Garden of Evil (Lonely Hearts Club)

What?

[...] He believes in neither 'misfortune'  nor in 'guilt': he knows how to forget- he is strong enough for everything to have to turn out for the best for him[...]
-

Ecce Homo, Friedrich Nietzsche

Eric was sitting on his couch in his doctor's office. He was about to relax, he already had his feet up and was sipping his Ghanian coffee, just then his assistant bursted into his room. She held a folder in her hands.
"The results of the tests you did on miss Spring just came in from the lab. You told us to inform you as soon as they arrive, so, here they are, Sir."

Eric didn't expect them to arrive this fast. He almost hoped they would come next week, so he could finish his paperwork for his patient's insurances this week. But now Melanie's results would be his priority.
"Thank you mrs. Jenkins. You are free to go home now."
He waited for her to leave to open up the folder with Alexa's tests, Melanie's tests to be litural.
All in all she was pretty healthy only problem was she was caring a parasite inside her. And he would do anything to get it out.

______________________________________

A day later at Octavia's place.

Alexa heard Octavia's alarm clock at six in the morning and she had already prepared breakfast for the two of them. First thing Octavia did when she woke up was brewing her coffee. She couldn't be happier when she saw that everything was already prepared and ready for her to be consumed.
"Honey, you didn't need to do that. You should have stayed in bed."
Shaking her head no, Alexa took out a chair and motioned for Octavia to sit on it. Only when Octavia was seated did Alexa sit down next to her.
"You let me stay in your home this is the least I could do for you."
Ignoring her comment Octavia started to eat her toast.
"It's been so long since I had french toast. When Earl was alive he used to make omlett with bacon for us... I didn't have company like this for a very long time. I must say this feels nice."
She took Alex's hand and squeezed it gently.
"I going to miss you, when you go."
"Octavia, I'm going to visit and..."
"No, Hon. This is no life for you. You have your whole life ahead of you. This place, this city is a dead end."

Not trying to disrespect her Alexa stayed silent for a little before she suggested something.

"Let me come with you today to help you out at the diner."
Octavia was about to give her answer, which would have been a no but there was something she wanted to know with a burning passion. This seemed to be the perfect time to ask.

"What happened to you, I mean what did you do to him?"

Alexa wasn't sure where she should start, also how could she explain all of what happened to her without having Octavia look at her with pity. She was not ready for that.

"I don't know how to word it, I don't think...."

Octavia stopped her stammering immediately.

"Listen, I am happy to help but you must know in how much trouble this could get me. Tegan and his man are no joke. I mean if you are just a.... ehm... woman who earns her money with... you know what, he would have let you go, all the girls that work for him were street birds at some point and they decided to work at the Cristal because it provided a kind of save workplace, you know it keeps away pimps, creeps and all of those who could potentially harm them. If any of the girls want to leave they are free to go as well as they are free to work there. He never harms women. Only if they are a serious thread. So what did you do? "
She never knew all of that. She thought Tegan was their pimp. Also wasn't it ironic that the startet with the fact that him and his man were dangerous yet somehow they were a saveplace... Everything about him and what he did... She didn't understand. But maybe she could use this conversation for her own purpose.

"I stole from him."
Octavia soundly took in a quick breath.
"What did you take from him?"

"His heart."

____________________________________

Tegan was sitting in his newly renovated office and was drawing new plans for a new building that would replace the Crystal. His focus was manly on making it safer than the old version. The steel plates that will be used had to be nearer to each other so in a case of an explosion the building wouldn't crumble apart. He planed more exits and less imflamble building materials. He was already finished with the drawings. It took him five days and nights. Tegan wasn't drinking for that time either, in his sober state he so needed a distraction. During his sober area he waited for Ivan to tell him about the matter that had him in distress but he never came to his side. That pissed him off. Just when he took his phone out to call him. He heard his door knock, he knew it was Ivan. He was the only one who would knock and then enter without being asked inside.

"Hello T."
Tegan looked up from his drawing and gave his old friend a grin. "I see you did not forget where my office is."
Instead of answering Ivan got in front of his desk and eyed Tegan's impressive building plan's. Ivan remembered that Tegan was actually a graduated architect. And a very talented one at that, too. "You did all that within a month?"

"No, within five days, actually. I gave up drinking and getting as high as a cloud...provides time... being sober that is."
Ivan knew all too good himself, he was once an addict and on the brink of dead then he was rescued and became a part of this brotherhood that he handed to his best friend that didn't even want it. He knew that it wasn't something that could be changed now, plus Tegan was a brilliant leader.
"I'm glad you're back my friend. Ever thought about what would have happened if we didn't meet that day, T?"
Tegan took a long hot sip of his coffee before he answered. He put the cup down and was now pinching the bridge of his nose. He decided to be honest with his answer to his friend.
"All the time. I guess we will never know. Also I am glad that you are alive, my friend. Don't worry about me I had my tantrum and it's over now."

Ivan shook his head in disagreement.
"I know what would have happend, you would have been an excellent architect and would have had a family by now, maybe with her..."
Tegan's fist landed on his new wooden table as he interrupted Ivan.
"Careful", was his one word statement to Ivan's speculations.
"My weakness put you in this position. I owe you my life but instead of thanking you I put you in a position that traps you. This life..."
"It's the only life that I know, Ivan. You thanked me with covering for me when I was secretly making my diploma happen, don't worry. We got this."
Ivan knew when to shut up so he stayed silent and startet drinking the coffee his friend put infront of him.

"You did not come here for that, Ivan. The last time I saw you you told me  you needed to talk to Jon Henry. Why?"

"Yes. But he isn't quite responsive right now, which is a problem."

"Why would that be a problem?"

"The bomb was placed right at your privat quaders. How would they know? Not even your own men know where they are, only a few people. For the others they are...sorry they were just ordinary rooms. So tell me who knew where they are and I'll find out who the fucking rat is."