"I see. Well, this is clearly a case of self-defense," Officer Sprout concluded to me after interrogating the three of us and briefly looking at the evidence.
We were still in the same place where I fought the stooges, standing in front of my car. Officer Sprout was with us, and Officer Rock was watching the stooges, who were still unconscious.
According to the officers, they had come because a witness had seen the fight from their home and called the police. Officer Sprout and Rock were ordered to go as an initial response, because they were nearby, but since the situation was already under control before they got here, no backup was needed.
Once they had found us, Officer Sprout immediately started to interrogate us. We told him exactly what happened. That they ambushed us, what they wanted to do to Elise, what their powers were, how I used my powers to disable them, and finally that they were wounded and needed medical attention.
The picture was clear to Officer Sprout, and he told us what was to come next.
"Since it's like this, one of us will come with you back to the doctor's house so we can immediately discuss the safe house option and check up on our colleague."
Elise and Ken could only nod and do as the officer told them.
And I…, hesitated.
I couldn't communicate it with my friends now, but I was full of suspicion.
I didn't believe the officers. How they arrived without any backup despite a dangerous situation, and arrived almost immediately after the fight was over.
I found it to be too convenient. But… there was once again no answer.
Was everything just a coincidence? Did my father watch the fight and call them for backup? Did my father orchestrate everything?
It filled me with doubt…, and terror.
My instincts screamed that with my house and now this, something was happening that I couldn't ignore anymore.
But my father being behind everything…, I…, I couldn't believe it.
He couldn't know about these stooges. It was inconceivable.
But I couldn't disprove it either anymore. I…, I could only go along with the flow and hope that the fear made me overthink everything.
So…, I nodded too after my friends did, and asked the officer.
"When do we leave?"
"Immediately. I'll join you in your car. My colleague will handle things here and join us soon afterwards."
…?
I frowned. What did he…
"Handle things?" Elise asked before my thought finished.
"Yeah, we…"
"Hey, one of them is waking up!" Officer Rock yelled, interrupting the other officer.
Officer Sprout turned around, and I looked too. It was the stooge that could disable all our limbs.
"Sprout, that's the…"
"I know. Goddamnit. Evan, handle it!" Officer Sprout yelled back at his colleague.
Officer Rock heard him, but his expression was reluctant.
"Oh you've got to be… Fine, I'll do it! Evan, you go with these kids!"
Officer Rock's gaze swept between his colleague and us, and then he agreed.
He walked back to us, and officer Sprout walked towards the stooges.
And when they passed each other, the one walking toward the stooges…
Drew his gun.
My eyes went wide, Ken gasped, and Elise…
"Wait, you can't!" She yelled.
Officer Sprout ignored her. He wouldn't sway from his intentions.
"Sorry. We…, we've got orders from above," Officer Rock explained when he arrived at us.
I looked at Elise. Her face was full of disbelief when she heard it.
She…, she then looked at me. Her eyes almost pleading.
When I saw that look, I shifted my gaze to the executioner.
He was standing in front of the stooge that had just woken up and was now disorientated.
The officer was about to aim his gun at the stooge's head.
I couldn't do anything anymore. Even if I had wanted to.
I didn't know what was right or wrong anymore.
What logic or reason was.
What my father wanted…, or didn't.
There was only one thing I could do. What I wanted to do.
I turned around and stepped in front of Elise. I pulled her head towards my chest and covered her ears.
*BANG*
A gunshot went off, leaving a ringing in my ear. Elise stiffened against me.
A few seconds later, another gunshot, and then another.
Elise was hugging me now, and shaking.
I moved my head to the side to look at Ken.
His complexion was pale. He hadn't looked away. He had seen it all, taken it all in.
I looked back at Elise, and started stroking her head, trying to calm her down somehow.
I couldn't say anything, only apologise to her in my head.
'I'm sorry Elise. This is how the world works now.'
***
We were back at Elise's house, after driving back in my damaged car, five of us sitting at the dining table.
William was at the head of the table, Elise sitting on the chair nearest to him.
I was sitting next to her, Ken next to me.
And across from Elise sat officer Rock, who had carpooled with us as I drove back here..
Beth, the receptionist, had also intended to join us, but once the officer arrived with us and she saw that things were serious, she opted to continue eating back at the clinic.
William was already eating a simple lunch when we arrived. So, we all immediately joined him at the dining table, whereafter officer Rock explained what had happened from the beginning.
William remained stoic during the explanation. How I first called the officer, explaining Ken's situation. How he agreed to meet at my house after talking about the state of the investigation. How my house exploded when I arrived, who the likely culprit was and that I rushed in to save that officer, who had luckily regained consciousness and whom William had sent to the hospital for more thorough care.
How I afterwards rushed to Ken's house because we were worried about him, managed to get him out of there and then drove back to my house, whereafter we were told to drive back to my house where the officers would soon join us.
And then, he explained to William about the stooges, and what they wanted to do to Elise.
That was the only time his stoic expression cracked. He had looked at his daughter with sadness. But after Elise told her dad that she was fine and I managed to prevent the worst. And when the officer corroborated the story, William regained his composure.
The officer then explained that they had split up, himself coming with us and his colleague further handling things back there. He didn't elaborate on the latter, and William didn't ask.
He then explained the last of it, which he was still doing. How the police wanted to turn this clinic into a sort of safe house, since William was the only doctor in town. The police would protect this clinic 24/7, and ensure that the doctor could continue working protected and with peace. It was also a way to legally keep Ken here, and me potentially safe in case I was being targeted by the shadow that kidnapped my mother.
The officer's arguments were all very convincing. It was definitely the safest way to go about everything.
But I didn't trust anything about it anymore. The way the police executed those stooges…
Orders from above, they said. Whose orders? My father's, or the police chief's, who my father was also 'friends' with?
Not to mention, if the police were constantly here, I couldn't move freely anymore. Finding my mother's stalker would then be a pipe dream. I could do nothing against my father anymore.
And the most important part, what if even this safe house suddenly turned unsafe when a shadow appeared here out of thin air and attacked us. I could already imagine what the officers would do then.
Send me to my father's house in hiding. Then everything would really be over for me.
I couldn't let these officers anywhere near me or this house. But the decision was not up to me, but William.
I couldn't fully see his face from where I was sitting, but I knew the doctor would at least consider it.
I could maybe sway him logically in my favor, but for me to start arguing against the safe house idea would be very suspicious. I had no logical reason to reject the idea, and I didn't know if William would trust me over the officer.
So, I could only remain silent. But, there was a far more suitable candidate to argue for me.
I grabbed Elise's hand under the table. She flinched a bit, but managed to make it barely noticeable.
I simply wrote two letters into her palm with my finger, spelling one word.
NO
Elise squeezed my hand. She got the message.
I let go of her hand. William and officer Rock's conversation was almost concluded.
And just as it was, William flinched almost unnoticeably, but remained engaged in the conversation nevertheless
I saw that Elise's body had shifted a tiny bit. She had likely touched her dad in some way under the table.
"So what do you think," officer Rock asked William, asking him for the answer regarding the safe house idea.
Yet, instead of answering him or thinking about it, he turned to look at his daughter.
"Are you comfortable with it?" He asked her.
"…Dad. Those boys that were after me. Those officers… killed them."
William's eyes went wide, first in shock, and then confusion.
He looked back at officer Rock. His expression was conflicted.
"What does she mean by that?" William asked him.
"…We got orders from above. We're to immediately execute criminals to prevent jailbreak, colleagues coming to harm and to further dissuade criminal activity."
William heard his arguments while staring the officer in his eyes. He remained silent for a few seconds after he heard it all. The officer couldn't meet his gaze constantly.
Eventually, William responded.
"If the police were here and a criminal came looking for medical aid. What would happen then?"
The officer didn't respond, so William kept talking.
"Would you shoot them down in front of my clinic?"
"No, of course not."
"Unless you were ordered to."
The cat got the officer's tongue.
"My daughter isn't comfortable letting the police near here. And I'm not either when I don't know what you're all going to do here. I first want to talk to the police chief and get everything clear before I allow you to be present here. Is that arrangeable?"
"I…, yes. We could arrange that. But…, with what happened, I would suggest leaving at least a few officers present here, just in case."
"That won't be necessary. It seems that Jack is perfectly capable of handling things, right." William asked me at the end.
"Right. I still got the gun from one of those guys on me, and know how to use it. I believe we'll be fine." I responded back to William, full of confidence.
"That's settled then. If there is nothing further, it's almost 12:30. I have to resume my clinic duties. I would like you to leave and contact me tonight or tomorrow morning about when I can discuss things with your chief. And regarding Ken, he can stay here as long as he wants, just like Jack," William said to the officer, and Ken for the latter part, which he nodded in response to.
"…Alright. Ken can stay here in that case. We'll see if the chief can make some time for you. And…, about how we can contact you."
"Jack has your number, right? I'll let him text you my number tonight when I have time."
"Yeah, that works. Alright, then I'll be taking my leave. Thank you once again for treating my colleague. And Jack, thank you once again too for saving him."
William and I responded to his gratitude both curtly, and then William walked the officer to the front door.
We three were left sitting at the dining table.
For me, there was a weight off my shoulders. William couldn't have responded better to him.
I looked at Ken. He was staring in front of him, lost in thought.
I then looked at Elise, and met her blue eyes. There was a question mark in them.
I responded with a brief smile. She smiled back.
She had done well too. I was truly glad.
But for the next part, I had to intervene once again.
"Hey, once your dad gets back. Let's not make him worry more than necessary until his workday is over."
Elise's smile froze once I said something slightly unexpected. But she agreed nonetheless. I looked at Ken, he also agreed, though not sure what I meant.
Once we were all one line, William returned and walked towards us.
Standing in front of us, he contemplated what to say for a moment, and then asked us.
"Hey you three. If something is going on, I would like you to tell me right now."
…I figured. William wasn't stupid. He caught onto something.
And while looking at all three of us, he stared at me most intently.
I didn't know how well he had figured things out yet, but there would be a moment soon where we should tell him the truth.
But that moment wasn't now, since the shadow could still be listening in.
We had to shelve it for tonight, when I was sure my father was asleep.
I could spin a tale that Ken's parents were abusing him to buy time until then and give a satisfying answer now, but there was first something else that I'd prefer to work.
Instead of responding to William, I looked at Elise.
And she noticed my stare, and looked me in the eyes, catching my intent.
She looked at her father, and answered in my stead.
"There is something going on. But we'll be fine. I'd like to talk about it tonight."
William stared his daughter in the eyes. Looked at me for a long time, and Ken in turn, and then responded.
"Fine. But I want you to stay in the house for the rest of today. Can you three promise me that."
We three promised. Me being the first.
Having done that, some tension seemed to leave William's shoulders again.
But he wasn't done talking.
"Elise, can you stand up for a moment?"
…She got a frown on her face, but obliged nevertheless.
Then, William walked up to her.
And embraced her.
"D… dad?"
"I'm so glad you're alright. Are you alright?"
"I… yes. I was so scared. But I'm alright." She said with a tremble in her voice, now also hugging him back.
They stayed like that for a while, eventually, William let his daughter go again.
"I have to continue working now, but… Jack… thank you, for protecting Elise," he said to me full of gratitude.
…I nodded back. I couldn't say anything, he caught me completely off guard.
I didn't even know what expression I was making.
I only hope it didn't show the overwhelming guilt I was currently feeling.
***
We three were still at the dining table, now us three having scooted over a seat, so Elise sat at the head of the table, and we were quietly eating a hearty lunch I quickly put together with her help.
Vegetable burritos. We pulled open some storable ingredients to put it together, since we didn't have the necessary fresh ones. Ken insisted on something filling, and I was too. We were both starving.
Elise and I did a good job. It tasted good. It put us all in a better mood, but small talk still died down after the first few bites.
Once we were all done eating, I decided to address the elephant in the room that had our mood dampened.
"Hey…, about what those officers did to those guys. Are you two alright?"
Ken's expression didn't change much, but Elise's was conflicted. She was the one to respond.
"I… I just can't believe it. That the world is like this now…," she said with a desponded expression on her face.
I felt sad too, seeing her like that. It must have come as a shock for her. But…, it is what it is. She had to face the truth of the situation. The only question was how to bring it gently…
"I think the police are doing the right thing," Ken said before my thoughts finished.
I looked at Ken, and Elise too with wide eyes.
"How can you say that," she said shocked.
"Well, what else are they supposed to do? That officer said it himself. It's too dangerous to lock them up and people will think twice before doing something heinous. Unless a way is found to lock them up safely, this is best."
Elise's mouth went open, but then closed again. What Ken said went against everything she believed in, but she realized he was right nevertheless.
She could then only look at me. She wanted to know what I thought.
"I wanted to say it more gently, but I agree with him."
Elise looked down at the table in resignation.
"But that doesn't mean we have to be the same as them," I continued.
Elise's eyes focused on me again. I looked back into hers and Ken's eyes, and spoke.
"How we discussed what to do with those guys back there, until we all agreed. I think that's the right way to go about it. I don't hope that we'll land in such a situation again, but even if, we can evaluate what is best then. Letting them go, something else…, or killing them."
I said my piece. Elise looked like she agreed, and Ken…
"What if we don't have time to discuss something?" he asked me.
"Then I'll make a gut call for us, though I will try to think about it if time permits. And if each of you are in a situation where you have to decide on your own, do so without hesitation. Your lives are most important. We can argue later if there was something better you could have done, but we'll not blame you. Does that seem alright to you two?"
"…Yeah, that works." Ken said after contemplating it.
Elise simply nodded. They were on board.
But I still felt… doubtful.
"That's good, I think this is the best. But…, I've been taking the lead all this time, without asking you. Do you…, are you fine with me continuing to do so?"
Elise and Ken were surprised by me asking something seemingly unexpected. But immediately, Elise recovered.
"Of course. You're always protecting and helping us. And you always consider our opinions. I trust you." She said softly to me.
…And I always put you in harm's way. I just deal with the aftermath. And now, I'm not even sure about anything anymore.
"I…"
? I caught hesitation in Ken's voice. I looked at him. And staring in my eyes, he continued speaking.
"I agree with Elise. But I worry…, if someone attacks us again, can you kill them, even in self-defence."
! My eyes went wide.
"I…, I…, of course I…,"
I stammered. The words couldn't come out of my throat.
…Because I didn't know.
"I don't know," I said with relief and reluctance.
Ken kept staring straight into my eyes. And I didn't look away.
"…Is there a reason for that?" He told me straight.
…My heart pounded. I felt my body sweating cold.
As a memory of a sparring ring resurfaced in my mind..
"I…, my father…"
…I closed my mouth again. I looked away from Ken's eyes and down at the table.
I couldn't say it.
How weak I really am.
Because then, they would leave me forever.
I waited in silence…, until Elise came to my salvation.
As I had hoped.
"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to. I…, don't want you to kill anyone anyway."
"No, he has to tell us. We can't be safe if he can't kill anyone." Ken interjected.
"What do you mean, not safe! You saw him fight! You know his powers! He saved us just now!"
"Yeah, this time. And what if someone comes along that we can only defeat by killing him? Or when he leaves someone bleeding out in the streets, do we have to drag him to a doctor every time, even if it's too dangerous to do so?"
"I… what's wrong with you! Why are you suddenly so fond of murder! And turning Jack into a killer!"
"I'm not fond of murder or anything like that! But he has to be able to do it if there's no other choice! Or would you rather Jack or any one of us be killed ourselves because he hesitated too long!?"
…Elise didn't respond.
I heard it all while still looking down at the table, and I could scarcely believe what I heard from Ken's mouth.
This might be the first time he has won an argument against Elise. Normally he'd just back away.
And he caught Elise silent. I didn't even know how she would respond.
And I wanted to know.
I looked up, straight into her blue eyes. She had been staring at me.
Her face was conflicted. She kept looking between Ken and me.
The gears in her head kept turning. And eventually her eyes rested into mine.
She spoke…
"I…, I don't want anyone to die..."
We three kept silent… until she finished her sentence.
"But…, if there's no other choice…, then…, then…, then you're right," she said, full of reluctance, now looking into Ken's eyes.
And my eyes went wide. I never expected those words to come out of her mouth.
That she wouldn't see me as a monster, if I had to take things that far.
Elise looked back at me…, and then, she looked down at the table. Almost ashamed.
"Jack," Ken said, turning my attention to him.
"You don't have to tell us why you're so reluctant. But what I just said to Elise…, can you do it, to protect yourself and us."
I kept staring into his brown eyes…, and then spoke from my heart.
"I…, if there's no other choice left…, to protect you two…, I'll…, I'll try."
"Trying isn't not good enough. You can be disgusted with yourself afterwards, as long as you're still alive. We won't blame you or anything. So promise me that you'll do it if that moment comes."
"Fine! Fine! I promise, okay! That good enough for you!"
Ken kept staring into my eyes, and then…
He breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Yes. I'll trust you. And just like before, if we need to and you don't want to kill yourself, I'll do it for you."
"That won't be necessary. I… If we need to, I'll do it myself."
"Okay…, I'm counting on you."
"Yeah, I'm counting on you too Ken. Thanks."
I looked at Elise again, who we left out a bit.
She was looking at me still with a worried expression on her face.
"Are you truly alright with this," I asked her.
"I…, yes. I meant what I said. And I know you'll only do it if there's no other way. But…, but what you said before, what did you mean by…"
*Beep-beep*
The sound of my own smartphone ringtone going off interrupted Elise, and made me flinch.
…I was confused. Who would call me now? The police?
I took the phone from my pocket and looked at the screen.
!?
My body stiffened completely. The phone almost slipped from my hands.
"J… Jack?" Elise said worriedly.
…no no no this can't be.
The caller didn't have a name, only a number. I didn't save the name in my contacts.
For I didn't need to. The phone number was already burned in my memories.
I started shaking.
"Jack, who is it?" Ken asked me.
"…It's my father." I said with a tremble in my voice.
I felt Ken and Elise shift, but I could only stare at the screen.
And my breathing grew more erratic the longer I stared at it.
Because my father calling me wasn't what got me spiraling.
I could rationalize the phone call. If my brother really was in trouble in Philadelphia, it only made sense for my father to call me. It was only a two hour drive away. He knew I was capable. He would know what my powers were through the shadow and police. It all made sense that my father would send me to save my brother.
But something else on the screen was sending me into an absolute panic. I wasn't even staring at the phone number anymore.
It was something that threw all my rationality out of my head. Something that was unignorable. Because through my whole childhood, it was always the same. I knew for sure it was true.
That my father is a very punctual man.
It was 1 PM, according to the clock on my phone.
And exactly at 1 AM today, I left to wash my mother's ashes away in that creek.
"Ja…"
I heard something distant, but I couldn't pay attention anymore.
My whole being was focused on trying to convince myself that I was wrong. That the time was just a terrible coincidence.
I was recalling in absolute terror everything that I did and had happened yesterday and today.
…Today? To… today…, TODAY!!!
My breath caught into my throat. I felt like I was on the brink of a heart attack.
At 11 AM my house exploded. At around 12 the stooges attacked us.
With this phone call that was 3 incidents, each an hour between.
3 o'clock.
The same time as when I had set up that trap against my father.
That's why he was calling now.
He knew I had defied him. Tried to kill him.
And he would punish me.
N… no. Not me. L… like my mother.
Someone touched my shoulders.
I flinched and looked.
It was a girl with blue eyes.
E… Elise?
Her sight snapped me into alignment again.
NO NO NO, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN!?
I had to answer the phone! If I ignored my father, it would only get worse!
I…, maybe I could still save Elise and Ken somehow from him!
Negotiate something! Anything at all!
With the last of my composure, I made my body move on its own.
I pressed the accept button and put the phone to my ear.
To speak with the man who would always decide my fate.