The next day, when Bardi saw Jenny step in to replace Wendy as his English instructor, he knew he was inching closer to freedom. Inside, he smirked coldly.
Even in confinement, the hearts of people were easy to manipulate.
As long as human desires existed—ambition, curiosity, attachment—no prison, no matter how advanced, could truly hold him.
They craved the alien technology aboard his ship. Bardi had no doubt that their ultimate goal was to extract every fragment of knowledge from him. They were desperate, trapped in a technological bottleneck, and he would use their desperation against them.
He would feed them breadcrumbs, small pieces of knowledge, just enough to keep them hopeful but never enough to make them independent of him. He wanted them to cling to him, to depend on him for every step forward in their pursuit of advanced technology.
At first, Jenny treated her teaching sessions with the same detached professionalism Wendy had shown. She brought in cards with English words and phrases, holding them up for him to see while reading them aloud in her cool, emotionless tone.
But unlike Wendy, Jenny quickly noticed something different about her alien pupil.
Every time she spoke, Bardi would respond, not with words, but with subtle changes in his expression. His eyes would soften, glimmering with emotions like gentleness, grief, or wistful nostalgia.
Of course, it was all an act.
But it was a masterful one. Bardi's expressions drew from genuine experiences—his past loves, his betrayals, his regrets. These memories were like tools in his arsenal, enabling him to construct a performance so convincing that it seemed to touch Jenny's very soul.
Initially, she maintained her cold demeanor. But as the days passed, her curiosity grew. What were these emotions she was witnessing? What had this alien experienced to evoke such depth of feeling?
Jenny had spent her life immersed in science. Since childhood, she'd been fascinated by biology, devoting herself entirely to the study of Earth's most extraordinary creatures. Her single-minded passion had carried her through high school, college, and beyond, but it had also left her isolated. She had never experienced romance, earning her the teasing nickname of "The Virgin Doctor" among her university peers.
Now, faced with Bardi, Jenny felt herself drawn in. She had never encountered anything—or anyone—like him before. He was a puzzle, one that seemed to promise endless discovery, not just scientifically but emotionally.
What she didn't realize was that Bardi had constructed this entire narrative for her benefit. He had crafted every look, every gesture, every moment of supposed vulnerability to weave a web that would ensnare her.
Through the one-way glass, Bori observed the interactions with growing satisfaction. Standing beside him, Slade watched silently, his expression hard.
Bori, wearing his usual white lab coat, smiled faintly as he observed Jenny and Bardi. "She's making excellent progress," he remarked. "The alien is finally cooperating. In another month or two, he'll know enough English for us to communicate directly."
Slade, however, wasn't as optimistic. His sharp instincts, honed through countless battles, told him something was off. Bardi's expressions, his reactions—they felt too deliberate, too controlled.
"He's dangerous," Slade said bluntly, his gaze fixed on the alien.
Bori chuckled. "Of course he's dangerous. That's why we have you, Colonel. We trust you to keep the situation under control."
Slade's jaw tightened, but he said nothing more. He continued to watch as Jenny's lessons unfolded, noting the subtle changes in her demeanor.
Jenny, who had always been reserved and distant with her colleagues, was now visibly engaged. She smiled faintly when Bardi responded to her lessons and seemed genuinely pleased when he mimicked a word correctly. Her interactions with the alien were far warmer than Slade was comfortable with.
"She's too attached," Slade muttered under his breath.
Bori shrugged. "Attachment is a tool. If it fosters cooperation, why not use it? It serves multiple purposes."
Slade's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the old scientist. "And if things go wrong? What then?"
Bori's smile didn't falter. "That's why we have protocols, Colonel. Nothing will go wrong as long as everyone does their job."
Slade didn't respond, but a flicker of unease settled in his chest.
Meanwhile, Bardi's plan was proceeding perfectly. Over the course of their interactions, Jenny began to open up, sharing small details about her life, her work, and even the base itself.
From her, Bardi learned about the semi-functional magnetic field devices salvaged from his ship, as well as the progress—or lack thereof—in their genetic research. He pieced together the timeline, confirming that it was 1980, just a few years before Superman would arrive on Earth.
But unlike Superman, Bardi had no intention of being a hero.
He cultivated a careful image for Jenny, presenting himself as someone who longed for a peaceful life, a man who dreamed of walking under the moonlight, holding hands, and basking in the sun. He hinted that he was willing to share knowledge with the base, but only if it meant gaining greater freedom.
Jenny, swayed by his words and emotions, brought this information to Bori. The scientist was elated.
"Finally!" Bori exclaimed. "The alien is cooperating. We'll gain more from him than we ever imagined."
But not everyone shared his enthusiasm.
Nine months into his imprisonment, Jenny rushed into the white room with tears in her eyes. She looked distraught, her high heels clicking loudly against the floor as she approached Bardi.
"Bardi…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
He watched her carefully, his expression calm but his mind racing. Her presence, her tone, it all felt wrong. Something had changed.
Jenny gripped his hand tightly, her slender fingers trembling. She leaned against his shoulder, her voice hoarse with emotion.
"I won't let them treat you ," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I'll protect you. I promise."
Her tears soaked into his thin, white clothing, cold against his skin.
Bardi's heart sank. Something was very wrong.
"What happened, Jenny?" he asked softly, his tone laced with feigned concern.
Jenny sobbed quietly before gritting her teeth. "Slade… Slade wants to sever your tendons before letting you leave this room."
For a moment, Bardi's face remained still. But inside, his anger erupted like a volcano.
The sheer audacity of their plan sent a wave of fury coursing through him. His jaw tightened, his fists clenched against the restraints. His eyes burned with a cold, quiet rage.