Sole Scion - 13. Chapter Thirteen: Final Results

Chapter Thirteen: Final Results

For the last fourteen days Daniel had not been allowed to leave the exam chair, not even relieve himself with anything other than a bucket. That didn’t mean he had been shitting on himself for the last two week. Whatever suppository the Bionoids slipped inside him had shut down his large intestines. Not that he was given all that much to eat that would leave anything behind.

Each day he underwent 18 hours of testing. This left only 6 hours for sleep which he had to do sitting up. Being feed intravenously the examiner saw no need for meal breaks. They kept him hydrated via the IV but only allowed him to drink the bare minimum so he could continue to speak.

By now most people would have been broken and in actuality Daniel already had. However, since he had not given NET what they wanted the examination had not ended. Since Daniel was certain he was a Norm and not a Neo he knew the examination would not end until one of the tests killed him

For all fourteen days Andrew had watched in silence as Daniel was broken. Through a speaker he heard Daniel mumble. “I’m a Neo… I’m a Neo…”

Andrew heard the examiner reply; “So you say. Now how about you prove it?”

“How can I… tell me and I’ll do it. If you let me go I’ll do whatever you ask.”

“You can prove it to me by showing me your essence.”

The essence, the anima produced by a Neo’s core was a neon blue for most Neos. The examiner however insisted Daniel’s had to be red. Andrew had heard the agent call it by many names and he still didn’t know the hell what the man was talking about. He supposed that Red was another drug much like the natural Blue Andrew’s body produced. If Daniel did have the means to producing this unknown of drug he didn’t produce it the way Andrew’s body did.

Andrew knew of only three forms the Drug came in… Blue, White, and Green. Blue was the most widely known. Those taking the Blue regularly were noted for their prime physical condition and near unnaturally ability to recover from injury and resist disease. The Blue didn’t just fight off the Plague but could also cure most forms of cancer, HIV and other previously incurable diseases.

This made the drug greatly sought after. Lordon, the only known mass manufacturer of the Blue on Earth, demanded prices unparalleled in the field of pharmacy. It was the source of its wealth and much of its political influence.

Daniel had never had a problem obtaining the drug. Not because Karl had been willing to pay for it but because Andrew had long been giving it to him from the natural source produced by his core.

The presence of a core, or in the case of the Grey pouches, was irrefutable proof that one was a Neo sapien. Though both Karl and Andrew had wanted it otherwise, Daniel had neither a core nor a pouch. As far as Karl’s best scientist could determine Daniel was just a plain Norm. So why did these NET bastards keep on insisting otherwise? Andrew didn’t understand it. He was certain Daniel didn’t either. All Andrew was certain about was that no matter how harsh their tactics, nothing would get the examiners the proof they wanted.

Seeing the NET Examiner leave Daniel alone in the room, Andrew left the observation station with every intention of getting Daniel out of there. He didn’t make it to the door before some invisible force froze him in place.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The telepathic Chief Examiner had taken control of Andrew’s body with his mind.

“Doing what I should have done in the first place.” Andrew said. While he was still able to breathe and speak he could not move any other part of his body.

“If you think we will let you interfere with the examination you are either very brave or a bigger fool than I took you for, most likely both.”

“God damn it, what’s the point. By now you know the test won’t get you what you want. This needs to end. That is unless you Greys get a sadistic rush out of torturing people.

The Chief examiner frowned as if confused by Andrew’s accusation. “Torture if furthest from our mind.”

“Then why put him through this?” Though frozen in place that didn’t stop the tears from rolling down Andrew’s cheeks.

“We are trying to help him.”

“Bullshit!” Andrew couldn’t believe the man just said that. How could putting Daniel through hell help him.

“Yet it is the truth. All we’ve done… all we might do to him in the future, is to help Mr. Winters reach his full potential.”

“By destroying him?”

“Through crisis we hope he will Awaken.” The Chief Examiner said as casually as one would speak about having their child continue to take piano lessons regardless of how much the child hated it.

Andrew continued to try to force his body to obey him but the telepathic powers of the Chief Examiner were too powerful to overcome. “Awaken? Not that religious bullshit.” As with any people or nation the Neo sapiens Movement was developing its own mythos. Around those legends they created the Church of the Awakening. According to the NSP, Neos were a superior race that had its origins on a distant world.

When they arrived on Earth they found more primitive Homo sapiens trapped in the Stone Age. It had been the Neos who first taught man the domestication of the horse, the secrets of metallurgy, the wheel, writing, currency, government… the basic knowledge that would develop into present society. In return the Neos claimed territory in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In those forgotten days they saw themselves the guardians of mankind and Earth.

With the passing of the year and dilution of their blood the existence of the Neos as a distinct and separate race disappeared from the annuals of history. While most had forgotten their true heritage not everything the Neos had built had been erased by time.

The first proof of their former civilization as found off the coast of Crete. There, beneath a section of the island that had fallen into the sea millennia ago archaeologist discovered a series of gold plates. On the untarnished metal were etched words writing in proto-Sumerian script. After ten years of attempted translation these words were deciphered.

Beyond worlds and stars

Between beginning and end

The opening of the Eye will foretell

The death of the father of the past

And the birth of the future kin

Not open until broken

Not seen until reborn

It is where all road ends

And where the true path to God begins

There the Legends of Heaven Sleeps

Waiting for the Heir

To awaken them from their deep slumber

To find the Eye

Where salvation hides

Look not to where it is

But where it is going

To the place where it all began

Not beneath the azure seas of the Blue Sun

But among the shattered remains of a dead Red Star

Supposedly it was a prophesy foretelling the end and rebirth of mankind. When the Neos began to rediscover their heritage they built a quasi-religion around the prophecy. According to Church of the Awakening’s dogma Homo sapiens were the ‘father’ whose era as the dominate species was over. The one to replace it was of course claimed by the Church were those the Church labeled Neo sapiens. It was the part referring to the Legends of Heaven and the Awaking of God that were seen as the key events that would mark the moment when the Neo sapiens Epoch would truly begin. The last part referring to a Blue Star and Red Sun were interpreted as analogies of Earth and the planet Mars where it was believed the sleeping Gods of Ares were waiting to be awakened.

Andrew and Daniel had been forced to study the prophesy backwards and forwards as part of their studies at the Academy. Neither of them took the prophesy seriously. In fact they assumed the gold plates stores at the main temple were nothing but the product produced by the demagogues who ran the NSP propaganda department. It was no secret however that High Priest Julian Lordon and those who followed him were fanatical in their belief that the prophesy would be fulfilled one way or another.

It seemed this Grey was cut from the same cloth.

“I don’t see what the prophesy has to do with Daniel. Every one of the tests my father’s experts preformed on Daniel has proven he’s a Norm. I don’t know about you but I think a wise man would accept that Daniel is just a Norm and has nothing to do with the so called prophesy.”

The Chief Examiner position himself so the two men were only inches apart. “Your father’s people might not have found any proof he is a Neo, but I have,” the Chief Examiner whispered.

“Show me your proof. Whatever you have I doubt it will be all that convincing,” Andrew replied.

The Grey pointed at Andrew and began to laugh. “I have you.” He relaxed his psychic hold on Andrew.

Andrew collapsed to his knees but quickly got up. “I think you are confused. I’m a Neo, yes, but that doesn’t prove Daniel is.”

“I see… you really are that naïve. Did you really think we allowed you to observe what we are putting your friend through exam solely for your own benefit? I would not have wasted my time enduring your company if that had been true.”

Andrew’s jaw dropped. He suddenly understood what the last fourteen days had been about. Daniel had not been the one taking the exam. Daniel was the exam and Andrew had been the one taking it. “You… you’ve been reading my mind studying my thoughts the whole time.”

“So you’ve finally awakened to the truth. Yes, I’ve been reading your thoughts. As the same time the sensors in this room has been taking readings of your vitals. Separately they don’t say much but together they prove you two have the Bond.

The bond… more hokey Awakening nonsense. According to the Church the bond was the physical manifestation of two Neos physical and emotionally committed to each other. Two Neos… that means. Andrew felt a surge of joy fill his heart. “If your tests prove there is a bond between us then that means Daniel…”

“Mr. Winters must also be a Neo. Yes. That leaves us with the question as to why he shows none of the physical traits found in all Neos.”

“He could be one you’ve never known about… like a Sleeper, only Neo. A Neo Sleeper.” Andrew liked the sound of that.

“He could but you better hope he’s not,” the Chief Examiner warned.

“Why?” Andrew asked. Now that they knew Daniel was a Neo shouldn’t they be happy and let them both go.

The Grey took in a deep breath and said in a cold stoic tone; “Because it would mean we would have to destroy him.”

“But!” Andrew charged at the chief examiner.

The Grey froze Andrew in place before he could take a second step. He continued calmly without missing a breath. “We would have to destroy him because the chance that any Norm could in fact be a Neo would destroy the new global order we have spent the last fourteen years struggling to create. Think about it. The only justification we Neos tell the Norms to justify our claim that we are their evolutionary superiors because we possess physiological differences that gives us certain advantages no mere Norm has. If word gets out that someone who does not show the traits of a Neo might in fact be a Neo then every Norm would claim to be one. The end result would be that we Neos would lose our claim of racial superiority. For the sake of our people and the future of this world that can’t be allowed.”

“I won’t let you kill him.” After all they put Daniel through to threaten to kill him right after they had gotten what they wanted and Andrew seething with rage.

“We might not have to. The prophesy talks about an Awakening. Church teachings tell us the Awakening will bring about the return of our gods but what if the Church is wrong. Could it not be interpreted that the Awakening really refers to the reemergence of our people as a distinct race. We only publicly revealed our existence less than two decades ago. What about before Azrael… how were we able to hide our cores from modern science for so long? One theory… the one I prefer to think is correct is that our kind managed to remain hidden because in fact there were no Neos to be found. I believe the true Awakening has already happened. The prophesy was not meant to be interpreted to mean the return of an amorphous god but the reawakening of our Neo genetic traits.”

“And Daniel?”

“Our observations of you two prove you two share the bond. As a bond can only be formed between two Neos that in of itself proves Mr. Winters is a Neo.”

“But he shows none of the traits.”

“True. That suggests that Daniel has not yet fully awakened. For lack of a better term let’s use the term you used… A Neo Sleeper. He is not Homo sapien but nor is he fully a Neo. He is somewhere in-between like a pupa in the process of becoming a butterfly.

“A butterfly? I know Daniel and he wouldn’t like the sound of that. He’s too…”

“Straight acting?”

“No… too serious. It would piss him off to be seen as something so inconsequential.”

“But they aren’t. They are an essential pollinators. Without such creatures crops would not mature and bear fruit.”

“Now you’re the one acting too serious. Back to the subject at hand. How do we get Daniel to complete the process?”

“We don’t know. As far as I know our examiners have never come across a case as unique as Mr. Winters. We can only hope that Daniel’s research discovers the truth.”

“Daniel’s research? But he was developing a machine capable of detecting Nano Sleepers.”

“Yes… and he nearly succeeded. We believe it was his near success that triggered the Sleeper outbreak at the Academy. One of them must have known what Daniel was up to and tried to stop him. In that sense the destruction of the island was as much Mr. Winters fault as anyone else’s. Probably more so.”

“You better not tell him that.” Andrew knew the accusation alone would ravage his friend’s sanity by the guilt he would not be able to emotionally endure.

“I’m afraid I will be doing exactly that. What better motivation can he have than knowing he has the blood of thousands on his hands? To wash away the stain he will push himself that much harder to towards finding a cure.”

“More likely drive him insane. He is not the sort who deals well with guilt.”

“His psych profile suggests you are correct. Do not be concerned, however. We have means of dealing with it. We have you after all.”

“If you think you can keep us prisoners here…”

“Well we can’t keep you. Your father is already demanding your return. Even if he wasn’t you need to return to public life.”

“Why… don’t most people assume I’m dead?”

“At present they do. Unfortunately the public has not responded to the news of your demise as we expected. Lordon had assumed that the destruction of the Academy would bolster the belief that we do not value the lives of Neos as being worth more than the Norms we intend to rule over. We thought that would improve our standing with the Norm public. Instead the result has us being seen as even less human. After all what sort of man would not hesitate from killing his own child. No Norm would wish someone so heartless ruling over them.

“We’ve therefore develop a cover story for you. It doesn’t diverge too much from the truth. Most lies are easier to swallow the closer they are to what really happened. When we are ready to release you the NSP will issue a press statement announcing you had not been present on the island during the bombing. It will be explained that you had gone to look for survivors and that you found some… among them being Daniel.”

“How will you explain their survival if everyone but Daniel is dead?”

“Daniel’s bodyguard Glenn has been cloned and there were a few like you, who were not on the island. They’ve all agreed to go along with the cover story.”

“You probably didn’t give them much choice. Not that you’re going to give me one either.”

“True but we would still prefer you play the part of the romantic hero willingly. It is in your best intrest that you do so. You will be seen as an even bigger hero. Even a dunce like you can see the advantages of being the most popular man on the planet.”

“I do… Lordon and the others would be less likely to screw with me. What about Daniel? You said the people will be told he survived as well.”

“There are all forms of survival… the public will be told that while Daniel survived we cannot be sure he was not infected by a Sleeper. If anyone asks you will tell them that Mr. Winters has sequester himself from society while he searches for a cure. That lie will also not stray too far from the truth. You on the other hand will commit your life to rebuilding of the Academy, one focused more on equality. That should keep you close at hand should we have need of you. Does that sound fair?”

“It’s not but it’s probably the most I can hope for. Alright… I’ll play along but that doesn’t mean Daniel will. As for building a more open and fairer college… let’s not kid ourselves. It’ll all be window dressing.”

“Yes but that was what the school was built for in the first place. As for Daniel, he will either play the genius scientist or he can spend the rest of his life in the Zoo. I suggest you stress that with your friend when you give him our offer.”

“Me?”

“Who better than the only person here he trusts.”

“What about Lordon… I know the Prelate was here several days ago.”

“Lord Varrus knows only what we tell him and what we’ve told him is that Mr. Winters is nothing but another one of our hemophiliac lab specimens. We do have quite a few here, but that is no concern of yours.”

Andrew was less than convinced. Why would hemophilia be of such interest to them? “When do I get to see Daniel?”

“You can go to him right now if you wish. No one will stop you. I warn you though we will be listening in. The Chief Examiner tapped his head.

Fucking mind readers. They don’t want to risk me diverting from the script. Andrew left without another word.

It was as the examiner said. The guards didn’t stop him from entering the exam room. Inside a pair of medics were removing the IV’s and sensors from Daniel. Andrew ran the rest of the distance. “Daniel… are you alright?” Andrew mentally kicked himself. What a stupid question, of course he wasn’t alright

“And… Andrew is that you?” Daniel looked at his friend with puffy bloodshot eyes.

“Yes it’s me god damn it.” He wanted to kick out the medics and take care of Daniel himself. He felt a tickling in the back of his mind which was all the warning he needed to know that the Grey was ready to take control of him at a moment’s notice. “Look, I don’t have much time. Those NET bastards are only letting me see you to pass along their message.” Andrew told Daniel the cover story they had prepared for them both and what they wanted from them in return.

Daniel took the news better than Andrew expected. “If it keeps you safe I’ll do whatever they want.”

“Keep me safe? At least they’re letting me go.”

“Are they… are they really?” Daniel might have been drive to the point of exhaustion but his mind was still as sharp as a knife.

Andrew let out a deep sigh. Leading forward he touched Daniel’s sweat covered forehead with his own. “No… I guess they’re not. It might be their way of blackmailing us but at least they’ve promised to let me check in on you every now and then.” Andrew could feel the tickling grow stronger. They didn’t have much time.

He knew what he had to do. Pulling Daniel’s limp body from the chair he pressed their lips together. With his tongue he parted Daniel peeling dry lips. He summoned all his love he had for Daniel and let it burn inside his core. Soon after he felt the Blue rise up his throat into his mouth. He fed the miracle elixir to his beloved.

With their bodies pressed together he could feel the heat spread throughout Daniel’s broken body. His strength returned and soon he could stand up on his own. They quickly became lost in their shared loved for each other.

Even as the Blue continued to flow Andrew let his kisses leave from Daniel’s lip to other parts of his body. Rich thick trails ran down both their bodies. It might have gone further… Andrew was more than eager for it to go all the way but Daniel’s still weakened state prevented any sexual desire to be sparked in Daniel’s mind.

There was also the tickling in his skull. It had grown so it now felt as if a sex vibrator was pressed against the back of his neck. There was a tinge of anger behind it. Someone did not want him to take advantage of Daniel’s moment of weakness. “They’re going to come for us soon.”

“So long as they keep us together…” Daniel clung to his best of all friends as tightly as he could.

“But they won’t. It is like I said they’ll only let me visit you when they can use it to their advantage. I… I know I’ve been acting like a whore but believe me when I say that you are the only one I will ever love.”

Daniel didn’t respond a quickly as Andrew would have liked. When he did he spoke with a hesitating stutter. “I… I love you”

“And I love you more.”

The arrival of four Greys ruined the moment. “It’s time,” the lead officer said. “Have you told Mr. Winters our offer?”

“Yes.” Andrew replied

“And has he agreed to it?” the Grey asked.

“Why ask? You’re a fucking mind reader.” Andrew replied bitterly.

Though it emotionally pained him Avery let his arms fall back to his side. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt him.”

“We have no interest in hurting either of you. It is time for you to go Mister… or I should now say Captain Labatt.”

“Captain?”

“It seems the powers that be had decided to make you a commissioned officer. The same is also true for you Lieutenant Winters.”

To better control us. Daniel was no fool. As commissioned officers they’ll be under military control and subject to military discipline.

To better let you function at the tasks you have been given, the Grey psychically responded inside Daniel’s mind. “I see neither of you understand. You will in good time.” The Grey turned his green eyes on Andrew. “Captain Labatt the chief officer of NET’s public relations office is waiting for you so he can go over the statements you will give the press tomorrow.” Two of the Grey’s clicked their heels and began escorting Andrew out of the room.

Andrew took Daniel’s hands in his and kissed each. “I swear I’ll get you out of here. I just need some time to solidify my position.”

Daniel didn’t want Andrew to risk his life for him. Andrew still had a chance to enjoy a life full of fulfillment. Daniel knew that no matter what Andrew thought NET was never going to let him go. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“You know I will.” Andrew forced himself to let go, and turn around and leave with the guards

The officer and the remaining Grey noncoms took Daniel down a different passage back to the medical ward. There a Bionoid surgeon removed the barbed silver collar that had been put around Daniel’s neck the first day he had arrived. Once removed the Bionoid wrapped layers of bandages that had been soaked in White around Daniel’s neck. These would speed up the healing process and make sure there would be no scarring.

He then took out a wristband and locked it in place on Daniel’s left wrist. On it was built in display which showed the time and date. It also had a built in comm. device.

The Grey explained that it would also act as Daniel’s security pass throughout the complex. Like the collar it could also be used as a means of disciplining him. Just not as brutally as the collar.

As was explained if Daniel failed to obey the commands or tried to enter restricted areas of the complex one of three neurotoxins would be injecting into him. One was a knockout drug. Another was a paralyzing agent. The last, to only be used in cases of extreme insubordination, would cause every nerve in his limbs to burn with torturous pain. Given how suborn Daniel knew he could be he knew which he would have to get used to regular application of the disciplining functions of the device.

Afterwards he was taken to one of the many dining halls scattered throughout the complex. Having not eaten solid food in two weeks he was limited to eating a thin soup and a soft nutrient bar. Still by the time he finished he felt like throwing up.

From there he was taken to his quarters. It was one room divided by several barely translucent screens into sleeping, studying, and a bathroom area. In the study was a desk, an entertainment cabinet, a mini frig and a coffee pot. A small pantry had already been stocked with coffee, sugar, cream, tea, and an assortment of fruit.

The curtained off bedroom had an unsettling oversized bed. There was a closet already filled with clothes. Most were the identical white pants and shirt and red vest of NET’s research division. The vests already had the single silver bar of a first lieutenant. On the floor were three sets of black combat boots. For more formal occasions there were three suits and ties and one pair of dress shoes.

The bathroom was tiny consisting of a shower, and a toilet with a sink built on top of it. There was no towel racks. Instead of an above showerhead, water and air jets were built into the stall. Daniel’s assessment of the stall that it was not so much a normal shower then a human washer/dryer combo laundry appliance.

Daniel read Albert’s orders three times before he was sure he understood their meaning. He was certain the man had been assigned to spy on him. It seemed NET trusted him as much as he them. As for meeting his needs he suspected they meant for the agent to see they become romantically attached. In either case the Grey would be better off resigning his commission for hell would freeze over before Daniel would let himself become romantically involved with his jailer. “I don’t see how these orders change the true nature of our relationship. You were only temporarily demoted. Your orders also make it clear that it will be you giving the orders not me. You are nothing but a spy sent to keep me in line. Regardless I don’t need you to take care of…”

While Daniel had been ranting the Grey had closed in on him. Before he had any chance of stopping him Albert held him in a tight embrace. “Hush now… everything will be fine. With the ease of a thin knife cutting into soft butter he slipped into Daniel’s mind and stimulated the release of endorphins.

Daniel felt himself entering something similar to an opioid like state. “Stop it.” Daniel knew what the man was doing but he had no means of stopping him.

The former Major lifted Daniel and carried him to the bed. He undressed both of them. From what Daniel could see he was lanky yet sinewy. Once their clothes were removed he pulled the sheets over them, nuzzled up against Daniel. With a small mental nudge he caused Daniel to fall asleep.

That was the first of many nights they slept in each other’s arm.

Watching everything from the luxury of the Praetor’s office, Thomas Grey and Chief Examiner Scott watch the screens as Daniel’s bracelet transmitted his biometrics. When the readings had stabilized Thomas turned the screens off and looked at his lover. “Not bad for a first night’s work. Don’t you think?”

“You shouldn’t be using our grandson this way. Albert…” It was a tightly held secret that the hermaphrodite Greys could reproduce among themselves. Albert Grey was the son of the of one of the children that were the result of a past union between the Praetor and the Chief Examiner.

“Albert knows what’s at stake. Anyway he volunteered.” Thomas reached into a box and pulled out a Blue spiced cigar.

“Only because he’s that desperate to win your approval.”

“And if he succeeds he will have it.” Thomas took puff from the cigar producing a cloud of blue smoke.

Scott signed. “You will never forgive him will you? It’s not his fault his mother was a Homo sapien. If you want to be mad at anyone be mad at his father. He was the one who buggered the girl.”

Thomas took another deep puff of his cigar then laid it on an ashtray. “You know why I can’t accept him. He is a misfit, a half breed, he’s not worthy of calling himself a Grey.”

“That has nothing to do with it and you know it. You just can’t accept you two will never be able to link.” To a lesser extent than the Primes and even the Segundos, the Greys had the ability to link minds like their albino slaves. The closer the blood, the stronger the link. Albert however was half Homo Sapien. While he still had the telepathic abilities possessed by all Greys his Earthling blood prevented any Grey from linking to him. It did not help that the Praetor’s grandson didn’t have the problem of linking with non-telepathic Homo sapiens.

“If he cannot link he is no grandson of mine.” The Praetor said dismissively.

“Even if he is the only grandson you have you have left?”

“Winters…”

“Is also part human. He has also not shown any telepathic ability. Yet since he has come here you have felt more towards him than the grandchild who has worshipped you since the day he was born.”

The Praetor slammed his fist on the black glass table. “I care about Winters because he might be Brutus’s!” Thomas voice was filled with the anger and sorrow only millennia of suffering from the loss of a favored son could bring.

“You will always love him more than anyone, even me.”

“He was the only one I couldn’t save.”

“Yet that did not stop you deciding to ally our people with the ones who took him away from you.” Even after all this time Scott felt the same level of disgust he first felt when his lover decided to join Julian in taking part in the High Priest’s insane attempt to recreate Ares on Earth… Julian, the very man Brutus had sacrificed his life trying to stop from doing exactly that.”

“I had no choice. He was the only one who offered to help me find out if Brutus had left behind a descendent.”

“But you now think you found one on your own yet you are doing all you can to keep Daniel a secret from Lordon. That is not the behavior on an ally. Admit it. Julian has been stringing you along all these years promising to discover if Brutus left behind any descendants when that is the last thing he wants.”

Thomas extinguished his cigar and stood from behind his desk. “What would you have me do? Hand him over?” Green tears were now streaming from the Praetor’s eyes.

“I would have you send Daniel away to the one place Julian can’t touch him.”

Thomas’s felt himself grimace when he realized what his lover was suggesting. “To Mars? To the Scion of Octavius?” Do I need to remind you that it was Octavius who led Julian’s armies against my dear Brutus?”

“Whatever the connection there was between the two died with Octavius and his sons. Only his daughter’s line remains. You know Julian’s true opinion of women is. It was the Walkers’ obsession with the Winters that first attracted your attention.”

“It is Travis’s obsession with the Winters that scares me.”

“It had been that obsession that up to this point has protected Daniel. You and I are the only ones on Earth who knows how much he wants to protect Daniel from Lordon. I wonder what he would think if he knew he didn’t have to pay you the massive bribes he pays in Blue shipments to protect Daniel. I also wonder what he will do when he learns Daniel didn’t die in the bombing. You will have to tell him eventually.”

“I will tell him only when I am sure about Daniel and only if he’s not my beloved Brutus’s Scion.”

“And if he finds out on his own.”

“Then it will be war.”