Page 194 of Light Leech

“I did not know about Dokkaebi. I do not know what they will do with us, nor do I know what they will do with him.”

Ascend. Right? That’s always your answer, it should be now. Right?“Correct.”

“Hihow!” Kim patted my chick with too much vigor. “Are you listening?”

“What?”

“Follow me.”

I was free from my prisoner’s seat. My mind was unbound, but my body was Kim’s to direct. I followed him down a white hallway with no say over what would happen next.

Chapter thirty

The Southern Research Bureau

“Do you have him from here?” Kim pushed us toward Don as we entered a spacious room with screens for walls. Graphs, blueprints, and various images covered the background footage of a verdant jungle, a rarity I struggled to believe even existed anymore. The hologram of a pyramid floated in the room’s center, but it was not Hadrian Palace. It had a flat top and a wide staircase up its front face. The translucent blue glow of the image left me wondering what it actually looked like. That is, if it was real.

Don turned around, leaving behind three people in robes mid conversation. “You trust me with your gem?”

“Oh, he isn’t the gem we wanted, just a nice bonus.”

“Well, I’m honored that you–”

“Don’t be. He has no control over his body. I’ve sent the commands to your neurospace. His mind is still mostly his, so you’ll have to deal with his attitude for a while. Just don’t let any insult lead you to harm him before we can actually use him.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m not sure you do.”

“Go take care of the girl. I’ll figure it out.”

Kim turned around, speaking as he left. “I’ll message you when we need him for the fusion. Do not be late.”

“You want me there, too?”

“If you must.” The doors shut behind him.

Don faced me with his chin held high and hands behind his back. “Well, let’s make use of you.” He turned to the people he had left mid-conversation and resumed in a whisper.

I tried to find the best thing to say that didn’t sound like a cheesy refusal to comply or a subjugation of my will. “What is that?” I tried to point to the pyramid, but my hand was frozen at my side.

He turned back with a snide grin. “Come here.”

I tried to resist, just to see if the control codes worked.

I obeyed, no say to where I went or when I stopped.

He tested it by asking me to slap myself, which I did.

“Harder.”

I complied.

“Good. You never can be sure of promises in a world like this, right?” He gestured towards me as he checked for reactions among his stern-faced peers. “Come on, you’ve got to admit that this is exciting.”

“This is not the first instance of neurowashing we’ve seen, sir.”

“But you know what he is, right?”