Out of Focus |finished|

51- abby and malachi

Malachi stood at Abby's door, his hands eager to punch something. This was how his anger episodes started. This time, he had to control it till he got all his facts and then he'd release all the pent up anger.

"What do you mean by there's more I have to know?" he asked Abby and peered over her head to look into her room.

Abby moved further out of her room and closed the door behind her. "My roommate is in. Can we talk outside?"

"I don't care where we talk, I just want to know everything," Malachi snapped.

Abby nodded and let out an exasperated sigh. She walked past Malachi and he followed her silently.
Malachi thought of how during El's funeral, Julia had remained so composed. She'd told them that El's death wasn't self-imposed. Was that part of her plan? Why would she do that to her own brother?

A million questions ran through his mind and part of him didn't want to believe that his best friend had been killed by one of the people he trusted most. Sure, they argued all the time when Benson was alive but this was his sister!

Malachi let out a grunt and held his fists harder. All this thinking made him want to do one thing, or rather hit one person.

Abby paused at one of the lovers' bench on their hostel compound and looked around her.

"Here seems okay," she sat down and waited for Malachi to join her.

"Start talking," Malachi said even before he sat beside her.

Abby raised her hand in frustration and narrowed her eyes. "Listen Kai, I'm not the bad guy here. You know who it is. Stop being rude to me or I'm not -,"

"I'm sorry okay," Malachi replied and passed his hand through his hair, again forgetting that his afro was cut and his head was now buzz cut.
Abby raised her eyebrows at him.

"I really am. I'm just shocked and angry," he explained.

"Aren't we all. I saw Julia the night Benson was killed; she and Peter. I thought Benson was safe because Peter was working undercover like me and he wouldn't-,"

"Wait Peter is also undercover?"

Abby nodded and continued, "Yeah. I thought Benson was safe but I was wrong. I wish I could have done something. I-I-I," her throat felt suddenly felt tight and her eyes were teary.
Malachi placed a hand over hers and squeezed it gently.

"Julia is bad news Malachi. Very bad news. After what happened and my time in the Chill Network, I found out she's been part for close to three years now. I worked undercover on that and found out that she was sent by Dr. de Heer that night to kill Benson."

"Why would she agree to that and why did you keep this from us all this while?" Malachi asked.

"Benson was killed by her own sister. I couldn't trust anyone, especially you and Simi. You could have been working with her. I had to be sure."

"That was part of the reason why you were tailing me?"

"I had to be sure. and I needed that photobook or the List to nail Julia, to nail all of them." Abby said and continued, "I wish I could have killed Julia. That very night. After, I was given direct order not to go near her or compromise the mission."

"I heard you talking to Peter at the hospital car park. You were angry with him about something. Was it this?"

Abby nodded. "He wanted out because his dad was beaten by de Heer's crew. That woman is a cold hearted bitch Kai."

"I still don't get why Julia would do that Benson. They were blood. There had to be another reason," Malachi shook his head and removed his hand from Abby's.

Abby shrugged. "Only Julia can answer that. I'm just glad she's in jail. I will testify against her and she'll be locked up for good."
She smiled and added, "She won't last a year in prison."

Malachi was deep in thought and didn't hear Abby's last sentences. He knew who killed his best friend but now he had more questions. Questions of which he and Simi had to get to the bottom.

"I have to call Simi. And tell her not to got to Julia's tonight," he stood up and took out his phone. "They're planning a sleepover."

Abby got up in alarm. "What do you mean? Julia should be in jail."

Malachi shook his head. "I don't think your people have got to her yet. Simi talked with her yesternight."

Fear gripped Abby and she held Malachi's arm hard. "No Kai, she has to be. Julia should have been arrested earlier than today because she wasn't part of those in the university involved. She's an outside contractor sort of."

While Abby was talking, Malachi placed the call through to Simi but she wasn't picking. He calmed himself with the fact that Julia lived far from campus and Simi had agreed to see her in the evening.

"Damn it Si, pick your phone," he cursed into his phone.

He turned towards Abby. "How come Julia is still free then? I thought you guys were the NSA!"

"I don't know, I don't know," she murmured as her mind was distraught.

The whole reason she'd continued with this undercover mission was to nail Julia. If Julia hadn't been caught, then it was probable she knew what was going on now.

"Damn it Si," Malachi shouted beside her and almost threw his phone to the ground but composed himself.

He went through his contacts and dialled Simi's roommate, Lara's number. It rang twice and she answered with a "Hey Malachi."

"Is Simi in the room with you?"

"Oh no. She was talking to a girl an hour ago on the phone. I think she went to her place. Her name was Juliana I think?"

"Oh no no no," the fear that had suddenly filled Malachi up caused his hands to shake as if his nerve cells were on fire.

"What's going on?" Lara asked over the phone.

Malachi cut the line, held Abby's gaze and put both hands on her shoulders. "Call your NSA people and meet me at Julia's. Simi's in danger."

He broke into a ran before Abby could respond.