Episode 41 - Overtaker
“Oh, my,” the Overtaker said, setting his elbows on the desk and leaning his face in his hands. “How long has it been since you’ve walked in this store, my lord?”
I just glared at him as Sebastian closed the door behind us. “Don’t get cocky. I came for answers.”
He just giggled and stood up straighter, stepping a little over to the side and adjusting his items back in place. “Of course, I suspected so.” He then glanced over at me. “But, alas, I’m afraid nothing in this world is free.”
Sebastian just stopped by my side, remained silent, but alert.
“What do you want?” I demanded angrily, lashes lowering. “Ten thousand?”
He made an impatient sound. “I don’t want your money, my lord. There’s some stuff that’s priceless. And… what information I’m guessing you want is priceless, indeed. I must ask for something else, something in return.”
“My lord promises no immunity,” Sebastian said then, tone dark in warning. “We will never trust that you will not betray us.”
“Oh, my, no, that’s not what I’m asking at all,” Overtaker said then, smirking as he looked up at Sebastian. “You remember my favorite form of payment, don’t you, Sebastian?”
His lashes lowered in response.
“Ah, yes, you do,” the Overtaker said then. “After all the times Ciel demanded information, I’d only request one thing.” He winked. “A joke.”
I blinked.
“Hold on… what?” I stammered for a moment. “All you want is a joke in return for all information on Edward and the father? You’re so loyal to them and that’s all you want?”
“Jokes are priceless indeed,” the Overtaker said then, hopping over the counter and sitting on it. He kicked out his legs in excitement. “The world is so boring now-a-days. All politics this, and all angry customers, that. What can I do to get a few laughs?”
Sebastian just watched him. “If I tell you a joke, you will give us all information on The Father and that lousy demon?”
“Indeed,” the Overtaker said then.
Sebastian sighed then. “Master, I must ask for you to wait outside for a minute or two.”
I blinked and gazed over at him. “Huh?”
“Please,” he said gently, lashes lowering when he glanced at me.
Two minutes later, I was standing outside the shop nervously, rocking back and forth on my feet at silence emanated from the shop behind me.
But suddenly a burst of laughter boomed from the store, echoing through the entire neighborhood, making me wince and cover my ears.
I could almost feel the streets crumble with how loud he was laughing.
When he finished, I uncovered my ears, immediately glancing at the door to find Sebastian opening it.
“You may come in now, master,” he said, eyes closed as he smiled.
I blinked and stepped in the building, brows drawing together when I found the Overtaker hunched over the counter, slamming his fist on the granite while continuing to snicker.
“He will tell us anything now,” Sebastian said, closing the door behind me.
I just blinked.
What… did he say to him?
I pushed the thought away, wondering if I even wanted to know.
But I stepped further in the room. “Fine then, out with it, Overtaker.”
Another two minutes later, Sebastian and I were gathered on one side of the store counter as the Overtaker leaned onto his side, cheeks in his hands.
“What do you know about the operations Overtaker?” I demanded then, lashes lowering. “All operations on those doll-like creatures? Are you apart of them?”
“Who, me?” Overtaker said then, giggling as he tapped his toes against the ground behind him. “I am mainly the constructor. I make the parts, the body parts for that father persona. I have no interest in his or her climactic event.”
I just watched him carefully. “Parts?”
“Indeed,” Overtaker said then, standing up straighter with a smile. “Back in Sebastian’s time with Ciel, I loved to toy with souls… of the living. But here in this modern era, I find machinery far more fascinating. And in order for me to keep this store operational, I must take customers even with the most bazar of demands.”
Sebastian spoke up then, “What parts do you make for them?”
Overtaker stood then, stepping over to an open-faced cabinet and pulled off a small, thin motherboard. “Ah, the brains of those beasts.” He ran his fingers over them. “Human brains are so complicated, I’ve been trying to find ways to replicate them… but nothing really comes to terms with my desires. There’s still so much we don’t know about them.” He set the motherboard back on the shelf. “That ‘father’ persona merely asks me to make motherboards for him, ones to wire to human brains. He asks for machinery to keep the bodies alive while the human remains dead. That is all I do. That is my part.”
“You want nothing else?” I questioned then.
“I honestly find his interests boring,” Overtaker said then, glancing over at me with a smile. “I make the parts; the client does what they want with them. I have finished making parts for that father figure. So, I have no personal connections to him or her.”
My lashes lowered. “What is your stance, then? Are you with us or against us?”
“I am neither,” he said then, smile widening. “As said before, I am merely a machine-maker. I serve no purpose in this task, I just make the parts.”
“And the ship?” Sebastian said then. “Why were you there pretending to be Claudia?”
“The father figure asked me to disguise myself for her,” Overtaker said then, smirking. “Madam Claudia suspected she was in danger, so she sent me instead. I owed her a payment after one of my parts faltered. It was my mistake, and it destroyed some of her creations.”
I narrowed my eyes, and arched my brow. “So what does Claudia want with these machine people? What is the purpose?”
“Why, curiosity, my lord,” Overtaker explained, snickering. “One cannot resist toying with mortality. The brains of people are so complex and so interesting, but modern laws prevent humans from toying with them. Brains can be so easily damaged. Madam Claudia wonders how far she can go… to create creatures of the dead, without them actually being dead.”
“And you expect us to believe you’re not a part of this after that… zombie apocalypse you started a century ago?” I demanded. “You were toying with souls, too.”
“As I said,” Overtaker said then, smirking, “I love machines now. I am no longer interested in human souls. My interest lies in machines, and only machines. That is it.”
I watched him for a moment. “Why is she making towns of them, then? Does she wish for an army?”
“No,” Overtaker said then, “sometimes… in order to make the most obscene and perfect creation, you need endless parts. Just think,” he tapped his forehead, “how many dolls have you actually seen?”
I blinked and shrank back on my feet.
One.
Eileen.
He smiled and stood fully. “Does that answer your question? Eileen Christopher might’ve been the father figure’s first working creation, but she is far from perfection. Madam Claudia must continue trying until she masters her creatures.”
I watched him suspiciously, but just turned. “Let’s go, Sebastian.”
He bowed. “Master.” And he sent Overtaker a warning look before following me out the door.
“No matter how much I despise him, Overtaker is not my problem,” I said as we walked down the street. “He serves no purpose for murdering. Edward and Claudia are the dangers now.”
“I must agree, master,” Sebastian said quietly.
“Edward might be in on this for Claudia’s soul,” I said, lashes lowering when we made our way back to the car. “That is my suspicion.”
“Indeed,” Sebastian said, “he might be in it for her soul, but he has yet to sign a contract with her. It is merely empty promises, I’m afraid.”
“He does not want to be bound to her,” I said when Sebastian opened the back door for me. “She is merely a back-up. He wants my soul more.”
“Hi, master!” all four servants said at once, moving over so Sebastian and I could sit down.
Sebastian crawled in after me and closed the door behind him, lightly tapping the front window before the car started moving. “All the more reason to rid of him.”
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