Spilling Guts

Part 59 - Clear the Air

Cetz's office smelled like soap, evaporating into the air from a damp Will, Louis, and Rachel. Even clean, Will felt like a wilted heap of old cabbage on a compost pile. Cetz and Rachel had spent the last ten minutes laying out Megan and Teegan's case on trying to find Retten's eye on Louis.

It took a dark turn when Cetz showed them a picture of a wall covered in photos of Louis. Retten's shrine from the Freewill compound. Cetz explained how Megan and Teegan had tried to trace every photo to its source and found the body of Parker Lenore in a morgue.

Louis was calmer than Will expected him to be; introspective and asking questions about the case rather than the ethics behind its execution.

"Was Parker the only one taking photos?" asked Louis.

Cetz put away the tablet and file of pictures. "Meg and Teeg don't think so..."

Will payed little attention to the banter between Louis and Cetz. His mind drifted elsewhere. Strapped to a gurney, mouth kept open, while a face leered over him.

Had Retten known him by name? Should he be wary of the cashiers at the local tea or hobby shops?

Did Retten have the beginnings of a wall full of Will?

"Was he watching me too?" asked Will, interrupting Louis mid-sentence.

"No, we don't think so," said Cetz. "The only mention on record he made of you was your long brown hair."

Will combed through the hair on the nape of his neck, the damp strands sticking to his fingers. His longer hair was one of his more known features, but he didn't want Retten to focus on it.

"But he could have, could be," said Will. "Martin Zachs knew of me and had contact with Retten at some point."

Just the mention of Martin Zachs' name gave Will's stomach a turn.

He lived with a healthy dose of paranoia balanced by an occasional impulse to do stupid things; like trying to add fiber optic lights to the hem of his Jedi robe because it would look cool, and nearly started a fire in the process. Expecting the absolute worse had been helpful. Example: having his own safe house set aside for "bad times".

Which reminded Will to set up a new safe house since the one used during the run from Freewill got burned. Literally.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Retten knew more about all of us than we are comfortable with," said Rachel. "We'll know more about how he operates once Balcuwitz finishes his profile."

"I'd say you also know more about Louis and I than we would be comfortable with," said Will. The opening shot heralding the frustration pent up from the last three days. "You were doing blood tests."

Louis turned to him, puzzled. "I already knew about those tests, and more. Pete sake, I'm having to keep a calorie count for her."

"Blood tests on me."

Louis started at the revelation, but remained silent.

Will turned his tired expression on Rachel like a laser scope trying to find focus. "Recent benefits don't change the fact that "didn't need to know" is a flimsy excuse."

"I wanted to keep an eye out for anything Retten might have done to you while you were out during Freewill. Anything latent or long term." Rachel parted her hands placating. "Cetz and I admit to screwing this up. Keeping this from you was a bad idea."

"Agreed," said Louis. One of the few times Louis agreed with him.

Will's mind spun down into a funk of petulant annoyance with the world at large and wanted nothing else to do with it until he had time to sleep. He hauled his body up from the couch.

"Sorry, but unless you need me here, I'm calling it a day. I'll see you Monday."

He had a session with Balcuwitz waiting, a promise from Reese to have time with Copperfield. He had stuff to pick up from the Patent Office upstairs.

Screw all of that. I'm going home.

He left. Did not pass go, did not look back at Louis when he called after him, did not look back at Beni or Reese when they gave him a concerned look, did not fetch his laundry from the gym hamper, did not collect his mug and Ringwraith figurine from upstairs. He grabbed his satchel and drove home.