Nemesis

XIV - At What Cost?

Nemesis

Chapter XIV— At What Cost?

[Dedicated Song: 954mari — Sound Like Death]

[30 October 2023]
[Manhattan, New York]
[08:23]

Dain exited Miranda's car and turned around to find Orla sitting atop the trunk, staring at the swarm of paparazzi. Tears had welled up in her eyes, ready to fall at any moment. The thought of what Miranda had done still seemed like a sore subject, and it was the same for him as well. He could not bring himself to forgive Miranda for what she had done, not in the near future, at least. She had mutilated her best friend over a hunch that she had, not even over any concrete evidence. Dain sighed, walking towards the teenager and standing beside her to watch the chaos that ensued in front of them.

"You hate her, don't you?" Dain started, crossing his arms. Orla continued to watch the people, acting as if she was paying Dain no mind, but she was processing every word. "I get it. She fucked up pretty bad, I nearly killed these board members over the shit." He soon added, slightly chuckling at the memory as if it were a fond one. Orla stared at him in slight awe at the mention of murder. She could not put it past him, however. Between him and her father, he was the more violent one.

Ashton was a man who valued peace more than any form of retaliation, and that fact sometimes made Orla's blood boil. She had been hurt many times in her life, and each time, her father sought a peaceful approach to things rather than violent retaliation. Orla found herself understanding Dain more than she did her father at times, but they had never talked as much as one would imagine.

"I nearly killed her over it," Orla said as she moved her gaze towards her feet, a disappointed expression on her face. "Looks like we do have something in common, Miranda drives us crazy." Dain joked, earning a small giggle from Orla, which brought a smile to his face. "But, as much as she is a bitch for what she did, she did it for you." He added and Orla's expression grew sour once again. "She tried to sell you that bullshit too? Spare me." She fired back, refusing to look Dain in the eyes.

She had no clue why, perhaps she would find a hint of understanding in them? "I'm not asking you to forgive her or anything, I don't think I can either, but don't let your emotions get in the way of the investigation. If this is what she needs to get closer to finding the nigga we're supposed to find, then let it happen. It's not ethical, but the end justifies the means." Dain said as he began walking away from the car and off to his own. He was well aware of the fact that Miranda would call upon him later that day, that was simply her stubborn nature.

[New York-Prebysterian Hospital]
[20:00]

An ample amount of time had passed since their meeting at Shara Parks' penthouse and Dain had spent his day in the office, hoping to reduce the growing mountain of work that he had slightly started to neglect. However, he simply could not take his mind off of the deaths. The others had been left alive, so why those three? Was he also a target as well? What about his children?

Dain gulped at the thought as he drove into the hospital, hoping to complete the mission Miranda wanted to complete in a much cleaner fashion. He had patiently awaited some sort of call or signal from her, and with none received, Dain could only assume that she planned to do it all on her own. He was quite sure that such could only end in disaster, especially with the little wildcard that seemed to follow her around in the form of Orla.

Dain parked his car and exited it soon enough before making his way over to the hospital's entrance, where he happened to collide with Miranda. "Dain, you're here..." Miranda said in a slightly ashamed tone. "I knew your dumbass would try to do this alone. Just let me go in on my own, I can get what you need easily." Dain said. Miranda stared at him in awe for a moment, shocked that he was willing to do what she had done to his best friend mere days ago. "Are you gonna let me do it or not?" Dain asked, snapping Miranda back to reality, who handed Dain the syringes and a pair of gloves. He stuffed the items into his pockets and walked into the hospital without another word, making his way past the receptionist who called for him repeatedly, but it did not matter.