CHAPTER 16: In the mansion.

Johan guided Theo through the many halls in the great mansion.

"Since you can speak human languages, I don't have to waste time asking your former owners how to take care of you. Isn't that great?" Johan spoke with a friendly smile written all over his face. "Now tell me. what does your diet consist of? It'd be a bad image if the creature I decided to take care of were to starve."

Theo merely stared at the beautiful decorations on the wall next to him as they passed by. Some seemed to depict factual history while most showed the stories of the gods in the ruins.

"Purely carnivorous." He spoke without much interest.

"Alright. Then it's good that I'll be taking you outside with me. You can hunt for your own food while protecting me. Oh, and I just realised. Your pupils are all the way reduced to thin splits. Are you nocturnal?"

Theo stopped walking and angrily glared at the man. "Since I'm basically reduced to a glorified accessory, why would you care? I know perfectly well how to manage myself and I don't need you or your camp whatsoever. The only reason I have yet to bite your face off is because my parents would surely get punished in my place."

Johan laughed and kept on walking as if he hadn't noticed that Theo was standing still. "You are smart as well. Yes, you are only just another mutant from the ruins, but it's remarkable what your so-called parents were able to teach you. It's a shame that the mutants usually don't live long outside of the ruins."

Theo didn't respond and started to follow the man again. As much as his pride demanded it, he couldn't tell the man that he wasn't one of the mutants. If Johan found out that he already had surpassed the lifespan of said mutants, then there was no saying what he would do to in order to find out how Joost had found Theo. And since Joost had no way to prove that Theo was the only one he had ever been able to find, it could never end well.

Seemingly out of nowhere Johan stopped in front of a random door and opened it.

The moment the door was opened a child ran out and hugged Johan.

"Dad! You are finally back. How were the new people?" The young boy happily asked.

The child could not have been much older than four.

"They were lovely. And you know what, I even found ourselves a new friend."

The child looked up from his father and saw Theo. Immediately his bright green eyes shined with excitement. "Wow, you're so big and your ears are so fluffy. Can I touch them?"

"No." Theo coldly replied.

The child saddened as soon as the words had left Theo's mouth.

Seeing this Johan kneeled down in front of his son. "Don't worry little one. He just got out of isolation today and he still needs to warm up to us. I'm sure he'd want to play with you later. Why don't you try to get some sleep? I know you stayed awake nearly half of the night."

The child nodded and went back to his room while Johan closed the door behind him.

"The poor thing. He hasn't been able to sleep well ever since his mother disappeared at the start of the outbreak. Every time I go outside to hunt for the people, I also try to find her. But maybe you'll be able to help me find my wife. Or at least her body so that we can properly bury her."

Theo crossed his arms and stared down at the man in annoyance. "You really think you can win me over with sympathy? Yes, the kid is innocent, and he deserves his mother back. But that doesn't mean that I have to like you. You could have chosen to just let me be with my parents and I would probably have helped you look for your wife in the first place."

"That's good enough for me. I'll show you where you'll be staying and then I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day. How does that sound?"

"Wow. I actually get to have same say in it. Yes of course, please leave me alone. I can't spend another second staring at your pathetic excuse for a face."

Johan led him to a room a little further down the hallway. It was right next to what Theo assumed was Johan's room.

"Here is where you can stay. I truly hope that you'll warm up to us. Even if it's just for my son."

Theo pressed his ears down and hissed at the man. "Yeah right. I told you before. Do not drag your son into this."

He stepped through the door and slammed it shut. The force of impact nearly made the handle break off and even on the other side of the door it was clearly apparent that Theo would be able to break through it in case he wanted to.

Now that he was out of the view of Theo, Johan widely grinned. He already had the respect, but with the power to command a mutant from the ruins he would also be feared. He only needed to take control over this strange blue creature, and he would have a weapon that would allow him to unify and rule over the survivors that had yet to join him.