The merman, my man

"What's in your mind, my darling student? I don't believe it... Am I dreaming? You're in my hands once more... Oh, Linda... My dear Linda..."

Gary looked down at me, pressing his cheek against mine, looking at me like a man who was obsessed.

Even in this situation, all I could think about was Dicken. I was no different from a poor lemming on the edge of a cliff.

Suddenly, I heard some noises as killing intent surged out in my direction. Before Gary could turn to look, a pair of pale hands seized him by the back of his head, the fingers almost poking into his eyes. The veins of the hands flashed with a dangerous blue light as if conducting electricity, making the pale skin appear even more translucent. There was indeed the buzzing of electric currents, passing from Dicken's hand, which was in contact with Gary's body.

I watched in shock as Gary wildly spasmed as if electrified, and he soon turned limp. Dicken held him up from the back, turning Gary towards himself as he leveled that unfamiliar face of his at a dazed Gary. He then growled in the familiar voice I knew, "Where are the blue crystals you gathered from the ocean's depths? Tell me their specific location."

"It's on a helicopter heading towards Hiroshima. It will reach the port in three days."

Gary's eyes could not focus at all as he looked blankly at Dicken, his body still twitching. He clearly had no idea what he was saying, and merely told Dicken what he wanted to know as ordered.

I understood why Dicken did everything he did then, but the truth was no relief at all. I could feel frustration and misery filling my chest, and my throat felt as if it had been burned by pepper powder with a fiery sting.

"Is this your perfect plan, Dicken?"

I resisted the burning pain, staring coldly at the unfamiliar face, and gave him an ironic smile. "You used me as bait so that you could control him from behind? What a perfect plan."

"Linda, he's trained and highly resistant. I can only control him when he lets his guard down. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would let something slip."

Dicken grabbed Gary by the collar, picked him up with relative ease, and threw him against the wall. After that, he found the keys and walked up to uncuff me.

However, the instant my wrist was just freed, I grabbed Dicken by the collar and pulled off his shades to look into his eyes. I wanted to know the heart hidden inside his body, and I needed confirmation. He lowered his eyes then, hiding the emotions churning within. "I would never have let him touch you, Linda."

He seized my wrist, kissed me like he always did, and slurped his tongue over the marks left by the cuffs. Yet, his actions left me indescribably resistant. Like an erupting fuse, it had ignited the emotions that had been welling in me after returning with Dicken.

I promptly slapped his hand away

and snapped "Tell me the truth, Dicken. Did you knock me out so that I was left alone and couldn't risk myself, or was it in your calculations all along to have me come to you after I woke up? That way, you could control Gray and get the information you wanted."

Having said my piece, I inhaled sharply and backed away a little, leaning on the wall as I waited for his answer.

God knows how much I wish it were

not the letter had been endlessly used all my life as if I was born in some deep conspiracy, and I had

enou all sorts of schemes,

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had been betrayed endlessly, first by my teacher, and then by my friend... It was to the point that lies had become habitual.

There were times when I recalled

those whom trusted, and I felt that they were all dancers in a masquerade ball. I couldn't tell the truth from the lies, and I felt they were all scheming behind my back even as they waved candies in my face and offered me charming words.

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Right now, I didn't even want to make new friends of offer any sentiment. I was going to keep my distance from everyone, even my mates on the seeker.

Even so, Dicken had utterly enraptured me. It did not matter if I no longer completely trusted everyone else. He was my last harbor. But, said harbor was now vague and uncertain-barely standing against the wind. If Dicken used me...

Immense unease enveloped me. It was like a cliff right before me, and I would be left in pieces if I took a single step forward.