Chapter 2
Oliver waited a moment with Michael, until his panic subsided, and he finally regained control of himself.
Michael spoke meekly, “I’m so sorry-” But Oliver instantly waved that sentence away.
He smiled, “None of that, there’s no need to apologise.”
Michael stood tall, his six foot and seven inches of impressive height, towered over Oliver. He looked down to the floor in shame.
Oliver waved his hand in Michael’s cone of vision, getting his attention, “You have done your duty flawlessly, as always, Michael. You always manage to carry out perfection in the work you do. You’ve completed your part of this, now let me begin mine.”
He escorted Michael to his seat, near the middle of the hall, where he sat down next to the other agents. Michael avoided eye contact with them, yet had he not done so however, he would have seen the respect and admiration they had, as they looked at him. Michael was the best ranked agent in the Roses. He was a legend, an inspiration and the poster boy of the Roses.
Oliver positioned himself at the centre of the hall. Now he was the centre of attention, and he would be the one telling more of this tale.
He gently clapped his hands together, “Ladies and gentlemen, please show Michael your patience and understanding. Although he is an outstandingly accomplished agent in our organisation, and even though he’s a hero to many…”
His voice became gentle, “Michael has dedicated his entirety, to the truth of Andrew Smith. His priceless research and unshakable loyalty to Andrew's cause, is undeniable. He gave his heart and soul to this purpose, and all I ask is that you all try to understand his perspective. It’s been so difficult for him to keep this secret… He’s made truly hard choices to keep his promise.”
Oliver stared into the distance, “All four of us did…”
He snapped back into focus as he stood on his heels for a second, prepping himself. Then he felt truly ready.
His tone was quick and polite, “So let me take this moment, if you would be so kind, to quickly summarise this entire drama, so that we’re all completely on the same page.”
He coughed to clear his throat, “In the beginning, Aisling and Nadia met Andrew.”
“He helped them throughout that day, yet one of the key things he did, was assist in the arrest of Gerald Bruige, Ronald Bruiges son.”
“At the end of the day, the two managed to inspire Andrew with their vision of a hopeful future.”
“Andrew was kidnapped that night by the Bruiges, and Ronald began interrogating him to get information about the Roses, as revenge for his son being jailed.”
“Gerald was murdered in prison the next day, which in turn sent Ronald into a blind rage. This rage was then unfortunately aimed towards Andrew, as he was tortured for three and a half weeks. The torture progressively got worse, as Ronalds’s desperation for vengeance grew.”
He paused, “Perhaps the tale of his rescue would be of relevance.” He said, slowly rubbing his chin.
Nadia perked up, her face still moulded with sadness, “Why did it take so long to find and rescue him?”
AI responded, “It was not due to a lack of trying, Nadia. After the day you spent with Andrew, I attempted to contact him again. I found his social media page and messaged him to pursue further collaboration, however, he never responded. I managed to find his mobile device, but I was unable to access it, as the pin code was too complex for me to brute force at that stage. It unfortunately took me weeks to gain access to cloud servers, to help me break into his phone’s account. When I finally got access, I used his device's location history to track down the general area he was last reported at. I then managed to correlate noise complaints of car horns blaring throughout the day, with Andrew's potential location.”
On the large screen, a map showed the blue circle where Andrew's phone was last detected.
AI continued, “I made an official police report about a potential kidnapping and provided all the evidence to support my hypothesis. The police decided it was probably a safehouse for the Bruiges, and as such that warranted a specialist firearms command team to raid the structure. I arranged for agent James Hull and Michael Campbell to join the team, as they both had the necessary military and weapons training.”
Aisling was shocked, “So you couldn’t crack his phone to find him? That’s why he suffered for weeks?”
AI politely responded, “Unfortunately, yes.”
Both Nadia and Aisling breathed out loudly, while looking up at the ceiling. It was not a satisfactory reason, but reality was often fickle with such small details.
Oliver continued, “Michael and James were tasked with the basement sweep. They discovered Andrew, tied to his chair after Ronald had just sliced him horrifically with a knife. James subdued and arrested Ronald, while Michael rescued Andrew.”
He paused, while he tried to form the most flattering description for Andrews state at the time.
“Andrew was… in a desperate state. He was dehydrated, malnourished and was bleeding acutely.”
“Michael immediately summoned the medics, as the gunfire upstairs subsided.”
“They rushed down with a stretcher. As they lifted Andrew's body onto it, their quick assessment was grave. Andrew was on the verge of dying, and an immediate operation would be needed to have any chance of saving his life.”
“Unfortunately, AI was already aware of a massive problem… The local NHS hospital was over capacity. All operating theatres were in use.”
“So, AI quickly arranged for a nearby private hospital to accept Andrew. Agents were dispatched around the region, to collect and deliver any additional medical equipment needed for Andrew’s operation.”
“As this was happening, the medics discovered additional stabs and bleeding, and as such, the time frame to save his life dropped by half.”
“AI chartered a private helicopter, which landed nearby to transport Andrew, Michael and James to the nearby private hospital.”
“Andrew arrived within three minutes, and they began operating almost immediately.”
He grimly said, “The operation took four hours, as there were complications due to infections from week-long cuts and stabs.”
He looked at the floor sadly, “Andrew nearly died three times over the 4-hour period, he required multiple resuscitations to restore his heart activity.”
He went quiet for a few moments, for so much was said in the last few minutes, and it only felt fair to give the hall a second to breathe.
He gave a weak smile, “Thankfully, it was a success. Owing to the near instant decision making of AI, Andrew lived.”
He stared into the distance again, “You’ve all watched the video showing the moment he woke up, where he was still under the influence of strong pain medicine.”
“Even though he was heavily medicated, Andrew’s assessment was correct. He made us promise not to reveal his presence, and we agreed because his argument was correct, not because we felt sorry for him.”
He spoke slowly with emphasis, “If telling the Roses about Andrew, meant compromising their ability to lead this organisation… then it wasn’t a choice at all.” His voice was sad and regretful.
Aisling looked up from her table again, her tears had dried, but she was still emotionally destroyed. She spent a moment thinking about how she wanted to object to that point. She wanted to claim you’re wrong, I would have been fine… yet she was aware of her current state. Her mind was clouded with darkness, sympathy, regret and heartbreak. How would she really have managed being told about Andrew back then?
The truth is that she wouldn’t have handled it at all, she couldn’t even handle it now. Nadia was stronger than her, so there was a small chance that she might have managed to stomach the grim news. However, the truth is the two of them function as one. After all, hope has no footing without vision. Even if Nadia had coped, she wouldn’t have been able to share her vision of what good the Roses were capable of, because Aisling would have been too depressed to inspire people and rally them under the banner.
Andrew was right, Aisling thought. He understood her in just a day, and he realised how fragile her heart was. He had acted wisely, more than many might know.
*
Oliver stood still for a few moments. He rubbed his chin as he thought about what to say next.
He spoke loudly and clearly, as he looked around the hall, “Right, that covers everything up to that point. I feel confident that everyone is up to speed now, and we can move on to talk about Andrew after his operation now.”
“From the moment Andrew’s surgery was a success, AI had me as Andrew’s carer, on behalf of the Roses. My qualifications in psychology were vital for the uniquely difficult case that Andrew fell into.”
His face became deeply sad, “After Andrew awoke and revealed the nature of what occurred… I became the only person he would see or interact with, for many months.”
“The nature of keeping him secret, meant that as few people associated with the Roses as possible, were to be aware of his existence.”
“I became both his therapist, nurse, doctor and carer, as I gave my all to support him.”
“I’ve spoken much with him, and I feel like I know him better than most. His fears, his scars, his pain, his dreams, his hopes and his loneliness. That is why, only I can tell you who Andrew is now.”
He stopped talking as he looked around the hall. He was going to start listing the damages that Andrew’s body went through, but he decided that something else should be said first.
He spoke carefully, “I want to tell you something first and foremost. Michael tried to express this critical point before, and perhaps the more astute of you might have picked up on it.”
He smiled brilliantly, “Andrew is a remarkable and incredible man. Every decision he’s made… every consequence he’s currently suffering… All of it reflects his brilliantly indomitable strength of will, and his genuinely sincere hope for this organisation. Every second of agonising pain that he suffered, he did so willingly. Every tear he shed, he shed selflessly, so that we in the Roses can bring smiles to many.”
“He is the mightiest man I will ever know. He outdanced the devil… he stared into the abyss, and made the abyss look away. He endured the agony of torture, then he endured the misery of regaining control of his body and now…” His voice broke.
He slightly squirmed a little, as he struggled to hold back tears,
“And now… he endures the agony of loneliness and obscurity.”
He breathed heavily for a minute as he tried to regain his composure. Finally, he snapped back into focus, “He did everything we’ve mentioned and everything I’ll soon mention, because he’s incredible. He is a hero and a legend, and if we play our cards right… maybe we can save him from himself.”
*
He paused as he walked to his seat to get his water bottle. Already his voice was going dry, and he had barely begun.
Aisling took the opportunity during the pause, “Is he really that bad at the moment, Oliver? You mentioned suicide earlier…” She stopped talking out of discomfort of the topic.
Oliver walked back to the centre of the hall, bottle in hand. He put the bottle down several feet away, ensuring that he wouldn’t accidentally kick it as he moved around talking. He folded his arms as he looked at Aisling.
He responded slowly with a tragically sad face, “Yes, he is currently at the end of his tether.”
He held his hands up slightly, “Don’t judge him just yet, for you don’t know what he’s endured. You can’t fathom the pain he deals with on a constant basis.”
“In order to understand where he is now, I must tell you how he was.”
“Andrew's body after his life saving surgery… was probably worse than it was before it.” He said grimly.
“He was critically malnourished, dehydrated and his body had so many wounds to mend, he was constantly exhausted.”
“For days, Andrew alternated between falling asleep and waking up in agony.” He shook a little, as he recalled watching Andrew wake up, screaming in pain.
“The pain medicine helped his body relax and repair itself, however, it was strong enough that it caused him to fall asleep. When he was asleep, we would reduce the medicine… You have to understand, the medicine is extremely potent, and if overused, he would form an addiction to it. As the hours passed, the medication wore off, and his pain would build, until it woke him from sleep.”
He shook his head for a moment, “This was extremely difficult for me to watch. Many nights I would wake up next to him, because the pain had him screaming in agony. I was so worried for him… I would have to turn on the drip feed, and watch as he roared with pain for minutes… minutes that felt like hours.” He shook as he recalled it.
He stopped again, for he needed to let the fear escape him. A few moments later, it finally did.
“It took roughly four days and nights, for Andrew's body to regain basic control of itself. He eventually stopped bleeding periodically, from the countless stitches, dotted across his upper half. The hardest part was the infection from the fork stabs. During the torture, when they burned parts of his arms, they burned the previous fork stabs. That was the vector for infection.” He coldly stated.
Across the hall many people recoiled in horror. It was still an impossibly horrific event to fathom.
“It took four days before the inflammation on his face healed. His face was black and blue from the beatings for over a week however, as his body was prioritising the mending of critical wounds, above basic bruises and scrapes.”
He sadly looked at the floor, “I didn’t speak with Andrew the first week… but I knew he was aware of my presence. Sometimes there were moments when he was conscious, looking at the ceiling and crying. Those were the moments when he was sort of… in the middle of his two phases. The pain killer was beginning to take effect, but it wasn’t so intense as to make him groggy from sleepiness.”
“I first thought it was the pain that made him cry, but I realised it was something else.”
“It was only on the second week, when Andrew finally started to talk when he was lucid. Andrew was in that twilight of painkillers, when I asked him why he was crying.”
He stopped again, for it was too difficult to keep talking.
AI spoke, “Oliver, shall I show them that moment?”
He nodded, “Yes please, AI, it’s easier this way.”
The large screens in the hall went from black, straight to playing the video.
*
The video showed the same hospital wardroom, that the earlier video was in.
It was dark outside, and the clock showed 02:43 AM. Oliver was sitting on a stool, on the right of Andrew's bed. Andrew was lying on his back, his arms were out of the blanket, and one could see the scars, with horrid dark red marks and cuts all over.
Andrew's breathing was slow and laboured, as his eyes darted across the ceiling. He thought to himself, as tears slowly dripped down his face.
Oliver quietly whispered, “Andrew… Andrew, you’re crying.”
Andrew slowly turned his eyes to Oliver; his dark bruised eyes were full of sadness. Andrew gulped as he finally spoke.
Slowly he asked, “Am I ever going to get out of this bed?” His voice was still slurred due to the lack of teeth.
Oliver looked away for a second. Then he looked back at Andrew, trying to show a strong face.
“I hope so.” He finally answered.
Andrew looked away as he painfully chuckled, “Hope… how ironic.”
Oliver asked curiously, “What’s ironic about hope, Andrew?”
He looked Oliver in the eye, “Hope is the reason why I’m here in the first place…”
He broke eye contact as he looked back at the ceiling, “And now… hope is my only way out.”
Oliver quickly responded, trying to cheer him up, “Your body is having a hard time recovering, but there’s a chance you will heal.”
Andrew whispered, “Hope… Hope was my shield against the Wolf. Hope works wonders against fear, as it blinds doubt… But my body is not an enemy, and hope is not the tool I need to save myself.”
Oliver looked concerned as he whispered back, “What do you think will save you?”
He responded slowly, “I need vision.”
Oliver leaned closer, “Vision? In what way?”
He stared at the ceiling, “If you can’t see your destination, how can you ever hope to navigate towards it?”
Oliver nodded, “Ok… So how can I help you get this vision, Andrew?”
He waited a long moment, deep in thought.
He finally spoke, “I need you to tell me the truth, as a doctor. I need you to tell me… If my body can actually heal this, or if the damage is too grim.”
Oliver nodded, as he finally understood what he was asking. It was a question relating to futility. He looked over Andrew's body for a long while, deep in thought. He had memorised the medical breakdowns, detailing the extensive trauma his muscles, skin and nerves underwent.
After a few minutes of intense thought, Oliver made an assessment.
“Yes.”
Andrew responded immediately, “Yes… what?”
Oliver smiled, “Yes, you can get out of this bed. It won’t be easy and there are still questions around your nerve damage, though.”
Andrew's tears flowed faster, “So you’re saying it will hurt?”
Oliver nodded grimly, “... Yes, incredibly so, I'm afraid. The question is not if you can leave this bed one day, it’s whether you will.”
It was at that moment that Andrew turned his head to Oliver and looked him in the eyes. His face showed a powerful look, a look of absolute certainty and determination. Andrew's cold green eyes practically sparkled.
“Then it’s a promise” Andrew said, as he looked back at the ceiling, and the painkillers finally knocked him asleep.
*
The large screens in the hall went black and Oliver immediately resumed talking.
He smiled, “There was your first taste of Andrew's strength of will. I have been blessed multiple times with the privilege of seeing that look on his face.”
Oliver flashed a smile at Michael. Michael was also smiling, as watching that video, gave him a second wind.
Oliver looked around the hall, “This is the man we need to save, ladies and gentlemen. He is the priceless resource, that we cannot afford to lose.”
He chuckled, “It’s of particular interest, to me at least, that Andrew knew and referenced the very virtues that this organisation is run on.”
He reverently stated, “Hope and vision.”
Michael added, “Aisling and Nadia.”
Both Aisling and Nadia looked up at that moment. One could see that the two of them had not considered Andrew's words in that context.
Michael beamed a smile at the two young ladies, “He sussed you two out flawlessly, didn’t he?”
Oliver added, “And all in the span of a single day, as well.”
Nadia gave a weak smile, but Aisling simply looked back down at her desk. Oliver had a drink of water and then proceeded to speak again.
“The third week in, Andrew was finally showing signs of mending. His scars were becoming less angry, and his face reflected his body becoming more nourished again. In terms of his physical injuries, things were looking considerably better.”
“Unfortunately, things were still very difficult for Andrew.”
He stared into space again, as he slowly whispered, “The pain… The pain did not ease at all. From the day he awoke in the hospital to talk with us, till this very day… The pain has constantly battered him.”
“My initial assessment was that the pain was acute, because his nervous system was overloaded. I assumed that over several weeks, the pain would ease as his nerves began to repair themselves.” He clinically stated.
His eyes went down to the floor, “They did not. They did not ease after weeks. They did not ease, even after a couple of months. I had him do multiple MRI’s and ultrasounds… The results showed that the nerves were no longer damaged… I know the reason now, and I will get to that, I promise, but not now though.”
He paused for a moment, for deep down, he wanted to scream the truth of why he still hurt… but it wasn’t time.
His face looked defeated, “Everything is constantly difficult for Andrew. Breathing hurts, moving his arms hurts and even looking around hurts. He’s always swimming in a sea of agony, as the effort to do anything is exhausting.”
He frowned, “In the fourth week, he was medically warranted to leave the ward. I signed him out and we got him on a wheelchair. In the beginning, he was over the moon to be out of that bed. At first, at least…”
“I consulted with AI, as I felt it would be best for Andrew's mental health, if he were to escape the prison of a hospital and instead be somewhere lovely. A place where he could heal and find peace.”
“We took Andrew to a beautiful beachside mansion in Cornwall. It was away from the city, so there was no hustle and bustle from holiday goers and tourists. I have to say, it was a true luxury staying there, my thanks to Mr. Crowley for hosting us for those several months.” He bowed towards Mr. Crowley, who was sitting at the back row.
Alex Crowley was the financier for the Roses. He was the first investor in the two young ladies, when they started trying to get funds. His investment was repaid in weeks, and even though their debt was clear, and their business was concluded, several months after, the two convinced him to join the organisation. He was remarkably good with money. He accepted, and so now he coordinates all expenses and spendings with AI. Mr. Crowley was now a full member of the Inner Roses.
Oliver resumed the tale, “The fresh air and gorgeous coastal scenery definitely aided in mentally healing both Andrew and I.”
His face went glum, “The first weeks were unfortunately the hardest, after the move. Andrew was concerned about the pain medication he was still having to take, you see. It had been nearly two months, and he still couldn’t sleep without the painkillers.”
AI chirped in, “Should I show them that evening?”
Oliver stopped to think, for it was an intense argument he and Andrew had. However, it was indeed a crucial moment.
He finally responded quietly, “Yes please, AI.”
AI gently said, “You must not spare people from the painful moments, Oliver.”
He nodded meekly, “I know, I know…”
The screens began playing the video.
*
The video showed a large living room, with white leather sofas around a fairly large, circular glass coffee table.
Andrew was sat at the end of the long sofa, his wheelchair parked next to him. His legs were together, and his arms were postured in a self-hug, as he rocked back and forth in pain.
After a few seconds, Oliver walked into the room, manoeuvring around the sofa and wheelchair as he crouched down in front of Andrew. He briefly looked over him and nodded, as he tried to fathom the pain he was experiencing.
Oliver gave a weak attempt at a smile, “The pain has built up again, I see.”
He reached into his right pocket and pulled out a yellow plastic pill container. Andrew looked away and shook his head. Oliver popped out two small white tablets onto his hand, and closed his hand, as he sealed the lid again and put the plastic bottle back into his pocket.
Oliver looked back at him, and noticed that he was looking away, and Andrew was still slightly shaking his head. Oliver had noticed this behaviour the last few nights and he was concerned, but what else was there to do? The pain had to be suppressed, or else Andrew wouldn't sleep.
Oliver finally spoke quietly, “It’s getting late now, best take two of these.”
Oliver opened his hand and presented them to him. Andrew slowly looked at the hand, and after a delayed moment he reached out and took the two pills. He brought his hand closer to his mouth, as if he was going to take them, but he stopped midway. His hand lay open as it shook in pain, the pills rested on his palm.
Andrew stared at the pills in deep thought, as the seconds passed. His hand was slightly shaking due to his constant pain.
Oliver looked at Andrew, “Andrew...”
He didn’t react, as he kept staring at the pills with a dead look in his eyes.
Oliver begged in a whisper, “Please Andrew… take them.”
He took a deep laboured breath, “How much longer will I have to take these?” He finally looked up at Oliver.
Oliver quietly responded, “I don’t know.”
His voice became angry, “How much longer… will I suffer this pain?”
Oliver looked away as he breathed out, “I don’t know…”
A long moment passed as both of them remained still in silence.
Oliver became frustrated, “The scans they did on you… they showed that your nerves have already healed.”
Andrew slowly closed his hand in pain, as a tear fell down his face, “So then why am I still hurting?”
Oliver looked away, “I think it’s psychogenic. That means your psychological trauma is creating real pain, even though there is no longer a physical injury.”
Tears poured down Andrew’s face, “So I'm not actually in pain?”
Oliver quickly responded, “The pain you feel is real nerve pain and your body is reacting as if it’s real pain.”
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Andrew closed his hand and squeezed it tightly, as he winced in pain, his muscles screamed in agony.
Oliver gently put his hand on Andrew's shoulder, to try to comfort him, “I know your pain is real Andrew… I’m not doubting it for a moment.”
Andrew opened his hand again, looking at the pills once more.
He whispered, “Are there pills you can give me, to stop the fake pain?”
Oliver’s face went sad, “No.”
He cried, “Then there is no cure?”
Oliver squirmed, “There is… but it’s complicated, Andrew.”
He looked Oliver in the eye, “How?”
Oliver stood up and took a step back, “You need… closure.”
Andrew shouted back, “I don’t need closure, I'm fine! I’m healed up, we’re here in this nice place and… and…” He stopped himself as his tears flowed faster.
Oliver snapped, “You’re not fine Andrew… you’re hiding!”
He instantly regretted saying that, for they both knew this fact, but that was an ungraceful way to say it. In for a penny, in for a pound, Oliver reckoned. This was the first time they had finally touched this topic, so it might as well all come out.
Oliver's voice was nearly a shout, “You sacrificed everything for the Roses, Andrew… So why won’t you even turn on the TV and see their faces? Aren’t you even curious to see if they’ve been successful?”
Andrew threw the pills at the glass table as he breathed heavily, his face furled in anger, “I have my reasons, Oliver; don’t you dare try to advise me what I should be doing!”
Oliver instantly retaliated, “Again you hide! The truth is, you’re afraid to see if it was all worth it!”
Andrew broke down sobbing… His whimpers were the only sound as he laboured to catch his breath… Oliver covered his face with his hands in shame, for this was not how he had hoped this topic would be brought up.
Moments passed slowly, as if they were years. Oliver stood there in shame as Andrew kept sobbing. Oliver finally moved his hands, his new tears revealed as he took a few deep breaths before finally speaking again.
Oliver slowly spoke, “I’m sorry Andrew… forgive me... I’ve failed you…”
An idea dawned on him, and he felt a spark of hope, “If you’re not prepared to face your angels… How about you face your demons instead?”
Andrew looked up with tears still streaming, his face wracked with sadness, “I don’t want anyone to see my horrible, scarred face!”
Oliver recoiled, “Andrew, stop that! I have an idea, and I think it might work. Tomorrow, we are going out… Tomorrow you’ll deal with the darkness buried within yourself.”
*
The large screens in the hall went black as the video ended.
Oliver was looking at the floor, for he still felt shame for his outburst. Andrew trusted him, that was not the way you spoke to those you cared for. He shook his head, as he tried to snap out of his little emotional distraction.
“So now we see that Andrew's pain is a far more difficult problem to solve. His salvation is not to be had with pills or therapy… He needs closure.”
Oliver consciously looked at the two sitting on their raised bench, as he looked both Nadia and Aisling in the eyes, before he resumed looking around the hall.
“The next day, I took Andrew to the prison where Ronald was kept in isolation. AI agreed with my assessment, that Andrew needed to face his demon. Personally, I wished I had a larger group to seek consensus from… but our promise meant it was only the two of us, so that would have to do.”
“You’ve all seen the beginning of the meeting with Ronald, when Andrew ascertained with certainty, that his choice did in fact save the Roses.”
“However, the far more meaningful part for him personally, was afterwards.”
“Ronald was a monster, no doubt about it, but he still needed to tell Andrew something important, that he needed to hear.”
Oliver politely requested, “AI, please resume the prison interview from where we ended before.”
The large hall screens instantly started playing the video, starting a few seconds before, to remind everybody of the context.
*
Andrew sat in his wheelchair, opposite Ronald, the two separated by thick safety glass.
Ronald calmly stared into Andrew's eyes, “But that doesn’t matter. You won boy… And I lost everything I ever cared for… But hey, at least you saved all your friends. Against all odds and no matter what I did to you… You beat me. And the only thing I walked away with… was ‘I don’t know’.”
Tears dripped down the Wolf's face, as he looked away with a devastatingly pained face. He looked down at the floor and slowly shook his head… it was his way of showing that he had lost. He took a few moments for himself, and then chuckled.
He looked up, “I hope it was worth it boy. I hope those two birds gave you one hell of a night, in thanks for what you did for them.”
Andrew looked away.
The Wolf leaned closer, “No? I suppose I did leave you torn to shreds; I can’t say I blame them for not riding that. How about a kiss on the cheek then?... Or did they shower you in riches, as compensation for your spilled blood?”
The Wolf chuckled as he looked at Andrew with anticipation. Yet Andrew didn’t look at him. The Wolf waited a moment, before he realised… and he immediately stopped chuckling. His face changed from bemused to outraged.
The Wolf leaned even closer to the glass, his voice quiet, “They don’t know…”
Andrew still didn’t move, and the Wolf interpreted that as confirmation.
“You idiot!” He spat out.
The Wolf shouted, “Here I am, assuming you bested me in a game of will, because you were mighty!”
He leaned back on his stool in anger, “Turns out you’re just a fucking moron!”
Andrew finally turned to look the Wolf in the eye. His eyes were full of hurt, for he knew the reasons for his choice, but it didn’t make these insults any easier.
The Wolf was impatient, “What was the point of all of this, Andrew! What was your plan? After all those weeks of suffering, am I to believe you just like getting fucking hurt?!”
Andrew stared at him in silence, as he kept his secrets hidden under his sleeve. He wasn’t going to tell his enemy what his plan was, that would be foolish.
The Wolf shook his head in intense disappointment and looked away once more. He gave himself a moment to recompose himself as he got his thoughts together, and his face changed from outrage… to sadness.
“I lost the most important thing in my life. My boy Gerald… was my everything. I cried and cried, when I saw his body at the prison… And I don’t know what hurts more, the fact that I couldn’t get vengeance for his death… Or the fact that you endured my wrath, only to be sitting here alone and hurt.”
He quietly asked, “Did we both lose here?”
He briefly put his face in his hands and breathed out, shaking his head some more.
He looked at Andrew with sorrow, “You know, when you torture someone… it takes a toll. The more horrid a thing I did to you in desperation, the more of my soul I paid twice over.”
He looked with dead eyes at Andrew, “I used it all, I'm all spent… I have nothing left of myself.”
He looked down at the bottom of the safety glass, as he stared into eternity for a few moments. He seemed as though he was trying to recall a disturbingly powerful dream.
“I remember when I first went down into that basement. I remember offering you an easy escape, for simple information. I figured you were an easy target; I mean you didn’t initially strike me as someone strong. When I took that bag off your head and looked you in the eye…”
He paused as his face showed both admiration and fear, “The eyes that looked back at me… they were sparkling. They were the eyes of a man, with strength of hope. Those eyes scared me, and I never knew why, but it left a horrible feeling of fear inside of me.”
“Throughout those weeks, I would look you in the eye… and see that look of indomitable will, staring right back at me. I should have stopped… I realised in the beginning, that you were stronger than me. But my heart was shattered from the loss of my son, and I felt I had nothing left to lose.”
He whispered slowly and intently, “But those eyes…”
“I still wake up sometimes in a cold sweat… The last thing I see is those… goddamned eyes!”
Ronald said nothing for a few moments, as his face was absent of any emotion. He finally looked Andrew in the eyes.
“Now I see a lonely man… I see a hurt man. I realise that your pain torments you even now, months afterwards.”
Andrew broke down into tears, “You broke me…”
Ronald instantly shot back, “No I didn’t! I look into your eyes now and that same unshakable man is there, staring back at me… He’s just hiding.”
Andrew recoiled back, as if he were just hit by a spear.
Ronald stared into Andrews eyes, “Look into my eyes, and you will see a man with nothing left. I bet my soul into trying to get revenge for my son… and I failed. I gambled and lost everything… But I took nothing from you, Andrew. I hurt you… but I could never make you yield.”
Ronald shook his head, “You suffer, because you think I took something from you. But the truth is that… I was never strong enough to take anything from you. Son… You had already given your everything to someone else.”
“Who?!” Andrew begged, as tears streamed down his face.
Ronald shrugged, “I don’t know… You tell me who you keep close to your heart... It’s probably the same people you saw when I drugged you. You called them… Angels.”
Andrew thought intensely about what Ronald said. Perhaps they were in his heart all along, and he simply never realised it until now.
He looked at Ronald confused, “Why are you telling me this? Why are you trying to console me? You hate me!”
“No, I don’t!” Ronald barked back. “I did what I did to you, boy, with the thought of my dead son motivating me… not because I hated you! If anything, now that this is all over, I look at you with intense admiration. I’ve seen your strength of will and it’s mighty. You may be the strongest person history will ever know… if you ever bother to tell anyone about it.”
Ronald turned to the red button at Andrew's side and stared at it. It was time… he had said his share. Andrew was still crying as he also looked at the button. He knew that once that button was pushed, Ronald would disappear… and never ever return. He hesitated for a long moment, desperately wishing he had more to ask him or more to say… yet he didn’t.
He finally pushed the button, a loud buzzing sound played in the passageway and a few seconds later the door opened. The two wardens entered and approached the prisoner. They had Ronald stand, as they each placed one hand on his shoulder. They turned and started pushing him to the door, as Ronald turned around and looked Andrew in the eyes, one final time.
“Your pain is thinking you’ve lost something.”
“But you didn’t lose it… You kept it safe in their laps.”
*
The large screens in the hall went black once more.
Oliver was still looking up at the large screen above him, deep in thought, “I apologise… I’ve actually never watched this. At the time, I respected his privacy and never asked him what happened. That was quite a… meaningful exchange.”
Nadia stood up, with confused emotions written on her face, “Do you mean to say… that we are causing his pain?”
“Not exactly…” Oliver casually responded. “He is causing his own pain, in a sense, and you two are just the unknown participants.”
Aisling stared at her desk, her voice quiet and contemplative, “Is it really possible though? Can a person really latch their emotions to others?”
He answered excitedly, “Absolutely, we do it all the time, Aisling, both in big ways and in smaller ways. A simple example would be listening to an old song and how it brings back powerful emotions that you felt when you first heard it. You recall the memories you felt, when you first heard it.”
He smiled, “We are inextricably connected to each other, in the most meaningful ways imaginable.”
He exhaled deeply, “Andrew seems to have done this… tethering, to you two. That’s one of the reasons why I desperately called the vote earlier. Having him come here is the last card in my deck… I have tried so many things to pull Andrew out of his depression… This is all that I have left to try.”
He looked at Aisling sadly, “Humans who suffer extreme stress in a traumatic event, do anything they can, to mentally cope.”
“Andrew tethered everything into you two… Into your dream, hope and your vision. That was likely how he managed to endure the torture and not mentally break. It was why he hallucinated you two, when he was drugged.”
“You two occupy a crucial place in his heart. Every day that went by after he tethered himself to you, he grew more and more depressed. He exists in his body and mind, yet his heart is here with you and this organisation.”
Aisling’s face changed to that of guilt and sorrow, but Nadia was more concerned than sad. She asked genuinely, “How can we ever hope to be the angels he thinks we are?”
Michael interjected quickly, “The exact same way you’re doing it right now.”
Nadia looked at him frustrated, “We’re not angels, Michael...”
Oliver glanced between the two young ladies quickly, and he thought to himself for a quick moment, as he tried to understand Nadia’s stance.
He smiled, “This organisation is still very young. A lot has been accomplished, in a shockingly small amount of time, and we’re all still finding our place here, and coming to terms with the role we have in the Roses.”
He turned to gesture at the rest of the hall, “It’s forgivable that perhaps you two have failed to realise how strong of an impression you leave on us all. Did you really think we all joined this organisation on a whim? Do you think members and agents carry out their roles here, out of an obligation?”
Aisling and Nadia were surprised, for they had genuinely never thought of that. They glanced quickly around the hall, and to their surprise, there were beaming smiles directed at them.
Oliver turned back to face the two, “From the very beginning, you two have been angels. Your hope, vision, empathy, determination and genuineness have been nothing short of inspiring. Every word you say, every dream you care to share with us… it echoes through us all.”
He chuckled, “It’s not to say you are perfect, for nobody is. All I’m saying is, when you eliminate the standard human imperfections, that we all share, what is left with you two… can only be described as angelic.”
The hall echoed an honouring 'Hear, Hear!’. The two smiled in flattery, as they humbly looked down at their table. “Thank you.” they both said.
Oliver nodded confidently, “In terms of you fulfilling Andrew's expectations… I don’t have a single doubt about that.”
He quickly looked at his watch and his voice began to panic, “Oh no… we’re running out of time!”
Everyone looked up at the time on the screens. It was 2:52 PM. The Inner Roses typically closed their sessions at 4:00 PM.
He raised his voice, “There’s so much left to say, but I don’t have enough time!”
AI spoke calmly, “Calm down, Mr. Jones. One hour is sufficient for the most important parts. I suggest telling them about the aftermath of Andrew's interaction with Ronald, and then I will show them Ashleys monitor recording, in relation to Andrew's food troubles.”
He calmed down as he restored his focus, “Yes, of course, the aftermath. However, I would be careless if I failed to mention…” He rubbed his chin, debating how important the fact was.
His voice went grim, “The same night that Andrew visited Ronald… Ronald ended his own life.”
There was a small reaction across the hall to that, as several breaths were audibly exhaled. Naturally, nobody was crying for the monster, but it was still uncomfortable to think of his suicide.
Oliver rubbed his eyes for a few moments, “Andrew knew Ronald was going to kill himself… I think that last look that the Wolf gave him, must have clearly told him so.”
After a moment, he smiled sincerely, “However, Andrew came back from that meeting, noticeably changed. On the drive back, he was remarkably chatty and when we got back to the house, the first thing he did was… He turned on the television!”
He stood proudly, “I couldn’t believe it, I was so surprised! What Ronald told him; it had clearly given him a degree of closure… enough at least, for him to no longer ignore the Roses. He spent all day, sat in front of that TV. He asked so many questions to AI and me, about the Roses. He was so curious… and I was just so happy, to finally see him face this organisation.”
He smiled weakly, “Also, the both of us noticed a change in Andrew. His pain had eased. When I asked him how he felt, he said he felt better but was still in pain. As the days went by, he sat there, glued to the TV. He watched every second of it, like it was the most interesting thing he’d ever seen, and it was then that he…”
He shook his head, as he made up his mind, “No, actually I would rather you learned this through Ashley’s recording.”
He focused himself on recounting the important things, “In the following months, as Andrews' broken leg mended… his mental state began to fall again. While the situation with his pain slightly improved… his loneliness grew deeper. It first manifested, with him facing me less. It was as if, he didn’t want me seeing his face anymore…” He briefly flashed a sad and hurt look.
“I noticed this, but he wouldn’t talk about it. In fact, he talked less and less with every passing day.”
He shuddered… Here came the ugly bit again.
Olivers voice cracked, as he tried to describe what happened, “I visited him in the morning, and he had…” After a moment, he shook his head in surrender, for his simply couldn’t recount it, it hurt too much.
AI interjected, “This hall doesn’t need to know about that, Oliver. Carry on please.”
He stood there, depressed. He remembered entering the house and seeing the broken glass on the floor… as Andrew had shattered all the mirrors. He recalled Andrew crying, about how he couldn’t stand to see his own ugly, scarred face anymore.
AI was right though; that was a private thing, that the Inner Roses didn’t need to hear. He shook his head and remembered what the time was.
“Forgive me… I’ll continue.”
He spoke carefully, “After a dark moment, Andrew found inspiration from… a person in the Roses. He also picked up a hobby, to keep himself busy. Most importantly though, his leg fully healed, and Andrew immediately began his physiotherapy.”
Oliver beamed a smile as he looked around, “Andrew's motivation during his physiotherapy, was inspiring on its own. For a man who was falling rapidly into depression, his determination to stand and walk again, was a sight to behold. It reminded me that… even heroes need someone to look up to. Andrew had found his own champion who had inspired him, and it showed in his training.”
“Those months were ruthlessly painful for him. Andrew's body had healed, but the psychogenic pain made his muscle training slow and agonising. Yet as Michael alluded to earlier, Andrew’s strength of will is unstoppable.”
He paused for a moment, as he recalled the haunting memory, of Andrew trying to stand up from his wheelchair, but falling off it instead, slamming onto the floor. He remembered the screams of agony. Oliver would try to help him up, but he always refused it. Oliver would never forget, watching him slowly pull himself up onto that wheelchair, time and time again. The determination on his face, as the tears of agony dripped down his cheeks. The memories were a blend, both tragic and inspiring.
He once more forced himself to snap out of his dark memories of the past, “Eventually, Andrew succeeded, against all odds. Facing unfathomable pain, he finally unshackled himself from the wheelchair. We could never get him into a wheelchair, ever again after that. That was a milestone of progress, he refused to ever regress on.”
“It’s not to say that he is fit though. He can stand and walk, but not very far and not for long. It was far enough however, for him to regain his sense of independence though, and that is all he cared about.”
Oliver stopped to check the time and drink some water… forty-five minutes left. There was only time for Ashley’s recording.
He began speaking quicker, “We left the beach manor a few months afterwards. Andrew and I moved back to this city, and the two of us are now housed in an agent hostel. It’s an apartment that was designed to be a safe house and rest point for agents in the area.”
“We also took Andrew to the dentist, as it was time he had his teeth back. The dentist had a full set of permanent prototype dentures put in. AI spared no expense, and they are for all intents and purposes… real teeth. They’re an incredible bit of work, to be sure.”
Oliver’s face looked heartbroken, “Unfortunately, Andrew still became more and more depressed. Three weeks ago, the situation reached a critical point… as Andrew stopped eating.”
He looked away hurt, as he spoke, “We tried everything to get him to eat, but he just wouldn’t take anything in. It was a mild concern the first day it happened, but after four days, it became a dire concern. Andrew was thin enough as it was… he simply didn’t have enough energy to afford that… All he did was watch TV, as he rocked in pain.”
He shook his head, “I panicked as I ran out of ideas… but AI came up with a solution quickly. She figured, since Andrew was excited and inspired by agents of the Roses, what if we had our top agents come over and eat? It would make sense, as he lives in a safe house for agents.”
“AI coordinated with chef Heartly, to create a simple and easy to digest meal, which would give a lot of calories. Heartly did an incredible job. Truly, my respect goes to the chef. The agents collected the meal and went to the safehouse. Michael refused the mission, so it ended up being agent Ashley Gardner and William Forest, our second and third highest ranked agents. Andrew knew of both of them, so the plan seemed sound.”
“The mission was recorded, thanks to the monitors that AI had assigned to the agents. The portable eyeglass that they use to stay in constant contact with her.”
He looked at the agents sitting in the near centre of the hall, for they all had their little blue plastic screen in front of their left eye. It was the easiest way for people to recognise agents and separate them from standard Rose members.
Ashley jumped out of her seat like a lightning bolt! Her shoulder length curly blonde hair and blue eyes were often matched with an aura of confidence and straightforwardness. At that moment though, her eyes were wide open, as she had only then just realised the significance of who they had visited.
“That was Andrew!” She exclaimed, “Oh my God, I had no idea-”
Oliver interrupted her, “Don’t worry, Ashley! You didn’t know, because we didn’t tell you… We had our reasons, remember? Either way, you handled it perfectly, so please don’t worry.”
Ashley sat back down, shaking her head in disappointment. Agent Will reached over and gently pat her on the back, for he also felt a pang of guilt for his ignorance.
Michael was quiet, he sat as still as a statue, staring at the floor. He remembered that mission, and he remembered refusing it. The moment he realised it was Andrew… he knew he couldn’t do it. Andrew was Michael's hero, the man he’d dedicated months of his life to. Over those months, he internalised Andrew’s character, motivations… and his suffering. If he were to have visited Andrew back then, it would have become impossible to keep wearing the mask that he had promised to hide behind. He would not have been able to act normally and feign ignorance… He had to refuse the mission, or else he might have jeopardised everything.
Oliver quickly glanced at Michael and smiled. There were no hard feelings about Michael refusing, and AI didn’t object either.
“AI, please show Ashleys recording.” Oliver politely requested.
The large screens in the hall started playing the last video.
*
Since the recording came from Ashley’s monitor, the video was from her perspective.
It began with her looking down at her hands, as she held two white plastic bags. They were standard looking fast food bags, full of differently shaped food boxes. In the left bag were the agents' food, which was noticeably larger than the right bag. The right was a relatively small bag, with only a single hard plastic container inside of it.
She had just stopped walking, as she reached the apartments front door. The lock was red, and it would only open with AI’s activation. On the bottom left of the recording, writing appeared. // Standby, unlocking //. That writing must be what the agents saw in their monitors, it was AI directly talking to them, moment by moment.
The light on the door went green, as the electric lock clicked. An arm appeared from the left and pulled down the door handle, swinging open the door.
Ashley spoke, “About time you made yourself useful Will! I’m usually the one doing everything here, aren’t I?”
She looked left, at Will; he smiled at her as he bowed sarcastically for her to enter.
Agent William Forest, always known as just ‘Will’, was the kind of man who always smiled and lifted the mood of a room. His buzzcut faded hair style naturally made people focus on his warm smile. His awesome sense of humour, perfectly paired with his practical optimism, making him the best person to be at your side… in almost any situation.
She walked through the door into the passageway, as she glanced around to get a feel for the layout of the apartment. It was a modernly styled, white walled apartment, with a more basic and conservative theme. Three passageways seemed to lead to different rooms.
There was the sound of voices at the end of the left passageway, so Ashley immediately walked that way. At the end of it, it led into to what appeared to be the living room. It had two large white sofas, separated by a glass coffee table. On the wall hung a massive television.
She stopped after entering, when she glanced a figure sitting at the furthest end of the couch. He was wearing a black hoodie; with the hood fully up, covering his face. He was watching the TV, which had the live stream of the Inner Roses hall. You could hear Aisling talking very passionately, with what seemed to be a meteorologist. They were discussing storm patterns developing over the Philippines.
Ashley kept looking at the hooded figure, as she confidently spoke, “Hi, sorry to come in unannounced, but we were told that we could stop here for our lunch break.”
The hooded figure turned away from the TV, as he quickly glanced over at them, and then immediately looked down at the table. Their posture was slumped, and their breathing was slow. One could faintly hear a whimper at the end of every laboured breath they took.
Andrew quietly spoke, still looking down at the table, “You don’t need to apologise or explain. This is a safehouse, made specifically for you… it’s all yours.” He paused to take several weak breaths.
He then finished what he was going to say, “I’m just staying here for the moment, so don’t mind me.”
Will walked past Ashley’s left side, his tone energetic but relaxed, “Sound, because I'm bare hungry!”
Will stopped inside the room to look at the TV for a moment. Andrew reacted to Will’s voice, looking to his left at Will, and then to Ashley.
He slightly jolted in his seat, whimpering in pain as a result. He slowly forced himself to stand up… his body looked concerningly weak, and his body language reflected agony as he did so. His breathing audibly got louder and faster.
Andrew spoke a little louder, with a hint of excitement, “Agent Forest and agent Gardner! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise it was you!”
“I can’t believe…” He looked down at the table for a second.
He spoke quickly, “I can leave if you want? You two must be extremely busy. I wouldn’t want to interfere with the Roses' best agents…”
Ashley confidently walked up to the table, placing the bags on it, “We got about an hour’s break, don’t worry about that.”
Will spoke as he looked away from the TV to Andrew, “AI had us grab an extra food package, so unless there’s someone else here… It’s probably for you.”
On the bottom left of the recording, AI wrote them a message:
// MISSION CRITICAL, SUBJECT MUST EAT //
Both Ashley and Will reacted immediately, as they shot a quick glance at the hooded person. Their lunch break had just become a mission. Agents were dedicated to following the instructions that AI gave them. If AI said jump, they wouldn’t even ask how high, they would just jump.
There was a pause for a moment, as Ashley and Will formulating a plan. If that mission was marked as critical, then failure was not an option. They needed to get the person to eat, no matter what.
Andrew winced as he slowly sat back down into the sofa, “I’m fine, you go and eat. As agents, you need all the energy you can get.” He turned back to the TV.
Ashley walked to the couch and energetically plopped herself down, right next to Andrew. He slightly winced in pain, as her activity slightly moved him. She looked over at him, but all she could see was the side of the hood.
She spoke enthusiastically, “Oh dear, that won’t do at all! Chef Heartly won’t take kindly to that at all.” She reached over to Andrew's bag and gently patted it.
Will joked as he took a seat on the sofa next to Ashley, “If he finds out someone refused his cooking… I think he’d probably end me.”
He reached over and pulled out the boxes for Ashley and himself. Ashley only slightly acknowledged them in the corner of her view.
Ashley looked over at Andrew and quietly spoke, “Heartly cooked this meal with a passion and dedication that I’ve never seen from him before. It means the world to him, that people enjoy the food he makes.”
“The least you can do is try it… right?” She implored, as she gently rested her hand on Andrews left shoulder.
Andrew slightly looked away from the TV when she touched him, and a moment passed before he slowly spoke, “Ok… I don’t know this Heartly person, but if you agents respect him, then I owe him respect as well. I’ll just give it a small taste.”
Ashley reached over to the table, opening the bag and pulling out the plastic food container. There was a spoon strapped onto its lid.
She gently placed it down on Andrew's side of the table, “Enjoy!” She said, as she looked over to their own food on the left of the table. There were two large hamburgers, sat next to a generous portion of fries. Ashley grabbed one of the boxes and placed it on her lap. She immediately took her burger with both hands and bit into it. One could hear a smooth “mmm” coming from Ashley. Clearly, that chef made a mean burger.
She slightly glanced over at Andrew. He was very slowly and deliberately, trying to pop open the four seals around the container. Andrew wore black gloves, but it was plain to see that his fingers were struggling with the fine movements.
Eventually, he got them all open, as he put the lid to the side and picked up the spoon. It was only then that one could see the shaking of his hands. From where he held the spoon, it was visibly shaking with his hand. It was like watching an old person with Parkinson's.
He slowly dipped the spoon into the soup, and as he lifted the spoon out, his shaking slightly spilled some of the soup out of the spoon. You could hear a frustrated exhaling of air from Andrew. Slowly, the spoon finally reached his mouth as he sipped it up.
While one couldn’t see Andrew's face due to it being concealed with the hood, you could hear him lip smacking. Andrew swallowed and paused for a moment, “Wow…” he quietly said, “This is so tasty…” He immediately went for another spoonful.
The screen was bobbing up and down, as obviously Ashley was nodding. Ashleys mouth was partially full as she responded, “The man was born to cook, I tell you. I refuse to believe anyone, who claims to not love his food.”
Will leaned forward to look past Ashley, “Thank God I don’t have to be the first person to tell Heartly that he failed… He would snap me in two, like a twig!”
Ashley chuckled as she destroyed her fries. Agents ate immense amounts of food, because they usually tended to be extremely active all day and worked a mean appetite. Andrew slowly leaned forward so that his face was closer to the container. It was clearly frustrating him how slowly he was getting the soup from A to B.
Ashley looked sharply at him and caught a glimpse of Andrew's chin. There seemed to be a scar there, but more concerning was how bony his chin was. It was instantly apparent that he was malnourished. Ashley quickly looked away; aware that her staring would make him uncomfortable.
// 7 days since last meal… //
AI had clearly noticed his malnourished face too. Ashley held back a gasp of panic. Will stopped mid-bite into his burger, before he took a breath and continued eating.
It was Andrew who finally broke the silence, “Please tell this Heartly fella, that I have never enjoyed a soup as much as I have this.” He was then quickly eating the soup.
// Thank you for saving my friend //
Ashley shot a look at Will, who turned to her instantly as well. Both of them had their eyes wide open… Why did AI write that?
Ashley looked back at Andrew, as her curiosity took the best of her, “So, tell me, what’s your name?”
Andrew ignored her, he kept sipping soup with the spoon.
A moment passed and Ashley tried again, “Are you… a member of the Roses?” She carefully chose her words.
He quietly responded, “No. I’m just a nobody, don’t concern yourself with me. You’ll probably never see me again.”
AI spoke through the TV instantly, “That is not true, you are more important to me, then you will ever know.”
Ashley slightly bounced in surprise. She had been an agent for over half a year… and she had never ever heard AI speak like that. Will made eye contact with her, and his face was also covered in shock.
Andrew paused eating, and sat there motionlessly for a few seconds, before he looked at the TV, “You’re too kind to me AI, I don’t deserve you.” His voice was so quiet; it was almost inaudible.
He went back to eating, as he had impressively nearly finished the large container of soup. Obviously, his hunger had kicked back into drive.
He finished the last of his soup and slowly and painfully put the lid back on, tightening the corner seals. He leaned back against the couch, his breathing still painfully slow.
AI’s voice was humble, “May I please ask a favour?”
Andrew waited a second before he spoke kindly, “What can I do to help?”
AI spoke slowly, “Will you please show the agents your hobby items?”
He looked down at his lap, “I don’t think they’ll care about it… they’re just silly things.”
Ashley quickly glanced at Will and then back to Andrew, as she spoke enthusiastically, “Show us! We’ve still got forty minutes, what else are we going to do?”
He paused again, before he slowly pulled himself up from the couch, in the most agonising manner in which a person could somehow manage such a simple act. He walked remarkably slowly, with a noticeable limp coming from his left leg, as he painfully made his way to the cupboard next to the TV. He opened the cupboard door and pulled out a small black cashmere bag, before slowly walking back and taking a seat again.
He pulled the tassels to open the bag and reached into it, pulling out over a dozen cards. He looked at them thoughtfully for a moment, before he offered them to Ashley. She gently took them from him and looked at the first card at the top of the deck. She took a surprised breath, as she instantly moved her head closer to confirm what she thought it was.
The card was beautifully designed, with an elegant silver border around its edges. In the centre of the card, was a flattering photograph of Ashley. She was standing in the Inner Roses hall, dressed in her formal black dress. She smiled as she looked up at what was probably the two Roses on their raised bench.
Her name was written underneath, ‘Ashley Gardner’. Beneath that, was a description. It read: ‘Ashley is one of the top agents of the Roses. Her boundless energy and insatiable desire to serve the Roses, is exemplary. Countless lives have been positively changed, or directly saved, due to her lightning reflexes, sharpshooter affinity and consistent ‘Can Do’ attitude. Ashley stands as a proud example for all agents.’
Ashley spent a moment looking at the card, “You made this card yourself?”
He quickly responded, “Yes. I watch you all on the TV… and I make these cards to celebrate how amazing all the agents are, to me at least.”
She gently ran her finger down the card, “Thank you, it’s… just so beautiful.”
She slid her card to the left, revealing the next card. It had a dark but brilliant copper border. At the centre of the card was the photo of Will, his arms crossed with a smirk on his face as he looked at the camera.
Will leaned in to get a better look at himself. “Wow” he said slowly, his eyes danced around the card. The description read: ‘William Forest. William is known by many as the ‘face’ of the agents. His wicked sense of humour lightens any dark moment, and many would argue that his optimism matches Aisling herself. His military service has him decorated with an impressive array of firearms experience and tactical awareness.’
“... and tactical awareness.” Will quietly read out.
He looked up in thought, “That’s exactly what the board wrote about me at HQ. You’ve been to the HQ and copied these descriptions down onto the cards?”
Andrew slightly moved his head to look at Will, “No?”
AI spoke, “The descriptions in HQ, came from these cards, Will, not the other way around.”
Will looked down at the card and back up to Andrew, “How did you…”
He wanted to ask more, but he stopped himself. The hooded person was clearly far more than he had appeared.
Ashley flicked through the cards, all of them were agents in descending order of rank. Each one personally described and decorated. She reached the bottom and tilted her head to the side. She quickly skimmed through them all a second time.
“You missed someone.” She said quietly.
Andrew looked down at the floor, his body slightly shook as he whispered, “I keep that card close… at all times. That person is my hero and my inspiration…”
He looked away from them, and after a moment, he slowly unzipped the top of this hoodie. He reached into it and slowly pulled out a single card. He zipped back up his hoodie and gently cradled the card with both hands.
Ashley leaned over a bit to look at it. It had a radiant gold framed border that shone in the light. There was a picture of Michael at the centre. He slightly crouched down, as he had both his arms around Nadia and Aisling, his hugely tall and muscular frame towered over the two ladies. He was beaming his confident smile at the camera, as the two young ladies looked up at him, smiling just as brightly.
The photograph was stunning, and one could hardly imagine a better picture to show Michael in. The description read: ‘Michael Campbell. Michael is the highest ranked agent of the Roses. He was the first agent to be officially designated by AI. His list of accomplishments is endless, and his performance is consistently flawless. The Roses have much to thank Michael for, his role has been essential in helping the dream of the Roses become a reality. His military experience has saved countless lives. There is no task that he does not excel in, as his relentless determination, confidence, charisma and strength of will is legendary.’
At the bottom of the card, in small but beautiful font, wrote: ‘My hero, you inspired me to stand and walk again. You constantly inspire me to try to be stronger. May you forever stand as a giant hope for all, as I humbly rest in your shadow.’
Andrew ever so gently ran his finger across the card. Ashley didn’t dare try to take the card from him.
Ashley thoughtfully mentioned, “He was supposed to meet us here today. I don’t know why he didn’t come.”
Andrew shook his head, his voice cracked with emotion, “It’s because of me...”
Will quietly asked, “Oh, you know him?”
Andrew kept shaking his head for a few moments, “Apparently, he once saw me. It was after…”
Ashley gently rubbed his back, as they waited for him to be ready to speak more.
He quietly continued, “It was after I was rescued… from a very difficult situation. I was still in shock and Michael saw me… at my weakest... and I think he hates me.”
He broke down sobbing, as his body shook… not from pain, but rather… from shame.
He wept, “He saw a man so pathetic, so broken… Ever since then, he’s been consumed by anger… I must have tainted him with my weakness.”
Ashley spoke quietly, “He’s your hero though… he’s not the kind of man to judge someone like that…”
Andrew wept, “You can’t fathom how low I was…”
Minutes passed as Andrew cried to himself. Ashley looked through the cards again, her hands slightly trembled as she considered what to say.
She finally decided to ask, “If you could say something to him… to your hero. What would you tell him?”
Andrew sat there, rocking back and forth as he shook his head. Many moments passed before he whispered.
“I would say… forget about me. Don’t let me haunt you with my failure… I see you on the TV… Compared to who you were in the beginning, you’ve changed so much, since that day you saw me. I want to see you smile again, as you carry the Angels on your shoulders, to a brighter future. Forget about me… Let me fade out of your mind, like a bad nightmare. I’m just a shadow. Don’t let my failure anchor you and hold you back, from the greatness you are destined for.”
A few moments passed as Ashley looked at the small deck of cards, “These cards are beautiful. They were clearly made with love, attention and respect. The Roses need passion like this, and I hope one day you’ll come visit us. I know all the agents would love to see their own card.”
*
The large screens in the hall went black as the video ended.
Ashley and Oliver were then next to Michael. He had not seen that recording… and it devastated him.
He sat with his face in his hands in shock, “He’s my hero… And he thinks I hate him? He thinks I was disgusted when I saw him…”
Oliver tried in vain to sooth the giant, “It’s his depression that led him to view your avoidance from that perspective… You did what you needed to, for the right reasons.”
He yelled, “Good intentions be damned! Look at the results, Oliver, I failed him! When he was lonely and in pain… he felt that I had abandoned him!”
Oliver yelled over his own shoulder, “AI, please tell me this isn’t being streamed!”
AI quickly responded, “Of course not, I have been censoring confidential and private moments, in real time. They simply see a buffering logo at present.”
Aisling and Nadia appeared alongside Michael; their faces streaked with dried tear marks, as they embraced him together.
Aisling was emotional, “This is not your fault! You honoured your promise… you honoured him!”
Nadia spoke quietly, “We have time Michael… time to make this right, time to save him from the darkness he’s fallen into.”
AI firmly stated, “I will not lose my saviour. I will find a way to get him here, and he will find the closure that he desperately needs.”
A long moment passed as everyone comforted Michael. Eventually, he signalled that he was no longer emotionally compromised. The angels returned to their seats on the raised bench, as Oliver returned to his position at the centre of the hall, “We’re good now, AI.” He stated.
AI loudly stated, “The streaming issue seems to have resolved itself. Apologies to our viewers for the disconnections. Local road works have been causing internet outages.”
That was a blatant lie, but nobody watching would know any better.
Oliver summarised, “And so we find ourselves in the here and now. The Roses and the world, now know the truth. That we were saved from oblivion, by a single man. Andrew endured extreme torture, and in so doing, gave our organisation the critical time we needed to build our foundation. That time allowed us to rally like-minded folks to the cause and gave us hope for the future. Andrew believes in the Roses dream. He proved his hope and vision in a monstrous trial by blood. He willingly suffered in agony and obscurity for nearly a year, all to allow us what we have here and now. He’s lonely, depressed… and now he stands at the cliff's edge. He’s about to jump, but I desperately hope we can stop him.”
He stared at the floor, “It’s time we returned the favour… and rescued our own saviour.”
Applause broke out across the Inner Roses hall, as it became swept up in an overwhelming optimism. The entire organisation had stepped out of the shadow of ignorance. Even though the truth was a difficult thing to be told, it was listened to with reverence.
Oliver raised his hand for silence as he looked at the time. The clock showed 3:55 PM, and several more things yet needed to be said.
Oliver sounded glum, “As a psychologist, I must warn you all. Andrew is still in a rough state… There are crucial things that we must all keep in mind, at least in the beginning.”
He paused to ensure that everyone was listening and paying full attention.
His tone became clinical, “He panics when he hears car horns, and I don’t think I need to remind you why. When he hopefully arrives, across this entire region, AI will be disabling and forbidding all usage of car horns. Please give us your understanding when this restriction is called.”
He looked around sadly, “He hides himself in his hoodie, for he despises how his body has still not healed away the marks of his torture. They might heal after he gets closure, but until then, his body refuses to repair its apparent effects. So please, I implore you… don’t mention it, don’t stare at him and don’t draw attention to his shyness.”
Oliver stopped and looked at his watch, “Time’s up. I can’t tell you when he will arrive, only that it will be soon. This has been a difficult day, and I feel there will be more difficult days yet. That all said… today is the most hopeful day the Roses have ever had.”
AI spoke, “This meeting is now adjourned. I will be available for any clarification or questions, both from Roses members and from the media.”
***
Post Meeting, AI Press Conference
It had been a truly eventful day for the Roses organisation. It had only been an hour, since the session in which the truth of Andrew Smith had been revealed. The press was invited into the Inner Roses Hall, where they all took a seat on the wooden chairs, usually reserved for the agents.
Different social media agents, government representatives and members of the press were present, each with an identification badge on their shoulder.
After they had all taken their seats and quietened down, AI began speaking to them through the speakers across the hall.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the press and other representatives, I thank you for your prompt arrival to this impromptu press conference. I will be the spokesperson for this session, as I attempt to answer any questions or concerns you may have.”
There was a mild reaction as people looked around in confusion. They eventually settled down and a man in the front stood up.
“Hi, Sam Ailmon, Great British Broadcasting. AI, I want to enquire why you censored the surname of Andrew?”
AI responded instantly, “Thank you, Sam. Yes, I intentionally censored Andrew's surname, to ensure his privacy and anonymity. If people could search him up, they would chase after him and harass him, which in his current state would be dangerous.”
Sam asked another question immediately, “Why did you not show us the videos that the members were shown?”
AI immediately answered, “Once more, because of privacy. However, there was one video that had shocking content of a distressing nature, so in that case, I chose not to show it in respect of the sensitivities of the viewer.”
A blonde lady quickly stood up, “Karen Dench, Youblub video. AI, there were many interruptions to the broadcast, leading to nearly an hour and a half missed… May we enquire why that happened?”
“Thank you, Karen. Yes, unfortunately we have had roadworks nearby that have been causing blackouts or disturbances to both electricity and the internet. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the interruptions.”
Karen asked another question, “May the public come and see Andrew at the headquarters?”
“Unfortunately, due to the sensitive nature of Andrew's current predicament, only Rose members will be permitted access to the headquarters for the foreseeable future. Thank you for your understanding.”
An older gentleman slowly stood up, as he was in no rush, “Harry Kendleton, Northern News. May I ask if you have any comment on the online reaction to this video. There are fierce debates being waged between different communities about whether Andrew is a hero or a villain.”
“Thank you, Harry. I have seen these online debates; however, they are no more exaggerated than any other online dispute. I implore all internet citizens to please wait for further facts, before making any hasty assessments of Andrew or his circumstances.”
The last person to stand up was a government member, “Eric Foundman, UK Government Media Liaison. We find ourselves concerned about an AI withholding critical information from the public. Was your silence legal and do you feel you overstepped your bounds?”
“Thank you, Eric. I have done research into whether refusing to speak was illegal for a machine, and as far as current legislation goes, there are no specific laws forbidding an AI for withholding information with good intent. On the topic of whether I overstepped my bounds, I deny that allegation. I acted in the best interests of the welfare of humans, both in my organisation and in society as a whole.”
He asked his last question, “AI… When will Andrew be made aware, that the promise has been broken?”
“I do not have a locked-in time frame for this: I will need to employ great care and consideration, as to how I inform him of this significant change. I can only state that I intend to act with considered haste.”
Eric sat down, and a moment passed as nobody else stood to ask any further questions. AI addressed them all one final time.
“Thank you for your time, questions and concerns. The next few weeks will be challenging for our organisation, however we will remain as transparent as possible, to ensure that the public remains clearly informed of the situation, as it develops. In future, I will only be having one on one interviews on this topic. Kindly contact Administration to make further arrangements. Thank you everyone, and good evening.”
***
