the person standing behind him in the shadows. Griffin snarls and spits blood at his boots. The person does not flinch but carefully moves forward and, though addressing Maycroft, stares only at Griffin's battered form on the ground.

"I think so," he says. "Why not give him a little nudge, hm? Let's see..." Now the person in the shadows comes forward even more, illuminating his face in the scarce light. This time he addresses Griffin head on. "If you don't tell us, we'll hurt her." 

Griffin's eyes go wide. They couldn't mean...?

"No, not your mother. She's a bit far gone for that. No, you know exactly who I mean."

Griffin watches him. This boy, hair dark as midnight swept across his forehead, hiding eyes that glimmer with intent. This boy, with his sun-kissed skin and strong arms. 

"I'll tell you," Griffin realizes he's beaten. "Just leave her alone. Leave her out of this."

"Tell us now, please."

"I'm one of them, yes. I helped plan the factory riot. I convinced them to fight. I needed them to see what's wrong with what you're doing to us. We refuse to be your slaves. We know."

Maycroft smirks. "I'm sure you do. Now, tell us how you got the medicine."

Griffin bits his lip but the figure in the shadows raises his eyebrows and with a tap of his foot reminds Griffin what will happen if he doesn't speak the truth.

"My mother she's...she's not really ill."

"What?" Maycroft is stunned. "No, you're lying."

"It's true!" Griffin shouts. "She's been pretending all this time to get the medicine for me so I could use it against you. I found all the evidence I needed to gather support and prove you've all been lying to us for far too long."

"What a foolish boy you are! I don't believe a word he's saying of this."

Griffin turns to the shadows to wait for the other's reply. 

"Thank you," the boy says. "I knew you'd come to see your senses. You didn't need all the blood and broken bones, but merely, a threat that's more important to you than your life."

Griffin lifts his head with the rest of his strength and watches him leave behind Maycroft.

This boy, what was his name...? The one who let Adler go? Wasn't it...