Day 224 - Seven, At Last

Seven, At Last

Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

“Who killed Nine?” asked Gideon.

“You asked me to look into it personally, and I failed you. I’m sorry.”

Gideon smiled and accepted Seven’s apology as if it were the easiest thing in the world to do.

“You never failed me. Not once. This whole thing was a disaster. Bigger and more complex and none of us were prepared. Something I intend to rectify in the future. I know you’re an agent and it’s not your job and I shouldn’t be telling you some of this, but I trust you. Your father is a very good friend of mine and I trust you like I trusted him.”

Seven clinched his fist, dug his fingernail into his palm. He made sure to remain silent.

“Your father did show poor judgement with Queenie though. But I don’t believe she was behind Nine’s death. She was just trying to make an opportunity for her family. I think everyone can understand that. But to go behind the other families? Poor judgement. But I don’t think it will be held against your father or reflect poorly on you.”

“Thank you, sir.” Seven stressed the word sir. “Junko flew out this morning.”

“To be expected. Probably not the last we’ll hear of Naxis. But for now, they need to mourn and reassess what they tried to do here. They underestimated us. Thought we were an easy target. Sponsoring enemies and rivals. Only coming to talk when all their other options failed. They won’t make that mistake again. Friend or enemy, they’ll come back stronger next time. We’ll have to be ready.”

“Of course.”

 

 

“Who killed Nine?” asked Seven.

Ten didn’t answer immediately.

“All of this, the rivals, the attacks, the death, it’s all because Nine stumbled onto something. It was close and personal and somebody killed him over it. I know it, you know it. I know it’s against the rules, but you need to tell me what you know. Nine was killed because of the USB and the files it contained. I was never able to find who compiled the information, or who killed him over it. I gave it to you.”

“And I looked into it.”

“So? What did you find?”

Ten looked tense and for a moment Seven would have sworn he looked nervous.

 

 

Seven and Ten reported to The Old Man.

“Queenie, Gideon and Jacob all had plans of their own,” said Ten.

“Which of them killed Nine?” asked The Old Man.

“I believe it was Jacob. In order to cover up the fact that he was spying on everyone in the organization,” answered Ten.

During the chaos at The Grandia, Seven had seen Gideon holding Jacob. Jacob was crying. Seven didn’t mention that to The Old Man.

“You believe it or know it?”

“Believe.”

“Hum. Seven, do you agree?”

“I wouldn’t know, sir.”

“I fear the family structure may have outlived its usefulness. And if The Claw can’t keep these people in line, you too may have to be reconsidered.”

Seven didn’t react. He liked what he did and the pride he felt being elected to a special position, but he was tired. Of friends, family and betrayal. If The Old Man wanted to blow up the system and rebuild from the ground up, it might be for the best.

Seven remembered his conversation with Declan. Declan told him a secret. Years ago when Gideon was Nine and his father was Seven, Gideon had about a job. They had killed an innocent man who had been suspected of treason. Gideon would have never been set on a path towards leadership if they hadn’t done it. If The Agents made up their own rules, if The Dragon’s Claw couldn’t be trusted to enact justice, then perhaps they had outlived their usefulness and needed abolished. Gideon was a liar and a murder and a boss. None of the first parts seemed to matter as long as the rest were true. It didn’t matter if Gideon or Jacob were the one spying on the rest. It didn’t matter which of them killed Nine. They were both guilty. Guilty of participating in a system that encourage betrayal and made them all into killers. Seven could have told The Old Man, but chances were, he already knew it, had known it for years and condoned it. Maybe Declan was right, he and his father needed to get out while they still could. Let Declan and the police dismantle the organizations one by one. Perhaps they all did deserve it.

Seven thought speaking his mind, telling The Old Man everything – You’re owed the truth, sir. The truth is, Ten and I don’t know for sure and we have failed you. You could blame us, or the system, or the others, but the truth is the families can’t be trusted. The families must be destroyed.

Seven said nothing more, but instead thought about the woman waiting for him in his bed. He had many things he would rather do other than worry about the squabbles between family leaders.