A. H. Wong

Chapter Fifteen

 

April 14th, 2012

 

Noon

 

"Everything feels so different now...." David mutters quietly. He is a rather portly Irish man, complete with what appears to be a massive brown affro topping his head. He glances around at the rest of the table, looking pointedly at the two empty seats. "Everything's changed. Lily and Kevin....They're gone now, and not a single soul but us seems to know."

 

Sarah, who sits quietly beside him, shrugs. Brushing her long black hair back behind her ear, she studiously stares down at her now-empty plate. "Yes. We're the only ones who know."

 

"That feels so...wrong," David replies. "They shoulda gotten a funeral, y'know? Even that dick Kevin deserved one. I mean, he mighta hurt everybody, but he still was a human."

 

"You just liked how he always brought you extra mashed potatoes," Sarah replied with a tiny laugh, shaking her head. "I guess he probably was stealing those the whole time. He always seemed to have credits left over for mashed potatoes."

 

Beatrix glances up from her plate. She couldn't bring herself to eat anymore, so she pushes her plate over to David. He spots the mashed potatoes with a thankful smile, digging into them. "Isn't it a stereotype to like those?"

 

David narrowed his eyes at her. "So, it's completely wrong for an Irish man to like potatoes? Dudette, I just like potatoes."

 

"Yeah, girl. That's a bit more than a little racist," Leslie snaps, gesturing at Beatrix with a fork.

 

"I-I gotta go," Beatrix stammers, leaping to her feet. She staggers her way from the table, before sprinting from the room. As she runs, Martin glances up from his own plate, and he leaves right on her heels.

 

Trailing her at a polite distance, he follows her all the way to her room. She leaves the door open in a silent invitation, her first sign that she had actually been aware of his following her, and falls onto her bed. He pads into her room after her, closing it gently behind him. He sits down on the bed beside her, rubbing her back soothingly. She flinches very faintly at his touch, before relaxing gently as he whispers soothing words to her.

 

They remain in silence after that, the only language they require the one of the body. His hands upon her, he reads her needs of him, and gives them in massages and hugs. She responds in shivers and sighs, soon to be followed by soft sobs. Before either of them know, the pair of them are huddled up together beneath the blankets. Her head is pressed up into his chest, her eyes shut tightly. His fingers are ensared in her hair, his breathing as slow as he can make it, so he will not disturb her. She soon rewards him with the soft sounds of snores, and he can't help but smile. Remarking silently to himself on her snore's semblance to the sounds of a sleeping kitten, he allows himself to pass into a nap.

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Four Hours Later

 

"PLEASE tell me you two are dressed."

 

Martin flinches awake, but not as quickly as Beatrix. By the time Martin had fully blinked the sleep from his eyes, Beatrix was already on her feet, her eyes large. "What...what are you doing in my room?"

 

Master John snickers softly, shaking his head. "Good to see you two lovebirds awake. I didn't mean to disturb, but I just wanted to verify with Beatrix on whether or not she knows what her future entails."

 

Beatrix' brows furrow, and she shakes her head. "I...suppose I should go to your office, then?"

 

Martin rises to his feet, getting entangled with the blanket for a few moments. Eventually, though, he manages to stand at the side of Beatrix. "Then, I should go, too! After all, am I not going to be a part of her future?"

 

Master John studiously ignores him, reaching forward to grab onto Beatrix' hand. Moving swiftly, he escorts her from the room. She doesn't speak a word of protest, going with him as he drags her down the hallway. Martin steps out into the hall, staring after them as his heart begins to ache. Not knowing what else to do, he walks back into her room, lies down upon her bed, and falls fast asleep again."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Meanwhile

 

"Please, Beatrix, do take a seat. I am very afraid that you and I have a very long, and very difficult, conversation ahead of us. We must--"

 

"I am not planning on staying with Martin, but I want him to remain a part of the Agency. I do plan on pursuing something with Taylor. Exactly what that is, will be left to him and I to decide. I am not going to kill for you either, and I would like it very much if that single thought remained stuck in your mind throughout this conversation," Beatrix interrupted him, her voice cold. For the very first time, Master John is taken aback by her, seeing her strength. "I thank you greatly for all you have done for myself, and for the other girls here, but I will not be a part of your plans."

 

Master John opened his mouth, before closing it again. Unused to being shut down quite so strongly, he can only manage, "W-Why?"

 

Beatrix, showing just how much time she has spent with Taylor, rolls her eyes at him. "That isn't important, Master John. That truly isn't important. What is important is that you keep this clear in your head: I will not kill for you."

 

Master John goes silent for a moment, his eyes lowering to his desk. Unconsciously, his hands unscrew his flask, pouring most of the contents into his already-slightly-cooled coffee mug. He raises it to his lips, sipping down the whiskey-filled coffee. When he feels that his mind is properly prepared for the next part of his conversation, he replies: "I'm simply afraid that that can't be done. You see, your contract...."

 

"Was signed when I was not in a proper state of mind to sign a legal document, and was done without legal advisory. I am also quite young, and had not gotten any education whatsoever that would be relevant to this contract's signing. Therefore, I am not certain in the least how legally binding this contract is," Beatrix replies coolly, leveling her gaze at him. Gone from her are any vestiges of her shy self--a lion has grown from the kitten it had been. "So, without further ado, I would like your permission to return to my room."

 

Master John shook his head, barking a laugh. "I really can't believe this, Beatrix. Really, I can't. What gives you the courage to challenge me, especially after I ordered someone killed only four days ago?"

 

Beatrix just smiles at him, self-importance flowing out of her. "Because Taylor would never let you force me into anything."

 

Master John's smile instantly becomes one of pity, and he shakes his head softly. "If only you knew...."

 

She wilts slightly, her eyes widening just a bit. Trying not to show that she is cowed, she stiffens faintly in her chair. "If only I knew what?"

 

"Just what that boy truly feels for you."

 

A part of her snaps inside, and she bites her lip hard. "I-I do not know what you mean. Taylor loves me, does he not?"

 

Master John finishes his coffee in a few swallows, before glancing down at his empty mug. He appears to be confused for a few moments, before he finally speaks again. "Taylor is....No. Just go...go back to your room, go back to Martin. I have nothing more to say to you, kiddo."

 

Numbly, Beatrix rises to her feet. Fighting off the mild numbness in her legs, she staggers from the room, leaving Master John behind. He watches her silently, without passion in his gaze, without emotion upon his face. The instant the door clicks closed behind her, he rests his head upon his desk again, fighting away the shudders that wrack him.

 

Into the silence of his abyssal room, he states aloud, "If only she was not who she was."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Half An Hour Later

 

"You....You are kidding me, Master John. You simply must be. There is no way you would--"

 

"J-Just shut up, okay? I don't....I don't want to hear your disbelief, or your gratitude. You bloody fool, all I want right now is a simple, 'Yes, Master,'" Master John snaps harshly, his hands wrestling with each other upon his desk.

 

"Yes, Master. I'll take Beatrix back as my patient."

 

"Good. Now, go find that girl, and tell her this: You win. She'll know what it means."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Under A Minute Later

 

"BEATRIX!" Taylor hollers, leaping into her room.

 

Only to be met with the sight of Beatrix and Martin, nude, in bed together.

 

"S-Sorry...." Taylor mutters instantly, leaving the room. He closes it quickly behind him, padding back to his office.

 

He'd...he'd learn to knock later.

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Meanwhile

 

Martin pulls out quietly, burying his head in the pillow. Beatrix reaches over to touch his shoulder, but he flinches back from her hand. Refusing to even look at her, he says quietly, "This is the first time we've done it in so long, and of course HE comes bursting into the room....I-I don't think I can take this any longer."

 

Her heart stops. "B-But....W-What....Are you saying you....Are you saying you want to break up with me?"

 

Martin turns his head towards her, fixing her with a steady gaze. "I think that...that that is exactly what I'm saying right now."

 

"B-But I love you," she says very quietly, even as a cold part of the very center of her whispers that that is a lie.

 

"I wish....I wish I could believe that," Martin says in response, closing his eyes tightly. "I really, really wish that I could believe that."

 

She scoots closer to him, trying to touch him, but he just moves further away. Before too long, he's on his feet and dressing, his back turned to her. Beatrix sits up, uncaring as the blanket falls down to reveal her bare torso, watching him. "N-No....Martin, please....I'm sorry, I really....I really am sorry. I didn't....I didn't mean for this to happen, I swear I didn't...."

 

"Now, that...That I almost feel I can believe. Why? Because everything....EVERYTHING that has happened since we arrived has been orchestrated by Taylor," he says coldly, zipping up his pants. As he bends down to grab his shirt from the floor, Martin continues, "Absolutely everything. Our relationship, Lily, Kevin....Everything. He's been behind all of it."

 

Blinking, and suddenly realizing that Martin may be missing a few tiny screws here and there, she says quietly, "B-But that's completely impossible. There is absolutely no way that he could...."

 

"Oh, no, it's COMPLETELY possible. He's so smart. He's so skilled. He's so DAMNED PERFECT. Don't you see it, Beatrix? He's just too good! All of you just don't see it because you're under HIS trance," Martin hurls out, turning to face his girlfriend. "Just get your clothes back on, okay? I don't want to see your body anymore."

 

Fighting back the tears now forming at the edges of her eyes, Beatrix clambers to her feet. She pulls her clothing back on, trying her best not to look at him. Apparently to make that task easier fo her, he turns his back to her, folding his arms across his chest. Knowing that now might be her best chance, she speaks slowly, "I-I am not under his influence, Martin."

 

"Oh, of course you aren't. Of course you don't jump and run at his beck and call. Of course absolutely all of you are completely unbiased towards him. Of course all of you can easily dismiss him as 'just another therapist.' Come ON, Beatrix....Don't tell me you, my smart-as-a-whip street kid girlfriend, have gone soft on me."

 

She snickers a tiny bit. "J-Just because I can shower every day doesn't mean I've gone soft, Martin. Yeah, I know that a lot of him doesn't make sense. Yeah, I know that there's a lot I have to figure out when it comes to Taylor. But that doesn't mean I'm under his trance," she wrenches on the last of her clothes, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. As Martin hears her sit down, and turns to face her again, she continues, "I haven't lost it entirely, Martin. I really haven't. I know he's dangerous."

 

"Which, of course, makes him just a bit more attractive than I am...." Martin sits down beside her, still avoiding looking in her direction directly. "You've always liked the monsters."

 

"N-No. I just...tend to attract them," she whispers quietly, before forcing her voice loud again. "But....Taylor isn't a monster. A mystery he might be, but he is no monster. He's just...different, is all."

 

"Well, if he's different, then you and I must be the most normal people alive...." Martin laughs very softly, lying back on the bed. She does as well, if only because it feels awkward to remain sitting up while he lies down. "I wish you could see what I see."

 

"Then....Tell me what you see."

 

"Taylor's like...a cult leader to you guys. You and the rest of the seventh floor residents, as much as all of you try to pretend it isn't like this, idolize him. Even though all of you tend to badmouth him, that doesn't matter. You still look up to him, all of you," Martin murmurs, looking at the ceiling. "Especially you. Beatrix, I see it in your eyes. I see how much you care about him, and it's driving me completely insane. What makes it worse is that you still try, every single moment, to love me. And you...you think I don't see it, but I do. I see the tiny flashes of disappointment when I come to your door. I see when you look up and down hallways, trying to catch even a glimpse of him. I see it in the looks Janelle and Maverick give me, because those two are just waiting for the day when they see me crying. They're just waiting for me to get hurt."

 

"T-They are?" Beatrix asks, pity flooding her voice. She turns and looks at him, her eyes huge. "I-I'm....Martin, I'm so sorry. I never meant for anything like this to happen...."

 

"Of....Of course you didn't, Beatrix. No one ever intends to hurt others, especially you."

 

Beatrix laughs a tiny bit at that, thinking about Maverick in particular. "The way you say it, I sound like a saint."

 

Martin laughs at that himself, shaking his head. "That...that you definitely aren't, Beatrix, but it's all okay. I still do care about you greatly, even if...even if things have never been exactly ideal between us. Still, that doesn't mean I feel like we should continue."

 

Beatrix rolls onto her side, her back to him. She curls silently upon herself, bringing her knees up to her chest. She swallows faintly, the sound loud in the otherwise silence of her room. "I-I....I can't let you go."

 

"I was never good to you, Beatrix."

 

"But I--"

 

"You were never good to me, either. Did I care about that? No. Do I care about that now? Also no. But...Just because I say that does not mean you didn't hurt me. Our relationship has never been an easy one. I've been trying so, so hard to be good to you." Martin dwindles off into silence, looking at her now-shaking back. Swearing silently to himself, he scoots over towards her, reaching out a hand to caress her back. She allows herself to be touched by him, so he continues to speak. "A-And I have always just wanted to know that you were trying to do the same."

 

"I've let you touch me, Martin. I've let you...I....Nevermind." She curls tighter upon herself, before finally crawling off the bed. She lands on her stomach, a bit harder than intended. Catching her breath, she pulls herself to the wall of the room. She curls up facing it, the top of her head and her calves pressed up against it.

 

"I-I.....Beatrix, please don't tell me you...." Martin curses to himself, but to his credit, he doesn't make an attempt to approach her this time. "Don't tell me you've just been having sex with me to make me happy."

 

Beatrix raises her head, looking up at him. She blinks slowly through the tears. "I....I just....I don't know why I...."

 

Martin rises to his feet. "That's it. I...We're done. I can't face this anymore. I can't....I can't take this anymore, I really can't."

 

Beatrix' mouth opens wide, her eyes huge. She staggers to her feet, realizing what he was saying just as he walks out the door. "M-Martin, please! Please....Please don't do this. Please don't leave me....I....I swear I'll change, I swear!"

 

He shook his head, before he closed the door behind him. The second he goes from her sight, his shoulders begin to shake. He walks down the hall, down the stairs, and to his room. His eyes avoid all of those around him, and their eyes avoid him. Not a single soul remarks upon the tears that coat his face--no one wants to shatter the illusion. He reaches his room, closes the door behind himself, and sags down to the floor.

 

Finally in a place where he feels he is safe, Martin bursts into sobs.

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Meanwhile

 

"Ugh, please just quit knocking. Get your ass in here already," Janelle snaps, not even bothering to look up from the book in her lap.

 

Without further ado, the door to her room opens up, and Maverick slowly steps into the room. Her eyes are downcast, and it is very clear she's trying to avoid speaking, but she still stands at the door. Finally, when she can bear the silence no longer, she murmurs, "I'm sorry for everything I said to you."

 

Janelle looks up from her book, which promptly lands onto the floor. Janelle uncurls herself from her chair, her black-booted feet hitting the carpet. She stands, walking towards her former girlfriend slowly. "I....I never thought I'd hear you apologize."

 

Maverick laughs a tiny bit at that. "I know....My temper...my temper does have the tendency to get ahead of me sometimes," Maverick says quietly, slowly raising her eyes from the floor to meet Janelle's familiar gaze. She blinks, frowning a bit. "Y-Your eyes....You aren't wearing your contact lenses."

 

Janelle grins a tiny bit. "They were never prescription lenses, love. I just....I just wore them because you seemed to like them. B-But, now that we...."

 

Maverick flinches a tiny bit, even as a blush worms its way across her face. "You really wore them all the time just because I liked them?"

 

"Yes. I....I would've done anything for you."

 

Maverick shivers a tiny bit, biting her lip. Her hands grabbing at each other nervously, she asks quietly, "W-Would you still do anything for me, Janelle?"

 

Janelle pauses, looking at her slowly. "Yes. Yes, I....I think I would."

 

"Then....I just need you to do one thing for me." Swallowing against the fear in her throat, Maverick sinks to a single knee. Looking almost comical in her hoodie and jeans, Maverick looks up at the form of her gothically-clothed love. She reaches into her jeans pocket, pulling out a small black box. She opens it, speaking past the quavering in her voice, "Just say you'll marry me."

 

Janelle collapses, the wind knocked from her. Tears falling from her eyes, a cleansing rain, she grasps her lover by her arms, and wrenches her close for a kiss.