SONG: Kaleo - Way Down We Go (slowed)

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Derek Matthews

My family — except my brothers —, Hamilton, Ersoy, Simko, Cox and a couple of our Security crowded the booth. I sit opposite Aunt Marlene and Uncle Thomas on a tuxedo sofa.

Aunt Marlene ignores him, her gaze seething of wrath. "Disturbing a celebration without an invitation? Incredibly rude, girls."

Aasvhi and Camila absorb our personnel. Destiny, on the other hand, forces a dreadfully-sweet smile. "Sorry, Marlene. I just want to talk to Derek."

"Dios mío," I mutter. When is she going to take the hint?

"Vuoi parlare con lei?" inquires Uncle Thomas in Italian. Do you want to talk to her? I shake my head. To her sister in French, "Nous devrions les garder ici jusqu'à ce que le problème soit résolu." We should keep them here until it is solved.

"Oui." Aunt Marlene graciously smiles at the girls. "How about you enjoy yourselves a bit more? I think the main course is being served."

Our omnipotent strategy the Security picked up — watch the girls, be ready to distrain.

Destiny averts to me. "I'll talk to you later," I say. 

I won't.

The girls ramble their gratitude, relieved as if they believed they were going to get in trouble, like caught toddlers. Truthfully, they are frightened of my aunt. Any person should be.

Once Hamilton assures us they are out of an eavesdropping distance, Lin pats his intercom and orders, "Keep an eye on them."

My aunt smooths the crinkles of her opulent blue dress. "Are you sure, Derek?"

"Yes," I say firmly. "I saw it."

Her defined eyebrows furrow in contemplation, in bewilderment. "You were drunk and high, Derek."

"It was not a hallucination. I have done enough drugs to know what is real and what is not."

"You simply cannot state that."

"Lin, I saw it with my very own eyes. I heard a loud noise, stumbled into a room, and saw Aashvi and Camila raping Bodie Banks."

I enlightened them about what happened in the bathroom with Elias Banks, his statement that those two girls and my ex-girlfriend sexually violated his brother. "I could not tell you what Elias did. I had to understand the circumstances first. A lot happened on the day of Ines's party, I must have forgotten. But Aasvhi has white butterfly earrings. They were cues."

Uncle Thomas checks his watch. "They do not know that you know?"

"No."

Aunt Marlene sighed. "If these girls are accountable, your statement—"

"Is enough," I argue. "It is enough to get them in jail."

"You cannot use your position."

"I will if it is necessary."

If it happens twice, it is enough for the jury and judge to affirm it is behaviour.

"In that case ..." Thomas sits his wine glass on the desk. "Miss Mahmoud."

An Egyptian woman, in all-black and in her fifties, a part of Aunt Marlene's Seraphim, steps forward from the hellish dark veil. "I overheard Miss Levesque talking to the blonde girl."

"Camila De La Cruz," clarifies Hamilton.

"Miss Levesque admitted she heard Camila's confession to a sexual offence," states Mahmoud. "Camila was recording the conversation, and mentioned something about her father coming after her."

I lean back on the sofa, dismayed.

Uncle Thomas announced, "Camila's father threatened her and made her believe that he killed Bodie Banks."

"Then I heard Miss Levesque arguing with a black boy," continues Mahmoud. "And she ... Someone or some people touched her."

Simko withdraws and unfolds a picture, flattening it on the desk. An innocent-looking boy, with floppy chestnut-cropped hair and hazel irises, a clean-limbed frame and fair skin.

Hamilton's eyes flames in resentment. "You were right, Boss. This kid assaulted her." He withdrew more pictures of the whole group. "These fuckers, too. The Cyber Team at the Base investigated their phones. Rhett first assaulted her in the school's girls' bathroom."

"And the rest?"

Hamilton and the others exchange grave expressions. "The other assholes raped her somewhere."

Silence.

"What?" I demanded, in shock. It is a struggle to not become disorientated, to remain focused and sane. But I feel the restraints shattering, one by one. "They did what to her?"

"They raped her," repeats Hamilton thickly. I see their heads on stakes, burning one by one, the flames loving to torture them and thirst on their screams for mercy. "We looked into her school records. There is a date we suspect occurred, and conveniently in that week she was sick."

Fucking hell. That was when she started to act strange. She was her usual self, but Tanner and many others sensed she was more depressed.

"In that week, you brought a pregnancy test and an abortion pill," says Hamilton to me.

"What?" says Aunt Marlene. "Derek, you knew and you did not —"

"No," I interceded. "I never knew about this. Naila asked for a pregnancy test and an abortion pill. I never asked why. I got them for her anyway."

I want to support my friends. I thought it was Naila ...

"Maybe Miss Akintola asked for Miss Levesque," suggests Simko.

Which means April was pregnant.

They raped and impregnanted her.

They ... they harmed her. My poor, poor love.

I want to — I want to —

Dismayed, Thomas shakes his head. "Jesus Christ."

"They raped her at once?" whispers Lin. "But why?"

I stare at the pictures of these fucking bastards. "To intimidate her," I realise.

Simko nods. "These boys have a reputational friendship with that incident years ago."

"None of them were involved, though."

"Reputational friendship," he repeats. "We found out some of them are keeping contact with Holden Tasse."

"And Holden Tasse is released for good behaviour," I mumble.

"Holden Tasse also raped her," adds Simko. "Cyber Team depicted his voice."

"They raped her to scare her?" asks Thomas. "Because of her beautiful bravery, they wanted to fight off their fear through evil?"

"It worked," says Hamilton. "Sadly. She missed school. Her grades were dropping. She went from As to Cs in a matter of eleven school days. She occasionally left the school during breaks to visit her brother's grave, or she would go to the church next to the Our Lady of Lourdes orphanage."

Aunt Marlene stares at me in horror. "The boys in your generation ..." She shook her head, disgusted. "God. This is vile."

"We are still investigating, but this is what we gathered so far," says Hamilton. "Lord Matthews requested a thorough investigation into this. He wants there to be a trial, and he wants these boys to be humiliated and punished for their crimes. Once they are given sentences, they will go to an Azrael prison centre."

"At Wallbank Hill?"

"Somewhere more isolated, Madame. On one of our islands. Lord Matthews is usually disconcerted to remove teenagers. He would be advised to charge them into rehabilitation. However, for this situation, their behaviour is repetitive. Group violence. Strange relationships. Strange digital footprints, too. Most of these boys would watch pornography in the first second they wake up. He wants to give them a death penalty."

"He wants to kill them?" gasps Marlene.

"He has done it before," says Cox nonchalantly, as if this is nothing. "He can do it again."

"Luke knew?" I muttered. "He knew and he never told me?"

"He knew for a long time," admits Hamilton. "He had to take time off from his usual schedule to find appropriate judges and system confederates to serve his interests. They confirmed that he can get away with this."

"There is no death penalty in our law," snaps Marlene, standing up.

"Except for the Azrael."

"The Azrael — your Allfather has no place to change the law," stutters Marlene. "The law was created by the Everstons."

"What if the parents find out?" demands Thomas.

"If I have kids," says Hamilton, "if I find out they're rapists, I don't care if they are killed."

Simko answers, "Lord Matthews wants the parents to find out. Most of them helped the boys to avoid consequences. If parents will not discipline their sons properly, this is valid."

The irritation of Luke not telling me dissipated. I stand. "Luke is right about that. If you will not educate your son, we will educate ourselves to get rid of them. Tell Luke to dismiss the death penalty."

Hamilton appears surprised. "You do not want them dead?"

"No," I decided. "No. April should decide what she wants for them. If she does not desire to do one specific thing, then leave it to me."

"Leave it to you?" echoes Lin. "What do you intend to do?"

"I know what Luke does for a living," I say. "He never told Tanner and me, but it was easy to figure it out. His job is to kill, to get rid of nuisances. He is a ..." I swallow. "He is a serial killer, yes? Just like Mother?"

"Yes," affirms Cox. "Your Mother was crazy, but in a good way. She had enough with men, so she killed them."

"I can see why," mumbles Hamilton. "Men are usually the problem."

"Damn right," mutters Cox. "Sometimes I wonder why God made me a fucking man." He stares at the ceiling. "That's why I don't believe in anything spiritual."

I look at Aunt Marlene and Uncle Thomas. "Yes," replies Tom. "She was a serial killer. A lot of criminal services were trying to capture her."

"No one knew who she was," says Cox. "She was just named as the 'Man in White'."

"Luke was barely there in my childhood." I glimpse at Aunt Marlene. "You did not let him. You did not want me to become like him."

"He is a bad influence," argues Aunt Marlene. "I let him stay over in the Manor for short periods, as long as he does not ... have those kinds of talks with you."

"He can be," I admit. "I do not appreciate that he kills people as if he is stepping on ants."

"I'm pretty sure you don't mind killing assholes like these kids, Boss," cuts Hamilton. "You said before."

"Because I never thought I would be capable of it. Now ..." I chuckle darkly, my mind rummaging all the ways to create hell. "I know I can be worse. Where is she — where is April?"

"You want us to get her, Boss?" asks Cox.

"Yes," replies Aunt Marlene, enraged. "Bring her to us, please."

Ersoy and ten women leave to find her. Simko and Hamilton leave, the curtains whisking.

Aunt Marlene holds out a palm. "Your phone, Derek." I gave it to her. "You will talk to Detective Bravon. He has been working on Bodie's sexual case."

My Uncle says to me, "You will do the rest."

I was left alone, five women shielding the booth's entrance. I stare at the detective's contact, my hands confusingly shaking. This is the beginning. Time to put the abilities to the test.

Detective Bravon answers. "Madame Everston?"

"Hello, Detective. This is Derek Matthews." 

***

The call ended. Detective Bravon and I concluded to maintain the girls in the club until the authorities arrive. According to him, my and Mahmoud's claim is credible enough, especially if April was willing to come forward.

I helped the Security to find her. She is nowhere in sight. Called her. Voicemail. Left unread texts. I asked the guests — a small-tall Sri Lankan-brown girl, in an off-shoulder, red, sparkly dress and red stilettos, straightened brunette hair. No luck. Where are you?

"They're here," enlightens Hamilton.

The entire Security are fixated on the girls, ready to assist the police to arrest them, in case they make a commotion. I want them to get arrested here, to embarrass, to show that I am not easy. I want them to realise what they have done, to realise that goodwill always wins. No matter how long, no matter how soon, the will manifests at divine timing.

Erupting baffled whispers are drowned in the storm. The risers of the staircase are maroon-red, shifting to black, as the authorities descend. Aunt Marlene collides her eyes with mine, smiling with pride. Guests abandon their matters at the booths and tables to witness, necks at the far back stretching to achieve a grand sight.

Hamilton nods at the rest of our workforce. They hasten to the convicted girls. I sit at my booth, drinking another round of Arnold palmer, watching a show. Within each approach of my Security to the girls, I see Bodie Banks — the hopelessness, the hope, the desperation, the fight.

The girls are seized. "What's going on?" demands Camila. "Get off me! Hey!"

Destiny meets my eye. I smirk, slant back on the sofa, a leg folded over another, and wink. Shouldn't have messed with someone twice your size. Came here to harass me? To win me back into a fucking relationship?

Delusional, delusional girl.

You practically helped us. Thank fuck for small favours.

Aunt Marlene crosses her arms. Lin stashes his hands in his pockets, watching in as much amusement as I am. The guests don't move, don't help. No, they are curious, perhaps sensing what is truly occurring. The ten police officers halt in the centre of the flaxen dance floor. My Security tenderly shoved the girls forward.

Elias should be here.

Regardless if Bodie knew about my family's cruelty, these girls got him immorally arrested. They took their colour, their gender, to their advantage in a manner, and used it to manipulate my system to help them. Not on my fucking watch. All we needed is a credible source.

Bodie Banks could have shouted it wasn't him — not enough to convince the authorities. After all, no one will listen to a poor man. The protests? Sadly, not enough to convince the authorities, either. By any means, the enforcement believes that it's the Banks family fighting for one of their own. It happens a lot.

Three officers withdraw handcuffs. "Camila De La Cruz and Kristina Kelson."

"No," whimpers Aasvhi, tears destroying her makeup. "No ... Please."

Camila's breaths stammer, blue eyes amplified and roughened of tears and fear. "My—my dad will hear about this!"

The officers manacled their wrists. "You are under arrest on the suspicion of sexual assault."

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