The Fall of Forever {A MyStreet FF}

{2}: The Wicked and Their Blind Indifference

While the two businessmen conducted their research, one about Ultimas and one in a desperate effort to help his son, two doctors were conducting research of their own.

Zack and Elizabeth had always been close. They understood each other on an increasingly deep level, that of which evolved to be romantic. Even with their deep hunger for each other, they both knew that they were doctors first. The business the two had with Michael always came first.

The mice they were testing on kept dying. Their bodies just simply couldn't handle the effects of the powerful green substance, no matter what method they used to administer it. The experiments were starting to become even more expensive for that exact reason.

So, in an effort to try something else, Zack and Elizabeth sat in a room for hours a day and tried to devise new plans. The two rarely saw their children at home due to all the work they were putting in. There were hundreds of files of documentation. The garbage cans were overflowing with crumpled pieces of paper and whiteboard markers that had dried out.

It had been one of those days, or rather two days, where the two were running on caffeine and adrenaline. Elizabeth stood, drawing and writing on the whiteboard while Zack watched and discussed ideas with her. Their white coats were wrinkled and the dark circles under their eyes were evident. The frustration was written on their faces. They knew little of what to do next.

A gentle knock sounded at the door. The room stood silent as the two physicians snapped their attention to the door to see who was about to come in.

The dark wooden door opened to reveal a well dressed, highly energized Michael. Zack resisted making a face. He was tired of the fact that they were doing all the work, while Michael was sitting back from afar, even though it was his idea.

"Good afternoon, you two," the prematurely white-haired man said. "How's it going?"

"About as well as it's been going," Zack, with a hint of distaste in his tone, replied.

Michael sighed and sat in a chair that was just slightly diagonal right to Zack. He examined the plans they had just written on the board. It took him a bit longer to think than usual. Elizabeth wondered if he was starting to study the mere handwriting.

"We can't keep wasting time," Michael finally spoke up. "We have to begin with the experimentation on the children."

"You have our two already lined up to do that," Elizabeth said, referring to her and Zack's young daughters.

"Well, yes, and for that I am grateful. But we can't just experiment on two, nevertheless on two girls. We need to see the effects on males too. I know Derek's son is old enough, are you positive there's no convincing him?" Michael inquired.

Zack raised his eyebrows and rubbed his temple. Elizabeth looked down at the floor and crossed her arms. Neither of them responded to his question, as they all knew the answer.

"That damned Ultima curse," Michael muttered under his breath.

Derek tried his best to keep that curse a secret. And yet, with everything Michael knew about witchcraft and its history, he knew almost immediately what the bloodline of the Lycan family held. Derek was blinded to the fact that Michael, Zack, and Elizabeth knew about the curse that plagued him and his child.

Michael furrowed his eyebrows, looking at the floor along with Elizabeth. No one was going to subject their child to experimentation by a wizard and two doctors who they didn't know. He pressed his lips in a line and stood silent until his mind lit up with ideas.

"Valkrum... Terrance I think his name is? The business man," the hope Michael had radiated off of him. "He has a son!"

"We can sure ask him about it. I'm sure Garte and Derek know him, too," Elizabeth added.

"Right! And Garte's little one, Garroth," Michael began, before he was cut off by Zack scoffing at the suggestion.

"You really think that if Derek's not going to do it, then somehow Garte is?" Zack resisted laughing at Michael.

"Well, he's his own man," Michael said. "If we could talk to him privately-"

"We tried using his ADHD as a reason. Hell, it probably wouldn't even work with talking about his depression and anxiety disorder. We could bring his sons and genetic factor into it, but even those wouldn't make a difference if Derek continues making comments about living 'fulfilled lives' like the one he made at the table," Elizabeth shook her head and sat down by the two men.

"Garte trusts Derek more than he trusts himself," Zack commented, not making eye contact with either of them.

Michael sat back in his chair and bit the inside of his cheek. He let his ankles cross underneath him as he thought and thought about a possible solution to the problem. Michael knew he was bright, and knew that once ideas came to him, he was damn near unstoppable.

Elizabeth and Zack sat silently, not thinking much themselves. Their brains were fried from all the ideas they had to conjure up in the last 48 hours. Michael sat forward and furrowed his eyebrow, a small crease appearing just above his nose.

"Why is that?" He inquired while not looking up from the floor.

"They've known each other forever. Derek knows things I don't even think Zianna knows," Elizabeth said, adding a very limited amount because she knew very little herself.

"About three years ago, Garte's wife cheated on him. It was on Derek's suspicion that Garte inquired about it," Zack revealed, which he had previously promised to Garte that it was just between them. "Derek was right. Zianna confessed, baby Vylad was born, and Garte and Derek have stuck by each other's side ever since."

Michael was seldom surprised upon hearing this information. The first time he saw Vylad once the toddler started growing into his features, it was obvious to Michael that the third child was, at the very least, not Garte's biological son.

Michael sat up, looking his two colleagues in the eye.

"Then let's change that," he smiled.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked, giving a puzzled look to both Michael and Derek.

"Let's give them reasons not to trust each other anymore."