Damon indeed looked better than he did when he was with the group. He was certainly more well-built, probably having hit the company gym.
Mike didn’t let that get to him, though. He looked Damon up and down, scanning him in case he held a special spell that would go off on him when they were alone. Seeing nothing, he beckoned the boy upstairs.
Damon followed meekly enough, looking all around. “I’ve seen all this before,” he said. “You’re taking me to the sleep chambers.”
“Not to sleep,” he said. He stopped him in front of one of the sleep chambers. “Step inside.”
“What will happen?”
“Just a scan. See if you have any tech.”
Damon handed over the phone. Mike took it, and waved him into the chamber. Damon hung his head and stepped inside. Mike shut the seal and stood outside the door, waiting. The scanner looked for anything metal, similar to a TSA screening. It x-rayed him and Mike glanced at the miniature picture of Damon. No, no metal on him. He undid the seal, and let Damon step outside. “Am I clean?”
“From what I know,” Mike said. “You remember your dad dying?”
“I remember you. I didn’t like you.”
“Still?” Mike chuckled. “Fine. We can get along that way.” He started to walk away.
“That doesn’t mean that I don’t now. Why are you doing this? If I didn’t like you, why are you helping me?”
Mike turned around. “You’ve been hurt by someone who’s out to hurt me. I’m responsible for the condition you’re in.”
Damon looked down. “Oh.”
“I think you should rest though. Maybe some memories will come to you in dreams. I’ve got the perfect place for you.”
He brought him back through the base, through a set of double doors and down a corridor. Damon looked around, almost like a tourist. “The Atrium.”
“Yes,” said Mike, and he pushed open a pair of mahogany doors. The scent of a forest immediately came out, and Damon inhaled deeply. A blond man stood at the entrance of the Atrium, shirtless and barefoot, dressed only in a loincloth. “Dammit, Casey, can’t you get dressed?”
The man chuckled. “I am dressed. Who’s this?”
“Damon, meet Casey. Casey, leave him alone. I want him to get some rest.”
Casey nodded and walked away. Damon stared after him. He watched the man’s muscles move under the skin, and realized he was getting a tent in his shorts.
“Here,” Mike held a flagon in his hand that had suddenly appeared. “Drink this.”
“Is that to put me to sleep?”
“Yep.”
Damon took the flagon in both hands and drank deeply. “I think I’m going to need it.”
“You should have sipped it, because – ”
Damon stumbled and Mike caught him.
“- it works fast.”