Amanita: Poison Shot

Chapter 49: Anger Issues

Did he value me more than his colleagues? Was I a feather in his cap? He was looking at me as if such was the case, with his eyes playing hide and seek every now and then behind that rebel fringe I loved. That was why I blushed. It shone in mesmerising, dark amber hues under the light whenever he moved.

From an ignorant, dirt-poor girl from Thalis' slum to the person Siegfried Thor admired the most. I couldn't believe it.

"You really think so?" I asked him whispering.

"Of course! Then, we will be able to proceed with Agape's plans to dethrone these genome-messing tyrants," he added with satisfaction.

That made me frown.

I had become an enabler. Even though I didn't approve of the rebels' ethos and means, I was sparing them from getting caught and killed so that they could proceed with their plans. On the one hand, I was glad to save their lives. On the other hand, I didn't feel good about it for as long as they gladly went on with their killing spree. I should've foreseen that, but would I have let the clones kill us all just because of my uneasiness about this issue?

"Siegfried, I can't come to terms with the fact that you want to murder as many clones as you can," I admitted, feeling uncomfortable. "I know they've acted in despicable ways, but haven't you ever considered a different outcome to this conflict? Why so much violence?"

And why was he prone to committing murder like that? Had something happened to him?

"Daphne, don't be naive," he replied softly, but not meaning any harm. I could tell by the sad look in his eyes. "What do you want me to answer? That I do believe in some utopian course of action? Of course not. Do you want me to try and convince them to be nice to us traditional humans? It wouldn't work."

"I know what you mean, but..." I sighed. "You don't believe there might be a peaceful way of dethroning the clones, do you? If there was one, would you consider it?" I knew I was pushing it.

"There isn't one," he replied seriously. "There can't be one. It's impossible. You should be grateful that Agape is willing to spare Eros and his mother on account of your attachment to them."

He was right, but I didn't like his serious tone of voice.

"Look, neither of them has committed any crime," I explained calmly. "They haven't received any transplant. They haven't treated any traditional human inhumanely. The others have – not them. Why can't you admit that they're good people even though they're clones?"

He got extremely tense after I had uttered those words. His eyes became feral on mine. Did I promise myself I wouldn't make him mad? Well, too bad.

"Your mission is getting too personal. I don't like it one bit," he whispered darkly then. It was threatening as much as he was also displaying his concern for my well-being.

Speaking of personal. His hatred against clones seemed personal.

"Nothing bad's gonna happen, Siegfried. Trust me," I replied calmly. "He's a good person."

"His nanochip is normal! Don't you get it?!" he insisted yelling at me. I hated that. "You're planning to see him often so that you can sneak into his father's office. How long do you think you can keep up this good-girl, friendly façade for him?!"

"I am being genuinely friendly, Siegfried. Besides that, he's offered me a new job because he cares about me. A much better one than the one I've got in Replica Ltd. or the one I had at his home as a cleaning maid."

"What?!" he exclaimed, unable to believe it.

"I've already accepted his offer. I'm gonna be one of Oyster's new shop assistants. Mrs Nevermore is still the boss there, and she loves me. In a year or so, Eros' gonna take over, and he shall become my boss. Now, don't complain about this decision. I know the pros and cons, and I'm willing to take on the challenge."