Scientists moved around, sharing reports and conjectures. They all made way for the man in black, as Devin trailed behind him. His eye twitched from the vivid memory of the man losing his life in the pod.
He listened as the man In black explained, "Testing and trials here involve a more concentrated, genetically engineered dose of compound D. The standard compound is already out there, being administered to the so-called elite of this world."
The man in black sighed, mumbling under his breath before continuing, "In its standard form, it can heal brain tumours, cancer, and HIV—and even delay aging," he added, his tone softening with a hint of admiration.
They approached a locked iron door, guarded by two shadows. The man in black snapped his fingers, and the shadow on the right produced a silver key with an almost ritualistic reverence. With a swift, practiced motion, the door was unlocked.
Creak! The shadow strained, pulling the door open for the two to enter. When Devin got inside, he saw a room different from the general style of this horror house.
The dim lighting flickered upon the room's violet walls, casting eerie shadows along them. Devin stepped on the obsidian dark floor and froze, his gaze darting around the room, taking in the horrifying scene.
He could vaguely make out dark figures standing in the corners, possibly more shadows. But more than just that.
A strapped bed stood on one side of the room. Layered trays glinted under the harsh lights, laden with instruments of precision and dread—scalpel blades, sharp as razors, lay beside scissors meant for cruel cuts. Forceps ready to grip flesh, surgical saws and bone chisels poised to rend bone. Rasps to grind remains, trocars for piercing, and bone saws, rigid and flexible, awaited their grim tasks. A small portable device with a pen-like instrument hummed with electricity, its sinister purpose lurking just beneath its sleek exterior.
Devin shuddered at the sight, his mind reeling as the man in black continued.
"If compound D can cure your sister's ailment, it's possible. Her symptoms could be severe hypoxia—a sudden loss of oxygen—or a severe allergic reaction. In both cases, compound D could either improve her cellular respiration or reduce inflammation and stabilize her immune response."
The man in black then turned to him and concluded, "So, suffice it to say, compound D could save her. Do you still want it, Devin?"
Devin stood in a daze, his mind racing through the recent events. He could still smell the metallic tang of Evan's blood that pooled on the floor, hear the muffled sounds of his own anxiety as his head lay trapped in a cloth bag. The screams of the man in the pod echoed in his ears, the gruesome image of his head popping like a balloon replaying in his mind over and over. But Darcey's faded eyes, looking back at him, made his decision clear. He looked up at the man's dark eyes and said, "Yes."
"Good." The man in black smiled before snapping his fingers.
One of the shadows appeared beside Devin, holding a transparent capsule with a blue pill resting on a velvet padding. Devin's breath caught in his throat as his eyes widened in disbelief. He longingly gazed at the pill, the culmination of all his suffering and Darcey's hope. He turned back to the man in black, his mind reeling. They were actually giving it to him.
"Go on, take it," the man in black chuckled, his amusement at Devin's dismay evident.
With trembling hands, Devin slowly reached out and grabbed the capsule. He shuddered as Darcey's cure rested in his grasp. All of his suffering, all of her suffering, was coming to an end soon. His eyes wet with tears, Devin's shock stemmed from the fact that they actually gave it to him.
'I honestly thought these sickos would make me do something crazy-' He flinched as another shadow appeared beside him.
This one had all the money Devin had given to the man in black earlier, now handing it all back to Devin. Devin looked back at the man in black in bafflement, to which he said, "Now for the price of the compound."
"Price? What price? Mr. H said that this was enough." Devin frantically waved the cash in the man in black's face.
"Hahahaha!" The man in black cackled in response. "Oh dear me, Devin. A single capsule of compound D is worth two million dollars, or around thirty-three million rand for you."
Devin shuddered. "B-But Mr. H said-"
"I know what Mr. H said, Devin, and I agree with his assessment." The man in black smiled, his pearly white teeth on display. "You see, Devin, there's another way you can acquire one of our capsules." The room got colder with man in black's proclamation.
Devin gripped the capsule tightly, his knuckles turning white. "How?" He suspiciously gazed at the man in black's outstretched hand.
"By joining us," the man in black spoke matter-of-factly. "Consider it a reward for your initiation."
"Initiation?" Devin stepped back, his heart pounding.
"Yes," the man in black chuckled. "We could let you leave from here as you are, without the capsule, as long as you promise not to divulge anything you've heard and seen. Or," he paused, "you could join us by sacrificing any part of your body as initiation, and you will leave with the capsule."
"What will it be, Devin?"
'I was willing to kill a man to save Darcey. What's a part of my body worth?' Devin stood in thought, assessing his body from hands to feet. 'Whatever I get removed shouldn't be outwardly visible for Darcey to see. So fingers, hands, toes, and feet are out of the question. Nothing on the face and torso, so that only leaves…' Devin looked down at a special area. A sigh escaped his lips, a mixture of resignation and determination as he looked up at the man in black's dark eyes. His own eyes filled with resolve. The room seemed to hold its breath as he stepped closer and grabbed the man's hand.
"I'll do it."
End of Chapter 13