108 Work For Me

While we walk through the halls gathering the Brutes, I contact Aponi.

'Times up, Aponi, I found something that needs to die, but I thought it might be a bad idea to try anything without tying up loose ends on your side first. So did either of you discover anything?'

'Uh, first, what do you mean by something that needs to die?'

'I'll show you later; otherwise, it would probably just be more confusing than anything. Anyway, my question.'

'Yeah, well, I was asking because we discovered the reason Jimmy is so important is they're trying to use his vampire blood to kill something. I guess they only needed one, which is why they gave us Sam back... Oh, and by the way, that's all we have been able to find out thus far.'

'His blood to kill something? Hmm, that explains why they weren't concerned with the missing doctor. They already knew about it, and the tunnel in his office.'

'So you agree that the thing they want to use Jimmy's blood to kill is the same thing you want to kill?'

'I don't know what else would be so important that they'd organize this whole charade.'

'Huh?... Oh, wait, you mean the fact the researchers didn't even know that something had happened to the rest of the facility.'

'Yeah, it's so they could have them continue researching, believing it was just another average day. If they knew they might try to run away or simply be too panicked to be productive.'

'So basically this Dr. Wright wants to kill the thing you found, but he needs the researchers. Still, these soldiers with the exoskeletons must know about whatever it is as well if they're listening to Dr. Wright. Also, didn't he basically abandon the researchers?'

'My own theory is he's either higher up in the Society than he's letting on or he's working for someone else. The people around him seem more like professional soldiers while the guards just seem like… well, security guards. As for the researchers, I can't be sure, but maybe he has a way to replace them. Which also points toward him working for someone else.'

'Hmm, that would make sense. If they died he could replace them with his own people. Assuming they can actually get them down here," she pauses for a moment, "But more importantly, what is it you're about to do?'

'How do you plan on doing that?'

'He seems rather receptive to conversations, but I'll probably utilize the tried and true art of intimidation to make sure he's willing to talk. Also, these researchers are pretty desperate, I think I can use that to my advantage as well.'

'...Just remember Sam and I are here too, so don't do anything too absurd.'

'Of course.'

I cut the connection.

Glancing at Eden, I ask, "Eden, are we missing any Brutes?"

She points toward an office where a big pair of Brute legs hangs from the window lazily. "It looks like one either passed out due to blood loss or it just fell asleep and refuses to wake up. I think it's the latter because I swear I saw it open one of its eyes and close it when it realized it was me."

Sighing, I walk toward the legs, raise my palm, and slap the side of the foot as hard as I can—the "unconscious" Brute yelps in pain. Now angry, it explodes upward with a roaring 'guh,' but when it spots my figure, it stops mid-guh and instead gives me a thumbs-up.

"It seems I still have much to learn," I hear Eden murmur behind me.

I roll my eyes. 'Even I know I'm a bad influence, Eden. I hope you realize that before it's too late.'

With the Brute on its feet, I hop onto a nearby desk. While clearing my throat, I glare at the Brutes to shut-up their neverending cacophony of 'guhs.'

"Hello!" I yell as loud as my voice allows, "I am willing to offer all surviving Two Palm Society researchers an opportunity to one day leave here alive! I know you're probably thinking 'have my prayers been answered' and to that I say… maybe!"

Unsure what's happening, the Brutes simply gaze at me with empty eyes and a bit of drool. However, this speech obviously isn't for them; it's for the researchers I can see peeking out from their windows.

"That's right! You can escape here if you simply do exactly as I tell you! Otherwise, I will drag you out and let these giant doofuses play catch with your body!" I let out a small laugh, and continue, "First order, come out, so I don't have to yell so loud! Do not worry; I'll make sure the Brutes, giants, or whatever you call them won't beat you into a pulp!"

The room is deathly quiet, the Brutes are too confused to yell, and the people are too afraid to move. Yet the silence is broken by the sound of a chair noisily sliding across the tile floor. I hear someone stepping out from one of the offices with tiny footsteps. Finally, an Asian woman with streaks of mascara down her cheeks and a shivering body reveals herself. She very slowly steps toward my makeshift stage without breathing, stopping near Eden with clenched shaking fists.

Goliath reaches over Eden's head and pokes the woman. "Guh?" he asks, curiously.

"Ehhh!" the woman squeaks, turning her head toward the ground.

"...Guh?" he asks again.

"G-g-g-guh?" the woman stutters.

"""Guh!""" all the Brutes cheer at once.

Picking up a stapler, I fling it at Goliath's forehead. With a thud, it bounces off and strikes the floor. Goliath roars, but when he recognizes it was me that threw it, he just gives me a thumbs-up.

'Has Dolt taught all of them to give me a thumbs-up or something? What do they think a thumbs-up even is?'

I look toward the Asian woman. "What is your name?"

Her mouth opens and closes until she finally forces out her words. "A-Akemi."

"A very pretty name, Akemi. Let's have a very productive relationship, m'kay?" I say, deliberately taking an overly friendly demeanor.

She nods slowly, too scared to look me into the eyes.

Moving on, I hold out my hand, motioning toward Akemi. "Anyone else! Anyone else willing to work for me for a short time and live another day? I won't be asking again!"

Once again, the room goes quiet, but it's only a moment later that the scraping of chairs and desks can be heard coming from various offices. Men and women shuffle into the halls, all of them moving to Eden's left to stay as far from the Brutes as possible.

When around twenty-five of them have gathered, I nod. "Excellent!" I say, clapping my hands together, "Now, all of you go and find one additional coworker between here and the medical ward. Oh, except you, Akemi, you just stay here."

Somehow she begins to shiver even worse.

Some time passes, and the bored Brutes still stand staring at me with hollow eyes, despite me not having said anything for quite some time. More importantly, all the humans have returned with their partner.

"Good job! Now everyone look toward your partner!" They all follow my order before turning back to me. "Now, everyone look toward the next closest pair of partners!" Again they follow orders, turning back toward me.

I nod happily. "Great! Let me explain how things are going to work. If your partner does something that I don't like, both of you will be executed." Their jaws drop, but I ignore it and continue, "If you and your partner attempt to run away, then the pair currently standing next to you will be executed along with you when you're caught! Unless that pair makes a respectable effort to stop your escape attempt, that is."

I allow the information to sink in, ignoring the furious gazes. "Finally, Akemi will be in charge of you guys! If she tries to run or ever lies to me about anything, then all of you be executed! Every single one! So make sure you never attempt to make Akemi lie to me!"

My speech finished, I let out a small laugh and a smile exposing my sharp fangs.

At first, the researchers look as if they are contemplating charging me, but they quickly abandon that idea when they glance toward the Brutes. Instead, everyone suspiciously looks between one another.

Shrugging my shoulders, I speak, "No need to be so suspicious of your friends and coworkers! This really isn't anything to be worried about since I'm sure you all trust one another wholeheartedly. However, if anyone didn't do what they were told… well, that would make me very upset, but I'm certain we shouldn't have any problems!"

"W-who are you?" an older woman asks, "Why are you doing this?"

"My name is Eira, and I need to kill something," I sigh, frowning pitifully, "but I'm embarrassed to admit, I don't actually know how to do it. However, that's where you guys come in! Isn't that great!"

"Huh? You want our help to kill something?" she repeats.

'Well, that, and I might be able to use them to get Dr. Wright to stand down. I probably shouldn't tell them that just yet, though.'

"Before that, everyone come forward, one at a time, and hold out your palm."

They hesitate, but with a bit of persuading, they eventually walk forward. I cut their palms and use their own blood to make collars. They gasp, seeing the blood magic, but after a while, they shift to questioning me and occasionally begging.

Once I finished giving them all their collars and explaining what it does, I move on to our goal. "Alright! Thank you for your cooperation! First, what we're going to be working toward is killing the result of your research—God's Doppelgänger!"

Most of them look around with confusion.

Finally, one man speaks, "But we never actually tried to make the thing. It was all theoretical."

"Wrong!" I shout, "It exists, it's ugly, it's Mind Magic annoys me, and to be honest, I absolutely detest its very existence!"

Immediately he retorts, "There's no way! The only theorized method involved fusing thousands of Palms together. We stopped doing human trials years ago, and there weren't enough in the Warehouse to even attempt it if we wanted to."

"Wrong again! The human trials never stopped!" I smirk, shaking my head mockingly. "Perhaps, you should talk to some of your coworkers, because you are clearly not important enough to be in the loop."

A few of the researchers look away awkwardly, while the others gaze at me a bit skeptically.

"Listen, you can think of me as the bad guy if you want, I don't particularly care, but if anything, this is just comeuppance for the awful, terrible things you have all done." I frown and release an exaggerated sigh while turning my head toward the ground solemnly. "Knowingly or not, you all contributed to the birth of an absolute monstrosity at the cost of thousands of nameless lives."

The room is quiet, and to my satisfaction, the heavy atmosphere caresses me. Reluctantly, I relieve the heaviness with a sudden gasp, jerking my head upward with enthusiasm. The researchers all stare at me, expectedly.

"But… But maybe you aren't actually to blame! It might actually be all Dr. Wright's fault!"

"D-Dr. Wright's fault?" someone asks.

"Yeah! I mean, did he even tell you guys Dr. Falenoz is missing!"

Several of them shout at once, """Dr. Falenoz is missing!?"""

"Yep, probably for good if I had to guess," I reply sorrowfully, "This is all Dr. Wright's fault, all of it. You guys would have never done any of this if not for him, right? You aren't all heartless monsters, right?"

"N-no! I would have quite a long time ago if I knew!" Akemi replies softly.

Most of the researchers nod in agreement.

I place my hand over my chest with false relief. "That's so good to hear! United, we can fix and make up for all the appalling deeds that have transpired here. So all of you go and find the rest of your coworkers. Tell them about the horrific things Dr. Wright has done, and together we'll work to make up for what's happened!"

Seeing their faces still hesitant, I shrug. "Well, it can't be helped you'd all want proof."

Forcing them to follow, I take the group on a little field trip to see God's Doppelgänger for themselves. Their reactions could not have been better—some cried, a few dropped to their knees, some stood still with evident horror, a few just looked uncomfortable, and finally, one fainted.

While watching this, I can't help but smile. 'I have all the pieces I need, and I even have the researchers as leverage. Now, let's see if Dr. Wright will be just as cooperative when he's cornered like them.'