The Heritage of Sephtis: The Returning

21: The Executioner

Ali sat in the back of his car, with Finn, holding the contract as if it were a royal proclamation. He was reading down the page, much to Finn’s disappointment.

    “You do realize, I was joking when I said I wanted to read it over, right?”

    “If you know all of the clauses, then you can’t complain later when I enforce it, and if for some reason you believe I’ve overstepped the bounds, you can point to the clause and tell me where it says that I have. It’s for the sake of legality.”

    “I-”

    “Just shut up and listen to me.” Ali cleared his throat. “And finally, Section 5C: The contract can only be voided upon finding a functioning portal to the other world. Until it is located, party B will be indebted to Part A and will remain in their custody.”

    “What if I die?” Finn snorted.

    “You will still be indebted.”

    “What if-”

    “You’ll still be indebted.”

    “Even if-”

    “Yes.” Ali sighed in frustration. “It would have been nice if Jaden had said something about your personality.”

    “Don’t mention that name.” Finn growled.

    “Angry? It didn’t seem like the two of you got along very well, surely you didn’t feel betrayed. A P.I. like yourself should have seen it coming…”

    “I-” Finn looked away. For once, he had no reply.

The car stopped in front of a small office-type building.

    “Ah, good! We’re here!” Ali got out of the car, and Finn was dragged out. He looked across to the second car, looking for Jack, and was relieved to see him. He relaxed a bit, and was dragged inside. Jack was dragged through a different door. Finn was dragged down a twisting maze of hallways and doorways, all set up exactly the same. How one could find their way around a place like this was a mystery to him. Then Ali, who had been leading the procession, stopped in front of a door. One of the guards opened the door, and the one who had been holding on to Finn shoved him through the doorway. In the room there was a desk piled with files, nearly the height of the desk. In the corner, almost as an afterthought, an old desktop computer sat humming away.

    “Good luck.” Ali stood staring at Finn. “Close the door please.” He turned to leave.

    “Where’s Jack?”

    “Who? The boy?” Ali scoffed knowingly. “He’s outside being shot. He’d be in the way if I let him stay, and I can’t have people running around telling others what’s happening here. It is illegal after all.” Finn stared blankly at Ali.

    “Outside?”

    “Yes, being shot. I’ve already said this.” Ali shook his head, laughing. “Now, you can get to your work.” Ali waved at a guard, and the began closing the door, but Finn rushed forward suddenly, stopping the door.

    “You can’t! He’s my...apprentice!”

    “That makes no difference to me?” Ali blinked, confused. “Close the door.”

    “If I were to die, there’d be no one to take my place.” Finn said, now recovered from the shock. He didn’t want the kid to die, he had too much life to live so much kindness, even if it did annoy him. Or maybe he just reminded him of his brother. It didn’t matter. “No one would know what I had found, unless you let someone work with me.”