The Bagman's Destiny

Chapter 3

E per sempre...

My moods were in a constant state of flux. Last night I was eccentric, I stayed up on the phone until three in the morning, talking about anything and everything; all but my Moth plans, in fear of Butterfly Control tapping my calls but also in fear of being chased after by the person I was talking to. Now I was groggy, grumpy, tired. My throat was sore and I was in an aggressive state of regret as I slipped out of bed. I fell like a clump to the floor. I was nothing but sheets. I was nothing but an object. Maybe that's why I stayed on the phone so late, I didn't feel like an object then. I felt valued by them.

I started to miss Jez as I gathered myself up to go make a cup of tea. He made me feel valued too; in his own obscure way. It's not like I'd go to the ends of Earth to bring him back to life like I would Liam but it was nice having company in a country that felt like a dungeon whether in an alleyway or at home. Even if he was the best mate of the dungeon master, I don't think he liked being alone in Butterfly Nation either. The dungeon master was too busy whipping the slaves to spend time with him unless there was a function, then he became a plus one.

Jez didn't have a proper job. He was meant to be an owner of some hotshot company but I never saw him do anything about it. He lazed around at home, the only thing he was good at was sleeping. He liked to nap in between things. He'd watch a film then nap, he'd have lunch then nap, he'd go for a walk then nap. I found it fucking boring but he was content with his life. He had a personal Controlled Butterfly looking after him - he was different to the others I had come across; he was actually the first I had come across. When I stumbled out of that boat that night a couple of months ago, us immigrants were surrounded by a whole heap of them. I thought I was dead. Done for. Doomed. Yet he stepped out, ordered me to come with him and the rest were left in peril with the others. I felt horrible hearing their screams and begs of mercy as I assumed they were arrested or slaughtered or something... But I also felt relieved it weren't me. I was driven to Jez' house and thrown at his doorstep like the object I was; am. I was the "prettiest one". Despite the first encounter, his Controlled Butterfly was an all round alright bloke who stopped treating me like a doormat after he realised I was sticking out for longer than the others had. I sure wasn't the first but I was the goddamn last. It got me thinking where he was now that Jez copped it.

I climbed out onto the balcony in my slacks and my warm mug in my warm hands. I had never been to Los Angeles before now. I had no interest.  I wish I had. I wish I had seen it without the fear of the war resting on my shoulders. Even though I felt safe sipping my tea on this balcony overlooking the roaring waves against Venice Beach and it's creaky boardwalk, I wasn't safe at all. Henry had placed me here and that meant I wasn't ever going to be safe staying here. If someone found I was bunking here thanks to David Atlas...

I didn't understand why I couldn't stay in their base. They had a huge underwater base, it's where I was sucked into after the first trial. Far below the Pacific Ocean, where butterflies would drown if they dared to pursue, laid the Moths away from danger in a well lit submarine-esque hideout. Henry had done well for himself but felt it was too risky to allow accommodation for those undergoing trials. So the Inn at Venice Beach it was, pretending to be high-class Butterflies with our temporary tattoos and personal Controlled Butterflies who were actually Moth members.

I was given Szilvia, the crazy- ginger-afro-d woman I was crude to. She was actually the nicest person I had ever met - and I've met Niall Horan. She brought me breakfast, lunch and dinner but during the night, when I was most vulnerable, she'd disappear back to the base. I thought it rude but I was afraid of everything. It was probably reasonable if I was a reasonable man. It's probably why I was constantly on the phone during the night, I had to draw security elsewhere. She told me she would deliver me news of the next trial when they were available until then she was just looking after me and had been doing for a few weeks now. She kept me company when I asked too.