Thursday March 20, 2014 8:05 AM EST – The Compound – Old Saybrook, Connecticut


Things around the Compound have been very different since Sebastian and Mr. Supernova took it upon themselves to screw with the space time continuum. As far as I can tell the only real drawback to all of this, if you can even call it that, was the discovery of a time vortex in the crib of my nephew, Sebastian’s son, Thaddeus. Don't get me wrong, I love my nephew, he's a great kid but screaming babies that are up all hours of the night, it get's old, fast. From what Jake has told me, he approximates that Thaddeus is somewhere in the future, several hundred years in the future. That's not to say he is several hundreds years old however, just that there is a significant chance that he is older.

As for Caitlyn, she has been a bit of a wreck. Which I can understand, a mothers love is, well, a mothers love. But I am confident as I am sure she is that Sebastian will bring her son back to her. Caitlyn was very reluctant at first to accept me as a brother in law which was while I understood it, was a bit frustrating. However, after a few months she has begun opening up to me more and more each day. She has even helped me to understand Sebastian a bit better as she has shared details about Sebastian’s life, things he had not told me and probably never would have. Perhaps one day I will use some of this information when I am in the middle of a heated debate with my older brother. Perhaps not, though the look on his face when I bring up some of his more embarrassing moments would make it all worth it.

Another thing that has had the compound abuzz is the return of Caroline Martin, my mother to Sebastian and I's fathers life. Many people have known the pain of having to live with the memory of “the one that got away”, very few have been able to get them back. My father is fortunate to have been able to do just that. How very fortunate he is.



ENIGMA: “Good morning father.”

ASMODEUS: “Good morning Eric.”

ENIGMA: “I understand that you are going to be visiting mother again today.”

ASMODEUS: “That is correct, would you care to join me?”

ENIGMA: “I would love to drive you to the city, but while you are there with mother I have some other things I need to attend to.”

ASMODEUS: “I see.”

“Is everything alright?”

ENIGMA: “Yes.”

“Father can I ask you something?”

ASMODEUS: “Always.”

ENIGMA: “As Sebastian tells it, you and he have conspired to murder many people over the course of time to ensure that your, our way of life was not compromised."

"In some cases it was because you believed that they simply were not ever going to be able to accept what it was that our family does."

"Do you ever consider the lives outside of those you end that are effected by your actions?"

ASMODEUS: “That is a very interesting question, though I am not sure that it is any of your business.”

ENIGMA: “I disagree.”

ASMODEUS: “Why are you asking me this?”

ENIGMA: "Why are you refusing to answer the question?”

“I am simply inquiring as to whether your penchant for murdering those you deem unfit will ever come to an end?”

ASMODEUS: “Murder is such an ugly word.”

ENIGMA: “Perhaps, but in this instance it is the correct word.”

“Are you going to answer my question or not?”

ASMODEUS: “I am not.”

ENIGMA: “Why is that?”

ASMODEUS: “Because you need to trust that what your brother and I do is in the best interest of this family.”



I can sense my father’s growing frustration with this line of questioning but that will not stop me..



ENIGMA: “I see.”

“Would you be opposed to me discussing this with Sebastian?”

ASMODEUS: “Why are you so concerned with the well being of people you have never met?


ENIGMA: “For several reasons.”

ASMODEUS: “And they are?”



Let’s see how he likes it when I play his game of purposeful vagueness.



ENIGMA: “Not of your concern.”

ASMODEUS: “I see.”

“Then perhaps it would be best if you keep them to yourself and trust that Sebastian and I have already discussed this issue and we are both happy with the outcome of that discussion.”

ENIGMA: “And what if I told that this line of questioning has less to do with, from my perspective, complete strangers and more to do with my mother?”

ASMODEUS: “Your mother?”

“How does any of this have to do with your mother?”

ENIGMA: “Come now father, you are an intelligent man.”

“Surely I do not need to spell it out for you.”

ASMODEUS: “I do not appreciate your tone.”

ENIGMA: “And I do not appreciate your reluctance to answer my questions.”

ASMODEUS: “It is not reluctance that you sense.”

“I simply believe that the topic you brought up is one that concerns your brother and I, and only us.”

“Now as for your mother, what does any of this have to do with her?”

ENIGMA: “As I said, you have killed many people because the were not ready for this life, what happens if you make the same assessment of my mother?"

“What will then stop you from doing the same thing to her that you have done to others you had no real connection with?”

ASMODEUS: “I could never harm your mother.”

“For over 3 decades not a day went by that I didn’t think about your mother.”

“The pain I felt for letting her leave was very real, so much in fact that I would never commit any act against her that could bring that pain, and worse back.”

ENIGMA:: “So this is about you not wanting to be in pain?”

ASMODEUS: “No, that’s not what I am saying.”

ENIGMA: “That is what you just said.”

ASMODEUS: “I suppose if you want to warp the context in which I said it than sure, you could come to that conclusion.”

“I have finally gotten your mother back, something I never thought would happen, now that she is back in my life I don’t ever want to lose her again.”

ENIGMA: “And what if she decides that she is not fit for this life, much like you believed others to be when you conspired to end their life.”

ASMODEUS: “Then she will be free to leave.”

“I will not harm your mother, you have my word.”



Words are meaningless, we both know this but something in his face tells me that he truly believes the words he is speaking, he has no intentions of harming my mother.



ASMODEUS: “That being said, I think you are underestimating your mother a bit.”

ENIGMA: “In what way?”

ASMODEUS: “I think Caroline is more fit for this life than you believe her to be.”

ENIGMA: “If my previous life has taught me anything it’s that my mother is very good at hiding the truth and shielding her emotions.”

“Two things that are extremely handy in our line of work.”

ASMODEUS: “You are absolutely correct.”

“It is for those reasons and so many more that I feel very confident in saying that given time Caroline will join us here at the Compound.”

“And when she does, our family will finally be complete.”

ENIGMA: “I see.”

ASMODEUS: “Trust me when I tell you this Eric, I want nothing more in this life than to see our family come together and take our place in the annals of history.”

ENIGMA: “And what will they say about us father?”

ASMODEUS: “That we were the First Family of Darkness.”

“That we did what we needed to, to ensure the survival of our family and our way of life.”

ENIGMA: “I see.”

ASMODEUS: “Not yet you don’t.”

“But in time, you will.”

ENIGMA: “Very well.

ASMODEUS: “Now it is time for me to ask you a question.”

ENIGMA: “Of course father.”

ASMODEUS: “Your mask.”

“Why do you continue to wear it while inside the walls of The Compound?”

“Everyone here knows who you are, what you look like.”

ENIGMA: “The mask… it is as much a part of me as my name, my family.”

“It is who I am now.”

ASMODEUS: “Not it is not.”

“It is a disguise.”

“It is a convenient excuse, nothing more.”

“You are Eric Duke, you are Sebastian’s brother; you are my son that is who you are.”

ENIGMA: “Does my mask offend you?”

ASMODEUS: “The mask itself does not.”

“Your insistence that the mask is anything more than what it is, I find to be very offensive.”



While I appreciate my father’s honesty, it does not make the words sting any less. I could try and explain it to him but I don’t think he would understand, and if by chance he did, I do not think it would change his opinion at all. So instead I will just nod my head and politely smile and hope that he will take the hint and allow for a swift change of subject.


Nod…

Polite smile…



ENIGMA: “When will you be ready to go into the city?”

ASMODEUS: “20 minutes.”

“In the meantime, can you please take my bag to the car and alert Jacob of our impending departure?”

ENIGMA: “Absolutely.”



I picked up father’s bag and carried it from his private residence to the car. While doing that I spot Jacob walking out of the residence, Caitlyn at his flank. They two of them are discussing something, my guess is Jacob is reassuring her that everything will be alright. Rather than risk interrupting their moment I made the decision instead to enter the residence and inform Matthew of my father and I’s impending departure. He can fill Jacob in when he is able to do so.



Fade to darkness.