“We're all the heroes of our own story. We're also all villains in someone else's.”- Byzantine proverb
July 6, 2019,
06:11 local time,
Outback Highway Rest
Area,
Birdsville, The
League of the North Ontario Outback
“I got what you
wanted,” said Endgame on a pay phone. “Now give me what I want.”
“You really do need to
hold your horses,” said the voice on the other line. “It's all about timing, Wyatt.”
“We don't have
time,” said Endgame. “All those people...they deserve freedom. They've been in
that farm long enough.”
“You have to understand
something,” said the voice, “McCrain has an army protecting it. Do you think
you and your meagre assets were going to be effective taking it on?”
A look of
incredulousness overcame Endgame.
“Who are you
calling meagre?” said Endgame angrily. “My c*** alone could take out McCrain by
itself! And still be stiff enough to f*** your mother...well, not that I'd want
to.”
“You do not talk
about my mother like that!” said the voice.
“Oh I forgot,” said Endgame,
“you're your mother's favourite b***. Must be nice knowing your mother wears
the pants in your household.”
“Well at least my
mother loves me,” said the voice, “which is more than you can say about
yours!”
Endgame took his head
away from the phone and let out a deep breath.
“Fine,” said Endgame.
“You want me to wait? I'll wait. Just tell me where she is.”
July 6, 2019,
12:12 local time,
Margaux Riley's
room, Royal Hotel,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
Marian City Police
Department Captain Roy Finnegan let out a heavy sigh and took in a deep breath
as he willed himself awake. As he did so, an amazing feeling overcame his body-
today, unlike most days, he actually did feel awake.
Roy didn't know what to
think. It was a very nice feeling, for sure, but it was not one he knew how to
deal with. He was too used to waking up with an alarm that, even on the rare
days he had a day off, he always set one because he was too afraid he'd sleep
too much. Roy was the type who never wanted to “waste” his time, a feeling that
dug in the older that he got. It wasn't great for his health, because he'd
scrimp on sleep if the alternative meant that he'd “lose the day”, a nasty
habit that added up to the moody, sleep-deprived detective that he'd become.
In the middle of his
thoughts, it then occurred to him that he had, indeed, set an alarm but for
some reason he slept through it.
Or so he thought.
“Hey,” said Margaux Riley,
walking into the room from the hotel lobby after hanging up her jacket. She was
wearing short jean shorts and a low-cut spaghetti strapped tank top that
accentuated her cleavage and made her breasts nice and round, which Roy
immediately zeroed in on.
Margaux then gave Roy
an extended kiss on the lips before sitting down on his lap, facing him. Right
away, Roy pulled down the straps to her top and uncovered her breasts, nibbling
on them like a child nibbling on sweets.
“Oh,” she said,
overcome with glee. “I knew you missed them Roy...and I missed you enjoying
them.”
Margaux pressed Roy's
head against her bosom to encourage him to keep going, and Roy was only glad to
keep doing so. It wasn't before long that the two were again aroused and doffed
their clothes, leading them to have sex, yet again.
It wasn't quite the
extended night of passion the two had the night before, as it was quick and
straightforward, but for both- who had gone so long without making love- it was
still ultimately satisfying.
When they were done, Roy
caught his breath as the two of them lay beside each other on the bed.
“It's been five years
since I had someone who wanted to have sex with me a second time,” said
Margaux, catching her breath too but still very giddy.
“It's been 15 years for
me, period,” said Roy, panting in exhaustion as he wasn't in quite the same
shape Margaux was.
“15 years?” said
Margaux, rubbing Roy's hairy chest. “Wow...I don't know how you managed.”
“It's me being a cop,”
said Roy. “You get so ingrained with the job that other parts of life get
thrown to the wayside. You hardly date anyway, and when you do, you either hit
paydirt and find someone who'll understand the risks you take on your job and
the time you devote to it, or you find someone that simply doesn't want to
commit because they're not prepared for that kind of stuff.”
Margaux too wondered if
she could handle “that kind of stuff”, pondering it as she ran her hand on Roy's
chest and played with his hairs. She then let out a breath and smiled,
realizing it wasn't something she had to think about in that moment.
“Margaux,” said Roy,
who liked Margaux playing with his chest hairs. “Not that I don't enjoy our
time together, but...I'm certain I set a wake-up call for much earlier in the
day but I never heard it.”
“I asked them to turn
it off,” she said. “You looked so peaceful sleeping.”
“I know,” said Roy with
a sigh, “but I had to get to work.”
Margaux leaned forward
and again kissed Roy on the lips.
“Honey,” she said.
“It's Saturday...you don't need to go in to work. They'll be just fine without
you.”
A sombre look came over
Margaux's face.
“I realize I shouldn't
have done all that behind your back,” she said. “I'm sorry.”
“Nah, it's OK,” said Roy.
“I get it...guys get up and leave you all the time. I wasn't going to do
that,,,and this is probably a blessing in disguise anyway.”
“Well,” said Margaux.
“We have the whole day to ourselves...what do you want to do with it?”
“How's outside?” said Roy.
“Kind of cold,” said
Margaux. “Calling for rain later.”
“Sounds like a great
day to lay in bed, watch TV and order room service,” said Roy.
“I wouldn't want it any
other way,” said Margaux as the two shared a kiss before snuggling up on the
bed and turning on the TV.
July 11, 2019,
11:19 local time,
Norah Anam's
apartment,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
Seriously? thought MCPD Deputy Norah Anam as she heard a
knock on her door. Can't the bloody pinheads read the sign on my door that
says “No Solicitors”...I mean, by Jove...
Norah proceeded to
ignore the knocking, but it persisted, which forced her to get up and
acknowledge who was bothering her.
She peered through the
peephole and let out a sigh of relief, but her annoyance wasn't abated. Still,
she decided it was best to hide it from her guest.
“Officer,” she said
after opening the door. “If you're after my bag of dope be advised I already
flushed it down the toilet...you're gonna have to get it from someone else.”
Her guest, fellow MCPD
Deputy Ezekiel “Zeke” Coleman, laughed.
“Well,” he said, “ain't
that a shame. Cops always have the best stuff.”
Norah let out a laugh
herself before getting serious again.
“Anyway, Coleman,” she
said, “you seem to need me quite urgently...what services do you require out of
me?”
“We need to talk,” he
said in a concerned voice. “It's rather important.”
Norah opened her mouth
in an effort to start talking but, for some reason, she couldn't vocalize her
thoughts. She stood there for a few minutes gesturing and letting out some
sighs as Coleman looked on, his arms folded. Norah picked up on Coleman's
frustrations but still struggled to let out her thoughts until one finally came
to her.
“It's kind of not a
very good time for me right now,” she said.
Coleman let out a sigh
and gave Norah a frustrated look.
“I've been calling you
all day,” he said. “I wouldn't come here if I didn't think it needed your
attention.”
“I understand that,”
said Norah. “Believe me I do. It's just-”
Before she could
finish, another man called out to her from inside the apartment. The man then
walked towards the door when he saw she was there.
Coleman instantly
recognized him.
“Orion,” he said with a
wry smile. “The Orion...the legendary superhero Orion...in the flesh. I
used to always think you were just a myth.”
“I still wish he was a
myth,” said Norah.
Orion let out a chuckle
to hide his displeasure with Norah's zinger.
“Hi,” he said, shaking Coleman's
hand as the two exchanged pleasantries. “I assume you know Norah?”
“Jack,” said Norah,
referring to Orion's birth name, Jack Li Ming. “He's simply my partner at the MCPD.”
“Norah,” said Orion.
“No need to get testy...you don't need to qualify him for me.”
“Like I didn't need to
'qualify' Reverie's study buddy the other day,” said Norah, with her hands on
her hips. “I'm pretty sure he's still got that undeserved black eye.”
“Reverie is 10,” said
Orion. “Little young to date, isn't she?”
“She's 12, first
of all,” said Norah, “and you're not around enough to be any kind of authority
on what she should be doing!”
Coleman then held up
his hands, trying his best to defuse the situation.
“OK, OK, OK...” he
said. “Norah, you were right...I did come at the wrong time...I'll leave
you two to sort out whatever you need to sort out.”
“No, no, no,” said
Orion, who walked outside and, in one quick move, put his arm around Coleman
and led him into the apartment. “You seem like a good guy...maybe you can help
us.”
Norah rolled her eyes
as Coleman gave her a confused look, but no one offered a real protest.
Coleman found a spot on
the couch and made himself comfortable. He said “hi” to Reverie who smiled
back, though she was too preoccupied with her computer to offer much
conversation.
“I guess this is too
awkward for you too,” said Coleman, as Reverie only responded by nodding “yes”
and an awkward smile of her own.
“Oh come on,” said
Orion. “I never make things awkward.” Orion then flashed a wide smile as Norah
and Reverie both gave him weird looks, to which Coleman could only chuckle.
“So, uh, Norah” said Coleman.
“You guys have a thing...had a thing...you're rediscovering that thing...still
figuring out the thing...what's the deal?”
“Since I really
don't want to hear the story again,” said Reverie in exasperation, “13 years
ago they had a night together and nine months later, I popped out.”
“Ah,” said Coleman, who
seemed to realize the cauldron he'd just stepped in to.
A thought came to Coleman's
head.
“Wait,” he said.
“Norah, you're 26...13 years ago you were 13. You had Reverie when you were 13?”
Norah smiled wryly,
expecting that reaction from Coleman.
“Ireland, my friend,”
she said. “As soon as you get your breasts you're f***ing someone. That's just
our reality.”
Coleman made a look
before Norah interjected to correct him.
“No, Jack didn't rape
me,” said Norah. “I was just young and stupid when I met him...overcome with
hormones and well...you were 13 once, Coleman, you know how that goes.”
Coleman laughed,
understanding Norah.
“I prefer 'young and
smart' myself,” said Orion. “I mean, when you see a stud like me-”
“A stud too full of
himself to understand the responsibility he just created,” retorted Norah.
Orion grimaced, stung
by Norah's response.
“That's not true,” said
Orion. “I come back and visit my daughter...I own my responsibility.”
“No, you poor excuse of
a mouth breather,” said Norah. “ 'Owning your responsibility' doesn't mean you
come around, unannounced, every few years and visit your daughter for only a
few days while leaving the actual work of raising her to me.”
Norah's voice rose as
she continued to talk, ending with a fiery crescendo.
“No!” she said, “you're
going to be part of her life, you're going to be there for her
birthdays, for her graduation...you're going to help her with her
homework...teach her how to drive...how to handle boys...all the things
a father is supposed to do!”
She then took in a few
deep breaths to regain her composure, but her anger was still on full display,
looking right at Orion with a death glare.
“Not that you would
know any of that!” said Norah, violently thrusting her finger at Orion,
“because you haven't grown up yourself!”
Norah then broke down
and cried, burying her head in her hands and running off to her bedroom,
closing the door behind her so that no one could see her tears. Orion tried to
follow her to continue talking to her but Reverie intercepted him, telling him
it was best that he leave.
So Orion did so, along
with Coleman, and the two of them talked inside Coleman's car, running to it as
the rain had started to come down.
“How many times does
she give you that speech?” said Coleman.
“A lot,” said Orion.
“Almost every time I see her she's seething mad...and all I really want to do
is spend time with my daughter.”
“You still love her,
don't you?” said Coleman.
“With all my heart,”
said Orion. “Norah and Reverie. It's just that, with my life, always being on
the road, always being hunted by someone, always hunting someone...I can't see
them too often, and it pains me that it's like this.”
“I hear ya,” said Coleman.
“I might be a bit more tethered than you but a cop's life ain't all that
different.”
“So you understand,”
said Orion.
“Clear as day,” said Coleman.
“I'm sure Norah does too, and her frustration comes out when she sees you.”
Orion let out a heavy
sigh and shook his head.
“I would give
everything in this world to give up my life,” said Orion, “have a normal job so
that I could be rooted here so that I could see my daughter and have another
chance with Norah. There's nothing more in my life that I want.”
“...but,” said Coleman.
“The hero's life...always a target. Always have to watch your back. It's
impossible to lead a normal life.”
“I never wanted to be a
hero,” said Orion. “I just had to because my parents were murdered so I had to
strike out on my own...and I was 12 when that happened.”
“12 years old and you
had to figure out how to be an adult,” said Coleman with a wry chuckle.
“You can imagine what
that's like,” said Orion. “This was the same time Ireland became what it is so
I had to hunt for my parents' killers myself.”
“So began your career
as a hero,” said Coleman.
“Norah talks about
being young and stupid herself,” said Orion, “but I was too. Heroism gave me a
rush, and I was good at it...so I stayed in it...and continued to stay in it
even though a smarter me would have told me to get out of Ireland and start a new
life somewhere else.”
“So how did you meet
Norah?” said Coleman, warming up to Orion.
“Weird story,” said
Orion. “It was 2003 or 2004, I think. I remember I'm in Cork...I was born there
so I used to go back there a lot. Anyway, I had this goblet...a really shiny
one...that a family had given me as a thank you for getting their stuff back
from some robbers. I was going to use the goblet to trade it for some food
because, in Ireland we have no money so we were reduced to bartering.”
“You had a shiny
goblet,” said Coleman, “and you were just going to trade it for food. I
think I'd at least want a boat and a pilot to get me out of there. Unless you
were going to go for some Kobe steak or something.”
“Young and stupid,
right?” said Orion with a chuckle. “Anyway, as I'm looking for some food, I see
this army coming in to the town from the river...they weren't very big, maybe a
cohort or even a century...anyway, they had to have been a professional army
because they had boats and cars and all kinds of equipment no one in Ireland
had seen before. They just walked into the town square and started rounding up
people, beating and shooting at those who didn't come along. I remember sensing
that something was wrong, so I stashed the goblet in my backpack and I ran
towards the army.”
“Man,” said Coleman,
“that is 'young and stupid'. You didn't think you could take on an
entire army by yourself, did you?”
“I did at that age,”
said Orion, “but, fortunately, I didn't have to meet them head-on. They began
going building to building looking for more people. I remember seeing, out of
the corner of my eye, two soldiers chasing down this family, with one of them
hollering, 'get the girl! Get the girl!' I bolt for the soldiers and I get in
between them and the family. I manage to wrestle one of their guns away and I
waste no time shooting them both.
“Unfortunately we
couldn't flee, as another pair of soldiers came from behind us. The parents
charge at them, perhaps inspired by me, but the soldiers shoot them dead. I
then waste no time and shoot those soldiers down, by which point I take Norah's
hand and I run with her as fast as I can away from the area.
“We eventually find
this abandoned building where we stopped to catch our breaths. Something about
that chase must have aroused Norah because almost as soon as we enter that
building and catch our breaths, we're f***ing like animals behind a stairwell.
We went for hours too, and several times...and it was my first time, actually.
Hers too, she'd later tell me.”
“Interesting,” said Coleman.
“So, how'd she end up in Marian?”
“After we f***ed,” said
Orion, “we went to this refugee processing place in the port lands. There was a
long lineup, and officials there were corrupt, accepting bribes to move people
up the queue. I still had my goblet with me, so I went to one of the officials
and begged them to let Norah and I to the front of the line. The official was
impressed by the goblet, but he'd only let Norah through, not me. I haggled for
several minutes before I finally gave up, at which point we kissed and hugged
several times before I said 'goodbye', with both of us crying afterwards.
“I'd always remembered
her in the years afterwards, so when social media became a thing, one of the
first things I did was look for Norah. Yeah, gargantuan task...but I got lucky.
I found her profile when she was just entering college, so I connected with her
there and arranged to meet her in Marian. We spent, like, a week together and
the magic was back.”
Orion then let out a
heavy sigh.
“I had to leave
abruptly, though,” said Orion. “Some guy messaged me on social media told me
that, in a previous case, I had murdered his brother and he was coming to
retaliate against me. I didn't believe him until, one day, when I was out in
The Narrows, I saw the guy and he pointed his gun at me. I managed to wrestle
away the gun and shoot him dead, after which I fled from Marian and The
Republic of Marian. I didn't have time to say goodbye to Norah- all I could do
was message her once I found a safe spot and explained what happened.
“After that, I tried to
see her again to make up for what happened...but each time I got the angry
tirade. Believe it or not, that was the first time I ever had a death threat-
now I get them all the time, and I've dealt with more than a few brushes with
death. I mean, I get why Norah is angry...but I have my reasons.”
Coleman sat and
pondered Orion's story. He thought that there were parts that Orion was
exaggerating but he couldn't put his finger on what. Coleman, though, thought
better of antagonizing Orion, at least for the time being.
He did have one
question on his mind.
“Orion,” he said. “You
said an army rounded up people in Cork. Do you remember much about them?”
Orion strained to
remember. Given the time distance, a lot of details were lost, but one did
stick out.
“They had epaulettes
with the letter 'W' on them,” said Orion. “I really don't know what that
means.”
“I think I know someone
who does,” said Coleman, who then started the car.
July 11, 2019,
14:11 local time,
Marian University
Library,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
“Oh,” said Bruce McCrain
as he caught a book falling from one of the top shelves. “Careful, miss.”
The girl whose head was
nearly struck chuckled awkwardly, but graciously thanked Bruce for corralling
the wayward hardcover. The girl went back to looking for books on the shelves,
but Bruce tried to continue the conversation.
“Hey,” he said,
awkwardly. “Um, uh...so...what brings you to the library today?”
Bruce, in his
nervousness, began to flash a smile but stopped himself in a vain attempt at
“playing it cool”. Inside, his heart was racing, desperate to find the right
things to say and do in front the girl, as he was wrapped up in her beauty.
She had shimmering red
hair that glistened in the gloomy library lights. She had heart tattoos on each
of her cheeks and her lips were painted black, complimenting her very light
skin tone. Her look was rugged but alluring, with a red/blue mini-skirt and
navy blue knee-high socks that accentuated her legs.
What really struck
Bruce, though, was her top- a blue bomber jacket with full sleeves, but open in
the middle to reveal her blue bikini underneath. It may not have revealed much
but it left little to the imagination, telling Bruce he might get to see more
if he played his cards right.
Which, for the young,
inexperienced billionaire, was nigh near impossible.
“Well,” said the girl.
“I came here to pick up some books-”
“Me too!” said Bruce,
getting giddy at finding common ground. “We're in the right place because
there's so many books!”
The girl chuckled and
smiled wryly. She could pick up in an instant that Bruce was attracted to her,
which would have bothered her with a lot of guys but with Bruce, she found him
oddly charming.
“See,” said the girl,
calmly. “I only need a few...I'm going to be going to the beach afterwards and
I can't have too many books in my backpack.”
“Oh you're going to the
beach,” said Bruce. “I, uh, never would have guessed.”
The girl instantly
looked down at her chest, knowing that Bruce noticed her open jacket. She then
smiled wryly and gave Bruce a look.
“You're not supposed to
be looking down there, honey,” said the girl, putting her hands on her hips.
At this point, Bruce
was mortified. He got sick to his stomach at the thought that he offended the
girl, letting his instincts get the better of him. He panted heavily, burying
his head in his hands at times, looking at the girl as she was his scorned lover.
“Oh, um,” said Bruce,
anxiety overcoming him, “I'm...I'm sorry! I shouldn't have looked...I'm so
sorry...I'm not like that...I respect women...I'm not a sleaze...I would never
disrespect you in any way shape or form...please, please...I'm sorry!”
Before the girl had a
chance to respond, another man- a well-built muscular man whose tight shirt
brought them out- got in between the two and walked right up to Bruce.
By now if Bruce hadn't
lost his marbles with fear, he sure did now.
“Are you bothering this
girl?” said the man, snarling at Bruce. He then grabbed Bruce by the scruff of
his neck and picked him up, putting his face almost right against his. “Answer
me!”
Bruce didn't have an
answer, his heart racing as fast as it ever had been and his mind racing even
faster, scared to death of the possibilities that could arise with this man.
“You're Laker, aren't
you?” said the man, shaking Bruce which increased his trepidation. “You are, aren't
you?”
“Y-Y-Yes,” said Bruce,
stuttering and rambling like a madman. “Yes, yes I am...but please...just put
me down...I promise I won't do anything to the girl. I promise...I'm not like
other guys.”
The man cackled and
shook his head, still giving Bruce that disgusted look. As the moments
continued with Bruce dangling in the air with a beast of a man looking like he
was going to have Bruce for dinner, Bruce's anxiety hit a tipping point and he
urinated in his pants, with some of the urine reaching the ground and splashing
on the man's shoes.
“This is Florentine
leather,” snarled the man as he noticed the urine. “You're going to pay for
what you did.”
The man then threw
Bruce against the shelves, with Bruce anticipating a kick or some other kind of
knockout blow- not that he didn't get into excruciating pain as it is. He
covered his head with his hands anticipating the blow but after a few moments
where he heard some violent crashes, he realized it wasn't him who'd received
the “coup de grace”.
He lowered his head to
see the man writhing in pain on the floor, clutching his leg and his back at
various points. Standing above him was the girl he was just talking to, who
seemed no worse for wear except for her shaking her hand, which was momentarily
numb.
“Wow,” said Bruce,
stunned over what he saw. “I...uh...”
“Some guys,” said the
girl as the defeated man limped away, “really need to mind their own business.”
“...but I thought I,”
said Bruce, panting heavily as he was still in shock.
“Like you're the first
guy that's ever looked at my breasts,” said the girl. “Hey, they look nice- I'd
look at them too.”
“Uh, um, they um,” said
Bruce, struggling to find the right words. “They do look nice...really...please
don't get mad...”
The girl bent over and
gave Bruce a kiss on the cheek.
“If you weren't so cute
and sweet,” said the girl, “I'd be mad.”
“Um, thanks,” said
Bruce.
The girl then bent down
and extended her hand.
“My name's Nyssa,” she
said.
“Bruce,” said Bruce,
“Bruce McCrain.”
“Oh,” said Nyssa,
intrigued. “Bruce McCrain? As in the son of Thomas McCrain?”
“Yeah, he's my dad,”
said Bruce, who was less than enthusiastic about remembering his father.
“You don't sound so
happy,” said Nyssa. “He's done a lot for The Republic of Marian.”
“It's a long story,”
said Bruce with a sigh. “Basically we don't talk...and I'm not sure we ever
will.”
“That's a shame,” said
Nyssa, who felt for Bruce. “I guess being a good businessman doesn't always
mean you're a great father.”
“He's,” said Bruce, who
sighed before continuing. “He's a good man who had his reasons...we just
conflicted.”
“You don't sound so
sure about your father,” said Nyssa.
“I just wish I had a
better relationship with him,” said Bruce. “A lot of people celebrate their
fathers...I had to leave mine...it's less than ideal.”
At this point, a
library worker came by to address the pair.
“Listen,” said the
worker, doing his best not to gag at the smell of Bruce's urine, “I don't know
what stress you guys have...but we gotta clean up here. You're going to need to
find another place to talk.”
Bruce looked around,
embarrassed once he realized what had happened. It was his turn to be mortified
in front of the worker, apologizing profusely and downtrodden that he had
soiled himself and the floor as he did.
“C'mon Bruce,” said
Nyssa, helping Bruce up. “I'll take you to the bathroom and you can use my
towel as pants. I'll even call a cab for you to go home.”
“Uh,” said Bruce.
“Thanks...but why are you so nice to me?”
“You seem like a nice
guy,” said Nyssa. “Might as well return the favour.”
“Thanks,” said Bruce
with a smile.
As the pair walked to
the bathroom, a thought entered Bruce's head.
“Maybe when I'm changed
I can call you and we can go to the beach together,” said Bruce with another
smile.
It was now Nyssa's turn
to sigh.
“As, um, friends,
though,” she said, dourly.
“That's OK,” said
Bruce. “I wasn't expecting any-”
“There's nothing to
expect,” said Nyssa, interrupting immediately. “On Saturday I'm getting
married.”
“Oh,” said Bruce, who
was disappointed but happy for Nyssa at the same time. “That's great news...if
sudden. Who's the guy?”
“That's the thing,”
said Nyssa. “I don't know who he is. On Saturday I go to this matchmaker, I
tell them what I want and they send me over some guys that they have. After I
pick one, we get married...right there.”
Bruce was confused but
intrigued. He never thought he could go to some location and find a wife right
away...dating seemed so perilous to him that this concept felt like a great
idea. Something felt “off” about it, though.
“How does this
matchmaker find people for you to marry?” said Bruce.
“I...I don't know,”
said Nyssa. “I never really thought about it...the place says that the
prospects come from impoverished places around the world, so it sounds like
they're actually helping people.”
Bruce then thought
about the Cassiopeia Force stories that his friend, Tulip Errons, had told him
about and he wondered if they were at all connected.
“If you want to look
into it yourself,” said Nyssa, who then gave Bruce a card, “this is who I'm
dealing with.”
The Love Tree By
Amanda Isley, read the card. Grow
Your Love Life With Us and Plant the Seeds of Your Future.
This may indeed be
something to check out,
thought Bruce as he put the card in his jacket pocket.
July 12, 2019,
16:36 local time,
Marian City Police
Department,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
“Someone's sure
chipper,” said patrolman Randy Alvarez as an usually energetic and giddy Roy
entered the station. “You finally put that pito to use, Roy?”
Roy could only laugh,
with a smile that brightened up the whole room.
“You know, it's more
than just the pito,” said Roy. “It's about el corazon too and
this woman...this woman, by Jove...she's got both. In spades.”
“Ah, well,” said
Alvarez with a smile of his own, albeit reluctant. “Congratulations. Glad you
found someone you love.”
“Thank you,” said Roy,
“but I'm not getting ahead of myself...it's only been a week. Which is longer
than I've ever done before but...I still gotta be realistic.”
“Oh come on,” said
Alvarez. “You paid for her, she ain't going anywhere.”
Roy then gave Alvarez a
look, perplexed but intrigued by what he said.
“Paid?” he said. “I
didn't pay for her...I just chatted her up and asked for a date...and she said
'yes'.”
“Hold on,” said Strike
Force member Park Avenue, interjecting into the conversation. “You managed to
chat up a girl and ask her out...and she said yes...in The Republic of
Marian?”
Roy held out his hands,
puzzled at the shock over his admission.
“Yeah,” said Roy. “I
didn't realize something like that was so uncommon around here...I mean, back
in Cali we asked out women all the time...we didn't, uh, 'buy' them. Not that
many said 'yes' to me anyway.”
“Well,” said Park, “I'm
sure you've heard all the rumours about the demographic imbalance in The
Republic of Marian, that there are far more single men than single women...but,
an interesting thing happened. People don't ask each other for dates
anymore...they're content going to a matchmaker, even if it's just for a fling.
Of course, the main reason is that everyone here in The Republic of Marian is
so busy that going out on dates is next to near impossible, but matchmaking is
so ingrained in our culture that...asking someone out, it's foreign to us.”
“Exactly,” said
Alvarez. “Besides, there's benefits too...once you own your wife, you keep her
forever...so you can get some action on the side if you so crave.”
Alvarez let out a wide
smile as Park laughed and Roy looked on, uncomfortable about what he heard.
“...but,” said Roy.
“Isn't this slavery? 'Owning' someone means you've reduced them to a slave.”
“Nah,” said Alvarez.
“It's not slavery...they're called 'enhancement companions'. They're all
willing participants who come from the poorest places in the world to come here
to The Republic of Marian to marry into a better life. Sure, I had to pay a fee
to meet my wife, but that's only to repay the service that brought her over
here. She's not a slave...I don't chain her up or anything. Well, unless-”
“TMI, good sir,” said Park,
interrupting. “TMI.”
“I don't know,” said Roy.
“There's just...something weird about all this...you know, paying for your
spouse just doesn't sit well with me.”
“The average Marianite
works 60 hours a week,” said Park. “You tell me where any of us are going to
find time to get a date.”
Roy flashed a wry
smile.
“I don't know,” he
said, patting Park on the shoulder. “I'm doing it...and maybe we shouldn't be
working 60 hours a week.”
“If life weren't so
expensive,” said Park, “then yeah.”
“..,and it ain't
getting better,” said Alvarez.
“Well,” said Roy,
“solving that problem is a bit beyond my pay grade.”
He then said his
goodbyes to the patrolmen and went to his office to catch up on the mountain of
paperwork he had.
July 13, 2019,
10:55 local time,
Stately McCrain
Manor,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
Bruce's eyes lit up as
soon as he saw him after opening the door.
No...it can't be...I
must be dreaming...but I'm not...woah...
“Orion?” said Bruce,
happy as a child on Christmas morning. “Jack Li Ming?”
Orion smiled and
chuckled, taken by Bruce's excitement.
“The one and only,” he
said, proudly, as he and Bruce shook hands.
“Wow,” said Bruce,
still taking in this monumental moment. “I've followed your entire
career...you're my favourite hero...better than all the comic book ones. You
inspire me in more ways than I can explain...I mean...Orion...words can't
express how happy I am at meeting you today.”
“Well Bruce,” said Coleman
who was right behind Orion, “you're going to have to fanboy some other time
because we got work to do.”
Hearing that didn't
dull Bruce's excitement. It only made it grow.
“I'm going to be
working with Orion?!” he said, reacting as if he'd won a prestigious trophy.
“By Jove, this is the best day of my life!”
An excited Bruce ran to
tell Alfred as Coleman and Orion made themselves comfortable in the living
room. It wasn't long before Alfred came down to address them.
“Nice to meet you, Mr.
Orion,” said Alfred, who bowed for Orion.
“Eh, it's just Orion,”
said Orion. “I'm not that special...no need to bow.”
“Very well,” said
Alfred. “Can I get either of you some tea, or water?”
“No coffee here?” asked
Orion.
“We can do that too,”
said Alfred.
Orion and Coleman both
asked for coffees, for which Alfred left to prepare.
“Say, Coleman,” said
Orion. “When you were at Norah's, you said you had something you needed to tell
her. Does it have anything to do with Cassiopeia?”
“It does, actually,”
said Coleman. “I went to this matchmaker place the other day and I got these
strange vibes. Nobody there was able to explain where they got the people they
would have matched me up with- they just kept prattling on about some kind of
'program' they have with developing countries.”
“A program they
wouldn't elaborate on at all about,” said Orion. “Sounds fishy.”
“Tell me about it,”
said Coleman. “I mean, I'm all for people getting better opportunities, but
people who have thrust into it against their will aren't in a better
opportunity, no matter what it may look like.”
“I hear ya,” said
Orion, “but, how do you know it's Cassiopeia?”
“That's the thing,”
said Coleman, “I don't...but hearing all these rumours about them kidnapping
whole villages and bringing them here to The Republic of Marian makes me think
they're involved with the matchmaker I went to.”
At this stage, Martha McCrain
made her way into the living room and took a seat on the couch adjacent to
Orion and Coleman. Bruce zeroed in on the couch his mother sat on, running to
and jumping on it. He did sit down on the couch, but he was so excited that he
could never sit still, always bouncing around on it.
“Easy there, champ,”
said Martha. “We still got the rest of the day to get through.”
“Sorry,” said Bruce.
“I'm just so excited.”
“We're sorry we
couldn't meet you the other day,” said Alfred, bringing in the coffees for
Orion and Coleman before taking his own seat next to Bruce and Martha.
“Don't worry about it,”
said Coleman, as he and Orion both enjoyed their brews. “School comes first, I
understand.”
“We had a nice night at
The Joker's Club,” said Orion. “Lots of beautiful women...I'm surprised no one
can get a date around here.”
“My friend runs the
Club,” said Bruce. “He's still trying to finish it.”
“Looks nice from what
we saw,” said Coleman. “Oh, and the fights...that Snood is a mean character.”
Bruce smiled awkwardly
before explaining that he actually got in the ring with Snood.
“Man,” said Orion.
“You're one tough kid...there are very few things I'd never do, but certainly
one of them would be getting in the ring with that guy. He's huge.”
“Tell me about it,”
said Bruce as Orion and Coleman had a laugh.
“So Bruce,” said Orion.
“What do you know about Cassiopeia?”
“Probably as much as
you do,” said Bruce. “I don't talk to my father anymore and even when I did, he
never talked about his business.”
“What about you, Martha
and Alfred?” said Coleman.
“Same,” said Martha.
“Thomas was very secretive about it...I may have been married to him for almost
two decades but he never brought up his work. Heck, Thomas hardly interacted
with me at all, unless he wanted a sandwich.”
“As for me,” said
Alfred, “I was merely his personal lawyer...I never did get into his business
handling. He had someone else do that for him.”
“What was his name?”
said Orion.
“I never met the chap,”
said Alfred. “Thomas always mentioned he had another business lawyer but he
never did state his name. Who knows if he even existed?”
“He probably did,” said
Orion. “At least at the corporate level.”
Coleman let out a
frustrated sigh. Looking into Cassiopeia just felt like a dead end.
“You can't tell me that
Thomas never let slip anything,” said Coleman. “He may be guarded, but
everyone slips up.”
Bruce, Martha and
Alfred all looked at each other and shook their heads for “no”, repeating the
expression for Coleman and Orion.
Orion then turned to Coleman.
“Maybe the Cassiopeia
Force doesn't have anything to do with McCrain,” said Orion. “If Thomas never
said a word about it, then it must mean-”
“No,” said Coleman,
interrupting. “The conspiracy theory regarding McCrain and Cassiopeia has
lingered on for years and always gets breathed new life every few months. It
wouldn't have legs if there wasn't a kernel of truth to it.”
“We know Cassiopeia
exists,” said Bruce, “and we know it operates. We just can't link it to
someone.”
“I understand your
frustration, Orion,” said Alfred, “but the McCrain lead is the only one we
have.”
Martha then dug deep
into her thoughts, an action that didn't go unnoticed by the crowd.
“What is it, Martha?”
said Coleman, intrigued by what Martha may come up with.
“Maybe it's just my
memory,” said Martha, “but I seem to recall that he maintained a spreadsheet
where he was putting dollar amounts under the names of what I think are
different companies. They had all these weird names and honestly sounded fake
but I could never understand what he was doing.”
“Shell companies,” said
Coleman assuredly. “Either that, or it was an expense sheet.”
“Some of those names
really didn't sound like anything you'd call a company,” said Martha. “I mean,
I guess you could name a company anything, but...”
“So they're likely
shell companies,” said Orion definitively.
Martha then looked at
Orion, confused but intrigued.
“A shell company is a
company formed by someone for no other reason than to hold on to assets,” said
Orion. “They're usually used in money laundering and other fraud cases because
companies and individuals use shells to park money in a place where the tax
collector doesn't have access to it.”
“Now,” said Coleman,
“in this case, Thomas wouldn't be using the shells to avoid taxes- he's using
them to pay for services clandestinely, so no one can trace the payment back to
him. He likely created an alias that runs these companies to further throw off
the scent.”
“Or aliases,” corrected
Orion.
“He can't use too
many,” said Coleman. “Go past two or three and you lose track of them easily.”
“He seemed to have more
than three,” said Martha. “Way more than three.”
A thought then came to
Bruce.
“Guys,” he said. “We
don't need to figure out all of the shell companies. We just need to trace one
back to my dad.”
“Bruce is right,” said
Orion, holding up the card for Isley's services, “and we've got a place to
start.”
“So let's get to it,”
said Coleman, as Orion and Bruce agreed.
July 13, 2019,
16:19 local time,
The Love Tree,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
“What the-?” said Coleman
as Orion and Bruce looked on in horror.
When they looked at The
Love Tree, the building was consumed by fire. The fire burned so fiercely that,
even though the group was in a parking lot far from the building, they could
feel the full effect of the fire. Coleman figured the arsonist used an
accelerator, as the fire was set just recently yet had consumed the entire
building.
When the trio got
closer, they found Norah, Roy and Capitol Comissioner Jim Gordon already on the
scene. They were joined by a crew of firefighters working to put out the blaze
as well as over a dozen patrolmen- including Park and Alvarez- taking
statements from the building's occupants. Many of them were the shop's
enhancement companions, who were all wearing towels since their jobs were to
model themselves naked, but also there were the shop's prospective customers
and the shop's owner, Amanda Isley, who was beside herself in distress.
Bruce, though, zeroed
in on one of the customers he'd met before.
“Nyssa!” he said,
running towards Nyssa, with both entwining themselves in a long, hearty embrace
with Nyssa crying on his shoulder, glad for his presence as she began releasing
her anxieties.
“It's OK, Nyssa,” said
Bruce. “I'm here, everything's OK...everything's OK.” The two continued to hold
each other tightly for quite some time, with tears flowing from Nyssa's eyes on
to Bruce's shoulders, as Nyssa still hadn't recovered enough of her composure
to feel comfortable to talk.
Their long embrace
allowed Coleman and Orion to catch up to Bruce, and they began talking to the
other two people who were with her, her father, Rahman, and her newly-minted
husband, Harland Quinn, who was wearing a towel.
“I apologize for
Bruce,” said Coleman as he walked up to the group. “He's a little excitable.”
“No need to apologize,”
said Rahman. “Your son is helping my daughter...I don't think that's something
to apologize for.”
“Oh,” said Coleman,
“he's not my son. He's just helping us. I'm Marian Police Deputy Captain Zeke Coleman,
and this is my friend Jack.”
“Pleased to meet you,”
said Rahman as he shook hands with Coleman and Orion. “I'm Rahman al-Ghul,
father of Nyssa and the facilitator of her marriage today. It was a happy
time...and then the fire started.”
“What did you guys
see?” said Coleman.
Rahman paused to gather
his thoughts. He was an older man, though not much older than Coleman,
physically fit with smooth bronzed skin. His hair and his full beard were well
groomed and well coiffed, with touches of grey noticeable but in all the right
spots.
He was cool and
collected, talking with a smoothly calm accent. Coleman figured he was a former
military man, since Rahman wasn't fazed at all by the fire but it had been
clear to Coleman that he was initially shocked by it.
“You're an army guy,
aren't you?” said Coleman.
“I was a Mubarizun of
the Moroccan Army,” said Rahman. “One of their best for over twenty years.”
“Special forces,” said
Orion.
“You know the
Mubarizun?” said Rahman, intrigued.
“Let's just say I've
encountered a few,” said Orion with a smile.
“They must not have
been very good,” said Rahman, “because if you fought me, you wouldn't have
lived to tell the tale.”
Orion chuckled. He
disagreed, but he thought better of voicing it.
“So the fire,” said
Orion. “What happened when it started?”
“We'd just wrapped up
our wedding, actually,” said Rahman. “The officiant had just finished declaring
my daughter and Harland 'husband and wife' when we could hear screaming coming
from the back. The officiant disappeared to the back to find out what was going
on, while we just stood there, confused. Next thing we knew, the officiant
comes out and tells everyone to get out, and that's when we saw the fire, which
spread rapidly.”
“Did you see who
started it?” said Coleman.
“No,” said Rahman. “I
was too concerned with myself and my daughter to really pay attention to what
was going on around me...everything was kind of a blur. I really don't remember
much else.”
“Well,” said Coleman,
handing Rahman his card. “If you do remember anything, don't hesitate to call.”
“Will do,” said Rahman.
Coleman then left to
talk to Norah, who was having difficulty with the distraught Amanda.
“Hey,” he said,
approaching Norah. “How's it going?”
“I think it's pretty
obvious,” said Norah, pointing out Amanda, who was seated on the ground curled
into a ball to hide her tears, though her sobbing was clearly audible.
Norah held out her
hands and smiled.
“I'm trying to be
patient,” she said. “Believe me, I am...but she won't say anything.”
“So maybe she's not
ready to talk,” said Coleman.
“Oh we tried that,”
said Roy, “but every time we try leaving she keeps asking us to come back.”
Coleman stood there,
pondering his next move. A few seconds later, he figured it out.
“Amanda Isley,” said Coleman,
crouching down to Amanda's level and speaking softly. “I'm Marian Police Deputy
Captain Zeke Coleman. I'm one of the good guys...I'm not here to hurt you...I
just want to ask you a few questions.”
At this point, Coleman
got down on his knees and sat on his legs, finding the position more
comfortable. Amanda found Coleman to be soothing, so she raised her head from
her crouch just enough to look Coleman in the eye.
She then outstretched
her hands, which Coleman grabbed and held on to.
“Talk to me Amanda,”
said Coleman. “It's OK, you're safe now.”
Amanda stared blankly
at Coleman for a moment, her eyes still swelled with tears. She quivered and
opened her mouth for several seconds, holding it open without saying a word.
“Am I really safe?” she
said, words those assembled waited an eternity for her to utter.
“Yes,” said Coleman
softly but surely. “You really are safe.”
“...but my shop,” said
Amanda, beginning to sob again, “it's gone. I used to feel so safe in
there...but then he took it away from me.”
“He?” said Coleman,
giving Amanda's hands a tug, “He who?”
“Don't bother Zeke,”
said Norah. “I've been trying all this time and that's where she stops.”
Coleman didn't bother
listening to his colleague. He again pressed on, convinced he was on the verge
of a breakthrough.
“If you don't know his
name,” said Coleman, “then at least tell me what he was wearing. How did he
sound like? Did he come alone or did he come with someone? Think, Amanda, think!”
Amanda bowed her head
into her knees and broke down in tears. She then tried to pull away her hands
from Coleman but he wasn't letting go.
“No, no, no,” said Coleman,
sounding like a coach egging on his players, “you're not going to give up on
me...we're close, we're very close....you just gotta give me something
that can arrest the man who made you unsafe.”
Amanda then looked up
and shook her head, giving Coleman a disgusted look.
“You can't,” she said,
forcefully with drawing her hands. “You can't make me safe. You're just like
the others.”
Amanda again curled
into a ball and continued crying, as Coleman got back up, frustrated.
At this point, Orion
and Bruce walked up to Coleman's group. Instantly, Amanda and Gordon became
apprehensive.
“You!” said Amanda,
getting up to confront Orion. She then angrily poked him in the chest multiple
times as she continued. “You! I should have known it was you! You are always
causing me trouble! Me and my friends!”
“Jack Li Ming!” said
Gordon, looking at Orion with intense disgust, “if you have any part of
this, I'm not even going to bother putting you in jail, I'm just going to end
you right here!”
Bruce looked on in
shock, trying to utter the words to defend Orion but he was too stunned with
surprise to get them out.
Coleman, though, did
manage to successfully intervene.
“Guys!” said Coleman,
getting in between Amanda, Gordon and Orion, holding them at bay with his
outstretched arms. “Guys! That's enough! Jack had nothing to do with
this...he was with Bruce and I the whole day. You can even call McCrain Manor
if you don't believe me.”
Amanda and Gordon
continued to look at Orion with disgust, but Coleman's words calmed them down
enough that they decided against doing anything else to Orion.
“Amanda?” said Norah,
pointing at Orion, “you know this dope?”
“Yeah,” said Amanda.
“F***ed me once when I was 21, then left after I fell asleep. Left me with a
beautiful baby girl that he hasn't bothered to check up on.”
“Ah,” said Norah, with
her hands on her hips, “well look at you, Jack. Look at the kind of man
you've grown up to be...one who just spreads his seed and doesn't even
bother to accept the responsibility of it...you just want the fun but ya
don't want the work! Typical for the man child you are.”
Coleman palmed his
forehead and sighed.
“Oh, by Jove, Norah,”
said Coleman, “do you have to do this now, when we have work to do?”
“Work?” said Norah, “I
don't think Jack even knows how to spell it, let alone do it.”
Orion let out a weak
smile, doing his best to stay composed while dealing with the barrage of
insults.
“Guys,” he said, “if my
presence is too much trouble I'll go.”
Amanda walked up to him
and looked him in the eye.
“No, no, no!” said
Amanda, “we got unfinished business! You still haven't paid for shutting down
my other shop in Reno!”
“OK,” said Orion, “that
shop was selling minors, which is against the law in Nevada. You're probably
still doing it here, but I can't do anything about it because no one knows the
laws here in The Republic of Marian.”
“My dealer has assured
me that all of the prostitutes at the shop are legal,” said Amanda. “I have the
documentation on my phone if you don't believe me!”
Things again got testy
with everyone except Bruce and Coleman shouting at each other, which persisted
until Coleman let out a loud huff.
“Listen, Amanda,” said Coleman.
“We're going to need to see that documentation. Chances are, whomever torched
your store is after the same person.”
“They don't like my
dealer?” said Amanda, confused.
“They're likely an
anti-slave trade zealot who's bent on destroying the trader,” said Roy. “So
whomever your dealer is- or your dealer's dealer- is this guy's ultimate
target.”
Amanda let out a sigh.
A look of sadness and confusion overcame her as she pondered what to do.
“This is my
livelihood,” said Amanda. “I can't lose it again.”
“Prostitution is legal
in The Republic of Marian,” said Gordon definitively. “Even for minors, with
parental consent. The law is on your side, especially if you have the proper
documentation.”
“Look,” said Coleman,
“we can't tell you whether or not to cooperate with us...but I'm sure you have
friends in this industry and I'm going to tell you that they're targets for
whomever did this to you. So think carefully about that while you ponder what
you should do.”
Amanda hesitated but
eventually agreed to go back to the station to issue her statement and provide
them with the necessary documentation. She agreed with Coleman- she had friends
in the industry, and she didn't want them to get hurt, so Amanda felt it was
best to help the police.
July 13, 2019,
21:17 local time,
Marian City Police
Department,
City of Marian,
Marian Capitol Region, Republic of Marian
“Hey, Coleman,” said
Orion, walking up to Coleman at his desk. “I just want to say it was fun
working with you. I'm sorry for the troubles.”
“No problem,” said Coleman,
turning away from his computer to address Orion, “but why are you leaving so
soon?”
“It's...it's
complicated,” said Orion.
“Look,” said Coleman,
“if someone's threatening you, we will protect you.”
Orion smiled wryly.
“It's not that simple,”
said Orion. “The people I've upset...the people I've dealt with...they'll find
a way to get to me even with the best protection. My only protection is never
staying in one place for too long.”
“You've lost a lot of
friends that way, haven't you?” said Coleman, recalling the conversation with
Rahman.
Orion chuckled and
offered a hesitant smile.
“Let's just say that,”
said Orion.
Orion then outstretched
his hand and shook hands with Coleman, who got up from his chair.
“Listen man,” said
Orion as the two hugged heartily, “all the best.”
“All the best to you
too, man,” said Coleman. “If you ever make it back here, don't be a stranger,
OK?”
“You got it,” said
Orion as he parted ways with Coleman.
Orion then walked
towards the exit, but before he left the station, Bruce caught up with him.
Orion explained what was going on.
“I'm sad you have to
leave,” said Bruce. “I just want to say it's been an honour working with you
because you inspire me every day.”
Orion flashed a
hesitant smile towards Bruce, letting out a sigh.
“Listen Bruce,” he
said, “I'm glad I inspire you, but I'm really not the guy you think I am. I
didn't choose to be a hero, and this is no game. I know you think my life is
all glamour and constant adulation but the reality is I'd trade all this in a
second if I could have a normal life. I know I've saved a lot of people but
I've angered a lot more, and they're always out there looking to settle the
score. This kind of job...it becomes your life, and you have to really want to
do it if you really want to make it work.”
“...but,” said Bruce.
“I do want to do it...I do want to make it work. It's my lifelong dream
to be a hero and be someone like you who inspires others every day.”
“Do you Bruce?” said
Orion, “do you?”
Orion then placed his
hand on Bruce's shoulder.
“Don't answer,” he
said. “Just think about it...and really think about it.”
He then patted Bruce on
the shoulder before saying his final goodbye and departing, with Bruce already
beginning to ponder what Orion had told him.
Meanwhile, Norah got
back to her desk after finishing listening to witness statements concerning the
fire at Amanda's shop.
“What a day,” she said
as Coleman laughed. “What a day. Never thought I'd ever have a day where
something overshadows the dope's reappearance in my life.”
“You and Jack have a
lot of unresolved issues,” said Coleman.
“Yeah,” said Norah,
“but he doesn't want to resolve them. He just wants to live 'the hero life' and
get all the glory that comes with it but not do any of the actual work that he
leaves in his wake.”
“I don't know,” said Coleman,
“he did a lot of work today that he didn't have to do. He seems invested in our
case.”
“Is he?” said Norah,
who gave Coleman a look. “He left again for Jove knows where, didn't he? Just
when our investigation was going somewhere he leaves and makes us do the work.”
Coleman nodded in
acknowledgement.
“This isn't his
burden,” he said. “It's ours...now, when it comes to your kids, I do understand
where you're coming from.”
Norah sensed some
hesitation from Coleman.
“...but not
completely,” she said, pointedly.
“His life does give him
an excuse,” said Coleman.
“He made his life the
mess that it is,” said Norah. “You heard Amanda...he's out there banging chicks
left right and centre all the time, going for all the fun and leaving when
something pops out. When I was in Ireland he was already looking at other girls,
even when he was with me...he's not as faithful as he thinks he is.”
“He said he came back
to Marian after you moved here,” said Coleman, “and spent time with you until
he got a death threat.”
Norah shook her head
and laughed.
“He only left because I
walked in on him with his d*** inside of another girl on my couch,” said Norah.
“He may have received a death threat or something, but I got that rat b**tard
out of my apartment within the blink of an eye after he pulled that on
me. I've got friends who will back me up on that...you can talk to them if
you'd like.”
“Nah,” said Coleman
with a laugh, “I'll take your word for it.”
Coleman again became
serious.
“So all this stuff
about death threats and people coming after him,” said Coleman. “Do you think
he's making all that up to cover his infidelities?”
Norah sighed wistfully.
“With Jack,” she said,
“I don't know what to think. I do believe he's made some enemies...how could he
not in his job? I just think he was never cut out for the hero's job, because
he's not the kind of guy who will own up to his responsibilities. He's like as
the old saying goes, 'when the going gets tough...'”
“He gets going,” said Coleman.
“The dangers he faces
are probably very real,” said Norah, “but we face those same dangers every day,
and we don't move around from country to country every few days, and if he
really wanted to get out of his job, he'd do it. He just doesn't want to.”
“I don't know,” said Coleman.
“Each of my BAU teammates have faced some kind of peril, some- including my
former boss- were even targeted. I was even a prisoner of war once, facing all
kinds of stuff that no one should ever have to go through.”
Norah then looked Coleman
right in the eye.
“Yeah,” said Norah,
“but you dealt with the problem, you solved your problems. So did your
teammates. They don't do what Jack does and flee when it becomes too
difficult.”
Coleman then let out a
heavy sigh.
“You're right,” said Coleman,
“but I also know someone who was so imperilled by her situation that she had to
quit the force and then later fabricated a rape to cover for her own misdeeds.
She was just as much a cop as you and I...and Jack.”
This time it was
Norah's turn to sigh.
“You're right,” said
Norah. “Elle gave up too...but maybe she's just like Jack, just not cut out for
this job. She at least had the good sense to get out, even if it still affects
her every day and it's clear she's not dealing with her problems.”
“Is that what you'd
like him to do?” said Coleman. “Get out of his job, deal with his problems and
come back to you?”
Norah didn't offer a
response.
“It sounds easy,” said Coleman,
“but people are creatures of habit...it's hard to get out of the life you've
known....and, you know, maybe he is taking responsibility. If he's
f***ed tons of baby mamas, he needs time to see all those children. In that
context, he's at least he's making time to see yours, which should be a good
thing.”
A few tears formed in
Norah's eyes which she wiped away with her hands after a loud sniffle.
“I guess I just wish
things were different,” said Norah, her voice cracking. “That Reverie had a
father she could be proud of...heck, just a father that she actually knows,
not one that's a ghost. I wrestle with it every day, what I want...some days I
say I wish I never met Jack, but then I would never have my wonderful daughter,
who means more to me than anyone will ever know. Then there are days where I
wish Jack could be a permanent fixture in our lives, staying with us so we
could be an actual family, but I know that can't happen the way Jack lives his
life. Then there are days where I feel like I should move on, find love
somewhere else and give Reverie at least a stepfather who's a part of her
life...but I can never find someone who made me as excited as Jack did that
very first day I met him.
“One thing is for sure,
though. I just wish Jack would understand the pain he's caused me and all the
pain I go through because of our situation, because I'm not sure he truly
understands that.”
Coleman put his hand on
Norah's back, which comforted her.
“I hear ya,” he said.
“Jack always says he wishes he could lead a different life, one that's easier.”
“...but that's the
thing,” said Norah. “It's always about him, about me having to
understand him. It's never him seeking to understand me...or
Reverie, for that matter.”
At this point, Bruce
walked up to the pair to say his goodbyes and to offer his help should the
Deputies ever need it. He didn't have time for much of a conversation, as
Alfred was in a hurry to go home.
“Speaking of one day
understanding Jack,” said Norah once Bruce was out of earshot, “I hope one day
he understands and knows what he's getting into. Because if he's not careful,
he'll wind up making the same mistakes Jack did...and Bruce is too good of a
person to be saddled with the sad life Jack leads.”
“People confuse fame
with validation or love...but love is not the reward. The reward is getting
fulfillment out of doing the thing that you love.”- Claire Danes, Reuters
interview (2007)
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