The Immortal Trinity: Inheritance

by Momchil Yoskov

  - Yeah, I agree, let's go home. Mum and dad are already worried sick for me, I can tell.

  ***

  Sharon pulled over in front of Ashlynn's house. As Ash stepped out of the vehicle, Sharon told her:

  - And find Ronnie. I don't care how tired he's gonna be, when you see him. Break up with him already! - upon saying this, Sharon took off with a slight note of irritation, which was demonstrated by a short wheel spin.

  - Oh no, mom and dad are home! - Ashlynn saw the Subaru Tribeca parked in front of the garage. As she walked in, she saw her parents eating lunch.

  - Oh, thank heavens you're here! Where were you? - her father asked.

  - Um... well...

  - It's alright. I can tell you were definitely not out shopping for groceries. Did you have fun at the party you attended? - her mother said.

  - Eh? Well... I have a slight headache. And I need some rest.

  - That can only mean the party went great. Eric, you can see everything's alright. Nothing to worry about. - said Heather and took a sip of beer. - You want some beer? - she added with a mild chuckle.

  - Oh, no, I don't want to see alcohol for the next three weeks, mom. - said Ashlynn and quietly retired to her room with the words: - I need some rest. I'll come back and eat something later.

  Eric expressed his concern immediately after the door to Ashlynn's room slammed:

  - I'm telling you, Heather: she's not OK. Did you see how inadequately she behaved?

  Eric graduated in psychology 20 years ago and during his time in college, he witnessed many cases of mentally disassembled, torn and disjointed individuals. As one would normally expect, it was all a part of his education. He has dealt with so many cases during those 20 years since his graduation that he could tell straight away when something was not right in somebody's head. Though, of course, one could easily attribute that trait to Eric's lifestyle, which involved peace, order, reticence and forbearance. Without a shadow of a doubt, it was a stark contrast to Heather's adjustment to life - more relaxed, care-free, but not completely careless, of course, with, at times, questionable morals and decisions.

  - Oh come on, she needed to relax. - Heather whispered quietly, so that Ashlynn doesn't hear anything. - She's growing up, Eric: seeing people and walking into situations will always be a part of her life. She won't always get to live quietly and peacefully. There will be noise, there will be pain, heartbreak, failures. Haven't you already learned that it's all a part of life?

  She stood up and hugged Eric:

  - I completely understand that you want her to feel safe and keep her away from danger, but you can only do that for so long. I used to think that way, until I realized that the best way to earn her respect and friendship is to set her free. You know, let her roam free with the wild animals. Let her experience life. And when she needs help, we need to be there for her. True, Ashlynn shuts herself down and deliberately throws herself into isolation. However... that does not necessarily mean she doesn't need anyone. Relax! Take off her leash! She'll be fine.

  With that she took another sip of beer and resumed eating her round of beef. Ashlynn rolled about in bed and could not rest, so instead she waddled to the kitchen and asked her mother:

  - Hey, mom, I... Can I eat something? My stomach is rumbling a bit.

  - But of course! Why do you need to ask? Sit down. Tell me about the party. How did it go? Were there a lot of boys and booze? - Heather sniggered and with her fist she bumped her daughter's shoulder. Ashlynn wobbled a bit and discreetly smiled:

  - Well... it was noisy and packed.

  Heather laughed hysterically.

  - I'm sure it was. But really, now, tell me: who did you go with and did you meet some nice people?

  - Eh... I don't know. I didn't know most of them. We were in a house and I could barely breathe inside. There was some food. Only some, because most of it was gobbled quickly. Finding food that hadn't fallen on the floor was more difficult than finding an unopened bottle of vodka.

  As Heather handed her daughter a plate full of beef and stewed vegetables, she fired more questions:

  - Now that sounds like a party I'd go to! What about any boys? Just kidding. How's Ronnie? Have you talked to him recently? It's odd that you two didn't go together.

  Ashlynn felt discomfort in the pit of her stomach at the mere mention of Ronnie's name. She barely mustered the strength to say:

  - I don't want to talk about Ronnie right now, mum...

  - What's wrong, sweetie? What happened between you two?

  - Nothing. Nothing so far. He's not here.

  - Well then where is he? Do you know?

  Meanwhile Ronnie was shuffling along towards Ashlynn's house. His toughest obstacle was figuring out what to say, when the front door opens. He immediately saw her and her parents inside the house, once he scanned it.

  - "What do I say now?" - he thought and froze in place, out in the street, staring at the front lawn. Ronnie was far from conspicuous by standing like that, out in the open and Eric noticed him.

  - Um, Heather? There's some... boy... out in the street. He's apparently smeared his face with black paint.

  - That's Ronnie! - Ashlynn squeaked and fell off her chair, as she tried to run to the front door. Ronnie was still standing there, seemingly staring at the lawn. He briefly ignored his senses and systems, until his motion tracker picked up the motion of the opening front door. Ronnie flinched and saw Ashlynn standing there, pale and fidgety. A couple of deep breaths later, Ronnie slowly and nervously approached her. A light breeze picked up his cowl and streamed it like a flag. Then he faced Ashlynn, took another deep breath, heavily exhaled and said:

  - I'm glad to see you. A lot of things happened to me and I'll answer your every question. In hopes of... dispelling any doubts that you have. Can I come in?

  Ashlynn was shuddering and stilly.

  - It's still me... or, at least, I believe it's still me.

  She stepped back inside the house and left the door open.

  - Who are you? - Eric asked.

  - I'm Ashlynn's boyfriend. - Ronnie answered quietly and suavely. - You must be... her father... I presume?

  - Eric Raker.

  Eric was impressed by Ronnie's firm handshake.

  - You have the handshake of a construction worker.

  - Oh, it's just one of those moments, where I actually give a proper handshake. Do you see something in the way people handshake?

  - Yes. It always shows something. Every gesture means something. I'm a psychologist and I possess detailed knowledge about body language.

  - Mhm. And... you've been doing this for... how long?

  - 20 years.

  - Um, would it be possible for us to go to the kitchen, because I have some things to say and I'd like you all to hear them? - Ronnie proposed.

  - Absolutely. Have a seat and we'll discuss it. - Eric agreed.

  Heather drilled through Ronnie's eyes with her own. Her mistrust was steadily increasing and Ronnie sensed that. He did not stare at her the same way she stared at him; after all, he wasn't there to prove anything to her yet.

  - How are you, angel? - he said to Ashlynn. - I had no means to contact you at all. You must have been worried sick...

  - She's been fine, nothing to worry about. - Heather broke in on his thoughts. Ronnie continued:

  - A lot of things happened and... it was chaos. It's too much to tell you everything at once right now, because even I have yet to understand it in its entirety.

  - What if it's just been a party binge? You young people always think about bedding other people and alcoholic drinks. How can we tell you're not lying right now? - Heather continued attacking Ronnie. He took a short breath of air and said:

  - Now, I'm not begging you to trust me. I can't force you to do that. True, I have lied before and I...

  - So you admit that you're lying?

  - No, you're... you're not listening...

  - You won't fool me, kid. Now tell me, no, better
yet, tell her...

  Heather pointed at her daughter:

  -... where you've been and what you've been up to.

  - Like I said, I can't tell you everything, but I will say it involves aliens. And... it's not pretty. - said Ronnie. He did not want to read Ashlynn's mind in order to use the information with ulterior motives. He cared too much for her and did not want to invade her privacy; something he cherished. Heather's thoughts, upon being read, revealed exactly what Ronnie was expecting - she was trying to lock her away from him, do whatever she could to separate them. Instead of openly pointing it out, Ronnie shrouded it with stilted words:

  - You see, it's good that we're in a discussion. All of us. It would be very sad if someone was not present or if... someone tried to separate me and Ashlynn without rhyme or reason. Wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Raker?

  The numerous short breaths, concrete-like facial expression and the movement of Heather's ribcage were enough for Ronnie to realize that his discrete remarks were putting pressure on her.

  - Why would anyone try to separate you two? - Eric said, but was quickly silenced by his gradually fuming wife:

  - Maybe... someone is trying to divert your attention. Have you not considered that scenario? - she said.

  - No, not really. Not until... right now. - Ronnie replied. - Ash, could we go somewhere else? Like, outside for a walk? Just a short one, because I need to go home. My parents and the police must be looking for me already.

  Ashlynn was irresolute and did not give a straight answer.

  - It's alright, we'll just talk, nothing else. - he said.

  - She doesn't want to! Are you blind? I want you out of my house, now! - Heather said. Throughout the whole time Eric was silently observing Ronnie and his behaviour.

  - "So, he seems calm and non-hostile. Good intentions, no impudence, willingness to talk." - he made notes in his mind. He noticed that Ronnie sensed Heather's hostility, but, naturally, he was unaware of Ronnie's ability to read every single thought that crossed her mind.

  - Very well. When you feel better, you know how to find me. - Ronnie said, stood up and went for the front door. Before leaving, he said goodbye to Mr. Raker.

  - He seems quiet and polite, don't you think? - Eric said.

  - He's a snake! And you know it! People who are acting that polite and nice always hide something. Always! - Heather objected.

  - Something tells me you feel threatened.

  - Oh, so now you're on his side? Some kid who thinks he knows better than me, the mother of your child? What are you?

  - Nothing, just... observant. You know that I like observing. It's a part of my life and my job. - said Eric.

  - And another thing - aliens? Everybody knows they don't exist! That is nothing short of a fact! - Heather added.

  In a fit of disgust and anger Heather stood up and began lightly washing leftover food from the plates before putting them into the dishwasher. Eric got some interesting information and wanted to learn more about Ronnie. But he decided to leave that case for another day, when some development in the situation occurs.

  - "Need to keep my eyes peeled for any and all developments. This seems very interesting." - Eric speculated upon that.

  ***

  Garret and Tyler landed in front of Tyler's house.

  - So... what's our plan?

  - What plan, Garret? We just walk in and tell them everything.

  - No, I meant to say: how do we arrange all of the tasks? First we tell our families and then we go to Ronnie's parents or what?

  - Oh, you mean that? Well... yeah, sounds about right. Come on, let's see if anybody's home.

  The door was locked and Tyler did not have the keys to unlock it.

  - Eh, I guess wait until they come back? Or rather go to my parents or Ronnie's house?

  - Ronnie's house, it is. - said Tyler and they both flew towards it. Once they got there and rang the doorbell, Ray immediately opened the door and invited them inside.

  - Have you found out anything about Ronnie? - he said.

  - Um... I thought he was here. - Garret said.

  - Did you not go and rescue him? - Ray said.

  - Well, no. You see, we were told that Ronnie has managed to escape...

  Ray gasped.

  - Yeah, and that he's been to New Hope before coming back to Earth. Has he not been home yet? - Tyler finished his sentence.

  - No, sadly. I thought he should have been with you by now. Can you not contact him or something? - Ray said.

  - Oh yeah, I forgot about that! - Garret said and got about to contact Ronnie, when Tyler stopped him:

  - No, don't do anything! That would have been our go-to option, but I didn't want to bother him right away. Just see if you can locate him.

  - Ok. He's... wait... he's in the neighbourhood! Yeah, he's near us, moving real slow.

  The three walked outside to see where exactly he was. Ronnie was coming from the east, gaze buried into the road, as usual.

  - Ronnie! - Tyler yelled and ran towards him. Ronnie reacted coldly by lifting his gaze. He said nothing.

  - Look, I know, you're mad at me, but I had no choice. I was given orders and even I didn't know if we were going to escape that place again. There was nothing we could do. We were stuck between a hammer and an anvil.

  Ronnie once again remained silent and walked past him and into the house. The stares of Tyler, Garret and Ray were closely observing him.

  - He's... something's... something's not right with him. - Garret said, but Ray assured him that his son always behaves like this.

  - No. Every time something goes wrong, he looks like he's lost a relative. A girl rejects him - he sinks. He sees a young couple - he sinks. He gets scolded for something - he sinks. It's how his mind works. He gets damaged by anything. In many cases I cannot understand him at all.

  - Is Mrs. Mason home? - Tyler asked.

  - No, not yet. She's downtown with a friend from... high school? I can't remember. But, yeah, she's not home. She should be here soon.

  - What happened, Ronnie? - Garret asked him.

  - Too many things... - Ronnie uttered after a few seconds of deathlike silence. - It was... utterly horrible. - he hugged Garret. - I'm sorry. I... I can't...

  Garret put his hand on Ronnie's left shoulder. That was done with a light pat, which made Ronnie quietly weep, but not shed any tears. He resumed:

  - What did you do while I was stuck there?

  Garret turned his head to Tyler with a look full of pleas for assistance in his eyes.

  - It's ok, we'll just tell him what happened. Right... Stromak told us that we could not go back and save you. Instead he wanted us to go pick up some rocks for New Hope and...

  - Vebrills. - Garret clarified.

  - Trying to keep it simple and to the point. Anyway, he basically told us to go fuck ourselves and let him assemble a team of idiots to save you. When we came back with the pebbles, Sable told us you checked out of Hell Motel and we immediately came here to see you. - said Tyler.

  - Thoughtful of you. - Ronnie said dryly.

  - What happened back there? - Tyler asked.

  - I got tortured and... raped. - Ronnie answered, once again after a moment of silence.

  - Sable told us that. - Tyler nodded and his eyes filled with sorrow. - Who did that to you?

  - The three... those three...

  - The ones we fought that day when we went for beer AND back in Winchester? - Garret said.

  - Yes. - Ronnie said, shuddered and started weeping.

  His father sat down in his armchair in shock. He then quickly stood up from it and proceeded to hug his son.

  - No, dad, not now. I don't feel like talking. - Ronnie said, then stood up and quietly went upstairs to his room. Garret and Tyler followed him diligently shortly after.

  - I don't want to see anyone. Leave me by myself. - Ronnie said.

  - We can't leave you like this. You're wounded, vulnerable and broken. - Garret said.

  -
Are you two suffering from Down syndrome? I said: LEAVE! - Ronnie shouted and his stare drilled Tyler's eyes. This made Tyler feel uneasy:

  - How many fucking times do I have to say it? I had no choice! It was us two against everything back there! Literally everything! Did you really think we could have taken the easy way out by, say... dropping a hydrogen bomb?

  - I literally have no clue what to do now. - Ronnie said after a moment of silence.

  - Well... did Sable say anything about it? - Tyler asked.

  - He wanted me to relax for some time. A couple of days or weeks, but not too long, because he wants me to resume my training. I don't know. I feel like I'm in a hole.

  - Don't worry. We're here for you. - Tyler sat next to him and put his palm on Ronnie's shoulder.

  - You stay away from me. - Ronnie growled back.

  Chapter XIV

  Additional disturbance

  - You need your feet firmly planted to the ground and your mind to be sober. - Retion was talking to Gibel in one of the many training grounds.

  - How would you want me to do that? - Gibel croaked, as he punched his sparring partner.

  - Make a plan and stick to it. Write down the most important pillars for it. And another thing: find ways around the obstacles that stand in your path.

  - What's a good way to do that? - Gibel said.

  - Think, observe, then come to me and we shall discuss it thoroughly. - Retion replied and as he left the training ground, he added: - And should you find accomplices for your plan, make sure that it remains as secret as possible. You're well aware of your father's notorious fury.

  ***

  - Ronnie, you didn't tell me when your exams are scheduled. - Macy said to her son.

  - That's not important right now, mom.

  - It is important! It's about your education and your future. - said Macy.

  - I have bigger problems now. - Ronnie said.

  - Bigger problems? - Macy asked.

  The dinner table was often a one-sided battleground, on which his mother shouted at him and Ronnie sat silently in his chair and gave short and sometimes vague answers, if he ever answered at all. Macy was still unaware of Ronnie's mishaps.