I got my hoodie on and went out.

I took off until I arrived at an alleyway where I had the location for the pickup set up. I didn't need them to know my personal address. Though I have to admit if they tried hard enough it shouldn't be a problem.

However, the Dilberts weren't that diabolical. After all their company was one of the pillars that aided in sustaining humanity for as long as they could.

It didn't take much time before a large SUV dropped by, it was your typical pretty expensive-looking, black, and darkened glass type of SUV, the one you see in movies and often used to kidnap people.

The door opened up for me to enter, an invitation without an invitation. So I took it and got into the car.

The driver didn't look back at me and drove off after I closed the door.

We drove through downtown for a bit, though the traffic was awkward, it soon won't be an issue anymore.

We arrived at the residence of the Dilberts, far away from the private hospital where John Dilbert was in.

I knew this would happen but I prepared accordingly.

The car door opened up for me to leave, and once I was out, I looked up to a massive mansion with two special security members standing on the door's entrance.

One of them spoke into his sleeves, reporting my arrival at the house.

It took a few minutes before a butler came out the front door and invited me in.

I followed after the butler who took me through the massive hallway of the mansion.

Noticing my lack of interest in the absurdly expensive decoration the butler spoke "You seem rather used to luxury perhaps, not many would not spend a second or two wondering how expensive these vases and paintings are."

I sorted in retrospect to his statement and replied, "Material object's value is only decided by the people who value such work. One day, the only use of these paintings will be firewood to keep one warm from the cold bite of winter…" though my words were spoken as if reminiscing about the past, the butler took them in a rather not so nice way.

"You seem to find art rather distasteful, that would be rude to speak of the hard work of people as nothing but firewood." The butler said.

I stopped moving, and the lack of another pair of boots stepping on the expensive hardwood of the mansion was loud enough to have the butler stop and turn to look at me.

"You believe that this art here has value?" I said.

"Of course, it is of the greatest value it represents mankind's ability to turn the intangible and abstract to physical form."

"Yeah yeah, you and all your fancy words." I said, "But answer me this. Strand two people in an arctic desert, one, the poorest person in the world, and the richest man in the world. Give the rich man all his material belongings, and give the poor man nothing. However, they have no food or water. Then, can you answer me, how valuable is that art?"

The butler looked perplexed at first and tried to come up with an answer.

"Alfred… don't, he already trapped you with that question. It's not something that can or should be answered… Lucas, I presume." Spoke to a woman who looked far too mature for her age. She was the same age as me that's for sure, but running a company at such a young age, and with the pressure of her father's imminent doom at hand, it's bound to wrench away the joys of life from a person.

I nodded at the woman, and said, "Money is good to have, I'll never say no to free money, don't get me wrong," I told the butler, "But at the end of the day, money is nothing but a tool to subvert Time. Money can get you a car that you need to save up for ten years to get. That's it. it's nothing less nothing more. Money is time, and in a world where money has no value, money-" I pointed at the painting, "Is nothing better than firewood."

The woman came down the stairs and said, "You seem to know a lot of things." She said.

"I've been around," I said.

"You know what's wrong with my father." She said.

"Yes."

"You can cure him?"

"Cure him? he isn't sick though…" I said.

The butler frowned, "Young man, I've heard that you were invited to help sir Dilbert and now you claim he isn't sick, are you a swindler?!" the butler said.

I didn't reply to the butler and looked Vivian in the eyes which were as blue as the ocean, it took me a while to get my bearings before I said. "He never was sick, and all the doctors in the world will have said that he has nothing wrong with him. Yet, they can't help the seizures can they."

Vivian nodded.

"What he has isn't a sickness. And I'm sure you've seen many, many cases like this." I said.

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"None of them woke up, and after thorough investigations, many of them had experienced the symptoms you said will happen. Seizures, bleeding, and lastly cardiac arrests." Vivian said. the last word, however, she spoke reluctantly.

"So, I presume you brought me here instead of the hospital for a reason," I said.

"You're sharp." She said.

"And I suppose the guards outside are a way to intimidate me into giving you the answer to this very deadly riddle. But don't worry, I'm not planning to hold off the answer however, what I'm about to say might sound like the words of a mad man."

"Speak then," Vivian said.

"Oh, definitely not. There are some things I need before I give you the answer." I said.

"What speak, if it's money, you can name your price."

I snorted, "After all the stuff I just said you think I need money?" I said.

"Then what can one of the richest people in the world give besides money?" Vivian said.

"Favor. A favor that I'll be calling when the time is right. That's all." I said firmly.

"Your words sound like a deal with the devil…" she said.

"Right now, the Devil is your only salvation, because God will soon give up on this world." In the last sentence, I spoke rather in a hushed way, however, I'm more than certain that Vivian picked it up.

"How sure can I be of this 'treatment' you can give," Vivian asked.

"How long has it been since he had his last seizure?" I asked

"About two hours now."

"Good, perfect timing even, I believe you can contact the hospital right now right?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Ask them to place as many flowers and roses as they could put next to your old man."

Vivian frowned.

"Trust me, you won't regret it." I said.

For a girl, her father is her pillar, him gone would destroy her world, and for even a sodding chance at him getting better, she'll turn the world upside down.

Vivian made the call and invited me over to sit at a table with her facing the other way around.

The butler served us some drinks, and I enjoyed a taste of good expensive alcohol.

"You seem rather relaxed and enjoying your drink, so much for the esoteric personality," Vivian said.

"An offered drink shouldn't be ref-"

"Refused…" she finished for me.

"That's what my father used to say. How do you know that." She said.

"What can I say, great minds think alike," I said.

Not before long, Vivian's phone rang.

It was the hospital, the moment she picked up the phone, her facial expression changed, "Are you certain!" she said.

Then she looked at me like I was some sort of monster.

"What? It worked didn't it."

"How did you do it?" she asked.

"Oh, I've done nothing," I said, "And this is only temporary, you should head to the hospital, you have about an hour tops," I said.

"An hour before what?"

"Before he goes to sleep again," I said.

"Come with me." She insisted.

"With pleasure," I replied after downing the drink then stood up.

She walked hurriedly towards the exit, and I followed after her.

We got into a limousine that drove us all the way to the hospital, it took some time and especially with traffic, Vivian was feeling anxious if she were to get there late. Just from the way she was gripping her fist tightly one could see the concern in her eyes.

"Don't worry, we'll make it," I said.

And soon traffic jams seemed to get less and less and the car began zooming past everything until we arrived at the hospital.

If it wasn't for keeping her 'dignity' and appearance as the 'princess' I would swear that she would be leaping and running to get faster to her father.

But she kept her calm and walked confidently as I followed after.

The receptionist welcomed Vivian and once she saw me again, I grinned in her face.

Frustrated that she can't kick me out this time, she just gave up and had me go along with Vivian.

We arrived to the floor where her father was placed.

There were many people there, probably company shareholders who heard of John Dilbert's 'Miraculous' recovery and were here to be the 'First' to welcome him back to health.

Bunch of hypocrites, but I wasn't one to talk.

"I told you before, visit hours are over, you can't get in there, let him rest please!" a nurse spoke.

But once she saw Vivian, her complexity changed.

"We can't allow anyone in right now please," she said.

"Get…out… of the damn way!" Vivian said.

A doctor soon came by and intervened, "Kathy, let her in. only family members though, and please try not to agitate him much, he is still having a hard time trying to talk." The Doctor said.

Vivian walked in and I was stopped by the doctor, "I've never seen you before, who are you?"

Vivian turned back and said, "He's family," she said.

"Excuse me then," I said to the doctor and got into the room.

Once inside I was honestly surprised by how many flowers, they had placed in his room it was a bit too much even. However, it did its job.

"Dad!" she said as she gazed at the frail appearance of her father, fully tubed up with life sustain machinery

"Vivian…" her father spoke rather weakly.

"How have you been…" He said.

And for the first time in my life, this one, and the last one, I've seen the cold queen cry.

Apparently, the sight of her meek-looking father was too much for her to bear. This only made me feel a bit bad about myself since I know he could get up on his own, but it would be a long while before this happens.

The absence of John Dilbert caused a lot of strife in his company for the couple few years to come.

A youngster managed to take the opportunity to control his company in his absence and even caused the 'disappearance' probably death of Vivian later on. And when Dilbert woke up and took back control, he had no one to offer his company to as he was alone in the world.

A sad story, for a man who did so much for such an ailing world.

"Who is this…" her father said as she finished weeping.

"Ah, I'm sorry… this is Lucas Newman"

'Oh, they know my last name so they did a background check already'

"Your boyfriend?" he asked.

"No" she immediately refused.

"But he seems to know about your condition."

"Oh, I suppose these flowers have something in them that's why I woke up.

'Sharp as always,'

"Something like that, but their effect will soon wear off and you'll fall asleep soon again," I said.

"Ah, is that so? I suppose waking me up was for a reason…" he said.

"Yes," I replied firmly.

"What I'm about to say will probably sound very absurd… however, if you're willing to believe me, things will change," I said.

I then turned to Vivian and said, "I know you don't trust me, but I'll have to ask for your cooperation for this, could you please give me a moment with your father? I'll leave soon after and you two can talk all you want."

Vivian hesitated for a moment, before she looked at her father, "You said you can help him."

"I can, and I will."

She took a deep breath, "I'm only doing this because you seem to know what you're doing and managed to wake him up, but if something bad happens to dad… I'll end you." She said.

I didn't take the threat seriously, but still, I respected her wishes, "Nothing bad will happen." I said, "Now please." I said.

Vivian stood up and left the room, and immediately after, the swarm of people there began asking her who I was and how well her father was. Sharks…

I turned my head to the ailing man.

"So… ready to make a deal?" I asked

Though I didn't realize it, I probably had a nasty grin because the moment I finished my words.

"Hah, seems like a Devil's Deal. Right, what are the terms," he asked.