Chapter 25

Martha turned to Mob, pointedly ignoring Kyon:

«Come back in an hour. I have to work.»

The supervisor scratched his head uncertainty and waved his hand:

«Since I decided to skip work today, I will persevere. I’m taking a day off.» – Mob went to the door. Kyon threw the last glance at the doctor and followed him.

They walked in silence for a while. Then Kyon nodded to himself, walked faster to catch up with Mob and asked him directly:

«Do you like Martha?»

Mob did not expect this question. He tripped and froze in disbelief staring at Kyon. Then he quickly looked away, cleared his throat and finally replied through his gritted teeth:

«None of your business, brat.»

Kyon paid no attention to the threat in Mob’s voice and winked at him:

«I’ll help you win her heart if you want.»

Mob burst out laughing:

«Ha-ha, ha-ha-ha! How are you going to do it? What can you do with your slave skills apart from sorting out the stones? It’s hilarious…»

Indeed, Mob had a low opinion of the slaves and their abilities. However, his sneer didn’t mean no. So, Kyon continued:

«Did you notice that she had been giving me the cold shoulder all day? It’s because of a… hmm… of a little misunderstanding. I want to apologize to her, but I need your help. In return, I’ll help you win her love.» – Kyon assumed that Martha had asked Mob to bring him to her office, which meant he must be in the loop.

Mob grinned skeptically:

«What exactly are you talking about?»

«I’ll tell her something that will make her see you in a different light.»

The expression on Mob’s thin face made it clear that he didn’t believe a word Kyon was saying. However, he asked:

«Hm… How are you going to apologize to her? I won’t do it for you… Don’t even think about it, schmuck.»

«All I need is a pencil and paper. I’ll draw something for her.»

«What?! Do you take me for an idiot? How can a picture help you say you’re sorry?»

«I am good at drawing. She’ll forgive me, and then I’ll help you.»

Mob rolled his eyes: the boy had a screw loose, but there was no harm in trying. He could paint anything he wanted.

«Agreed…» – They walked in silence until they reached the door that Mob cordially opened for Kyon: – «Come on in.»

It was a standard room in the rock, with conventional furniture and basic utilities inside, nothing special.

«Here you are.» – Mob poked around, opened some drawers, and handed Kyon a pencil and a few sheets of paper.

In about 15 minutes, Kyon had painted what he wanted. When he finished, he gave the pencil back:

«Much obliged. I’ve finished.»

«Let me see what you’ve scribbled there.»

Kyon obediently handed him the piece of paper with a romantic landscape sketch.

«Hmph… Ha-ha-ha! There isn’t much talent in it…» – Mob couldn’t hold back a chuckle when he returned the drawing to Kyon.

«There’s only one way to find out.»

Of course, the pathetic tree and the sea in the background were unlikely to impress Martha. As for the second picture that Kyon depicted on the second piece of paper and discreetly slipped into his pocket, well, that piece of art stood a much better chance.

When Kyon entered the hospital, he noticed Martha’s cold, hostile gaze that sent a chill down his spine. The room was quiet. The patients were sleeping soundly with deep sedation.

Mob greeted Martha, and she nodded back. She came up to him with a firm, resolute step and muttered, never taking her locked gaze off Kyon:

«Mob, I need to talk to him. Stay here. I might need you.»

Kyon shuddered. The damsel looked determined. If he failed to pull off his plan, she would hand him over to the supervisor at once.

«Okay. I’ll keep an eye on these guys.»

Martha left the hospital, giving Kyon a sign to follow her. They walked down the corridor in tense silence until she turned into a nook. She made sure no one could hear them and slowly turned to Kyon:

«You’ve been using me…»

Kyon was silent, waiting for her to continue the monologue. She definitely needed to vent.

«You deceived me. You tricked me into doing things for you. You broke into my office. You made me distract Martin. You…» – Martha wearily closed her eyes for a second: – «How could you do this to me, son of a bitch?» – She was almost screaming, but it was not clear if she was outraged by Martin’s death or by the fact that Kyon had taken advantage of her.

Kyon took a dramatic pause and said in a sweet, gentle voice full of pity and concern:

«What would you do if your life were at stake?»

Martha frowned and muttered, still annoyed:

«What do you mean?»

«I had a teacher who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, and there’s nothing in the world I despise more than selfishness, greed, self-interest. These vices turn anyone into walking decay of bones and meat.» – Martha could see the emotional pain written all over Kyon’s face. His gestures showed his sincerity and innocence. – «Such people always have one distinctive feature…» – Kyon went silent, waiting for Martha’s response.

Her curiosity was too strong even if she was determined not to believe a word he said:

«And what is it?»

«The eyes. Their eyes are full of greed. Their eyes betray power and desire to destroy anyone’s life if it’s for their benefit.» – Kyon waited for the right moment and handed her the picture.

Martha hesitated for a moment and yet unfolded the drawing. It was an image of Martin. He was staring at Kyon with his greedy, cruel eyes cold with contempt. He was like a butcher looking at the innocent victim in the slaughterhouse.

Martha studied the picture for a long time. The woman’s heart filled up with compassion for the depicted “victim,” which gradually outweighed her anger and resentment.

As a matter of fact, Martha’s opinion of Martin was neutral. She considered him a master of his craft, but she didn’t know much about him. When she saw his evil, greedy eyes in the picture, she did not find them unrealistic. They were quite true to life.

«Why are you showing me this picture?»

«Martin found out that I was special, that I had a feature beyond human understanding. He was driven by greed, and I was to become his victim.» – Kyon said humbly to show Martha that he trusted her with his biggest secret.

«I don’t understand… What did he find out about you?» – Martha continued to pry, deeply confused. She knew that the world could always surprise her with its quirks, and their price was at times sky-high.

Kyon carefully reached Martha’s hand. The doctor watched him with suspicion but didn’t pull her hand away. He gently touched her wrist, making her fingers twitch as if he tugged at the invisible strings they were tied to.

Martha snatched her hand back, frightened:

«What… What are you doing!?»

Kyon frowned: {Why is it so difficult? I had to spend 80% of Synergy to stimulate her hand just a little bit!}

Martha was at the 3rd stage of the base phase. Even Synergy couldn’t manipulate her muscles that easily.

«My unique body gives me extraordinary abilities. For example, I can demagnetize formations, which you must have heard more than once. Martin suspected something was wrong and started spying on me. When it happened again, he examined me and my environment and found out that I had a special body, no less. He gave the order to deliver him special tools. It was the day when he scared me with his eyes… He looked at me like a butcher looks at a fat pig… His eyes were… They were terrible…» – Kyon shed a tear and sobbed. Even an oak tree would empathize with him at that moment. Martha was moved with pity. She slightly stretched out her hand but pulled it back at once. She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Martha thought Kyon was a murderer who used her as a means of his crime. Now she understood his motive, but it didn’t justify him!

«But… Was it a reason to kill him!? What makes you so sure he would have hurt you? Just because you were scared of his eyes?!» – Martha exclaimed. She was angry with Kyon again. At all events, murder will be murder.

«Do you remember the bruise on my wrist?» – Kyon asked quietly, rubbing his arm and avoiding eye contact with her.

Martha gasped in fear. Did Martin abuse him? Apparently, it wasn’t only his greedy look that had motivated Kyon to commit the crime? And yet…

«But…»

«I found out that Martin had deleted me from the database. You can search my name in the logs and you won’t find it. I don’t get any bag lunches, by the way. I’ve been starving, suffering from thirst. Thanks to Byron, I am still alive. He is a good man. He always helps me out and didn’t let me starve. Martin planned to kidnap me from the mine. He made sure there would be no questions. He seemed to be a good man, but demons were hiding inside of him. I was terrified of him… I didn’t want to be dissected, to be sold to bad people! I… I didn’t want… to die…» – Kyon said plaintively, looking at Martha with eyes full of tears.

Martha opened her mouth but could not find any words. Her heart overflowed with compassion as if she had walked in his shoes. Could he be manipulating her again? No… It was impossible. She didn’t want to believe Kyon was lying again. How could he be lying if she had seen the instruments in Martin’s office, the bruise? She felt his unique abilities in her hand. It all made sense. Kyon was trying to save himself. He was a poor victim of Martin’s greed.

Martha chose her words carefully and spoke almost without anger in her voice:

«Why didn’t you tell me anything? I could have helped you. I would have taken care of everything!» – Martha exclaimed, wringing her hands.

Kyon chuckled to himself: of course, she would. He bleated plaintively, making a sorrowful face:

«I’m sorry, but… He would have killed you.» – Kyon closed his eyes and turned away when the tears welled up in his eyes.

Martha muttered to herself, completely shocked:

«Killed me…» – She couldn’t understand why she had to blink to clear her eyes. She wanted to believe him so much, to believe that he was worried about her. But she couldn’t just ask him and find it out for sure. Reluctantly, she remembered her past. Her husband and son were killed because of debts. She managed to escape. Human greed can destroy lives, walk all over you… Martin would have killed her. She was just a mere mortal compared to him.

Martha was silent for a while, coming to her senses. Then she sighed:

«Okay, maybe you did the right thing. It’s hard for me to accept it, though… I was just a tool in your hands…» – She crumpled the picture with “evil” Martin and asked the question that had long been bothering her – «Tell me, dear, how did you do it? And don’t hide anything!» – She said in a threatening voice and pointed her finger at him.

Kyon scratched the top of his head and began his story, trying to smooth things over, avoiding everything that could anger the woman who did not like being used. At least, she understood and kind of accepted his motive for murder. How nice that he managed to convey to her the emotions he wanted her to feel.

When he finished, there was a thoughtful, stunned expression on her face. Martha once again changed her opinion of Kyon. This time, he became “sharp-witted” and “resourceful.” Anyway, Kyon hurried to change the subject. She could fly off the handle again at any moment. It was time to move on to the second part of the agreement:

«By the way, I’ve spent a lot of time with Mob recently. I guess I have found his good side.»

«Have you?» – Martha grunted in reply as they were walking back to the hospital.

«When those thugs attacked me, he did his best to help me out. Honestly, I didn’t expect him to… Don’t you think he deserves some credit for this?» – Kyon said with a sly smile.

«Maybe, he does. Why?»

«I don’t think my words of gratitude will make him happy enough. Another thing, if he heard the kind words from the person he has feelings for…»

Martha snorted angrily:

«Why should I do anything for you? Anyway, I’m still angry with you!»

Kyon shook his head:

«It’s not for me, Martha. It’s for a good cause. It might change Mob, make him a better man! He won’t be rude and disrespectful anymore. Maybe, he will turn to the light side! Don’t you want to change him?»

«I don’t know… What if he gets me wrong?» – Martha wasn’t so adamant any more.

«Let’s thank him together. It will send him a clear message of our sincere gratitude.»

«Hmm… Alright, if we do it together, I agree. Why not.» – Martha didn’t like Mob’s attitude towards slaves. It might be a chance to change his evil nature. Kyon had always wondered at women’s crusade to change men. Their brains were hardwired with the idea of improving someone, and it always gained the upper hand.

«Great! When I rub my nose, we’ll say “thank you” at the same time! He’ll understand everything.»

«But no funny stuff, ok?» – She shook her finger at him as a warning.

Kyon nodded with an innocent smile. {It was easy, way too easy.}

It had been a productive day.

…

Old Pink, the late Martin’s servant, was grieving. When Martin’s father was alive, he saved Pink from starvation, provided him with clothes, raised him… Needless to say, Pink was loyal to the Stone family as a dog. The old master was long gone, Pink and his devotion were passed down to his son, Martin. Now that Martin went to the forefathers, his only son Yegorka became Pink’s benefactor. Pink would better suck it up and start serving the grandson. However, there was something suspicious about his master’s death, something that disturbed him.

The faithful servant was not satisfied with the doctor’s certificate. He decided to investigate this case himself. As a personal servant, he begged the mine authorities to grant him access to some off-limit places. He was given three days for everything, and then he had to get out.

Today this “term” expired, but his investigation was at a dead point. Pink discovered that his master had ordered him to bring the tools to examine Kyon, the only witness to his death. It seemed like no big deal, only Pink found a crack in the crystal sphere. At first, the servant thought that Martin had dropped the sphere on the floor when he choked, but – here comes the tricky bit! – the boy should have noticed the change in Martin’s behaviour and called the guards.

Another point: there were no buns in the room except the one Martin choked on. Pink wanted to believe that was the last bun, but when he questioned the cook, who usually took orders, he found out that there was no delivery on that day, and Martin ate only fresh, high-quality pastry. The rest of the unfortunate bun could not be described as such.

Therefore, Kyon was the only lead Pink had. He tried to find out more about the boy and learned about the fight with the wardens. Today someone tipped him off that all of them had been knocked out! Kyon battered senseless a good half of them! Suspicious, very suspicious! Pink was determined to find the truth. He went to the hospital to ask the victims about what had happened. If Kyon turned out to be involved in the death of his master, Pink would never leave him alone, EVER!

…

Martha and Kyon entered the hospital. Mob came towards them:

«How was it?» – He asked both of them.

Kyon gave him discreetly a thumb up: «everything is great!»

Martha tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said casually on her way to attend to the patients:

«I don’t know what you are talking about.»

Mob frowned angrily. He approached Kyon and pushed him on the shoulder:

«It’s your turn to return your debt!»

Kyon gave him his best cryptic smile and winked:

«Something curious is about to happen, but a lot depends on your reaction. Be more persistent.»

Mob had no idea what Kyon was talking about but made a mental note to be alert.

Martha examined one of the beaten guards and started “interrogating” Mob:

«So, what happened to these guys?»

«Nothing special… When I came to pick up Kyon, they had already surrounded him. I yelled at them to calm down, but it was the same thing as always… Screaming wasn’t going to help, so I had to calm them down with my fists.» – Mob finished with a nervous chuckle.

Martha’s eyes flashed with genuine interest:

«You want to say you handled them all by yourself?» – She sent Kyon a meaningful look, saying that she waited for his sign… but he didn’t seem to notice her signals at all.

«Hahaha, yeah, on my own! It wasn’t that hard! Do you know why I did that?»

Mob didn’t finish when Kyon began ardently scratching the tip of his nose. Martha was tense as a string, ready for the right moment. She blurted out, without even thinking about what Mob had just asked her:

«Thank you!» – And only a moment later, she realized that Kyon didn’t say anything.

Seconds stretched like sticky molasses. The silence stood so still, it could be cut with a knife. {Hey, why are you silent!} – She glared at him.

Kyon was innocently drawing circles with his toe as if saying, «don’t give me that look! it’s nothing to do with me.»

Martha understood everything. She was too embarrassed to look at Mob, feeling the treacherous blush spread all over her face. She felt so silly…

Mob stared at her in amazement: {Could she… } He remembered Kyon’s instruction to be persistent. Mob gathered all his courage, came up to Martha, grabbed her non-resisting little hand in his paw and tried to catch her eye:

«I’m glad you understand why I did it.»

Martha blushed even more and pushed Mob away:

«No… No, no! You got it all wrong! It’s just Kyon and I…»