09-19-2013, 09:41 AM
"Well, out with it then. I am glad to see you, Soloyov, but I can't spend too much time fucking around,"
Marko said. Tony did not take offense at the man's words, it was just the way he spoke, he doubted he even knew it might be offensive. A typical surgeon, lost in the brilliance of his own mind.
Tony's smile widened and he looked them both in the eye in turn. "How would you like to cure the 'Sickness?'"
He knew he had them both, but the confirmation in their eyes was thrilling nonetheless.
Chelka replied in her usual dismissive manner. "Don't be a fool. We don't even know what it is, let alone have any idea how to cure it."
Marko nodded in reluctant agreement. "Lord knows how much I would love to cure that fucking plague, but I have no idea where to even begin and you're no doctor, Soloyov."
He was relieved to hear that they still had no idea what the Sickness really was. Someone in the CCD was trying to hide it though, and it would be...inconvenient...if he had made a mistake and one of them was in on it. "That's because it has nothing to do with medicine . Have you forgotten? I experienced the 'Sickness' myself. It destroyed my life, but it gave me something. Something that the big-wigs want to take away."
Tony stretched his palm outwards and turned it up, producing a ball of flame that hung crackling above his hand. "Power, my friends. Don't ask me how or why, but the 'Sickness' opens one to a river of power that can be used for all kinds of things."
He watched as their minds worked to try and deny it, but he did not give them a chance to speak, stabbing a finger - with his free hand, of course - first at Chelka. "Strange things began to occur around your husband as he wasted away before your eyes, eventually dying in agony."
He swung his finger to Marko, who shied away. "They took your daughter away from you when she fell ill. Similar things happened around her, and the bastards took her away from you, never to be seen again."
They were both outraged, distraught, accusing, but he had not finished. "They took away my entire family in those early years. Every. Last. One."
The agony began to consume him once more, and he longed to once again lose himself in drunken oblivion, but he held tight to the power and forced himself on, lowering his voice. "I could have saved him, if I had been given the chance,"
he said to Chelka. "Help me! Help me so that I can save as many as I can from their fate."
Silence pervaded the room as he finished, broken only by the occasional popping of the fire he held above his hand.
After what seemed an eternity, Marko spoke in a shaky voice. "Even if what you say is true, how can we do anything? You are dead. If they find you are alive, they will take you."
"Leave that to me. I have lived in filth and squalor since that day, but I survived and recovered. We must hide, but we will survive - with your help, I can perhaps catch others before they die and we can band together."
"How do you propose we help you? By the time the Sickness is evident, it is already too late."
Chelka said.
"Not all. Some survive on their own, some are found and taken,"
Tony turned back to Marko, who looked troubled. "You have a doctor in your team that you have taken in. He suffered the Sickness."
It was not a question, and the man did not try to deny it. "Bring him to me. I can teach him to recognize the signs. Then, he will send them to me. Anyone who shows signs of the 'Sickness' - I will give you more precise details if you agree - send them to me."
"How the fuck do you know all this?"
Marko asked.
Tony decided it was best to be vague. "Years as a dead man have given me many talents, and a lot of time."
"What do I have to do with any of this?"
Chelka spoke up.
"The Undercity. That is the only place we can be safe for now. I want maps of the Undercity - anything will do. They say you know every secret in the ministry. I could use an ear in the Kremlin - a warning could be the difference between life and death. I don't expect you know the workings of the Sphere, much less Ascendancy himself, and they are most likely working in secret, but any word - a mobilization without a reason - could be helpful."
Chelka nodded, although she did not look happy. "You were always one for grand schemes, Tony. This would put the both of us in significant danger, why should I help you?"
This was the part Tony risked everything on. "I can't give you money or fame, nor can I guarantee your safety."
He spread his arms, extinguishing the flame in his palm. "But I know you both, and I know you are good people. Thousands will die, taken by the government or 'Sickness', and we can do something about it. This power - it is extraordinary! It can revolutionize the world, if only we are given a chance! If we succeed, I promise you, you will not regret it."
***
Tony did not smile as he entered the streets once more, the sun now setting on the horizon. He had spoken with confidence and passion, but he was far from sure. They had finally agreed, but it had only troubled his heart. A part of him wanted them to laugh at him and walk out, never to be seen again, but he knew it was something he had to do. If he did not at least attempt it, he might as well be dead already.
Marko said. Tony did not take offense at the man's words, it was just the way he spoke, he doubted he even knew it might be offensive. A typical surgeon, lost in the brilliance of his own mind.
Tony's smile widened and he looked them both in the eye in turn. "How would you like to cure the 'Sickness?'"
He knew he had them both, but the confirmation in their eyes was thrilling nonetheless.
Chelka replied in her usual dismissive manner. "Don't be a fool. We don't even know what it is, let alone have any idea how to cure it."
Marko nodded in reluctant agreement. "Lord knows how much I would love to cure that fucking plague, but I have no idea where to even begin and you're no doctor, Soloyov."
He was relieved to hear that they still had no idea what the Sickness really was. Someone in the CCD was trying to hide it though, and it would be...inconvenient...if he had made a mistake and one of them was in on it. "That's because it has nothing to do with medicine . Have you forgotten? I experienced the 'Sickness' myself. It destroyed my life, but it gave me something. Something that the big-wigs want to take away."
Tony stretched his palm outwards and turned it up, producing a ball of flame that hung crackling above his hand. "Power, my friends. Don't ask me how or why, but the 'Sickness' opens one to a river of power that can be used for all kinds of things."
He watched as their minds worked to try and deny it, but he did not give them a chance to speak, stabbing a finger - with his free hand, of course - first at Chelka. "Strange things began to occur around your husband as he wasted away before your eyes, eventually dying in agony."
He swung his finger to Marko, who shied away. "They took your daughter away from you when she fell ill. Similar things happened around her, and the bastards took her away from you, never to be seen again."
They were both outraged, distraught, accusing, but he had not finished. "They took away my entire family in those early years. Every. Last. One."
The agony began to consume him once more, and he longed to once again lose himself in drunken oblivion, but he held tight to the power and forced himself on, lowering his voice. "I could have saved him, if I had been given the chance,"
he said to Chelka. "Help me! Help me so that I can save as many as I can from their fate."
Silence pervaded the room as he finished, broken only by the occasional popping of the fire he held above his hand.
After what seemed an eternity, Marko spoke in a shaky voice. "Even if what you say is true, how can we do anything? You are dead. If they find you are alive, they will take you."
"Leave that to me. I have lived in filth and squalor since that day, but I survived and recovered. We must hide, but we will survive - with your help, I can perhaps catch others before they die and we can band together."
"How do you propose we help you? By the time the Sickness is evident, it is already too late."
Chelka said.
"Not all. Some survive on their own, some are found and taken,"
Tony turned back to Marko, who looked troubled. "You have a doctor in your team that you have taken in. He suffered the Sickness."
It was not a question, and the man did not try to deny it. "Bring him to me. I can teach him to recognize the signs. Then, he will send them to me. Anyone who shows signs of the 'Sickness' - I will give you more precise details if you agree - send them to me."
"How the fuck do you know all this?"
Marko asked.
Tony decided it was best to be vague. "Years as a dead man have given me many talents, and a lot of time."
"What do I have to do with any of this?"
Chelka spoke up.
"The Undercity. That is the only place we can be safe for now. I want maps of the Undercity - anything will do. They say you know every secret in the ministry. I could use an ear in the Kremlin - a warning could be the difference between life and death. I don't expect you know the workings of the Sphere, much less Ascendancy himself, and they are most likely working in secret, but any word - a mobilization without a reason - could be helpful."
Chelka nodded, although she did not look happy. "You were always one for grand schemes, Tony. This would put the both of us in significant danger, why should I help you?"
This was the part Tony risked everything on. "I can't give you money or fame, nor can I guarantee your safety."
He spread his arms, extinguishing the flame in his palm. "But I know you both, and I know you are good people. Thousands will die, taken by the government or 'Sickness', and we can do something about it. This power - it is extraordinary! It can revolutionize the world, if only we are given a chance! If we succeed, I promise you, you will not regret it."
***
Tony did not smile as he entered the streets once more, the sun now setting on the horizon. He had spoken with confidence and passion, but he was far from sure. They had finally agreed, but it had only troubled his heart. A part of him wanted them to laugh at him and walk out, never to be seen again, but he knew it was something he had to do. If he did not at least attempt it, he might as well be dead already.