"Adam, is it? You've been looking for me? Why? Just because we are both immortal? You caused a subway derailment, sacrificing fifteen lives just to test your theory?"
For the first time in his life, Henry felt an intense hatred for someone, even more than he had during World War II. Back then, he did not deeply hate the small-mustached painter who challenged the whole world because it was a matter of national concern, far removed from the modest life of Dr. Henry. His role then, much like his job as a medical examiner now, was just a job.
But this immortal before him had caused his wife's death, making him suffer for over twenty years. And now, taking advantage of his fearlessness towards death, he dared to taunt Henry?
It was beyond endurance. Simply injecting air into Adam's jugular vein would be letting him off too easily. A sinister and cruel idea began to form in Henry's mind—he wanted to shatter all of Adam's hopes before finally dealing with him.
"So you sought me out just because you think I am like you?"
Resolved to make Adam experience hope before despair, Henry ominously posed the question.
Unaware that Castle, through his exceptional skills, had already briefed Henry about his background and motives, Adam still naively believed that Henry might have found him through some hidden clues left by Abigail. Adam couldn't imagine that anyone else in the world could know so much about him.
With each party harboring their own secrets and believing they held the upper hand, a conversation full of hidden meanings began.
"Yes, Henry, I sought you out because we are the same. Don't you also wish to find others like yourself? Or do you prefer living in fear among people who might lock you up in a lab for dissection at any moment?
Henry, I understand you, truly. Living in fear and caution, having to move and start anew every few decades because you don't age, watching your loved ones grow old and die—aren't you lonely?
Don't you want to find others like yourself? Don't you want to discover the reason for your immortality?
Look, in this world, only you and I can understand each other. Tell me, shouldn't I have sought you out?"
Adam's words were undeniably persuasive, and even someone as steadfast as Henry had to admit that if this scoundrel hadn't killed Abigail and plotted against him, he might have been swayed.
Before Henry could respond, Abraham, who had been watching silently, could no longer restrain himself. With no intention of toying with the man who killed his mother like Henry might, Abraham's eyes reddened as he yelled at Adam, bound to the tree.
"You bastard, you killed my mother, and now you play games with Henry by killing even more? I will avenge my mother..."
"Hahaha... Abraham, how do you plan to take revenge? Kill me? With what? A gun? A knife, or perhaps burn me alive? You've been with Henry for nearly seventy years. Do you think I'm afraid of your methods?"
Adam was delighted to have successfully provoked Abraham, confirming his prior research on Henry and his son was correct—both were essentially good but somewhat naive men. Pushing a bit more might enrage Henry, giving Adam a chance to extract information on how Henry had come by his details.
However, at that moment, Castle, eager to witness 'Henry's Revenge,' finally arrived after ensuring that Adam's office appeared as though he had left of his own accord and after taking care of the surveillance cameras and the GPS device in Adam's car.
Seeing the casually approaching Castle, Adam did not show any anger. Instead, he even greeted him, "Hey, writer, I didn't expect you to be so adept at hiding your skills. Not bad at all!"
Castle could tell from Adam's confident demeanor that the latter was certain Henry had no better option than killing him, which to Adam meant a return to the battlefield, thus feeling secure even though he was bound tightly like a mummy, with only his head free to move.
Castle glanced at Adam, tied to the tree, and did not engage further in his banter. Instead, he cheerfully said to Henry, "Dr. Morgan, may I have a chat with this fellow who seems to have survived since Roman times and could very well be 'Caesar' himself?"
Before Henry could respond, Adam, startled, demanded, "Who exactly are you? What do you know?"
Seeing Adam lose his composed and superior demeanor, Henry quickly realized that since he got his information from Castle, Castle might know even more. To shatter Adam's hopes and fearless attitude, Castle was the best choice.
With this realization, Henry did not hesitate to hand over control: "Rick, you want to chat with our Dr. Adam? Go ahead!"
Now understanding that Castle was the secret weapon to handle the arrogant Adam, Henry was in no rush.
He knew well that Castle's destructiveness and creativity were on a completely different level than his own when it came to infuriating someone.
With Henry's permission, Castle, still smiling, walked up to the tightly bound Adam and said something that shocked him deeply: "That dagger that killed you and turned you into an immortal, have you found it? Where is it? Is it in your apartment in Manhattan? Tell me, if I go to your apartment now, can I find that dagger? They say if you're stabbed with it again, you'll truly die, right?"
Adam's expression had remained calm since being captured, but Castle's words hit him like a bombshell, turning his assured demeanor into ash. As Castle finished speaking, Adam's face turned utterly pale, as if he couldn't believe his ears. How could his deepest secret have been exposed?
Staring at the complacent Castle, Adam demanded, "Who are you, exactly? How do you know all this?"
Adam didn't try to deny anything, because Castle mentioning the dagger as the key to his transformation proved he really knew the full story. Everyone involved was smart; denial was pointless. Now, Adam just wanted to know why Castle was so confident about these details and how he had learned his secrets.
Seeing how a few words from Castle had turned the boastful Adam pale, Henry remained calm, but Abraham was thrilled. Knowing that death was but a joke to Adam, being able to attack him psychologically was a great satisfaction for Abraham, who had long harbored a deep hatred for Adam.
Adam, deeply unsettled, looked at the relaxed Castle. The wily old man understood as soon as Castle mentioned the dagger that the person who had been feeding information to Henry must be this very Castle. But what Adam couldn't understand was why Castle, with whom he had no prior interactions or grievances, would side with Henry and plot against him.
Castle didn't rush to answer Adam's questions nor did he continue to divulge secrets to further agitate Adam. Instead, after a moment of reflection, he walked over to Henry and said, "Henry, what's your plan? Do you want to stick to the original plan of making him beg for death? Come, I have some new information for you."
After speaking, Castle walked about twenty meters away, clearly indicating he did not want Adam to hear what he was about to say.
Henry and Abraham, seeing Castle's actions, exchanged a glance and followed without hesitation.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter