Garden of Evil (Lonely Hearts Club)

What? II

"Something tells me you already know who the rat is," Tegan said when he brought his coffee to his lips. Ivan involuntary mimicked him and was quick to find out that his friend did not plan on staying sober for very long. "Holy ... I thought you didn't spike it!"

While smirking, Tegan just gave him a wink. Ivan stood up to leave and do some more investigation. He did have someone in mind and he prayed to God he was wrong with his gut feeling, because things would go balistic if he where to be right. The loyality of their people was at stake here and honest to God it was already crumbling. The attack of their supposedly safe place jolted them up, every move from here on was very important. And he needed Tegan to know that. As he was about to open the door to leave he voiced his thoughts: "T, you can't afford the tiniest mishap right now. Be careful of every step you take and maybe lay off with the alcohol and coke, man. Tegan turned towards his window and looked out across the Street to the window he had witnessed the woman he had burried months ago do a little dance. Still upset about how things turned out, he laughed darkly before he gave his remark. "I will start laying that shit off...tomarrow."

Ivan knew that he would have to be satisfied with T's remark. It was all he would get out of him. He shook his head in frustration as he left behind Tegan's door. Sherman came face to face with him. He was about to enter the room Ivan just left. The old man took a step back as he did not want to lock lips with his son's best friend. Ivan took it with humor. "Whoa, you almost had to take me out on a date there, Sherm." Sherman cracked a smile, "Boy, it's been a long time, don't give promisses you won't keep", he said to the young man whose eyes had a look of fake worry in them, now. Before he could crack another joke Sherman was back at being serious, "so how is he today?". "Actually, still sober. Go catch him before it's too late." Sherman was very worried about his son, about both of them, but that was a tale for another day. "Alright, see you on our date", Sherman told Ivan before he entered his son's office. He was facing his window. Fully aware of the presence of his father.
"Do you think there's a way to wreck the whole building across and pretend everything is as it was before?"
Sherman knew what his son was looking at. Where his question came from. He decided to be honest about his answer.
"No. But I also think the time and effort you would spend on that project could be a way for you to stop being a criminal."
Tegan let out a soundless laugh.
"Would you like me to become Eric?", he asked calmy as he turned around? Both were locking eyes with each other as Tegan waited for Sherman to reply.
"No way in hell. And I mean it. That boy is way over his head. Be you, Tegan. Maybe try finding a new job, which doesn't require killing people. Look at what you did here, my boy. This is what you always loved to do."

Sherman was pointing at Tegan's new model of the replacement building for the Crystal.
This life was no life a father would wish upon this own son. Every time his son was away for more than 4 hours he was scared of never seeing him again.
"Dad, we don't always kill peopl[...]"
"Explain that crap to the families of the once who died in the Crystal."
That had Tegan quiet. His old man hit a nerve and when he was right, there was no reason to argue.
"What brought you here?"
"You built this house for me, I live here."
Tegan rolled his eyes and sat on his chair. He couldn't believe his father's audacity.
"Will you ask me if I want some coffee or what?"
Sherman did not wait for his son to do it, he just lazily walked around the offiicetable and filled his own cup.
"It's punched."
"Just how I like it."
It was a sunny morning, so Sherman opened to door to the balcony and stepped outside. His son was quick to fallow. Both had their coffees on the reeling now and looked into the window of Alexa's apartment in silence.
"So why are you really here and I don't mean in your house, I mean in my workspace?"
Sherman turned his head towards his son, who looked like he had aged 10 years since the past months. He wanted to tell him a lot more than he should but he wanted to keep the girl save.
"I was worried about you, still am. You have got the world on your shoulders and I know how strong you are but there's this rumor you would crack soon. Be careful these people are criminals."
Tegan gave out a dry laugh. His people were how they where. He couldn't change that. They were only loyal when they got payed right.
He grapped his gun out of the back of his belt and handed it towards a perplexed Sherman.
"Some people might want revenge. It will keep you safe."
Sherman had his prejudice against guns. He didn't like them but he knew this were times he could need one.
"I'm a doctor, I give life, not take it."
"You safe life and this will safe yours, dad. Don't be stupid. Take it."
He knew he had to. Unhappily he put the gun in his belt and they were back looking at her window.
"She left me her place in her testament."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alexa was washing her hands at Octavia's diner. At the women's bathroom to be exact and was eye to eye with a tampon vending machine. She was gone from her flat for 3 months now and not once did she have her freaking period. Her knees started to get weak at the realization of her possible current state.
"Holy... shiiiit."
Anita a young employee of the diner stood to her right and gave her a few coins, "I told Octavia they were too expansive, I mean 70 cents per tampon?! At least have some for free for your stuff, am I right, or what?!"
Alexa was too overwhelmed to answer the woman and just stared at the coins for a moment. Before she got her voice back.
"No no ehmm... Thank you very much."
She plappered quickly before she left the bathroom with the money still on the sink counter. Leaving a very confused Anita back.
"Melanie you forgot to get your  tampon, boo..."