[Chapter 252: Fusion]
Puh! Puh! Puh!
Daniel positioned the probes around the wound with practiced precision, driving each one into the surrounding flesh. The three probes formed a triangular seal around the injury, their engraved sigils igniting with a faint silver radiance.
Michael groaned as his body tensed suddenly, large beads of sweat instantly forming on his forehead.
"These needles have linked with the parasite energy inside your body," Daniel said coldly. "Pulling them out is like drawing out your bone marrow. Endure it."
He held his fingers together like a blade and made a cutting motion in the air above the bloody wound.
"By sealed authority... come forth."
At that soft command, Michael's entire arm began to tremble violently.
The writhing silver-gray flesh, as if pulled by a magnet, slowly began to ooze from the wound as liquid, and fell onto the plate beneath his hand.
Startlingly, it continued to writhe, trying to crawl back into the wound.
Michael let out a miserable scream, his teeth chattering fiercely.
Daniel ignored the pain and formed a hand seal with his left hand, making a grasping motion in the air above the silver-gray liquid, gathering it all into a crystal bottle.
As the liquid drained away, the eerie, sweet fragrance from the wound vanished instantly. It was replaced by the normal, sharp scent of blood.
The silver-gray flesh returned to a fresh red color.
Daniel repeated the procedure to forcibly extract the essence from Debbie's body as well.
...
By the time the two small bottles of Primordial Regenerative Marrow were in hand, Michael and Debbie slumped back into their lounge chairs.
They looked as though they had just been pulled from water -- soaked, exhausted, and staring vacantly ahead.
Casually, Daniel pulled out two low-grade healing elixirs and handed them to the pair.
"One of these costs $100,000. They'll promote rapid healing. Do you want them?"
"Absolutely," Michael gasped weakly, his voice hoarse. "Thank you... Mr. Cross."
He took the elixir and drank it.
Soon, the wound on his arm visibly began to close.
Michael's eyes widened at the sight.
Then Daniel gave the other elixir to Debbie.
Her injuries quickly healed as well.
Though their wounds had closed, their minds still carried the trauma of enduring such suffering for so long.
At least now, the pain was gone.
And they no longer had to fear the Fusion taking hold.
Michael immediately stood and said to Daniel, "Mr. Cross, please wait a moment."
Ten minutes later, Michael handed Daniel a check for $500,000.
He looked at Daniel earnestly and said, "I've included an additional hundred thousand. I know it isn't enough to express my gratitude, but I'd appreciate it if you'd accept it."
Daniel smiled and tucked the check away without a word.
With his status, $100,000 was insignificant.
In fact, judging by his current exorcism level, Daniel should have raised his prices long ago. He kept them low to accept more commissions, encounter more spirits and monsters, and earn merit points.
He accepted the check and said, "I can feel your sincerity. Now that we are done with this, can you take me to that place?"
Michael gave a bitter smile. "Of course. Even though that place terrifies me, I have to keep my promise."
...
Michael's private Gulfstream jet was parked on the simple runway of his estate.
Despite having taken the elixir, his face remained pale. But his steps were steadier.
He arranged for Debbie to stay at the estate and recuperate, then brought two trusted bodyguards aboard to accompany Daniel on the plane.
Inside the cabin, Michael settled onto a large leather sofa, eyes fixed on the rapidly passing landscape outside, worry darkening his gaze.
"Mr. Cross, that patch of the desert in Nevada is desolate," he said. "It's quite far from Las Vegas."
Michael picked up a glass of warm water, his fingers absently rubbing the rim.
Daniel leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, "Tell me, how did you find that place?"
Michael sighed, his voice tinged with regret. "About two weeks ago, I took Debbie there to relax. And also to scout a location for a music video shoot. When we stopped at a small local town to rest, we met a very enthusiastic local man. He called himself Sam and knew that wilderness like the back of his hand. He told us that beneath the red rocks lay a karst cave, considered holy by the Native Americans. The water inside could keep a person youthful forever, and even mend broken relationships."
Michael paused, his voice lowering. "You know, I have Native American blood. And at that time, my relationship with Debbie was very strained. Hearing that word 'mend' sparked in me an odd hope. Sam took us out there, showed us the way, then disappeared. As a result, we got lost and accidentally fell into that hidden cave."
Daniel opened his eyes, his gaze sharp.
"What did this Sam look like?"
Michael thought for a moment. "I don't remember clearly. But when he smiled, his teeth were incredibly white. There was a sincerity in his eyes that made you want to trust him."
Daniel looked at Michael sincerely. "You should be grateful. If you'd found me two days later, you and Debbie would have been completely fused -- turned into an inseparable freak of flesh and blood. Though on the outside, you'd still look human. But that person would be neither you nor Debbie, something new."
Michael's body shook violently, nearly spilling the water in his glass. "You mean... we would have completely fused?"
Daniel answered coldly, "Correct. Everything would have merged. Unless..."
"Unless what?" Michael asked urgently.
"Unless one of you died first. Only death would break that power." Daniel locked eyes with Michael. "Until then, you'd share one circulatory system. You could even feel each other's heartbeats."
Color drained from Michael's face, and he gagged dryly.
He recalled the past days when touching Debbie sent that horrifying sensation of their skin and flesh sticking like hot wax.
If things had really become what Daniel described, it would have been worse than hell.
"Thank you, Mr. Cross." Michael exhaled deeply, his gratitude genuine and profound. "You didn't just save my life; you saved my soul."
Daniel said nothing, turning his head to look out the window.
The plane had now entered Nevada airspace. Below stretched boundless reddish-brown wilderness.
The scorching sun warped the air with shimmering waves of heat.
...
Two hours later, a black Humvee sped across the desert.
Michael led the way, relying on his memory to reach the fatal coordinates.
"There it is," Michael said, pointing ahead. "The rock formation shaped like a camel's hump."
The vehicle stopped beside a dry riverbed.
Michael guided Daniel around several large weathered boulders. They reached a cave entrance, barely visible behind thick bushes.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.
https://discord.gg/HjHHhUXPn7.