The Judgement Of Divinity (TMOE #2)

Chapter 4: A frustrating heart to heart

"... What?"

"Tell me, Lucius, who was it that killed me?"

Another blink, and Lucius wondered if Anthony was messing with him.

"Vaughan."

"Indeed," Anthony agreed. "And who was he?"

"He... He was part of my gang when I led them."

"Yes, but then... Why would a man I'd barely interacted with before decide to shoot me?"

Lucius shrugged.

"I don't—I mean, he was planning on shooting me."

"But he didn't."

"No, but I don't—I... Why are you asking me this?"

"Alright, let's take this from my perspective." Anthony held up a hand. "A man I don't know decides to shoot me dead, because he somehow found me a better target than his former leader who he'd initially been planning to kill."

"I... Guess?"

"A criminal leader who I had grown rather close to in the short amount of time we'd known each other." Anthony's eyes were showing a glimpse of pain. "A leader who used his family name to catch my attention and then proceeded, in a comically casual way, to snoop around my house and organisation in hopes of finding who knows what."

It finally dawned on Lucius, and his mouth opened wide.

"You're not saying—"

"All of a sudden, said criminal is cast out of his gang for untraceable, bank-related reasons and for associating with me, and I let him stay with me. Then, as soon as I let my guard down and offer him a chance at climbing the ranks, giving him my ring, the man who was supposedly there to kill you—"

"Not 'supposedly'!"

"—kills me instead," Anthony continued, voice completely flat throughout. "And what happened soon after, while I was supposed to be recovering?"

"I had nothing to do with what Vaughan—"

"That same leader claimed my position, successfully using my influence and 'untimely' disappearance to take over entirely."

Lucius stared, opening and closing his mouth in failed attempts to say something at first.

"A—Anthony, I promise, I had nothing to do with your death."

Anthony cocked an eyebrow and Lucius squeezed his eyes together, trying to formulate words better.

"I—I mean, yes. Vaughan wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for his desire to kill me, but—But I promise I was never involved with his decision!"

"Well, unfortunately I was never able to confront him about it, since he was dead." Anthony tilted his head. "Apparently executed in place of you."

To his frustration, tears were welling up in Lucius' eyes, and he wasn't sure whether it was anger or sadness.

"I would never do something like that," he whispered, mouth trembling as he tried to breathe. "I can't believe you think I would."

Anthony kept staring him down for an excruciating moment, but then suddenly released his gaze and exhaled.

"I don't," he then said, and Lucius fought the urge to slap him.

"Wha—Then what the Waste was all that about?"

"It was still something I had to consider, seeing how suspicious it was. We—I mean, I... Figured I should at least look into it. But I spoke to some of the Reapers and they had about the same story as you did, and while I don't necessarily trust criminals to tell the truth, I still believe that their words along with your reaction to all of this should be... Enough for me to believe you."