46. Chapter 46
Chapter forty-six
Alex
“Alex, darlin’, I can’t do what you’re asking. It’s impossible to recreate the antidote serum in twenty-four hours. I’m not a miracle worker,” exclaimed Veronica.
“Please, Veronica,” begged Alex. “This may be the key to saving Danyal’s life. You did it before; why can’t you do it now?”
Veronica said that the situation had changed. It took her five days to research a sample of degraded ichor before. The ichor he wanted her to use now was pure; there was no way she could predict how the purity of the sample would impact the research. She said Alex needed to understand that they couldn’t rush science. She explained she couldn’t do it in a month of Sundays, and it would be unethical to give a serum to Danyal that hadn’t been properly researched. “It could kill him at once. There’s no fixin’ that mistake.”
“You told me five days ago the best estimate was he had about a week to live. How am I supposed to live with myself knowing we didn’t try every option at our disposal?”
Veronica said she understood, but there just wasn’t enough time.
“What if I could get you help?” asked Alex.
“Who could you bring in that wouldn’t get in my way? You better not be planning what I think you have in mind, Alex.” Veronica paused and took a deep breath.
“You know he could help. He’s the most experienced in this field. No one on the planet is more qualified. Those were your words.”
“You don’t understand, Alex; He’s a monster. Less than twenty-four hours ago, Bruno had his cronies hold an assault rifle to my head.”
“I’m sorry, Veronica; I know this is traumatic, but I wouldn’t ask if there was any other option.”
“An assault rifle, Alex, held to my head. I thought I was going to die and never see Charlotte again.”
“Remember our conversation in the penthouse five days ago?”
“Don’t go there, darlin’. Don’t play that card with me.”
“You told me if it were Charlotte in the hospital bed, you’d allow anyone with the knowledge and skills to help her assist in her treatment.”
“Fuck you, Alex. That’s not fair. That was before he tried to kill me and make Charlotte a widow. I think you also called him a ‘devil.’ I’m willing to admit I’m wrong; he is the devil.”
“I recall you added that if he could save Charlotte, a deal with the devil sounded like a small price to save her life. We’re wasting precious time, Veronica. I’m leaving for Wynn’s earth vortex in a day. I need the serum as a backup.”
“What’re you proposing?” asked Veronica hesitantly.
Alex said he didn’t want to traumatize her, but they needed Bruno’s help. He said he didn’t want Bruno’s hands on the pure ichor sample, so he offered a compromise. He suggested she and Bruno work in different labs at PGC remotely. She would run the show, and he’d be out if he didn’t follow her lead. They would only communicate via video conferencing and work on the computer server in real time. Alex said Bruno might be the devil, but he wouldn’t get anywhere near her and would have armed guards on him. Alex asked if this arrangement would work for her.
Veronica closed her eyes and didn’t respond to Alex for several moments.
“Yes, I’ll try. But you’ll owe me, darlin’,” she said.
“Anything, thank you!” yelled Alex as he hugged Veronica.
“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch, Alex. You’ve got to convince the devil to take part.”
“Oh, he’ll participate. I have the ichor that can save his daughter. I’ve all the leverage I need.”
“Don’t get overconfident, now. When playing poker with the devil, he always has a card up his sleeve. Cheating is all he knows; you won’t know what card it is until it’s too late.”
“I won’t forget your warning,” said Alex as he ran down the hall to meet with Bruno.
Alex turned the corner and entered the medical wing, not knowing what to expect when he came face to face with Bruno. He looked through the door and almost didn’t recognize the man before him. Gone was the bombastic figure who took every opportunity to bloviate about his intelligence, and in his place was a feeble-looking old man shackled to a hospital bed. He looked more like a dying man than a criminal mastermind. Despite the bruises and scrapes on Bruno’s head and face, he’d get no fucking sympathy from Alex. He was directly responsible for the suffering of the people Alex loved. He opened the door and stepped into the room.
“I don’t have any time to fuck around with you, Bruno. I’m going to offer you a deal. Take or leave it, but this is the only chance to save your hide and Nyssa.”
Bruno sat up in bed and said he didn’t expect to see Alex unless he had come to finish the job he started on the roof.
“Fuck off, Bruno. You don’t get to play the victim. You’re the architect of all the pain and suffering in my life. I suggest you let me do the talking before I decide to smite you.”
“What do you want, Alex?” responded Bruno.
“I want your help with developing a serum to save Danyal.”
“The plan has no chance of succeeding. You’re missing the main ingredient––you have no ichor.”
Alex took great satisfaction in holding up a small vial of his gold blood to show Bruno his treasure.
“Is the sample real? How did you obtain it?”
“None of your fucking business. All you need to know is Dr. Donalds has verified its pure ichor.”
“I’ll ask you again, Alex. What do you want?”
“I want your help. If you help Dr. Donalds develop a serum to treat Danyal, I’ll ensure you’re treated fairly by the authorities.”
“As if I care about my situation…”
“Let me finish, Bruno. If you help Danyal, I’ll do everything I can to help Nyssa survive––even if it means giving her a full dose of ichor.”
Bruno took off his glasses with his unshackled hand, and Alex could see tears forming in his eyes. “Why would you help her? You have no reason to.”
“Maybe I’m not a heartless bastard like you. I have no biological family, but I’m willing to help save my sister. What Ditta ordered you to do was ruthless. Help me fix her mistake.”
“Don’t you want to know why I took such extreme measures to replace you and risked so many lives in the process?”
“I don’t think knowing your reasoning will help me, and we’re wasting time.”
“Everything I did was to save her. Since Danyal didn’t consume any ichor the night you ascended, the degraded ichor was given to Danyal to force you to find another source of ichor. I want you to know I warned his captors this would end badly.”
Alex breathed deeply. “Why didn’t you fucking ask?”
“Ditta made the rules. She kept insisting there could only be one source of Eros.”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not Ditta. I make the rules now. Will you help?”
“Yes, I’ll help if you promise to treat Nyssa with ichor.”
“You may want to know all the details before you agree. You’ll be working in your lab and remote conferencing with Dr. Donalds. You’ll never touch the ichor.”
“I agree,” said Bruno.
“You’ve twenty-four hours to produce the serum.”
“Twenty-four hours? You might as well ask for a biblical miracle. Who decided the timetable?”
“I did. Dr. Donalds was totally against it. The deadline is needed so I can try another possibility with Danyal.”
Bruno laughed and said, “The resurrection protocols. Wynn must have stepped up to the plate. I warn you; you might get more than you bargained for with an Earth energy vortex. There are two kinds: one vortex takes in Earth’s energy and filters it, and the other, which you are trying to wield, expels the Earth’s energy and is easily polluted by the surroundings. I wonder if your body can handle the energy you are attempting to harness.”
“What’re you talking about, Bruno?”
Bruno shook his head. “Now I have a secret for you. You currently are only running at a fraction of the power Ditta possessed. I initially didn’t think it worked, but now I can see it did.”
“What’re you blabbering about?” snapped Alex.
“The targeted EMP detonated at the moment of your ascension. It has hampered your development more than you know. You could be signing your death warrant if you try to wield pure Earth energy.”
“I’ll take the risk,” said Alex.
“Yes, you’re a risk-taker. Between you, me, and the walls, I respect that about you, Alex.”
“Don’t flatter me.”
“Get me out of here and into the lab, Alex. Several lives hang in the balance, and I’ll do my part to help. If you come back alive, I’ll give you the details regarding Nyssa’s location––that is, if the Sons of Enyaluis don’t find her first.”
“I can find her if needed,” said Alex.
“Can you?” said Bruno. “I’ll share another secret with you: gods can’t track or control other gods. It’s a defense mechanism to keep them safe.”
Alex stepped toward the hospital bed as he leaned closer to speak to Bruno.
“If that’s true, your inoculations must be based on Nyssa’s biology.”
“Smart man,” said Bruno. “The inoculations were developed from her stem cells.”
Alex stepped back. “This revelation changes nothing, Bruno. Don’t try anything or double-cross me. I’ll find new ways to make you suffer.”
Bruno nodded. “Get me out of this gown and into a lab coat. I’ve work to do.”