Part Three

I'm just going to use italics for everyone's thoughts...seems like the way to go, really.

     "How. How did she get out!? We used our strongest sedative yet for her, and still... she got out." Silence meets these words, as it always does. The man speaking has a dark cloth covering his face, with a thin, horizontal rectangle cut into it for his eyes. Those black eyes, like glittering bits of charcoal set into a face, have seen many horrors in their time, almost all of which had been inflicted by the man to which they belong. The man calls himself Jack, as if he envisions himself as a kind of modern-day Jack the Ripper. No one knows his real name, just as no one has ever seen his face. The men and women under his employ call him The Carrion Man, but only when they are absolutely sure he is out of earshot. Even the thought of what he might do to them if he knew of their little nickname for him is enough to send even the bravest man's knee's shaking. Each and every one of them have witnessed the gore that has been the product of his hands. Visions of the mutilated bodies left by The Carrion Man haunt even their daylight hours. If they show any fear, they know they will meet the same fate.

     "So? Can any of you explain to me why Miss Kaitlyn came out of her sleep?" Again, no one responded. Jack stared out at the group of blank faces, fighting against the anger that had begun boiling up in his chest. He knew it would make him irrational, and potentially murderous. Much as it would give him pleasure to watch the light die from the eyes of a victim, he could not afford to kill any of them. it had taken him years to weed out the disloyal. No, none of them would die today.

     "Archer! Face me. Now!" Jack commanded. A dark haired man of about twenty-five stepped out from the group and stood before Jack, dark eyes steady. "Yes, Jack?"

     "Archer, I need you to fix the sedative. Apparently our little inmate has gotten used to the chemicals we use in our sedative. Make it so that she can never escape again. You were the one who caught her sneaking out of her bedchamber, and that is the only reason you still stand before me. If, for any reason, this girl escapes again, it is on your head." Jack can not afford an escapee. His whole operation would be blown.

     "Yes, sir. Right away, of course," Archer replies respectfully.

     "Very good," Jack growls. "You're all dismissed." Jack turns on his heel and disappears through the door to what he likes to call his "workspace". The room was lit with gas lanterns, as per Jack's preference. Florescent lighting just didn't do his work enough justice. The walls are coated with skins of animals, and of people. Jack only kept the skins of the victims of his most memorable kills as mementos of his achievements. Sitting in his favorite red leather armchair, Jack revels in old memories as a slow smile begins creeping up his face.

     As he walked away, Archer reflected over what he had just been told. The Carrion Man believed that Kaitie was growing immune to the sedative. This means that he will probably want increased dosage for the poor girl. No...I can't do that....I'll change the chemical formula. Yes, that's it. If I change the formula, Jack won't push for her to be injected with a higher dose. She'll be safe.

     The truth is, Archer has taken a liking to Kaitie. He is the scientist and guard assigned to her, and has had many conversations with her. She has an intricate mind, and, with her black hair, icy blue eyes, and pale complexision, Archer has found himself very attracted to her. Because of this, Archer hadn't wanted to give Kaitie the full sedative in weeks. He knew The Carrion Man's plan. He knew the suffering that Kaitie underwent every night, for he was his own test subject.

     He knew of the darkness.

Author's Note

I'm not totally sure how I feel about the dialogue...seems rather awkward to me?