“You're kidding right?” I growled
into the communicator and shook my head, wavinga hand at one of the
gremlins about my lab. He was holding some sort of paperwork, but
quite frankly, I didn't care. This investor bullshit is not for me.
“Fine. We'll have a prototype up and running within the next couple
of weeks. I'll need more... Yes. Send a shipment ASAP. And not ASAP
as in 'as soon as you please'. The traditional version of the acronym
will do just fine.” I hung up before more demands could be made of
me. I appreciate rich idiots like one enjoys ditzy blond play things.
As long as they're sitting looking pretty and not speaking, it's 'all
good in the hood'. I sighed and ran a hand through my ever
increasingly longer hair. I should get a hair cut...
“Master!” I sighed. These little
genetic manipulated mutations might have been a mistake...
“What?!” I snapped, squeezing the
bridge of my nose. I was told once it fights oncoming headaches.
Whoever said that was a fucking liar. The gremlin coughed and stood
as straight as it could in front of me, thrusting paperwork at my
free hand. I took it, bringing the yellowing papers up to my face for
a closer look. It was plans... Plans I hadn't drawn up. I adjusted my
goggles and peered closer at the papers.
“I made a few adjustments... With
Mistress Annie's help...” His voice was raspy and sounded like that
of an overworked child. High pitched and seeking approval while
having this annoying undertone of whine that shot through me like
nails on a... well you get my point.
“Ahh.. Annie was here today was she?”
That girl was becoming too smart for her own good. I always advocated
killing the girl. But no! Now she was attached to me.
I grumbled as I walked over to the wall
of switches and levers. I left the decoy wall there for funsies. Felt
like every mad scientist lab should have one, and what the hell, the
gremlins love it. A mirror hung at eye level off of a piece of
rawhide. I checked it thoughtfully, needing a moment to inspect
myself before heading upstairs. Adopted child or not, she tended to
be upset when I came upstairs looking like I haven't slept in 3
days... or had it been 4? Who knew at this point. The sun doesn't
reach down here anyway. My eyes looked sunken in and closer to black
then my dark brown eyes ever should. Pale. Sickly, she'd say.
Healthy, I'd argue as always. No chance of skin cancer in the dark.
Should tie my hair back. I stretched out my hand and a gremlin
deposited a brush with a piece of string on the end. Perfect.
“Thank you Cedric.”
“Eyown, master.” I looked down and
it was in fact. Cedric was taller. Less heavy around the middle. Also
less likely to snap at a moments notice. I nodded.
“Apologies Eyown. Cedric was just
right here.”
“ 'E got hungry. Went out to yard to
catch dinner.” I chuckled as I tied my hair back.
“Very well. You should eat too. Go
run along. I'll be back after I take care of Annie.” He nodded and
galloped off towards the gate. That's two.. where was... Ah. I looked
in the mirror more carefully at the pipes that led to the generator.
Hanging upside down was the tallest of the bizarre little creatures,
sound asleep. I nodded and stepped to the side, pulling the one
functional lever on the wall, revealing my lift. It was a solid piece
of steel with only two levers. One to go up, and one to go down. And
it only went between my lab and the false fireplace in my bedroom. I
took the lift, looking around the lab once more for good measure.
Two of them outside and one snoring. And nothing out of place. Good enough to stop for dinner.
I opened the door to my chamber to see
Annie, tapping her foot impatiently.
“Father.” Her voice was as flat as
her stare. Over the glasses, and stern. I sighed and brought a smile
to my lips.
“Yes, dear. How was school today?”
I walked over and hugged her gently, though there was no physical response
from her.
“I didn't go.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I already know everything
they can teach me. I showed Mrs. Boudain how to correct her nuclear
fission equations. She's kinda dumb.” I had to chuckle. Mrs.
Boudain had invented half those equations, and the other half she
stole from her late husband. She never could get those ironed out
quite right. It was at that point she had turned to villanry,
deciding that if her late husband, Mr. Theodias Boudain was dumb
enough to get himself killed saving the world, she'd better be on the
side that lived longer. Villanry it was. “Why do I have to go?”
Her voice cut through my thoughts and I stopped looking down at the
12 year old.
“Because I said so.” The fall back
answer for every lame parent there ever was. I was quickly becoming
one of those.
“Seriously? How about a real reason?”
She blew her bangs out of her freckled face as the took to the marble
banister, sliding down expertly. I walked quietly down he stairs
starring at her while I thought.
“Because. You could be the smartest
little child there ever was, the strongest little girl, or the most
evil, however, you can still learn a thing or two about humanity
within those walls.” I raised a brow, pulling a small pair of
spectacles out of my pocket, and replacing my goggles with them. She
rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, letting her shoulders fall in an
overly dramatic fashion.
“Humans suck” She said slouching
further as she crossed her arms.
“That may be true Miss Annie, but
that's not up for debate. You're going to school tomorrow, even if I
have to have Cedric bring you.” She wrinkled her nose and stuck her
tongue out. “Then it's settled.” The door gong sounded, a series
of smaller bells going off through the hallway. “Go set the table,
I need to answer this.” I had been expecting someone. Annie frowned
and nodded, slumping off towards the dining room. I turned, footsteps
echoing down the ornate hallway. I should invest in carpeting...
though I feel I come to that conclusion every time I walk the halls.
I pulled a lever by the door and stood, watching it swing open
slowly. A woman stood before me, leaning against the doorway, holding
her side. A slight smirk graced her features as she stepped through
the door way, dropping her pack. She was a tall girl, blond hair and
striking blue eyes, but that wasn't why she was interesting to me.
She opened her pack, wordlessly handing me a couple of brass keys on
a chain. From that very same pack came a brass box.
“Good.” I smiled and took the box
under my arm, turning to head back to the dining room. “Clean up
upstairs. Dinner will be ready in five minutes.” I heard a soft
whimper. I turned, eyes set ina glare over my glasses. She stood up
as straight as she could and nodded. I turned and continued my trek.
“Was that Anya?? What'd she bring
you?? Is it that? What's in the box?” The child's eyes and ears
missed nothing, a wonderful and also wholly loath-able attribute. She
pried at my arm in an attempt to release the box from it. I shook my
head and slapped her hands lightly.
“I thought you outgrew this stage
years ago.” I muttered and placed the box down on the table,
sitting in front of it. It wasn't ticking, so the mechanism was
deactivated. A plus. The keys in my hand fit into two locks on the
box perfectly. The lid popped open with a soft hiss. Annie jumped
behind me and looked over my shoulder as I pulled the piston from
within it. Small, much smaller than the box itself, but none the less
the part I needed. There was some miscellaneous crud in there as
well, including a few specialty bolts for the dragon automaton I was
tinkering with in my spare time.
Anya reappeared, now dressed more
formally, bandages wrapped tightly around her waist and ribs. She
smiled softly at Annie, who ran to her and hugged her, a bit too
tightly. Anya gasped and Annie froze. “I'm sooooo sorry Anya!”
She signed quickly as well as said it, backing off, a bit surprised.
Anya nodded and patted her on the head signing “It'll be alright
little one.” She bowed her head to me and sat down.
One of the help appeared around the
corner and brought a tray with three meals piping hot on them. He was
the only one that could cook around here. Might as well make use of
it.
“Let's eat.” I smiled to the girls.
For that one moment, life seemed normal. Projects underway, deadlines
to fulfill, a girl set straight again, and one recovering from a
successful mission. Sometimes it's good to be evil.
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