The Lockhart Files

Chapter Four

One, two, three, four...

With a huff of impatience, Mr. Chivers snapped his pocket watch shut and hid it inside his coat pocket. If he could just twist the hands of time so he didn't have to wait anymore, he would do it in a heartbeat, but life was cruelly fit for people who had patience, not for those who didn't have it.

He reached down to pat the suitcase that sat beside him, which responded with a hollow clunk. Within just a few minutes, he was to push himself forward past the red velvet curtains in front of him and bring forth his new invention to the most enlightened organization in the world: Light's Matrix. With many lawyers and members of the law already in the organization itself, if he could get them to be on his side, he could be absolutely invincible.

Yet, there was always a chance that he couldn't. He didn't want to admit it, but an organization that was made to deliver people from evil would never touch something like this 'beauty product' he wanted to promote. Many people come to them every night trying to give them ideas of their new inventions, many being turned away with grand ideas that even he would have liked to create himself. There was no promise that being here was going to be even worth the time.

Although, if they couldn't see what glory his invention could bring to the world, they had no right to have it at all.

"He's not pleased with what you've done, you know."

Mr. Chivers smiled as he heard the voice behind him which was rough and scratched. He sat a little straighter, sneaking a hand into the inside of his trench coat. "Whoever has the right to sneak up on me so clumsily like this, and have no integrity to announce who they are, already holds no right to tell me who's mad at me for something they don't entirely understand." His fingers brushed over the barrel of his gun, sliding up to the handle as if not to bring attention to himself. "Tell me, mysterious intruder. Who are you?"

There was a long pause before he saw a shift in the shadow of darkness in the corner of his eye. He could only see an outline of the person who came closer with each footstep, a faint glow emanating off of him from the light on the other side of the curtain, yet not enough for any facial features to come forth. He chuckled, before letting out more words in his gruff tone. "The only person who's willing to give you a warning."

Mr. Chivers found his turn to laugh, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "Then make it quick. I have a show in a few moments."

"A show that he wants you to change." The mysterious presence disappeared back further into the shadows, heavy boots making a staccato sound across the wooden floor. "He doesn't want to wait any longer, Simon. You have already brought this experiment to the world. There will be several members of the law after you now, and don't let me forget to mention how sour he already feels that you have ended the life of Eugene in such an unfair way. You are like a pest to him now."

"So what? He knew too much. He had every right to be turned into what monstrosity he became." Mr. Simon Chivers gritted his teeth, gripping the edge of the gun handle. "Besides, he never made the Captain very happy. Whining and complaining about the lack of time he's had to live an honest life. What life did he have??"

The mysterious character only laughed again, almost like he knew something that Simon didn't, which drove him mad. "And yet, somehow, he was treated like a son."

"The way he was cared for is nothing I worry about! He deserved what he had coming to him!"

The stranger tsked in disgust, the sounds almost as if he was closer to Simon than he really thought he was. "Quiet, Simon. There are people behind the curtains..."

Mr. Chivers gritted his teeth more as if his jaw could break with any more force. He quickly reached into his pocket, flipping the pocket watch open in hopes that time would give him an excuse to end this conversation.