39. May 2nd
MAY 2ND
Waters
While sittingat the table in his office, papers spread out all around him, pen in hand, computer open, Waters heard Demon return before he saw him. The man bellowed, “Where the feck is he?” to which Cherry murmured something, and then Waters could almost feel the heavy footsteps stomping in his direction. When Demon arrived, he didn’t even bother to knock, he just threw open the door and glared.
“You’re a fecking arsehole!”
“Welcome home.”
“That woman is dying inside. Fix it!”
“God wants a debriefing in thirty minutes.” He turned his attention back to the paperwork in chaos before him.
“Don’t fecking ignore me, you twat. You can’t tell me it’s not eating you up inside.” Waters continued to ignore him. “Fecking Christ, Waters, letting her go will destroy you. Fall on the sword if you have to. Don’t do this.”
“It’s done, Demon. Let it go.” Even to Waters, his quiet response sounded defeated.
Demon muttered under his breath in Gaelic, and none of it sounded complimentary. He stomped to the door, and when he got there, he wheeled around. Waters was pretty sure he had intended to let loose on him, but something stopped him. Instead, in a voice of chastisement, Demon told him, “Feck the stupid rule. Feck God for making you think you have to follow it. And feck you for being the dumbest man on the planet by holding yourself to it. You better think long and hard about what a fool you’re being. And how you’re going to fecking fix it.”
The door slammed in Demon’s wake. The echo of the slam rang in the air.
“He’s not wrong, Boss,” Midas’ voice gently added through the speakers of Waters’ laptop. The two men had been going over surveillance maps when Demon had burst through the door, not realizing he’d been on a conference call.
“Don’t you start, too, Midas. I’m getting it from every direction. Don’t you all think it’s difficult enough?”
“Maybe that should tell you something.”
“Aren’t you all forgetting that we have a bigger boss that we answer to?”
“Oh, I’m not forgetting. But even God makes mistakes, Waters, and this is definitely a mistake. A big one that was made in a time of extreme grief. You know it. We know it. And I’m betting the guy upstairs does, too, but he’ll never admit it.” Midas looked at him intently through the computer screen. “I’m just having a really difficult time understanding why you’re not fighting for her. Do you honestly believe she’s not worth it? We all know you love her. But here you are, refusing to go to her.”
Waters shook his head. “I can’t, Midas.”
“Why ever not? Christ, you really are an idiot, aren’t you? You can do whatever the hell you want. We’ve got your back as far as God’s concerned. Our loyalty is to you, not him. He just signs our checks. And if it’s her that’s holding you back, grow a set. You may have to grovel a bit to get her back, but Jesus, do it, for fuck’s sake.”
“I would in a heartbeat, Midas, but God has made it very clear where he stands.”
“Has he? Has he really? I wonder. I wasn’t aware he’d even once said anything about how he feels about you and Kubrick.” Midas shook his head. “I need a break.” Waters’ screen went blank as Midas cut the feed on his end.
Fuck. Was Midas right?