Strange Relations
Matthew Ryan Fischer
Kaylee was a cop, Jade was related to Queenie, and Seven wasn’t
quite sure who Kira was or who she worked for, but he was sure there was more
to her too. It made him feel a bit of a fool. He had figured the other two out
fairly quickly. They were novices and obvious. Kira was a professional, well
trained, subtle. He didn’t notice the red flags when he first met her. Or maybe
he didn’t want to. He had enjoyed their time together. He had wanted it to be
real. Seven was surprised to find it actually hurt. He wasn’t sure what hurt
more, that she had betrayed him, or that it took him so long to figure it out.
In retrospect he felt more and more foolish. All three women had
appeared in his life around the same time soon after the death of Nine. It was
right there looking straight at him. New faces in the neighborhood, in the
apartment building. There were no coincidences. But he wanted there to be.
Kira was good. She didn’t make her way into his apartment for
weeks. And he invited her in. She never left the room or lingered when he wasn’t
there. She did nothing to make him suspect she was searching his things or planting
cameras or bugs. When she finally spent the night, it was at his request, and she
wrapped his arm around her as she fell asleep. It made him feel big and
protective and her warm body pressed against his made him feel like a man. They
were pressed tight together and it would have woken him if she had slipped
away. Or so he thought. She did everything right to make him trust her.
But if there was one failing to her ability, it was in the casual
way she appeared too often in neighborhoods and restaurants near where he was. Never
too close and always with a reason or excuse as to what she was doing and why
she was out, but never very far away. Always able to reach him in minutes if
the occasion called for it. Their lives should not intersect so often, and he
would have noticed sooner if he hadn’t been so happy to see her.
A fool and a hard lesson to learn.
Once he suspected her, he noticed everything. The evidence was
everywhere. Objects slightly moved. Random texts and phone calls to find out
where he was and how soon he’d be somewhere. The days she would leave first,
but linger nearby to follow him, or worse, when she would make sure he had left
and then return to his apartment. She was arrogant and took it for granted that
he wouldn’t notice. It would have been easy to film and confront her. But he
didn’t want to. Now that he knew, he made sure there was nothing at his place
she could ever find. He took twice as many steps before going about official
business. Now that he knew when she tracked him, he led her on random wastes of
time. Someday he would follow her and see who she worked for. Someday he might
have to kill her. But for now, he still liked having her around. Even though it
hurt, it was a hurt he was willing to swallow for a while longer.
Seven had to meet his father, and while there was usually nothing interesting
or unusual in that, his father had a sense of urgency when they talked. Something
seemed amiss and Seven didn’t need Kira finding out what.
After several extra stops and twists and turns, he made his way to
his father’s dojo. There was another man there when Seven arrived. An older
man, about his father’s age. He was tall and built, probably still athletic despite
the years.
“This is Declan. He told me you sent him a message.”
“Good to see you, Jinn. Kaylee told me you had a warning for me.”
Seven watched the man for a moment, surprised Declan knew his real
name. Then he spoke to his father.
“He sent a woman to spy on me.”
“I trust she didn’t learn anything you didn’t want her to know?”
“No, father, she didn’t. I let her know I knew, and that it was
time I talk to her commanding officer.”
“Officer?”
“She was an undercover police officer. I can only assume this man
is also police.”
“Well, you’re half right about that,” said the man.
Seven wasn’t sure what that meant.
“Son, this man is no enemy. He was once an Agent, like you and me.”
“How is that possible? The families would have killed him for
sure.”
“They never knew. And they won’t. I made sure and gave him my word
I’d always protect him.”
“But why? He betrayed the families. Why would you help him?
“Son, this is your uncle.”
Seven had not expected that.
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