Dark Matter [Completed]

Thirteen

Orion arrives very early Wednesday morning and doesn't leave his room for the whole day. Mrs. Davenport keeps me running from dawn until dusk so I don't even have a chance to slip the Serum X into his drink. I want to get rid of that stupid vial as quickly as possible. Kiersten, drat her, almost found it, trying to find some of the makeup she let me borrow. I've been keeping it on me ever since then.

I'm glad she didn't find it, and for more than the mission's sake. She's not a bad girl and I don't want her to pay the price for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I almost wish these people I work with were nasty and stuck up. It would make it easier to keep my distance. Contrary to popular opinion, I am not a robot. Somewhere, beneath all this armor, is a heart. I'm just not sure even I know how to find it, but maybe that's for the best. A heart is only a liability in my world.

Still, I don't want innocent bystanders getting killed in this mess. Personally, I don't even want Orion dead, but orders are orders, and I've come too far to back out now. I had my chance for honor years ago.

It's Thursday evening when my chance finally comes. The Orions are sitting down for a nice family dinner. Granted, it is a four course feast in a dining room that could fit a dozen people, but I digress. I find myself with a few minutes of spare time and excuse myself to go to the bathroom. But, instead of going to the bathroom, I vanish into thin air and make my way towards the dining room.

I pass Cameron coming out, but he doesn't even twitch, even though we are only centimeters apart. At first I found this disconcerting, but I hardly notice it anymore. Cautiously, I pass through the door.

The three diners are sitting at the close end of the table. Mrs. Orion looks distressed, but the two men are glaring daggers at each other. It seems I have stumbled onto a little domestic disagreement. I should just dump the serum into Orion's drink and go, but my curiosity gets the better of me. I hover at the edge of the room and listen.

Mrs. Orion is speaking in a placating voice. "Please Lucius, dear, don't fight with your father. He is only just home."

"Maybe he should have stayed in Paris." I barely catch Luke's grumbled reply.

Alastair, however, hears it clearly, and he doesn't take it very well. He clenches his hands into fists and snaps, "Watch you attitude Lucius!"

Luke looks him dead in the eye. "Or what?"

"Lucius!" Mrs. Orion exclaims, wringing her hands.

Orion holds up his hand. "Stay out of it, Olivia." She closes her mouth, but she doesn't look too happy about it.

Luke just swirls his drink around and slouches in his chair. "Come on, Dad," he drawls. "How many times have we had this argument? Let's not do it again. I'm twenty-five years old; stop treating me like a child."

"I'll stop treating you like a child when you stop acting like one!" Orion is practically shouting now. Luke snorts and doesn't reply. Orion bangs his hand on the table. "Don't ignore me!"

Luke just continues to swirl his drink. "Lucius!" Orion is full on yelling now. I see Cameron come half into the room before immediately retreating. Probably a smart move pal. "Lucius!" Orion roars again.

This time Luke glances up. "Yes father," he says in an all too innocent voice.

Orion has his back to me, but I can feel the thunderclouds gathering on his face. "Get. Out."

Luke raises one eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Orion sits down with a thud. "I said get out. Go to your room and don't come out until I give your permission."

"You can't do that!" Luke says with an angry laugh.

"As long as you live in my house, I can."

You could cut the tension with the knife as the two of them stare each other down. Finally, Lucius hurls his glass across the room, spilling liquor everywhere, and snarls, with more hate in his voice than I imagined was possible, "Fine. Have it your way. You always do, you son of a bi-."

"Lucius!" Mrs. Orion shrieks.

Ooooh... Shots FIRED, I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh. The sound of the door slamming behind Luke reverberates in the deafening silence. I can see Orion's hand trembling with rage as he reaches for his drink, but he doesn't say a word. Neither does his wife. What could you say after that, after all?

Well, I don't imagine there will be any more drama tonight, and I have a job to do. Silently, I glide forwards until I am standing directly behind Orion's chair. With one swift move I open the vial and pour it into his drink. Then I am out of the room and back downstairs.

"What took you so long?" Kiersten asks as I return.

"I took a few minutes to get off my feet," I say with a sheepish grin.

Kiersten grins back. "I don't blame you. It's been a long day."

Not as long as some people's I imagine, I think.