Veil

by Aaron Overfield

  “Roy saw him walk over to me. Roy saw him say something to me. And then … and then…”

  “And…”

  She fell back onto her chair and, in utter disbelief, flatly stated, “And then we walked out together. Me and him. Roy watched me walk out of the hospital with Jin’s killer.”

  Speechless, Ken moved backwards until he fell onto his chair as well.

  Genuinely confused, Roy looked back and forth between Suren and Ken and asked, “I saw all that?”

  17

  IMPART

  Ken was unconscious and lying on a bed. Hunter rambled on and paced in the background. Suren dabbed Ken’s forehead with a damp cloth. He was sweating and, although unconscious, was still writhing and moaning.

  Over and over, Suren whispered to him, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

  “This doesn’t make any sense.” Hunter walked to the windows. He raised his arms and entwined his fingers across the top of his head. “I’ll tell you one thing, though. He,” Hunter swung around and pointed at Ken, “is never using Veil ever fucking again. Ever. Over my dead, gay ass body.”

  “It doesn’t make sense,” Suren repeated him.

  It took nearly five hours for Ken to scream himself into unconsciousness. Five hours straight. The chemical Hunter used in the past to block Ken’s access to Jin’s memory didn’t work. Using it was a tossup anyway. They merely hoped it would do something.

  “Does it mean this is what’s going to happen to him every single time he Veils? Although it has nothing to do with Jin’s memory? This,” she spread her arms over Ken’s body, “is what’s going to happen to Ken if he Veils at all?”

  “I don’t know, Suren,” Hunter replied, placing an alarming emphasis on her name. “Why don’t you tell me? It was your Veil after all.”

  Suren swung her head around so fast she almost fell over. “What,” she growled, “the hell is that supposed to mean, Hunter?” She made sure to say his name using the same emphasis.

  Hunter leaned against the windowsill and folded his arms in front of him. “It means exactly what I said. It was your Veil. He was shadowing you. Of the three of us in this room that could possibly know what happened to Ken, it would be you and him, and we see what state he’s in. So, the only person left in this room who can actually speak and could answer that question would be you, Suren.”

  She tried to keep in mind how scared and hurt Hunter was and decided to let him have that one. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and not take it personally. Besides, she wasn’t entirely sure if she walked over there and slapped him, he wouldn’t slap her back. Not only did Veil quickly put an end to chivalry—and the dichotomous gender myth overall—but it was Hunter. When combining gay, irreverent, and unpredictable, chances were high that somewhere in the mix, slapping a woman wouldn’t be unheard of.

  Besides, Ken offered to Veil her, so why should she feel guilty or responsible? After what her Veil with Roy revealed, after she saw for herself that she actually spoke with Jin’s killer, Ken offered to Veil her. They discussed what Mariano told her about Veil Cryptomnesia and Ken was already somewhat aware of the phenomenon as well. Ken offered to Veil with Suren to see if he could access and remember what she could not; Ken offered to Veil with Suren in order to remember the day Jin used her as a test subject, the day she also talked with Jin’s killer. As soon as they finished doing so, as soon as Ken’s Witness uploaded back onto him, he collapsed on the floor and the hellish screaming, crying, and hair pulling commenced.

  “How many times have you used it?”

  “Two.”

  “Twice?”

  “Yes. Twice.”

  “How about Dr. Hunter?”

  “Three.”

  “He’s Veiled three times? Just three?”

  “Yep.”

  “And Dr. Ken?” Roy asked.

  Brock looked at the ceiling and thought for a second. His computer responded, “Five.”

  “Wow. Five.”

  “Yep.”

  “And Mrs. Tsay was Veiled once before and now by Ken. Plus, I … well, I was the first person she ever Veiled. So she has used Veil three times?”

  “Technically, the first time she was Veiled doesn’t count, only today’s. Only Ken’s.”

  “It doesn’t count?”

  “No. She’d have to explain it to you. But it doesn’t count. So she’s used it twice.”

  “Twice.”

  “Yep.”

  “So total between the four of you, eleven times. Between the four of you folks—who are probably the closest people in the world to Veil—you’ve only used it eleven times?”

  “Yep.”

  “That’s crazy. You know that, right?”

  “To be honest, I’ve never thought about it. I guess it is kind of crazy, I just haven’t thought about it.”

  “I mean, no offense, but yeah, it’s crazy. It’s like y’all created this whole new world and now none of y’all live in it. Most people use it every single day. Almost everyone in the world uses Veil every single day.”

  “Roy, even if we all four used Veil every single day, the four of us would still be living in a different world than everyone else.”

  Roy considered that for a moment. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, Mr. Brock. I can’t think of anyone more famous than all four of you in this house. I can’t imagine.”

  “You’re not going to have to imagine,” Brock replied.

  “What’s that mean? Not gonna have to imagine?”

  “You don’t think she’s going to let you go, do you?”

  “Ms. Tsay?”

  “Yeah. She’s not going to let you leave. She’s not going to let you be alone.”

  Roy stayed silent. He wasn’t sure what Brock meant.

  Brock explained, “You were the first person she Veiled. You were the last person to see Jin alive. You were the one who set him free. There’s no way she’s letting you go. She won’t let you just leave her. She’ll have plans for you.

  “Plans?”

  “Yes, she’ll have plans. So get used to all this. You’re going to be our number five.”

  She called every day. Every day it was Brock who answered the phone, and every day for twelve days, the answers were the same: no, Ken wasn’t awake yet; no, they don’t know what’s wrong; no, it was probably best if she didn’t come over; no, Hunter didn’t blame her or hate her. Hunter just so happened to be busy every single time she called. For twelve days.

  After she hung up the phone the last time she attempted to call Ken, Roy burst into her office waving a letter she left for him. Suren found it was better to communicate with Roy through notes and letters as much as possible. She still made him very nervous and, if she ever put him on the spot, he was an absolute, total wreck for the whole day.

  “You’re sure? Like you’re really, really sure?”

  “I’m sure. It’s fine. It’s been almost five years. I have to let go at some point. And this way I’m still … I’m still connected to it. So, it’s kinda like cheating. Like giving it up but not really giving it up.”

  “I see.”

  “But don’t worry, I’m not going to come barging in whenever I feel like it. It’s yours. It’s your place. Do with it whatever you’d like.”

  “I … I don’t know what to say.”

  “Trust me, in a few months, you’re probably going to wish none of this ever happened. We can only keep you under wraps for so long.”

  “Yeah, I—I know what you’re saying. Brock kinda told me it would be like that.”

  “Speaking of your part in all this, there’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about. But first, let’s get you settled in. There’s already a crew at your old place collecting all your things. They’re going to meet us at the old house. You can tell them where you want everything. I hope that’s ok?”

  “Of course … of course, Ms. Tsay.”

  “Seriously Roy, if I have to tell you to call me Suren one more ti
me I’m going to have it tattooed onto your tongue.”

  Years earlier, the District claimed imminent domain upon everything within a two-block radius around the Old Tsay House. They then leveled the two-block radius and built a park to encompass the house. No one could get up to the actual home, within at least a thousand feet, she’d wager. No one except the Great Widow Tsay and now its new owner, Royce Houze.

  Since the night Suren arrived on his doorstep pointing a gun at him, Roy lived in one of the wings of her sprawling mansion. For almost two weeks. She would’ve let him stay there as long as he liked. She would’ve actually preferred it. However, she could tell it made him uncomfortable. It wasn’t his; it wasn’t really his own place. Few people would want to live like that, and she couldn’t blame him.

  On the way to her and Jin’s old house, she gazed out the window and casually told Roy how he should expect some changes. There’d be swarms of people after him at all times, she said. There’d be no such thing as privacy anymore, except for the privacy he fought to keep for himself. Make no mistake about it, she stressed, he would have to fight hard for it. A lot of changes were coming for him. She added that he’d have to learn how to cope with the changes, just as the four Trustees did. However, she assured Roy, the other four would always be there to help him whenever he needed. And he would never want or need for anything ever again. Ever. Finally, she pulled one of those keychain looking things out of her purse. It was the same curious device Roy witnessed Ken use on Suren’s collar.

  “They made this one, Ken and Hunter did, in honor of Jin. It would’ve been his. I want you to have it. Some of the things it can do programmers have already figured out how to do to vCollars and vPorts but some things…well, only we can do them. And only with these,” she said as she placed the device in his palm.

  “What … what all does it do?” He was dying to ask that ever since he witnessed Ken use one.

  Suren chuckled, “Oh, one thing at a time.”

  “Ms—oops, I mean, Suren,” he corrected himself. “Can … can I ask you something?”

  “No,” she said coldly.

  Roy blinked at her and was uncomfortably quiet.

  Suren laughed, “Roy, I’m kidding. Ask me anything you want. You have to lighten up, Roy. I’m not your superior or something. None of us are. We’re equals. We’re all equals in this. Isn’t that right, Carter?” she craned her neck and asked her driver through the open dividing window.

  “Yes, Ms. Suren. Whatever you say Ms. Suren. You’re the boss, Ms. Suren,” Carter mocked her. He had no idea what she said. Despite what she might’ve thought, Carter didn’t hang onto every one of the old hag’s words like one of her fanboys. He knew her shit stank of crazy like everyone else’s. Hell, from what he saw, her shit stank of more crazy than most people. He loved the old hag and all, but “awestruck” or “impressed” were not in the vocabulary he’d use to describe his feelings toward her. Carter had a certain fondness for her, an affinity and affection. But, that was it.

  Suren leveraged herself off her seat enough to kick the back of Carter’s. She would’ve smacked him in the back of the head, but she couldn’t reach it.

  “Anyway, Roy … what’s your question?” she asked as she returned to the seat. She smoothed down the front of her skirt and told him, “Go ahead.”

  “Oh. Oh, it’s just that well, Brock said that your first Veil, well that it didn’t really count. We … we were talking about how many times each of you had used Veil and he said that … your first one, it didn’t count. Why is that?”

  Suren, who resumed gazing out the window of the limousine while Roy stuttered his question, turned her head toward him. She grabbed one of his hands and held it in both of hers.

  “That, my love,” she began to say but paused when she found Roy’s memory of her and Jin from that day flashing across her mind. “I can’t … I can’t…” she shook her head.

  He squeezed her hand, “It’s ok … it’s ok. I understand.”

  “Not yet,” she sighed and looked out the window, still holding onto Roy’s hand. “Not yet.” She squeezed his hand.

  After showing Roy around and as the movers arrived and carried in his furniture, Suren handed him the keys to the Old Tsay House and said her goodbyes. She kissed him on the cheek and planned to see him soon. She told Roy the house was his, and he was to look at it no other way than that. The Old Tsay House was his.

  When she moved out of their home almost five years ago, Suren felt she adequately reminisced over it and said her goodbyes. But, as she left it in Roy’s hands and walked down the stairs, she realized the house was truly no longer hers. It was no longer theirs; no longer hers and Jin’s; no longer their home. It was the second instance of closure Roy conjured within Suren. And just like the first, although it brought her peace, it still felt like an end; it still felt like a death.

  Suren descended the stairs of the powder blue front porch and tried to ignore how strange everything looked those days when facing away from the house. At the bottom of the stairs, she stopped, turned around, held onto the railing, and looked up at the front door. She could picture Jin on that last day, the last day he left their home … the last day of his life. At least, the last day he was truly Jin.

  She pictured him shutting the front door and locking it—careful to not make a sound—while trying to balance everything in his hands. She imagined him turning and stepping down the stairs, holding his briefcase, his coffee, and his breakfast. She could see as he walked down to the very place she stood. Suren closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel Jin pass through her.

  She kept her eyes closed and held her breath as she sensed him walk into her body. As Jin passed through Suren, each molecule of him faded like a mist. When she opened her eyes, she exhaled his name in barely a whisper. The molecules of her breath evaporated into Jin’s mist, so he could take his Suren’s voice with him, so he wouldn’t be alone. Both faded until they were completely gone, together.

  J … I … N …

  “Take me to Dr. Ken’s please,” she requested as she entered the limo again.

  “Yes, Ms. Suren.”

  “When we get there, don’t go through security.”

  “Ma’am?”

  “Just have them call up to the house, tell them there’s someone there to see Dr. Ken, but don’t say who it is, understood?”

  “Yes … yes Ma’am.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Carter.”

  “No problem, Driving Miss Lotus,” he joked back.

  Carter hoped the Great Widow Tsay hadn’t gone all bat shit again. Security knew who they were and always simply waved them through. Whenever they arrived at the second set of gates and Carter rang the intercom, the doctors already knew who they were; security didn’t wave anyone else through. No one but them. It always amused and frustrated Carter when one of the doctors would get on the intercom and ask who buzzed-in.

  Every time Carter would think, You ol’ queen, you know who it is.

  When they arrived and security called up to the house, the guard put his hand over the receiver and asked, “Who should I tell Dr. Wise is requesting to see him?”

  Suren rolled down her window and extended her hand, flapping her fingers. The guard placed the phone in her hand.

  “Ken?”

  “Uh … yes.”

  “When did you wake up?”

  “Uh … like, like … eight days ago now, I think?”

  “Oh, really? I’m coming up. You can buzz me in. And you better tell Hunter and his little accomplice-on-wheels they’d better start running.”

  “Now, before you go getting your p—” he started to say. He almost said ‘panties in a tizzy’ but refrained. All those years with Hunter apparently rubbed off on him: the indecency; the inappropriateness; the obscenity. However, there were limits to all that and while Hunter wasn’t able to see them, Ken still could. He knew Suren well enough to know there were definitely limits with her. There were some things you simply didn’t s
ay to Suren, and that was true well before she ever became the Great Widow Tsay. Referring to her panties in nearly any capacity—off-color or not—was one of those things.

  So, he refrained and rephrased.

  “Before you get all upset,” he began again, “after he told me what he did, how he kept you from seeing me, I agreed. I saw his point.”

  “First, thank you,” she acknowledged that Ken employed enough common sense to stop himself from saying what he almost said to her. “Second, I’m sure he had his reasons. He always has his reasons. But he could’ve told me. All he had to do was tell me, and I would’ve respected it.”

  “Would you?” Hunter couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “Really, would you have? These past few weeks it seems like you’ve been buying into this whole ‘Great Widow Tsay’ bullshit so much that you don’t respect anything but your own huge bitch of an ego.”

  “Hunt,” Ken growled.

  “No, let him. I guess I deserve it,” she sighed and crossed the office to sit on the windowsill bench.

  “It’s just that even to this day you,” Ken rephrased what Hunter tried to convey, “can get so … so … hell bent. No one can say anything to you. No one can stop you.”

  “And these last few weeks have been the worst,” Hunter added.

  “I’m … I’m sorry guys. I really am. It’s just … it’s just…” she searched for the words and then stopped.

  The three sat there for a few moments in silence until she finished her thought.

  “You know what, no, I’m not going to make excuses for myself. You guys are right. I felt so betrayed after I found out about the memory. I felt like I had to make up for all this lost time. But … well, I kept letting myself forget everything you two did to protect me and fight for Jin. I kept letting myself forget that things had to happen the way they did. They had to unfold this way. Or … or—”