Epilogue II
Dominic
The house before me is normal in every single way. It’s unassuming and boring. The colors are dull, the lawn maintained, and the paint chipped. It’s similar to every house surrounding it.
It evades me why my brother chooses to live here.
Bash moved out of his penthouse abruptly six years ago into this downgrade. The middle-class suburb is well beneath him. But he’s never seemed happier.
Katerina knocks on the door while Nik and I stand awkwardly behind her. This visit is an unusual one, but my wife insisted on making my youngest brother feel accepted.
Bash opens the door with a look of confusion.
“What are you guys doing here?” His voice is cautious but happy. My little brother loves his family and enjoys being around us.
Out of the four of us, he’s the most reasonable. The most morally sound, besides the hacking he does. For that reason, he doesn’t look out of place in this neighborhood, unlike the three of us.
“We wanted to stop by and discuss some things,” my wife says lightly. She has a sweet smile on her face, perfectly masking her ambush.
“About the Syndicate?” His confusion is clear. We’ve never been here before. He’s always come to us for Syndicate matters.
“Mmmm,” my wife noises uncommittedly.
“Well, come on up to my office.” We follow him up two flights of stairs to an open third floor.
There are multiple desks with monitors on them.
Bookshelves full of books and Legos. TV screens mounted on walls, with framed puzzles under them.
All of them with pictures of animals on them.
But the oddest thing of all are the telescopes lined against the wall of windows facing his neighbor’s house.
“What can I help you with?” He asks cheerfully, and I internally wince. Poor guy has no clue.
“Bash, we wanted to introduce you to my guard and best friend, Nikolai.” My wife steps aside to reveal Nik.
I eye him, trying to see what Bash does. He’s tall and strong. His hair is thick and light, and his eyes blue. They’re not as beautiful and icy as Katerina’s though.
“Hi, Nikolai,” Bash says with a smile. He reaches forward and offers his hand. They shake.
I can’t tell whether Bash is happy because that’s his usual demeanor, or if it’s because he likes how Nik looks.
Katerina stands next to them smiling wide. I know she feels protective of Nik and wants to include Bash in that.
“I’m sorry to be rude, but what can I do for you?” Bash asks awkwardly.
“Nik is gay,” my wife boasts. Her best friend reddens at the announcement, but he agreed to her plan.
“That’s… nice?” Bash looks utterly baffled.
“And he’s single. We love and accept him just as he is.” Katerina looks at Bash expectantly, but the poor man still doesn’t understand.
“Bash, we wanted to tell you it’s okay to be who you are.
The Syndicate doesn’t care about sexuality.
They thought introducing you to me would help you realize this.
Even if it’s not with me, you should go out and meet someone.
” Nik looks so uncomfortable, but he’s doing a good job helping Bash feel included.
I honestly never realized Bash was gay, which made me feel like a horrible brother. About seven years ago, he used to be quite the player, but it stopped abruptly. Since then, we haven’t seen him with a woman. I never thought about it, but when Katerina pitched it to me, it all made sense.
Bash’s eyes widen and he lets out a choked sound.
“You guys think I’m gay?” he squeaks out.
“We love you just how you are. We accept you no matter what,” my wife comforts him.
“But I’m not gay,” Bash reiterates.
“Sebastian, it’s okay.” Katerina’s using a sweet voice, but it’s not calming my brother.
“No, seriously, I’m not–”
“The lizard is in her nest,” a robotic voice booms through the room.
It happens in slow motion. The lights in the room dim as the curtains draw almost all the way down. The telescopes adjust to angle towards the house his backs up to, over the short fence. The TV screens turn on and security cameras show a woman walking into her house.
I can’t comprehend what I’m seeing. I turn to my brother for clarity, but he’s avoiding our gazes.
Bash visibly pales. Guilt contorts his features, and his forehead shines with sweat. He takes his glasses off and rubs the bridge of his nose.
The unsuspecting woman unloads groceries from her car and brings them into her kitchen. I study her, trying to remember a Syndicate order to investigate this woman, but I don’t recognize her.
“Bash, who is that?” I ask in a low voice, as if this woman could hear us.
He gulps, eyes wide and lost. “Umm, that’s my neighbor.”
“Okay. Why are you watching her?” I try to keep the accusation out of my voice.
Maybe he’s doing extra Syndicate work. But this dorky looking woman doesn’t appear to be a threat of any sort.
But my equally nerdy brother doesn’t look like a threat, and he’s one of the Syndicate’s best assets, so I don’t make assumptions based on appearances.
“Because…” His eyes dart around the room as if it’ll give him an answer.
“Bash, why are you watching your neighbor?” I press.
“Because I love her!” His confession is full of anguish. His face is full of longing. His eyes land on one of the screens showing her putting milk in her fridge, and he sighs. “She’s my life.”
“Oh Bash, that’s amazing! Why haven’t we met her?” My wife claps her hands in excitement and jumps up. She’s glad he has someone, even if it’s not Nik.
But Bash winces.
“I… I haven’t met her,” he confesses.
“What?” Katerina voices my confusion.
“I’ve never met her… at least not as Bash. She doesn’t know I exist.” His puppy eyes sadden as he watches the girl.
“What do you mean she doesn’t know you exist?” My wife presses, horror dawning on her.
“I keep her safe from afar. I look out for her and protect her. She just… doesn’t know about it.” His tormented expression tempts my sympathy, but he’s done this to himself.
“Bash, that’s insane. How long has this been going on?” My wife demands answers.
“Six years.”