“I sent for you two for a reason–something Canergak said to me before I was released. I think it explains why he told you to keep me safe, Beryl.”
“It does?”
Lilith nodded, but then paused. “Let’s go to my home. It’s not far, and there’s less chance of someone hearing.” She led them around to the back of the Brewery, and into an outer hallway. Down the hallway, out of immediate sight of the doorway, she pressed on a brick in the wall, and a hidden doorway slid open, revealing an enclosed hallway.
“Oh!” exclaimed Beryl, looking around. “I was down here with Cyan once. He helped me when I was… disoriented two months ago.”
Lilith nodded, limping her way down the corridor. “I had my stuff stashed down here, that I had Leon get over time.” She led them into a larger space, at the end of which, to Lisa’s surprise, was a trolley car. The green wood and three windows along the side were familiar to her from seeing other trolleys, though this one had been outfitted with very rudimentary doors at the two entrances. Cyan stepped out to join them, smiling encouragingly at Lilith.
“Before I was let out,” she started, “Canergak stopped by to see me. Something he said struck me. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I think it makes more sense to me now. He told me that to be an experiment is considered to be a ‘great honor’ by his people. I think he thinks that if something happens to me, it would be a waste of all I sacrificed for the… one who made me what I am.”
Beryl started at her, startled. “What? All *you* sacrificed for *him*?!”
She nodded. “Cyan was there–he heard it too.”
“Yeah,” Cyan corroborated. “He also mentioned that he would tell the scientist who experimented on her how well he treated her. He was basically treating her as an experiment, rather than a person.”
“I think he hopes… *he* comes here some day. I hope not. If the–if *he* came here, it would be bad… very bad.” Lilith shuddered a little. “I do not want to even think of what could happen if the Daemon Jager and Canergak met.”
“So, Canergak wanted you safe to give you back to him?” Beryl asked.
“I do not know, but I have a feeling he would if he had the chance.”
“I’m sure he would,” Lisa growled.
“Or even work with him,” Cyan put in.
Beryl agreed, “I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Lilith nodded. “If something happens to me again, I do not think the hospital is safe for me anymore.”
“I wish the hospital could be safe for anyone,” Beryl said a little grimly. “But with your situation, no. He’d sign you over to that man if he showed up, it sounds like.”
“I am hoping I traveled enough before getting here to cover my trail. The man who did this to me is… let us just say that blood follows wherever he goes.” She thought a bit. “I also have a bad feeling for Snow, too. He has no business near the place right now.”
“Well, the only people that hospital is safe for are normal people–which rules out most of Babbage.” Cyan chuckled a little.
Cyan’s comment seemed to have reminded Beryl of something else important, “Rasend. Did anyone happen to see him while I was away? I haven’t since he got out. And neither has Sonnerstein.”
Lisa hissed in a breath. “Did Janus betray us after all?”
“I don’t think so,” Beryl replied. “But he might be doing something that we don’t want.”
Lilith nodded. “I will do what I can to keep an ear out, once I get back to the Vole. I know I can find out anything from most urchins for a drink or two.”
After a few more minutes of discussion, and promises to keep a watch out for any sign of Rasend, Beryl and Lisa left. As they stepped outside, Arnold asked her, “What do you think of what Lilith said? About Canergak?”
Lisa looked thoughtful. “I wonder what he would think if he knew I killed the one who made me his experiment?”
Beryl looked at his friend intently, letting her see how serious she should take what he was about to say. “I think he’d consider that the worst kind of murder, given what we know of him.”
Lisa stared at him, and then nodded, a grim look on her face. That made a great deal of sense, unwelcome though the thought was.
“I’d better go find Zaros,” Beryl said, wanting to make sure the cabbit stayed far away from Lilith. “Lisa… be careful.”
“I will.” Lisa watched him go, making sure her expression didn’t show the sinking fear she had in the pit of her stomach. She wondered, now, just how much longer she could safely work at the asylum.
Be First to Comment