A. H. Wong

Chapter Twenty

 

Master John's Record

 

April 15th, 2012: Things Will Fall Into Place

 

I know what must be done. I know the kind of things I have to do, and while I am not entirely pleased with this reality, I cannot wait to see my plan take shape. I cannot wait to see how they react.

 

Taylor has spent too long without his intelligence, without his skill, tested. It is high time that someone like myself steps up to test him. I can't wait to see how he reacts.

 

He has created a good kingdom for himself here. He has found a girl he loves, who loves him back. He has found people he adores, and even begun to make friends that he cares about. In fact, he is going to have some serious problems. And, so, he is going to have a plentiful amount of fun....

 

First off, I must take down Janelle. I must take apart her relationship with Maverick, which will lead to the eventual insanity of Beatrix. I will cause Beatrix to lose both of her closest friends, and Martin-if he agrees-will help to annihilate her relationship with Taylor.

 

I cannot wait to watch Taylor dance for me.

 

Especially when he figures out the real reason Janelle 'attempted to kill herself'....

 

~Not Long Later~

 

Everything is falling into place. No one suspects me, and Maverick is beating herself up. Janelle cannot remember a single thing from her attempted suicide-a certain drug in her food, and a certain bit of cash paid off to the doctor, can do remarkable things. I have already heard the rumor mills thriving with talk of her attempted suicide-and every single bit of it is anti-Maverick. Beatrix is already caught in it; she is undoubtedly feeling terrified and alone.

 

As cruel as this is to do, this is going to be the most fun I have had in years.

 

Enough fun to make up for all of the annoyances of running this place. As much money as I get from all of my...side business, it is still not worth all the time-sink. It isn't worth the frustration, dealing with Taylor, talking to people, dealing with Taylor, helping people with their mental problems, dealing with Taylor....

 

Nothing I have gotten from my experience as the owner of this place was worth dealing with Taylor. Absolutely nothing.

 

One day soon, I hope Taylor realizes just how much I truly hate him.

 

I hope he realizes just what I have planned-and just what he is going to have to do to prevent the kind of things I want to happen.

 

One of these days, I want him to feel the kind of terror he deserves to feel.

 

One of these days, I am going to make him cry.

 

~

 

Master John's Record

 

April 17th, 2012: He Has Walked Right Into My Trap

 

Everything has fallen into place. I caught him discussing with Beatrix his love for her, and how much they care for each other. I cannot believe how easy this is. I really, really can't.

 

It makes me so very happy to watch this. I cannot say how long it has been since I had this much fun....

 

Now, of course, my next step is to ensure that Taylor, Beatrix, Janelle, and Maverick leave the Agency.

 

The second they do, I will have a monopoly on everyone in the Agency.

 

And they will be able to see everything I need them to, if they are to take the Agency for Unwanted Children down.

 

~

 

Taylor's Log:

 

Entry Date: April 18th, 2012

 

Entry Title: Things I Cannot Say to Beatrix

 

I know what Master John wants. He wants me to dance for him. He wants to test me, and he wants to see me struggle. He want me to prove to him I am a brilliant man, and make me suffer. He wants to make me feel pain, and he wants to see me do that soon. He can't wait to see me hurt.

 

I want nothing more than to show him how much a fool he is for doing this.

 

So, if he wants me to dance, I'll take Beatrix as my partner. I'll twirl and leap with her, using her mind as my weapon. I will use his impressed nature with her as my weapon, and I will use the Agency's reliance upon me as my sword. I will dance for him. I will be his puppet.

 

I will do whatever it takes to see just what he wants of me.

 

And, as much as I hate to say it, I think I know what he wants. I think he wants Beatrix, myself, Janelle, and Maverick thrown out of the Agency. I think he wants us to do something for him, or....

 

Or, he could want us dead.

 

I know we are a threat to him. Janelle and Maverick are talented killers, Beatrix is the only one with a functional heart, and I am his leading therapist. He is impressed with our minds, and I know for a fact that he wants to see us in pain. I know he wants to watch us dance.

 

So, what is it that he wants us to do for him?

 

Does he want us gone so he can control the Agency, without fear of any troubles, or....

 

I don't know.

 

I truly don't know.

 

What I do know, however, is what I saw in that hole. As much as I hate to admit it, as much as it fills me with hatred, I know exactly what I saw.

 

I just wish I could believe it.

 

~

 

Taylor's Log

 

Entry Date: April 21st, 2012

 

Entry Title: A Dance Will Be Held

 

Some time ago, Master John and I had discussed holding a dance for the Agency residents. Now, in three days, this dance will be held. Posters are already being hung around the Agency, and several residences are taking their people out for dress-shopping. People are asking others out for dates, and there is a feeling in the air reminiscent of a high school.

 

In the lower-age residences, there is going to be a separate dance. It will also contain more child-friendly elements, as Master John and I both agreed that the dance would be boring for them. There will be a magic show, a clown, balloon animals, and the like.

 

There will, of course, be drinks and food available for the attendees. As there will once again be themed dance rooms, the kinds of food will vary. For example, in the Venetian room, there will be a variety of fish-themed dishes. (Yes, there will be breath mints available for those who choose to dine there). There is also a Japanese/Asian style room, which does-of course-contain various kinds of sushi and rice. I am especially looking forward to the circus-style dance room, which will have a variety of deep-fried items that should not be deep-fried.

 

I will quite enjoy those deep-fried options....

 

But, enough of that. The reason I am encouraging this dance is because I have plans for it. Not only do I plan to dance with Beatrix for it, but I also intend to use it to showcase my abilities. I already am fully aware that there will be fights during the five-hour dance, and I intend to act as mediator. I also intend to go among residents, and slowly win them over to my side. Seeing as Kevin is gone, and it is extremely unlikely that he is still alive, I will have an easier time of this.

 

I will NOT have a repeat of what happened to Daniel.

 

~

 

Taylor's Log

 

Entry Date: June 20th, 2010

 

Entry Title: A Dance of Souls

 

Today was the dance. Today marked the downfall of Daniel, and the rise of Kevin.

 

It also marked my downfall.

 

I failed in my mission. Kevin took control too greatly. He is a charmer, possessing the skills I lack. He also simply moved faster, and his existence as a Plucked Feather Residence draws them closer to him than my existence as a therapist draws them to me. As much as I wish it was different, there was absolutely nothing I could do that would change the reality of what had occurred.

 

What occurred was Kevin's complete, and utter, destruction of Daniel.

 

Daniel made himself an easy target, it seems. The young man, despite being just as clever as I, was far too new here. Therefore, he lacked the experience. Kevin's control of the rumor mills, which he has been running for some time now, led to Daniel's destruction.

 

A single well-placed rumor that Daniel was a spy was all it took. And, all it took to cause that rumor to take place? A single misplaced comment by Daniel about the camera he found in the Agency.

 

Naturally, when myself and some others checked for the camera, there was none to be found. So, Kevin phrased it so  the 'spies in the Agency' were using Daniel to make sure no one knew there were cameras. After all, if everyone disbelieved Daniel about the camera, it apparently only follows that the spy-plan is working.

 

The second doubt was placed in people's hearts, it caused the seed already there to grow. Their own mistrust of him, born of his intelligence, was enough to cause every single person to back off from him.

 

He got into several screaming fights during the dance today, and it was only through my own actions that he was not struck. In fact, if I had not remained close to him throughout the entire event, I do not doubt the fact that he could have been killed.

 

Or, worse, killed another.

 

I do not know the consequences of such an action, as a murder among Agency residents has not occurred during my time here.

 

I do not see it as something permit-able, however.

 

Meanwhile, Daniel is terrified. He approached me after the dance had finished, requesting a meeting with me. When I invited him into my office, he took great care to ensure that no one saw him entering. He seems to be wary of being seen with me, which is something I certainly understand. If I was in such a volatile position as his has become, I would take great care to not associate myself with anyone as unliked as I.

 

Daniel told me that Master John has approached him. He was told that he was walking upon very thin ice, as the Agency for Unwanted Children 'does not appreciate those who start wars'. Master John has, once again, missed the obvious reality of Kevin overtaking my rule; and has, of course, moved on to despise the one person who might be able to cease Kevin's reign.

 

Exactly what Master John threatened Daniel with filled me with a sense of dread.

 

I quote what Daniel told me: "Daniel, if you do not fit in better here, you will be thrown from the Agency."

 

Now, that in and of itself is not terrifying; an escape from the Agency could almost be seen as a welcome thing, if one does not suit it well. Meanwhile, what he is actually saying is that Daniel's life is at risk. I know this due to a previous conversation with Master John, which I will write in my notes below:

 

Me: "Master John, I must ask you. What would happen to a resident, if they broke our rules?"

 

Master John: "They would be thrown from the Agency, of course."

 

Me: "Yes, Master, I am aware of that. But is that all that would happen to them? What if, say, a Plucked Feather resident were to be thrown from the Agency?"

 

Master John: "A Plucked Feather resident is always a Plucked Feather resident, Taylor."

 

Me: "Yes, that is truly sensible, but what do you mean?"

 

Master John: "Don't you get it, Taylor? If you aren't a Plucked Feather resident any longer, you are nothing."

 

If a Plucked Feather resident, whether or not they have gone on a job, is thrown out of the Agency for Unwanted Children....

 

Master John will have them killed.

 

Daniel has already told me that he does not have much faith in his ability to remain a resident here, as he has already been isolated by essentially every other resident. Even those on other floors have taken to treating him like he does not exist, and I know for a fact that he is suffering. His isolation is causing him a great amount of pain.

 

He had such high hopes for this place, he told me once, and now he feels like he was blindsided. He had come to the Agency the way many others do-with hope in their eyes. They have heard often about how great things are here, and the press coverage of the Agency's 'extremely successful' school system has people hoping for the kind of lifestyle denied to them. In other residents, I have seen that hope come true, but not....

 

Not in the Plucked Feather residence.

 

God forbid these poor souls ever have hope, for it will be stolen from them by Master John's bloodied hands.

 

~

 

Taylor's Log

 

Entry Date: April 30th, 2012

 

Entry Title: A Fallen Daniel

 

This is the entry I never hoped to record. These are the words I hoped to never see upon the page. This is the story I never hoped to tell.

 

Daniel is deceased.

 

He was found hung in his bedroom, his bedsheets bound around his neck. The other end of the makeshift noose was bound to the bars on his windows.