Manhattan, New York, 22:14.
After dinner, the mood was much more relaxed. Robert and Diane were busy talking to each other quietly while Nathaniel was being rebuked by his mother.
"That backflip was really necessary sweetie, I mean, really?" Karine said exasperated.
"Believe me mom, that was the safest way to approach them. It was also the coolest and one of the best ways to scramble the evidence." Nathaniel said with a laugh.
"Do I want to know?" Ask Mary, her eyes furrowed.
"Believe me love, you don't." Answer karine, kissing her. "And for you young man, I don't want to see you around my office for the next six month! And no more emails either. The information was really helpful but I don't want my son to become a vigilante." She said sternly.
"Mom, do you remember the story that you told me when I was ten?" He said with a bitter smile.
"What story? I read you a lot of them over the years." She asks, her interest picked.
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."
"You always told me that the only chance for evil to win is if the good people do nothing. I don't want to see evil winning."
"I hate it when you use my own word against me." She said bitterly.
"I know that you are worried and want to make sure I am safe. I will not go solve every crime that happens in the city if that makes you feel better, that's not my job. But if I'm seeing people who need help or if someone is in danger, I would act."
"That's why we loved you sweetie, you always had a pure heart." Say Mary hugging him, tears threatening to spill.
"And here I thought that you loved me because I am your son." He said cheekily.
"Shush you, be good." Mary said while tapping him lightly on the head.
"Aie! Child services, please help!" Nathaniel shouted, massing excessively his head in fake pain. He then started running when his mother wanted to hit him again while laughing.
Looking at the two having fun, Karine flashes a loving smile. They have their up and down but she was glad that she had a loving family and especially a good son and wife. People always say that teenagers were a pain but that does not seem to be the same with her son even if he was difficult to manage in his own way. Other teenagers were sniffing glue at his age, hers was fighting crime. She couldn't decide at that moment what was worse.
"We need to talk." Karine said seriously.
"What is it mom?" Nathaniel asks.
"What's going on love?" Mary asks, disentangling herself from her son when she has caught up to him.
"We need to find a new apartment. I was talking about it earlier with the commissioner and the maire. Now that it is leaked, there is no putting back the genie into the lampe." Her eyes dimmed a little bit when saying it.
"Oh" Mary said with sadness.
That was the appartement where they got married and as such hold special value to them. It was in that appartement that her son came back from the dead. They had lived there for the last three years and loved it. Both of them were really sad to give it up.
"I know love, I don't like it either. The mayor and the commissioner both express their intentions to help us find something fast. We have a week to find our new home for security reasons. Past that time, the information about our address could not be guaranteed."
"A week to find a new apartment in New York? That's crazy." Mary exclaimed. The last time that they had to move, they needed two and a half months and it was with help.
"And what happens if another corrupt cop divulges our new address? We will have to find another house?" Mary was incensed, she loved her current home and did not want to give it up.
"I was told by the NYPD and the Mayor office that they will take steps to make sure that this will not happen again."
"Yeah right. Like I would trust them." Mary said with a huff.
"Mary, I don't like it either but we have little choice in the matter. We can't continue living in a place that the russian mob knows about." Said Karine, feeling sorry.
During the entire exchange, Nathaniel kept quiet. For starters, he didn't have much emotional attachment to the apartment like they do. He wanted to say that he would make sure that their next address was safe but he was on thin ice as it is. That would not stop him from taking measure to protect his family, he would just have to do it quietly. He already had a few ideas in mind that made him smile. He hurriedly killed that smile from his face when his two mothers looked at him at the same time. He could not help to shudder. A Mother's instinct is a very scary thing.
"What are you thinking about Nathaniel?" Ask Karine suspiciously.
"I understand your emotional attachment but I do not have it personally. I just want you two to be safe and if moving is the answer to that, it is a no brainer. " He said simply, shrugging.
"We have the same perspective on this matter." says Robert, coming along with Diane. Their private conversation seems to be over.
"We were talking about your problem and we made a decision. You see this penthouse is barely used anymore except when your grandfather and I need to sleep in the city. We would like to give it to you."
"Absolutely not! This is out of the question!" Mary reacted instantly.
"Mary let me talk before straight out refusing us alright?" Diane pleaded.
Mary was going to object again when she was interrupted by Karine who put a hand on her shoulder to appease her. She then nodded to her mother in a sign to go on. Diane nodded in gratitude and was about to speak out before being forestalled by her husband.
"We know that you two are fiercely independent and that you don't need our help but we would like you to have it. The principal reason we want to give this penthouse to you is because of a few things. First, this is the closest to Columbia that we have in the city and we know that Nathaniel will go there if he scores good enough. Second, This entire building has the best security system in the world and security personnel in the lobby. What happened yesterday could not have happened here. I know the person who owned this building and this is someone trustworthy. Third and most important of all, we want you three to be safe and this is the most secure building in the city to achieve that. So before saying no think about it daughter, you are not the only one we want to be safe." Robert said matter of factly.
Hearing the last part, Mary seemed to be deflated and she shot a worrying look at her wife and children. What her father said was right, this was not only about her but about her family too. She was still scared about what happened last night and didn't want it to happen ever again.
"Regardless of your decision, we were going to sell it or rent it if you don't take it. We will start to move our stuff out tomorrow. This is not our only possession in the city so don't worry about us." He adds in an afterthought.
Looking at each other, Karine and Mary seem to talk without saying anything like married couples tend to do. Seemingly reaching a decision, they turned to Nathaniel.
"What do you think sweetie?" Ask Mary with a smile.
"It depends. Can I keep the piano?" He asks making everyone in the room laugh and releasing a much needed pressure.
"Of course dear." Diane said fondly.
"Ok we will take it then." Mary said.
After that the women gather between themselves and start talking about the logistics while Nathaniel was left with his grandfather to their own device. Making sure that they could not hear them, Nathaniel approached his grandfather.
"You owned this entire building are you?" He asks with a smile. Robert fails to hide his surprise at his correct assumption.
"According to the lease I don't. Why would you say that?" He asks, getting back under control quickly.
"That was an easy one. You said you trust the owner of the building. You don't trust anyone beside yourself and grandma." Nathaniel shrugs, still smiling.
"Smart ass grandson." He grumbled. "You will not say anything to your mothers are you?"
"Of course not, everyone has a right to keep his secrets." Nathaniel said finally, making eye contact.
The remark that seems to echo their previous conversation did not go unnoticed by Robert. With a nod he admitted his point, not saying anything after that.