Chris's Apartment
Chris flinched in his seat when he heard the doorbell rang. He scurried to the window and peeped outside.
It was Mandy. He sighed then opened the door. He smiled warmly at her.
"Hey! Come in."
Mandy's had her hand in her purse. She had planned to knock, hand over the photo and leave.
She walked in. Mandy was uneasy, Chris could see it.
"You seem more afraid now than when you broke in."
Mandy quickly turned to him. She had a confused look in her face.
Chris sat down and beckoned her to sit opposite him,"It was joke!"
Mandy smiled uneasily,"I just wanted to return this photo and just get out of your hair."
She places the photo on the table. She was still standing.
"I know why you broke in. I know why you took the photo," Chris's voice was serious.
Mandy dropped on the couch with a big sigh. She didn't speak.
Chris continued,"You were here to find something wrong with me. Like severed doll heads or some other freaky stuff to show Shea. So that she could leave me."
"Wow. That's very... accurate."
"So did you show her the photo?"
"No. We thought that we should find out what you were in prison for, if it was something big. We tell her."
Chris noticed that Mandy had used 'we'. He knew she meant her and Mathew.
"By we you mean,you and Mathew?" Asked Mandy
Mandy knew Chris knew she was with Mathew that night.
"Yes,"
"So what did you find out?" Asked Chris. He realised how asking that question made him sound. He tried to salvage the situation.
"So am I a killer or not?"
Mandy smiled. "Would I be here if you were? I dropped digging into your life. You have it hidden for a reason but just know whatever that is meant to be known will be known. "
Chris had realised she had used I. Jack had taught him that involuntary answers are often the truth.
That would mean that Mathew was still digging into his past. He knew there was no way Mathew could figure him out but the thought of him trying made him feel unsafe.
"I have to go now!" Said Mandy as she got up. Chris got up and held the door for her.
"Have a good day!"
Happy Harbour
Jack's eyes began to open. It took him a second to adjust to the blinding light before him.
He could feel the rope around his hands. Around his legs. Around his neck. His hands could move a bit.
He tried to pull against the rope but the it tightened around his neck. He couldn't breathe.
His panic caused him to pull the rope even harder. Tightening against his throat. He couldn't stop it.
Then, he felt a hand press up against his. He felt ease around his neck. He took in a deep breaths.
A dark figure then stood in front of him. It was a man. He blocked the light.
"Nice to see you again Jacob!" Said a familiar voice.
Jack's eyes adjusted, then the image became clear. He could tell who it was. He played it calm.
"What happened to Mr. J?"
In a stern voice,"He died!" Said Rudolph
Little Chef Restaurant
It had been three days since Mathew had left town abruptly. He had taken a two week leave to go see his friend in Serkal City.
Mandy had gone on two dates in that time. She really went all in with the dating app. She had the time, since Mathew was gone!
The dates she had gone to weren't bad but weren't good either. Just Meh! He didn't hit it off with any of them.
Down to date number three, she had little spirits left. Unfortunately her self esteem was dwindling too as she waited.
She was quick to judge the other dates she's had. Now she thought, 'what if the guy came and saw her in person but didn't like what he saw and left'.
Her mind was thinking of all the reasons for the guy to stand her up. He was pretty low at that moment.
She had sat at the restaurant for over fifteen minutes. She was just about to get up and leave when she heard a deep voice.
"Mandalorian Queen?"
She looked up. It was a dark man with black eyes. It was his smile that was his best feature.
"King28?" She said as per formality.
"I'm sorry I'm late. I know you are a busy woman. " He said with a sincerely apologetic tone
Mandy then realised she was standing, while King28 was seated. She was a busy lady, but she had nothing better she could do that night.
She saw that her companion was holding his breath, hoping she would seat. She smiled at the control she had at that moment.
She sat back down. King28 couldn't hide his happiness.
"Mandalorian Queen! It's a nice name. How'd come up with it?" Asked the man.
Mandy knew what the gorgeous man was doing, and she was OK with it. She took a sip of her water then started the story.
Chris's Apartment
Chris sat on the couch. He was thinking a lot. Mostly wondering when Jack would return. He wasn't supposed to try and reach him.
Jack was the one to call Chris at his convenience. The fact that he hadn't, made Chris even more agitated.
Jack and Chris had never separated since a decade ago. It was a dark time for both of them. Moreso for Chris.
He remembered what Jack said. The only way he could help Jack was by completing their mission.
The only problem was that the timeline of the plan was supposed to take four months. Anything more than a month felt too long.
In the passed, sometimes it would take more than four months for their plan to take full effect.
Chris remembered their recent job. Back in Happy Harbour. Jack was the one in the action. It took them seven months to complete. Jack had to emerse himself in a character he created and play out a story he developed for seven months!
He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't with Jack. Sure there was the five years they were separated in their teens. He was happy but still felt something missing. He had made a new family but he still wasn't whole. He needed his brother. He was so happy when he brought Jack into his world. Unfortunately Jack wasn't happy leaving his life behind.
He was doing this mission for Jack. Jack really needed a way out and their success would ensure that for him. Chris and Jack would go and have a normal life.
Chris needed the plan to happen faster. That meant that he needed to be the brains, at least until Jack came home.
He held up the photo in the air. He held a lighter up to it and burnt it. He thought of his future. He thought of having a normal life, what it would look like.
"Nice!"
He dropped the photo on the table. He took a deep breath.
"I need to be the brains!"
Shea's House
Shea dragged herself into the living room. She dropped her bag on the ground and dropped on the sofa.
She looked around. The whole house was quiet.
"Karen!" She yelled
A maid came running. She was short and slender with a wide hips. She stopped before Shea.
"How can I help you Madam!" She said Ina squeaky voice.
"Get me some orange juice Karen!"
Usually she would squeeze the oranges herself. She often liked to things by her own hand sometimes. So that she didn't feel complete useless.
This was now becoming the problem! She was always tired. In the efforts to become more hands on she was becoming more tired.
Especially when she decided to run the company she inherited from her father.
When her father, Obadiah, was alive, she had never set foot in the company. Her job was to use the money she never had to work for.
After her father died she had a change of heart. This was also the time when she was turning twenty two. There was a lot of drama at that time for her. He had gone for therapy for a few months.
She got some help and guidance.In honor of her father, who worked for her, she decided to have a more involved approach to life. Her psychiatrist helped her in make the realization.
She laid off half of the staff in the house. She chose to be making her own breakfast. Squeezing her own oranges!
She then decided to be involved in his father's legacy. TechSolutions LTD. She had already studied business administration so she decided to apply.
Three years later, she resents the idea. She didn't realise then, that she would spend most of her time working. Not necessarily at the office. Everywhere!
Shea was stable socially. She had two best friends. One would argue you can't have two. But she did! She also had a boyfriend!
It was clear that she was doing all those stuff to overcompensate something. Now she felt that she didn't need to. Not anymore!
As Karen brought her the juice she made her mind. She would step down from running the affairs of the company!
Olivia's House
Olivia set her laptop down. She removed her shoes and kicked back on the sofa. She spread herself.
She really needed to go out more. She knew she needed to go out more. Not just with the girls but with guys too.
Something in her head told her she needed to. Deep in her heart though, she didn't want to.
She was content with her life, almost. She had two great friends. She had a great job and loads of money. But this was where the problem was. Her job!
For the longest time Olivia wanted to be reporter. If you'd have ask her back in highschool- reporter. Sometimes things change along the way. She found herself at lawyer.
She wasn't worse off anyway. Lawyer trumps Reporter any day. But it was a matter of fulfilment. She had come to terms with being a lawyer.
Despite her great career, she didn't really feel the need to settle down. Not because she didn't like men but because she hadn't found the right one.
She wasn't keen on searching anyway. Many of the men sited her disinterested and said she was a lesbian. (To them any woman in power ought to be a lesbian so as to assume the authoritative role in the relationship; so that their power extends to the household and not just in the workplace.)
Others said she was feminist! She didn't like to be referred as feminist because in her mind she always felt like feminist usually see the worst in men.
She switched on her laptop. She noticed there was an unread email. She clicked on it.
It was from Mathew. She clicked on the image thread. A photo came up.
She couldn't believe her eyes. She looked keenly at the bigger menacingly looking man with a wolf tattoo.
"Kiaru Don?"
Kamiti
Kamiti was the capital. It was a three hour flight from Old Town. In the heart of the city was the National Social Security Offices. Where the information of every citizen was stored.
Inside the offices there was a woman who sat at a computer. She was in the Funds department. She was in her mind thirties and had straight black hair. She wore the custom blue office t-shirt with black jeans.
A bald man with glasses kept vigilantly walking around. Probably the supervisor. Avery threw a glance at the super, a good distance separated them.
There was no secret there. She took a deep breath and clicked on the Citizens Registry on her computer. It now or never.
She clicked on the search bar and typed in
C-H-R-I-S D-H-A-T-I
She didn't have to wait as the results came in immediately.