“The world is cruel, though sometimes it leaves you moments that give you a false sense of hope.”- Lucius Pancratius, “The Punic Destiny” (1412)
July 15, 2006,
01:35 local time,
Northern Gate,
O'Brien's Bridge,
Ireland
“Listen up,” said
Eduardo “Payne” Dorado to his armed militia, the Cassiopeia Force, upon
approaching O'Brien's Bridge. “I know many of you already know this, but, just
as a reminder, round up everyone, don't kill anyone and only use enough force
in order to properly apply the restraints. Once we have the entire village
taken, I'll radio the cargo ship so we can take our haul. Any questions?”
“How many people are we
taking today?” asked one of the soldiers.
“Intel tells me we've
got about 1,000,” said Dorado. “Most of them young families...quite a few
children. It should actually be a good haul for us.”
“I don't know Payne,”
said another soldier. “They're Irish. They're likely malnourished, lethargic,
and though they may be skinny, I wouldn't say any of them are fit.”
“That's not the
information I've got,” said Dorado. “This is one of the healthier groups on
Ireland, at least by the island's standards. We should actually get a decent
return on these guys...anyway, we can't worry about who we're taking. We have
to worry about the taking...the 'who' is up to the boss.”
With that said, Dorado's
men didn't have much else to say, mentally preparing themselves for the
operation ahead. They were there for a raid, the purpose of which Dorado held
metaphorically close to his vest, approved by corrupt business-leaning
interests within the Peace Organization, the military wing of the Executive
Security Council of the United Nations. It was one in a series of moves which
the Irish Republic authorized in the hopes of restoring order to the Emerald
Isle, which had descended deep into the throes of civil war that became known
as “The Beer Wars”, owing to the fact that the island's thousand-plus
combatants were mostly breweries. The chaos on the island left it virtually
destitute, producing millions of refugees able to flee the island, leaving
behind a population that living in conditions that only those who lived through
the Medieval Black Plague era could appreciate.
Once they arrived at
O'Brien's Bridge, they encountered a small militia there tasked with guarding
the bridge. The Cassiopeia Force didn't
waste too much time dispatching them and moving on to Montpelier, where they
would face some real resistance.
Though the local
brewery that controlled Montpelier, Carson, was bought out two weeks ago, the
Carson militia refused to recognize the new owners, who controlled another part
of Ireland. Cassiopeia knew they had to deal with the Carsons before they could
access Montpelier, so they braced themselves for a fight.
The Carsons didn't even
wait for Cassiopeia to cross the bridge before firing on them, forcing the
militia to stop on the bridge just to return fire. If it wasn't for Dorado's
deft driving, the Cassiopeia Force would have been sitting ducks. After several
intense minutes, Cassiopeia managed to overcome the Carsons and make their way
across the bridge to Montpelier.
Upon arriving, Dorado
announced on his loudspeaker for all the villagers to come out, stating that
their defenders had abandoned them and Cassiopeia would keep them safe. The
villagers- many who heard stories of similar raids across Ireland- weren't
swayed by Dorado's request, opting to barricade themselves inside their homes.
Though Dorado knew the villagers were playing a fool's game in trying to
challenge him, he had hoped for a smoother raid, since a fight raises the
possibility of dead bodies.
A fight is what
Cassiopeia got, and for the next hour or so Montpelier was nothing but an
unbearable and seemingly unending din of screaming, blood and villagers and
soldiers running amok. The villagers fought valiantly, using whatever they
could find that was handy, which posed a bit of a challenge for the Cassiopeia
Force.
Still, Cassiopeia's
superior training, tactics and weaponry won the day, eventually allowing
Cassiopeia to corral the villagers and sequester them into a large group by the
village docks. Dorado took a look around the assembled group, visibly grinning
throughout. The group was a better haul than even he anticipated, figuring he'd
be in for a big payday once his superiors saw the fruits of his labour. He
gleefully radioed in the cargo ship, with Cassiopeia waiting by the docks until
the ship showed up.
As he was waiting, Dorado
couldn't help but notice a little girl on a hill near the town. With striking blonde
hair and a precocious, slender frame, she was clutching a tulip, holding it as
if it were her most prized possession. Her clothes were ragged and it didn't
look like she had a bath in years, but Dorado still saw potential.
“Hey Tulip,” said Dorado,
approaching the girl with urgency but speaking to her softly.
The girl clutched the
tulip closer to her chest and began backing away, getting more terrified as Dorado
moved towards her.
“Tulip,” said Dorado,
picking up the girl's fear. “Don't worry...I'm not going to hurt you. You or
your pretty flower. I just want you to come with me.”
Dorado outstretched his
hand but Tulip kept backing away, shaking her head with the feeling of abject
terror coming over her the more she looked at Dorado. Dorado continued his
pursuit undaunted, though he continued trying to be as soft as he could to
placate her fears, since he worried that harming her could damage her stock.
It wasn't before long
that the girl took off running, forcing Dorado to give chase. Tulip was faster
than Dorado anticipated, and the nearby woods gave her plenty of hiding places.
Dorado's military instincts allowed him to keep pace, but the girl kept getting
away because she was smarter than he gave her credit for.
Tulip then found a
hollowed-out log that she could hide in and blend in with the scenery. Dorado
lost sight of her, but he wasn't ready to give up the chase. Unfortunately for Dorado
there were plenty of hiding places in this neck of the woods, and he was
worried he wouldn't have the time to search for Tulip.
She would be such a
catch, though, said Dorado. I
could make millions off of her, especially after I clean her up. She's
beautiful, precocious...and smart too. Screw the boat...I'd be set for life
with Tulip.
It was at this time
that his radio buzzed informing him that the captives were ready to ship. He
had to make a decision- keep searching for Tulip or rejoin his team. He first
thought to abandon his team because if he found Tulip he'd make a lot of money off
of her...but, then he thought about the oath he made upon joining the military,
the oath he made to his team. He then reasoned that Tulip may have hidden so
well that he may never find her.
He decided to give up
the search and head back to the port. Meanwhile, Tulip fell asleep inside her
log, though she tried to resist several times not knowing if Dorado was still
chasing her. When she woke up several hours later, she would descend upon the
abandoned town, eating whatever food she could find. She figured she could camp
out in Montpelier for a while as the former residents left her a lot of food.
In the meantime, she began asking herself a lot of questions, top of which was
the name that Dorado gave her. Her parents had abandoned her and she never knew
what her name really was- did Dorado know? Is she really known as Tulip?
May 4, 2018,
18:08 local time,
Beaufort Avenue,
Gravenhurst, Kingdom
of Muskoka
“Tulip?” called out
Claire Errons from the bottom of the stairs. “Tulip? Are you ready?”
Claire could only stand
there alongside her daughter, Esme as they waited for Tulip to come downstairs.
Though they weren't technically sisters, looking at them one could easily be
fooled. They were both slender, curvaceous nubile youths with glowing white
skin. Both were blondes but Esme coloured her hair blue, preferring that
colour, and dotting her skin with tattoos, the most prominent being a blue
heart over her navel, a flower garden over her chest and a large blue rose that
formed when she put her thighs together. Claire found Tulip on the streets of Bracebridge
several years ago and adopted her as her own, taking the feral child and
raising her to be an outstanding daughter. Tulip quickly rose to the top of her
class with her only competition being her adopted sister, someone whom Tulip
now considered her best friend.
Claire herself- a
svelte redhead that could have passed for a sister if one didn't know any
better- could only smile, swelled with pride over the family she created and
raised, believing she had the perfect daughters.
Well, perfect except
for getting ready for parties.
“C'mon Tulip,” said
Claire. “Don't overthink it...it's just a beach bash.”
It was at this time
that Tulip emerged from her room. She was dressed in her favourite outfit, a
halter top bikini and matching string bikini bottom, alongside knee-high lace
stockings and sandals, all coloured blue patterned with tulips. She complimented
her look with pigtails and jewel-lined choker as well as her prescription
glasses and makeup, her face painted white with her eyes and cheeks shaded a
yellowish-red. It was always her go-to outfit for parties at the Gravenhurst
Wharf (and in downtown Gravenhurst when the weather wasn't good enough for the
beach), but Tulip often second-guessed herself, her usual teenage anxieties
often getting the better of her.
That's why she loved
her family- they understood her and quickly put her neuroses to bed.
“You look perfect,”
said Claire with a smile as Tulip walked out. Also smiling was Esme, similarly
dressed in blue with a strapless bikini top and matching bottom, with laurel
wreaths over top of her pigtail ribbons, knee high boots, her face painted white
except for her bright red lips and black stars over her eyes, and her arms
filled with “friendship” bracelets, some of which she would give away that
night. Tulip instantly put a smile on her face and walked down the stairs
confidently. As soon as she got down there, she gave Claire and Esme hugs
before Claire got into her usual lecture to the pair about staying safe at
these parties- “don't take drugs from someone you don't trust, stay with the
people who respect you and report those who don't, don't let anyone pressure
you into something you don't want to do, see someone if you don't feel really
well and don't hesitate to call me if you need anything”, among other things.
Esme and Tulip had heard the speech so many times that they could recite it
word for word, but they were always grateful Claire gave it to them.
“Be safe guys,” said
Claire, giving the pair one last hug.
“Are you sure you don't
want to come, Mom?” said Esme.
“I'd love to,” said
Claire, who had accompanied the pair from time to time, “but I've got a big
meeting in the morning. You guys have fun.”
May 4, 2018,
18:32 local time,
Gravenhurst Wharf,
Gravenhurst, Kingdom
of Muskoka
When Esme and Tulip
arrived at the party the beach was already filled with patrons, many of them
around the same age as the pair. It wasn't yet at capacity, but organizers
expected it to fill up- the Pierside Parties Promotion announced as many as
50,000 tickets were sold for this event, which also included nearby facilities
at the Cricket Club.
Thankfully, the weather
was perfect, a crisp 23 degrees Centigrade that would only drop to 21 as the
night wore on. The skies were as clear as they could be, allowing for many a
couple to snuggle on the beachside and count the stars if they so desired.
Also beachside were
another pair of friends, Bruce McCrain and Kyle Edwards, both pasty white. They
were the definition of “opposites attract”. There was Bruce, a gangly,
mild-mannered youth too polite for his own good and then there was Kyle, an
energetic, slender but athletic extrovert who just loved to run his mouth to
anyone that would listen. They had hoped to see one constellation, the one
known as Orion. Kyle was certain that he would be able to see the southern
constellation, but Bruce feared they were too far north- and too soon into the
year- for Orion to be visible this evening.
Still, Bruce was
hopeful himself. He read many stories about the mythic hunter of the Near East-
the hunter believed to have been named “Nimrod” in the Hebrew Torah- as well as
the modern-day person named “Orion”, an enigmatic figure who abhorred the spotlight
but still went out at night and solved many crimes. Bruce was in awe over the
latter Orion, of whom very little is actually known, and dreamed to one day
follow in his footsteps once his trust fund matures upon finishing his studies
at Marian University, in the Republic of Marian.
Kyle too was destined
for Marian, but at MU's rival school, Marian Federal. It was the school Bruce
had hoped to go to- because it offered Criminology studies that he really
wanted to do- but his father, Thomas, overruled him, insisting that the younger
McCrain follow his father's footsteps and earn his Master's Degree in Business
so that Bruce could one day take over Thomas' McCrain Enterprises.
It was a major source
of contention for Bruce with his father and his mother, Martha, whom Bruce
correctly felt were ignorant of his true needs and wants. What Bruce didn't
know is that Martha married Thomas simply out of convenience, because they
didn't realize they produced a baby when they met many moons ago when Thomas
was in Ireland on a peacekeeping mission with the Peace Officers.
Though born in Newport-
in the British part of Wales- Thomas was a native of the Kingdom of Muskoka,
one of the three constituent territories of the shaky economic union known as
the Ontario Outback where it competed for influence in the Great Lakes region
of North America with The Republic of Marian, whose capital, Marian, grew out
of the old city of Sault Ste. Marie, along with the larger powers of Superior
(a Catholic theocracy) to the west and The Universal Commonwealth of Sovereign
States (“The Commonwealth” or “UCSS”, a progressive neo-Catholic republic) to
the east. The Great Lakes and their people, known as “Lakers”, gained
prominence as the base for the Nathanite religion, an offshoot of Christianity with
its origins in Portugal of which its core tenet is the absolute subservience of
women to men. The Region’s five territories- Huron, Muskoka, Michigan, The
Republic of Marian and the North Ontario Outback- all achieved nominal
independence in the 19th century, but aside from Muskoka, for most
of their existence, the Region was subject to the influence of many different
warlord factions, especially in the North Outback. Because of its militant
nature, it had societal preferences for men, women were often abandoned if they
were born. This has meant that the Great Lakes is left with a population where
those aged 13 to 44 number some 34 million- though only 8 million of them are
women, leaving over 25 million men- one of whom was Thomas- without the chance
of finding a mate.
So when Thomas met
Martha- a villager near Limerick- he was excited to finally find a woman and
promised to take her with him back to his home. Martha, young and naïve at the
time (she was barely a teenager but looked far older) simply relieved at the
thought of leaving the squalor of Ireland, quickly took to him and left with
Thomas, who had a summer residence in Swansea, in British Wales.
Unfortunately for
Thomas, he found he wasn't too fond of Martha and realized he couldn't handle
the pains of an actual relationship. He sought to break it off with her, but
those plans were put into peril once the couple found out Martha was pregnant
with Bruce. Thomas felt an obligation to raise someone whom he only referred to
as “the boy”, deciding to make sell his summer home in Swansea to establish
more formal roots in Muskoka. He never
hid his consternation of having his “accident”, often taking out his anger on
Bruce. Martha, for her part, loved Bruce as a mother should, but she proved too
timid to stand up to Thomas in any meaningful way, meaning Bruce had someone he
got along with but someone who never did fight for him.
Which is where Kyle and
his father Alfred came in. The Edwardses, English nationals, became quick
friends with the McCrains early in their kids' run in elementary school, with
Alfred further bonding with Thomas as he too had a military background, Alfred
having been a former Special Operations soldier in both the British Army and
Peace, the latter of which Alfred served with Thomas. Both of saw what Thomas
did to his boy and often came to his defence, which at times caused a rift
between the McCrains and the Edwardses. They would often make up and become
friends again, but Bruce figured there would be a breaking point. Alfred added
a legal license to his butler duties for Thomas, and Bruce often hoped that,
once Alfred got his legal license, that the breaking point would happen as
Alfred would find some legal magic that would set him free.
For now, though, he was
at the Pier, only being able to come here because Alfred lied to Thomas about
Bruce's plans. Bruce knew Thomas' punishment would be brutal if Thomas ever
found out the truth, but Bruce didn't care- this was a rare opportunity for him
to get out of the house and know what it feels to “feel alive”, so Bruce
decided it was best to take his chances.
He didn't know what to
expect tonight, this being his first time at a party of this magnitude. Usually
the parties he went to involved people he had already met, either the kids of
Thomas' friends or Kyle's friends, meaning that his inherent shyness went away
quickly. Tonight, in the presence of so many people he didn't know, his shyness
was crippling, a feeling only increased when Bruce factored in all the
beautiful women he saw that his heart begged him to talk to.
Fortunately, he had Kyle,
the social butterfly, who took great pains to put Bruce at ease and do most of
the introducing and talking for him.
Like with two pretty
women inside the bar that Bruce couldn't stop staring at.
“Hey ladies,” said Kyle,
walking up to Esme and Tulip effortlessly. “Excuse my friend here...he's not
allowed to leave the house a lot so he's a little overwhelmed here.”
“I see,” said Tulip
nonchalantly.
“He's been staring at
us for several minutes,” said Esme, “it's kinda weird...actually, it's just
weird.”
“He's a really nice guy
once you get to know him,” said Kyle with a smile, not missing a beat.
Without even so much as
an invite, he waved Bruce over to the group, which Bruce complied with even
though his nervousness were written all over his face.
“Ladies,” said Kyle,
pointing to Bruce, “this is Bruce.”
“Um,” said Bruce
sheepishly and waving weakly, “hi...”
Tulip and Esme smiled,
realizing Bruce was indeed just shy. They eagerly extended their hands to
shake.
“I'm Esme,” said Esme,
shaking Bruce's hand.
“...and I'm Tulip,”
said Tulip, doing the same after Esme.
“Those are very nice
names,” said Bruce, slowly warming up to the pair.
“My mother loves
strange names,” said Esme. “Though Tulip was adopted.”
“Yeah,” Tulip said. “I
managed to escape Ireland on this boat and landed in Bracebridge. That's when
Esme's mum found me and took me in.”
“Well she's raised a
beautiful girl,” said Bruce.
“Aww,” said Tulip,
putting her hand to her chest, “you're so sweet. Can I give you a hug?”
Bruce didn't hesitate
to accept and the two locked themselves in a long, tight and warm embrace. Both
felt they made a great connection in that moment, as Tulip was taken by Bruce's
soft-spoken, kind demeanour while Bruce felt like he met someone who truly and
genuinely cared for him for the first time in his life. She was the sister he
never had and he was the brother she never had, and both couldn't have been
happier.
After several minutes
in the embrace and with Esme enjoying her conversation with Kyle, Tulip asked
Bruce if he wanted to step outside and look at the stars, which he readily
agreed to. They found a spot on the beach and sat down, using Bruce's shirt as
something to sit on.
The two then snuggled
up together and took a look at the night sky.
“Is Orion out?” said
Tulip, examining the stars before her.
“Well, if he was,” said
Bruce, “he'd be right in front of us, but I think it's too late in the night to
see him.”
“Oh that stinks,” said
Tulip. “You know I met him.”
“The superhero?” said
Bruce, his interest piqued.
“Yeah,” said Tulip.
“While I was in Ireland. I remember I made my way to a dock somewhere and found
a boat. I was ready to climb on to it and find a hiding spot before some
bandits came by to try to raid the docks. Orion just happened to be in the
area, so he dealt with the bandits. He then talked to the boat's owner to let
me ride with them and the owner agreed. Unfortunately, the owner abandoned me
when I got to the shore in Bracebridge but it wasn't too long before Esme's
mother found me.”
“I've always dreamt of
becoming like Orion,” said Bruce. “I want to help people...it's what I love to
do. To fight crime and fight for justice...there's nothing else I could see
myself doing.”
“So what's stopping
you?” said Tulip.
Bruce let out a heavy
sigh before continuing.
“My dad,” he said. “He
tells me it's too 'wishy washy' of me. He forced me to go to Marian University
where I can take my Master's in Business and eventually run his company...but I
have no interest in business.”
“Esme and I are going
to Marian to,” said Tulip with a smile. “In fact, I'm taking Criminology at Marian
Federal. Esme is doing Psychology at MU.”
“...and Kyle is also
taking Criminology at MFU,” said Bruce. “So at least I'll have a few friends
there to help me get through my day.”
Tulip got up slightly
so she could cup Bruce's face and look directly in his eyes.
“Bruce,” she said, “if
you want to study Criminology, study Criminology. Don't let anyone- not
even your father- tell you what to do with your life.”
“...but my father is
paying for my University,” said Bruce. “I don't have a choice.”
“Yes you do have
a choice,” said Tulip. “You always do. Sometimes you gotta dig and
really look for the other options you have, but you always have other
options. Don't let your father run your life.”
Bruce's eyes began to
tear as he was overcome by Tulip's confidence in him. It meant everything to
him to have someone who wanted to fight with him and encourage him to fight his
biggest battle. He soon began to sob happy tears, so overcome with emotion,
which then caused Tulip to shed happy tears of her own.
Before long, the two
then brought their faces together and locked themselves in a deep, powerful and
romantic kiss. It may have been Bruce's first ever in his life but he had such
chemistry with Tulip that everything was just so natural and real. Both really
connected in that moment, a moment that Bruce and Tulip wished could last
forever because it was just that good.
Unfortunately, several
minutes would be all they would get. Yelling and screaming could be heard all
over the place behind them, and eventually they saw Esme and Kyle emerge from
the bar, both rattled. Esme was a mess of tears that Kyle tried as best he
could to perk her back up, but Esme was so shaken and Kyle so angry at what
happened that no mood could be brightened.
“What happened?” asked
Bruce as concern overcame him and Tulip.
“Some idiots surrounded
us and tried to attack us,” said Kyle. “They were tugging at Esme and tried to
grab her as well as push me away but we fought back and they eventually ran
away. Others weren't so lucky...I...I...”
Kyle was so overcome by
emotions that he couldn't bear to finish his sentence, but Bruce knew
immediately what was going on.
“The Sons of Salazar,”
said Bruce. “Portuguese Nathanites who subscribe to the Church of Padre Joaquim
Salazar, who espouses the worst of Nathanism and has a base in the Blue
Mountain Region. They were trying to rape you and then kidnap you, Esme. I'm
glad you guys got away.”
“The Sons of Salazar,”
said Tulip. “I heard about them. That's their modus operandi- surround,
overwhelm and then attack their target.”
“Sometimes they kidnap
their target and sell them into slavery, using Blue Mountain as a hub,” said
Bruce, “but other times they just force them into a marriage with one of the
gang members. That's how Padre Joaquim preaches marriage- you have to go out
and kidnap your spouse.”
“Anyway,” said Kyle,
“we don't have time to discuss this...we have to leave.”
Kyle then pointed to an
exit the quartet could use and they immediately made a run for it. Once
outside, they had to walk a considerable distance before they got away from the
frenzy of party-goers and the police who tried, in vain, to contain the
commotion. They eventually descended on a coffee shop and found their spot,
enabling them to call home. Esme gave everyone a bracelet and Bruce and Tulip
and Kyle and Esme all agreed to date again, exchanging numbers to that effect,
hoping that their next night out won't be as harried.
May 14, 2018,
10:28 local time,
The McCrain Estate,
Peterborough, Kingdom
of Muskoka
“Here's your tea,
father,” said Bruce, handing Thomas a cup of tea that Bruce had just prepared
for him.
“Thank you,” said
Thomas firmly and curtly, immediately turning his attention to his widescreen
TV.
“Is there anything else
you'd like me to do?” said Bruce timidly, hoping that Thomas would say “no”.
“Draw me my bath the
way I like it,” said Thomas. “Don't scrimp on the eucalyptus this time, please.
Oh, and once you're done, make sure you have caught up on your studies of
Decius Capitolinus...you will have a test on him later today.”
“OK sir,” said Bruce,
who bowed before leaving to start his task.
Before going to the
bathroom, Bruce checked his phone. He looked pensively at the text message
Tulip sent him the day after the party, a message he really wanted to reply to
but he didn't know what to say. He kept telling himself that he was
overthinking things and thus should just write back a simple “hello”, but then
he reminded himself how long he left the message idle for, and thus he needed
an excuse. He could tell the truth- that his dad would kill him if he found out
if he was talking to a girl, and it would definitely reveal that he was a party
his father wouldn't approve of- but would that destroy any chance he had with
Tulip?
He really liked her,
but he began thinking things were too late anyway. He put down the phone again
without replying and left to draw Thomas' bath.
It was here that the
doorbell rang. Thomas got up and let out an angered grunt, as he was just
getting comfortable enough to watch TV, but he figured whomever buzzed him was
too important to ignore.
Not that he was at all
delighted to see him.
“Hello, Thomas McCrain,”
said Donald Diego, Deputy Commander for the Muskoka Branch of the Peace
Officers. Diego then flashed his badge before continuing. “I'm Donald Diego, Officer
of Peace...is Bruce at home?”
“Yes he is,” said
Thomas, indignant, “but he is quite busy.”
“As am I,” said Diego
with a smug smirk, “I need him to come down to the Gravenhurst Peace Office for
questioning...it's very important.”
“Oh,” said Thomas, his
anger replaced with curiosity. “What happened? Did the boy get into some kind
of trouble?”
“Bruce was spotted at
the May 4th edition of the Pierside Party,” said Diego confidently.
“59,298 people attended the event, but that's not the big news. No, the big
news is that there were 214 reported cases of rape- and who knows how many more
were unreported.”
“That's unfortunate,”
said Thomas, who folded his arms, “but that doesn't mean my son had anything
to do with it.”
“See, that's where
you're wrong,” said Diego, who flashed another smug smile at Thomas. “You are a
Laker, and it was Lakers who were fingered to be the culprits behind the
rapes. According to Pierside records, 734 tickets were sold to those with Laker
heritage...including your son, Bruce.”
Thomas stood there for
a moment, but not in shock. He was troubled about finding out that Bruce didn't
go to Kyle's house to study as he was told but to attend a party that Thomas
never would have approved of. He ran through his head all kinds of punishments
he wished to dole out to his son, wondering just how many lashes of the belt
would suffice.
Then he had a different
idea.
“Deputy Diego,” said
Thomas, taking out his chequebook and writing a cheque for £10,000, “I have
some business that maybe you are aware of that I can't let leak out to the
press, but I can't let the boy's deeds go unpunished. So, do what you have to
do but please, do not press any charges or put his name on any official
documents.”
“I'm sorry,” said
Diego, refusing the cheque. “I can't take that.”
“OK then,” said Thomas,
adding a zero to the end of the number.
“You know, Thomas,”
said Diego, “it's just not worth risking my career taking that cheque.”
Thomas didn't at all
hesitate, re-writing the cheque so that Diego could have a whopping
£20,000,000.
“Thank you,” said Diego
with a wide smile, happily taking the cheque. “I'll more than happily do
as you ask...I'm very proud of your work in Marian so I wouldn't want that to
go to waste. I'll make sure I have the boy back home by dinner...not that I
think he'll be able to sit for dinner, anyway.”
The two then had a
laugh before Thomas called Bruce down to leave with Diego. When Bruce saw Diego
he was instantly paralyzed by fear, a fear that wasn't helped at all by Thomas'
last words to him.
“You have some
explaining to do to this police officer,” said Thomas sternly, “and when he's
done with you, you'll have to answer to me.”
As Diego applied the
handcuffs, Bruce could only stand, frozen in fear. He had no idea what was
going on, and little did he realize his nightmare was only going to get worse.
May 14, 2018,
17:24 local time,
The McCrain Estate,
Peterborough, Kingdom
of Muskoka
Oh in all bloody
seriousness!
Thomas McCrain let out
a loud groan as the doorbell again roused him from his favourite spot on the
couch. He had no choice though, as Martha was busy in the kitchen preparing
dinner so there was no else available.
He greeted his visitor
with a dour look, folding his arms and not hiding his indignation.
Neither too was his
visitor, Alfred Edwards.
“Good day, Thomas,”
said Alfred, contempt oozing from his voice.
“Good day to you too,
Alfred,” said Thomas with a fake smile. “I take it you have come along with the
boy.”
“I did pick up Bruce
from the station,” said Alfred, “but I will not be returning him to you
or this house.”
“Oh for Pete's sake
Alfred!” said Thomas, wildly throwing up his arms. “The boy is my son,
you don't have a right to do anything to him other than to return him to me.”
“As the lawyer for this
family I have an obligation to see that his rights and his dignity is not
violated,” said Alfred, who was really a butler with legal experience, a
double-duty that allowed Thomas to save on actual lawyer fees. “Unless you have
a particularly convenient explanation for them, I have to assume from
Bruce's extensive collection of injuries that you got the police to
exert your punishment for you. Is that correct?”
Thomas could only
nervously chuckle. He struggled to come up with a response but none was
forthcoming.
“Just as I thought,”
said Alfred. “This is a new low even for you, Thomas.”
Thomas wagged his
finger fiercely before interjecting.
“Now, now, now,” he
said. “What makes you think I had him punished at the police station?
What's your proof?”
Alfred folded his arms
and chuckled.
“Oh this is going to be
good!” he said with a sardonic laugh. “Please, Thomas, tell me what really
happened?”
“He fell down the
stairs,” said Thomas authoritatively.
“He fell down the
stairs, huh?” said Alfred, dismissing Thomas immediately. “So tell me, why did
you send him to the police instead of sending him to the hospital where
he should be?”
“Because, um,” said
Thomas, fumbling for words.
Thomas then looked at
the ground and mumbled for a bit before another thought came to him.
“You know what?!” he
shouted at Alfred. “None of this would have happened if you had told the truth
to me about what he was going to do last weekend!”
“Oh seriously, Thomas,”
said Alfred, not fazed. “He did come to my house to study...and then Kyle
wanted to go to the party. It was a last-minute thing and it didn't impact his
work. Kyle too had a test that Monday.”
“The boy should not
have gone to the party,” said Thomas. “I should have made that a condition of
his going over there.”
“Oh, by Jove,”
said Alfred, “once you have released Bruce into my care it is my
responsibility to look after him, so it becomes my choice to allow him
to do things. Besides, Bruce is not a kid, he can handle a party- he doesn't
need adult supervision all the time.”
“Quite clearly he did
need adult supervision,” said Thomas matter-of-factly. “He raped a girl while
he was there.”
Alfred gave Thomas a
look, his eyes wide with incredulity.
“You can't honestly
believe that, do you?” said Alfred. “You're a Laker, you know all about how the
police like to pin rapes on your people because it's easy. That's what the
police have been doing for the entire investigation into the Pierside
rapes...the police's racism has negatively impacted the investigation
and has likely fingered the wrong culprits...and you're buying into that?”
“No,” said Thomas,
uneasiness in his voice, “I'm not buying into that...except for Bruce.”
“Really,” said Alfred
in disbelief. “Bruce couldn't point out where the clitoris is if you gave him a
diagram of a woman's genitals...he could never rape a woman.”
Alfred let out a sigh
before continuing. It was at this point that Martha, who overheard the
conversation, came down to the door behind Thomas, close enough to hear the
conversation but far enough so that Thomas could not sense that she was there.
“More importantly,
though,” said Alfred, “you are always front and centre getting in anyone's face
the moment they manufacture a rape claim against Bruce, because you know
Bruce couldn't do it. Why change this time around?”
“Yeah,” said Martha,
struggling to summon the courage to speak. “Why is this time different?”
“Because,” said Thomas,
his voice trailing as he turned around to face Martha.
“Because what?” said
Martha, breathing heavily and still struggling.
Thomas let out another
huff, a rage building up inside of him.
“You know what,” he
said, his anger reaching a boiling point. “I've had enough of this! I
don't need to explain anything! I just want the boy back inside this
house!”
“Oh I swear,”
said Martha, tears streaming from her face as her courage fought her anxiety,
“if you hurt my son the way I think you did, I will leave you and take everything
that you have!”
At this point, Thomas
lost his cool. He turned around and delivered a hard punch to Martha's jaw,
felling her instantly. He was about to get over top of her and rain down even
more haymakers, but Alfred tackled him in time, grabbing hold of his arms so that
he could not move. Eventually, Alfred's Special Ops training took over,
allowing Alfred to quickly incapacitate Thomas, doing so with a rear-naked
choke-hold.
“You've hit your last
person, Thomas!” snarled Alfred into Thomas' ear as Thomas audibly struggled in
vain to free himself from Alfred's bonds. “Now, you have two options- you can
go to sleep and, when you wake up, Martha and I and the boy- who, by the way has
a name, and it's Bruce- will all be gone and you will have to answer
to Child Protective Services and the Muskokan Police who will then file charges
against you which will then lead to your entire world crashing
down...or, we can negotiate a settlement where you can let Bruce and Martha
leave without worry and you can at least keep your reputation intact...decide
quickly, because you're going to fade soon.”
Thomas then loudly
banged on the floor and repeatedly said he'd talk, which caused Alfred to
release him from the choke-hold. Thomas realized he had too much to lose- if
word got out that he was abusing both his wife and his son he would surely be
booted from his role as CEO of McCrain Enterprises, and then he could kiss
goodbye not just his paycheck and lavish lifestyle but all those projects and
his dreams that he was working on.
Not to mention that a
jail cell wouldn't be the best place for him to live out the rest of his life.
He then went to his
study and immediately pulled out a few documents before writing a couple of
cheques, all worth £20,000,000, one to Alfred, one to Martha and one that would
go to Bruce.
He then brought out the
documents, one of which was the deed to Stately McCrain Manor, a residence he
bought in Marian for Bruce so that he'd have somewhere to live for his studies.
The other were the documents that applied to Bruce's trust fund. He applied
some correction fluid to the documents and then pulled out a pen, writing over
the fluid in some places.
“Here,” he said,
handing the document to Martha. “I'm handing over ownership of the Manor to
you. I will agree to pay all the maintenance fees and any other upkeep costs
that may come up. Should anything happen to you, the Manor will be transferred
to Bruce's trust, which will now be administered by Alfred. I am now completely
out of Bruce's life and yours now, Martha. I mean, we still have to settle the
divorce...but, I hope that after today we can do so as easily as possible.”
Alfred and Martha wore
satisfying smiles on their faces as they rectified the news they just heard.
“This is an interesting
deal,” said Martha, still with a smug smile, “but I don't think it's enough. I
want this house too, I think, and all the cars...well, OK, you can still have
the Rolls. Never liked it, and you can live in it...and you'll need somewhere
to live after the family courts are through with you. Because you can't buy
them off, and once they hear about all the pain you put me
through...they will clean you out.”
“Fine,” said Thomas
with a huff. He then took the cheque back from Martha and added another zero to
the total, giving her £200,000,000. His bank account would take a massive hit,
but Thomas realized it was nowhere near the hit that would happen if he had to
deal with the police and divorce courts.
Martha smiled when she
saw the new cheque, which she then put in her pocket. She then left to go get
changed and put some belongings into a few suitcases, as she didn't want to
spend another minute inside this house.
“Pleasure doing
business with you,” said Alfred, shaking Thomas' hand. Thomas then cracked,
beginning to weep as he now processed the gravity of all the things he just
did.
“I can't believe I did
all this,” said Thomas, sobbing uncontrollably. “How could I be such a
person? What kind of a man am I to do all this? My mother raised me to be a
better person...I have failed her on all accounts...I'm a worthless, worthless
human being! I had a beautiful family and I destroyed it!”
He then collapsed to
his knees and buried his head in his arms, continuing to sob.
“Why Thomas!” he
wailed, “why Thomas? Why?! Why?!?”
“Well,” said Alfred,
only offering a slight pat on his shoulder. “You have the rest of your life to
atone for what you did...maybe now you can work on being the better man you
failed to be.”
At this point, Martha
was ready to leave, which she did with Alfred who helped put her stuff into his
car.
Once they were driving
away, Martha asked about the one thing that was on her mind.
“How's Bruce?” she
said, not hiding the worry in her voice.
“Pretty bad,” said
Alfred. “Whatever they did at the station they sure did a number on him...the
doctor told me that he will make it, but his injuries will take quite a lot of
time to recover from, if he can. I'm more worried about the PTSD.”
“PTSD?” said Martha,
aghast.
“Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder,” said Alfred. “It's a common thing among soldiers after war but it
can also affect people who have experienced other kinds of trauma, such as
major injuries. Now, Bruce has been through a lot with Thomas...but
this...this is still a lot, even for him.”
Alfred was then
interrupted by a phone call. It was Kyle, who wanted to know what was
happening. Alfred told him, to which Kyle insisted that he come along to say
hello to Bruce. Once Alfred made his pit stop back at his house, Kyle was
joined by Esme and Tulip, both of whom were worried for Bruce as he hadn't
bothered to contact any of them since the party.
“Hi Kyle,” said Martha
as the trio climbed into the back seats. “Who are your friends?”
Esme and Tulip then
introduced themselves to Martha with smiles all around.
“So you're the great
Martha McCrain,” said Tulip. “Married to the even greater Thomas McCrain.”
“Well,” said Martha, “was
married to him...it's a lot to talk about right now but after today, I realized
Thomas wasn't the man I thought he was.”
“I hear that,” said
Tulip. “How's Bruce? Is this why he never contacted me?”
“I think that's a
mixture of that,” said Alfred, “and good old fashioned anxiety that comes when
a boy wants to talk to a girl. Especially true in Bruce's case...he really
knows nothing about courting.”
“Which is why I told
you to write to him,” said Kyle. “If you had to wait for Brucey, you'd be
waiting forever.”
“I just hope he'll be
OK,” said Tulip as the gang arrived at the hospital.
May 15, 2018,
03:16 local time,
Downtown General
Hospital,
Gravenhurst, Kingdom
of Muskoka
It was getting late.
The longer that Alfred, Tulip, Kyle and Martha stayed in the waiting room, the
more they made up the only people who were left in the waiting room. Still, the
doctors told them to stay patient because they believed Bruce was responding
well to treatment, but as the hours passed, it was hard for the gang not to get
restless.
“Is the coffee shop
still open?” said Kyle, slumped in his chair and fighting off sleep.
“I think everything is
closed,” said Esme, similarly wiping the sleep from her eyes.
“I know there was one
down the road,” said Tulip. “C'mon guys, though- we gotta be strong. For
Bruce.”
“Easier said than done,
mate,” said Alfred, who was pacing the room anxiously.
Eventually a doctor
emerged into the waiting room to deliver news to the gathered group.
“So I have good news
and bad news,” said the doctor.
“Give me the bad news
first,” said Martha, who let out a heavy sigh.
“Bruce is going to need
to stay a few days,” said the doctor. “Just for monitoring purposes...the good
news is, he'll make a full recovery. He just might need quite a bit of time to
do it.”
“Will he be ready for
school?” said Alfred with deep concern.
“He will be fine for
school,” said the doctor. “He'll need some assistance in getting around before
then but he will be fine for when school starts in February.”
Relief overcame
everyone's faces, especially Alfred who was delighted to hear the news.
“Is he ready to receive
visitors?” said Alfred.
“Yes he is,” said the
doctor, “but we do ask it's one at a time. The room is quite small. I'll also
need your insurance information for processing.”
“Yes absolutely,” said
Alfred, who went with the doctor to his office for processing, but not before
telling the others about the visitation rules.
Tulip was the first to
volunteer to go. As Tulip got up to leave, Alfred had a quick word with Martha.
“Bruce will need some
help getting around and doing things,” said Alfred.
“I know what you're
going to ask,” said Martha, sensing Alfred was going to ask to move in to the
Manor to help her out with Bruce, “so to save time, I'm just going to say the
answer is 'yes'. Kyle, Esme and Tulip can come too, if they like.”
“I'm sure they'd be
delighted,” said Alfred, happy at resolving that issue. He was correct in his
assumption, with Kyle, Esme and Tulip looking forward to living in the manor.
Tulip then made her way
down the hallway to Bruce's room. She then focused her thoughts on Bruce,
causing her heart to get heavy, conflicting were her emotions of joy that Bruce
would be all right and the anxiety over seeing the state of Bruce as he is right
now. His injuries were no walk in the park as she understood them, so she
feared the worst upon seeing him.
She was right to be
troubled, as she was aghast when she saw all the bruises and scars that were
littered on just Bruce's face alone. She couldn't understand what kind of a
monster could hurt Bruce the way that he did, but she was glad that part of his
life would now be over. She saw Bruce laying in his bed, his eyes closed and
looking relaxed, but she still couldn't help but cry when she saw how badly
Bruce had been beaten.
Those tears woke Bruce
up, and he moved and spoke ever so weakly but he was determined to fully greet
his guest.
“Tulip?” he said. He
then flashed the best smile that he could, which then caused Tulip to smile
too. “Tulip...I'm so glad you're here.”
“Can I give you a hug?”
said Tulip, whose tears of pain turned into tears of joy.
“Yes, yes, of course,”
said Bruce, extending his arms.
Tulip ran up to Bruce
and kissed him on the forehead before the two locked in as tight an embrace as
the situation would allow. They then each cried joyfully on each other's
shoulders and exchanged multiple kisses, first on the cheek but eventually
deeply in each other's mouths. Eventually Tulip knelt beside Bruce's bed,
holding his hand with no intention of ever letting go.
“I'm just so glad
you're alive,” said Tulip. “I was so worried about you.”
“You're very beautiful,
Tulip,” said Bruce. “I'm sorry I never contacted you...I was afraid.”
“It's OK,” said Tulip
with a warm chuckle. “I understand.”
“I don't think you do,”
said Bruce with a warm smile of his own, “but it would take too much to
explain.”
“It's OK,” said Tulip,
who squeezed Bruce's hand. “I don't need an explanation. I'm just glad I have
you.”
Tulip then again kissed
Bruce on the forehead and smiled, which only abated when she saw concern
overcoming Bruce.
“Bruce,” she said,
“what's wrong?”
“It's...it's,” he said,
nervously. “It's my dad...he won't let me see you again.”
“You don't have to
worry about your dad anymore,” said Tulip confidently. “Alfred will explain
everything, but you will be moving in with your mother and Alfred at the Manor
in Marian. Your dad is out of your life forever.”
“Oh wow,” said Bruce,
who then gave Tulip a deep, warm kiss. “That is a relief...I'm not sure
I could look at him anymore.”
“I'll be coming with
you too,” Tulip said, “along with Kyle and Esme. We're all studying in Marian
anyway, so we might as well.”
“Wow,” said Bruce.
“This is the best news I've received in my life.”
“I'm just glad I can be
a part of it,” said Tulip, who gave Bruce another kiss.
“Me too,” said Bruce,
with a smile.
Tulip and Bruce then
parted, allowing Martha to come in and spend some time with her son. Meanwhile,
back in the waiting room, a thought came to her that she had to ask Alfred
about.
“What do you know about
the Cassiopeia Force?” said Tulip.
“Cassiopeia?” said
Alfred. “I know that's the constellation that looks like a 'W'. She was the
mother of Andromeda according to Greek myth and boasted that Andromeda was
prettier than Aphrodite.”
“I know that,” said
Tulip, “but there's an armed force known as the Cassiopeia Force...I came
across it online and their patches match exactly those that were on the
soldiers that raided my village in Ireland. Anyway, I read online that
Cassiopeia is funded by McCrain as an 'auxiliary' army for The Republic of
Marian and Michigan, doing the Great Lakes's dirty work so that the Great Lakes
can maintain plausible deniability...I mean, it could all be bunk...the site I
read it from wasn't exactly on the up and up...but...you're the McCrains'
lawyer so...you'd know.”
Alfred let out a sigh,
needing a moment to think before he responded.
“I was just Thomas' and
Martha's personal lawyer,” he explained. “I never did get too deeply into the
workings of their business. It's a possibility...there are so many things
Thomas never wanted to talk about concerning McCrain. He was quite
protective...I have often wondered if he's hiding something.” “Maybe now that
Martha is free of Thomas' bonds she could expand on it,” said Kyle,
interjecting.
“I doubt it,” said
Alfred. “Martha was a stay-at-home mother. So many times I asked her things
about Thomas and she kept telling me to defer to him...she likely knows as much
as I do, if not less because she's not the lawyer- I am.”
“You're going to be
interning at the MCPD,” said Esme. “You may have an opportunity to look into
it.”
“Be careful, though,”
said Alfred ominously. “McCrain Enterprises has invested heavily in Marian...they're
not going to like people snooping around.”
“Don't worry,” said
Tulip. “I'll lay low.”
January 7, 2019,
06:29 local time,
Marian City Police
Department,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
“Hi,” said Marian City
Police Department Captain Roy Finnegan as he walked up to Tulip at the
receptionist's desk. “Tulip Errons?”
“Yes,” said Tulip, who
promptly got up and extended her hand.
“I'm Captain Roy Finnegan,”
said Roy as the two shook hands.
“Nice to meet you
Captain Finnegan,” said Tulip.
“Please,” said Roy,
“you can just call me Roy. I don't want to bog us all down with formalities.”
“OK,” said Tulip. “Nice
to meet you Roy.”
Tulip warmed quickly to
the portly Roy, complete with his unkempt and uncut hair and beard and his
signature fedora. Tulip quickly picked up that though Roy had a spirited
demeanour, it was really a front for the stresses of his job.
“As you are new here,”
said Roy as the two went on a tour of the MCPD, “so am I. I used to work in Los
Angeles over in California...I won't bore you with the details, but I was
brought over here to give Marian a fresh start...you may have heard that this
year marks 100 years since the founding of the city.”
“I've heard about
that,” said Tulip. “I've also heard that Rome and The Republic of Marian are
both pouring their funds into the city and the Great Lakes as a whole as a show
of peace...I really don't know how that is going to work out.”
“I worked with both the
Romans and I worked in the Outback,” said Roy. “The thought that Rome and The
Republic of Marian, competing over the same territory, will be able to get
along is quite frankly a laughable one at best for me...but they're going to
have to work together...we've got challenges that they'll both need to
concentrate on.”
“You mean The Virus?”
said Tulip.
“Yup,” said Roy. “Well,
someone's on the ball.”
“It's my dream to one
day be a detective.”
“Well, one thing at a
time, squirt,” said Roy.
The two then came to
her office, a drab but large “hole in the wall” that had a desk and a computer
as well as shelves and shelves of file folders.
“This is where you'll
be working,” said Roy. “It's not exactly a penthouse suite but...”
“It'll do,” said Tulip,
who couldn't help but observe everything in the room.
“Part of your job will
be taking those file folders and putting them into the database,” said Roy.
“Some of the work has already been done but there's still decades of cases that
need to be processed...the Great Lakes had been, for years, a neglected
backwater just like Ireland, so the Internet is kind of new around here and
isn't exactly as connected as you would find in Rome or London.”
“Or Muskoka,” said
Tulip matter-of-factly.
“Yeah...or Muskoka,”
said Roy with a sigh, “but you'll get used to it. I mean, the weather around
here is perfect, why waste it in front of a computer all day?”
Tulip then gave Roy a
look.
“I don't expect you to
finish the database any time soon, if you ever do,” he said, “and that computer
is a laptop...you can do some filing outside if you wish. Just be careful not
to lose the files...they're sensitive.”
Tulip acknowledged what
Roy said with a nod of her head.
“Anyway,” continued Roy,
“another part of your job will be to access other databases, such as bank
records, credit card statements, government databases, medical records and
other 'computer' stuff our other staff don't have access to. You'll only do
those searches on a 'need-to-do' basis, whenever an investigation calls for
it.”
“So I'm doing Penelope
Garcia's job,” said Tulip.
“Yeah,” said Roy with a
chuckle. “You could say that...only we'll get subpoenas before we do any
searches.”
Roy then flashed a brief smile.
“Do what you need to do to feel at home,” he
said. “Coffee table is right around the corner and you can be sure it's always
filled…I don't know about you but it's how I get through my day.”
Tulip had a laugh as Roy bid her adieu.
After a few minutes setting herself up on
the computer using Roy's instructions, she decided to venture out to try some
of the coffee that Roy told her about.
She took one sip out of the cup before she
had to spit it out.
“Too strong for you, eh?” said a slender but
muscular blonde white man with a laugh.
“Yeah,” said Tulip. “Very strong.”
“Park Avenue,” said the man, extending his
hand to Tulip.
“Tulip Errons,” said Tulip, heartily shaking
Park's hand.
“You got quite the grip,” said Park with a
smile.
“I learned a long time ago that you make
more of an impression with a strong handshake,” said Tulip.
“You're right about that,” said Park.
“So, um,” said Tulip, her nerves beginning
to creep in, “what do you do?”
“I’m the Lieutenant of the Strike Force,”
said Park, “Marian's version of SWAT.”
“Oh cool!” said Tulip with a smile. “So you
get to have all the fun.”
“I guess you could say that,” said Park with
a chuckle, “but it's a dangerous job.”
“Yeah, and Park knows a thing or three about
putting himself in danger,” said a bald, big muscular black man who was even
more imposing with his full but well-kept goatee.
“Oh,” said Tulip, surprised by the voice.
“Oh sorry,” said the black man. “Didn't mean
to scare you.” He then outstretched his hand for a shake. “Zeke Coleman.
Captain of the Strike Force and Deputy Captain.”
“Tulip,” she said with a smile, returning
the handshake. “I’m the Database Coordinator…that's what they call me anyway.”
“Heh,” said Coleman, “you would be the Tech
Analyst but we're still working on the ‘tech’ around here.”
The trio had a laugh before continuing the
conversation when another man, a slender white one with long, unkempt hair,
entered the room and immediately poured a lot of sugar into his cup.
“Hey Yves,” said Park to the man. “Save some
sugar for the rest of us…you know how strong Roy makes the coffee.”
“I know,” said the man, Detective Pascal Yves,
“but Zoe was kicking all night and I had no sleep.”
“Zoe?” said Tulip, “as in Zoe Hawkes? She'll
be my Professor at Marian Federal. You're married to her?”
“Going to get married,” Yves corrected her.
He then more properly introduced himself to Tulip after apologizing for his
lack of manners, though Tulip was understanding.
“Zoe's a remarkable professor,” said Park.
“You'll learn a lot.”
“Yeah,” said Tulip. “I can't wait.”
At this point, the MCPD's other detectives
joined the group in the break room. There was Vanessa Harper, a slender but
athletic black woman with curly brown hair, and Deputy Captain Teresa Gibson, a
petite white woman with black hair who packed more of a punch than her frame
would suggest.
“Did this turn into a meeting or something?”
quipped Park as everyone gathered.
“No, it's just coffee time,” said Gibson.
“…and I came to make sure Yves doesn't take
all the sugar,” said Harper.
“Funny,” deadpanned Yves as the room
laughed.
Tulip then made her final introductions
before ultimately deciding to brave the coffee herself, as she needed it to
stay awake. Yves suggested adding milk to the coffee to dilute it, which worked
for Tulip.
“So what's new and exciting around here?”
she asked as she started drinking.
“The Narrows,” said Gibson. “Always the
Narrows.”
“The poor part of town?” said Tulip.
“Yeah,” said Harper. “In a great downtown
location…Oswald Cobbledick wants to tear it down and replace it with lots of
high end apartments, clubs, a stadium or two…basically make it Marian's
entertainment district.”
“…but, the residents there are fighting
him,” said Coleman, “and there's been a few riots we've had to contain.”
“The city sides with the residents,” said Park,
“because they don't want to displace thousands of people, but Oswald isn't
budging.”
“Oswald's lawyer, Ed Nygma, has been trying
to use the law to get the city in line but he's had no luck,” said Gibson.
“Commissioner James Gordon and Mayor Sofia Falcone have been unrelenting.”
“Doesn't Oswald work for McCrain?” said
Tulip.
“McCrain Enterprises,” said Yves, “yup. He's
the CEO of the Marian division.”
“I see,” said Tulip, whose heart felt for
the people of the Narrows.
“Leading The Narrows are residents Tomoe and
Wyatt,” said Coleman. “Tomoe runs a fight club in the Narrows and Wyatt is her
main attraction…Oswald has argued the club is grounds to evict the residents
but they're not actually doing anything illegal.”
“A fight club is legal?” said Tulip.
“As long as it's consensual,” said Park,
“and no one gets too hurt, which is the case. The club members all sign
contracts acknowledging the risk.”
“Then there's the Sirens,” said Harper.
“The prostitutes,” said Tulip.
“I believe the correct term is ‘sex
worker’,” said Park. “That's what they like to be called.”
“I heard Commissioner Gordon's daughter
Barbara is one of them,” said Tulip.
“That's true,” said Gibson. “Though the
profession is totally legal, it's not something Jimmy likes talking about.
Oswald thinks Barb is the real reason Gordon is so protective of the Narrows.”
“Sounds like quite the cauldron,” said
Tulip.
“Yeah,” said Coleman with a sigh, “and it'll
only get worse before it gets better.”
January 8, 2019,
00:19 local time,
Stately McCrain Manor,
City of Marian, Marian Capitol Region, Republic
of Marian
Bruce winced when he finally took the step
he needed to get to the bookshelf. Still walking with the aid of crutches,
Bruce's legs still experienced pain from time to time, but Bruce was determined
to work through it and get his legs back to normal.
As Bruce looked for a book to read, Kyle
took a step outside. He exited the gate and looked down the hill from the Manor
and looked on at downtown Marian in the distance. Most of the area around the
Manor were parks and woodland that gave the allure of distance, but if one
looked hard enough, they would see evidence of the many apartments and shops
that were bulldozed to make room for the parkland.
At the end of the road was the bridge to
the island of The Narrows, all that remained of that once bustling
neighbourhood. As Kyle walked down the road, he glanced at two vagabond girls,
both redheads. One was wearing goggles and a long sleeved bodysuit, while the
other wore a halter bikini and bottom along with stockings and elbow length
gloves, all her clothes coloured green. At first glance their light skin was
shimmering but a closer look revealed the grime and the scars that came with
life on the streets.
For some reason those two stuck in Kyle's
memory, but he chose not to think of them much longer.
One girl he would be taken by was a
beautiful blonde girl, clad in red short shorts and a white cropped jacket open
to reveal her blue bikini underneath. Her skin also pale with scars and grime,
which she tried to mask with a pound of makeup on her face.
Kyle saw right through it, but still
found her incredibly beautiful nonetheless.
“Hey,” he said, strolling up to the girl
who was giddy and twitchy but struggled to stay on her feet.
“Hey!” said the girl, “S-s-s-so good to
see you!”
The girl then clutched Kyle's arm and used
it in a vain attempt to regain her balance, but she was far too intoxicated to
stand up straight without assistance.
Kyle, while perplexed, picked up on it and
helped her up.
“Tanks,” said the girl, who then draped
herself all over Kyle.
“Are you OK?” Kyle asked.
“Oh ya,” said the girl with an awkward and
loud laugh. “I’m just coming down from a high…you should try it.”
“I don't know,” said Kyle. He didn't think
the girl was in great shape so he worried about how the drug would affect him
“C'mon,” said the girl, “you are a strong,
young guy…you look like you can handle it.”
“How do you know?” said Kyle. “I don't even
know your name.”
“It's Brody,” said Brody, “and who are you,
hot stuff?”
“Kyle,” said Kyle.
“Nice to meet you Kyle,” said Brody, still
slurring her words.
Brody then noticed the two of them had their
eyes locked on each other, both seemingly drawn to each other. Brody didn't
waste any time moving in for a kiss, which Kyle reciprocated after a brief
shock. They then went down an alleyway and had sex, both completely satisfied
by the experience with the two enraptured with each other.
After his moment of delirium, Kyle figured
it was time to try whatever drug Brody was on. It was freeing, he felt, and Kyle
hadn't felt “free” since he got to Marian, mostly because Bruce was too hurt to
go out and he just wasn't feeling Esme as anything more than a friend.
So he asked Brody to take him to this
special drug, coming upon a door in the wall. A small slit in the door then
opened, where a voice called out.
“Do you want to play?”
“Those who seek heroes find nothing
but charlatans.”- Byzantine proverb
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