Julius grabbed her jaw roughly between his thumb and forefinger. He kissed her hard on the mouth. He kissed her roughly, angrily. She felt her legs give out. Still he held her up by her arm that was pinned to the wall.
Finally he pulled his face away from hers, but only a few inches. He still kept that vise-like grip on her jaw. "Tell me." he threatened.
"They're at the club." Delilah whispered weakly.
Julius plucked the entry card from her limp fingers and released her. She slid down the wall and sat on the floor. He touched the card to the door and it slid open. He stalked out. The door slid closed.
Delilah sat there alone, staring at the empty room. She closed her eyes in pain, wrapping her arms around herself.
*** Julius stopped at the Manor first. He showered and shaved. He also changed into a new suit. He walked into his study and shut the door behind him. He ignored everything, and walked to the far end of the room. He pulled down a large painting hanging on the wall, revealing a large safe. He dialed a number into the keypad.
The door swung open easily. Julius reached inside. He pulled out a silver cigarette case and opened it. Inside was a row of differently colored ampules. He shut the case and put it in his inside coat pocket. He pulled out a silver gun and clip. The clip was clear, showing a row of ampules filled with a green liquid. He loaded the clip into the gun and pocketed it. He also took his set of daggers. And his energy handgun.
There was one last case lying in the safe. Julius glanced at it. It was a gold cigarette case. There was a heart engraved on the front with a rose vine wrapped around it, crushing it. He left it, he would not need it.
*** Claire and Beast waited at Club Heat. It was closed today, and deserted. Even the staff was gone, and only half of the lights were on. Claire knew Julius was close, because Beast stepped away from her, blending into the shadows.
Then the door opened and Julius walked through. He was as handsome as she remembered. Her heart rose in her chest. "Julius." She whispered, tears in her eyes. Delilah had done it.
"Claire!" He called to her. He walked into the room carefully, his black eyes scanning the shadows.
"Julius, I have to talk to you." Claire said to him urgently.
But he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were still looking all around. "Where is he, Claire? I know he's here."
"Please listen to me." Claire pleaded with him. "Beast-"
“He killed my father!" Julius shouted. "Where is he!"
Claire shook her head. "I know he didn't do it Julius. I know it."
He looked at her then. "You know it? How? I was the one who saw it!"
"I know he wouldn't do something like that." Claire said, her eyes were bright with tears.
"Just how well do you know him, Claire?" Julius asked her coldly. "How can you believe anything he says?"
Claire shook her head again. "He didn't tell me he didn't do it. I just know he didn't." She said.
"I can't accept that." Julius said, his eyes were moving around the room again, desperately seeking his quarry.
"He saved my life!" Claire screamed at him. "I was all alone in the junk yards! I didn't have my parents with me! I would have died! But he took me out of there!" Julius looked at her in surprise. Her voice softened. "And he didn't have to. He carried me to The Sword and The Rose all by himself. That's how I met you!"
Julius' head snapped to the side, his eyes following an unseen movement. He drew the silver gun from his coat, and fired into the shadows so swiftly Claire wasn't even sure she had seen it. Suddenly, to her, Julius was pointing a silver gun at the shadows.
There was a crash and Beast stumbled into the light. His body was shaking. He fell to the floor.
Claire rushed to him and knelt down next to him. She laid a hand on his twitching chest. His skin was hot, and growing hotter.
Julius stepped up to his fallen foe, looking down at him coldly. He was taking those few seconds to gloat. "You've been hit by a Kyanite dart. The most powerful poison in the city. You're dead, monster."
Beast's skin grew so hot that it burned Claire's fingers to touch him. She pulled her hands away. Beast's body began to twitch and jerk. Julius narrowed his eyes at him. "What's going on? Kyanite doesn't work like this."
Claire began to back away. Her eyes were wide with fear.
Suddenly Beast's body went rigid. Steam erupted all around him, hiding him in a white cloud. Julius took a step back as well.
When the steam finally cleared, Beast was kneeling on one knee. He opened his eyes, rising to his feet. His eyes shone like fire. They narrowed, challenging Julius.
Julius gritted his teeth, tossing the gun away. He removed his energy handgun from it's holster. It was specially modified with ramped up settings. He fired rapidly at Beast, who dodged quickly away. Wherever a shot fell, it left behind a black scorch mark.
Julius pulled out his daggers with his other hand, hurling them at Beast. Beast deflected them with a kick. One embedded itself into the side of his leg, but he didn't even seem to notice.
Claire ran to Julius, tugging on his arm. He shoved her away without a look and continued firing. She landed painfully on the floor, crying out. Julius looked down at her and swore. He lowered his gun and rushed to her. "Claire, are you all right?"
Then Beast was there. He kicked Julius in the side, right on his upper arm. Julius slid across the floor, knocking over tables. Beast stood in front of Claire, blocking her from Julius. Julius regained his feet, tossing chairs out of his way. He raised his gun, but hesitated, afraid of hitting Claire.
"Claire, get up." Beast told her, not turning away from Julius. "We have to leave."
Claire sat up. "But..."
"He is not listening to you Claire. He will never listen."
Claire looked at Julius, at the determined set of his body. Her heart ached. "He doesn't want to hurt me." She said.
"He may not want to. But he will, again and again and again. He does not see any other choice." Beast told her.
And she saw that it was true. Sweat beaded on Julius' brow. The hand holding the gun started to shake. He was struggling not to fire, but he was losing the fight.
"Go, escape." Beast told her. "I will lead him away and find you later."
Claire nodded sadly. She got to her feet. Beast stepped away from her just as Julius fired. The shot hit the floor at her feet. She turned and fled. Beast rushed at Julius. Claire reached the doorway. Her book bag was already packed and waiting, for good or for ill. She grabbed it and ran from the club.
Julius kept firing at Beast. He managed to score a few shots to the chest, but Beast was un-fazed. Beast kicked a chair up into the air. Then he aimed another kick that sent the chair flying towards Julius. It hit Julius in the shoulder and head, and he fell to the floor. Beast walked over to the unconscious man.
He stared down at him. "Perhaps you will one day free yourself of your father's burden." He said to him. "Until then. I cannot let you have her." Then he turned, and walked away. Chapter XIV - Answers
Julius woke in his own bed. His brain pounded against the inside of his skull. He groaned and sat up. Someone sat by his bed, in an armchair. It was an elderly man, leaning his old, gnarled hands on a shiny metal cane.
"Hello, Dr. Keller." Julius mumbled.
"Julius..." Dr. Keller said, sympathy in his pale, watery eyes. "The High Empress is worried about you. She thinks that you will turn out like your father."
"I am stronger than my father." Julius said. "I will win against that monster."
Dr. Keller gave him a sad look. "There are still so many things you do not understand, Julius." he said.
Julius gave him a sharp look. "You know about that monster. I know you do. You, of all people, must know."
Dr. Keller sighed heavily. "The amount of knowledge I have about 1 8 3 4 8 7 would barely fill... say, a teacup."
Julius ran both hands through his hair. "You know more than I do. You never told me anything. You hid it from me."
&nbs
p; "I told you to stay away from him." Dr. Keller said gravely.
"He's kidnapped my ward!" Julius exploded. "How was I supposed to stay away from that?"
"You left the Empress' care to hunt him down."
"He still has my ward! Am I just supposed to let her go?" Julius felt like pulling his hair out.
"Even without the young lady in the middle of this. You still want your revenge. You have to let it go." Dr. Keller said patiently.
"No!" Julius rose from his bed. He was still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. he yanked at his tie, loosening it.
"Never!" He paced around the room, his head still aching him. He reached a hand up, feeling a bandage on his left temple.
"I can't let him get away with what he's done."
"And what about what your father has done, Julius?" Dr. Keller asked. "Your father took many lives. Even ones most precious to him."
"That doesn't make that monster killing him right!" Julius raged.
Dr. Keller shook his head. "No, it does not. My point is that there are many sides here. Do not be clouded by your own feelings."
Julius rounded on the aged doctor. "My feelings are all I have!" Julius roared. "I don't give a damn about anyone else's side!"
"That is your tragedy, Julius." Dr. Keller said wisely.
Julius narrowed his eyes. "Whatever." He muttered, exiting the room.
*** Claire woke slowly. Her head was on Beast's thigh. She was lying on a hard surface. She sat up, stretching. She looked around.
They were in a park, she was lying on a bench. It was morning.
Slowly, her brain began to function at full speed.
"Beast!" She grabbed him by the shoulders. His head had fallen forward while he slept.
He opened his eyes, lifting his dark head. "Yes?" He asked, there was no sleep or drowsiness in his voice, just the same dullness like always.
"What happened? I'm glad you are all right! Is Julius Okay?" Claire spoke rapidly, her blue eyes looking into his tawny ones intently.
"He'll have a headache, otherwise he is fine." Beast assured her.
Relief made her limbs weak. She slumped against his chest. "Thank goodness." She whispered.
She stared at Beast's chest, not really seeing it. "Julius has done horrible things, hasn't he?" She asked quietly.
"Yes." Beast answered.
Claire's hand gripped Beast's shirt. "I still..." Her words died.
"I know."
Claire lifted her head up, looking into Beast's eyes. "I miss him." She said sadly. "I want to see him. Am I wrong? I care about him so much, even though he's done the most awful things. Is how I feel about him wrong?" Her eyes were pleading.
"No." Beast said simply. "You cannot choose who you love."
Claire's eyes teared up. "Do you hate me? Because I love him?"
"No." Beast answered. "I can never hate you."
Claire hugged him around the waist. After a moment she pulled away. She wiped at her tears, laughing weakly. "It feels like I am always crying." She said.
"You can cry, if you need to." Beast told her. "You should cry when you feel sad. Your feelings, the ability to feel as intensely as you do, is your most remarkable trait."
Claire looked around the park. "What are we going to do now?" She sighed. "I have to think about how to make Julius understand."
"Julius bears a terrible burden." Beast said suddenly.
Claire turned back to him. "What do you mean? Witnessing his father's murder?"
"It is because of his father's murder, but his father's murder is not his full burden." Beast was staring into the distance, talking as if to himself.
Claire leaned close to him. "What is Julius' burden?" She asked him.
His eyes focused on her face. For the first time, Claire saw him hesitate. "I will not say. It is up to him to tell you."
Claire thought for a moment. "All right." She said. "That sounds fair."
"Where do we go now? You cannot sleep outdoors forever."
"We could go back to Club Heat." Claire suggested. "Julius knows we are there." Beast said.
"Julius knew we were there." Claire corrected. "He'll expect us to move to a different place."
"I do not think we should spend more than a few nights there, just in case." Beast cautioned.
"Okay then." Claire assented. "I can ask Delilah and see if she knows another place we can stay." She got to her feet, stretching again under the weak morning sunlight.
Beast stood up as well, no stretching for him. Claire looked around again. "I don't even remember running this far. I don't know how to get back to Delilah's."
"This way." Beast said. He walked on ahead of her. Claire shrugged. She hefted her book bag over one shoulder and followed.
*** The bathroom was dark. The only light came from a few candles next to the bath. Julius sat in the huge tub, his back against the rim. He leaned his head back slowly, looking at the ceiling.
The water was almost hot enough to scald. Steam rose from the surface, infusing the air with calming scents from his bath oils.
Still, he could not relax.
An edgy, restless feeling had come over him. Starting in his hands and up his arms. It made his heartbeat quicken and his legs ached to move.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that dark face. Those golden eyes challenged him, even in his dreams.
Sometimes, he saw Claire as well. Small and scared and alone, at the mercy of that monster.
He shifted restlessly.
He had to do something, now, or else he would go insane.
*** When they arrived at Club Heat, Delilah still wasn't back. Dennis informed them that she had called and told him that they could stay at the Club for as long as they needed. They had only planned to stay a few days and wait for Delilah to come back. But she didn't return. Days turned to weeks. Claire was reluctant to let go of her last contact to Delilah, and through her, Julius. So they lagged.
Early one morning Dennis told them that someone had arrived at the club, asking for them. He directed them to the empty dance room.
Beast halted as soon as he spied the old man standing next to the bar. "Dr. Keller." He stated. Claire looked back and forth between them, utterly confused.
"You recognize me then, 1 8 3 4 8 7?" The man asked, leaning heavily on his metal cane.
"Yes." Beast's eyes glittered strangely.
Dr. Keller focused his watery blue eyes on Claire. "Good morning, young lady." He nodded his head to her. "Excuse me for not bowing, my bones are not as strong as they used to be."
"Who are you?" Claire asked suspiciously.
"As your 1 8 3 4 8 7 has just stated, my name is Dr. Keller. And you are Claire Cantor." The man hesitated. "I... studied him once, many years ago." He looked back at Beast.
"Studied?" Claire whispered. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?” She asked firmly.
The man closed his eyes. "I seek only to ease my heart. And to set past wrongs right, if I am able. Such is any old man's wish, before they die."
Claire still had a wary look. "What are you doing here now, then?"
Dr. Keller opened his eyes. "Julius cares for you, child. He may listen to you where he would not listen to me."
"I tried talking to Julius, he did not listen." Claire said hopelessly.
"Still, I believe you can reach him better than I. I felt that you may wish to understand some things. About Julius, and about 1 8 3 4 8 7. If you wish to know more, please come with me. My hovercar waits outside." He began to make his way to the door.
Claire hesitated. "Can we trust him?" She asked Beast.
Beast's eyes are hard. "I will not let him hurt you." He said. "And he does have information."
Claire nodded. "Okay then, where are we going then?" Claire asked Dr. Keller.
He turned his head, facing her. "Cantor Manor, of course."
*** Dr Keller drove them to the Manor in his hovercar. He parked in the back of the Manor. There was an entrance there that led
to the basement. They took an elevator down one level. He led them down a hall, to another elevator. This one had a small glowing green screen next to it. Dr. Keller placed the pad of his thumb on the screen and the silver doors slid open.
They all stepped inside. The lights overhead turned red. "Ah yes, the weight sensor." Dr. Keller said. He pulled out a card from his pocket, swiping it through a reader in the elevator. The red light turned back to white and the silver doors closed.
Claire could feel the elevator descending. She watched the number tick by. They were going pretty fast, but it still felt like forever before the elevator stopped, it's doors sliding open with a cheery ding. The three of them stepped out into a small hallway. There was another door at the end of it. This one also had a card reader and thumb print scanner. And a small red circle underneath them.
Claire watched as Dr. Keller swiped his card and submitted his thumb print. "What is that one?" She asked, nodding towards the red circle.
"DNA scan." Dr. Keller said. He pressed a finger to the red circle, then pulled it away. The heavy metal door slid open. Dr. Keller inspected his bleeding finger ruefully. “It doesn't sting less with time.”
He led the way into the room beyond. It was dark at first, but then the overhead lights came on. Claire looked around the room in a kind of horrified awe.
The center of the room was dominated by a single large, cylindrical tank. It was made of thick glass and had been shattered. Shards of glass stuck up like stalagmites. There was no broken glass lying around on the floor, it had all been swept against the base of the tank.
Computers lined the walls, thick wires running across the floor to the base of the tank. Beast regarded the tank, his eyes narrowed.
"I apologize deeply." Dr. Keller said to him. "We treated you more horribly than any living thing should ever be treated."
"What did you do to him?" Claire demanded, turning on Dr. Keller.
"Imprisonment." Dr. Keller told her sadly. "Complete and utter helplessness." He looked up at the tank. "When I first arrived here, 1 8 3 4 8 7 had already been trapped here for twenty years. My father was the one who first imprisoned him. After his arms had been removed."
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