Helios opened the window of his laboratory. The cool, fresh air flowed into the room, filling it with a sense of clarity and freedom. He removed his mask and took a deep breath, as if inhaling life itself. Two weeks had passed since he had resumed his work, and there was nothing that fulfilled him more. He had completely withdrawn into his lab, dedicating himself with full commitment to his new task: the development of poisons for the new death penalty.
A government contract. Top secret.
And that was exactly what he had wished for all these years. Finally, he had a legitimate reason to test the poisons that had fascinated him for so long. Legally. Over the past years, he had accumulated an immense knowledge of these substances and knew immediately which one he wanted to study first. The plant kingdom held some truly dangerously beautiful poisons, whose exact effects were still a mystery to him. But then, there was also the animal kingdom.
There was a wide variety of insects that paralyzed or directly killed their victims with toxins. Venomous snakes, whose bites could kill a person in a matter of minutes, and even frogs or fish that produced deadly substances. The more he had learned about it, the more he gathered in his secret lab, the more his fingers itched to finally begin the tests. He had so many of these deadly beauties securely packed in jars on his shelf, it was hard to decide which one to start with.
But he had held back. Instead, he had conducted "alleged" research and asked his father to procure the appropriate poisons for him. Some substances had already been delivered in extracted form, while others he had gathered himself. Not that it had been much of an effort for him. During the extraction, he would hum a cheerful tune, as if he were doing something completely ordinary.
In any case, he was now a legal owner of tetrodotoxin, the poison of the pufferfish; cobra venom; ricin, and by the end of the week, he would also receive the poison of the golden poison dart frog, "batrachotoxin." It had taken some time for everything to be delivered, but considering the remote corners of the world these substances came from, the delivery had been nearly record-breaking in speed. His father had spared no expense or effort to fulfill these wishes, just as he had promised.
Helios closed his notebook, in which he had compiled the current data on the poisons. Along with the delivery of the substances, many documents had been included, compiled by the locals. Now he knew exactly how the animals distributed their poisons. Drawings had been included, symptoms were listed, and he had received precise time information on how long it typically took for symptoms to appear after a bite or oral ingestion. There were even reports on the exact time of death after poisoning.
However, the reports in this regard were often imprecise and vague. A pleasurable shiver ran down his spine. For all these details, they were nothing compared to his own, direct observations. These reports would merely serve as rough guidelines, a framework to begin his own investigations. He would test all of these things on his own to finally understand what truly lay behind these deadly substances.
There was a knock at the door, and Helios was jolted from his thoughts. He quickly tucked the notebook into a shelf that was already cluttered and didn't attract any particular attention. He couldn't afford for someone to accidentally stumble upon the confidential material—at least not yet. After making sure everything was in its place, he walked to the door and opened it.
Thomas stood there as always, carrying a tray with his usual lunch snack and coffee. "Young master, I hope you have time for a small meal," he said in his usual polite tone.
Helios was surprised at how late it had already become. Half the day had passed without him really noticing. He quickly opened the door wider and let Thomas, along with the two guards, Davis and Dante, enter. "Your timing is perfect as always, Thomas. Come in, I just finished up," he said with a smile.
"Thank you," Thomas replied as he set the tray down on the table. Davis and Dante had already settled onto the old couch in the corner of the room.
Helios closed the door and joined them.
"Anything unusual?" he asked, his gaze directed at Davis, who sat quietly and upright on the sofa.
Davis shook his head. "It's still quiet, no troubling reports. It remains eerily still."
"That's very good," Helios said.
Over the past two weeks, there had been no attempts on his life or any incidents. He had come to work undisturbed and returned home without interruption. This uninterrupted peace had allowed him to focus entirely on his new task—without distractions. The only thing that had disturbed him during this time was the monotonous routine, which had started to create a feeling of alienation in him.
He had spent so much time on his research that he almost felt as if he had neglected other things and people—especially Davis. In the past few weeks, they had hardly had a moment alone, which made him feel guilty. But his obsession with the poisons had consumed him completely, and he just couldn't turn it off.
Thomas prepared the freshly brewed coffee and arranged the sandwiches on the table so everyone could help themselves. It had become a familiar routine for them to rest together in the afternoon and share the meal. Helios sat down in the armchair that he had specifically commissioned for himself, as his previous seating arrangements were no longer comfortable enough.
The scar on his side twitched uncomfortably, and he closed his eyes for a moment to ignore the pulling and discomfort. It was a constant companion, this pain, often only noticeable as a dull tug whenever he stood too long, bent over, or coughed. Luckily, it had healed well so far, but the sensation had never fully disappeared.
He finally leaned forward to take his cup in hand and sank back into the soft fabric of the armchair with it.
The coffee smelled pleasant, and despite the day being calm and relaxed, the aroma soothed him. He gently blew over the hot beverage before taking his first sip. The warmth and flavor filled his mouth, and for a moment, he forgot everything around him.
Meanwhile, the others were talking about something he wasn't really following. His gaze rested on Dante. In the past two weeks, he hadn't noticed anything unusual about him. The bandage on his finger was still there, and he had been watching the healing process closely. Though from a distance, but it was better than nothing. Dante shouldn't notice that he was observing him.
Helios was beginning to slowly, but surely, believe that he was truly chasing ghosts. Every time he thought he had seen something with his own eyes, the opposite was suddenly proven to him. At least when it came to Dante. However, that hadn't stopped him from writing down everything he had observed about Dante during their time together. Whether his suspicions had been confirmed or not, he had recorded everything. The shot to his heart that had never happened, the cuts he had gotten when Davis was severely injured, the knife in his shoulder and even the thing with Dante's middle finger.
He had recalled everything. The moment he had been injured, how long he had been out, and when he had resumed his training as if nothing had ever happened.
He had no real proof, but his gut told him something was off with Dante. Helios just didn't know what exactly. Only that he had bounced back to full readiness far too quickly.
"Do you feel like it, Helios?" Davis asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.
Helios tore his gaze away from Dante and looked at Davis. What had he just asked him? Damn, he had been too lost in his thoughts. It was no use trying to cover up that he hadn't been listening.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you ask?"
Davis' look clearly told him that he had noticed how he had been staring at Dante. He looked disappointed and confused. Helios felt an overwhelming urge to bite his lip and tell him it wasn't what he thought. But in the presence of the other two, that was absolutely not an option.
He had neglected Davis far too much over the past two weeks, and he regretted it.
"Next weekend, there's a town festival, and I asked if you'd like to go. Of course, we'd need to arrange proper protection and prepare everything," Davis explained, his gaze fixed on Helios.
A town festival, huh? Helios took a sip from his cup. There would be a lot of people there, and he hated large crowds. The elegant, noble parties were somehow more tolerable because no one could get too close to him. But at a town festival, the people could come closer than he'd like.
He looked at Davis and briefly glanced at Dante. Both of them were watching him expectantly. Were they really that excited about the idea of going? They were always by his side, not experiencing much of anything. He'd generously exclude the assassination attempts from his thoughts—though they were a change, they were a deadly one. For anyone.
But this town festival was also an opportunity to give them an evening where they could enjoy themselves.
"Why not," he said finally. "You could go alone, though. That way, you wouldn't have to watch over me all the time and could just enjoy the evening."
Davis looked at him, disappointed. "That's not a problem. You hardly get out, ignoring the lab."
Dante nodded. "You could use a little free time after working tirelessly the last two weeks."
"Are you sure about this? Something could happen at any time, and it wouldn't be a relaxing evening with me around," Helios warned.
But both of them just nodded. "We don't plan on drinking anyway. So we can just go out, look around, and leave when we get tired of it."
Helios sighed. "What kind of festival is it?"
Dante grinned widely. "The Light Festival."
"Apparently there's a parade and fireworks," added Davis.
Helios thought for a moment. "That reminds me, next week the Carnaval is supposed to take place."
"The Light Festival is the kickoff," Dante explained. "Everyone talks about this Carnaval. I heard about it a few years ago, but I've never been."
"The best part is: Everyone is dressed up. We could discreetly station guards and remain unrecognized ourselves," Davis said, a broad smile on his face.
Helios raised an eyebrow. "You don't seriously want me to dress up."
"Oh, yes. Thomas even offered to put together a costume for you."
Helios' gaze flicked to Thomas, who was looking at him innocently. The three of them had apparently already made all the plans. He could vehemently resist and try to wriggle out of it somehow. But then he remembered that he had something else in mind. It was time for him to take care of Dante. He urgently needed to check something, and unfortunately, he couldn't do it alone.
Alright, then he would go to this town festival. There, he could meet with his contact away from prying eyes and discuss a few things.
"Have you already planned everything?" he finally asked.
"We have," Davis said.
"And I can't change your minds? Or make you go on your own?"
"Nope," Dante said. "It wouldn't be half as fun if it was just Davis and me."
Helios couldn't quite understand why it would be more fun with him, but fine, if they really wanted to go with him, they could have their way. It actually played into his hands.
"When?"
"Saturday evening," Davis said, a joyful sparkle in his dark gray eyes.
"Alright, then we'll go. But if I get tired, I'm heading home. Crowds just aren't my thing. Arrange for some guards to take me back then."
Davis nodded. "Don't worry. You won't get bored," he promised. There was more in his gaze than those words suggested, and Helios couldn't help but feel that familiar tingling sensation when Davis looked at him like that.
He smiled. The evening might turn out to be quite pleasant after all.
Thomas glanced at the clock and finally slid a large envelope and a letter towards Helios.
"What's this?" Helios asked as he reached for the envelope.
"Theo has compiled some information for the current study," Thomas explained.
Right, he had promised results after two weeks, Helios thought.
"The letter is from your father."
Helios looked at the letter with interest. He would probably open it later, when he was back alone in his lab. But for now, he opened Theo's envelope and quickly skimmed the report. It would certainly take some time to go through it properly.
"I'll handle it right away so Theo can continue. Where is he today?" Helios asked as he turned to Thomas.
"On the 80th floor."
Ah, where they conducted case studies among other things. Helios nodded, then turned to Davis and Dante, holding up the documents.
"One of you needs to take something to Theo for me. I don't care who, just as long as it's quick."
"No problem," Dante said immediately. "I can do that. It wouldn't hurt to get more familiar with the building."
Helios silently agreed. Dante could really use more experience in the building. Maybe he could also exchange a few words with Davis. After all, he didn't want to just leave him standing there after he had given him that wounded look.
Helios grabbed the documents and the letter and placed them on his desk. He cleared a little space and then reached for a sandwich. It occurred to him that he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. After promising himself to take better care of his health, he at least ate the sandwich and finished his coffee while he looked over the documents once more.
There had been another incident after the formula for Violet's medication was changed. A completely healthy man had suffered a heart attack and was now under medical care in the building. Helios would have to take a look at this specific patient's medical record later.
The good news, however, was that the other two who had suffered under the first version of the medication seemed to be out of danger. Helios recalled the formula he had altered. The active ingredient that directly targeted the muscles was now present in a smaller dose. He scribbled the formula down and thought about how he could adjust it further without overloading the body.
Although only one of the patients had suffered a heart attack, he was a young, healthy man. Violet, on the other hand, was weak and frail, and this medication would likely kill her in its current form.
Originally, he had planned to administer the medication twice a day at most. But now, having lowered the dose further, he planned on an intake every eight hours. He wrote down the instructions so Theo could implement it, requesting results as soon as possible. It would probably take another two weeks before he knew more.
Next, he looked at an additional document that Theo had attached. It turned out that the medication didn't seem to have any negative effects on physically active individuals. They were able to perform better on fitness tests and consistently achieved better results compared to their tests before taking the medication. Helios chuckled briefly and read on, amused.
"The substance increases muscle activity and stimulates inactive cells," he murmured, a slight smile on his lips.
He had unintentionally created a stimulant.
"Why are you grinning all of a sudden? Did Theo write something funny?" Dante asked, throwing him an interested, attentive look. Davis also seemed to be paying attention now.
Helios set the documents down and braced his hands on his desk. "Apparently, the medication I'm developing for Violet acts like a stimulant for healthy individuals. It increases physical activity, providing more strength and endurance," he said with a slightly smug tone. "Would you like to try it?"
Davis frowned. "Sounds like something that could be addictive."
"Long-term studies are lacking. It could potentially lead to that, of course," Helios agreed. "It's definitely interesting that something like this can come about by accident, even though I was actually aiming for something completely different."
Dante just stared at him silently before finally saying, "It sounds like a drug."
"I would categorize it the same way," Helios admitted. "But it's once again fascinating how a substance like this can emerge, even though it wasn't what I originally intended."
Helios could easily imagine his father creating a market for this drug if he ever got wind of it. But as far as Helios was concerned, he didn't want to give him another reason to control the underground world. On the other hand, it was possible his father already knew about it. So it didn't make much sense to withhold information that others knew and that could potentially be brought to his father's attention. Besides, he wasn't particularly concerned with how his father made money. The substance was now here, and with his adjustments, it was likely safe for healthy people. Of course, there were risks for certain groups or from accidental complications, but that was the case with any medication.
Helios wrote a brief note to his father and then handed it to Thomas.
He placed the documents for Theo in the envelope they had come in and handed it to Dante.
"Do you know where you need to go?" Helios asked just to be sure.
Dante nodded. "80th floor."
"Exactly. Just give it to Theo, no one else. Please tell the doctor downstairs that I'd like to check on a patient later. Feel free to look around down there if you want. Then just come back up. I'm not expecting any more documents, so you won't have to wait for anything."
"Understood," Dante said in his usual soldier-like manner. "We'll see each other later."
With that, he and Thomas left the office. Only Helios and Davis remained behind.
Davis stayed seated until the door clicked shut, then he stood up. In three quick steps, he was at Helios, pressing him against the desk and kissing him hungrily and possessively. Helios' heart raced as he felt Davis' hands on his waist, pulling him closer. He wrapped his arms around Davis' neck, pulling him even tighter, responding to the kiss with equal passion.
Helios allowed it, enjoying every inch of closeness between them. It felt as though he could never press himself close enough to him. His hand gently brushed over Davis' cheek, stroking the well-kept three-day stubble. The sensation of the short stubble scraping against his fingers made him momentarily lose himself in the feeling. Oh, what was he thinking? He loved everything about this man. The only person he tolerated by his side, the only one he truly wanted.
But he knew he shouldn't go any further. Here, in his lab, he couldn't simply enjoy the moment, no matter how much he wished for it. He closed his eyes to suppress the urge and tried to focus. He was currently working with extremely dangerous substances, whose touch could have devastating consequences. Even though his father never entered the lab, and Thomas had just stopped by, someone could arrive at any moment and catch them. It was a risky game. But it was this danger that excited him. The thought that they could be discovered sparked a thrill inside him. But he didn't want to challenge it. Not unprepared, not without a plan—and especially not if Dante would soon reappear in the lab. He didn't want anyone to hear or see them.
Taking a deep breath, Helios pulled away from Davis, the air still heavy with the passion of the kiss that still burned on his lips. Davis' kiss on his neck made every fiber of his body burn. He could feel how badly Davis wanted him. It was so tempting to just give in. But he pulled himself together, forcing himself to stay clear-headed.
"Davis..." he whispered, his voice still trembling from the intensity of the moment. "What's going on? You're not usually this stormy."
"Maybe I'm a little jealous," he admitted. "We haven't spent much time together in the past two weeks, and then you keep staring at Dante, even though I'm sitting right next to him."
Helios' lips curled into a smile as he looked into Davis' eyes. "I like it when you're honest," he said, kissing him gently. Then he soothingly ran his hand through Davis' hair. "You don't have to worry. I'm not interested in him, at least not in that way."
"Oh yeah? Then why were you so absorbed in looking at him?" Davis' voice had a hint of sharpness, a mix of jealousy and concern.
Helios thought for a moment, then a mischievous grin spread across his face. "I was thinking about how to get rid of him so we could have a little more time for ourselves," he said. "Even though at the moment, I don't have much time left."
Davis' expression brightened, and a satisfied smile spread across his lips. He leaned in again, kissing Helios passionately, and the kiss made the tension between them melt away a little.
"When will we have more time for ourselves?" Davis' voice was a deep, rough whisper in Helios' ear, making his body tremble.
"I'll come to you tonight," Helios whispered back. "I'm sorry for neglecting you lately."
"It's okay, Helios. I know how deeply you're immersed in your work."
A warm, soothing feeling spread through Helios' chest. Davis gave him more space than he could have ever wished for. "Sometimes, I feel like I don't deserve you."
Davis laughed a deep, throaty laugh. "Yes, you do," he said, with a smile that went deeper than words. "As you know, I'm completely and utterly yours."
These words, so simple yet so full of meaning, stirred something in Helios. He felt his heart beat a little faster. Without another word, he pulled away from the embrace and gently pushed Davis back. He kept his gaze firmly fixed on Davis'.
Right. This man belonged to him alone.
"Completely and utterly, huh?" Helios' voice was velvety as he shaped the words almost like a promise. He pushed Davis further back.
They reached the armchair where Helios had been sitting frequently lately, and he gently shoved Davis into it. Helios leaned over him, bracing one hand on Davis' knee and running the other slowly over the fabric of his shirt. The muscle underneath felt soft yet firm, and Helios could feel the hard contours of Davis' chest muscles pressing against his fingers. Slowly, his hand moved down over his stomach until it finally reached the waistband of Davis' pants.
Davis' eyes followed every one of his movements, his breathing quickened as he watched Helios gently stroke over his crotch with a calm, almost playful gesture, caressing the growing erection.
With a slightly provocative smile, Helios positioned himself between Davis' legs. He wouldn't be able to sleep with him in the lab, but at least he could give him a small taste of what awaited him that evening.
___
Davis had taken his place in front of the door again and was standing guard. Dante still hadn't returned, and Helios was glad that he had seemingly really taken the time to look around downstairs. It was a small relief that no unforeseen disturbances had occurred. Helios could now fully focus on his work again.
Helios sat down at his desk. He still had a little to do before heading home, and eventually, he had plans for the evening. So, he wanted to finish on time.
He reached for his father's envelope, which contained a note with the time and date. Finally. The mere thought of this appointment made Helios' heart beat faster. It was another step toward what he wanted. Without hesitation, he burned the note with the Bunsen burner, letting the ashes drift away in the air. It was important not to leave any traces.
The anticipation for the evening rose within him. This appointment would not stand in the way of his plans. He could meet with Davis later, send a message to his contact asking for a meeting, and then focus on what fascinated him the most: testing the poisons. Tomorrow, he would finally have the opportunity to test one of the poisons.
Which poison should he test first? What dose should he begin with? How long would it take for the effects to set in? He couldn't let it take too long. Too short a time wouldn't give him the chance to observe the prisoner.
He knew he would get the medical file on-site, his father had arranged it for him. That way, he could finalize his thoughts on the dose when he was there. The practice would tell him more than any theory.
Helios let his gaze drift over the shelf, where the deadly beauties in their glass containers were gathered – each one a masterpiece of destruction. Each of these poisons was a killer with finality. They all brought death, some within minutes, others within hours. Without an antidote or medical help, there was no chance of survival.
He reached for the bottle containing the pufferfish toxin. This poison would be the first. A disturbing tingling ran through his body as he lovingly stroked the glass. It had been difficult to acquire, and just as costly. He had the same toxin stocked in his secret lab. But now, as he finally had the opportunity to test it, it almost felt surreal.
The thought of testing this poison first only heightened his anticipation. It was an exciting moment – the moment he had waited for so long. Finally, he could do what had fascinated him for years. It was more than just a scientific study. It was a game with death, and Helios knew that he held the control in his hands.
He set the bottle back down and looked at it for a moment longer. It was the perfect start. Everything was going according to plan – exactly the way he liked it.