Frost And Flame

18

As expected, Silver is waiting. As soon as I clear the doorway, the unnecessarily large doors close behind me, and I'm left alone in the room with him. On the bright side,that means he won't be hurting me to prove to his brain numb lackeys that he's still in charge. On the other hand, I'm alone with Silver. That usually doesn't end well for anyone, especially not me.

"How was cleanup?" He asks me. Holy shit do I want to kill this guy.

"What did you do to her?" I demand. The logic here is based on his bome chilling grin. Today will only get worse, so I might as well try to get some answers.

One second, I'm approaching the desk cautiously, and the next, I'm pinned to the previously mentioned giant doors via a huge slab of ice, with one particularly sharp point just inches from my throat. He is definitely not in the mood to talk today.

Not wanting to become the world's hottest kebab, I stare and wait for him to say or do something. Except he stares back. So now we are staring at each other. And now it's getting really awkward. Maybe just for me, though, since he seems just fine and dandy.

The ice detracts slowly, and eventually, I drop to the ground. The very motion makes me arm hurt.

"What do you want." I evenly ask. Man, do I hate that shit-eating grin.

"It's been long enough. You have your energy back, so let's talk." Silver offers, almost kindly. Gaslighting 101, keep your enemies as just that. Don't let them smooth shit over like that roomba you left to babysit your cousins dogs. It just makes a bigger mess.

"And here I was thinking you weren't in the mood to talk," I joke. But it's clear that I will be doing most of the listening.

"Frankly, Frank, we both know I need you or someone like you. A reliable heat source. In the past, they rarely lasted a week, but you're different."

"I guess I'm just built differently." I nod solemnly. If looks could kill....

"Im giving you an offer. We can play this game of yours until you wear yourself out, and I move on to find someone else to play with, someone still breathing,"

"Or..?" I prompt

"Or you can cooperate. No more needless beatings, better living conditions, and other benefits." He concludes. You can't just say something as vague as that and expect me to be on board. For all I know, other benefits to him would be orange and Mint smoothies.

"What kind of benefits?" I counter. Will I take him up on this? Probably. Depends on whatever will get me out of here first.

Instead of responding, Silver gestures to the tank that isn't even a tank at all. Outside, in the ocean, a shark cage is being lowered. Inside is an unconscious person wearing a rebreather and everyday street clothes. I don't like where this is going.

"Who is that?" I ask. Silver grins, knowing I took whatever bait this was.

"This is Quinn. They thought it would be a good idea to keep me from something I wanted. They're a friend of those two elementals you met back in the city." Silver responds. I stare at the person and realize they are, in fact, an elemental. Inky black liquid permeates from their fingers and feet and into the water.

"What happens next?" I ask, not looking away.

"Well, they have about a half hour left of oxygen in there. So they'll suffocate. Unless you agree to cooperate, of course. It would be an added benefit of yours. You can save them." He whispers, getting WAT to close.

"And if I save them, what will you do to them?" I ask. Silver pulls away a bit.

"Well, I can't let them go. So they'll stay here. Better than sleeping with the fishes." He insists. I look out there. They look about my age, so young. Too young to just die. But who knows what can happen to them.

"What element?" I ask.

"Why does that matter?" Silver frowns.

"I'm thinking. What element?" I demand. His icy hand is pulling my hair back in seconds.

"You don't talk to me that way." He hisses. Like a flipping snake.

"Oil? Ink? Liquid metal of some kind?" I rasp. He let's go with a bemused look.

"If you must know, their blood is made from ink." He relinquished. I thought as much since it was devolved into the water so well. When I was in middle school, I was a huge nerd. One of my nerd phases was only writing in fancy ink. That stuff is expensive. So if this person were to live, they would be constantly drained of their blood for Silvers profit.

"I'll cooperate. But I have conditions." I state. Silver smiles, but I feel a bubbling in my chest because I know I've outsmarted him.

"Of course, I'll pull them up right away." He waves his hand and reaches for his phone.

"No. You'll leave them there until they pass away, peacefully in their sleep. Then, you will not alter or touch their body in any way and send it to their coworkers so they can be buried." I grab at his hand to stop him. He stares at me thoughtfully before pulling his hand from his phone.

"I didn't think you had it in you." He ponders outloud.

"And I have more conditions." I gulp. Silver smirks.

"We'll see what we can do."