Post by Isadora Is a Door on Dec 22, 2017 12:48:38 GMT -5
Chapter Thirteen
They were sat waiting in a large, cold, and almost empty room. A receptionist was busily typing away at her desk, stopping occasionally to glance up at the two of them with a scowl.
'How much longer will we have to wait?' M asked. They had been waiting almost half an hour.
'I don't know,' replied Bee.
'Haven't you done this before?'
'No, I have not.'
'But I thought you said he was '
'Quiet, M. Some things would be better left unspoken.'
M sighed. 'Okay, fine. But if he is.... who you say he is, then surely you must have -'
'I haven't spoken to him for a very long time. I'm not sure how long, but I expect it wasn't long enough.'
M returned to the silence for a moment, but that was as long as he could contain himself for.
'How could you have never mentioned this before?'
'Because very few people know, and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible.'
'So why did you tell me?'
'Because you're in a dangerous position right now, Luke, and I think I'm the only person who will be able to help you.'
M was beginning to find that answers were more confusing than questions. 'I found this picture earlier.' He reached into his pocket and took out the photograph he had found back at the house, and handed it to Bee. 'I wanted to ask you about -'
But Mister M would never have a chance to tell Bee what he wanted to ask her about, at least not today, for at that moment a door at the other end of the reception opened, sending a loud screeching sound echoing down the hallway. Two men stood in the doorway, and briefly shook hands. One of the men, whom Mister M had never seen before, was dressed in a police uniform. The other M had never met, but he knew who he was.
As the policeman walked past the two of them and out of the hall, Bandit called 'Good morning Mister M'
M and Bee stood from their chairs and headed over to him.
'It's nice to finally meet you,' M said.
'You too, Luke. We have a lot to talk about, a lot.' He held out a meaty hand to be shook, but M didn't take it. 'Hmm,' said Bandit. 'And who might you be?' he said, turning to Bee.
M was confused, and clearly Bee was as well. 'What do you mean?'
'I was under the impression Luke would be coming here alone?' Bandit raised an eyebrow. 'Sorry lady, but you aren't invited.'
'Hang on a minute. I thought you two - '
'Quiet, Luke,' interrupted Bee. She studied Bandit intently, and then began to speak slowly. 'I think it might be a good idea if I leave.'
'But you said that -'
'I was wrong. I'll catch up with you later. Goodbye Bandit, it was nice meeting you.' And just like that she turned and walked away from the two of them.
M looked confused. Bandit looked bemused.
'So, Luke.' Said Bandit, why don't you come inside?' He clashed a hand onto M's shoulder, and pushed him into his office.
The room was relatively small, and was mostly taken up by a large ornate desk in the centre of the room. A large portrait of Bandit was on the wall behind it, and several picture of the mayor where on the desk, where one would normally keep pictures of one's family. The room had no windows, and no other doors that M could see. A large bearskin rug covered most of the floor. Bandit indicated to a chair in front of the desk, and M sat down.
'So,' said Bandit, as he said down behind the desk, 'I think you and me need to have a little talk.'
He picked up a large jug on the desk, and began to pour a green coloured liquid into two glasses whilst he spoke.
'Luke Denouement. I have a bit of a problem with you.' He handed M one of the glasses.
'What kind of problem?'
'I just don't buy it.'
'Buy what?'
'Your story.' He took a sip from his glass. 'You should drink, it's good.'
M raised the glass to his lips a took a sip of the cool, green liquid. It had an odd, if not pleasant taste, and smelt strongly like some sort of herbal tea. 'What's the problem with my story.'
'That it's a lie.' said Bandit, matter of factly.
'How so?'
Bandit laughed. 'How long do you want to keep playing this game?'
M placed the glass back down on the table. 'Which game?'
'Neither of us is who we really are, are we, Mister M?'
For a moment, he didn't know how to respond, but the words just came out. 'You need to know what's happening.'
'Oh do I? And who are you to presume that I don't. I know, for example, that a former member of the organisation trusted with safeguarding my city is investigating people. Why should I believe a word you say to me? I've spent most of this morning trying to contact Lemona, but she seems to be unreachable at the moment. I'd be very interested to hear her views on this, but perhaps you could enlighten me. Did she order you to do this?'
'If you're not going to believe what I say anyway then why do you ask.'
'Hah. Spoken like a true politician. Perhaps I do believe you, it depends on what I happen to hear. Why don't you tell me, Mister M. what you think it is that I need to know.'
'It's about Pepper.'
Bandit let our a short, single laugh. 'I'm sure it is, Mister M, I'm sure it is. Is he planning something bad? Something to do with.... now let me think.'
'Drugs,' said M, angrily.
'Ah yes, that was it.' Bandit leaned back in his chair and stretched. 'Something something blah blah blah evil evil... And you are telling me... why, exactly?'
'Because maybe you can help me... if you're not as much of an idiot as you seem to be.'
'Oh; Mister M, I am not the idiot. You, however, most certainly are. Why would I help you?'
'Because if you don't then I will go public with this. My colleague has all the information, and a very old friend in the news business by the name of Linda Rhaldeen. If you continue to stand by and let these atrocities continue, then I will tell everyone.'
Bandit clapped his hands in a slow, sarcastic manner. 'Well done, good sir, well done. I'm also surprised at the efforts you have gone to. Except that there are three rather big, nasty, and quite obvious flaws in your plan.'
'And what are they?'
'First of all,' Bandit raised up a huge, fat fist, and counted off one finger, 'I control the news. Nothing makes it onto the air without going through me first, especially that news programme hosted by that imbecile Linda.
'Second of all,' He said, as another finger found its way pointing towards Mister M, 'your associate has been captured and incarcerated.'
'Thirdly' This time he slammed his fist down on the table with a crash 'You will not leave this building alive.'
M reached into his pocket and pulled out the gun, and aimed it Bandit. 'You can't keep me here.'
Bandit laughed. And he continued laughing. M looked around, and noticed that a door to his left had opened where there hadn't been one moments before, and there was man standing in the doorway, waiting.
M suddenly realised that he wasn't holding a gun. In fact, his hands were empty. Or were they? It suddenly seemed extremely hard to tell. He tried to sit back down in his chair, but then he was unsure if he was already sat down, or if he was still standing.
'Well,' said the man, whose voice made M remember. This was their meeting. 'That was disappointing.'
The room began to fade around Mister M, and he couldn't see a thing.
'The Girl?' asked Bandit, except now his voice sounded different, almost like he had just been pretending.
'I'm dealing with it,' replied Pepper.
'That's good to hear.'
'Thank you for your work today Kyle, as always.'
'It was my pleasure,' said Bandit. 'But what do we do with him?'
'She wants him.'
'Who wants him?'
'Her.'
There Will Be Rivers of Blood will continue with
Part 2 : Alive and Buried
They were sat waiting in a large, cold, and almost empty room. A receptionist was busily typing away at her desk, stopping occasionally to glance up at the two of them with a scowl.
'How much longer will we have to wait?' M asked. They had been waiting almost half an hour.
'I don't know,' replied Bee.
'Haven't you done this before?'
'No, I have not.'
'But I thought you said he was '
'Quiet, M. Some things would be better left unspoken.'
M sighed. 'Okay, fine. But if he is.... who you say he is, then surely you must have -'
'I haven't spoken to him for a very long time. I'm not sure how long, but I expect it wasn't long enough.'
M returned to the silence for a moment, but that was as long as he could contain himself for.
'How could you have never mentioned this before?'
'Because very few people know, and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible.'
'So why did you tell me?'
'Because you're in a dangerous position right now, Luke, and I think I'm the only person who will be able to help you.'
M was beginning to find that answers were more confusing than questions. 'I found this picture earlier.' He reached into his pocket and took out the photograph he had found back at the house, and handed it to Bee. 'I wanted to ask you about -'
But Mister M would never have a chance to tell Bee what he wanted to ask her about, at least not today, for at that moment a door at the other end of the reception opened, sending a loud screeching sound echoing down the hallway. Two men stood in the doorway, and briefly shook hands. One of the men, whom Mister M had never seen before, was dressed in a police uniform. The other M had never met, but he knew who he was.
As the policeman walked past the two of them and out of the hall, Bandit called 'Good morning Mister M'
M and Bee stood from their chairs and headed over to him.
'It's nice to finally meet you,' M said.
'You too, Luke. We have a lot to talk about, a lot.' He held out a meaty hand to be shook, but M didn't take it. 'Hmm,' said Bandit. 'And who might you be?' he said, turning to Bee.
M was confused, and clearly Bee was as well. 'What do you mean?'
'I was under the impression Luke would be coming here alone?' Bandit raised an eyebrow. 'Sorry lady, but you aren't invited.'
'Hang on a minute. I thought you two - '
'Quiet, Luke,' interrupted Bee. She studied Bandit intently, and then began to speak slowly. 'I think it might be a good idea if I leave.'
'But you said that -'
'I was wrong. I'll catch up with you later. Goodbye Bandit, it was nice meeting you.' And just like that she turned and walked away from the two of them.
M looked confused. Bandit looked bemused.
'So, Luke.' Said Bandit, why don't you come inside?' He clashed a hand onto M's shoulder, and pushed him into his office.
The room was relatively small, and was mostly taken up by a large ornate desk in the centre of the room. A large portrait of Bandit was on the wall behind it, and several picture of the mayor where on the desk, where one would normally keep pictures of one's family. The room had no windows, and no other doors that M could see. A large bearskin rug covered most of the floor. Bandit indicated to a chair in front of the desk, and M sat down.
'So,' said Bandit, as he said down behind the desk, 'I think you and me need to have a little talk.'
He picked up a large jug on the desk, and began to pour a green coloured liquid into two glasses whilst he spoke.
'Luke Denouement. I have a bit of a problem with you.' He handed M one of the glasses.
'What kind of problem?'
'I just don't buy it.'
'Buy what?'
'Your story.' He took a sip from his glass. 'You should drink, it's good.'
M raised the glass to his lips a took a sip of the cool, green liquid. It had an odd, if not pleasant taste, and smelt strongly like some sort of herbal tea. 'What's the problem with my story.'
'That it's a lie.' said Bandit, matter of factly.
'How so?'
Bandit laughed. 'How long do you want to keep playing this game?'
M placed the glass back down on the table. 'Which game?'
'Neither of us is who we really are, are we, Mister M?'
For a moment, he didn't know how to respond, but the words just came out. 'You need to know what's happening.'
'Oh do I? And who are you to presume that I don't. I know, for example, that a former member of the organisation trusted with safeguarding my city is investigating people. Why should I believe a word you say to me? I've spent most of this morning trying to contact Lemona, but she seems to be unreachable at the moment. I'd be very interested to hear her views on this, but perhaps you could enlighten me. Did she order you to do this?'
'If you're not going to believe what I say anyway then why do you ask.'
'Hah. Spoken like a true politician. Perhaps I do believe you, it depends on what I happen to hear. Why don't you tell me, Mister M. what you think it is that I need to know.'
'It's about Pepper.'
Bandit let our a short, single laugh. 'I'm sure it is, Mister M, I'm sure it is. Is he planning something bad? Something to do with.... now let me think.'
'Drugs,' said M, angrily.
'Ah yes, that was it.' Bandit leaned back in his chair and stretched. 'Something something blah blah blah evil evil... And you are telling me... why, exactly?'
'Because maybe you can help me... if you're not as much of an idiot as you seem to be.'
'Oh; Mister M, I am not the idiot. You, however, most certainly are. Why would I help you?'
'Because if you don't then I will go public with this. My colleague has all the information, and a very old friend in the news business by the name of Linda Rhaldeen. If you continue to stand by and let these atrocities continue, then I will tell everyone.'
Bandit clapped his hands in a slow, sarcastic manner. 'Well done, good sir, well done. I'm also surprised at the efforts you have gone to. Except that there are three rather big, nasty, and quite obvious flaws in your plan.'
'And what are they?'
'First of all,' Bandit raised up a huge, fat fist, and counted off one finger, 'I control the news. Nothing makes it onto the air without going through me first, especially that news programme hosted by that imbecile Linda.
'Second of all,' He said, as another finger found its way pointing towards Mister M, 'your associate has been captured and incarcerated.'
'Thirdly' This time he slammed his fist down on the table with a crash 'You will not leave this building alive.'
M reached into his pocket and pulled out the gun, and aimed it Bandit. 'You can't keep me here.'
Bandit laughed. And he continued laughing. M looked around, and noticed that a door to his left had opened where there hadn't been one moments before, and there was man standing in the doorway, waiting.
M suddenly realised that he wasn't holding a gun. In fact, his hands were empty. Or were they? It suddenly seemed extremely hard to tell. He tried to sit back down in his chair, but then he was unsure if he was already sat down, or if he was still standing.
'Well,' said the man, whose voice made M remember. This was their meeting. 'That was disappointing.'
The room began to fade around Mister M, and he couldn't see a thing.
'The Girl?' asked Bandit, except now his voice sounded different, almost like he had just been pretending.
'I'm dealing with it,' replied Pepper.
'That's good to hear.'
'Thank you for your work today Kyle, as always.'
'It was my pleasure,' said Bandit. 'But what do we do with him?'
'She wants him.'
'Who wants him?'
'Her.'
There Will Be Rivers of Blood will continue with
Part 2 : Alive and Buried