He'd never worked with anyone like Orion Mercier or the Mercier Corporation. The man was ruthless and let nothing get in his way, and Elias knew this, but let his own desires andaspirations cloud his judgment, and now he had hired killers after him. Mercier skirted the law, stepped on people, and used his money to get him anything and anyone that he wanted.
The plasma had been presented to him, and he ran with it, with no questions. He said it was the key to developing a serum that would protect and heal cells and would, theoretically, extend natural life. Mercier had taken Elias’ work and expanded into supernatural territory, and at the time Elias saw nothing wrong with that and had accepted his help eagerly.
Elias never questioned where the plasma had come from; he simply recognized its properties and how it fit into his design. It came from somewhere, or rather, it came from someone from a living organism. Mercier shut down any queries, and Elias chose not to persist. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair, but it did nothing for his overall disheveled appearance.
When he stepped out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, Kael was standing by his bed waiting for him. He was a handsome devil, tall and solid, with a confidence that ruled. Elias would follow him anywhere. Elias didn’t speak, just looked at him and waited. Kael motioned for him to sit down, and Elias did as he was told and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Kael walked over to the window and peered out at what, Elias wasn’t sure, but he was keeping watch.
“The Mercier Corporation has been compromised, the building has shut down, and your boss, Orion Mercier, and his lackeys have gone into hiding.” He stated flatly, with no emotion, simply to make him aware. It made sense that the killers would also target Mercier and his people, but that didn’t make Elias feel any safer.
“They won’t stop at disabling the location.” Kael looked at him with eyes that burned right through him. Elias suddenlyfelt guilty and low. “Everyone involved in the research must be neutralized.”
“No one knows what I’ve been working on, only Mercier and me. He was too paranoid to allow others in on what he saw as his own bid to live forever and what he saw as a financial boon.” Elias looked away, unable to hold Kael’s judgment.
“Tell me.” Kael sat down next to him on the bed and took Elias’ hand in his. It seemed natural and easy. Elias held on, feeling the warmth and security of his touch. There were no guarantees that he would survive this night or that he would ever work in research again, so why hold this secret?
He started three years ago, presenting his work at the beginning to secure funding. There were holes in his theory, and his design lacked support, but one day someone took him seriously, and then money started to flow, and a workspace was offered. “I was grasping, and when the Mercier Corporation offered to fund my research, I jumped at the chance.”
“How did you develop this theory? What did you base it upon?” Kael asked the probing question.
“It’s going to sound crazy,” Elias spoke just above a whisper and glanced away from Kael.
“Try me.” Kael squeezed his hand, and Elias felt a surge of support rush through him. It was a strange sensation.
“Many years ago, I witnessed something impossible. I saw a crash victim heal right before my eyes. It was nighttime, and I was out for a walk, and the collision took place not more than thirty feet in front of me.” Elias thought back to that night and recognized that it was the beginning of all of this, and part of him wished he’d never gone for that walk.
“It was miraculous. I witnessed a complete healing, and it took no more than a few seconds. They were unconscious formost of it, and when they came around, they acted like there were no problems, although the paramedics took him to the hospital.” He glanced at Kael, who was listening intently but not commenting.
“I got access to a copy of their hospital records, and then suddenly all paperwork disappeared, and their very existence disappeared. From those records, I began studying everything I could about him. It wasn’t much, but I was able to ascertain that the healing element or enzyme was most likely contained in the blood.”
“You would have needed his blood,” Kael stated.
“I took scrapings from the pavement where he lay before it was washed away.” Elias took a deep breath and looked over at Kael again.
“A few scrapings of dried blood wouldn’t have been enough to support you through all your trials. Where did you get the samples you’ve been working with currently?” Kael leaned in, and his closeness, along with his touch, was mesmerizing. Elias wanted to tell him everything, and he did.
“Orion Mercier provided the blood samples.” He told him everything, from his first meeting with the billionaire Orion Mercier to the tests, setbacks, and the pressure that was building. He explained and described everything.
“I was denied the right to discuss anything, any part of this process, with anyone. I had to keep my notes, samples, and any analysis hidden. I couldn’t even reach out to colleagues for help. My only point of contact was Mr. Mercier, and he is not a scientist, although he reviewed my notes every morning.”
“Did he make any suggestions? Are you sure he didn’t share the information with someone within his circle?” Kael was digging, and Elias wasn’t sure what he was looking for.
“His only suggestion was to work faster and to show more results that fit the design. The serum was eminent. I have the formulation in my notes, although he would not have understood it. I don’t know why he checks my notes, but I do know that he shares this information with no one. The man is paranoid beyond belief and would not trust this with anyone.” Elias shook his head and looked at Kael.
“I can’t be certain, of course, but his actions, his behavior indicate someone who does not have close relationships, and trust does not exist in his world,” Elias answered to the best of his ability and waited for Kael’s next question.
Kael listened, and it was clear that Elias was a scientist to his core. He had an idea, and based on the evidence and his research, it appeared factual. He searched for support and found it. The research and the outcome just so happened to go flat against the core principles of Kael and his people. Elias was not inherently bad, but his focus was veering into a harmful area that must be stopped.
He was Kael’s chosen, and Fate had brought them together for a reason; she always had a reason. She obviously wanted him to stop what he was doing, but did not want him to suffer or die for his curiosity. In Kael’s mind, it also indicated that he could save Elias; there was an answer to this chaos, a way to make it right, and Kael would figure it out.
“I wasn’t hired by Mercier.” He stated wanting to get some truth out there.
“Who hired you?” Elias’ voice was a shocked whisper.
“I wasn’t hired; I was sent to stop you.”
“You’re going to kill me? Why did you save me just to kill me?”
“I’m not going to kill you.” He said forcefully in an attempt to make his position obvious, but he felt Elias begin to tremble, and he could sense his rising fear. “I’m to stop you before you cross a line that cannot be crossed.”
