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He was silent, as usual, and I thought he wasn’t going to answer me this time, either. Since he’d brought me here, I’d been asking him over and over. I needed to understand. What had I done to deserve this? What was his end goal? I needed some kind of explanation, especially since my memories were still blurry at best and I couldn’t come up with any explanations myself.
“If you must know... If it will make you feel better,” he started, “I’m doing it for the most important person in my life.”
“What? I thought I was...”
“No, you’re confused. I said you are the most important thing I own. You’re a thing, Maya. An object. And you are here because this is the only way I can help the most important person in my life. So, you’re doing a good thing. Probably the only good thing you ever did.”
“I don’t understand...” I touched my temple with my trembling fingers. “Who is this person?”
“Enough with the questions. I’ve told you too much already.” He turned away. “Eat your food, or it will spoil.”
He locked the door behind him, and I was alone again, surrounded by darkness. I pushed the plate away and huddled under the blanket that he’d given me the day before. I’d complained about being cold, and he’d brought me a pillow and a blanket. Soon enough, I’d have to complain about my clothes, which absolutely stank. If I didn’t point out these things to him, he didn’t notice them. It was as if he had no idea what a human being needed to survive, although he was a human being himself.
Or maybe he wasn’t. Maybe the species didn’t matter at all. Humans could lack a heart and a soul, too.
Chapter Five
Mason
My second day on the job, and did it irk me I didn’t know who I was guarding? Yes, it did.
It was confirmed to me that it was a person when I first saw Dr. Lockwood come down to the basement with a tray of food and a bottle of water. He did it three times a day, like clockwork. But this detail alone wasn’t enough for me to gauge who he had in there, if they were human or something else, if they were male or female.
I didn’t ask questions. I wasn’t supposed to. Being clear to me this was nowhere near legal, I knew any questions I asked might get me in trouble and cause me to lose my job. And I needed this job. It paid more than the last few I’d done for Monster Security Agency, and within one or two months, I could have the money my brother needed to get himself a good prosthetic. It would be life-changing for him and his family, so I needed to keep my eyes on the prize.
Whatever happened behind the door I was guarding was none of my business.
However, I couldn’t help but notice that twice already, Dr. Lockwood had gone in there carrying a medical kit. He was a scientist, so it wasn’t like it didn’t make sense, but at the same time, what did that mean? That he was doing experiments on whoever he had in there? I couldn’t think about that. I had to shut off my thoughts.
I was the muscle and nothing more. I wasn’t supposed to have thoughts.
As for me, I was well taken care of. The bed could’ve been considered big for a human, but for me, it was regular. The sheets were new and freshly washed, and the mattress was comfortable enough. I had a desk and two chairs, though Dr.Lockwood never sat down for a chat. I’d brought a few books in my bag, along with some clothes, so I had something to keep myself busy. When I wasn’t reading, I was scrolling on my tablet. Surprisingly, I had decent Wi-Fi even if I was pretty deep underground.
The bathroom wasn’t much, but I didn’t need more than a sink, a toilet, and a shower. I had to appreciate the fact that it was built to fit my massive frame. That made me wonder if Dr. Lockwood had known he was going to hire me when he’d prepared this chamber and the bathroom. Maybe he knew he was going to hire a monster, and generally, monsters were big fellows.
I could live like this. If I was paid enough, it was no big deal. It bothered me a little that there were no windows down here, but I could take breaks and walk outside into the sun. I did so three times a day, when my client was inside the room. When he came with food and water, the first thing he did was to tell me I could take a break if I wanted to. He waited for me to leave, and then went inside the room that was such a mystery to me. I didn’t know what it looked like and who it was hosting. It didn’t sound like an order when he told me I could take a half-hour stroll in the garden, so I didn’t think much of it at first. I was grateful I could get out for a bit. But the third time it happened, I started wandering...
It was lunchtime, and as always, Dr. Lockwood showed up with the food and water.
“Take a break, Mason,” he said.
I pretended like I was deeply absorbed by the book I was reading. Which meant I ignored him to give him the impression that I hadn’t even noticed his presence.
“Mason, I said you can take a break.”
“Oh?” I blinked in slight confusion. “Oh, right. I’m fine. I want to finish this chapter.” And I immediately returned to the book.
He stood there for a minute, staring at me. I thought he was going to insist, but eventually, he unlocked the door and slipped inside. I couldn’t look, or I would’ve given myself away. I felt a thrill travel up my spine. He’d never unlocked the door in my presence, and I noticed he didn’t lock it behind him. I couldn’t help but wonder what that meant.
If the one inside was here against their will, then they would try to escape, right? They would make a run for the door. Dr. Lockwood wasn’t a big guy. Someone who had enough determination could easily knock him down.
The other possibility was that they weren’t here against their will. Then what was I guarding the door for?
I turned slightly in my chair so the door would be in my line of sight when it opened again. I turned the page, just in case Dr. Lockwood had paid attention, but I couldn’t read a single word. I fully focused on what was going on behind the door, straining to hear any sounds that might give it away.
And there it was... A cry. Whispers, and then someone sniffling, crying silently. Dr. Lockwood’s voice rose, and I could tell he was chastising his victim. The victim who sounded like... a woman.
I slammed the book on the table and sat up straight. He had a woman in there, and she sure didn’t sound like it was her choice. Heat spread through my body, angry and red. I forced myself to wait. I could barge in there, but I didn’t think it was a good idea. Dr. Lockwood wouldn’t like it, and if the woman needed my help, a premature intervention on my part would do her more harm than good. I had to be calculated. Like him.
