28

Ryan was sitting on the heating pipes in the basement, pupils dilated, eyes wild.

— Ryan...— I hug my foster father, I feel him trembling like a frightened sparrow.

— No matter how many times I shoot at him, he's alive! He gets up all the time!—Ryan hugs me. Too much, but I endure it, even though my ribs are already eager to get rid of his giant hands.

— Ryan, you... Have you seen Mariusz?—I ask quietly.

— Yes...—Ryan nods.

He's staggering and I'm picking him up as best I can.

My hand touches his waist. I feel something hot and wet.

When I look at my dirty hands, anxiety flares up in my heart - Ryan is injured and his blood is now on my fingers!

— Ryan, can you go?—I asked him.

— Yes, it's not very smooth, but I can...—

I led Ryan down one corridor, where there was a back door to Cornelius's office.

I knocked twice and then twice more before pulling the handle.

— It's open!—Cornelius said from behind the door.

I carried Ryan, who had passed out, on top of me.

— Help him! You can do it, right?—I asked.— He was wounded...—

— I know who wounded him, I have seen such wounds many times. Give me him.— Cornelius turned a little pale with fear, but he took my foster father away from me.

I felt like a hundred-ton weight was taken from my shoulders.

"No offense, Ryan, but dragging you is like dragging a ship's anchor!"—I thought.

— How much blood was on the floor?—Cornelius asked, tearing at Ryan's shirt.

— Uh... Alas, I didn't look at it. And I don't think I would have seen it, it was dark. Ryan was sitting on the heating pipes...— I said. - Do you need help?—

Cornelius suddenly laughed shortly.

— Did you sit on the pipes? He didn't break them, I hope?—He sighed.—You can't help me with that yet... It's a matter of two minutes...—

He put his hands to the wound on Ryan's stomach and the familiar black smoke flowed between his fingers.

I've seen it many times, because Cornelius often treated me, but every time it surprises me, as if for the first time.

The wound on Ryan's stomach began to close, blood and black mist seem to mix.

After seeing how the wound was completely overgrown, Cornelius went to the bathroom to wash his hands.

I followed him.

— Did Mariusz hurt him?—I asked.

— Why ask questions that you don't want to know the answers to?— said the beloved.— And Ryan is in good shape. It seemed to me all the time that he was fatter when he was wearing his old men's shirts made of thick fabric...—

I heard a cough.

— Come on, let's ask our Hell's Angel...—I said.

***

On the leather couch, Ryan huddled in a corner, covered with bloodstained shreds of his shirt.

— Adrianna... Cornelius... I hope it's really you this time...—He said in a trembling voice.

— Ryan, I've never seen you so scared... What happened?—I sat down next to Ryan.— You have to remember that I found you at the heating... Did Mariusz hurt you??—

Ryan covered his face with his hands. One sigh, two, he tries to calm down...

I know Ryan doesn't like hugs, but I hug him anyway.

It's so hard for me to watch when he's sick...

I kiss his gray temple, hug Ryan to me, letting him know with all my love, with all my warmth, that it really is me.

— When I went to buy cigarettes at the store, I met you...— He told me softly.

My eyes widened.

— Mariusz... He made copies of all of you... All... of us... And even me...—Ryan whispered.

— Did he survive? Or was it a replicant?—Cornelius sat down on a chair so as not to fall.

— It. Was. Him!—Ryan says softly.— Instead of one arm, a bone saw, no legs, but... It was him!—

I feel like my consciousness almost flew away in an unknown direction.

Cornelius went to the minibar and poured us each a large glass of gin.

Strong alcohol passes into the stomach like plain water, does not intoxicate, does not burn, but at least the hands stopped shaking and the legs walk smoothly.

Darek looked into the room.

— Guys, I've been looking for you all...— He said, waving the envelope.— What a look you have! As if you alreadyy are...—

— Mariusz is alive.—Cornelius said, popping a second glass of gin into his mouth.— What the hell is he alive for! I don't even know what to do now... How to defeat him now...—

***

The evening came very quickly. When it was time for the concert, it calmed everyone down. Even my beautiful Cornelius has stopped being so pale.

— Let's see what it will be...—Cornelius smiled.— Let's see, let's trust your taste...—

Everyone was dressed simply beyond praise today, Darek was in a black leather suit that completely repeated Cornelius' dark purple suit.

Kirby was all in black. He seemed to be in a great mood, but something was wrong with him. There's been something wrong with him ever since I killed Janika...

Adrian came on stage wearing a ghost mask.

Cornelius's eyes bulged in surprise, and Darek laughed, covering his reddened face with his hands.

I didn't understand such a strange reaction at first, but then it dawned on me. "Ghost" is Darek's pseudonym as a killer!

— The song is dedicated to a good man. "The ghost."—Adrian said into the microphone, walking up to the synthesizer.

The music started playing.

I liked Adrian both as a musician and as a person. And his voice is beautiful...

— Now I will always trust you with the choice of music...—Cornelius said with a smile.

— I'm in shock...—I said softly.

I can see that the audience has already been very carried away. And Dariusz kept looking at Adrian doubtfully.

He seems to be trying to remember something...

— Darek, what happened?—I asked him.

— I think I saw him... Well, he definitely remembers me and saw me, my mask is on him now!—Darek sighed.— I just had to remember! —

Even from afar I can see how Adrian's dark brown eyes seemed to begin to throb. The pupils narrowed and widened. I can see very clearly how his pupils sometimes fill the entire iris, then narrow to the size of a sewing needle.

Can aliens really be involved here too?

— Cornelius!— I pull my beloved's hand.— Look at his eyes...—

— I see it... It seems... yes...—Cornelius looks away.— Don't look! It is unknown what will come of it!—

— Yes, probably...—I looked away, or rather, I tried not to look into Adrian's eyes.

— Look, he looks like a spy.—Cornelius points at the man in the black hood with his gaze. He does it so quickly and almost imperceptibly that if any of us had been on the sidelines, we would obviously not have noticed.

— Darek...—Cornelius leaned into his younger brother's ear and whispered something.

Dariusz nods and goes to the bar.

— What did you tell him?—I ask, raising a glass of cognac to my lips.

— You'll see...— my beloved answers me quietly.

Darek, returning with a large mug of beer in his hands, as if by chance pushed the man in the raincoat and slightly doused him.

Cornelius frowned, waiting.

— Oh, I'm sorry!—Darek said, expertly imitating a drunken gait.— I'm sorry, did I ruin your costume? Isn't this real leather?— Man in the suit waved him off silently and motioned for Darek to move away.

— All right.—Dariusz said with a slightly angry look.

When he returned back to the table, he pursed his lips in a childish way and took a box of matches from the vase in the center. A cloud of cigarette smoke rose sharply in the air.

— He's got a mask!—Darek said, exhaling smoke through his nose. His face turned red, either from annoyance or anger.— These are the masks you wore, Cornelius, when you went into outer space. I immediately remembered your video diaries...—

Dariusz took a sip of beer with such insistence, as if he hadn't drunk anything at all for at least three days.

Adrian jumped off the stage and walked towards our table.

I do not know what was going on in Cornelius and Darek's head, but looking at Adrian's strange smile, I wanted to run away.

— Why are you so interested in my father?—Prior asked, landing on an empty chair without asking.— He has problems with his appearance, so he wears a mask. Are there any other questions? Do you have any questions, Dariusz?—

He looked at Darek like that, you can't tell from such a look whether there is love in that look or hatred.

— That's it... Is that your father in the mask?—Darek asked.—With our lives, we are always waiting for a trick...—

— If you try to get to my father again, I'll ruin that face!—Adrian reached out and touched Darek's cheek. A long claw grew on Adrian's index finger.— I hope you understand the hints...—

Darek smiled. It seems that his fear has receded.

— Maybe.— He said. There was a strange excitement in those gray-blue eyes.

— Will I stay at the table with you? I don't know anyone else here.—Adrian said.

— You seem to have already sat down,— Darek said.— And if you're already sitting down, take a chair for Kirby at the next table, you sat in his place.—

— Kirby? It's a strange name for a Pole.—Adrian said.

— Our father is half English, half Polish. And our mother is a pure-blooded Polish woman.— I had a desire to look at the portrait of my parents, but I don't want to show it to anyone else.

My father has beautiful aquamarine eyes that turn green every day, and brown hair. I look like him only in the color of my eyes and hair.

— Dad!—I called out to Ryan.— Come on, don't stand in the corner, sit with us! —

— Is that your father?—Adrian asked in surprise, somehow strangely stretching his words.

— Yes.—I put my arm around Ryan.— Are you tired of standing, Dad? Meet Adrian Prior.—

I saw Ryan's eyes change color to a piercing blue. He... Is he afraid?

He definitely knows something!

— Ryan Carter.— my foster father held out his huge palm for acquaintance.

— I know.—Adrian smiled and shook his hand.— It says on your badge.—

— Oh yeah... stupid badge!—Ryan laughed nervously.

— And my dad knows you, he often talked about you. He said you were a friend of the few in the world.—Adrian looked at the menu, then flipped through it and suddenly said:

— I want the whole menu! I can order it like that, right?—

Our eyes all widened.

— Even I can't eat the whole menu!—Darek said.

— I knew someone who could have eaten more. I've always lost to him in eating contests...—Ryan smiled sadly.

The memories that he and I cherish so much don't elicit the same reaction from Kirby.

Kirby doesn't remember Dad very well.

Sometimes I even envy him.

— I will master everything, believe me. Of course, in one sitting, alas, I will not be able to master it, because I will need to sing...—Adrian looked at me.—And you, Adrianna? What would you recommend to me?—

— Hmm... yes, everything is delicious here. But probably the best dishes are those according to Darek's recipe. That blue page over there.—I said.

— I see. But I'll order the whole menu. I can easily master thirty-nine dishes.—Adrian smiled.