Chapter 2
Family dinners were a common occurrence now that Quynh was back. The five of them would sit down for dinner every night and reminisce about the days before Quynh was taken as well as tell her and Nile stories about missions and experiences they had had. More often than not, dinner would be hours long and humorous.
Booker was often a topic of conversation.
Nile argued that it was not right to isolate a man who so desperately wanted to die. Andy, Joe and Nicky argued that Booker did not know what it was to be alone, so he needed to learn, and once he had, then he would understand what he had so nearly given away. After numerous loud discussions, Nile agreed to drop it. However, that did not mean that she would not glower at Andy, Nicky and Joe whenever his name came up.
For some reason, Quynh seemed to agree with Nile. When Nicky asked why she simply replied: “We are not meant to be alone.”
About ten months after Booker’s exile started, four after Quynh returned to them, Copley dropped by unannounced just as they were sitting down for dinner. Nicky had made a traditional Pesto Pasta that Nile had fallen in love with.
“Want to join us, James?” He asked.
“Booker’s gone off the grid. I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him in months. The tracker I put in him hasn’t moved, could probably have been taken out. There’s nothing on CCTVs in supermarkets not even at airports. I think I’m right to be concerned.”
“If you haven’t seen him in months, then why are you only telling us this now?”
“I’ve been trying to find him. I didn’t want to worry you.”
Disliking the answer she received, and worried for Booker and his desire to die, a reality that she would not be able to bear, Andy leapt across the room at lightning speed and grabbed Copley by his collar. “WHY! Why would you not tell us earlier? What if something happened to- let me go, Nicky, I swear let me go!”
“Andy, it isn’t his fault. He probably thought that we wouldn’t want to see him. After all, we did exile him.” Nicky took a deep breath before turning back to Copley and telling him to book them all seats on the next flight to wherever he had last seen Booker.
Dinner forgotten, the team went to their respective rooms and started packing up.
They were out of the safehouse and on the way to the nearest airport in ten minutes.
Copley told them all that he knew, which wasn’t much. What he said was true, Booker had truly disappeared.
Nicky and Joe spent the flight bouncing back and forth between reassuring each other that they would find Booker and cursing themselves for pushing for a centaury in the first place.
Andy spent the time scowling at Copley and beating herself up mentally for allowing the boys to convince her for the prolonged sentence.
Nile, Quynh and the one receiving glares exchanged worried looks among themselves, truly fearful of what would happen if Booker was hurt or worse, dead.
The plane landed in Marseille and the team caught a cab which took them to the building that Booker had been staying in.
He had bought the whole building, not wanting to be disturbed by mortals. Or at least that’s what he told himself.
Gun at the ready, Andy pushed in the door, which opened with a loud creak. The whole house had a thick layer of dust laid over it. Holding her gun up, she walked into the kitchen and cleared it. Slowly they all entered the house. There was one door that was closed. Taking a deep breath, Nicky walked forward and opened it.
There laid a sight that he had never wanted to see.
Booker. Naked from the chest up, thinner than he had ever seen his brother. Booker’s ribs were pronounced, his stomach was depressed, eyes were open, but he did not seem to be seeing anything. From where Nicky was, it did not even seem as though he was breathing. Crossing the room in two steps, he grabbed Booker’s wrist and checked for a pulse. To his immense relief, there was one, even if it was faint.
“God…” he heard Nile breathe.
Andy walked to Book and leaned her forehead on his and held back tears that were already welling up him her eyes. "You're still in this shitty game with me Booker. You better be."
“Joe, my bag. I need to attach an IV now before he dies…” again went unsaid.
Joe walked into the living room, grabbed Nicky’s bag and ran back in.
“How can we help?” He asked softly, his hand on Nicky’s shoulder.
“Set up the IV, I’m going to try and find a vein. He’s too thin.” Shaking his head to get rid of the tears welling in his eyes. Now was not the time for crying.
It took a few tries before he managed to insert the IV correctly. The fluid started flowing through the wire and into his veins. The six of them stood in silence for a few minutes, noticing how Sebastien’s breathing started to get stronger and deeper.
“James and I will get some food… we’ll be back soon.” Nile breathed, holding back her own sobs.
Joe had stood with his arms around Nicky, whose head was on his chest. “What have we done?” He mumbled into his beloved’s chest. “What have we done?”
The four of them stood in the room. Regret heavy in their hearts. They wanted answers. What had happened? Why did there seem to be no sign of the substance that Booker used as a crutch for as long as they all could remember? Did he do this to himself? If yes, why? When had his grief turned into whatever this was?