Lock and Key

Entitlement And Attachment

When Simon checked on the Void that morning it was still asleep. The Void mumbled in its sleep Simon noticed. Most of it was unintelligible but he did manage to hear the name Hazel come up quite a few times. Yes, Hazel. Perhaps the person Simon had the most conflicted feelings on. When he'd first captured the Void Simon had considered sending out a manhunt for that null and wheeling her just to push the Void toward it's breaking point but ultimately he'd chosen not to.

After all, Hazel was under the care of that stooge of the false conductor and he had no doubt that the old woman had plenty of tricks up her sleeve along with a general distaste for him so it wasn't worth the risk. Besides, that would have been a low blow even by his standards, he had better methods of hurting the Void. But, being reminded of the null that had been under his and the Void's care ignited something in Simon. The Void was likely worried about Hazel and was desperate for information about her. Simon weighed his options in this effect. Ultimately, he was envious of the null despite her less than human status. In only a few weeks of traveling with them Hazel had managed to unravel what he and the Void had spent eight years building.

In addition Simon was also perhaps a little jealous of the child. After all it had been her who'd driven a wedge between him and the Void in the first place; her who had stolen the place beside the Void that he'd once held. Though considering the Void's true nature perhaps that was something he should have been grateful for. Simon all things considered did desperately miss the connection he and the Void had once had. He'd truly felt once that the Void was the only person who he could ever love. Maybe he still felt that way. But Simon was uninterested in that train of thought at least for now.

And besides that thinking about Hazel and the events she'd set in motion once again brought his mind to that stooge of the false conductor. She'd had the highest number Simon had ever seen but he was sure he'd surpassed it by now. Numbers were power and he was no doubt more powerful than her. Perhaps now he'd be able acquire some of her technology, and maybe some information on Hazel as well. Getting information on the fate of the null the Void had attached itself to would either please or upset the Void. At this point either was useful to Simon. The Void would likely be asleep for quite a while longer, long enough for him to make a quick trip out a few cars to try and find Amelia and get back without much trouble. Simon ascended the escalator and addressed his loyal followers.

"Apex, I have an announcement to make. I will have to depart the car and will be gone for the next two days. In the meantime all of the rules still apply and if I find that they were broken there will be consequences." he announced. The children murmured to themselves below him some confused and most excited at the prospect of two full days of peace within the car lacking the tension that Simon brought to it. "As for the Void," he continued, "I will be selecting a trusted member to be responsible for it's food while I'm gone." He looked over the crowd and selected a member. "You." he said, gesturing to a girl with red hair. "Can you recite the rules in regards to the Void?" he asked. The girl nodded.

"No talking to the Void, no using the Void's false name, no entering the Void's prison." she recited from memory. Simon nodded.

"While I am away you are responsible for the Void's food. Is that understood?" He asked. The girl nodded. He didn't bother to try and remember her name. There were so many Apex kids and he was never good with faces alone. That had been the Void's responsibility when it had been in power. Simon went to his room to collect the necessary items for his short journey to gather information and hopefully some of the old woman's technical know how. After he'd finished he addressed the children one more time. "Don't disappoint me." he said, both a reminder and a warning. And with that he set off towards the direction he'd seen the old woman and Hazel head off in.

Checking his tracker based on how high the woman's number was when he'd last interacted with her Simon had determined that she wasn't too far away, which had made him confident about this whole trip in the first place. If he was correct she would only be a few cars away and hopefully along with her the null who had managed to destroy years of work without even trying. As Simon traveled he considered the fact that he was doing this and questioned himself. He didn't need to go see the old woman and learn the secrets of her technology. He was doing this almost exclusively for the Void. Simon believed that in a way he loved the Void despite it being far less than human.