20. The needle in my throat

"It is supposed to be me the one that I should know, but I do not remember. You do not hold a grudge against me, do you?"

"What? Certainly not. You are very precious to me."

"It does not look like that so far. Since the first meeting at the clinic, you have been cold, rude, harsh to me."

"It's not that I hate you. I tried to stay away from you to make you dislike me, to hate me."

"Why? Don't you want me close?"

"I want you close. I want you so damn close! Too close to me. But I do not want you to be hurt." He grabbed my face with both of his hands as he brought his face closer.

"How can I get hurt when I have you close to me?"

I felt his breath on my lips. I had forgotten what it was like to kiss him, his lips were millimeters away from my lips, I could smell his skin, my favorite scent.

"Gideon!" A voice interrupted us as I turned my head in the direction of the door, Gide cursed squeezing his eyes. It was Aurea, it seemed as if fire was coming out of her eyes. When neither of us spoke she continued again.

"Franklin is asking for you and her." She talked about me as if I were superfluous.

"Will come right now." Gide shook his head. She got up and helped me get up too, as my eyes were on her who was killing me with her eyes. She walked in front of us and the two of us followed her, Gide did not let go of my hand. I noticed something was wrong, they both seemed to be close but why was I so angry. And why in my subconscious I could not stand her closeness to Giden from the beginning.

We entered a room where Dr. Peter Hood was standing tied to a chair. At one point I felt sorry for him seeing him in that condition but when he looked me in the eye as if I were his prey, I shook Gideon's arm with my other hand and crouched behind him, who took a step forward to cover me.

"He wont say anything, despite the torture this old pathetic man." Blow out Franklin.

"Leave him to me! I will make him speak!" Gideon spoke without letting go of my hand.

"It is useless. He wants to talk to Tara."

"No way!" Gideon took a stand, pulling me further behind him.

"I will talk to him." When I spoke, Gideon looked at me prayerfully.

"No. If he wants to talk to you I'll be here too."

"I will only talk to the girl, otherwise you will not get anything out of me." Dr. Peter Hood finally spoke.

"It's okay, he's tied up he can't do anything to me. Leave me alone with him."

"Okay, don't get too close to him." He spoke to me after he exhaled and let go of my hand. The three got out, as I was left alone in the room with the doctor.

"Close the door." The doctor spoke again.

"Any other wish?" I spoke as I pushed the door.

"Finally alone after all this time Iden." There was an ugly, cruel grin on his face.

"I'm not the Iden you knew, I'm Tara Butlo."

"Do you remember anything that happened Iden?"

"No Dr. Peter Hood. If you are a real doctor of course. And please do not call me by that name anymore. Now tell me what do you wanted to talk to me about that you are not telling them?"

"What a pity you do not remember what happened after you lost your skills. We had a great time."

"What do you mean?"

"Me, you, Hannel, Step, Skansi."

"Who is Skansi?"

"Oh you did everything to protect your dear Gideon. First you resurrected him, you made him immortal. Then you fought with everything in your power to find ways how to make him mortal again."

"You're telling me that you know what happened to me after I lost my skills. How did I die?"

"No, it doesn't work like this Tara Butlo. You have to give me something in exchange in order to give you information."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to let me continue the experimental about returning your powers."

"You mean the needle in my throat and all that? No thank you."

"I am your only solution."

"No I don't think so."

"You actually believe that Franklin has found a solution? Then why is he waiting information from me? Don't be so credulous."