“Is this change permanent?”
“If you want,” said Edward. “Another dose of the potion will turn you back into your old self—but why would you want to be such a small and broken thing, when there is life to be lived and monsters to be slain?”
“When do I get to fight these monsters?” said Daniel.
“When you’re ready,” said Edward. “You’ve a way to go yet. You can make a start by choosing your new name.”
Daniel thought about it, and then smiled.
“Daniel Hyde. Because, basically, I’m still me.”
“Of course you are,” said Edward Hyde.
Chapter Four
AS FIRST DATES GO . . .
“If you’ve finished talking to yourself,” said Edward, “there’s work waiting to be done.”
Daniel looked at him, and then deliberately sat down in his chair again. “I have questions, before I agree to do anything.”
“Really?” said Edward.
He got up and came out from behind his desk again. He sauntered over to Daniel, and kicked the chair out from under him. Daniel fell sprawling to the floor, and then rolled quickly to one side to avoid Edward’s boot, as it went sweeping through the air where his head would have been.
Daniel scrambled back onto his feet, fists raised, and Edward smiled and nodded approvingly.
“That’s more like it. Hydes don’t take shit from anyone. But for now, you take my orders and you don’t argue, because I know what’s going on and you don’t.”
“Like what?” said Daniel, not lowering his hands.
“The Frankenstein Clan is holding its annual gathering right here in London, in just a few hours,” said Edward. “How would you like to go there, and kill every single one of them?”
“Kill them?” said Daniel.
“Does the thought honestly bother you? After everything you saw?”
Daniel remembered bodies strapped to tables with their guts ripped out. Remembered bloody-gowned surgeons bent over a living victim like vultures. Remembered what happened to his friends, and to him . . . But he was strong now. Strong enough to avenge the dead and protect the living. To be the kind of man he’d always wanted to be; the knight in shining armor who slayed dragons. He was ready to take on the Clans, and wade in their blood till every last one of them was dead . . . But just because he’d drunk the Elixir, that didn’t mean he had to be like Edward. He would be Daniel Hyde, the man who made himself a monster to put an end to monsters. He took a deep breath, and slowly lowered his hands.
“I can’t slaughter an entire Clan on my own,” he said.
“Oh, I think I can find someone to help you out,” said Edward. “Can’t let you have all the fun.”
“Hold it,” said Daniel. “The Frankenstein Clan is meeting in London, this evening . . . and I’m told to report here today? I don’t believe in coincidences like that.”
“I’ve been fighting my private war for so long . . . ,” said Edward. “I’ve waded in blood, just to get one inch nearer to my goal. Followed stratagems I knew wouldn’t pay off for generations, just to bring me closer to this moment. You are merely the latest part in a scheme to bring down all the monster Clans.”
Daniel glared back at him, refusing to be impressed or intimidated.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t come to see you? Or if I’d decided not to drink your potion?”
Edward leaned back against his desk. It groaned loudly under his weight.
“In the unlikely event of something not turning out the way I calculated, I do have other irons in the fire. But you seem most likely to approach this task with the proper attitude. I like a man who knows how to hate. So: down to the third floor with you, and make yourself known at door number seven.”
“Who am I meeting?” said Daniel. “Someone who owes you a favor?”
“I own this entire building,” Edward said airily. “The best thing about an extended life like mine is that long-term investments really do pay off. Every office on every floor of this building is a part of Jekyll & Hyde Inc.”
“So this is all just one big front,” said Daniel. “Something for you to hide behind.”
“If you like,” said Edward. “I prefer to think of it as camouflage. All the monster Clans know about me, but they have no idea how big my organization has grown.”
“If you’ve been a thorn in their side all these years, I’m surprised they haven’t tried to do something about you,” said Daniel.
“Oh, they have,” Edward said happily. “I’ve lost count of all the assassins the Clans have sent sneaking in here. But I just kill the killers, eat the bodies, and send whatever bits I don’t fancy back to their Clan in a nice little box tied up with ribbons. Along with a recipe for stew. Now stop cluttering up my office and get your arse out of here. I don’t want to see you again until every member of the Frankenstein Clan has been wiped off the face of this earth.”
“I’m still waiting to hear how I’m supposed to do that,” said Daniel. “Or what a Frankenstein Clan even consists of. Are some stronger than others? Is there some kind of organization? You can’t just send me out there without any information.”
“I’m not. Your partner is waiting behind door number seven,” said Edward. “Along with a detailed plan. And please: no improvising.”
“What if something goes wrong?” said Daniel.
“Then I won’t see you again. Unless the Clan decides to send you back here in a box tied up with ribbons.”
Daniel had time to think, as the elevator descended. The idea of killing Frankensteins lit a definite fire in his heart, but he thought there was a limit to just how much of a monster he was prepared to be. Killing for revenge didn’t bother him at all. Killing to avenge innocent victims—he could get behind that. But slaughtering an entire Clan . . . They couldn’t all be monsters.
The elevator doors opened onto the third floor, and Daniel strode off down the corridor. It occurred to him that it had been a long time since he’d been able to stride. He leapt into the air for the sheer joy of it, and was startled at how close to the ceiling he came. He jumped again, and punched the ceiling with his fist. Great flakes of plaster rained down, and Daniel grinned broadly as he brushed the flakes off his shoulders and then set off down the corridor again. He’d never felt so gloriously alive. Like he could do anything, anything at all, and never have to care about the consequences.
And it didn’t worry him in the least, that the idea didn’t worry him at all.
He finally came to a halt before the right door, and knocked cheerfully.
“What do you want?” said a voice from within.
Daniel blinked a few times. “This is Daniel Hyde?”
“About time,” said the voice. “Get in here. You’re late.”
A great many responses crossed Daniel’s mind, none of them likely to make a good first impression, so he just opened the door and went in. This office was more modern, with stylish furniture, all the latest equipment, and a large, drooping rubber plant in one corner. From off to one side came a series of low thudding sounds, and Daniel turned to see a woman throwing knives at a dartboard. They chunked heavily into the center of the board, each thin blade quivering with the force of its impact. The woman turned unhurriedly to face Daniel, hefting the last knife in her hand.
“Just getting my eye in,” she said.
Daniel nodded, lost for words. At six and half feet tall, the woman was a few inches taller than him, with a physique like a body builder; but she also had the sleek grace of some powerful exotic animal. In her smart business suit and black string tie, she looked seductive and glamorous and extraordinarily dangerous. A great mane of crimson hair cascaded down past her shoulders, her eyes were a fierce green, and her mouth was wide and mocking. And as Daniel stood there, taking it all in, the woman threw her last knife right at his face.