A. H. Wong

Chapter Twenty Six

 

June 22nd, 2012

 

Late Evening

 

"I'm not used to being cold!"

 

"Shush. Do you think I'm any better at handling the cold than you are?"

 

"W-Well, yeah! You've got your hoodie on!"

 

"And YOU always said that those lacey dresses kept you plenty warm!"

 

"Well, I was lying. I just wanted you to not get mad at me about wearing them!"

 

"Of course I wasn't going to get mad at you about them. Not for THAT reason. I'm mad at you about them because—"

 

"Because you keep thinking I'll cheat on you? Dammit, girl, you really ought to have more faith in me."

 

"'Ought'? 'OUGHT'? Wasn't it Sarah that always said that?"

 

"Oh, come on! You are really going to get mad at me because I use a word that another girl uses?"

 

"No. I'm going to get mad at you because—"

 

"Maverick? Don't you hear yourself sometimes? Don't you hear how crazy you sound, how jealous you are?"

 

"Janelle, I'm sorry. I'm just—"

 

"Trying to use me as the one thing you can own. Yeah, I get that."

 

"Then, why does it anger you so much? I mean, if you understand what I'm doing, then....Then shouldn't you allow it, because you love me?"

 

"Maverick, just because I love you doesn't mean I have to treat you exactly the way you want to be treated. It doesn't mean I have to change for you. It doesn't mean I have to be perfect."

 

"I never said you had to be perfect. I just said you—"

 

"Had to stop cheating on you? Had to watch everything I ever did? Maverick, please. You should know by now that I would never actually cheat on you."

 

"B-But you—"

 

"But I flirt with others? But I flash a guy to snag us some extra food? But I all but screw a dude so YOU can get a hot shower? Oh, come on, Maverick. Don't you understand that all of that was for you?"

 

"Just because it was all for me doesn't mean I....Nevermind. Janelle, I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause us to fight. I just....I'm stressed. I'm scared. I-I've lost track of how long you and I have been alone out here. I don't know if you and I will ever be anything different."

 

"We're going to be something different, girl. I promise you that. I promise you and I are going to be a lot better. I promise you and I are going to get better."

 

"S-So, are we okay?"

 

"We're okay."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Meanwhile

 

"Tell me one thing about your past. Just one thing," Veto says slowly, fixing Beatrix' gaze with hers. She squirms slightly, scooting back slowly. She shakes her head, but he does not release her. His hands still clutch her wrists. "Beatrix, I know nothing about you. I have been okay with it thus far, but I have to know about you. It's killing me inside, thinking that you could be hiding some huge things from me."

 

"Veto, please. I don't want to talk to you about this. I-I'm not ready yet."

 

He laughs ruefully, his eyes searching hers. "But, Beatrix, all I want is one single thing....One tiny little fact. Where you came from, your favorite color, your best childhood memory. How long it's been since you've been home. When the last time you truly smiled was. Why you flinch when I touch you. Beatrix, all you have to tell me is one of those things."

 

She swallows, shaking her head. Once again, she tries to pull away, but he won't let her go. "V-Veto....Fine, I'll tell you. I ran away when I was a little kid. I've been living on the street for essentially the entire time since. I flinch away from you because everyone who has ever touched me....Everyone who has ever touched me hurt me, okay? And I don't want to be hurt again."

 

Veto releases her instantly, nodding quietly. "Understood, Beatrix. I'm very sorry for forcing you to say those things. Please, do understand that I will never cause you that pain again."

 

Beatrix nods, moving forward shyly to nuzzle into his chest. He holds her tenderly, while she begins to shake. Before too long, for the first time in a very long time, Beatrix begins to cry.

 

She weeps for longer than she can understand, longer than she can remember. She shakes in his embrace, a leaf in a storm of emotions. Her tears trail down her cheeks, dampening their clothes. His hands soothe her, running their way through her hair. His lips find their way to her scalp, again and again, little kisses of tenderness. Her eyes slide shut, after a long while, and he lets her fall asleep.

 

Curled up in bed together, Veto and Beatrix spend their first night in each other's embrace.

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

June 23rd, 2012

 

Early Afternoon

 

The shouts were echoing. The footsteps were thundering. The screams were deafening.

 

Master John leaned against the wall of his office, staring at the door. He was waiting, ever so patiently, for what he knew was to come.

 

The door was kicked open in seconds. "You're fucking dead," Sarah yelled, a crowd of people standing behind her. "You're starving all of us out!"

 

"So what if I am?" Master John replies, cold and smooth. "Do you all want to attempt an escape, then? I really want to see how all of you get past the guards."

 

"We already have, nitwit. Why the fuck do you think we're here? We just came to take care of you before we left."

 

Master John rolls his eyes. "So, you intend to kill me, then?"

 

Sarah folds her arms across her chest. "Maybe. First, I want to know why."

 

"Why this? Why everything? Why create the Agency, why get all the funding, why cause all of those deaths? Now, that is a story that would take a while to tell."

 

"You don't have a while."

 

"I know I don't. I'm going to die before too long has passed."

 

Sarah frowns, angling her head to the side. "And how do you know that?"

 

"Because I have a cyanide pill on me."

 

Sarah just smirks. "Suicide, then? Coward. I'm not even going to try and take it from you, so it looks like we've got ourselves a time limit."

 

Master John nods to her quietly. "That we do. Sarah, would you mind very much if I asked your friends to leave the room for a few moments? I promise I will not do anything to harm you."

 

Sarah nods automatically, shooing her followers from his office. She takes her seat before his desk, and he takes his behind it. "So, shoot. Tell me what you want me to know."

 

Without a single word, Master John opens a drawer behind his desk. After what sounds like fiddling with a keypad, a metallic click sounds. Reaching into a hidden compartment, Master John places it upon his desk. "Here it is, Sarah. Here is everything you need to know about the Agency—including the locations of some of your friends."

 

"Some of my friends?"

 

"You really thought I killed them, eh?"

 

"Wh-What the fuck are you saying? Are you actually telling me that they're alive?"

 

"Yes, little girl. That is exactly what I'm saying: Janelle, Maverick, Beatrix, Kevin, and Lily are still alive."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Meanwhile

 

"Lily, do pass me some tea."

 

"Yes, Sir."

 

"I'm truly enjoying this...obedient streak of yours, Lily."

 

"I'm glad, Sir. Do you want some sugar in your tea?"

 

"No, thank you. Lily, do me a favor? Tell me what you think."

 

"Of course, Sir. What do you want my opinion on?"

 

"Do you believe Master John will survive much longer?"

 

"No, of course not. Sir, his communications with us are becoming more and more rare. His instructions for us are becoming ones that last a far amount longer, so I'm not going to be surprised if he passes on."

 

"Good, Lily, I agree with you. So, now that our boss will perish soon, what shall we do?"

 

"I...I don't know, Sir."

 

"What I would suggest we do, my lovely one, is be fully prepared for the Agency's collapse. The residents will, if they are not murdered, be released. They will undoubtedly be told the truth about the Agency for Unwanted Children, and according to Master John's instructions, it will be our job to bring them into the fold."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Two Hours Later

 

Sarah stared, in silent shock, at Master John's corpse. Her hands clutch the folder, shaking in her fingers. She shivers, shuddering, tears flooding her eyes. She stares down at the words on the pages, her eyes huge. Biting her lip hard enough to bite through the skin, she watches as a blood drop drips to the aged paper. Before another can land, she wipes her mouth clean, licking her hand. She doesn't flinch at the taste in the least; the taste of her own blood has been familiar to her for a good long time.

 

Standing on shaking legs, Sarah flees from the room.

 

David catches her before she can go vaulting down the hall, clutching her as she begins to sob. Trying to figure out what is wrong, he clutches her to him, petting her hair. She sends a fist into his chest, and another, and another. He takes every hit without a wince, holding her as screams escape her lips. When she can breathe again, he whispers to her, "He's dead, then?"

 

"Y-Yes....Cyanide. Suicide," Sarah responds, her voice cracking still. 

"I-I didn't even get to kill him."

 

"Oh, I'm sorry. I knew you were looking forward to it," he says with a tiny smile. "Well, at least it means that all of this is over?"

 

She freezes at those words, hearing the hope in his voice. Biting her lip harder, drawing more blood from the old wound, she looks up to meet his eyes. "It's not over, David. It's not over."

 

~

 

June 25th, 2012

 

Mid-Afternoon

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"I-I know."

 

"How?"

 

"It's...really hard not to be sorry. I mean...I did just tell you that I saw my boyfriend shot in the head."

 

"I-I....Is there anything I can do for you? Oh my god, Beatrix, I'm so sorry...."

 

"It's fine. I-I mean, well it's not fine....It's obviously not fine, but you don't have to worry. I'm going to be just fine."

 

"Beatrix, are you quite certain you mean that?"

 

"Yes. Yes, I am quite certain I mean that."

 

"But....You...."

 

"But you came into my room to find me sobbing uncontrollably, and saying that I wanted to die?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Well, you can ignore that. I mean....Dying....It would be a release, but it isn't something I'm able to do. I don't want to leave his memory behind."

 

"His memory? Surely there will be someone—"

 

"No, there is no one else. Everyone at the—at the place I was at....A good portion of them didn't like him, and....And I don't think there's anyone left there."

 

"How do you know this?"

 

"I've been reading the news."