It was a late Tuesday afternoon, and I had just been released from the quarterly accounting meeting. I hadn't even been aware of just how complex the finances were in this place, and didn't understand hardly anything when I was in there.
I kept walking and was on the way to my office.
I could see Algernon in the hallway in front of me – his face was blank as it usually always was. However, there seemed to be something off about the way he was walking.
"Why do you always look like you're keeping something from me?" I asked, passing Algernon in the hallway.
Algernon had stopped walking, coming from a lesser known location of the compound. I had the entire layout memorized in my mind, and so there wasn't anywhere that I didn't know about – I just didn't know why he was sneaking around --
The only place that was down there were some torture cells that barely anyone had used. It was a bit of a walk, and so I figured that was probably the reason. It seems that with the new change in management – me – the torture department has become incredibly lazy.
They still shower me with respect and loyalty, although they give me a little bit of sass if I assign them a room that is too far away from the main hub of corridors. Given the relaxed tone shift of the compound now, and the disbandment of the hierarchy completely, it was bound to have a more laid back work environment.
Algernon, though, never even went down there himself – he's complained about how he gets too many steps in his normal average day, and that anymore steps would only further aggravate him.
"What do you mean, Ms. Hunt?" Algernon spoke, once again in his monotone, emotionless voice.
I had learned to accept it over the past couple of weeks that I was transitioning to become the compound leader.
I raised an eyebrow, not believing that for a second. Even with that monotone voice of his, I was able to immediately lock on that something was amiss with the usually expressionless Algernon. Considering he was the only one in this entire place I trusted with my life, it hurt a little that he was hiding something from me – no matter how inconsequential it might have been.
"Really?" I placed my hands on my waist.
My stomach was starting to show with my pregnancy now. I was wearing a lot of extra-large shirts since I didn't have the time to order any maternity clothing myself. Along with my stomach extruding, I was beginning to have a sore back constantly. My feet didn't appreciate being used for long durations, but I couldn't help the constant need to check up on things --
There was just too much to be done if I wanted to reshape this place.
Algernon passively blinked, which caused me to frown.
"Yeah, that's not going to work. We've been through too much for you to keep secrets from me," I took a couple of steps towards him, while he remained standing where he was.
He blinked again, and I let out a long, dejected sigh, raising my index finger up at him.
"I swear, Algie-!"
"Ms. Hunt, I have the formal documents that you requested," came a voice to my left. I glanced to my left to see a man dressed in a black suit.
He was wearing an ear piece and had been one of my father's followers. He had sworn his undying allegiance to me since I was his daughter, and I was fine with it...but being the leader of an underground, borderline illegal organization was a lot of pressure for just one person to handle.
I turned back to Algernon to see him walking hastily down the hallway, taking the interruption as a good chance to get away from my confrontation with him.
"Oh – you-!" I wagged my finger at him, pointing at his back as though I had lasers that would shoot out of the fingertip. "You are not running away from me, Algernon-!"
Yet, despite my words and very unweighted threat...he kept walking away from me.
I let out a sigh, turning fully around to take the documents from the man.
"Thank you," I replied with a smile and direct eye contact with the man, already going against the pre-established hierarchy of the compound.
I wanted my people to feel that they could trust me.
Already, this was great progress, and it had only been a couple of weeks.
"You're making great changes around here, ma'am," the man spoke, bowing his head at me once.
I stayed where I was, blinking a few times as I took in his words. It felt good to be acknowledged for the hard work that I was putting in – it was even greater to see the fruits of my labor from my commitment to change the place.
"Let me know if you need anything else from me, Ms. Hunt."
The man left, leaving me standing in an intersection of hallways by myself.
I looked over at where Algernon had disappeared, and then back from where he had come from.
The lonely, brightly lit corridor sent a foreboding feeling through my chest.
I narrowed my eyes, glanced at the time sensitive documents that had been captured in my hands.
"Yeah..." I raised my head to where the deserted part of the compound was. The foreboding feeling shifting to dread. I realized that if Algernon didn't tell me about this secret of his, then it might have been because it was too terrible to talk to me.
Still, as the leader of this organization, I should know about every happening that is occurring here.
"I've got time..." I placed the documents down at my side and began to walk.
...
...
I raised my free hand, rubbing it against the cement wall as I continued to walk.
The torture wing was barely lit up the further I had went. I turned the corner to see the very last room that was at the end of the wing. I peeked through the tinted window that had been connected to it, expecting to find some movement or the grand surprise to be unveiled.
"Maybe this is where Algernon stores his secret collection of succulents...!" I muttered to myself, placing my free hand down at my side.
Shaking my head at such an uncharacteristic thought of the ever stoic Algernon, I placed my hand on the handle of the door. I pulled it down, but it had been locked. It hadn't budged with the pressure that I exerted onto it.
"Well..." I spoke, looking up at the ceiling, expecting to see a camera in the corner of the hallway that I was in.
I wasn't disappointed when I spotted one, the red light flashing that it was active ever couple of seconds.
I waved at the camera, gaining the attention of whoever had been monitoring it, and then pointed to the door.
In seconds, the door had unlocked from where security had deactivated the lock.
"Come on, Algernon, you can't keep secrets from the new leader-!" I began to say, opening up the door.
I peered inside of the room, locking eyes with what was in the room --
I couldn't believe my eyes, since they refused to thinking that it was reality...and so –
I kept staring.
Staring and staring.
I took a shaky step back, nearly losing the ability to stand on my own two feet. My legs were shaking badly, and I suddenly forgot how to breathe for a couple of seconds. I placed my free hand on my stomach, the dread was overwhelming me.
There was a sudden noise, jolting me out of my shocked stupor.
I closed the door harshly behind me, taking a step into the hallway until I remembered that the door needed to be locked again.
I whipped my head to the camera, pointing at the door frantically. The door locked automatically, and I stood where I was in front of the door that I wished I had never opened to begin with. I waited for a couple of seconds to calm myself down, although the thundering heartbeat that was echoing in my ears was enough to alert me that I would not be calming down anytime soon.
I quickly began to walk down the hallway, not wanting to think about what I had just seen in that room. I breathed in and out, about to pass out from my recent discovery.
Turning a corner, I found Algernon in front of me, and I had nearly collided into him.
We stared at each other for a few seconds until I opened my mouth and practically started to screech at him.
"Why-!!" I yelled, clutching the documents at my side harshly.
It didn't take him long to correlate my anger and where I had just emerged from. A thin frown appeared on his face, and for a split second I thought I could see regret wash over his features.
"You weren't meant to see –
"What the fucking fuck, Algernon-!" I continued, exasperated. I was breathless. I was angry and terrified at the same time. He wasn't understanding that this was the one thing I hadn't wanted to see – it was the one thing that I had come to terms with and now it was as though it had all been for naught.
He didn't say anything else.
I continued to rant, but my body was feeling weaker by the second. I knew that this amount of stress wasn't good for myself or the child that was growing inside of me.
"N-No, why did you-??" I took a step to the side, seeing black stars beginning to form in my vision.
I hated that I had to be put on additional vitamins by the compound doctor. They said that my pregnancy would not be carried to full term if I did not make major adjustments to my weak body. They said it was a miracle that the child was as healthy as it was due to the trauma my body had experienced...or that the baby was even still alive due to who the father was.
"Natalie –
He was in front of me, but I took another step back, hitting the cement wall behind me harshly. It did little to soothe my already aching back.
"Don't-!" He placed his hands up in the air, unsure of what to do with them. There wasn't a single thing that he could say that would excuse what he had done. "Don't fucking touch me, you god damn fucking traitor-!"
"Natalie, please, I can explain –
His hands were around me, keeping my body standing up. My legs were like putty underneath me, and my heartbeat still had not steadied to a normal pace. My vision was starting to go, and I kept shaking my head, not wanting to pass out in front of him.
"I said d-don't...!"
...
...
I woke up in my large king sized bed in the comfort of my own room. I rubbed my face with my hand groggily, coming to terms with the fact that I had passed out from the stress of seeing –
My eyes wandered over towards the side, seeing Algernon sitting in the chair next to me.
"Get-!"
"I did it for you-!"
"Bullshit!" I spat back, not even wanting to hear his reasoning. This type of betrayal had stung – I had not expected that Algernon would do something like this. "You wanted to be free, Algernon..." I sat up, placing my head in my hands.
I was silent for a few seconds, trying to wrap my head around the situation. I didn't have the time – I didn't have the time to be worrying about Algernon or what he was doing behind my back.
Maybe I should have invested some time into his secret project...?
I breathed in deeply, placing my hands in my lap on top of the duvet.
"This is going back a few steps."
Algernon took in my words.
"I recommend that you do not go back down there until after you have given birth," he met me in the eyes, not pulling away from my hardened, scrutinizing gaze. "This is unneeded stress for you to deal with at the present moment. I know that seeing what you saw is not ideal given what you went through and so I will say that for your freedom..." He didn't break eye contact with me. "I wanted you to be free as well."
I shook my head. "In a way..." I tilted my head to the side. There was a weight that had been lifted off of me. I hadn't realized what a burden I had been carrying with for all these weeks. "I'm a little relieved."
"I apologize for keeping this from you. I did feel..." He leaned forward on his chair.
He clasped his hands together tightly. I could see the way that they were beginning to pale, and I felt terrible that I had been making him feel such a negative emotion...I had never wanted that for my friend.
"Guilty," he admitted dryly, looking down at the ground.
"You ran from me, Algernon..."
The room was silent until I let out a few chuckles – they were light hearted. There was a sudden shift in the atmosphere between the two of us.
Algernon smiled slowly – an honest warm and inviting smile.
"I promise that I will keep you updated."
"If you get information from..." I looked away, scratching my head. I hadn't even wanted to say the name out loud. In a strange way, I wouldn't allow any power to be built for that name again.
I let out a scoff at just thinking about what a petty person they were.
"I doubt you will."
"Torture makes everyone talk," Algernon stood up from his chair, his resolve burning in his eyes.
That might have been true, but even when I was being tortured on one of those tables...
I didn't talk.
"You are doing an excellent job with reforming the compound, Natalie."
I turned to look at him. His words were encouraging, and I wouldn't turn down the praise. I had too many sleepless nights wondering if I was doing a good job – if I was expecting to die in my sleep for not doing a good job like the previous two leaders had been.
"So everyone keeps saying..."
Algernon smiled again.
It was beginning to look like it belonged there – I knew that Algernon had the right to smile like everyone else did. I was glad that he was finally able to show his emotions, and was excited that he was beginning to understand others as well.
"Let me know if you require my assistance," he offered. "I will come rushing to your side."
"Thanks, Algie," I spoke softly, watching as he left the room.
I didn't doubt that he would.
...
...
"Ms. Hunt," came a voice to my right.
"Yes..." I replied, seeing the room full of executives leering over at me.
I knew that I looked a mess – but, give me a break. I worked from home all the time and this was the first time I had left my office to attend one of these stupid meetings in person. I had half a mind to wear my pajamas to the next business meeting just because they were way more comfortable than a business professional clothing.
I was my own boss – who was going to tell me that I couldn't?
I was only a couple of months into my pregnancy, and the little bastard inside of me liked to fucking kick. I couldn't remember when I got a decent night's sleep because of it since around two in the morning he was playing soccer with an invisible ball relentlessly.
Besides...
I didn't even like these people anyway – bunch of stuck up snobs.
"I apologize," I sat up in my chair. I shuffled the papers that were in front of me along the flat surface of the table that we were all sitting around. "I would like to go over some of the contracts that I have recently acquired..." I looked up to see the executives once more, each one giving me a look that practically screamed that they weren't taking me seriously.
"You have a comment, Ms. Hunt."
I blinked my eyes, placing both of my hands on the table.
"I have refusals," I spoke, looking them all in their eyes to gauge their reaction. Most seemed taken aback while a small select few of them wanted to hear what I was going to say next. "I will not send out any minors to complete overseas missions, and especially not by themselves."
"We have done it this way in the past-
"This is not the past, though. Is it, Mr. Ghaan?" I quipped back, giving him a side glance. He shut his mouth instantly, knowing that what I said was absolute law around here. "I am the new head of the compound. I do not take well to being informed on how some dealings were performed in the past since we are currently in the present...it simply does not apply."
I grabbed another contract and clicked my tongue in disapproval.
"This one you're just asking me to send in people to die..." I slammed the folder on the table and glared up at the one that had given it to me. "That's not going to happen – I'm not going to risk my people for your benefit."
"Ms. Hunt-!"
"If you have a problem then you can go elsewhere, or..." I flickered my eyes to every executive that was gathered around on the table. I gave them a small smirk, knowing that there was no other place that offered our services.
They were stuck with working for me and there was no other way around it.
"Rework the scope of your contracts and resubmit them to me at the next weekly meeting..."
One of the executives stood up from their seat in outrage.
It didn't surprise me since I was expecting unprofessionalism sometime down the line.
Some people just couldn't adjust to new workplace policies...
His finger was raised and pointed towards me, while I was doing my best to not frown at his childish behavior. I was expecting a sexist comment to erupt out of his unfiltered mouth and wasn't disappointed:
"This is what happens when a woman takes over a man's job-!"
A red light appeared on his forehead, followed by four others that lingered on his upper body.
I rose an eyebrow, remaining perfectly composed.
"Oh?" I asked in a nearly taunting manner, turning my head to look at the man that had frozen in his spot. "Are you going to threaten me in my own headquarters?" I tilted my head in mock confusion.
I stood up from my seat, gently placing my hands on the table.
I had never looked away from the man and instead gently smiled at him.
"That's not very smart."
"We will rework our contracts to suit your terms, Ms. Hunt," came a reply to my left. "It is not like we have a choice in this matter as you've already possibly flagged our home addresses for destruction should we come to disagree with you."
I closed my eyes momentarily.
"That's just your paranoia," I would never want to kill someone if I could prevent it.
I opened them back up.
"I want to start our work relationship on trust and respect..." I continued to look at each and every one of the executives in the room. "I trust that you will offer me the same in return?"
A collective head nod came from everyone in the room.
"You may see yourselves out, gentlemen," I didn't move from my standing position. I heard them scuffling around and they left the meeting room. I let out a heavy sigh, sitting back down since the little bastard had decided to start kicking me again.
I leaned my head back, staring up at the ceiling panels of the room.
"I hate having to act like the bad guy..."
"It's how you get respect," Algernon replied, coming to stand at my side. "That man that accosted you should have been eliminated from his lack of having any."
I rose an eyebrow.
"You think so...?" I muttered, feeling the last of my energy leave me. It was tough being pregnant and not having any energy to do anything. At the end of the work day, I just crawl into bed and await the next day. "I'm feeling merciful today."
"Merciful," Algernon repeated. "And pregnant."
"I'll be pregnant for the next month or so..." I let out a small laugh.
Algernon let out a small chuckle.
"That is true."
I closed my tired eyes for a few seconds.
"How is...she...doing today?"
Algernon let out a dissatisfied exhale from his nose.
"She tore up her room again and I have no desire to keep watching her instability increase," I opened my eyes to see Algernon narrow his eyes in thought. "Is there..." He trailed. "A purpose as to why you are not deciding to end her suffering?"
"She's my mother..." I spoke, hauling myself back up from the chair. My center of gravity was getting harder to manage as little baby grew each day. "I feel almost obligated to take care of her after Vincent's death."
Algernon frowned.
"You owe her nothing, Natalie –
"Yeah, I know," I agreed, cutting him off.
He stared at me before sighing in mild disappointment at my actions. He offered his arm out to help me walk, which I gladly took. My body was already weak to begin with, adding a pregnancy to it was asking to be exhausted all the time.
"Thanks, Algie," I spoke, teasing him with his nick name.
He rolled his eyes, looking off to the side.
...
...
"Do you want Navy blue or Azure blue?" I looked over at Algernon with a raised eyebrow.
He was asking me about paint colors for something that I couldn't care less about. I was too busy with keep up all the contracts that the compound kept receiving – not to mention the little bastard wouldn't stop kicking me today-!
"I'm sorry, what-?" I asked, looking back down as my phone began to go off...and then, my pager began to start beeping causing me to grimace. I began to turn each one off, trying my best to keep up and –
Seriously, little dude, stop kicking me-!
Algernon placed his hands on the desk in front of me, making me look back up at him.
"Breathe, Natalie," he suggested lightly.
I nodded, waiting for the pager and phone to stop going off.
Then, I did as he instructed and took in a deep breath.
"Oh, it would have been really messed up if you farted and then told me to breathe..." I muttered, glad that he wasn't trying to pull a fast one at me.
"I don't understand, why would I do-?"
I cleared my throat, gathering my loose and messy hair that had been falling out of his bun. I redid it at the top of my head to keep it out of my face.
"Right. Paint colors for the nursery..." I shook my head. I took a quick second at the two paint colors in front of me, even though they had both look relatively the same to me. "Navy blue. It looks very nice."
"Have you been to see Katherine today?"
"Did you get information out of you-know-who-?" I questioned him back.
We were both met with silence for our questions. I smiled snidely at him, performing a small shrug and then picked up a pen, getting back to the large pile of paperwork on my desk.
"Alright, then."
Algernon nodded his head. "I will aim to get better information out of –
"No, I have a better idea," I looked back up with a large smile on my face. Algernon frowned, however he was intently listening to me. "How about we prepare a soundproof isolation cell?" I suggested. "It'll be poetic justice, won't it?"
"I believe torture would be more effective. Everyone has a breaking point eventually and I can be persuasive."
I rose an eyebrow.
"Are you sure this isn't just payback for you, Algernon?"
"What you are suggesting isn't the same concept, although a different example?"
We stared at each other.
"Damn, I hate it when you have a point with your objective monotone reasoning..." I leaned back in the office chair, letting out a small sigh. "Here's my thing, okay..." I took in a deep breath, thinking over everything. "I think the attention isn't working. Torture is attention..." Algernon was hanging onto my every word.
It scared me that he was following me and listening when it should have been him sitting in this seat. I was barely holding the compound together as it was, and Algernon had more experience with everything around here since he had been born into it.
Algernon nodded.
"I agree. I see your reasoning. I will prepare an isolation cell and we shall try this way of obtaining information."
I gave him a thumbs up.
"I'll go visit Katherine when I get a speck of free time."
"I was merely asking since she is using up resources. I dislike the fact that she is still among us when I believe that she should have been eliminated along with Vincent."
"Brendon is a permanent resident in our medical ward-? He is using up resources."
Algernon frowned.
"That is a different matter. Brendon and the values that he supported align with my own --
I smiled slowly, enjoying seeing Algernon beginning to get flustered. It didn't matter on how small the fluster was or if it had even showed that much. To me, it was making sure that Algernon was still human, even if he was talking about killing off people.
"Teasing with you, Algie."
His frown fell and he shook his head.
I continued to smile, this time a beaming grin appearing on my face.
"You can be cruel at times, Natalie."
...
...
I sat outside the glass wall, staring at the woman that had chewed off her fingernails completely. The nails was no longer on her fingers, and she was rocking her body back and forth. It didn't seem like she was coherent anymore, and I doubt that she would even be able to give me a decent conversation.
Still, I was going to attempt to anyways...even if it was to get closure that I might never be able to acquire from her.
"Mom," I spoke gently, causing her to raise her head at hearing my voice.
"N-N-Nat-alie..." She spoke my name in a raspy tone. I frowned, see her approach the glass on her hands and knees. "You-you are the last thing I have..."
Her hand landed on the wall, leaving a bloody streak along it. My attention went directly to it, wondering why her mind has deteriorated to such an extent, although with her incessant ramblings I was sure to find out.
"That-That I h-have of Vincent!"
I made my mouth become a straight line.
There it was...the cause for her madness. It was because Vincent had been killed in front of her, and by my hand, too. It might have been traumatizing for her to witness her lover dying in front of her...I should know considering I had seen Ally perish in front of me.
"Yes. Very sad..." I muttered. "Anyway," I cleared my throat, leaning forward on my chair. "Can you answer a few questions for me, mom?"
Katherine nodded her head eagerly.
"Y-Yes, Vincent."
I stared at the woman for a few seconds and then shook my head in disappointment. I wondered briefly if I was wasting my breath and my precious energy that I should be conserving.
"I'm not Vincent. I'm Natalie, mom."
"Of course, Vincent," she smiled, her eyes wide. She nodded her head, it was quick, making my own neck begin to hurt at the sight of it. Any harder and I was sure that her neck would snap from her own recklessness. "I'll make sure to look after Natalie."
Did you really look after me-?
There was no heart with anything that you did – you played a character.
You were never my mom.
"Mom, were you in constant contact with Vincent when you had me?"
Katherine digested my question for a few seconds.
"Yes," I was afraid that was going to be her answer.
That meant, she was never my mother from the start. Everything that she did for me, any motherly act wasn't even genuine. If Vincent had asked her to kill me, then she would have done it without even giving it a second thought.
She was keeping me safe for Vincent to use in the future.
"Yes, I called every month like you asked," I narrowed my eyes at that. I felt a surge of disappointment. All my life I had only wanted a happy, normal family. "I told you about her progress. I-I-I told you about her f-friend."
"You didn't tell him about Evan."
If Vincent knew then I might have been saved from a world of suffering...only to end up in another one that might have been ten times worse.
"N-No..." Katherine muttered. "I-I d-didn't know he was a th-threat-!"
"It's fine," I spoke, letting out a small grumble when little bastard decided to kick me again. "Oh, you fucker...!" I glared down at my stomach, raising my hands and curling the tips of my fingers from the pain and suffering I was going through.
Katherine gasped.
"N-Natalie-!" She looked up and down the hallway, or at least from what she could see behind her window. "Y-You have t-to get rid of that th-thing!" She slammed her hand on the wall that was beside her.
She was under a twisted delusion that her boyfriend, or husband, was still alive. I didn't know if they were married, and I didn't care enough to ask at this point. It was clear to me that I wasn't anything more than a project for her, but even that fact was hard to swallow.
"Vincent will get mad-!"
"Did you ever love me?" I asked, causing her to stop fidgeting and remain still.
"I love you, Vincent, I-!"
This was getting me nowhere, and I was quickly losing my patience.
I didn't enjoy being led around in a circle.
I wanted my answers from this woman and I wanted them now, even if I would be hurt by them.
"Not Vincent-!" I yelled, and I could see her flinch from fear at getting yelled at.
This wasn't the woman that had raised me, then again, that woman never existed in the first place.
"Me!" I yelled. "Did you...?" I muttered, wondering if I was ready to verbally accept the answer.
I wanted to cherish my childhood memories of my mother acting motherly to me...I didn't want it to be an act --
I didn't want it to be fake.
"Did you ever really love me?" I asked, looking into her widened and unfocused eyes.
"I only will ever love you, Vincent..." She leaned her head on the wall, bringing her hand up to her mouth. She began to chew on the flesh, making it become more mangled and bloody than it already was. I could see a sudden splash of red liquid hit the window before it slowly trickled down the glass, and I could only assume that she had hit a vein.
I stared at her to see the woman that I had wanted to protect back in high school, not knowing that she never had the intention of protecting me. It was all an act – orders that she followed from Vincent. It was to make sure that he could manipulate me when the time was right.
How stupid...
How fucking stupid was I to ever believe that I had a loving family-?
I hadn't felt a single thread of remorse for the woman in front of me.
Algernon was right' I was wasting resources on a woman that didn't even deserve any of it. I was stupid, foolish, and naïve to think that I had been worthy of a family.
.
No.
.
I am worthy of a family -- I just didn't want to be a part of the one that I had been in before.
"Vincent-!" The woman screeched from the other side of the glass. "I only wanted to serve you-!"
"Mom," I gathered her attention again by my voice. "Mom, I..." I stared into her eyes, which were unfocused and elsewhere.
She didn't know what was real and what wasn't.
I would have felt bad for her...but instead all I felt was disgust.
I placed a hand up to my mouth and stood up slowly, making sure to not topple over with my belly being the size that it was. I took a step, before halting and taking another look to the wall that the crazed, obsessed woman was behind.
This wasn't the woman that I remember from my childhood – this was a stranger in front of me that was still supporting Vincent even after his crushing, grueling defeat.
There was no place for her here.
I tapped a button on the panel that was by the glass wall, cutting off all sound from the other side of it. My hand went down to the handgun that was at my side.
It hadn't felt heavy, like all the other times I had been forced to kill – it felt right. It belonged at my side since being a killer was in my blood.
I shouldn't fight against it anymore.
It was who I was.
I took in a deep breath, opening up the door to enter the isolated room.
It was time to fully embrace being the leader of the compound – there was going to be nothing more tying me to the old Natalie anymore.
I had finally let the past go.
...
...
Tom Peters was sitting in the living room with his wife and young daughter when there was knock at his front door. He exchanged a wayward glance with his wife until he let out a small grunt, getting up from the couch. Tom walked to the front door, opening it up to see two men in dark blue suits in front of him. He looked them up and down, his first thoughts going to the government.
Tom had a panic inducing thought that he severely fucked up his taxes this year.
"You are a Mr. Peters, correct?" One of them spoke in a dull monotone.
Tom was sweating buckets, now.
How badly did he fuck up his taxes-??
"Uh – I..." Tom stammered, adjusting the collar of his shirt.
He cleared his throat faintly, not sure on when it had become closed up. The men in front of him were intimidating, but he had taught teenagers before, and they could equally be as intimidating.
"Yes, I am."
The one that spoke raised an eyebrow.
"You are being awarded a sum of one point two million dollars for aiding Lady Hunt five years ago," the man took out a check from his suit pocket and offered it to the man in front of him.
Tom Peters blinked once.
Then, he blinked twice.
"I'm sorry, what-?"
The man smiled lightly at the man.
"She was a student of yours back in high school. You were very attentive to her sudden shift in behavior, aiding her in her past dilemma. She would have liked to have been here herself to give you this, but certain circumstances dictated that she could not."
"Hunt..." Tom Peters closed his eyes in thought.
The test with the note at the bottom that had been written in bold letters – the student that looked to be a step away from crying or screaming...or, both. He had taken her mother out of town, alerted the police, and when he had finished making the phone call to the police, the mother, Katherine, had disappeared from his sight.
Tom didn't think it would be safe to return back to town, and so he put in his resignation over email and moved in with his sister a state over. From there he met his wife and formed his own family, getting a teaching job at a middle school for math since high schoolers were too much to handle.
"Natalie Hunt-!" Mr. Peters spoke in recognition.
The man nodded. "The very same."
"How...?" Mr. Peters spoke. "How is she-?"
The man smiled.
"She is doing very well, Mr. Peters. I don't believe that neither of us need to be concerned with her."
Mr. Peters nodded, holding the check in his hands.
He didn't know what else to say.
He wished he could have done more for the girl back at that time.
"Take care of yourself, Mr. Peters," the man nodded his head, signaling the other man with a wave of his hand, leaving the teacher's property. They headed to a sleek, unmarked black car, and Tom Peters watched as they left.
He narrowed his eyes --
Definitely the government...
It was at that time that Tom Peters looked down at the check to see exactly how much money he had been awarded. His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets and he took a step inside in excitement, nearly tripping over the front door.
"H-Honey-!"
A/N: I wonder who the 'person who shall not be named' is. I'm putting my money on Lord Voldemort.
Ya'll forgot about Mr. Peters, but I didn't! You certainly remember the high school math teacher from years ago? Yes. He's still alive, and now he's pretty dang rich. I wish that Natalie would give me some money, too.
There will be a triple update next week -- I will be on vacation the week after and didn't want to start posting the spicy epilogue chapters and bonus ending with a space in-between. That being said, I will post Monday June 13th, Wednesday June 15th, and Friday June 17th.
Thank you all for your continued support! <3