Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 35: Applicable Energy

"Doctor Alexi? What are you doing here?" Serge asked, sounding understandably confused by the scientist's presence.

"What am I doing here? Are you ready to make another thrall yet?" she demanded.

"No," Serge said firmly.

She scoffed. "You and Nick are both so stubborn," she muttered.

"Well, if that's all you wanted—"

"Of course that's not all I wanted. Nick is terribly upset with the trouble in your pack this challenge has caused and he demanded that I come and figure out a solution for Elise. Again, he's expecting some sort of solution, but I work in science, not miracles. What will happen to Elise if you lose the challenge?"

"Elise believes—"

"I don't care about beliefs, but that's about all you're giving me. I know that you still have a prisoner from a few weeks ago, Serge. Turn him into a thrall and we'll see what would happen if Nick does the same. Then we'll know if we can safely transfer Elise back to her pack where she'll be safe."

"I will not—"

"You already did it once, Serge, and the fact that you care more about the state of a prisoner than Nick's daughter—"

Doctor Alexi's harsh words were increasing the pressure of the curse on me. I could feel it on my skin, in my blood, skimming along my nerves. The curse did not like her words and I was tired of hearing the same old accusations.

"It was an accident!" I snapped. "You can't possibly expect h-him to do i-it intentionally to someone else. That's like telling someone who got in one accident that they now have to go intentionally smash into pedestrians. Stop harassing h-him about it. H-he doesn't want to do it and I don't want h-him to, either."

Doctor Alexi finally stopped her near monologue and gaped at me.

"Sorry," I lied. My heart was pounding in some combination of angry adrenaline and fear.

"Have you thought through what might happen?" Doctor Alexi asked calmly.

I nodded. "Either Se-Ser... Will win or h-he'll lose. If h-he loses we don't know what will h-happen to me. I think my c-curse will transfer to the new l-leader. Maybe not, though."

"What if he dies?"

I swallowed hard. "I suppose it depends whether the c-curse breaks or the l-leadership transfers to the challenger first. Think of all the data you'll get." I tried to smile, but it was not even a grimace.

"So you simply want to wait and see what happens, Elise?"

"Yeah."

Doctor Alexi raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I'll tell Nick you said that. And that he wasted my time. I don't suppose you have your journal here?"

I shook my head. "Afraid not," I said. "You could probably ask K-Karen to find it for you if sh-she's still at the house."

"I'll ask Karen to bring it here, Doctor Alexi."

She nodded curtly and looked towards Serge. "Very well. We might as well discuss how things have been since I last saw you, Elise. Is there somewhere quiet in the bustling madhouse you consider an office, Serge?"

"Elise knows where to take you," he said.

"Then lead the way, Elise. We'll let your leader get back to work."

I wasted no time in leading her away from Serge's office to the cramped little room where I had been placed.

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