ANTECEDENT: CHAPTER 6

HEARING the recording of his own hypnosis, Midnight was looking forward to his session with Silvanus. But it seemed that his 'doctor' had no plans to visit him twice in a week because of the distance Silvanus kept complaining about. When in fact, Silvanus rode a helicopter to get here and it didn't even took an hour or so.

So, what distance?

"Night, come on! We're having a picnic!"

Hearing Dominick's voice, Midnight could only inwardly sigh.

After a week of being here, he realized something. This family was different from his own. They're sunny, cheerful, affectionate and love to drag him around everywhere. And after a week, he had already gotten used to it.

Midnight let Dominick drag him to the garden.

It was bright. There was countless food, there was laughter and light conversation while being surrounded by flowers and fresh air.

To Midnight, this was a novel experience. Something he hadn't experienced before. Something he longed deeply but couldn't have.

"So, Night, how was your stay here?" Midnight, who was silent as usual, was put in the spotlight by Dominick.

"It's okay."

Happy's expectant smile, the butler's soft smile, and Dominick's encouraging smile all slowly disappeared after Midnight's short answer.

They didn't find it surprising; in fact, it felt like something they had expected. Since the beginning, Midnight has been silent with them ever since they arrived, only exchanging brief words.

Sensing the discomfort in the air, Klaus skillfully steered the conversation away from Midnight, replacing it with a topic that would put the young man at ease. Worthy of being a butler, indeed.

Halfway through the picnic, Dominick received a call and Klaus had to use the bathroom. It was just Happy and Midnight on the picnic blanket.

Happy started a conversation. "I heard from dad that you're undergoing therapy with Dr. Silvanus?"

Midnight silently nodded.

Happy smiled. "That's great. Dr. Silvanus is an amazing doctor. He helped me a lot when I was sick, too."

Hearing Happy's lighthearted tone while mentioning her sickness, Midnight couldn't help asking. "You were in a coma, right?"

Happy was taken aback when Midnight spoke to her, but she quickly composed herself and responded. "Hmm. I was in a coma for so many years. Everyone around dad told him to give up on me and just let me rest in peace, but dad never did. He fought for me and here I am, alive and kicking."

Midnight initially viewed Dominick as an annoying old man with so many tricks up his sleeve, but upon discovering his unwavering determination to save his daughter's life, he became only slightly, but still slightly, annoying.

"I hope your therapy goes well." Said Happy when Midnight didn't speak again. "Praying for you to get well soon."

Midnight blinked at Happy, inwardly bewildered. "Am i...unwell?"

Those words surprised Happy, and her smile faltered. She didn't know how to answer Midnight's question. "Um..." Isn't he?

Seeing Happy's hesitation, Midnight looked away and said, "never mind."

Dominick and Klaus came back shortly after, and Midnight never spoke again. Thus, after their picnic, Happy got her father alone in the garden to tell him what had happened with Midnight earlier.

"Dad, was I wrong to say those words?" Happy was concerned. Midnight finally spoke to her, although it was brief, but it seemed her words had offended him.

Dominick smiled and affectionately patted his daughter on the head. "Don't worry about it. Based on my understanding of him, he won't be offended that easily."

"Really?" Happy became hopeful.

"Yes. Because he doesn't have that emotion."

Happy's hopeful expression immediately fell, and she looked at her father flatly. "Really, dad?"

Dominick pinched his daughter's cheek and chuckled. "Don't hold back your words with him. What he needs at this moment is honesty."

Understanding dawned on Happy's face, and she nodded.

THOUSANDS OF MILES away from Pennsylvania, in a mansion in Spain, Kelleon received the same report from Orlando. Midnight was still missing in action and couldn't be found.

"Where can he go?" Kelleon was confident with the experiment on Midnight. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy would always remain faithful. They dedicated years to shaping him into the person he had become. He understood early on that Midnight lacked the cognitive ability to consider his own well-being and would always think that his words were the law.

He raised Midnight to be selfless and obedient.

"We have already scoured the whole Pennsylvania; he couldn't be found. All we know as of this moment was that the second Arkhon, Dominick Quinn, has him. We are not sure if this was because of the mission or if he was captured by Quinn."

Orlando's voice held no panic or distrust. He knew full well how obedient Midnight was. They made him that way, after all.

"What is your order, my lord?" Orlando asked his lordship afterwards.

Kelleon returned his attention to the documents on the table and resumed reading it. "Just wait for a communication from Midnight. No need to worry about him. Instead, send someone to check on Knight. He's starting to be disobedient again. Remind him why he shouldn't."

Orlando bowed. "Yes, my lord."

After Orlando left the private office, Kelleon reached for his phone and called the head researcher.

"Yes, my lord?"

Kelleon told the researcher what happened to Midnight. "He wouldn't defect, yes?" He wanted to be certain. Dominick Quinn was an annoying opponent.

The head researcher smiled confidently. "No need to fret, my lord. Midnight is the most perfect result of our experiment. No one could break his mind." It was, after all, decades' worth of work.

"Good." Kelleon hanged up and return to his work.

Back in Pennsylvania, Midnight spent his day in his darkroom. He was already used to spending his time alone in the darkness, but for some reason, he felt uncomfortable this time. He had this feeling of wanting to open the French window and let the light enter the room.

But in the end, he didn't move and continued staying in the darkness.

Midnight's days passed by like that until his next session with Silvanus.

"Excited, are we?" Silvanus teased Midnight, seeing that Midnight was being cooperative. Unlike their first session.

Midnight didn't answer and just sat on the recliner chair, not beating around the bush.

Silvanus just silently shook his head and sat on the stool near the recliner, facing Midnight, getting ready for the hypnosis.

As soon as Midnight's mind fell into deep relaxation, the third session began.

"It's nice to talk to you again," Silvanus started. Today, he wanted to go deeper into Midnight's memory. "Shall we start our conversation?"

"Hmm." Midnight hummed.

Silvanus did not mention Midnight's name, so Midnight's consciousness did not feel the need to correct Silvanus. This was Silvanus' little trick to not disturb Midnight's mind before starting.

After a brief pause, Silvanus asked his first question. "Do you remember what happened in your childhood?"

"Yes. I remember most of it."

"That's great! I have a question then. Do you remember visiting a laboratory in your childhood?"

It took Midnight a few seconds to reply. "No."

Silvanus held back a sigh. "Alright. Any place you visited in your childhood?"

Again, it took Midnight a few seconds to answer. "My father always takes me to an island. I would stay there for a few months and then I would be sent back to our house."

"Do you know the name of the island?" Silvanus continued taking notes.

"No. It's just... it's a cold place. Always dark. Scary."

"What scary encounter have you had on that island?" Silvanus was careful with his words.

"... I used to fear the dark, and I have to stay in a dark room to train my night vision. Mom used to tell me that if I'm scared, I only have to call for her. I called and called, but she never appeared. So, I have to endure my fear to finish my training. And now, I don't fear the dark anymore. I like it now. It calms me."

Silvanus understood something. Midnight could talk about his 'training' but could never talk about the laboratory where it happened. Those bastards probably did something with his mind for precaution. Silvanus didn't know if he would feel impress or angry.

"That's good that you're not afraid of the dark anymore."

"Hmm. There's nothing to be scared of in the dark. In darkness, no one bothers me. It's silent and I like it."

Silvanus made sure not to mention the word laboratory going forward. "Is the night vision training the only training you did on your vacation on that island?"

Midnight hesitated a bit. "...no. I did a lot of things."

"Can you share it with me?"

Midnight became silent and Silvanus did not push him.

"How many times have you come back to have a vacation on that island?"

"A lot of times..." Midnight whispered.

"Was it fun?"

"...no."

"Then why did you keep coming back?"

"I don't have a choice. I was a child. What can I do if my father told me to? If I don't listen, I will be thrown out of the house. I don't want to be homeless. I don't want to be away from my—" Midnight paused and then his silence continued.

Another dead end? Silvanus inwardly sighed. The seal in Midnight's mind frustrated and fascinated him. It was very intricate and deliberate.

"Speaking of your father, what do you think of him?"

Midnight only had one word. "Scary."

"What's the scariest thing he did to you?"

"He said he will take the most important person in my life away if I'm not obedient."

Is it Knight? Silvanus guessed. "Have you ever thought that maybe your father is not that powerful to take your most important person away?"

"He is." Midnight's reply had a hint of urgency and panic. "He's powerful. Taking anything and everything away from me is something he can do easily. My mom was taken by him. He took my freedom. He took my most important person. And he took my soul. What is there that he couldn't take?"

Silvanus blinked. "He took... your soul?"

Midnight's closed eyes watered, and a tear fell from the corner of his eyes. "Look at me now and tell me if I have a soul."

Silvanus already had the answer to that without looking at Midnight. The first time he met Midnight, it felt like looking at a soulless person.

A man without passion or desire. Lifeless. Like a well put together doll.

Silvanus gripped the tablet he was holding tightly, his fingers turning white with the force.

Seeing Midnight's tears, he woke up Midnight and then let him hear the recording of his own hypnosis.

After Midnight listened to the recording, he heard Silvanus spoke. "It will not be easy, but we will not stop until we return your soul. I'm just afraid that it may be tattered by now. Do you still want it?"

Midnight was silent for a long time before he spoke in a low voice. "Even if there's only a piece left... I want it back."

Silvanus smiled. "Good. Let's do our best again next time."

Midnight did not share Silvanus' enthusiasm, but he was curious. He looked at Silvanus. "Aren't hypnosis supposed to be about the power of suggestions and stuff like that?" He handed back the recording. "But why are you just asking and not suggesting? You're not even pushing for answers. You're just going with the flow."

Silvanus playfully glared at Midnight. "You're welcome, you heartless rascal. With the state of your mind, if I suggested something, your mind might collapse." He sighed. "Since you're cooperating now, let me tell you something about your condition. The damage that has been done to your brain is too much. A lot is buried in there and if we dig all that up by 'suggestion' and force, you might not be able to recover from it."

"I don't mind. Do it."

Silvanus looked at Midnight's brave and expressionless face. "You might not mind, but I do. We have to dig it out slowly because I have to know how it would affect you. If worse comes to worst, well, let's not think about that for the time being."

However, Midnight didn't think the same. "If worse comes to worst, is there something you can do?"

Silvanus looked at Midnight smugly. "Little rascal, I'm a renowned genius, okay? I have my ways. So be a good patient and listen to me. This is for your own good."

Reluctantly, Midnight nodded. What he wanted was to hear his own recordings and to learn through the recordings what had been done to him that he didn't know about. Things that had been buried deep in his memory.

Maybe it was a good thing that he had been "captured" by Dominick Quinn. He could use it as an alibi after all this.

At first, he didn't want to cooperate, but after Silvanus let him hear his own recording, his thoughts gradually changed.

What Midnight didn't know was that his thoughts were diverting from its original course that was set by those researchers and his father. His thoughts were now slowly changing direction—to the direction he himself wanted.

For the first time in Midnight's life, he was starting to be in control, and he didn't even realize it.

"Alright. I'll be back in three days." Silvanus told Midnight. "Since you're now cooperating, we can do two sessions a week. Next session, I'll dig deep, so be ready."

Midnight nodded. After Silvanus left, he went looking for Dominick. He found the old man hanging out in the foyer.

"Need anything?" Dominick could tell Midnight want something when the expressionless rascal stopped beside his comfy rocking chair.

"Do you have any news about my father?"

Dominick stopped rocking his chair to look at Midnight. "You mean, if he's doing something to rescue you or if there's a movement in their end?"

"The latter."

"Oh. No movement." Dominick resumed rocking his chair. "It seems like he knew, but doesn't care."

That's good. Midnight thought. "Can you tell me if they make a move?"

"Hmm? Sure." Dominick nonchalantly answered. "But you have an asshole for a father, so don't hope too much."

Midnight was actually hoping for a different thing.

He nodded at Dominick before going back inside the house and into his dark bedroom.

Standing in the middle of the room, his eyes were drawn to the French window. Seconds later, he found himself drawing the curtains open and letting the brightness enter the room.

Midnight squinted his eyes.

The brightness was so intense that he had to shut the curtains, but he couldn't resist leaving a tiny gap for a soft glow to seep in.

This was enough.

Looking at the slightly parted curtain, Midnight had the same thought as the first time he saw the French window. It wasn't so bad.

CECELIB | C.C.

A/N: Regular update from here on out 🤗