"William Wright. He is planning something, but I don't know what. If it wouldn't be too dangerous, I'd like you to figure it out," Mason said.
[Dwyl: Don't you dare agree to that, Lea! I won't have you snooping around my business.]
Lea wasn't surprised Dwyl was listening in on the conversation. From all the quick transmigration novels she had read, she had already understood that systems were always ready with a quirky comment. She had not expected anything less from Dwyl – although she wasn't sure if Dwyl's comment could be described as quirky. They had already established that privacy was not one of the many privileges Lea could enjoy. That one was reserved for Dwyl – whom, she realized now, she didn't really know anything about, except it being a system and having a crush on Writer, and Mason. But when Dwyl had said he'd trust her for now, she had had a low expectation of him granting it to her for just the night. Otherwise, it could hardly be called trust, can't it?
[I wasn't planning to! But you forbidding me, is having the opposite effect. Now I want to know what you're up to. Can't you just tell me?]
[Dwyl: I'm planning to get the hell out of this stupid world!] Something he'd told her a million times before. He kept being amazed at the stupidness of this woman. It made him question his feelings for Writer. What did it say about him that he was in love with someone who had a crush on one of the stupidest beings in all the worlds? But unfortunately, Dwyl couldn't turn his feelings off, if he could he would have done so years ago.
[I thought so…] Lea answered. At times she may be a bit slow, but she wasn't dumb! [But what does the plan entail?]
[Dwyl: You'll know once it has been put in action.] Which will be soon. He wasn't planning to stick around.
[I think Mason wants to know it before that has happened.]
[Dwyl: And I thought you weren't going to agree with finding that out for him.]
[I'm not!] Lea made clear. No way in hell she would endanger her life in future worlds just for this one! Dwyl was dangerous. Better not to make him hate her too much. She already knew she was doing a bad job at that.
[Dwyl: Then make that clear to him.]
[I will]
"I don't think that's such a good idea," she told Mason after hearing his suggestion.
"Oh, why not?" Mason said disappointed and a bit suspiciously. It would've been great to get someone close to William to spy on him. Kailey wasn't in love with William was she? He suddenly remembered the conversation he had with her before he had revealed his identity to her. She had told Mason William wanted to go on a date with him. Was that maybe the reason William did all those things? To get him in his bed? The thought gave him goosebumps. For a second, he thought that maybe it was a good thing, at least that way he was sure that William wasn't interested in her, but then Mason remembered William's character. He was the kind of person who didn't mind bedding three people at a time, and who wouldn't be ashamed to behead them afterwards if the service wasn't to his liking. It wasn't a good thing at all!
"Well, we're friends and I wouldn't want to go behind his back."
This answer made Mason angry. "That is ridiculous. He kidnapped you! He holds you captive here, doesn't he? You don't have to suppress your hatred anymore. You are free to think and to say what you want."
Lea also wasn't happy with Mason's tone. "He may have done those things, but I don't mind. Like I have said previously, he saved me from a loveless marriage. He couldn't have come at a better time. My husband and I… We were just about to perform our marital duties and let's just say I didn't look forward to it."
This made Mason feel quite complex. He wanted to hug Kailey, comfort her. On the other hand, he wanted to go to William and bash his face in. He obviously was a villain who didn't mean well – although Mason must say that today he has seen a very confusing caring side of William – and had just coincidentally come at a right time! Mason hated it that William had won Kailey's trust just by doing something bad that turned out good.
"I don't hate William," Lea continued. "I like him a lot. He is arrogant, bossy, cruel and incredibly annoying sometimes, but he takes good care of me. He is cute."
Mason pulled a face. "Stop using that word to describe a murderer."
"Cute?"
"Yes." Mason gritted his teeth.
"Have you ever killed somebody?" Lea asked.
A frown appeared on Mason's face. Why did Kailey suddenly change the subject?
"I have," he answered honestly. It was the same day he became a part of the Criminals. He thought he would die. He thought they would execute him, so he had tried to protect himself. He killed a police agent. It was a useless attempt. Luckily Adrian was there, otherwise it wouldn't have turned out well.
"Then you're a murderer too and shouldn't judge him to harshly," Lea concluded.
"My reasons were completely different from his!" Mason said enraged. How could she compare self-defense with coldblooded murder?
"Maybe, but you still have human blood on your hands, no matter why you did it."
"I'm fighting for freedom!" Mason yelled. He already felt bad enough about that day, he didn't need Kailey to make it worse, to make it seem like he was the same as a mass murderer.
"Freedom doesn't justify everything."
"It is better than killing for the fun of it," Mason said with clenched teeth.
"I don't know if William does it for that. In a sense he has been indoctrinated too, by the culture of the elites. Besides, I think he can be reasoned with. He hasn't killed you, has he?"
"And I want you to figure out why."
"He loves you. Hadn't I told you that?" Lea was sure she had.
[Dwyl: Lea, shut your mouth this instance!]
[It is true, isn't it?]
[Dwyl: That doesn't matter! You said you wouldn't meddle anymore.]
[I'm answering a question.]
[Dwyl: A question you said you wouldn't give Mason an answer to.]
[Fine. What do you want me to do? I already said it.]
[Dwyl: Let me take over your voice. I'll talk.]
[You can do that?]
[Dwyl: Yes.]
[Does that mean you can take over my whole body?]
[Dwyl: Yes.]
[Then what is the point of having a host?]
[Dwyl: Why do living beings need to eat? Nature is often a real pain in the ass.]
[Eat?! Dwyl you're scaring me.]
[Dwyl: Good, maybe that will shut you up so I can finally concentrate.]
Lea said no more and let Dwyl do the talking.
"Kailey… I believe you are a bit naïve. William wants me in his bed, which is not enough of a reason to keep me alive. And even if it was enough, it wouldn't be enough to get him on the Criminals side. He is planning something."
"You are right. I don't know what came over me. It was incredibly rude of me to imply the great president William Wright would love a pathetic servant with a genetic anomaly."
"You think I'm pathetic?" Mason asked hurt. "And that he is great?"
"I do. You're also very ugly."
[What the heck are you doing, Dwyl? Stop it, now.]
[Dwyl: If I can't have a relationship with him, then neither can you!]
[Who's meddling now, you hypocrite!]
"What? Is that why you refused me?" Why did Kailey suddenly speak such hard words? Wasn't kicking him in the chest one time enough? Did she really have to insult his appearance? He had always gotten compliments on the way he looks, but what is the point if the one he liked found him disgusting?
"Yes. I think it is time to go."
"That does seem like a good idea. I'll contact you abou-"
[Stop it, Dwyl! Stop! St-
"-op!"
Lea had gotten her voice and body back.