Page 90 of Dark Island: Rescue
Was the guy too mad to realize that Navuh didn't care about any of that?
"Are they dangerous?" Navuh cut him off.
Eluheed nodded. "They're very dangerous. Their collective mind might find a way to transcend these walls, and it might be even stronger, enough to overcome yours, my lord. If they succeed, the island will be theirs. If I were you, I would stay far from this laboratory and not even watch live stream from the surveillance cameras, only recordings. Distance matters."
He could see the calculation in Navuh's dark eyes. The lord was weighing his options.
"We need to keep them heavily drugged," he finally said to Petrov. "If their individual minds are compromised, so would be their collective."
Petrov nodded. "That's a good idea. At least until I find a way to control them."
Evidently, he wasn't as crazy as he appeared, and he was trying to buy himself time. The Russian lived as long as he was useful to Navuh. If the lord decided to terminate the experiment, he would no longer have need for him.
In the meantime, though, the enhanced ones might seize control of the island despite the precautions Eluheed had advised Navuh to take. If that happened, Tamira's worst nightmares would become true, and he couldn't allow it to happen.
"I think you should cut your losses before the situation becomes catastrophic, my lord." Eluheed kept his voice calm, reasonable. "These soldiers are not tools you would ever be able to wield. They're becoming toodangerous to contain, and I fear what will happen to everyone on this island if they manage to wrest control over it."
"I am not afraid of my own creations." Navuh's tone carried a warning.
But Eluheed had too much to lose to back down. "With all due respect, my lord, perhaps you should be." Eluheed knew he was pushing his luck, but he'd seen and felt the power of the hive mind. "I know that you are not afraid for yourself, my lord, but think of the ladies. Think of Areana. We had a preview of what could happen if these monsters take over."
That hit home. Eluheed saw Navuh's expression flicker, saw the concern he couldn't hide when Areana's safety was mentioned.
"Zhao created an army of monsters for you," Eluheed pressed. "Monsters that will rise against their creator and win. The safest thing you can do is terminate the experiment now, before it's too late."
The silence stretched long enough that Eluheed began to regret his boldness. Navuh had killed people for less than suggesting he'd made a mistake.
But then, surprisingly, Navuh nodded. "Your honesty is refreshing, Elias. Most people tell me what they think I want to hear."
"I'm not most people."
"No, you're not." Navuh studied him with those ancient, calculating eyes. "Come with me. There's someone else I want you to meet."
They left Petrov in the laboratory muttering to himself and got into Navuh's black SUV.
They didn't speak during the drive, and although Eluheed was curious about the person Navuh wanted him to meet, he didn't ask. Navuh was deep in thought, and he hoped the lord was considering his suggestion of terminating the experiment.
When they got to Navuh's mansion, the lord led Eluheed up the familiar stairs and down the familiar corridor, but instead of entering his office, they continued two doors down and entered a much smaller office that was nevertheless decorated in the same stark minimalism as the rest of the mansion. Black and glass furniture, white walls, and a few pieces of modern art. A man sat behind the desk, and when he looked up, Eluheed saw keen intelligence and calculation in his eyes.
"Losham," Navuh said. "Meet Elias. Elias, this is my son, Losham. He's my right hand. Until recently, he was managing my affairs abroad, but after the rebellion, I brought him here to run the restoration effort."
Losham stood, extending his hand. His grip was firm but not aggressive, and his smile was polite but not warm. He wasn't nearly as impressive as his adoptive father, but he was still an immortal, with the youthful, healthy appearance Eluheed had learned to expect from them. "I've heard much about you, Elias. Lord Navuh speaks highly of you."
"Thank you." Eluheed pulled back his hand.
"Elias and I have just come from the laboratory," Navuh said, settling into one of the chairs and waving for Eluheed to take the other. "I want your opinion on the enhanced soldier situation."
Losham's expression remained neutral, but Eluheedsaw the slight stiffening of his shoulders. "What would you like to know?"
"Elias believes I should terminate the experiment. He says that the enhanced soldiers are too dangerous to keep, and he doubts Petrov's ability to find a way to control them." Navuh's tone was casual, but his eyes were sharp. "What do you think?"
Losham was clearly uncomfortable being put on the spot. "I would need more information before offering an opinion, my lord. If they are contained, we don't have to make rash decisions."
"They've developed a hive mind," Eluheed said, deciding to be direct. "Their individual consciousnesses have merged into a collective that's impenetrable, which makes them impossible to control. Right now they're contained, but that won't last forever. They're growing stronger by the day, and their hive mind might transcend the walls holding them."
"I see." Losham's fingers drummed once on his desk—a quick, nervous gesture as quickly controlled. "What is Petrov's assessment?"
"Petrov thinks they're a fascinating case study," Navuh said dryly. "But he's too busy theorizing about quantum consciousness to come up with the solution he promised me. I'm still hoping that he will deliver on that promise. That's why I'm not in a rush to terminate the experiment just yet. I want to give him a chance. Elias thinks that I shouldn't take chances with the lives of everyone on this island." He leaned forward. "He fears that their collective mind will somehow manage toovercome mine even from a distance, and through me, they can control everything on the island."
