Chương 10: But Sir

Goblin Realm — One Week Before Prophesied Birth"I told you everything would be fine, Elios, if you got that thingy working," Mordak said, smiling as he pointed at a machine that looked more like junk‑yard scrap thrown together than any kind of sophisticated equipment.

"So, the security team has not reported any issues with the bots we sent over to set up the surveillance systems?" Elios asked, glancing up from the control panel.

"No, as a matter of fact, we now have the bestest surveillance systems set up in that other place, and the data we're getting is phenomenal!" He gestured proudly toward the machine as if unveiling a masterpiece.

"Elios, I think it's time to send her. You know, Rachel."

"Regina," Elios muttered out of habit. He looked up, his eyes widening as the meaning of Mordak's words sank in.

"But Sir, we have not sent a living thing to that realm of existence yet. We don't even know the full extent of what long‑term effects it will have on our surveillance equipment, let alone a living being." He paused, rubbing his temples.

"It could, in all actuality, kill her." Mordak turned slowly to Elios, his smile reflecting more menace than joy.

"If the bots could make it through and back without breaking down, then I think a woman will be just fine, Elios. See, that is the beauty of it. She is a woman." His brow furrowed in mock reflection.

"And what do we know about women, Elios?" He stepped forward, his voice sharpening.

"Let me tell you what we know about women. Women are dispensable. They hold little to no value. They are replaceable." Mordak clasped his hands behind his back, satisfied with his own logic.

"Sir, I understand your desire to move hastily, but…" Elios hesitated, his concern clear.

"It's not that I disagree. It is simply that sending something living could be disastrous."

"So, if she dies," Mordak said with a shrug, walking toward the machine, "we make some adjustments to the technology. Then we just send another female operative to do the job." He tapped the console twice in a steady rhythm.

"Once we know that living things are capable of surviving this kind of travel, we can work on sending male operatives."

"The women operatives…" Mordak paused, his eyes narrowing.

"Well, they are the test subjects. The lab rats, if you will." He turned slowly to face Elios again, grinning widely.

"They are too stupid to calculate the risks on their own. They are here to please, and they will do it without question," Mordak said, reveling in his perceived brilliance.

"Sir, it is not the women I am worried about. It is the machine that could be destroyed, and nobody wants that," Elios said, his voice barely above a whisper as he looked down at the control panel.

"I am not sure this is the best way to proceed." Mordak rushed forward, his face flushed to a deep crimson.

"Elios, who is in charge here, me or you?" he screamed.

"Who is smarter, me or you?" He leaned in, his rancid breath so close that Elios's eyes began to water.

"Either you are with me or against me, Elios." He sighed, the sudden calm almost worse than the shouting.

"And the way I see it, you have one of many choices here, Elios." Mordak raised a finger.

"But only one keeps you on my team," he said, waving his finger back and forth.

"Only one ensures your value," he added, pointing directly at Elios.

"Only one gets me what I want," he finished, turning the finger toward himself.

"If the machine is destroyed in the process, Sir?" Elios asked, meekly.

"Then we build another one." Mordak shrugged.

"A bigger one," he said, spreading his arms as if preparing to embrace the entire room.

"A better one." He smirked.

"One that will get the job done without the hazards to my men." His teeth showed in a thin, satisfied grin.

"Elios, have faith in my wisdom." He sighed loudly.

"Have faith in my smartness," he added, tapping his head with a proud smile.

"In other words, let me do the thinking and the making of decisions for you." He waved Elios off.

"You do not need to burden yourself with the what ifs. I have it under control. I know it will be fine." He snickered.

"Everyone says so." Stolen novel; please report.

"Everyone, Sir?" Elios asked humbly.

"Yes, the people of this great nation, they think so." He raised his eyebrows.

"All my employees think so. The world thinks so." He stared intensely at Elios, leaning forward just enough to force a retreat.

"I was hoping that you did too."

"Sir, I do, believe me, I do," Elios said, cornered.

"I just don't think you are taking into consideration all the facts."

"What facts, Elios?" Mordak spread his arms wide.

"Enlighten me with your lack of wisdom, please." He folded his arms and rolled his eyes.

"It is not as if I have nothing else to do. I will simply sit here and waste my time on whatever you think you know. You know nothing, Elios. You are nothing." He jabbed a finger toward Elios's chest.

"And if it was not for me, you would continue to be nothing." Elios looked at Mordak blankly, waiting for him to continue.

"We have a prophecy warning us of an evil baby. Our surveillance shows there is a baby in that other place. You know that place, the place where they have wings but don't fly? In fact, surveillance has shown there are many babies in that other place." His pacing quickened.

"All we need is one baby." He raised his pointer finger.

"Just one." Mordak turned away with a shrug, then swung back to face Elios.

"Why not take one from there? I am sure no one will notice. Then we can deal with it." He struck a fist into the palm of his other hand.

"It is just a baby, Elios," he scoffed.

"It is nothing." He sighed and turned away again.

"I do not expect you to understand that, because you, too, are nothing," he said over his shoulder. He paused.

"But capturing this evil baby…" His voice softened with a strange reverence.

"It is everything. Understand." Elios blinked rapidly, trying to follow Mordak's logic.

"Sir, I understand that getting this baby is very important, not just for you, but for the world as we know it." He hesitated before continuing.

"But if the machine fails, it will take us longer to reach that baby."

"For the last time, Elios…" Mordak cut in, his voice tight with strain.

"It will be fine. I know it will be fine. Everyone says it will be fine. The machine will be fine." He paused longer than necessary.

"But if you do not send her through that portal today, do you know who will not be fine?" He let the silence stretch, his gaze sharpening.

"You, Elios. You will not be fine." He tilted his head, studying him.

"Do you know what that will mean for you, Elios?" Another pause.

"I do not think you do. Because if you did, you would not be standing here arguing with me. You would be sending that woman through instead of spouting worthless warnings based on nothing." He gestured toward the machine.

"I have the facts, Elios. I have the technology. They have babies. What else is there?" Elios exhaled heavily, his shoulders slumping.

"Nothing, sir. I will send her through today." Mordak grinned.

"Glad you are finally seeing things my way, Elios," he said, stepping back.

"Send her out and pull her back." He snapped his fingers.

"Then do it again." Each repetition came faster.

"And again."

"And again." He turned, already halfway to the door.

"I need to check where our intelligence stands on the baby," he said, leaning against a desk.

"I need to check all kinds of things, like the location of the baby. Who actually has the baby. What kind of baby it is." He waved a hand dismissively.

"Then we will send her through again. One last time. And that time, she will retrieve the baby."

"Yes, sir," Elios said, shaking his head. Mordak's certainty did nothing to convince him this was the right course. He knew, however, that Mordak had the power to erase him and replace him with someone who could undo everything he had built. He had no choice but to resign himself to compliance.

"I am going to see if there has been any progress from the team deciphering the prophecy," Mordak announced, turning toward the exit.

"You know that tank where they think… that grouping of very smart men." He waved a dismissive hand.

"Mind you, they are not as smart as me, but still, you work with what you have. Is that not right, Elios?"

"Anything else you would like me to do?" Elios asked, wishing he would go away.

"Yes, as a matter of fact there is." Mordak pivoted sharply, grinning.

"Stop by and see Dr. Wentworth."

"Sir?" Elios blinked, confused.

"Dr. Wentworth. Short guy. Stands about yay tall." Mordak held his palm at chest height and squinted, as if conjuring the man's shape from fog.

"He has been working on something that I think you will find interesting."

"Does he require my assistance, Sir?"

"No… no nothing like that. He's devised a new medication for people especially like you. It clears the mind and helps you… eh… focus your energies." Mordak's grin widened.

"Tell him I sent you and he will give you some. This way you can focus on your task."

"Sir, I don't like performance enhancing medication," Elios remarked. Mordak stepped forward, eyes gleaming.

"Elios, did I ask you if you liked it?" Mordak asked, on the verge of shouting.

"Did I ask you if you wanted it?" His voice, getting louder. Elios flinched.

"Did I ask for your opinion?"

"No sir." Elios took a slow breath, jaw tightening.

"Then you are to go see Dr. Wentworth. And just be happy that I am giving you the greatest opportunity to be part of the future." Mordak lifted his arms like a prophet on stage.

"We'll be making it mandatory that everyone in the new administration take this wonderful new medication."

"Then it will be rolled out to the general population." He smirked.

"Everyone will just be so happy to do their job. They will do their job better. They will get more done. It will be epic, Elios." He tapped Elios lightly on the chest, almost playfully.

"Just wait and see."