Next…
The hunted become the hunters…
I twirled the massive diamond around my finger, watching as dirt was dumped onto Richie’s casket. Every face was dry, void of emotion. His children had all come to terms with his death. Burying him was the finality they needed to properly grieve. It had taken months for them to get to this point, but it was painful progress that was necessary.
His casket was beautiful. It was black with a glossy coat and precious finishings. They’d spared no expense laying him to rest.
The magnitude of his absence left me wishing I would’ve known him longer, better. The way he was remembered left a smile on my face each time he was the topic of conversation. Chemistry would never meet her grandfather. That toyed with her father’s emotions.
Without a doubt, he would’ve loved her just as much as he loved the others. According to Chem, he’d tried for years to have a second son but failed miserably. It seemed as though his son was on the same path.
With any luck, when we decided to have another child, his duty would be fulfilled. Until then, we were crossing our fingers and hoping it didn’t take seven pregnancies to determine he was ineligible.
“Egypt.” Chem’s voice startled me. Wrapped up in my own head, I was unaware everyone had begun to disperse.
“Where’s Chemistry?” I asked, unable to see where she’d gone.
“With Rhea, they’re going to head back to the house.”
On the compound, everyone had a home of their own. Rhea frequented ours as she was Chemistry’s primary caretaker. She relieved her father and I at eight every morning and didn’t relinquish control until after dinner.
She’d spoiled our girl rotten and I loved watching every bit of it. Rhea was her favorite person. She was Rhea’s favorite girl. She saved her from the darkness the death of Richie had left at her doorstep. She gave her something to do so grief wouldn’t swallow her whole.
We piled into the truck with Aden at the wheel. After a few weeks, he’d made it safely and had been our driver ever since. Familiar faces made the experience less daunting and much more comfortable. St. Catana was incredible. I didn’t have a complaint.
“Then, where are we headed?” I asked, noticing we were not headed in the direction of our home.
Richie was buried within the walls of the compound, at the very end where Rhea would also be laid to rest when her time came.
“To see Rather.”
“It’s not Thursday.”
Chem was committed to his treatment. After revealing his condition, I made sure of it. He didn’t skip a session. And instead of once a month, as he’d gone back to the States. He was at her home for weekly visits, keeping his mind sharp and his thoughts in order.
“It’s not me that’s going to see Rather, Egypt. It’s you. And not for a therapy session.”
A lump lodged itself in my throat. The truck stopped and the door swung open. Though things were moving relatively slowly, I felt like I’d been ambushed. My stomach knotted. It coiled. It curled. It flipped. Over and over and over.
I grabbed hold of Chem’s hand as we reached her front door. I’d heard of the things Rather had done and the limits she’d go to extract every bit of information her clients were holding onto. I’d known for a while this day was coming, but I still hadn’t accepted my fate. Even with it staring in my face, I wasn’t ready.
“Chem—wait.”
He paused, turning around until we were face to face. I rested my palms against his cheeks, hoping to regulate my breathing and steady my heartbeat. He was the calm to my storm but not even he could calm me.
“Egypt, I love you with every fiber in my being. But, beyond this point, I cannot save you. You have to save yourself. What happens to you after I leave is solely up to you. You have information. We need that information. There’s only one person who’s qualified for this job. Don’t fuck her over and this will be a breeze. But, if you’re withholding anything, she’ll know. And things will get ugly for us all. I’ll be waiting to nurse you back to health, but I cannot dictate how Rather handles her business.”
As he concluded, the front door opened. Rather, still dressed in black, stood behind it without as much as a grin on her face. She tilted her head, requesting my presence at once.
“Goodbye, Chem.”
Seeing The Therapist under these circumstances jogged my memory, rapidly. Before I stepped foot inside her home, I began to vomit at the mouth. Her chambers were a place I never wanted to visit. If intel is what would save me, then it was intel they’d receive.
“The supervising agent on the case is named Jack…”
The Therapist… Summer 2024