Toys 11

6

"That's my twin, Heptanes. He went missing ten years ago and we have never met since." Professor Heptaner is still down with me at his desk when I saw the photo on the desk. It showed two identical man but clearly one is slightly larger. That would be the man I know as Heptanes. "We used to be close and until he became very obsessed with the experiment on the vessels. He argued with me and left that day. I heard rumors that he is working with the Freed but I have no contact with either to confirm it. Perhaps you can help me there. But for now, I am asked to work with you. Follow me." Professor Heptaner led me to a room at the back of the lab.

I see a vessel sitting looking lost and cowering in fear. The vessel is a man in his thirties and he is sitting at the far corner. But I knew him as Jake Sully.

"Subject has been removed of his identities but we did something new. We restored his original identity to him. He is of a species called the Aroint. We use them to assimilate these artificial identities for the vessels. But today, I am going to experiment on this species. You are to protect me in the event the species become too violent." I nod at his request.

We went in together and the Professor sat next to the vessel. For the next one hour, the Professor just sit there to speak to the vessel and never once did it looked up. But when the Professor got up to move out, the species looked up. It looked from the Professor to me and pause as it fix its look to me. It eyes is looking at me as if its trying to speak to me. I begin to follow the Professor when the thoughts came to my mind.

Help me.

I pause at the doorway and looked back at the vessel.

Help me.

The species is talking me. In my mind.

But how do I reply.

"Officer Butler, can you please join me here? I am finished with it for now." I closed the door and join the Professor.   

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"Professor, tell me more." I am with Professor Heptanes in the safe house. I came in an hour earlier with a number of stealth moves and the Professor was in about ten minutes. Since then we discuss on my call on his so called twin. He confirmed his evil twin as he called him, and has not spoken to the brother since that day. But he let me loose on one secret.; the serum was created by them. The twins.

I grabbed him by his coat lapel.

"You bastard. You created the bastard and now you want to remove it. Why didn't you tell me earlier?" I shook him by the lapels.

"You did not asked so I did not."

"So when would you tell me?" I am getting agitated at these games. I felt like I been given the role as Pawn here. Its time for me play as another role like Rook.

The twin did develop the serum as part of the project for Control but when the purpose it was used to do with the serum made known, Heptanes protested. But they went ahead and he left. But he was pursued by Control paid mercenaries and after two years on the run, they cornered him in a safe house. He was left for dead but he was saved by Freed. He took one year to recover mentally and also physically. Then he was back to help the Freed but he needed time, place and people to make the new anti-serum which is where he started on the project. It was to take more than three years to get it done finally with my help as Schmidt 213.

"How can I trust you?" The Professor looked to me and smiled.

"You don't, but you have no choice."

"Leave me alone. Get in my way and I may forget who I work from." I pushed the Professor away and walked out the safe house.

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The subsequent session with the Professor Heptaner and the species was quite similar. But not the third session. The Professor left midway on some urgent matters. He told me stand guard over the species while he attend to his other matter. I stood there looking at the species.

Please help me. I am an Aroint like you.

I looked at the species. I don't know what I did but I focused on the species.

How?

You can. Listen to me. There are many of us here but we cannot act. I read your mind. You have the end but not the means yet. Don't give up on it. You will free us one day.

I don't know how.

You will when the time is right. I have told the others. I am going to leave now.Goodbye.

I see the vessel which the species inhibit jerked and then it went still. I ran to the vessel and felt his vitals. There is none. The species is dead and so is the vessel. I ran out of the room and called for the Professor. Heptaner arrived and confirmed my earlier conclusion.

"Control will be upset. That is the sixth species we lost."

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Control was upset that he took me out of the mission. He said I should had stopped the species from committing suicide. But no words of protest was allowed.

Heptaner has been seconded to other works. So I am back at work as an Enforcer.

It was during my lunch with Snide when I got the first contact.

Come to the back now.

"Did you said something, Snide?" I looked at him but I can see his mouth is full of chips now. He was also looking across the room at some young punks.

"Uh-huh." I think that is best he can reply with his mouth full.

Officer Butler. The back please.

Its there again Like in the cell with the species. I got up and walked to the rear of the shop. Its the kitchen area and the chef is not too happy with me coming in uninvited. I spied the back door and I used it to exit at the alley.

The second door on your right.

I walked towards it and find it unlocked. I went in and it was dark inside.

Close the door.