A. H. Wong

Chapter Twenty-Three

 

June 1st, 2012

 

Afternoon

 

"Do you want toffee?" the young man says, plopping himself down in front of the shivering form. He doesn't seem to care about the dirtiness of her clothes and hair, or of her apparent terror at being approached. Instead, he only smiles, extending the plastic pouch towards her. "They're good, and you look like you could use a meal. Don't worry; they're individually wrapped, so they can't be drugged."

 

The young girl bites her lip, drawing blood from a reopened wound. She nods slowly, reaching into the bag. She tugs out a single candy, and unwraps it slowly. She looks curiously at the soft brown candy, the one resting in the red wrapper. Deciding she might as well, she

pops it into her mouth. After a few moments, she smiles at the taste.

 

Looking up at the young man for the first time, Beatrix flushes softly. "It's good. Thank you."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Meanwhile

 

"Master John? You....You wanted to see me?" Martin asks quietly, walking into the room. His heart was pounding-he didn't have any idea as to why he had been called here, and he had a feeling he didn't want to know why.

 

Master John smiles at him, gesturing for Martin to take a seat. After Martin has sat himself down, he rests his elbows on the table. He purses his fingers underneath his chin, his smile growing wider. "Martin, I take it you-like everyone else-have been wondering about Beatrix."

 

Martin nods, swallowing hard. "Yes. She....She's alive, right? She got the kill done?"

 

Master John smiles soothingly at him, but his eyes remain violent. "Why, yes, of course she did....In fact, she is perfectly fine. You'd be surprised at how well she did at her first kill in my employ."

 

Martin swallows, shaking his head. "N-No, you can't be serious about that. She can't have-"

 

"Taken joy in killing someone? Martin, Martin....Why do you feel so strongly for her? Don't you realize she is gone now?"

 

Martin goes completely pale. "Gone?"

 

Master John laughs. "She died the exact instant Taylor did."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Two Hours Later

 

"What kind of name is 'Veto', anyway?"

 

"My kind."

 

"Well, I know that much, but...."

 

"It's Spanish. It means 'intelligence'."

 

"Doesn't it mean something to do with making decisions?"

 

"Yes, it also means that."

 

"So, why...."

 

"My parents thought it sounded cool. What kind of a name is Beatrix?"

 

"It....It means 'blessed traveller', I think. Latin, maybe."

 

"You don't look like a Beatrix to me."

 

"That's because I....I wasn't born with that name."

 

"May I ask your real one?"

 

"It's....It's Annabelle."

 

"Beautiful, loving, and lovable. Now THAT suits you more. Aw, girl-you're cute when you blush."

 

"N-No I don't...."

 

"Yes, yes you do. Now, girl....Shall we go get us some coffee?"

 

Beatrix blushes even harder, shaking her head internally. Was this actually happening? After so much darkness, so much fear...After washing blood from her hands....

 

Was this handsome stranger asking her out for coffee, after spending the past two hours with her? Was he really taking notice of her?

 

She nods to him, trying to look him face-on. For some reason, she kept finding her eyes straying away from him. He made her nervous, and she didn't want to admit it. Still, refusing to let her shyness take advantage of her, she follows him as he leads her to a coffee shop.

 

Without even allowing her to offer to pay with her meager funds, Veto quickly procures her her coffee. He doesn't even comment on the massive amount of sugar and cream in the drink, even when his own is black. He guides her quickly to a table by the window, looking out at the world silently. Bdefore she has a chance to thank him, he speaks, "You're alone, aren't you, Annabelle?"

 

She nods quietly, looking down. She bites her lip hard. "Please....Please dont't tell anyone. I-I'm not supposed to be here."

 

He raises his eyebrows slowly. "You say that like there is someone who has it in for you."

 

Beatrix shakes her head hurriedly, her eyes wide. "N-No! I didn't mean that. N-No one's watching me."

 

His eyebrows raise even higher, his left quirking higher than his right. "Now, doesn't that sound ever so slightly suspicious...."

 

Trying to hide the worries that she is sure are painted on her face, Beatrix quickly chugs down some of her drink. Fighting off the pain from the burn the hot coffee causes her, she coughs a few times. Veto smirks softly at that, his toffee-colored skin warm in the glow of the lights. Speaking through the pain in her mouth, Beatrix says hurriedly, "I-I didn't mean anything by that."

 

Veto laughs at that, leaning back in his chair. He raises his hands into the air, rolling his eyes. "Oh, Beatrix! If only you saw how little I cared about that. You see, I merely wanted to see how you'd react. I will never require you telling me anything about yourself—in fact, I'll even stop using your birth name, because I can see how you flinch every time I use it."

 

She swallows, shaking her head quietly. "Thank....Thank you, Veto."

 

He smiles at her then, his green eyes sparkling. "Any time at all."

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

June 3rd, 2012

 

Late Evening

 

"You're....You're completely sure I can stay here?"

 

Veto laughs. "For the last and final time, yes! The people here are wonderful, and don't mind at all if I bring in an extra person. In fact, they'll be sure to welcome you with open arms," he walks into his room, leading her by the hand. She is existing in a state of shock—finding a homeless shelter as nice as this was beyond rare. "Mind the mess. I'm afraid I am a bit of a collector."

 

A collector he was. On every possible surface of his room, he has laid out stones. Stones of every color and size exist, and they have all taken great care to be organized. They are placed by size and shape, and it is clear that he has taken great pride in every single part of his collection.

 

He smiles at Beatrix, guiding her carefully to take a seat on his bed. He sits down beside her, looking over at her. "Beatrix, due to the fact that you being here is such a surprise, you will need to spend the night with me. Unfortunately, they have nothing available to be taken until tomorrow."

 

Beatrix nods, looking down. "I-I guess that's alright."

 

He nods, appearing pleased. "Good, I had hoped that you would say so. Therefore, I am going to be sleeping on the floor tonight."

 

"B-But....No, you don't have to do that for me. I mean it. I mean....It should be me, shouldn't it? I'm the one who doesn't belong here."

 

"No, no, no can do. Sorry, little girl, but I'm afraid I'm a gentleman. Besides, I do not believe you would permit me to share a bed with you."

 

Beatrix goes beet red, swallowing. She shakes her head quickly. "Y-Yea, that....That would be really awkward."

 

Veto snickers at her, leaning over to ruffle her hair. She flinches away from his touch automatically, and he nods slowly. "Understood." He drops to his knees, quickly. Smiling to himself, he carefully clears several rocks out of the way. He places them into a box he pulls from below his bed—one that has clearly been used for this purpose for a while, as it is all but full. When he has cleared off the floor in its entirety, he returns the box to its original home.

 

He rises to his feet then, and extends his hand to her. "So, Beatrix, shall we go find ourselves some dinner?"

 

Her stomach's rumbling answers that question for her.

 

<3 <3 <3 </3

 

Meanwhile

 

"Wait. So she....She is actually alive? You haven't been lying to me?" Martin asks, his eyes huge.

 

Master John leans back in his chair, sighing quietly. A feeling of annoyed disappointment is tangible in the air around him, and his eyes reflect that fact. "Martin, Martin, Martin....Of course I haven't been lying to you these past few days. The fact that you have been refusing to believe me is entirely yoir fault, and I see no reason whatsoever why you should not believe me."

 

Martin shakes his head. "You've done nothing but lie to all of us for a very long time, Master John. Can you truly blame us for feeling this way?"

 

Master John snickers. "Oh, I love listening to you. You don't know how to play our games, do you, young man?"

 

"No....Your games? What do you mean by your games?"

 

Master John leans forward in his chair, his eyes sparkling. "The ones that decide your fate, of course. You see, Martin, I've  been talking to you recently because I need you. There are more than a few things that I need to be done in the Agency, things I cannot do myself."

 

"Such as?"

 

"I need you to monitor it better than I can. I need you to tell me who is afraid, who is scared, and who hates me. I need you to tell me who feels that I am a fool."

 

Before he can stop himself, Martin has muttered, "Everyone feels that last bit...."

 

Master John appears entirely unfazed by this, a smile alighting upon his face. "Oh, I am quite certain I am aware of that. Still, You see, I'm going to need you to watch all of them very closely."

 

Martin looked at him, frowning. "You want me to act as a spy?"

 

Master John nods. "I want you to find out for me as much as you can about what people know. I need you to tell me how much they know about the cameras, and how worried they are about Beatrix."

 

"No. I-I....I'm not going to do this for you."

 

Master John's smile only widens. "Oh, I'm so terribly sorry. But I thought you realized that you are walking on thin ice here, and that if you refuse, you will leave the Agency."

 

Martin rises to his feet, and braces his hand upon the table. His eyes flood with hate. "Maybe I want to."