General Kohl, his toughest obstacle, now treated him like a favored son. Though Harold didn't trust anyone, he called on Simon for more and more help. Playing it cool, Simon did whatever Kohl demanded with a keen attention to detail, which the general appreciated. Simon also took the initiative to further his own agenda.
In order to successfully run Pearson Labs once he eliminated Kohl and Kuntz, Simon needed a top science department in his pocket, as well as rogue Circs in his control. The strongest team, led by Hawkins and Hayashi, promised success. Especially since they knew they owed Simon for saving their asses after they'd lost McKinley.
Simon burned at thoughts of that freak on the loose. Though he didn't believe McKinley to be in league with Doc and his men, something about McKinley didn't fit.
More than his abnormal Circ appearance and attributes, McKinley had an ability to look through a person and instill fear that Simon envied. Still, admiration for the male didn't mean McKinley wasn't disposable. If anything, his strength and apparent loyalty to Kuntz would have been a problem, had McKinley still been in the labs. Grateful that Kohl had taken care of that problem, at least, Simon set into motion the next part of his plan.
Dr. Eckles knocked at his open door.
“Come in, come in.” Simon gestured for the man to enter.
Eckles did so, closing and locking the door behind him. He carried a small bag filled with Simon's weekly injection.
Simon tilted his head to the side and waited, pleased at the fear he could now smell wafting from Eckles like a cologne. The serum Eckles had perfected worked nearly as well as Elliot's. Too bad Elliot hadn't approved of Simon taking it without his permission. As if Elliot had any right to caution a willing test subject on the dangers of experimental gene therapy.
Simon waited for the ungodly pain to hit.
Eckles pushed the plunger into his neck, then quickly withdrew it. He leaped back from Simon, cautious after that last belt in the face.
Simon swallowed his pain but couldn't help the tremors that shook him. He wiped the red tears from his eyes and the inevitable nosebleed. For a moment, his vision swam with darkness. And then it vanished, and he felt ten times stronger.
“May I take a few notes?” Eckles asked meekly.
Simon nodded. “Go ahead. And while you're at it, tell me if you've heard anything more about Subject 31.”
Eckles took Simon's temperature, blood pressure, and asked several questions about Simon's state of health. After jotting down his notes, Eckles tucked away his notebook and sat across from Simon's desk. “Subject 31 is still nowhere to be found.
Our mutants haven't traced her scent, nor have our PPA and rogue Circs seen her.
There's been little movement at the compound, but we can't be sure about Circe's Recruits' involvement. From what I've gathered from Elliot's notes, however, I doubt Subject 31 would go there.”
“Why is that?” Simon still got hard remembering Paige's loveliness. He'd been more than willing to have sex with her all those years ago. Elliot had thought she might finally change if introduced to enough stress, while Simon had prayed she wouldn't. The thought of fucking not only a beautiful woman, but Elliot's precious daughter, had been too much of a temptation to resist. Elliot had been overjoyed when Paige displayed Circ tendencies. So much so that he'd overlooked Paige's accusations of attempted rape.
Simon had countered that she'd been in heat, and that she'd aggressively tried to challenge him. Elliot had bought the explanation, that or he hadn't wanted to acknowledge how cold he was to offer his daughter to a bastard like Simon.
The sheer genius of Simon's plan sat in his mind, his alone to savor. Oddly enough, Simon found himself missing his old partner and friend, Vincent Hoff, who'd died six months ago. Vincent had had the same appetites as Simon. Unfortunately, he'd been torn apart by a rogue Circ. Ah, well, at least he'd gone out swinging.
“Mr. Dunn?”
“Sorry, Eckles, my mind wanders a bit after the drug. Must be McKinley's rebellious blood at work.” He smiled, pleased at the irony of the situation. The control drug that turned Circs into mutants turned humans into supermen. If Kohl and Kuntz weren't such pussies, they'd have realized the applications and tried the control drug themselves.
“As I was saying, I don't think Subject 31 will attempt to see Dr. Evan Dennis.
While undergoing treatment here, Elliot often spoke of his half brother. He seemed to like the man, and if you consider how much Paige Masters loathed her father, it would only be natural that she hated anyone he particularly liked. To her, Dr. Dennis probably seems like an extension of Elliot.”
“Hmm, good point. But we can't be too sure of anything.” Dreamily, Simon imagined capturing the Circ females he'd once lost. Caitlyn Chase, Sabrina Torrence, and Paige Masters. He envisioned them chained in one of the subbasement cells, waiting on their knees to serve him. God, the things he would do…
Eckles gasped. “Tilt your head back.”
Something pressed to Simon's face. “Hmm?”
“The nosebleed is back, and it's heavy. Nothing to worry about, but it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to take a few samples for tests.”
“Whatever.” Simon struggled to regain his wits. He had a meeting with Rojo, a liaison to several stateside and South American drug cartels in need of better security.
Simon would deal with this man the way he'd dealt with several others, in secret and for a ton of cash. Untraceable dollars to increase his growing base of power. Already one team of rogues he'd farmed out had made him a hundred thousand, and they'd only lost one Circ in the process. They'd recovered police-confiscated drugs worth millions.
Kohl and Kuntz had no idea how to use Project Dawn. As military alternatives?
Government-contracted business? To barter with other nations on a scientific playing field? Fuck that.
“Sir, I'm going to return to my lab. I'll let you know about the results.” Eckles sounded shaky.
“Fine. But buck up, man. Don't be such a spineless asshole if you can help it.” Simon snickered. Pearl had been a dick, but he'd had balls. Doc hadn't been easy to work around, but during Simon's time with the first Project Dawn, he'd recognized the misguided integrity in the man. Simon could tolerate assholes as long as they had conviction.
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” Eckles unlocked the door and practically ran from the room.
Sighing, Simon closed the folder before him and locked it away. He took a few phone calls, then walked down the stairs to clear his head. Glad that Kohl and Kuntz didn't need him again until tomorrow, he sought out Hawkins and found him in the lower levels.
Hawkins watched a new set of mutants battling each other in a contained subbasement cell. The ink black monsters barely looked human. One male had two legs as long as his torso, with arms that compensated for his odd height. He walked about on all fours, like a mutant gorilla. His eyes were red, his teeth huge and splitting his lips with every roar of challenge he issued to the other in his cell.
The other mutant stood as large as Hawkins. He looked like any other rogue Circ, except for his black skin and red eyes.
“That's Jenkins.” Hawkins didn't turn around. “He just turned this morning.”
“Too bad.” Simon didn't give a shit. He watched as what used to be Jenkins succumbed to the other thing biting and drooling over him. In seconds the fight turned carnal, and Simon stared, captivated by the bloody sex making a mess all over the floor.
“Quite an appetite, hmm?”
Hawkins turned to him, and Simon started at the anger seething in the rogue's gaze. Inhuman rage burned and then was suddenly banked. Simon blinked, wondering what he'd seen. The injection Eckles gave him sometimes muddied his perceptions.