Titi Iku: Until Death (Sequel To Irikuri)

15- Until Discussion

After dropping that gigantic bomb on me, Ade decided we needed to go 'home' to talk about it-, so we did. Even though we hadn't spoken in forever, we picked up right where we left off on the ride over, making jokes and filling each other in on our lives. He'd tell me about a business trip he traveled for and I'd try to pretend it was new information even though I remembered getting the notification that he was in another country from the tracker I had on him- for safety purposes of course. We danced around the reason we hadn't spoken or seen each other in so long until we pulled up to our condo and finally sat down to talk.

"So...what happened?" there was an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach like I was going to throw up any second. Part of it was from the knowledge I was in danger, but it was also in large part because I didn't know how to act around Ade. You know that feeling where you haven't talked to someone in a long time because of a fight, and although you may not be mad anymore, none of the tension or residual awkwardness has dissipated? Well, that was my situation. My hands shook slightly as a wrung them in my lap and Ade instinctively pulled them apart before letting go. He never used to let go before.

"Hey, before anything let me clarify. You don't need to worry or be nervous, nothing's going to happen to you and there's no one specifically after you. I'm just letting you know of a few security changes. No need for concern. I'm sure you have a lot on your plate. I should've found a better way to say it, but to be honest I thought if I didn't just spit it right out you wouldn't come. I thought you'd be mad at me."

"Why would I be mad?"

"Nki-" he chuckled "you're going to tell me you weren't mad at any point in time after our fight?"

"Well...I was upset. Not mad. It wasn't necessarily about you. I mean sure, was your argument stupid and nonsensical? Yes. But I needed to learn to separate your stupidity from my own sense of self, and I think I did that."

"I'm happy to hear it. You know that's all I wanted. I think space was good for us."

" Sure. Anyways, spit it out." I sighed, already getting irritated with the conversation.

"Okay, so most churches keep a record of important sacraments such as baptisms, confirmations, etc. that take place there."

"Oh no..."

"Okay, just hear me out, be calm. So, I told the church where we got married specifically to throw out that information on us."

"Oh, phew."

"Well...they didn't."

"Ade, what the fuck?"

"I suppose that they thought it would be stupid to destroy evidence showing a public figure was married at your church, it's good publicity and whatnot. So, it seems they put all the information from our elopement, including pictures they had secretly taken of the ceremony without our consent" I gasped "Yeah, I know. Anyways they put it in a safe with the church's most valuable possessions. I suppose they thought they wouldn't use it until later when it wasn't a big deal or when we were both dead...I don't know what the fuck their reasoning was. Regardless, recently the church was attacked. I don't know whether it was an act of religious persecution or what, but while the parishioners were away the church was robbed and everything in the safe was stolen. That includes most of the church's money, some antique expensive religious ornaments, and the information about our marriage. Now before you start stressing, it's very possible this had nothing to do with us. As sad as it is, it's not that unusual for people to rob churches. We could get lucky and the people who stole it could be completely oblivious to who I am."

"Really? After your name was plastered everywhere this entire summer?"

"Well...I did my best to keep it to a minimum. Maybe if they don't keep up with the news they won't know."

"Uh huh, okay. And what happens if we aren't lucky?"

"Well...If we aren't lucky it could be one of two things or both. Maybe they realize who we are, but have no grudge against us so they simply sell it for profit to the highest bidding news outlet. We'd be fucked in the sense that everyone would know, but at least we'd know exactly when it hit the news and there'd be some weird type of safety in the sense that everyone would know. You would be protected by the public eye because you'd be watched constantly whether by journalists and paparazzi or just people who recognized you. This would make it quite difficult for someone to catch you alone. Now the second would be that someone who really really has it out for us was looking for dirt and somehow figured out that the church would have it - so they robbed it. Then they would be the only ones who knew apart from us and could launch a very direct attack. There'd be safety in the fact that there'd only be one enemy with the information to go after you, but it would also be less safe in the sense that you still wouldn't be in the public eye as much as you would be if the news broke."

"Interesting. So what is the new security measure? Are we gonna break the news to provide the buffer of publicity?"

"Well...That's an option we can discuss if you're really certain you want to go down that route. I didn't even consider it to be honest. That would be such an immediate barrier to your freedom and since you're not even with me right now that didn't seem fair. The security measure would be you moving back in."

"Ade!"

"Nki just hear me out! I cannot - I mean the security cannot protect you as efficiently on campus. You don't have to officially move. It's just for while we're figuring out what to do. Until I can finish hiring and screening new security specifically for you, it's safest for you to stay here so you can share mine with me without us only having half the people each." he was so frantic in convincing me it was almost as if he knew I wasn't going to agree, and he was right. I took a second to let the idea really sink in and marinate in my brain to see if I was being unreasonable before finalizing my decision.

"No."