Project Servile : Defect [Book #1] ✔ Complete!

➽ F o u r t e e n : Plans and Breakdowns

"But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated." 
-Ernest Hemingway

"Madelyn, what are you talking about? Why are you so frantic?" Helen looked at me as if I were about to explode right there in her study, which honestly was exactly how I felt at that moment. I almost couldn't get the words to leave my mouth.

"When a substance is in a human's blood stream, it can affect the drinker right? What if we sent, someone willing of course, to Denallsh and he drank from them while they were under the influence of, say, a heavy duty tranquilizer?" I spoke in a jumbled mess of words, trying to explain. Helen grew more concerned for my well-being when the King boomed from behind, making me jump.

"What nonsense is coming out of your mouth? Do you hear yourself?" He stalked up to the desk, standing right next to his wife. "You want to send an innocent person into his hands? Not to mention, how do you plan on getting him to accept a person's blood while they're incapacitated. By a tranquilizer no less?"

"Self activated capsules. There is a substance that reacts instantly in humans. It can completely incapacitate within a half a second and spreads evenly throughout the body. Immobile and unresponsive in any way." I felt a strong pain in my chest thinking about the substance. My voice grew soft, even to my own ears. "You're aware of everything around you. Anything that happens to you." 

Helen replaced her worried look into one of sadness. Pity. As my time here passes I've grown to despise that look. I shook my head from the pain of the past and willed myself to hold it together, just for a few more minutes. 

"We give the opportunity for a person who is willing to help serve their Queen. I know many people are willing and loyal. They will be told of the full risks, in detail, and if they still wish to help they should." I finished, staring down at the King who had an almost startled look to his expression. 

Under his breath as he looked away from me, I could have sworn he muttered, "It's like she's back from the dead."

Helen pinched the bridge of her nose, something she did when she was thinking. "Okay. Let's give this plan a minute of thought. So we get him to drink the contaminated blood. Then what?"

"I'll retrieve him." I spoke with no hesitation. There would be no exceptions for that part of my half-plan. If it came to whose mind can work quicker, mine was the only one who could come close. Helen admitted that the first time she told me about the gene. 

"Absolutely not!" Helen snapped at me. I raised my eyebrows at her, unaware she was capable of raising her voice that loudly. "That is a risk that we don't-"

"Helen, dear. How many times have you told me that Madelyn has the fastest working mind, in and out of combat, that you have witnessed? Even Denallsh would have a hard time keeping up with her." The King was the most soft spoken I ever heard. It was like they switched places without telling me.