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Comfortably lounging in an armchair, illuminated by the bright light of a screen, stood the young up-and-comer of Peil Technologies, watching the video images before him, images that showed a student from his school wandering through the corridors of the company. He had waited a long time, too long, for the moment when he could see that girl again in person. Two months had passed since the Incubation Party, an event he considered ridiculous and insignificant from which projects of little innovation, not at all forward-looking, could only proliferate, nevertheless the last event had proved quite profitable for his interests: thanks to Delling's daughter he had managed to get even closer to Aerial without having to lose out financially, but while everyone had their eyes on the girl from Mercury and the little princess, he had found a little gem hidden among all those faces devoid of personality. Her name was Nika Nanaura, a second-year student from Mobile Suite Maintenance Techniques and New Technologies; she had not even bothered to dress stupidly fancy and there she was, in her school uniform, with that curious, shimmering gaze as if she were standing before a dream that had now become a reality, marveling at the food served as if it were too much for someone like her, quietly commenting on what was before her eyes when childish frenzied excitement could be discerned in them. Thus Elan Ceres, the original evil, not a trivial copy of himself, was struck by the purity of a girl he had never spoken to, purity he wished to use to escape the boredom of endless waiting toward his hegemony.
The purer her heart, the easier it will be to manipulate her mind.
A broad, mocking smile curved his lips as he foretasted the moment when he would overpower her. It had been a long time since he had found a creature with whom he could make use of his evil charisma, a power game whose winner had to be him, no matter what. Beguiled by the desire to exploit his deception, having control over someone's mind and body made him feel fulfilled in the depths of his ego, and for that reason he was dying to try to seduce that young mechanic; his interest had nothing to do with carnal attraction, what he wanted was just to gain mental power over her and disrupt her, bend her to his will, devour her every aspiration and hope.
He wanted her to belong to him.
He wanted to make her subservient to his will.
He wanted to see her hanging on his every word.
He wanted Nika only for himself.
Perhaps this intense interest of his was also fueled by an old rivalry between him and Shaddiq Zenelli, the adopted son of the Grassley leader, which had been dormant over time by other ambitious interests but had always remained hidden within its darkness. He had noticed suspicious interactions between Shaddiq and his prey, a rather troublesome closeness, so Elan had tried to closely observe those encounters between them by stalking them and, sensing it was a relationship of mostly political interests, his lust for the mechanic grew again: he had to snatch her from under his nose at any cost to prevent him from exploiting her, a privilege only the real Elan could have.
Those months of waiting had been useful in preparing as best he could for their first meeting; he had to play his cards right to avoid failure at all costs and every detail about that girl was precious to him. Moreover, since it was his whim, the Peil CEOs were not aware of what he was up to and making missteps would have been problematic. The secrecy of that meeting made it even more special, forbidden, impossible to resist the temptation to make that situation more dangerous for both of them but by doing so he would be sure to succeed. That is why he had let the girl into the area whose access was reserved only for prominent figures in the company, guiding her to a particular room where he was certain the CEO had gathered to discuss the performance of the new enhanced person. Deliberately, Elan led Nika into the wolf's den, put her biggest secret right in front of her eyes, and knew he could play hardball with her because her good heart would betray that tender naivety. A quality so soft that the sharp fangs of his ego dreamed of lapping at it.
—------
Motionless and sheltered behind the walls of the corridor, just a few steps from that cursed room, Nika processed what she had just learned: she felt her stomach clench tighter and tighter in shock, horrified by the experiments that Peil carried on in secret at school using boys her own age as livestock, using those lives as they pleased, depriving them of their existence as soon as they ceased to be useful or when the Permet had completely consumed them. She would never have imagined how much harm the GUND-Format could do to human beings; to think that practice was being run by Belmeria, whom she so esteemed, disgusted her immensely.
A swarm of emotions swept over her: dismay, horror, fear, anger, disappointment, helplessness. She was not supposed to be there, she was never supposed to hear those secrets, she never wanted to know. A doubt bloomed in the frantic flow of thoughts, for it was all too strange that she could have access to the company's restricted area, it was as if someone wanted to lead her there.
I must... I must leave... I must get out of here now!
She absolutely had to escape from that cavern but, no matter how much she was repeating it in her mind like a dirge, her muscles were paralyzed and every movement inhibited. She could only tremble, lost and distraught, under the height of her fragility.
The time had finally come for the one whose face had been cloned, the convergence of those corporate crimes, the real Elan Ceres with a heart and soul shaped by the most toxic of poisons: he advanced resolutely toward the prey he had set his sights on, holding at bay the immense ecstasy that was straining him, and reaching behind her he reached out his hand to trap her trembling lips deriving a gasp that he silenced immediately, hissing false reassurance into her ear.
"You don't want to make noise, otherwise you'll get caught."
The mechanic’s breathing had taken a chaotic drift, the air seemed unbreathable, suffocating, although her nostrils were free. She wasn't quite clear who that person was, she couldn't turn to look at him but there was something familiar about his voice.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to expose you, Miss Nanaura."
The whispering, mellifluous voice continued as that warm hand pressed over her half-open mouth from which a slight gasp escaped. Elan sensed a growing heat blazing from his palm: the feeling of complete control over the girl, so frightened and helpless before him, delighted his power-hungry demons.
On the other hand, the young woman felt that she might pass out at any moment; she would not hold up long under that bombastic emotional storm.
"Come with me, I will take you to safety."
His breath brushed her helix and an icy chill shiver ran down her spine. His comforting tones could not quell that distressing feeling that she felt so intensely ‘till experiencing a great sense of nausea and dizziness.
The pressure on her lips had increased, Elan wanted to drag her with him into the oblivion of those corridors, and with his other hand wrapping himself around the girl's arms and hips like the grip of a python, he made sure she could not escape as he carried her away.
It seemed to Nika that her heart had stopped beating completely, her body vibrating with anguish, but she finally decided to move, albeit with difficulty, having no choice but to follow the man who had made her a prisoner by taking advantage of her terror.
—----------
"You... you are..."
The dim light of the room they were in outlined that person's face, sculpting those familiar features that now appeared cursed to her, a sardonic smile twisting his lips giving him an eerie air. He wore not the school uniform but a dark suit she had often seen on wealthy Spacians. The girl's voice struggled to come out, her vocal cords trembling as did her entire body, still shaken by the shocking information she had learned.
"Elan Ceres, the real one!"
Proud and energetic in tone he introduced himself, as if nothing had happened, softening the evil grin in which he concealed the pawing euphoria of those first moments spent with his prey.
"You should count yourself lucky to have the chance to meet me in person, no one has ever had the pleasure of speaking to me directly at school, you are the only one."
"What do you want from me?"
"Easy, it's not like I can tell you right away. First of all, sit on the sofa and relax, no one can hear us in here and I'm the only one allowed in and out. So..."
He approached the black leather sofa, placed in front of a small wooden table on which there were two glasses and a dark bottle still unopened, to lie down on it stretching his arms on the backrest and crossing his legs, in a pose of absolute relaxation that left the girl even more bewildered.
"I am your only way out, if you want to save yourself from this situation you will have to trust me Miss Nanaura, nay... Nika."
Her name came out with mellifluous emphasis from his lips, it was nauseating to her.
Elan motioned for her to sit opposite him, on another black leather sofa but on which a pair of plump white cushions had been placed, his intention was clearly to make her comfortable but for Nika it was impossible, that situation was all too surreal.
The young man was not unaware of her state of mind, she had remained motionless, her large eyes fixed on him, intimidated by every simple gesture he made. A hare hunted by a pack of ravenous wolves was what she reminded him of.
"I understand you're still scared but if I brought you in here, to a room that only I truly have access to, rather than reporting you to my superiors, there must be a reason don't you think?"
He picked up the dark bottle, a corkscrew and opened it to pour its contents into the two glasses on the coffee table. The girl gasped at the sound, wondering if this tame and friendly attitude of his was a way of testing her patience, perhaps he was indirectly taunting her by being in an advantageous position, having caught her red-handed he could easily blackmail her.
"Having uncovered Peil's biggest corporate secret I certainly can't let you off the hook, you have to get even."
Nausea began to press at the pit of her stomach harder and harder, instinctively she covered her mouth with her hand as her imagination, out of control, wandered in panic to the most awful obscenities. Losing control of her emotions through her turns of phrase, Nika abandoned her usual calm and what was previously anguish and dismay turned into anger and frustration.
"Stop it! How can I believe such a disgusting person?! Your experiments are of incalculable inhumanity and from your attitudes, it seems like it's a very normal thing for you, like talking about clothes! And you even have the nerve to take advantage of randomness for personal gain, a person like you really creeps me out!"
She shouted all her contempt with her eyes closed, but when she opened them again, she realized that the young man had got up from the sofa and was right in front of her, his stern gaze glaring at her.
"You're jumping to conclusions too quickly."
He told her dryly, staring at her irises without ever blinking, as if he was trying to hypnotize her.
He was irritated by that answer but at the same time found it intriguing, a part of her he had not expected to discover.
The mechanic on the other hand was sinking back into panic, intimidated by that reaction and managed, with a thread in her voice and moist eyes, to ask him one last question.
"Please... tell me now... what do you want from me?"
"Nika, I have been watching you for a long time and I know that you are an excellent Earthian mechanic who has been guilty of unforgivable sins, collaborating with Shaddiq Zenelli you allowed yourself to be persuaded to commit crimes that are no less than what I have committed. You betrayed, you indirectly killed and injured, you let them use you for their own ends without ever considering your feelings..."
He continued to advance by standing in front of her, forcing her to have her back against the wall and finally resting his right hand on the wall, inches from the student's face. Nika's pupils shrank at those words, her secret had also been revealed.
How is it possible that he knows these things? Was I so careless?
A slight smile took shape on the boy's lips after noticing her reaction, he also let his left hand find a use, taking the girl's chin between his index finger and thumb to force her not to look away. The now softer, slower, low-pitched voice had the task of calming the guest of honor.
"But the purity of your heart is precious you know? It is the key to peace, combined with the strong determination you have for your ideals, because those who are driven to get their hands dirty in such unjust situations can only have a very important dream worth fighting for. You are worth more than you think, more than those you trust imagine, and I will not allow you to waste these qualities."
The student was taken aback by the young man's flattery, in that surreal situation it had become difficult to understand what she was feeling as Elan was able to play rightly with feelings. His was a questionable morality, until now he had made himself a shield for other human lives so as not to put his own at risk, a person she could never have trusted even if she had wanted to believe in those skillful flatteries that enhanced the most vivid nuances of his personality.
She could not succumb to his will, not without at least trying to fight.
She shook her head and forcefully gripped the wrist of his hand that was holding her face, pushing it away with violence and contempt.
"Get away from me! Do you really think you can beguile me with such talk? What you say is out of all logic, you don't have a shred of proof of what you say."
"These reactions of yours are enough for me to confirm any doubts. Oh, c’mon... you know too that what I'm saying is true. I've been watching you carefully, I told you."
From one of his pockets he pulled out his mobile phone, with a few gestures he brought up on the screen photograms showing the student and Shaddiq alone, in isolated corners of the school. It wasn't hard evidence, he couldn't know what they were talking about, yet he understood anyway. Elan had taken care to save those images for that very moment, in case they were useful, and was pleased he had not been mistaken.
The girl gritted her teeth, clenching her fists until her phalanges reddened, she was tired of being tricked and always being the party to be manipulated but her condition, being an Earth orphan in league with terrorists, constantly put her at a disadvantage.
"I understand you may misjudge me given the circumstances but you don't know me at all, you have no idea what I've been through and you don't know how I feel about the issue of copies. So give me a chance to explain, to reveal to you what I want from you, my dear Nika..."
He repositioned his hand on his chest and began to back away slightly, still remaining in front of her.
"... Because thanks to me you can obtain a very important role in this story, more than that foundling Grassley could have imagined for you."
"No, I don't want to cooperate with anyone anymore, I can't betray them again..."
"Betray? Everything I have in mind will benefit them as much as yourself by allowing you to realize your dreams."
Once again Elan showed that he could read her mind, yet she had never told anyone about her goal. The boy meanwhile watched her body language minutely and the signs revealed that he had indeed hit the mark. His pupils penetrated deeper and deeper, glutted with details useful for his purposes, satisfied with the performance by which he was getting the imagined reactions.
"How do you... no, you're definitely bluffing."
Apparently, she is less naive than I expected, her confidence will not be easy to gain... but in those barriers she tries to pull up I can already see cracks.
"I'm not at all sure what your goal is specifically, I'm just sure that you are very different from your Earthian companions: you don't hate the Spacians, you've never shown contempt towards them but rather you've often sought their cooperation and that's because you wish they could co-exist with the Erthians in some way. Am I right?"
He had touched a nerve, not knowing what she wanted he was getting there while knowing almost nothing about her. He had revealed to her that he had been watching her for a long time but had not specified any details about it, Nika never talked about herself much less her life goals. So hers were intuitions she had gleaned from observing his behavior, she would have called it a tremendously creepy and disturbing act if only she didn't finally feel understood by someone she didn't even know, whereas the people she called allies or friends had never tried to dwell on such details, yet she was surrounded by them daily. Elan had known him as the 'ice prince' to whom she had never spoken a word, now she knew that this person was not really who he claimed to be, a totally different guy from the one she now had in front of her; this Elan, the one who claimed to be the original, had an eloquent personality as opposed to the reserved and taciturn nature of his copy, he also seemed more arrogant, he often used body language and it was easier to grasp his emotions because of his marked expressiveness.
Nika knew that the 'ice prince' was not the only copy she had met unfortunately, for some time a 'new' Elan Ceres had taken his place showing diametrically opposite behavior, much more similar to the original but he too possessed subtle differences. The second copy had a decidedly more extroverted and chaotic temperament, although he too managed to be much more expressive than his predecessor there were dissonant details compared to the real one, and one only had to think of the way he smiled: his was a seraphic smile, many described it as angelic, while that of the original could be described as devilish, mischievous or mocking.
The energy and vitality of the last copy seemed to be missing in him, more morose, elegant, a true gentleman who hid gruesome secrets behind a false friendliness.
She knew nothing about Elan Ceres, only conjecture based on the sensations of the moment, a figure still as mysterious and difficult to read.
A stranger who has observed me so carefully that he understands me... what does he really want? What interest could he have in involving me in his plans since I do not possess such special qualities?
She would have preferred a more logical approach, but she had been consumed by such an insane amount of emotions that she was beginning to feel dizzy and, touching such delicate subjects for her, aroused the need she had let rest for too long in her silences: to share that utopian dream with someone.
"I would just... I would like to find a way to end these unnecessary differences, I want to become the bridge between Earthian and Spacian but without committing atrocities to get there... violence will only lead to more violence ending up locked inside a vicious circle of blood and resentment, we will never get to peace that way and there will always be someone who has been harmed who will want to take revenge."
She had finally let herself go, the corners of her eyes became moist and her breathing heavier. She had said it, regretting a few moments later for having done so in front of a person to whom she was not at all attached but whom, for a few moments, she had felt a feeble emotional connection. That little contact had been enough, in her current state, to ignite in her that desire that had long been asking to be released, she had finally lifted a huge boulder from her chest; but that boulder was the lid to Pandora's box, now her emotions were free to come out into the open.
She clutched her belly and slowly began to slide toward the ground, curling her head between her knees.
Elan observed this pitiful scene while remaining expressionless, but inside, he selfishly enjoyed his conquest.
Come on stop resisting, I know you're going to collapse!
He contained his excitement at the victory that was now close, he had to avoid spoiling the final part of his performance and secure the girl's cooperation.
Nika began to sob, hot tears wet her face and knees, running down her leg until she fell to the ground.
She was at her limit.
“Enough... I can't take all this pain anymore... I don't want to be involved in any more bloodshed! N-no more innocent people can die!"
"Calm down, none of this will happen."
He let a faint sigh escape him and approached the table again to take a carafe of water and pour it into an empty glass. Later, with the filled glass in his hand, he returned to the tear-soaked girl, crouching down beside her to offer her the cool liquid.
"I swear it's not poisoned."
Nika slowly looked up at the glass, her face was completely wet and under her eyes, a rosy hue had tinted her milk-white skin.
"...And am I supposed to believe you?"
"You can ask me to prove it, I don't think there's any problem sharing a drink with another sinner."
But I am a sinner who desires the same worship as a god.
She didn't have the strength to respond to his provocation, she didn't even know if she could consider it as such, he had a point. Both had been guilty of horrible crimes, perhaps Elan was trying to empathize with her and empathy, as far as she remembered, was a luxury she had never been afforded.
However, she was not to give him any more confidence, she had already said too much. She took the glass from his palm and brought it close to her lips and finally quenched her thirst; she hadn't realized how dry her throat was until that drink wet its walls.
Greedily she emptied that glass but felt that she was still thirsty, her senses were slowly regaining contact with reality probably.
Elan watched her every gesture curiously: her lips curved under the weight of the glass as it began to moisten, her neck quivering from swallowing, her brief gasp of relief after finishing all the water on offer, her languid eyes watched the empty container.
Without a word he took the glass and stood up, repeating the gesture and returning to sit beside her, offering fresh water once more. Nika was surprised at the thoughtfulness towards her; she was a person of no value as far as she knew. After a long silence, while the young mechanic sipped her drink, Elan uttered a sentence that the student never thought she would hear.
"I need to protect your wonderful dream, Nika..."
The curvature of his lips was slight this time, his gaze lost that piercing, inquisitive aura it had had until a few moments before, the tone of his voice almost imperceptible, mellifluous, as if not even the walls of that room would hear what he had just said.
"Are you kidding me?"
"No, the more I talk to you, the more I get confirmation of how suitable you are to help me become the new president of the Benerit Group, you will be the one who will allow me to negotiate with the Earthians thanks to your immaculate idealism, your open-mindedness and the determination with which you fight against the injustice of war. You yourself will be the one to create peace between our factions, becoming a kind of ambassador for the Group, the mere fact that you are an Earthian coming to hold such a position can only be beneficial in the collaboration."
The twinkle in his eyes gave an idea of how proud he was of that madness, ramblings that beguiled the little dreamer inside her. He returned to his feet to best conduct his orchestra of convincing fantasies, gesturing to reinforce his words.
"You will be able to research Gundams using our company, attend school, work for the GUND-Arm, continue to see your friends and at the same time work with me, in secret, to achieve peace. Unlike Zenelli, I don't need to play dirty because I have all the qualities to be elected, so as soon as I get to the top... I can balance the books with Earth."
"What motivates you to help Earth?"
"I'm just convinced that its wealth can benefit us all, it would be a shame to waste it on useless wars."
"I see, it's just business then."
"That's not quite right. Wealth is not only calculated through capital and I'm surprised you haven't thought of that."
"That's because I'm not used to any semblance of a healthy interest in Earth from a Spacian."
She bit her lower lip as soon as she realized she had missed the indirect praise. It was really hard to give up the glimmer of hope he was offering her; she couldn't afford to get caught up in shady conspiracies again.
"What will such a collaboration entail? Doesn't it seem a little reckless to talk about it with a person you have no connection to?"
"What it will entail we will find out better by working together, as equals. What I can tell you is that our main objective for now will be to protect Asticassia from any terrorist attacks, like the one that happened at Plant Quetta."
That word, protect , had triggered something in Nika, the right note to intone on the stave of her desires. Elan was the musician, she was the instrument to tune, skillfully stretching her strings to get the sounds he wanted.
"And for your second question... we both have something to hide that we're not supposed to know, talking about it would not only expose you to danger but you'd also risk implicating those around you."
He had his back to her but knew perfectly well that he had the eyes of someone who would want to cling with all her might to that spark of hope. Even if she had sung he didn't care in the slightest, the consideration he had for the company that worshiped him as its new leader was zero; it was command that attracted his attention, a position of power that would give him total control over space boundaries, going perhaps beyond... perhaps the whole galaxy or even the entire universe: that was his greatest life aspiration.
"Analyzing the current scene, I would say that we have several elements in our favor: Jeturk is going bankrupt while Peil still has a not inconsiderable slice of earnings as well as benefiting from the alliance with Delling's daughter, with you on our side we can also take the Earthians' trust and put Grassley in check. They are our only opponents but the Peil currently has the advantage in support, if only you would help me..."
"This all seems so absurd to me..."
"You can always quit at any time, as long as you keep your mouth shut there will be no problem but it would be a shame you know... other people's lives are at stake anyway."
The shrewd gaze stared at those confused cerulean irises, in a regretful tone he tempted her again, his staging had been flawless and it was time to reap the rewards; at least that was his personal assessment.
Nika meanwhile tried to put her thoughts together in order to get out of that situation, as much as she did not like the way she had been led into that room and the crimes he had unwittingly committed, Elan's proposal was the only hope to hold on to at that moment; it was also essential to protect the school and its students, her friends risked their lives every day because of her actions... she had to avoid involving them at all costs. She decided to swallow the bitter pill, but not to lower her head too much this time. Her will had to be heard, good intentions and flattery were worthless without concrete actions. The young Peil star had to earn her trust, her experience with Prince had taught her a lot and she would not make the same mistakes. So she stood up and walked towards him, her eyes now filled with strong determination.
"Elan Ceres, swear to me that there will be no need to use violence, that no innocents will be involved, particularly the students of the school, and you can have me on your side. If you lead me to my goal as you say then I will be your accomplice but, at the first misstep, I will not hesitate to abandon your plan."
"So you are in?"
"Only under these conditions."
"Hmm..."
The real Elan didn't care; that bizarre plan was just a game, a pastime created specifically to feed his lust for power. He was attracted by the chaos he could generate thanks to that unsuspecting student, by wanting to bend that iron moral integrity and make her dependent on him, his words, his desires. He craved nothing more than her veneration, like a true deity.
In the girl's irises burned that determination animated by a noble unattainable dream, a flame to be tamed and molded into his service.
He approached, stretching his hand forward, with the intention of sealing that agreement.
"I swear to keep the pact I made with you tonight, Nika Nanaura"
I swear you will become mine, Nika Nanaura.
He had the smile of a spoiled child ready to consume his new toy to the point of destruction, she had a solemn and impassive expressiveness that she tried to keep despite the restlessness that ran through her insides.
She told herself that she was doing it for the good of others, to achieve the greater good, sacrifices were necessary as long as they concerned only her.
Their palms touched, closing in a handshake: the deal had been made.
"I am sure that this will be, for both of us, a very fruitful collaboration."