Cold Hearted Alan. As if they were living in a Saint Society to address him as Cold Hearted exclusively. It was still early morning, and most of the stores and other services would stay closed anyway. Alan tried to shake off all the thoughts that had been bothering him regarding the incident and wanted to focus on what to do next. His plan was to get a new haircut and dye in Red though the silver on him would suit him better.
But the saloons were closed so he decided to go to Professor Lysoar. The mad scientist covering himself from both the High Society and the Undercity altogether. Alan stumbled upon him four years ago in an incident that Alan could not remember no matter how hard he tried to recall that. Not even fragments.
Professor Lysoar dwelled in a bunker underground. The location was quite interesting. The entrance was behind a park and designed like a manhole. Most of the person would just ignore it and those who tried to open it-cleaning workers basically-couldn't do that. Whenever they tried to open it, it felt like those realistic 3D art done on the streets and no suspicion took place in the heart of the folks since there was an art school a little further away and most people hanging out in that park were actually artists.
The timing was a problem. Because Alan also could not enter the bunker with all the people staring at him entering a manhole, a picture, that no other people could open. But today was one of those days when people didn't come to the park. Alan didn't understand why it was so empty. The atmosphere was cozy too, well...not for him but in general, yeah it was very pleasant. Lysoar gave Alan a switch to trigger that would open the entrance door, the manhole-looking thing, and Alan didn't have it at that time. He couldn't risk it to get exposed in school.
But Alan had access to a drone so he sent a signal to that via phone and brought the switch to him. He sent the drone back and Alan proceeded to press the switch.
When he entered the underground, the door upwards was closed. While it was the regular procedure, it always startled him a bit for who-knows-what. The security measure was obviously not the entrance door trick. Three doors had to be unlocked with a pin code of six digits but if any intruder came in, Professor Lysoar would blast the first door. If they still manage to advance, the second one, as well as the third one will be exploded. And that surely would destroy all his inventions and discoveries but Lysoar believed there wasn't any scientist who could fully understand the underlying motive of him for doing all the research hiding in an underground bunker. Though he believed things wouldn't escalate to that level anytime soon.
Alan hailed forward and entered the main lab.
A 29-year-old man was sitting behind his desk. Alan didn't understand how Professor Lysoar could live like that, Why he lived like that. He could join any corporation he liked and bank money like nothing. The opportunity of experimenting with different stuffs would also widen as he could gather proper funds for them. Yet he was there, in the underground. A bunker, shady, gloomy, woody textured one. Another thing that Alan didn't understand was how this guy got all the chemicals and other materials like the machines and continued research. He tried to ask him but professor said that he was part of a heist team that robbed nine banks in the same day and bought things with that money and still using that money. Alan didn't believe that of course.
"So you are alive." a light voice came suddenly as Alan was swaying his eyes to observe the lab, "Only three then?"
"No Dravenor died. You got any DNA samples of them? I've figured out how you do things and stay updated of the world above."
Lysoar looked up to Alan, changing his gaze from some chemical to him and smiled.
"You have set some dogs up there who provide you with your needs," Alan said.
"I'm glad you found out but it took too long, you know. At least you caught because it was hurting my mental state knowing that I've got a numbskull following me."
"Follow? Keep dreaming you delusional optimistic mad scientist."
"I'll get the reports in a few minutes."
"They'll be fabricated."
"I don't do lukewarm things. I know the forests deeper than you."
Lysoar got the reports on his phone. It was another mystery how he managed to get internet there. "Two sets, three people, 6 reports," Lysoar informed Alan who found a couch and sat there.
Checking the reports for about half an hour, Professor Lysoar confirmed that the fabricated reports were actually the ones that claimed Giovanni, Marley and Kierra were alive meaning the dead ones were Alan's family.
"Say whatever you want. Show whatever you have. The snakes are alive and that's the truth."
"So you are denying the reality and posing an illogical statement here, Kid?"
"It's essentially beyond logic that they are dead."
Could they really be dead? Alan questioned himself in silence. He was a doubtful one. He couldn't come to any conclusion of any matter perfectly. Stayed in the grey, not coming to this side or going to the other. It always had been like this for him. Not understanding where to stand. Professor Lysoar doesn't do things half baked. Maybe someone was pulling the strings behind the scene. Perhaps they were so aware that even missed Professor Lysoar's Investigation. Because Professor Lysoar never gives statements on false information. Alan didn't know what to believe. His own abstract piece of logic or the concrete proof of their death?
Lost in thought, he maintained eye contact with Professor, his face twitching a bit due to lack of experience like this serious one. Shaking off the thoughts he said, "The thing that confused me today was the top dogs who were present in the mansion didn't even interact with the supposedly heir of the Dravenor properties. I don't want the property regardless but to me, it seemed fishy."
"It's because of the jewel in you finger."
Alan pulled his hand towards his face and stared at it for a while. "Just what in the world is thing?"
Lysoar went near the fridge and took out two plastic cups of coffee, "You'll find out when the time comes. Here-" threw a cup to Alan and kept one for himself, " There was you favorite coffee prepared in stock."
"Just milk, sugar and coffee with some Khool iced cubes," Alan said grabbing the cup mid air.
Alan stayed in the lab for a few more hours because he didn't have anything else to do. Professor Lysoar showed some new stuff that he had invented and also taught Alan a few things. He also explained what different devices were for.
Alan didn't come to the lab very often. he visited him about once a month. Sometimes more sometimes less. So he didn't know the exact things that were going on inside. Although he liked other explanations, he hated the lecture on Chemistry. He was sure as heck he was going to forget all the reactions explained to him. Regardless, both of them passed their time giving a vibe of friendliness. While deep inside, they would probably not hesitate to betray each other for their own sake. It was just like that. If they trusted someone in that society, chances are that they are getting betrayed with extra layer of spice. They could even kill each other.
The problem is, Alan can't remember killing anyone in his life and Professor hadn't been under the sunlight so his skills were in question. Could they actually kill each other? Did they have the courage to do that? With no empathy?
"Finally the lesson ended" Alan sighed.
"Yeah yeah, what's your next plan?"
"Get a new haircut and hop into my apartment and live a regular life I used to I guess. I guess I have to focus on earning money a bit more seriously, although I make more than enough already."
"You really should get a new hairstyle. You ain't getting laid in bed with that trash."
"Shut up."
Alan stood up to get out. "Oh, here's a thing I wanted to show you. I got new lighting. You don't seem to enjoy this wooden shady oldy theme so I installed a Neon theme. Here. Look" and Lysoar activated the theme.
"You intentionally didn't show me this earlier right? To irritate me."
Lysoar chuckled.
Alan was leaving but suddenly remembered he had a little task for Professor. Though his request were tricky but he knew about Lysoar's craftsmanship and believed in that. Lysoar could craft anything if he had the equipment. That's what the people believed in the legends of Lysoar. Not knowing how close this Legend was hiding.
Alan gave description of what he needed. It was tricky. Perplexing. Lysoar tried to create the blueprint in his mind, which he succeeded one hundred percent, till now that is. Yeah he couldn't make it this time in his mind. "Come next week. I'll make the blueprint by then. It's hard to do it this instant."
"Don't spoil all the Legends about you on this task, Professor."
"Don't dye the hair though, grey suits you better."
"Next week"