Chapter 16 - The Wager
"I would like to propose a wager," Jason began, his voice infused with a confident edge. "If, by the end of today, I can conclusively demonstrate that these familiars are indeed a part of my skill set, I win. However, should I fail to do so, you win. How does this arrangement sound?" He inquired, a glimmer of challenge dancing in his eyes.
Danika regarded him, her curiosity piqued. "Very well," she replied, her tone carrying a hint of scepticism, "but what exactly are we wagering on?"
Jason took a thoughtful pause, realising the need to make the outcome enticing for someone who appeared to possess almost everything. She seemed the type who relished authority and control, so he ventured, "Should I win, I shall make but one unbounded, yet reasonable request, with the stipulation that it will not involve your possessions or lifestyle. But if you win, you can step on me or something."
A sly smirk graced Jason's lips as he presented this offer. He left a moment of silence, inviting Danika to interject.
Danika's laughter, tinged with the delight of a woman accustomed to wielding power, echoed in response. "High stakes indeed," she admitted, her gaze never wavering from Jason's. "No no, in the event that I am the victor, you shall be tasked with cleaning my house meticulously and grovelling before me for an entire weekend," she declared, her voice carrying a commanding tone.
Jason couldn't deny a slight hesitation at the degrading terms, but his confidence in winning was unshaken. He met Danika's gaze with a smile and a nod, sealing the agreement. "Deal," he affirmed, taking her by surprise with his immediate consent.
"Jason, I have found something," called Malcolm, interrupting any further conversation on the matter.
After Jason and Danika exchanged a glance, they approached him, eager for the revelation. "What have you found?" Jason inquired.
Malcolm delivered his findings with a touch of frustration. "The girl has been well taken care of, erasing any traces of her previous locations. However, one detail has survived—there is foreign skin under her fingernails. Analysing that has yielded intriguing results."
Impatient for answers, Danika pressed Malcolm to elaborate. "And?"
"The individual she scratched resides within the Bass residence. Unfortunately, with so little to work with, that's the most I could determine." Malcolm continued.
Danika absorbed this information, her mind working to refine their search. "A mole in the Bass residence," she mused. "While it doesn't narrow it down much, it does provide a starting point."
"And whoever she scratched, the wounds have long healed by now," Malcolm added with a hint of resignation.
Jason turned to the professor. "Do you have any findings?"
The professor's voice held a note of uncertainty as he responded, "The curse isn't a single entity but a complex interweaving of multiple curses. I'm still working to understand its nature."
Given the timeline of the abduction, connecting the curse to the mole in the Bass residence will prove challenging. Unless the professor discovered a guaranteed way to remove it, this lead appeared to be a dead end.
"Very well, keep up the good work," replied Jason encouragingly.
Jason left the professor to continue his research and turned back to Danika. "Malcolm, please come here if you're finished," he instructed, to which Malcolm complied, standing before them.
"Danika," Jason began, "can you apply your ability to Malcolm?"
Danika paused, attempting to use her ability but with a frown, admitted, "No, but this doesn't prove he's your familiar. You likely have an ability blocker or something."
Malcolm, though aware of the situation, remained silent, though not entirely pleased with being referred to as a familiar.
"Jason attempted another angle. "Malcolm, are you a part of my ability?"
"Malcolm responded, with a hint of nervousness in his voice, "Yes, I am a part of your ability."
"Danika, unswayed, retorted, "That's still not convincing. All of this could be fabricated or manipulated."
"Fine," Jason proposed, a plan forming in his mind. "I want you to thoroughly scan this room at your leisure. The door will remain closed. Once you're satisfied that there is no one else here, I'll summon one final familiar. If you still can't detect anything, you must concede that I am right."
"Fine, if you do, I will concede, but you won't be able to fool me, if you have someone hiding, I will find them," Danika responded confidently. She spent the next five minutes meticulously sweeping the room for hidden individuals. Convinced of her thorough search, she returned to Jason with a satisfied smile.
"Alright," she declared, "you can't deceive me now. Proceed with your final summon."
"Liz? Can you appear please," Jason requested.
Liz appeared before him, still transparent and wearing a frown. "You woke me up; I'm still tired from the other night's quivering," she complained.
Jason shot her a warning look, silently pleading for her to cooperate. "Not now," he conveyed silently.
"Having issues?" Danika inquired, her confidence unwavering.
"But I don't wanna," Liz complained.
"Liz, not right now, please," Jason said aloud.
"But I haven't even put on makeup," Liz grumbled, looking fatigued and dishevelled.
"Liz!" Jason exclaimed loudly, startling Danika slightly.
"Fine," Liz grumbled, appearing before Danika and placing a hand on her own face as she yawned. Danika cautiously approached Liz and reached out to touch her, checking if she was real.
"Hands off, G.I. Jackass. Only Jason is allowed to touch me," Liz commented. Malcolm burst into laughter, and Jason suppressed his amusement, not wanting to embarrass Danika further.
Danika, though amazed, remained sceptical. "Okay, you've demonstrated a neat trick, but I still don't concede. If you can do it once more, then I'll believe you," she declared, believing he had exhausted his tricks.
"Talon? Please appear," Jason requested. Unlike Liz, Talon manifested immediately, tipping his hat gracefully. "How can I be of service, Jason?"
Danika's astonishment was clear as day, her awe rendering her momentarily speechless as she stood rooted to the spot, staring at Talon in disbelief.
"Do you believe me now?" Jason asked, spreading his hands in a show of victory.
Danika sighed, and an angry look appeared on her face. She seemed like an honourable woman, so she would likely keep her end of the deal, but it appeared she hated losing. "Okay, you win this round. I don't know how you're pulling off these tricks, but I set a condition, and you've met it. Your one wish is my command," she admitted, her tone shifting from anger to resignation.
"Excellent. I appreciate an honourable adversary," Jason replied, offering her a small bow.
"But don't think you can wish for something distasteful. If you do, afterwards, I'll find you and turn you into a fine paste," she warned, fists clenched and determination burning in her eyes.
"Of course," Jason acknowledged. "May I state my wish now?" he inquired.
She sighed, agreeing to hear his request, preferring clarity over lingering uncertainty.
Jason's smirk grew wider. "I want you to go on a date with me to locations of my choosing, wearing a dress. We'll eat and drink until I decide we're done," he proposed, his plan falling into place perfectly.
While he had contemplated asking for something more intimate, he didn't fancy being turned into a paste as a consequence. This way, he could genuinely score on his date, and Danika wouldn't feel wronged.
"As much as I despise the idea, you're not being distasteful... yet. I accept," she replied, her tone begrudging.
Jason considered this a victory—after all, a "yes" was a "yes," even if it was accompanied by the phrase "despise the idea."
"Excellent," he replied with a grin. "We'll arrange it soon."
Suddenly, a deafening pop shattered the room's tranquillity, and the professor was hurled across the room, crashing into a wardrobe. The impact shattered it into pieces, sending robes scattering like an explosion of feathers. Jason quickly remembered the professor couldn't die, but that experience was likely very painful.