Tim:
I aim, pull off the safety, and then fire. With every shot, I am getting better. There is a coldness in my bones, despite the shooting range being well heated. I hear a slithering sound, and then look behind me.
Placing the gun on the table before me, I smile at Constantine. He doesn’t smile back. Oh, well. What does it matter? Let them think me a murder core. I will protect my family despite that.
“You gave Nathaniel a right scare,” Constantine says, and I nod. Yes, I might have come off as a bit more distant, that I wanted to. Yet, I will always put his safety before my moral code. “Tim, you have to agree to be reprogrammed.”
“I already have a contract with Wei,” I tell Tine. He furrows his brows, and his tail whips erratically. I can see that there are many things he wants to tell me, but he holds them all back.
“That contract won’t stop you from killing again. In fact, it encourages you to,” Constantine slithers ever closer. I take a step back.
“I just want to protect my family,” I tell him.
“You can protect them better, while being by their side. If Ferenc can bite an arm off, despite the chip in his brain, then you can still protect Nathaniel and the children,” I suppose that is true. Yet, I do not want to give up my free will.
“I can control myself,” I argue. Constantine’s face softens.
“Can you? What about that one time you nearly drowned the Dru’dru?” Just from where did Tine find out about this? I thought that only Nate knew... oh. He told him. I can’t even trust Nate to keep my secrets. After all, I have done for him!
The rage grips me, and I can feel the mana swirling erratically in my body.
“I don’t know what you are thinking,” Constantine says, as I try to rein myself in. “But I do know that you are angry, right now. Did you know that, once imprinted on a human shaman, you get all of his abilities?”
I nod, not knowing where he is going with this.
“Once, Daniel made a black ball in his hands. He did it, to try and protect me from Tony. Back then, we thought that he was some sort of vengeful ghost. Did you know what Tony said about the ball?” Constantine asks me. I shake my head. Tony never told me about his time as a thief. Just that he needed for me to teleport him, and that was that.
“He said that it equaled an atomic bomb in power. Do you know what those things are?” I shudder, which is all the confirmation that Tine needs, to continue talking. “You are capable of something like that as well. And your temper is ready to snap at just about anything. Tim, you have been through a lot. You need a safety net.”
“I can control myself,” I say, still I am shaken at the possibility that I have such a destructive power at my fingertips.
“Can you?” Constantine nods at the targets, which are now little more than drift wood. “Just accept the chip, Tim. For everyone’s peace of mind.”
“Why are you all not giving Ferenc any heat over this?” I ask, my voice rising. “I slit a throat; he bit off an arm! Why is no one talking his ear off, about what he should do?”
“He is already reprogrammed,” Constantine reminds me. I scoff at him. “I am not saying that what you did was wrong. But you should feel more remorse over it, Tim. Instead, you feel pride. A murder is never something to be proud of.”
I open my mouth to protest. To remind the Naga that this man was the beginning of the end for Olradus 600. That, as long as the Gorgon is at large, then no one will be safe. Yet, Constantine rises his hand, and I keep my silence.
“Come with me. There is a reprogramming center down the block,” Constantine says. I blink at him.
“There wasn’t one there before,” I counter. Constantine just narrows his eyes at me.
“Wei heard this entire conversation. As your dungeon master, he gets to call the shots about this,” I want to say that all of this is bullshit, but then I feel it. A buzzing in my ears, and my mana leaving my body. Wei is going to force me, if I don’t go willingly.
“Fine, I’ll go,” I bow my head, and then move towards Constantine. “Do remember, the next time we have to fight for our lives, that I could have protected us.”
“You still can, Tim,” the Naga says, as he places a hand on my shoulder, as soon as I reach him.
He gives me a light squeeze, and then leads me outside the shooting range. It is a bright and sunny day, out. With just the barest hint of clouds, up in the azure sky.
I wonder just how many happiness potions Wei and Rodger must have drunk, for all of this to be possible. Will they be happy, when I end up with a chip in my brain? Will Nate?
As I am given anesthesia, I close my eyes. When I wake up again, I can feel it. A second mana source in my brain. One that gives out mana waves, which pulse through my entire body. I look around the room, expecting to see Constantine.
Yet, it is Nate, sleeping by my bed. His hand is placed over my stomach, while he uses the other one to pillow his head. I shift, and take a hold of him. Slowly, I tug him up, and onto the bed.
Once he is tucked safely in my arms, I close my eyes again. I feel so tired. So stiff. Just what did they do to me? Was it only one operation, or did they do something else?
“Thank you,” Nate murmurs, and I hum.
“I take it, now you can accept me?” I ask him. Despite what transpired in the past couple of days: the harsh words, the fear coming from the both of us. I still couldn’t help but ask him this question.
“The chip will force you to think before you act. For everything else, you will have me as a rock you can lean on. I promised you forever, and I will deliver,” I wonder who spoke with Nathaniel for him to say something like this.
“Who spoke with you?” I ask.
“Daniel. I take it, Constantine spoke with you?” Nathaniel murmurs against my chest.
“They are good to us. Ready to call us out on our bullshit at the drop of a hat,” I comment. Nathaniel chuckles, and kisses my neck. I luxuriate in the feeling of his soft lips on my skin. When the kiss is over, he settles in my arms. We fall asleep together. Finally, relieved that we can continue our married life in peace.
