Conniveo

Chapter XXVIII: Justification

"I do not understand you, my Lady. I do not have a son." Javi's hands had not been released from Eugene's neck, and I felt a sense of panic. I wanted attack him, to make him stop what he was doing. It felt almost as if his hand was around my neck as well.

"You do, Javi. You do not remember, because the related memories were rendered inaccessible, as per your request," Lady Diella replied, staring back into the eyes of the man who was declared to be Eugene's father. Eugene continued trying to pry apart the hand wrapped around his neck. I could see how much he struggled to breathe. The sight made me most uncomfortable, and I felt even more powerless that I could do nothing to help him. I had already felt the air around me. There were no pexes.

"I asked to be neurologically reprogrammed? Why would I do that?"

"Pain, Javi. Pain is a most unpleasant sensation, especially when it is not physical. In the months following your detention here, you asked repeatedly to see Moira and Eugene. We could not honor your request, due to the circumstances surrounding your presence here. Over time, you grew more agitated and unstable, and you tried without success to return to them. Then you learned of my primary class ability. And then you begged me to help you forget."

Javi looked back at Eugene and reluctantly released him. Eugene felt around his neck and continued to stare back at the man. If this was intended to be a family reunion, it was a most awkward one. There was an uncomfortable silence as each man seemed to work through his hazy memories - one rendered so by modulation, the other by time.

"Your eyes," Eugene said, after a pause. "They're the only things that remind me of Dad. Everything else is...off. Then again, I can barely remember Dad's face. And my dad had my hair colour. Black, glossy. He used to let me play with it." His eyebrows were furrowed as he seemed to concentrate on the thought. I smiled involuntarily. I actually found him really attractive whenever he did that. Wait, what was I thinking?

Lady Diella sighed audibly. She looked frail and tired. And, not that I had not noticed earlier, she looked older than the time I had seen her. Her face sported more lines of age and her skin colour was a little wan. She looked from one of man to the other.

"There is such a thing as hair dye, Eugene. He dyed his hair so that he would be able to go outside without anyone questioning his appearance. My manor is covered by the radio grid, and so your appearance here has already set-off the alarms. My residence should be flooded with the Security in the next few minutes. At least, I have some time to undo what I have done. Come here, both of you."

Javi immediately walked to Lady Diella's side. Eugene looked more reluctant. His steps were hesitant, but he still obeyed the command.

"Please kneel. I do not wish to stand for this."

They did, though Eugene glared at her through the entire process. Javi looked from Eugene and back to Diella. His facial expression was both curious and questioning. Lady Diella closed her eyes. Eugene blinked several times and then closed his eyes in an expression assumed to be pain. He winced several times and squeezed his ocular muscles like he was enduring some form of torture. Javi's expression was different. His eyes remained open throughout, and occasionally, he said something that sounded like a drawled 'oh'. Lady Diella's actions seemed to require maximum concentration. She must have been doing something truly tasking, for during the times she had communicated with me via telepathy, she appeared to do so without much effort. After about two minutes of performing her mysterious mind-invading procedure, she opened her eyes. Her eyes looked glassy and exhausted. Slowly she shut them again and formed a smile.

"Please get Norei here at once," she said tiredly.

"Which of them, my Lady?" Javi looked towards Eugene with a wry smile. I could see that he yearned to talk to him, but was more occupied with attending to Diella.