red_scars (red_scars) wrote in the_dome, @ 2013-08-25 19:03:00 |
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Entry tags: | #group-scene, 04-08-2017, corey, eli, serge |
The Dinner
Who: Corey, Eli, and Serge
Where: Corey and Serge’s house
When: Evening
It should’ve been so normal, so mundane, but for Serge Greylin? This was one of the stranger moments he’d found himself in in years now. Putting the finishing touches on a simple dinner in the kitchen, he couldn’t help reflecting on how foreign all of this was, and how removed he was from any semblance of the normal world. Serge hadn’t cooked a proper meal since the old days, and then only for himself. He’d never expected to be doing so for company, especially when that company was his granddaughter and the boy who’d orbited into her life.
He could only hope that Eli would measure up, already doubting it but trying to at least give him some benefit of doubt for the moment. So he was possibly infected, potentially damaged like most survivors, and probably sweet on Corey… that definitely stacked Serge’s favor against him, but he was going to try. If only for Corey. And when Eli finally got here? Serge would find out just how determined he really was to withstand the old Russian’s scrutiny.
Corey had been settling into her room upstairs. Which, in Corey land, meant that she’d been putting together little boobeytraps she could set in short notice, and set up the room to be as optimal as possible in case of trouble. She had also put together a knotted rope she could toss out the window that would get her at least to a safe distance to fall from, and a heavy ring set into the floor to tie it to. Then she’d showered, changed into her nicest looking clothes, and headed downstairs to sit with Serge until Eli arrived. She was nervous. Like, insanely nervous. She gave her grandfather a smile, though, also having to admit she’d never ever in her life thought of this scenario playing out.
Eli didn’t know if he could possibly be more nervous. It was a different feeling for someone like him, who generally even wasn’t scared when he was in danger. Not anymore, at least. Somehow meeting Corey’s grandfather had him more on guard than preparing for a zombie attack. Perhaps it was because it was just him going in. When it came to the zombies, there’d always been four of them, but there he was alone, knocking on the front door. He’d showered, shaved, and put on his nicest shirt. He’d even tucked it in, even though he liked his shirttails better out. His mom always thought he looked better with his shirts tucked in and he wanted to make a good impression.
Looking up from the last of his work, Serge had an irrepressible twinkle of humor in his eyes when he caught sight of Corey there and heard the knock at the front door. It may have been over four decades now, but he could remember being young. And even if it had been vastly different back in the Soviet era? Some things didn’t change. Which left him assuming his granddaughter was as nervous as she actually was.
“Go,” he urged quietly, head tilting towards the door, “Invite your friend in, I am nearly finished here.” And thankfully he hadn’t screwed any of it up, which was what led Serge to simple dishes to begin with. Rice, steamed vegetables, roasted chicken; all of it had come from Delphi, and despite his lack of culinary skills? Serge had to admit that all of it looked good, which (aside from Corey) was the second factor to keep him from entirely detesting being stuck here. Perhaps the third…or fourth, he thought silently, dishing the rice from a pot to a serving bowl.
When she heard the knock, she sat up straighter. When he told her to go, she dashed off to the door, though took a second to compose herself and make unnecessary adjustments to her clothing before she opened the door. She smiled. "Hi." she greeted, noticing he'd put in effort to look presentable as well. Even if she didn't think he needed it. "Um, come in. You look really good, by the way. ...you're up way faster than I would have thought." she admitted. Which was great! Him healing up fast was awesome.
He could hear her coming before she opened the door, the pounding of her heart that seemed to match his own. While he had a headache that never seemed to go away, it wasn’t as intense as it had been when he’d first woken up and he was learning to live with it. Painkillers did nothing, it seemed, not for his head, nor for his body, but that had healed faster than expected as well. He smiled when she opened the door. “Hi. And thanks, so do you.” It was nice to know that he’d been right to dress up, since he hadn’t been completely sure. “Yeah, I don’t know what’s up with that, but I’m not complaining. I’m still sore, but not bedridden.” As he stepped inside, his eyes turned immediately to her father and he felt himself tense up just slightly. “Hi. Hello,” Eli said, stomach knotting up. “I’m Eli.”
If they’d both been right in dressing up, Serge was clearly in the wrong as he stepped out from the kitchen, bowl of rice in one hand before he settled it on the table. The only real effort he’d put into today was trimming his beard, and otherwise the threadbare t-shirt and worn cargo pants were the same as ever, right down to the survival knife strapped to his belt. “Eli,” Serge repeated with a slight nod of recognition, “This is short for… Elijah? Elias?” The question was just a stopgap as Serge looked the young man over quickly, keeping a scowl from his face as he considered what it meant to see Eli up and moving so soon after the wolves had come.
She'd been about to ask how his arm was, but she didn't get a chance as there were other introductions going on, and she stood back, watching the two intently, if silently.
“It’s short for Elijah. Sir,” he answered, just now realizing how long it had been since he’d had real interaction with an adult. Micah, at the hospital, felt young by comparison. Plus, Corey’s grandfather had an air about him that seemed to command authority. His attire didn’t even strike Eli as dressed down, but instead as comfortable in the way that his own had been when they’d been outside the dome. Ready for combat. The survival knife helped nail that down.
“Elijah,” he echoed with a little nod of confirmation, pairing the name’s implications with the younger man in front of him. He could feel some palpable tension on Eli, and it wasn’t just nerves; Serge liked to think that a killer could smell their own, or at least others with a capacity for it. And Eli? He had some kind of anger in him. “Corey was very concerned after you were hurt,” Serge offered in as close as he got to conversation, “Is good to know she is not losing a friend to the wolves. Come, sit, I would hear more about you, from you.”
“My friend and I were attacked on our way home,” Eli nodded, following the order to go and have a seat. He told himself that this was normal, to be quizzed by a girl’s parental figures, though he’d never experienced it till now. “We killed the wolf, but I got injured in the process. Finn got me to the hospital, though.” And had probably saved his life. He couldn’t have made it there on his own.
Wordless at first, Serge had another slight move of his head to tell Corey to join Eli before he put his back to both of them, disappearing back into the kitchen. His house was bigger than Corey’s had been, but it still wasn’t that big, and it was easy to hear Eli’s story as he moved to fetch the rest of dinner. “A good kill,” he offered as he returned, settling food at the little table, “And likely one that saved lives of others here. Where were you before coming to Delphi?” Serge always wanted to know, just to gauge what kind of hell other people had walked through.
Eli’s eyes traced Serge to the other room, not wanting to put his back to the man. He knew, deep down, that he should be safe here, but he’d learned enough along the way that he didn’t make himself vulnerable to someone who might be a threat. “I was from in a small town in Ohio,” Eli answered, doubting Serge would know it if he said it. “The girl in our group, Audrey, was my neighbor. We met up with Finn and Liam along the way.” And that was their little team, the four of them against the world.
And there were plenty of other answers Serge could glean from that bare recollection beyond the direct one Eli had given. Answers to unasked questions about his family, about where he’d been after the change happened but before here, about how he viewed others. And aside from that grim undercurrent? Serge thought he recognized a lot of Eli’s surface. He was sparse but focused, loyal, out of his element like any small-town boy but unafraid of that fact. “What is your work here?” he asked then, aware of how thin the line was between asking questions and outright interrogation.
“I do farm work,” Eli said, not bothered by the questions because they had such easy answers. If he were to ask how Eli felt about Corey, Eli was sure he would trip over his words and make a fool of himself. “It’s not difficult, but it needs to be done. I like to rotate farms so I learn all the different techniques needed to grow just about everything.” It was good knowledge, should he ever end up out in the wild, growing his own fruits and vegetables.
Eli was in luck in that one regard, at least; Serge wasn’t going to broach the subject of either teen’s feelings for the other. That was a minefield he couldn’t even navigate in his own life, so daring to in theirs was just asking for trouble. “Is harder work than many here do,” he replied after a moment. “And is likely that you had some hand in our meal tonight. So please…” Serge trailed, setting plates for Eli and Corey before he finally seated himself. He could wait until they’d been fed before getting serious, otherwise there would be too many distractions to bother with a meal.
Corey had been listening of course, and paying attention to both of them. She was glad that Eli seemed okay with the questions, though she'd been ready to say something if it was getting too intense. But she had to smile, because Eli wasn't seeming to mind at all. In her book? He was doing well. "Thank you," she said to Serge, for the food.
“Yes, thank you,” Eli said, flashing Corey a smile as he began to serve himself some of the food. It smelled delicious. “Corey said you taught her all of the survival techniques she knows.” He left it open ended, wondering what Serge would share. He didn’t want to ask anything that wasn’t appropriate, but the skills Corey possessed were impressive. She was lucky to have her grandfather around.
Half a smile formed and lingered fleetingly for Corey, tugging one side of Serge’s mouth up as he served himself and passed a dish over. “Not all,” he clarified for Eli, “But many. Survival, yes; rifle and knife, tracking, concealment, fishing, crafts… others, she taught herself.” The half smile returned and grew, though again, not for long before Serge buried it behind a bite of rice. “She was the first I had seen use a sling since much younger days, and better by far.” Which probably sounded like utter praise or flattery, except that Serge didn’t really do those things. It was just truth; his granddaughter was more dangerous with a leather strap and lump of ore than most people would be with a loaded gun.
Corey was blushing. She was willing the color in her cheeks to die down, but that wasn't happening fast enough. She was smiling, too, at both of them. When Serge mentioned that he hadn't taught her everything, she was honestly wondering what it was he might say he didn't teach her. Then, of course, the slingshot. Coming from him, what he said was glowing, even if he wasn't overstating things or getting into it. She still knew it for what it was - high praise. "You taught me all the most important stuff." she told him. "And I still got it, my shot. Even while hunting in the rain." she said with a grin.
“I’ve seen her with the slingshot,” Eli said with a small smile, recognizing the praise and agreeing with it completely. “I’m hoping she’ll teach me, but I don’t think I’ll ever be that good.” It took a focus that Eli didn’t have in battle, but maybe he could handle it while hunting. He was better with a bow or a crossbow, hunting-wise, but preferred hand-to-hand combat when it came to fights. Then again, he hadn’t fared near as well against a wolf.
“‘Ever’ is very long,” Serge pointed out as he cut into his chicken and dug in, “And diligence rewards the patient. Corey made great strides in five years, try for something similar.” He’d undergone a similar transformation in his youth, with military training transforming an impoverished young man into a lethal, efficient hunter. Eli apparently already had some potential, and if Serge’s fears about the wolf attacks were true? He might’ve had other advantages waiting. “If there is time between classes and work, I see no reason you could not help with instruction,” he told Corey, daring to give that tiny encouragement to whatever was happening here. He’d talk with her about more serious, private matters later, but for now? He liked seeing her get something sane in her life.
"Oh, that's already on the books." Corey assured him. "I promised to teach him. We were going to start with target practice. And we still have to go fishing. But hunting was fun. He was good." she told Serge, as she gave Eli a smile. "And this is really good," she added.
It was the patience Eli would have to learn, as he already had a steady hand and good aim. He wouldn’t have been any good with a bow if that weren’t the case. “I hunt with the bow,” he said, glancing over at Serge, but smiling at Corey’s complement. He didn’t have training, so for her to think he was good meant quite a bit. “Thanks. It was fun. The hunting. We should do it again sometime.” He liked watching Corey hunt more than the hunt itself. She was so light on her feet, the prey never saw her coming. “None of us had training, so I figure we must be decent since we didn’t starve.”
Giving a curt nod at Corey’s praise, Serge was intent on his meal as he looked between the two teenagers. It seemed like they were a good influence on each other, which really? Was the reason Serge had sent Corey here in the first place. She needed people her own age, needed to learn better socialization than he could ever teach her. It was a shame it had taken this long for her to find someone like Eli, but at least she had. “Bow is quick teacher,” he told Eli with an approving nod, “After the string skins your wrist two, three times? You learn very fast.” And he liked hearing that Eli could hunt for himself, too; it was crucial to his approval that any boy who fancied Corey not be useless outside of Delphi’s comforts.
"We'll need to, I'm going to want rabbit stew again sometime here." Corey said with a little laugh. Internally, she was just happy that this seemed to be going really well. Like, even better than she had imagined it would. She'd figured that it would be okay at least, she hadn't forseen disaster at all, but they seemed to be getting along just fine and to be on the same page. She couldn't have asked for a better set up.
“You do learn fast,” Eli said with a nod of agreement. He still remembered the red whelps he’d received after snapping that string against his skin. The pain of making a mistake was more effective than missing a shot. “I’m always up for your rabbit stew. It’s way better than mine.” Eli hadn’t been the cook in the group and hadn’t learned the best ways to season food. He thought Corey might get along with Liam in that regard, or Audrey. “Are you all moved in?” he asked Corey. He would have liked to have helped, but he was too busy recovering.
For his part, Serge was more than content to just observe as he ate. Neither of them needed his lecture about how little Corey had to move from her house, or how possessions just slowed you down. Eli got that, Corey definitely got it; they were just being social. And even if Serge wasn’t any good at it? That didn’t mean he had to ruin it for Corey.
Corey ate some more, and grinned. "Well good then, because it's top of my list of things to cook." she told him. "It's what I do best. So hopefully you aren't expecting anything else of merit." she said with a laugh.
“I think having one good dish is pretty good,” Eli smiled, a natural reaction to hearing her laugh. It was a sound he hadn’t heard often, but was always pleased to hear. “I’ve learned some good recipes for fish, but it doesn’t make a good stew.”
"You'll have to make them sometime, I'd love to try them." Corey said. They'd eaten a lot of fish over the years too, sometimes that was what you had in an area. Corey's pallet was pretty wide, in way of what she would eat. In fact she couldn't quite name anything she wouldn't. You just learned not to be pickey when you were wandering through a zombie wasteland.
“How about after we go fishing, since then we’ll have fresh fish?” He’d planned on making a picnic, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t carry on over to dinner. The idea of a picnic just amused him, since that was basically how every meal was set while they were outside the dome.
"Sounds great." she said. And really that would be sooner than she'd thought. Eli was healing up in record time, so they wouldn't have to hold off on fishing. It would be just fine, probably soon. So, she was looking forward to their first official 'date' getting on track.
Eli couldn’t believe that he had a girlfriend and was planning a date. It sounded like something out of someone else’s life, definitely not his. He kept thinking that he wouldn’t know what to do, but with Corey it seemed to come naturally. He gave her a little smile, then took another bite of his food, finishing up his dinner. “This was really good,” he said, “thank you again.”
It was definitely heartening to know that Serge had faded from focus as the two of them sat there talking and planning, tuning him out and just getting to act their ages for a few moments. He didn’t indulge foolishness, but this wasn’t that. “A friend of Corey’s is always welcome,” he told Eli, reaching across to claim cleared plates and stack them with his own, “And it is good that we may meet, yes? There are matters here in Delphi that Corey should know of, and her friends as well.” Though she made it sound like the plural wasn’t needed, but either way? Serge needed to spread the knowledge around.
Corey looked up, a little surprised, but not fully. She knew shit was going down. She'd just been waiting for him to let her in on what it was. It hadn't occurred to her that he might not know.
“What kind of things?” Eli asked, turning just slightly to watch Serge as he cleared the table. He was used to helping with such things, living with a group, but wasn’t sure what his place was as a guest in Corey’s house.
“Vampires,” Serge said without preamble, without a flicker in his expression that might’ve made the word some kind of joke. “The bats from some days earlier, when the doors sealed… they carry a new pathogen of some nature. Those bitten by them have changed,” he explained, reaching under the table to dig out the little mirrors he’d pocketed for this inevitable talk. “They burn in daylight, they have no pulse, feed on blood, and do not reflect. I know this for fact; I have killed one already.”
Corey looked at the mirrors, and took in what he was saying. "What happened with you killing one?" she asked, knowing she would need to process the information more properly later, but for her, she always plowed straight ahead first. If Serge was telling her this then he meant it, and he wasn't a crazy person despite the whole bit where it sounded crazy. That part didn't matter. It had to be true. Which meant she would need information, and she could kinda freak out about it later.
Eli was trying to process this all. They had just gone from pleasant dinner conversation to fantasy talk that reminded him of Finn. If Serge started talking about elves and mages, then Eli was going to have to excuse himself, no matter how serious Serge seemed. Corey had never mentioned her grandfather being delusional. “I thought all the people bitten by bats died,” Eli said, not wanting to be argumentative, but needing more information.
Which was exactly why Serge hadn’t bothered telling the other cops in Delphi yet. That kind of comment right there. “Not permanently,” he corrected without glowering, reaching out to tap one of the mirrors, “And over the next week, three people die from bursting into flame in broad daylight, three more bodies are found drained of blood. A coroner is attacked while investigating one. I study areas of discovery, find likely hunting ground and draw target out… I put arrow through a man’s throat and he does not die, or even fall. Not until I stab his heart.”
His jaw set for a moment, stern and imposing as he looked to Eli, wanting to share his theory about what the younger man’s future might hold, but biting it back. “I did not believe it before then, not truly. But is happening here, among us. I have found others, and they are no threat, but some will be. You must be aware for the day you find the ones who see you as food, or the day they find you.”
Corey sensed the tension rise up, but kept her own head level. "What's the rundown?" she asked. "Strengths, weaknesses. How much is like the movies?" she asked. "We've got sunlight, if they burn up. And they can take more than a normal person..."
While Eli continued to listen, this was a difficult conversation for him to take. He felt like he needed to take it back to the group and get their assessment, which annoyed him. He should be able to figure this out on his own. If it was zombies? Sure. But vampires were something different. “Did you have to use a wooden stake? Do we know about crosses or holy water? Garlic?” he asked, though the conversation felt like something out of a movie. Vampires? Really? He supposed that after the zombies, anything was possible.
“My knife,” Serge answered Eli first, “A stake would catch ribs.” Which he felt was just common sense, even without the vampiric aspect thrown in. “What I know is little, for now. There are others I will speak with who know more, but for now? They are quiet creatures, their senses are sharp, they do not need nightfall, only cover from the sun,” Serge explained, remembering Zania out in the overcast rainfall, “They can be hurt enough to die without destroying the heart. And while I will follow the old stories for avoidance, I would not trust survival to them. Denying invitation may work, running water may not. Garlic may, grains of salt do not. And holy symbols?” He had to smirk darkly for just a moment, head shaking as Serge rose from his seat to grab the dirty dishes. “I have not survived this far from faith in God or his trappings.”
Corey fell silent, processing. She glanced at Eli, to see how he was doing, and he looked like he was having a rough time. Which was probably more normal than her taking things in stride. "How much danger do you think we're in?" she asked Serge, even if her gaze was still on Eli. He'd just gotten taken down by something and she wasn't in a hurry to see anything else going at him.
Corey asked the question that mattered most and Eli looked to Serge for an answer, his hands balled into fists in his lap. He didn’t like being taken by surprise and he supposed this was better than being caught off guard, but that didn’t mean it was an easy pill to swallow. “You said these people were bitten by bats, so it could be anyone in the dome? Maybe even people we know?” One girl stood out in his mind, a girl from school who avoided the sun with her big black umbrella. She was weird, but Eli had never considered her a threat.
“Very possible,” Serge replied, again to Eli as he lingered where he stood. He wondered if maybe he should’ve kept his mouth shut until he had more facts, but what if something went down? He couldn’t handle the idea of being responsible for harm finding her because he wouldn’t speak up. “Watch those you know, see if they avoid daylight… carry a mirror, check reflections. As for danger? There is risk, but I think it is low,” he admitted, “Every casualty is one less food source, as is every conversion. These creatures must realize this, and that will limit the feeding.”
"Hopefully logic reigns." Corey said with a sigh. "I'm guessing you'll want reports of anyone we find without a reflection." she said, only saying it for Eli's benefit. She would be reporting back regardless. But Eli could too.
It was the zombies all over again, the idea that the people he’d come to know and love could be looking to kill him. Eli had flashes of his brother Jonathan killing his mother in the kitchen, though she was already dead. Was this just a different form of the virus, if that’s what it was? A different form of dead looking to eat them? The paranoia that he’d almost escaped was creeping back towards him, making him wish for a weapon at his side. That would not be appropriate for the dinner table, he was sure. “Do we have any idea how much blood they need to survive? If it’s too much, then this is a numbers game, isn’t it? It’ll only be a matter of time before they either kill or starve.”
Nodding at Corey’s assumption, Serge hoped it had filtered with Eli. He recognized the look on the younger man’s face; the look of too much information being given and colliding with private thoughts. It wasn’t a good thing to see, though it did make Serge think Eli might believe him. “I know of one of them who feeds sparingly, through others who are helping see to their hunger,” he offered, careful not to give any details about Zania, “If it were a greater hunger, we would be seeing more corpses, or reports of attacks from them.” Which had been December’s first fear, that all of Delphi would be turned on in a matter of weeks. “I do not think this the end of this place, but it must be watched,” Serge stressed, looking between the two of them, “Corey speaks highly of you, Elijah, are you capable of this if you find it in Delphi?”
“Of reporting vampires to you?” he asked, wanting to make sure he understood the question. His own strategy was generally to deal with an issue directly, not to report it to someone else, but he didn’t want to stand up to the man when things had been going so well. For the first time that evening it didn’t feel like he was having dinner with Corey and her grandfather, but with Corey and a figure of authority. He had to remind himself that this was for Corey’s safety, that he shouldn’t rebel just because Serge was asking him to do it. It was a request, not an order. “I can do that.”
“Good,” Serge confirmed, nodding smartly to Eli. “And if you find trouble, do what you must. Do not hesitate simply because this threat can beg for mercy if you best it. It is still a predator.” He knew he’d have to step up his work, though; more confirmed names to watch, more details about their capabilities and weaknesses. He couldn’t work from his gut if he was involving either of them… “If there is legal trouble in the course of this, I will do what I can,” he added, “There is some room for maneuvering.”
Internally, Corey knew that would be the hard part. If the vampire started talking. People talked, even if they'd fully intended on doing terrible things to her. But if they got caught, got taken down, then they begged. Then suddenly they were sorry. In the end she merely nodded, taking everything on board. She also quietly reached out and put her hand over Eli's, just a brief touch, but she felt like the connection needed to be reasserted.
Eli needed that touch, even if he didn’t know it until it happened. This was a lot to take in and he had a lot of questions, though he thought some of them would work themselves out the more he thought about it. He hadn’t ever been in a situation where he had to kill a human that was still talking like a human. Zombies had been hard at first, but he’d gotten over it after they killed the people he loved. He suspected that as soon as someone he cared about was in danger, he’d get over it then as well. “But not all of them are a threat, correct?”
Watching the little war of Eli’s thoughts play out in little facial cues was fascinating, and Serge could almost remember being in that spot himself. Never with vampires, of course; he’d been long-accustomed to killing by then. “Correct. Many are not, I feel. This is why I watch, to see who preys on citizens and who feeds safely. An attack or death will be dealt with, anything else is not my concern.” Zania was safe, Mannix was safe, and two others were dead now… but how many people had even been infected at first? Serge wasn’t sure they’d ever have a reliable number to work against.
"I'll keep an eye out at school, at the library. Places you aren't going to frequent." Corey said to Serge. "Eli can help at school, and see if anyone's acting weird at work too." she suggested. "And you say you know some who are okay? Or that's what I'm getting...I want to know who does fit the safe list. Just in case." It was always better to know.
It reassured Eli to learn that not all vampires were dangerous, but that reassurance also came with the realization that he believed Serge. There were vampires in the dome. Not Finn’s kind of vampires, which might be followed by dragons or trolls, but vampires that used to be normal people not a month ago. Eli was quiet, listening and absorbing, nodding when Corey said he could help out at school and wondering if Serge would tell them who he already knew was a vampire.
“Not yet,” Serge answered, head shaking at Corey’s request. He didn’t expect either her or Eli to like that, but ultimately he had his reasons. “I will speak with those I have confirmed first, and ensure that discretion is maintained.” Rather, he’d tell Corey later. He knew she could follow any strictures he laid out, but Eli was an unknown factor even if Corey had some kind of kinship with him, and the edge in the young man’s eyes left Serge wondering what he might do in a dangerous situation. He wasn’t about to put Delphi’s safety at risk for his granddaughter’s crush.
Corey nodded, even if she wasn't pleased with the answer. The world didn't work like that, you weren't always going to get told what you wanted to hear. So, she didn't make a fuss about it. Sometimes it just worked out that way. Then she looked between them both. “Any more serious stuff?”
“I think I just need some time for this to all sink in,” Eli admitted. Maybe it was easy for Corey, but Eli didn’t like how close this was to the fantasy world that Finn lived in. It felt a little too much like his friend might be right, even if he knew that wasn’t the case. Vampires could be a very real threat, but that didn’t mean they were a merry band of travellers that needed to kill any threat that came their way. Serge was not giving him a quest. Eli knew the man would only tell them this if he was absolutely certain that he was right, but it was still a lot to swallow. Perhaps he just needed a bit of time.
“Time is something we have,” came Serge’s acknowledgment as he left it at that. If Eli could accept it and get on board, they’d find out how capable he was. And if not? Serge was confident he could adapt his plans. “But during this time, be cautious. Be vigilant. I will wait, they will not,” he urged before stepping into the kitchen, dirty dishes in his hands. “The rest of the evening is yours. There are preparations I must see to once I am done here,” Serge called from the kitchen, figuring it’d be a fine parting gesture. Corey could spend some time with Eli tonight, but soon there’d be another talk to have…