Yun smiled as she straightened the black jacket settled over her shoulders. Slav spoke quietly into his inner ear implant to release the family to their rooms and stand guard as the plan reaped its rewards. "I knew you were a reasonable man. I didn't want to have to resort to these tactics but like your father, you need a little more persuasion than most."
The screen on the far wall split into three separate views, one for each family member. They were alone separate rooms just them and the drone set to watch them. "The drones are programmed to shoot a warning shot before they kill if they try to make a call or move to the windows. But as long as they listen they will be safe. Your father knows the drill. He's done it a time or two if I recall."
Yun turned her attentions to the Detective. "Now that you are being more reasonable and feeling the sedative I'm sure, we can discuss our business. I need a man of your talents. And Detective Sarkozy you can use my help. Did you know that a man you had in custody was arrested that very same day for destruction of public property using this new channeling ability Ascendancy so graciously exposed to the entire world in a grandiose display of his power?"
Yun waved her hand dismissively. "I'm sure you do. But did you know that he and another who confessed to the same murder have gone missing. Where do you think they will look?"
Yun already knew that IA was looking into another Domovoi agent. But she wanted this one - this power. It wasn't about family legacy - it only helped matters. No this gift was hers now. He'd do anything for his family - just like his father. "I will help you. You can help me."
Ivan felt light headed. Tired. Oh, he could hear fine. Was mostly following her. And he was angry. Well, he knew he should feel angry. And his mind was angry. Knew he was angry. He saw his family separated. The drones. Could see how scared they all were.
And he cared. In his mind he cared. Enough. Enough that it pushed away some of the fake calm that the sedative had made him feel. And that brush of emotion touched on anger. And that made him feel angrier.
And he felt the slight warmth of the power. Not enough to reach for. Not close enough.
And he was angry because this was his fault. His stupidity with Nox. It was still like fighting through jelly to think. He knew where Nox was. He wasn't sure who the other guy she was talking about was.
He couldn't concentrate, his mind jumping from one word or thought to the other.
But something caught it. Kept coming back to him, half forgotten until he remembered he had heard it, then forgot.
The third? fourth? whatever? time around, he grabbed it.
"Your father knows the drill. He's done it a time or two if I recall."
He shot her a look. "What are talking about?"
The words felt slurred. He tried to get his tongue and lips to work right. "What do you mean about my father."
His voice sounded leaden.
Yun covered her mouth in mock shock.
"Oh, you didn't know?"
Yun stood up and smoothed the fall of her pant suit. She paced a few steps back and forth lost in thought or so she made it look.
"He sat there."
She pointed where Ivan sat.
"Or was it here? It was such a long time ago."
Yun gasped and turned on her heels and pointed up on the screen.
"You, were up there, just a little one. Your mother craddled you so tight to her. We are all so young back then."
Yun nodded in her assessment of the situation.
"You're Uncle."
Yun laughed at the sentiment,
"Couldn't help himself. He got in too deep, brought your daddy a long with him until they both needed a reminder who ran things around here."
Yun paced back and forth remembering the details of the operation. She was very young, the memories were faded.
"Everyone took turns playing who could be the best cop in the district. Even I did when I came of age to take up my own father's legacy. But I'd already made a choice, and then the boss chose me. But your dad, didn't want this life. He and Pol tried to leave. I had to make an example of one of them. Sadly it was your father."
Edited by
Nox, Feb 1 2018, 07:22 PM.
Ivan watched her, listened to her. The sedatives were strong. He felt like he was at the end of a long hallway or tunnel. Her voice seemed go in and out.
It had to be the sedatives. Cuz no way in hell was he believing her. She was a liar. Just a liar.
He tried to make his lips and tongue work right, to say what he was thinking. "I don't believe you. My father was a good cop. He would never work with you."
He glared at her. Tried to. Tried to hold onto that thread of anger that kept him going. Fucking bitch! He was gonna take her down for this. For what she had put his family through. Pol too. Bastard.
Yun smiled and sat back down pulling a small drive from her pocket. "I love the naivete in your voice. Good men like your father fold harder than others like your Uncle Pol, but they do fold, Detective."
She slid the drive on to the table next to the glass of rum she'd had poured for him. "A little push here, a bigger shove there. We all have our price, even good men."
Yun nodded to the drive sitting on the table. "The proof you require of your father's involvement. I suspect your weakness is like your father's - family is such a wonderful thing until you get them involved in the dark elements of the world."
Yun lifted her own glass to her lips and swallowed the amber liquid. "But on to more pressing matter. I need a favor from you. Your father, the good man, that he is ran a red light while he was escorting one of my men. A favor for your father really. Find a way to make it and the footage disappear."
She stood up and smiled down at Ivan as she walked past his dreary state. "Oh and Detective to prove that I mean we can help each other. You are in possession of one of two copies of your interview with one missing channeler and any interactions you've had recorded with him. Including some footage that disappeared after we took the recording, but not before we went to remove it. Your friend clearly defending himself - faces clear as day. But they were gone when we went to remove this from your record. On paper he was never seen with you - at all."
Yun walked to the library door and Slav stood standing behind Ivan ready to see the man out when she was done. She turned back around. "After enough time, I'll give you my copy and you can never worry about that little mistake ever again."
But not until she had him by the balls... He would be hers before he got free of that worry.
Ivan looked at the drive next to the glass like it might bite. He didn't want to reach for it. His heart raced now. He could feel the sedative's effects wearing off slightly.
Or maybe it was the adrenaline in his blood. Her words cut him to the heart. No. They filled it with fear.
He didn't want the drive. He didn't want to see the drive. He didn't want to see whatever was on it.
He was ready to take the fall for his stupidity with Nox. His mistake. Whatever. He'd take the hit. Lose his job. Pension. She wasn't doing him a favor.
My father. Memories of them working together on the car, lying on the street underneath, pops pointing out the drive shaft, the transmission, the breaks, the oil pan, the suspension, the purpose of each. Leaning into the engine to point out plugs and oil filter and timing belt, alternator and fuel pump and fuel injection.
The smell of oil and grease on his hands, the black under his nails. The strong orange smelling gritty feeling of GoJo finally making his hands feel truly clean.
His pops. His best friend in the whole world. The guy who talked to him about girls. Who showed him how to kick a goal. Who helped with his school work. Who would sit and watch the game, yelling at the screen. Who'd taken him out for his first beer, sitting together at the bar, feeling so proud to be a man, hanging out with his dad and his friends.
His pops, laid up in the hospital, tubes coming out of mouth and throat, the beeps of the machines, mama crying, the little ones crying, and his whole world threatening to end right then and there because he is not ready to lose his anchor.
And the anger built in him. This fucking bitch had had his dad shot. To teach him fucking a lesson. If he lived. And Ivan vowed before God and Jesus and all the Holy Saints: She would pay. No matter the cost. She would pay. All of them would. Whatever this was. Whoever these people thought they were, he would make sure.
Even if it meant killing.
So her words flowed over him. He would do what she asked (as if he had a choice.) But he knew what this was. Start small. Easy. Almost too easy. He was willing to bet that the picture that caught his dad escorting their man was not accidentally taken. Easy peasy. Then another job. And another. And after a while, he'd be in.
Well, let her think what she liked. He would play her game. But he would find a way out. Protect his family and be out.
He was well enough to stand. He swiped the drive. He wasn't sure he'd look at it. If his father had been with them....he had a reason. That much was obvious. Good men didn't get into bed with snakes like this woman. She'd said as much. Threatening the family. Him, his mom. He'd wanted out, later. And he gets shot.
You don't do that to dirty cops. You do that to cops you have over a barrel.
Just nodded at her. "I'll take care of it,"
he said, voice dead. She wasn't stupid. It would be for him to underestimate her. She had to know what he was thinking. Still, he wouldn't waste his breath with threats or protestations either.
That didn't mean that he wouldn't find a way free of them. He had to. Had to keep his family safe.
He went to the car and just sat there, the stink of the body spray from fucking Pol still filling the car, cloying and heavy. Suddenly he felt sick, and opened the door to puke his guts out. It helped a little despite the bile burning in his throat and the taste in his mouth. A little better, anyway.
Finally, he drove. Not home. His home that is. He went home home. He had to see his mama, to hug her. He had to see his dad. And his brother and sister. Make sure they were ok.
And talk with his dad. He wasn't looking forward to it. He took out the drive, looked at it. He thought about crushing it. He wanted to.
God, he wanted to.