Closer To Home: Chapter Seven

It ain't gonna stop the world
If you walk out that door
This old world just keeps spinning round, spinning round
Like it did the day before
'Cause to them it makes no difference
It just keeps on keeping time
'Cause it ain't gonna stop the world, no
But it'll be the end of mine
Garth Brooks - It Don't Matter To The Sun

Start Here.

A Week Ago

It was warm. Treize awoke in the darkness and smiled. He ran his hand down Kat's arm and looked at her beautiful green eyes.

He slid himself out of bed and put his pants on, he struggled to get his shirt on, wincing at the bruises on his ribs. The streetlights provided just enough light for him to get his clothes on, and he opened the door of the bedroom.

"Tee?" He heard her say quietly as the door creaked open.

"I'm just heading out for bit babe, got a loose end to tie up. I'll be back before morning,"

"Ok, I'll be here,"

"I know,"

Now

Hallan sat at his computer and stared at the wall. He looked down at his screen and muttered, "Lets see where you were spending your money,". A few moments later a surveillance video from a local store showed up on his screen, and his brother was making his way through the crowds with a red headed woman. Hallan froze the screen and zoomed in on the girl. He leaned back and ran a facial recognition scan.

A Week Ago

"I need about fifty thousand credits," Treize was at a public phone booth, talking to a man who may as well've been his twin.

"What the hell for?" Hallan asked him with rage in his voice.

"I can't tell you,"

"Then I can't give it to you,"

"I'm in trouble Hal, this isn't like the last time,"

"Or the time before that, or the time before that?" Hallan leaned into the camera as he shouted, "You're never going to learn if I keep bailing you out!" Hallan shifted his weight back onto his chair and let his finger hover above the keyboard, in sight of the camera, "Get yourself out of a mess for once, and maybe I'll help you next time."

The video went dead and Treize turned around, "He'll come around,"

"It doesn't sound like it," A tall but skinny man stood behind Treize with a gun trained on his back, "That was your one call,"

"Look, Riq, I can get the money. I've still got the boosters. I can sell 'em and get it,"

"Where are they Tre?"

"I don't have 'em on me Riq,"

"Bullshit, you gave 'em to that whore of a girlfriend,"

"Look, I can get you the money, It's me man. I've never fucked up before," Treize smiled nervously at the bartender.

"You did this time, and too many people know about it man. This is my fault as much as yours. I got familiar. You thought you could get away with shit that no one can get away with. Turn around," Riq motioned with his gun.

"Look, I..."

"I said turn around!" Riq held the gun out and pointed at Treize's head.

"Alright alright," Treize turned around and put his hands above his head.

"Walk," Riq said as he followed Treize onto the bridge they stood next too. Treize looked over the edge as his pace slowed.

"I ain't going any further," Treize put his hands down and slumped his shoulders.

"That's ok, this if far enough,"The man said from behind two bulbous lips.

Now

Hallan walked down the street in the pouring rain. It'd been storming off and on for two days now. He checked the adressess as he walked.

A beautiful Caldari girl walked by, her t-shirt soaked through and through by the drenching rain. He looked down at her and smiled as she grinned back at him. He looked up at the apartment building he stood in front of. He turned around and looked at the river behind him. The Yul. If he walked a bit further he could cross it. He walked over to the video phone next to the bridge and shook his head. He looked back up at the apartment building and trudged through the rain to the door.

It was open, so he went inside. He checked the downstairs map for apartment numbers and found the one he was looking for. He walked into the elevator and hit the button for the fourty-second floor.

The elevatator dinged in succession as it passed floor after floor, before finally ending on the fourty-second.

A Week Ago

Riq got off the elevator and sighed. He walked down the hall a bit and looked at the room numbers.

"Two, three, four, five, six, there we go," He knocked on the door three times.

"Treize, is that you?" Came a soft voice from inside, "Just a minute," He heard the door being unlocked from the other side and he pulled his gun out of his pocket as it opened, "Treize I..." She stepped back from the door with her mouth wide.

"He's busy," Riq said as he closed the door behind him.

Now

Hallan closed the door behind him, but the smell was unmistakable. He covered his mouth and nose with his hand and walked into the living room of the apartment. Nothing seemed touched. He walked into the kitchen and checked the cabinets. A single glass sat on the counter, bone dry. He walked into the bathroom and checked the shower. He walked to the bedroom door, where the smell was strongest. He supressed a gag as he opened the door.

__________

CSP officers came in and out of the apartment building as Hallan stared out into the river. The raindrops made large splashes as the river flowed to his left. He looked up stream at the city, and downstream at the wilderness.

"Sir, we need to get your information," One of the officers yelled over the rain. He was standing a few feet away but Hallan pretended not to hear, "Sir," He repeated.

"I was looking into the death of my brother. I came here looking for answers,"

"Oh, alright sir. Since a crime was committed here, the survelliance videos are now public access. Hopefully that'll give you what you're looking for. You're Hallan Turrek?"

"Yeah, you could say that,"