Reverse Engineering

"Now he chases me to my room, chases me, chases me
In my black and red dress...

...'You're a murder boy, birthday boy,' I think I said."

The Birthday Massacre, "Happy Birthday"

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They stumbled together across the seesawing deck towards the captain's cabin, Ophelia's heavy boots occasionally colliding with her captor's leather shoes, soaked through in the heavy torrent. He left dark footprints on the deck, though they were instantly cleansed as the water reached across the ship again and again. Dizzy, she held tight to the sleeves of his expensive suit, trying not to think about who it was she clung to.



With one hand, he pushed open the door to the cabin and led Ophelia into the room, gently seating her in a plush chair across from his desk. She took a look around the room and gasped. Spatters of blood gleamed in the dim light of the cabin on the globe, the maps on the walls, dripping off the desk and soaking into the rug. He sat down where the captain once sat, helming the voyage that should have taken her to safety forever.



"Ophelia." The subtly insistent note in his voice compelled her to look up, meeting his familiar ice-blue eyes, obscured slightly by wet tendrils of black hair clinging to his face. "Ophelia, I've crossed three continents to find you, and killed ten men. I would do more."



"I never asked you to," she muttered, dropping her gaze.



"Oh, Ophelia." He shook his head. "You're just like I remember you. A lovely, conceited bitch, with your wonderfully high morals and your overblown sense of self." He put two bloodied shoes on top of the captain's desk. "Not that you shouldn't feel good about yourself. You're a smart girl, Ophelia."



"Alexander, I don't know what you're after--"



"I'm looking for your help. I want to give you a chance on your old project. We could work together again."



Ophelia settled back into her chair. "You want me to get involved with Project Rorschach again."



"Yes."



"I left Project R for a reason. I have a fundamental disagreement with the mission, if I might remind you. Doctor Klein."



With the same sarcastic emphasis in his tone, he answered: "Doctor Knight, I recall your fundamental disagreement with my intent for Project R. But don't you agree that our world deserves better than superstition? Project R can give it to them."



"It can hand the world over to you, you mean."



"Do you think I could make things any worse than they are?"



"Just because people don't understand the things we do doesn't mean that they deserve to die! They're misguided, not evil."



"And this, Ophelia, is where your brilliant mind just fails." Alexander stood. "It's unbelievable, it really is. People shun us for building the things that make their world complete, for understanding the world they touch every day and could never comprehend. Mathematics is the language of nature*. Why not take the place we're owed in the world, by force? Logic has failed, but of course it has. Spilt blood will always convince the masses."



"I understand that superstition shouldn't hold the sway it does. The newfound belief in magic is downright stupid. We agree at least on that. But we can't just kill everyone who thinks that way. It isn't a personal fault. SO many people are just raised that way--"



"We can't convert hearts and minds, all that's left is bodies!"



"And is that what you want? To rule over a planet you've destroyed? You can do it, if you want. Alexander, I've known you for years. I know you can do anything you want to do. But leave me out of it."



"But you know what else I want. I want you."



Ophelia bit her thin lips. "I said you could do anything. I never said you could have anything."



He smiled at her. "I didn't say you had a choice this time. You're going to work with me on this project, and we're going to see it through--together. Now, if you want in on the end result, you can tell me later." From his pocket, Dr. Alexander Klein produced a handgun--a new accessory. "Are we good for now?"



Ophelia sighed. "We're good."



*A/N: These are both references to the Darren Aronofsky movie Pi, which is probably the scariest thing I've watched in a long time and makes even me not want to do my math homework, because I do the same scary obsessive thing and work for hours on end. When I'm not interrupted.



Did I mention I despise being interrupted?