Back in the Rain

by Elen Chase

  Assuming that none of them would make any false move to reveal their plan, the only way to learn more about their next murder was to hear it directly from their own lips; and we had found a way to do so. Apparently, in the time we had spent out of Rosedeer, Sean had been in contact with Martin, the one Bill called “our nerd,” who had hacked the security cameras of the library for us. Sean had asked him about the functioning of the black watchpad, and thanks to what he had learned from him, he was able to recreate an externally identical one, carrying brand new features inside. This knowledge allowed us to devise our plan: Sean was going to alter the chip controlling communication of my old watchpad; this way all calls and written messages, coming to the device the chip was connected to, would be forwarded to his new watchpad. It was a genius combination of software hacking and hardware work; all we had to do was replace the original chip of Domme's watchpad with the modified one, and wait for the sect itself to reveal us all their plans. Of course, to do that, we had to find a way to get close to Domme. And the perfect opportunity presented itself; Rosedeer was about to host the Summer Festival, and after the inauguration, on July 3rd, a gala dinner was going to take place at the Palace Grand Hotel, a five-star facility ready to host hundreds of guests coming from all over the globe. All the members of the sect, due to their high position and social class, were going to participate and spend the night there. Infiltrating the hotel was the reason why we needed Mr. Hutchison's help.

  "And how are you planning to get him?" Mr. Hutchison asked me.

  "He's quite a drinker, but at his age you never know what might happen from mixing different types of alcohol. Sometime during the dinner he’ll feel dizzy, be excused and retire to his room."

  "And I guess you're gonna help him get dizzy."

  "That's part of the plan too."

  "He won't be alone, though."

  "He will be accompanied by his eldest son, but we know how to handle him too." Evan Domme was the vice president of the foundation and his father's assistant in the sect. His greatest weakness: women. Sara accepted to help us distract him during the party, so that he wouldn't see his father leaving the garden, where the feast was going to be held. Sara got an invitation to participate thanks to an associate of the old lady.

  "I hope you know what you're doing," said Mr. Hutchison. "I will help you, but I won’t hold responsibility for whatever happens to you. Just for the record, I am doing this only because Ms. Wilson insisted." I liked him even less. No wonder he wasn't going to talk about Shallie; he didn't care at all about her, did he? And what if it is all a trap? If he is an enemy after all? If he killed Shallie, instead of trying to help her? I couldn't get those thoughts out of my head; but if he was an enemy, that was the perfect chance to kill me or kidnap me, yet he was doing nothing. I could only trust him.

  "Don't worry, this is the first and last thing I'll be asking of you in my entire life," I fumed.

  "This is not something kids should be meddling with," he said. "I hope for you that you will be able to handle the consequences of a possible failure."

  "Maybe you can teach me how to do that. You seem to be handling Shallie's death pretty well." I couldn't resist at that point.

  "Are you resenting me?" he asked me. "Things never go as you wish. We tried to save that girl, we really did. Some gave it all to save her, maybe personally I could have done more. But I can't go back, and neither can you. So think more about yourself too, and try to prevent your friends from dying; because if somebody dies on you, you will be the one to bear it all. If you can't accept this, maybe you should have stayed home and let us adults take care of it."

  "I started this because you ‘adults’ weren't able to save her. Don't act so high and mighty now. And we're not gonna fail. We're not gonna die."

  "I really hope you're not," he said. "I'll inform you when the paperwork is done." I went back home in a terrible mood. Inside I found Dan talking on his watchpad on the couch with a hologram map of the Palace Hotel open next to the call.

  "Yes, we’ll be back in a couple of days. Drew's training's almost finished too, and once they accept our job application we'll have to work there for real until the event." I sat by his side in silence and he kept talking. "Now I'm making a map simulation to decide how we'll move once we're inside, so that day we'll have it all clear." Curious, I took a look at what he was doing. On the 3D model of the hotel there were a lot of colored lights moving in a pattern I couldn't understand. "I'll call you later for an update, bye," said Dan, and hung up. "Jim wanted to know when we'll be back to Rosedeer."

  "I see," I said, focused on the model, trying to understand how it worked. "I want to go back soon… I'm starting to feel cut off from the world here," I added.

  "Yeah, I thought so… look," he told me, and took control of the model. "All the lights represent people. The white ones are the guests. They move randomly through the garden and the park, and sometimes they go back to their rooms. The two black ones are Domme and the son."

  "I bet the father is the bigger one."

  "Right, our target. The blue one is you. You'll serve him the wine after putting the drug inside his glass, then you'll move away."

  "Oh, I'm getting close to him."

  "Yes, you're giving him the drug now and keep on serving the others."

  "And the red one?"

  "This is Sara, as you can see at this point she's already keeping the son distracted."

  "But I don't see you."

  "Nice comment. I'm not in the map yet."

  "Why?"

  "Because I'll be waiting in Domme's room, and we still don't know which one that will be," he explained.

  "Right." Our plan was based on synchronizing mine and Dan's actions. First I had to drug Domme to have him go back to his room, where Dan was going to be hiding since morning. At that point Dan would replace the chip inside the watchpad with the one made by Sean and stand by in the room again until the fireworks. In that moment my duty was to cut down the power so that the security cameras wouldn't be working for a while, giving Dan enough time to escape. Hopefully, the guests would think it was all organized to let them enjoy the fireworks, and I could leave from a secondary exit in the commotion of the moment.

  "Depending on where Domme's room will be, the plan might change a bit," Dan told me. "If it's close to an emergency exit, I can run away in less than a minute, but otherwise you might have to hold the power down even until the end of the fireworks. Your role is the more risky one; are you sure you don't want to switch places with me?"

  "No, I don't really want to spend all day hiding in that room," I said, laughing. Then I added, more seriously, "Putting that chip in his watchpad is our main goal. It’s our only hope to spy on them. I couldn’t replace that chip without leaving any trace of my presence. You're way smarter and calmer than me. I trust you more than myself on this job."

  "We'll see if we can simplify the plan a little in the next days," he said, "but I can already tell you: if something goes wrong, send me a signal with your watchpad. I'll come for you wherever you are."

  "I will, but only if you'll do the same," I said, taking his hand in mine and laying a kiss on it. "You're overprotective with me."

  "About that… you'll have to dye your hair black again."

  "Okay, okay, and I'll put the contact lenses on too," I said to reassure him and leaned in to kiss him.

  "And you'll wear a prosthetic nose." I stopped an inch from his face.

  "A what?"

  "I had it prepared for you. Together with a smaller prosthesis for the jaw and makeup to change the shape of your eyes."

  "Dan, we already talked about this."

  "It's for your own safety."

  "There'll be hundreds of people, they're never gonna recognize me."

  "They are looking for you!" he argued. "If not for yourself, wear it for me, will you?"

  I didn't really want to hide behind a plastic face, but he seemed so worried I couldn't say no. He was probably right; I co
uldn't risk screwing the whole plan up for a whim.

  "I will," I told him, and he sealed his lips over mine in a melting kiss. I was pleasantly surprised by it, since he wasn't often taking the initiative, and I found it amazing. "What was that for?" I asked, breathless.

  "A reward because you behaved well."

  "Am I getting one every time I have to put the prosthesis on?"

  "Definitely not."

  "Evil boyfriend."

  Chapter 47

  Two days later we were finally going back to Rosedeer. I had finished my training, and Bill and I parted with an “At least if you die now it won't be entirely your fault.” I decided to consider it a positive thing, and thanked him and the guys who helped me, really from the bottom of my heart.

  "It's great that I won't have to bear his sarcasm for stealing you from him every day from now on," I told Dan, who was sitting in front of me on the train compartment, reading a digital book.

  "I think Bill likes you, Drew," he said, without taking his eyes off the book.

  "Really? Because he was seriously annoying with all his cutting remarks about us sleeping in his bed and stuff."

  "If he didn't like you, he would have killed you on the spot instead of teasing you," he said, serious, and I suddenly felt extremely lucky.

  "Say Dan, why did you break up with Bill?" I asked. He lifted his eyes from the book to look at me.

  "He dumped me soon after that episode Nick told you about."

  "Seriously? He left you?" Somehow I was confident it was the opposite. "You mean that time he was captured by a gang because they told him they’d taken you?"

  "Right. He told me that I was making him weaker, that his priority was the safety of the group, and he needed to focus on that without distractions."

  "And you?"

  "I accepted his decision."

  "And after that? You met Chloe?"

  "No, I asked out another guy, like, the day after Bill dumped me."

  "Fast! And who was he?"

  "A kid two years younger than us, a schoolmate. I didn't really go to school those days, and when I did, I couldn't keep up with classes. So I liked to spend a few hours in the school library. I met him there a couple of times; he used to sit in front of me. He was a little one with red hair and big eyes. God, he was cute; he followed me everywhere."

  "Ah, did he?"

  "Yes, at first I was a bit irritated by the way he stared at me all the time, but when I least expected it, he had some very interesting reactions."

  "..."

  "Bill is quite the aggressive type, so after breaking up with him I guess I really needed to take the lead in my next relationship. Drew?" He finally noticed. I found it pretty much disturbing. "I can't believe it… you're jealous?"

  "No way, why would I be?"

  "Come on, it was all ages ago."

  "I got it, I got it…" He was looking at me like I was a spoiled little kid.

  "You're here now," he said, patiently, "so all that came before you doesn't matter anymore." I was honestly flattered by his words.

  "Sorry," I told him, "I'm happy you told me something about your past."

  In three hours we were finally back in Rosedeer. The train left us at the Uptown Central Station, and from there we got on a local train for Downtown. I had missed the city; I lived there all my life knowing only half of it, and since I had gotten to know the other half, I was finally starting to enjoy it. I couldn't hide my excitement for being back in town and back in the game. I'm gonna keep my promise, Shallie.

  "You remind me of a kid going home after summer vacation," said Dan on our way home from the station.

  "Coming home restored all my lost energy. But do you want to know the very best thing about being back?" I asked as he was opening the front door of the building. We went in, and I closed the door behind my back and pushed him to the wall, crushing our lips together. "I can say goodbye to that damn sofa bed once and for all," I whispered to him.

  "Oh, really? But I'm sure it was quite comfortable to sleep on."

  "Not nearly enough."

  "You liked it until a month ago."

  "But if you think about it," I said, climbing the stairs to our floor, "a double bed is made for two people in the first place."

  "Ah-ah."

  "And the apartment is already small, we don't really need to waste so much space."

  "I'll think about it," he said, and got out the keys to open the door of the apartment.

  "Maybe I can persuade you." I wrapped my arms around him from behind and nuzzled at his neck.

  "You're really into it, aren't you?"

  "I'm so into you lately, indeed," I said, and he gave me a look so cold it turned me to stone. "Sorry, sorry, that was a bad one… did I fuck everything up?"

  "Oh, you are so gonna sleep on the couch tonight."

  "Welcome home!" The attracting smell of roasted meat welcomed us as soon as we opened the door, together with Sara’s lively voice.

  "Hey," I ran to hug her. I realized only then how much I had missed her.

  "You got a haircut, I love it!!" she said, ruffling my hair with both hands. "And it’s all black."

  "Yup, eyes too."

  "Don’t you also have a little more muscles?"

  "Really? Well, I’ve been training a lot."

  "Waa, you’ve become so cool!" she said, jumping with joy. I couldn’t help noticing how Dan giggled behind me, and after a while Sara realized it too. She flushed, and I was sure she wanted to hug him like she did with me, but was too insecure to. Suddenly I felt bad for her, thinking of how things had turned out between Dan and I, and I decided to find the right time to tell her properly.

  "I’m happy to see you so cheerful," Dan told her, smiling and patting her head. "What are you making?" he asked, and he went to the kitchen to take a look.

  "Roast beef and salad. I thought you’d be hungry after traveling all morning."

  "You thought right," I said, almost drooling on the table. We ate our lunch all together, talking about Pholis.

  "Sara, thanks again for accepting to help us the day of the inauguration," Dan told her when we had finished eating, "but don't overdo it, okay? We don't want to put you in danger."

  "Don't worry, I'll stick to my role," she said, a beautiful, bright smile on her face. "Are you already preparing for the day?"

  "Yes, and I'll have to wear a fake nose the whole time," I said.

  "And I'll have to teach you how to serve food and drinks," Dan told me.

  "There's no need to teach me."

  "Of course there is," said Sara. "You'll be an elite waiter, so you are expected to do things in a certain way."

  "Like?"

  "Stand up, let's give it a try," Dan told me. I stood up and immediately he said, "Fired."

  "Already?" I said.

  "What's with that sloppy attitude? Stand straight, shoulders back, don't stare… and smile."

  "Like this?" I said, trying to do as I was told.

  "Is that a facial paralysis or something?" said Dan.

  "I'd say there's room for improvement," commented Sara, and she and Dan exchanged a worried look.

  "Come on, it can't be so bad," I said, and I tried it again in front of the mirror. It really sucked. "Where am I getting it wrong?"

  "I don't even know where to start," said Dan, rubbing his temples.

  "Good luck with that," sympathized Sara.

  After Sara went back home, Dan spent all day bossing me around, trying to teach me the basics of serving food and beverage, but as soon as I got one thing right, I was messing up all the rest. At the end of the day I was torn, so much that I didn't even want to see his face. I fell on the couch, exhausted, lying face down, and hid my head under a pillow. Dan found me like that when he came back to the living room from the shower.

  "Drew?" he called me. His tone of voice was way calmer than before. "Are you sleeping?" I didn't feel like talking to him, so I nodded. He leaned close to me. "Don't you want to take
a shower?" This time I shook my head, covering it even better with the pillow. He stayed silent for a little while and then he started poking my back. "Do you want to go to bed?" he asked. "You were looking forward to it, weren't you?" I thought about it for a moment, and then I shook my head again. "You're refusing sex? Maybe I really pushed you too hard today." I slowly turned around and moved away the pillow, just enough to look at him. Untied wet hair, sweet smell of soap and soft white skin. An astonishing combination.

  "Why do I find you so hot even when you treat me like shit?" I muffled my misery diving my face back on the pillow.

  He let a sigh out, stole the pillow from me by force, and said, "I'm sorry about that. I'll try to explain one thing at the time again tomorrow. And most of all, I'll stay calm." He casually fondled my hair. "I didn't think you'd take it so badly."

  "Now you're sweet... then you're cold, sometimes you scream, then you smile… it's confusing."

  "I'm a mess, I know."

  I got closer and kissed him, a simple touch of my lips on his. I felt immediately better. "Is that offer still valid?"

  "What offer?"

  "The sex."

  "Oh, right."

  "Didn't you come here to seduce me?"

  "Sort of," he said, "it doesn't take too much to seduce you."

  "It's your fault… you're too sexy whatever you do."

  In those days we spent together as a couple, I realized that being with him was what had kept my mind on track since the very beginning of my investigation. The more I found out the details about Shallie's death, the more I became emotionally unstable; all the time, I was disappointed by the world I was living in, and by life in general, and yet having him by my side kept me from going crazy. He was my anchor – the certainty that despite everything, life wasn't all shit; he was my hope to find light at the end of the tunnel. I wondered if it was the same for him: if my presence was somehow helping him carry on. I wished I could ease his pain, even just a little. I wished I could be for him what he was for me.