Chương 93: Chapter 92 – I Can See Clearly Now the Haze is gone

Elios stood in the empty lab, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He looked over at the teleport and the parts strewn across the floor. He searched the room for someone… anyone, but found himself utterly alone. He sighed, then sat down, pressing a hand to his still bleeding head, wondering how his life had spiraled so far out of control. He had truly believed he and Mikale were quickly on their way to a lasting friendship. Friendship had become a dwindling commodity in his life.

Now that the flames of possibility had been snuffed out so unexpectedly, it crushed what little spirit he had left. He didn't have friends anymore. The more he thought about it, he realized everyone he'd ever cared about was either dead or the relationship had simply petered out from neglect. All he had was this place. He sighed heavily, feeling the weight of it like an anchor hanging around his neck. How had I allowed things to get this bad? he wondered solemnly.

There was no one showing the slightest concern for him. No one he could call to tend to his wound. No one to talk to, to help him make sense of the attack. The silence of the empty room screamed louder than any voice could.

"Why can't I remember," he whispered unconsciously to himself. His heart began to race as panic and worry consumed him. Where was Mikale? Is he all right? Is he waking up on some floor, bleeding somewhere right now or… worse? His mind raced as he reached for a rag on his desk and pressed it to his wound. It was easy to say go home and get some rest, when you had a home and family to go to. All he had was a cot stuffed in a forgotten closet down the hall.

Mordak thought it would be easier if he moved on site, and that was what he gave him: a cot… in a closet… down the end of an empty hall. He took the rag from his head. The bleeding hadn't slowed, and his head throbbed mercilessly. He knew he needed medical attention, but the thought of going to the quack on site made his stomach clench. The guy would either hand him some wonder pill of his own creation or, if he was lucky, slap on a band‑aid, give him a lollipop, and send him on his way.

Mordak's idea of medical care was about as sophisticated as his new "on site apartment" was luxurious. He'd seen co‑workers go in for a headache and come out with a lobotomy. He remembered when he first started working for Mordak, he was thrilled, it was his dream job. He quickly moved up the ranks and became Mordak's right‑hand man. He felt he had worth, that his contributions meant something. He was valued. Had power.

Over time, Mordak began stripping it away, bit by bit, piece by piece, so slowly he really hadn't noticed it much. The longer he worked for him, the more he began to pose questions. Mordak didn't like questions, especially ones that exposed him or his misdeeds. He liked to tout himself as the smartest man in the room, all knowing, all seeing, he was right, you were wrong, case closed. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

As Elios looked back over the last ten years or so, he realized that in his attempt to please this tyrant he had lost sight of himself and what he wanted for the future. His own aspirations took a back seat to Mordak's plans. He had grown accustomed to the… not now… but soon, promises of a someday that never came. Mordak gave him just enough to be manipulated into creating things that he knew were wrong. He had so many regrets, so many things he wished he could take back.

Hell, even now, he still felt guilty about those stupid toys. The stupid toy that took his own children and wife away. He knew it was his fault but refused to admit to himself that he might as well have taken the needle and driven the plunger in himself. Mordak assured him that his family would be safe… they had been vaccinated after all. Mordak had not anticipated the virus mutating and spreading to those other than his targets, creating an epidemic that wiped out so many.

The pain was blinding as he shook his head in revulsion at the choices he had made. He lifted his hand to his head, wondering why now. Why was he suddenly having an attack of conscience? Why had this bump on the head caused such a moment of clarity? He felt, for the first time in a long while, sharp and focused. He was no longer walking in a fog of bewilderment or confusion. His stomach began to growl. How long had it been since he had had anything substantial to eat?

He wondered, reaching into his pocket to see if he had enough money to get something… anything… even those cardboard‑esque crackers in the vending machine seemed appetizing at this point. He needed to fill the void, both figuratively and literally. He felt them almost instantaneously when he put his hand in his pocket. Those stupid pills that all higher‑level personnel were required to take, the ones that Wentworth and Mordak assured made you clear‑headed and focused.

He couldn't remember the last time he had taken them. He realized he had been so driven to get the teleport fixed before the deadline that he hadn't given them a second thought. Was his new level of clear thinking connected to not taking the pills? It couldn't be a coincidence. He slipped the bottle back in his pocket, his brain busy making connections and looking at things in a different light.

Mordak had been playing him for a fool all along, and he and every other executive in the building had been too distracted to notice. He felt so foolish. He had gone from being Mordak's right‑hand man to his lap dog. How had he been so blind to it all? Mordak had not only taken away his family, his home, and his friends, but also his research and his sense of right and wrong. Now Mordak was stripping away his independence and altering his mind.

He remembered how Mordak had not so much as blinked when he obliterated Charlie. He realized he had a choice to make. He could either continue to play by Mordak's rules and end up like Charlie, or take steps to protect himself. He placed his head in his hands. All he had left was this miserable life. It may not be much, but he would be damned if he let Mordak take that too. Elios' eyes lit up as he realized, he now had the advantage over Mordak.

He was playing with a brand-new deck of cards and he had a hand Mordak never could have anticipated. He was smarter than Mordak. His choices were made based on fact, not impulse or emotion. He knew how to be precise and calculating. He could formulate the most complex of theories and successfully implement them while remaining silent in the background. He wasn't sure how long it would take, but he would take away everything from Mordak, bit by bit, piece by piece, until there was nothing left.