Free Project Ouroboros by Kseniya Makovetskaya Page B

Aleph slept El’Athar realized that dark thoughts that had accumulated during the evening in the back of his mind fully occupied his mind. He couldn't get out of his head the video, wounds of the young men, especially a deep cut under the shoulder blade, strange sensations somewhere in the solar plexus, so disturbing and sticky, as if something very important and scary was about to happen, but in fact day after day nothing had happened. It was so sickening that an open bottle of spirits was not long to come up, and on the background of the quiet sniff of Aleph sip by sip, it emptied.
    El’Athar wasn't afraid to wake his ward, he turned on the television and blankly watched the spots on the screen, sitting at the edge of the couch on the floor.
    Consciousness was clouding with each sip, but was it getting better? Much tormented special agent for many years, so many questions remained unanswered, so many fragments of memories and some strange imagery came to mind, but El’Athar did not understand what they were about, did not remember anything, could not catch a single frame in his head to see it clearly, every time there was only finish left, tart and pinching as if he had forgotten something very important, as if his life had begun a few years ago.
    All this did not allow to breathe, and only now, when he first saw the case of  "Merkaba" this darkness began to disperse, there appeared hope that it would help him to understand not only the secrets of the government, which had tried many times to destroy him, but the truth itself. El’Athar liked the word 'truth', as if it could answer all his concerns as a key to the enchanted door. Only the nerves were damaged so that only liquor helped with neurasthenia, it had in recent days not only been soothing, but also a good sedative.
    At first it seemed that the shower can relieve the severe headache and remove the circumstances of the sleepless night, but it didn't get any better, the sound of running water was only annoying. Maybe it was also the fact that El’Athar recalled that in three days it was Tekhina's birthday. And this was the very moment when he wanted to see her the least of all, and to explain why he did not pick up. To tell Ami that he didn't feel anything for her, and her behavior and falling in love just caused annoyance, would be unpleasant. And, to speak frankly, the company of a TV set, a sofa and a bottle of rum seemed much more attractive to him than their meetings from the very beginning.
    What was Tekhina thinking when she got involved in this? Did she really think that someone will just help her with her research? But now to pull Ami out from "Enki" was impossible: Aine Soph was too well aware that he could never find a better specialist in neuroscience.
    After showering El'Athar began treating Aleph's wounds, as promised. When finished, he pulled the first available T-shirt stretched under the arms and his favorite jeans. And then he left hurriedly.
    Even if not called by Aine Soph El'Athar would still prefer to leave, the feeling of helplessness was too much for him. It was impossible to go back to the past and to get rid of all that Aleph had to endure in the "corner of Dr Moreau". But the agent could not bear to accept the incident. The day before, he was struck dumb like a fish, and the lump in his throat prevented him from breathing, but El’Athar had no choice but to pull himself together.
     
    — Mr Aine Soph? — Rada showed the breathless Special Agent into the office.
    — Sit down, El’Athar — said Director General to the agent pointing on the chair across from his desk. — You are late.
    — Excuse me, new concerns — sitting, El’Athar shrugged.
    — As I promised, a cash award in the amount of one salary was transferred to your account.
    — I would in any case fulfill all your orders.
    — Caring for Lamashtu is not the responsibility of the security officers.
    — I am grateful to you for all that you are doing for me, Mr Aine