Fall, 2 AM, 2008, NYC, Nadir's Home
It is well past midnight when Nadir forces himself up to answer the pounding at the door. He had gotten into an argument with Erik at the bar a few hours earlier and he is not quite ready to forgive the other man quite yet. He prefers for Erik to squirm, to think about his actions and that they do have consequences. Nadir will always forgive Erik, but he still wants him to learn from his misdeeds.
Expecting Erik to be on the side, Nadir opens the door. Instead a young boy with golden feline eyes, a suitcase pushes past him and makes himself at home. He drops his bag off into the spare room and then goes into the kitchen.
"RC? What are you doing here? Did your Mama or Papa drop you off?" Nadir steps outside. No car. Surely the boy did not walk all the way over here. That is over forty blocks!
Reza "RC" Charles Giry, the only child of Meg and Erik despite their many years together, is raiding his fridge. The boy does not eat, much like his father, but rather likes to critique and base his judgment of others on what he finds in their fridge. One of the many ways he is cunning and manipulative.
He is seven and a miniature Erik. They have disturbingly similar personalities, talents, devoted entirely to self-interest, and unlike his father, RC is quite the handsome boy. He has features that Adonis would swoon over, those vibrant golden feline eyes, dark wavy short hair, heart shaped face, and the cutest nose.
"I cannot help to be shroud in beauty," he said to his father when he joked bitterly about his son's paternity.
"I walked here." RC says. He closes the fridge.
"Do your parents know you're here?"
"No."
"I'm taking you home."
"No. I don't want to go home. I ran away. I can't go back if I ran away." He crosses his arms, stops his foot, and lifts his chin defiantly.
"Why did you run away?"
He ignores Nadir. Nadir kneels in front of the boy.
"Reza Charles, why did you run away?"
His eyes water slightly.
"Mama yelled at me."
Ah.
"Your Mama must've had a good reason to raise her voice at you, little one. She doesn't often yell at you, does she?"
He shakes his head. His upper lip trembles and clenches his fists. It is not a happy memory.
"I was getting her a present. Papa made her sad and I wanted her to smile."
Nadir voice is caught in his heart. Erik and Meg do not have the healthiest or a conventional relationship, but they've done their best to do right by their son and keep their crazy away from him. RC never wants for anything, be it parental attention or toys. He is nurtured body, mind and soul by both.
"What was the present?"
"A flower. There was a flower in the tree outside my window that Mama likes. So I jumped out the window and onto the tree to get her the flower, but it made Mama angry and she started yelling and wouldn't listen to me when I told her why I was in the tree! Mama's who love their sons don't yell, so Mama doesn't love me, and I don't love her." He managed to get all of that out in a single breath. Nadir felt out of breath for the boy for just listening to the rant.
"Your Mama only yelled at you because she was worried that you could have gotten hurt."
"I didn't get hurt! I know how to climb trees and I know how to jump from my window to the tree. Papa thought it was funny. Mama yelled at him too."
"Your Mama loves you very much, she was just concerned about you."
"She's mean." He sniffs.
"She's not mean. She loves you loudly."
RC merely pouts.
"Come little one, before your parents tire from worry. Let's get you home." He grabs a hold of the young boy's hand, only for it to be ripped away. He backs away. His face full of fury.
"I'm not going back." He means it. His eyes glow golden fire with his anger.
"RC, I—"
The door his home burst open like an angry ghost and Meg Giry storms in and the seas part and the world quakes with her fury.
"Reza Charles Giry what do you think you're doing? You sneak out of the house well past your bedtime. Do you have any idea how worried I have been? You silly, selfish boy! You are just like your Papa, I could scream!" Meg grabs her son into a rough embrace. He tries to fight her off.
"I would die if anything happened to you, you fool!" She kisses the top of his head and then his cheek. He moans, groans and squirms like an insect trying to get out the spider's web.
"Mama, stop it!"
"You know I love you, right?" She kisses him some more before spinning him around in an epic hug to end all epic hugs. He fights the giggle and enjoyment of the spin hug.
"How'd you know I was here?" He asks after Meg has settled and they snuggle on the sofa while Nadir makes tea.
"I'm your Mama. I will always find you. No matter what, no matter where you are." RC finds a strange comfort in those words.
"Meg."
Meg looks over to Erik before she looks away. She is still upset with him. Nadir returns to the front room, with two mugs. His heart jumps back to his throat when he sees his newest guest. He walks back to the kitchen for another mug.
"What is this."
"What is what, Erik?"
Meg is never short with Erik. She's usually understanding, kind and ready to forgive. This anger is new. Different. Erik does not like it.
"Imagine my surprise when I woke up alone and that our son was missing. You could have said something. Left a note, woken me up."
"You leave all the time without word, I thought you'd understand. What? Only you get to do that? That's not very fair Erik."
RC starts to tense up. He does not like when his parents get angry with each other. It hurts him inside.
"I don't fuck off with our son."
Meg laughs bitterly.
"Now he's our son? Perhaps I was fucking off to be with his real father."
Erik jaw tenses. He clenches and unclenches his hands and stretches the fingers. He forces himself to remain composed. He knows Meg does not mean that. She has only ever been with him and he knows that.
RC screams. He pushes Meg away and cuffs his ears. He cannot stand the anger, the fighting. He knows of the dark, dirty, ugly words, "divorce," and "break up," and he does not want his parents to do such things. He doesn't want a second Mama or Papa or half siblings. He doesn't want his world to end.
"Stop fighting!" He half cries half screams. He shakes off his Mama's touches and runs from the sofa to the corner of the room, where he hugs himself and shakes with grief and fear.
Erik and Meg are too stunned and ashamed to move. Nadir makes his way over to the cowering child. He whispers words of love and comfort. He gathers the boy into his arm and takes him to the spare room the child claimed some time before.
Nadir returns alone. He says nothing as he looks at the fighting couple.
"Has he calmed down?" Meg asks, unable to meet his eyes. Nadir continues to stare silently.
"Is he asleep?"
Nadir crosses him arms. He can wait all night. He has the patience of a god when he needs to.
"Nadir."
He shakes his head.
Meg swallows slowly. She turns to Erik.
"You hurt me. Then when our son does something incredibly dangerous you laugh, like it's the funniest thing in the world!"
"It was funny. I did the same thing as a child. It drove my mother mad."
"Your poor mother."
"Poor mother? My mother was a cruel, spoiled bitch. I intended to kill her."
"Off the road, Erik." Nadir says sighing. It's always been Nadir's job to make sure Erik stays on the proper road. He tends to get sidetracked by the different exits and attractions.
"It was funny because it was something I would have done and have done. He truly is my son."
"When you do things like that, it undermines me and I feel like you don't support me."
"That wasn't my intention."
"Thank you."
Nadir shakes his head, Erik did not apologize, not truly and yet she forgave him.
"And about earlier." Erik steps closer to her, she turns away defiantly. Teasingly. Nadir frowns. Meg is already falling again. What happened to the angry hurt wife?
He leans into her.
"That was an experiment." His turn to be playful.
"Experiment?"
"To get you angry."
"It worked."
"To a degree, the point was," he brings his masked head to her ears. Nadir cannot hear what is being said. Meg's face turns red. She is embarrassed. Nadir can imagine what it must be then.
"I may have overreacted."
"Can we get the kiddo and go home now?"
Meg nods, Erik puts his arm around her, and they head to the spare room to collect their son.
2017, Nadir's
RC, sixteen and quite the handsome devil, sits at the kitchen table. He has nasty black eye and busted lip. Nadir kneels next to him, ice wrapped in a towel is pressed against the offending eye.
"Have you not heard of ducking?"
The teen snorts but says nothing. He touches Nadir's hand; Nadir lets go of the towel and RC holds it in it place.
"Tell me a story, little one."
"I'm taller than you, Uncle."
"I'm normal sized."
"You're a woodland creature."
"Reza Charles, what happened to your pretty face?"
"A boy." He says casually. He shrugs and adjust the towel.
"A boy. You're fighting kids? RC that's hardly fair." Nadir scolds teasingly.
"Fine, a teenaged boy, Uncle." He casts his eyes upwards in light annoyance. He blinks several times. His wounded eye feels stress. He presses the towel into his eye firmly.
"And why did this teenaged boy damage your eye?"
"Uncle, he is of no consequence. He hit me and that's the end of it. Really."
"I know you."
RC exhales deeply. There is always an air of melodrama that surrounds the boy. He gets it from Erik. Everything is some kind of production with those two. The world is their theater.
"I was invited to a party. The party needed some entertainment and I merely provided."
"And what was the entertainment? Did you perform magic tricks?"
RC scrunches his face in disgust. He hates magicians. Magic is science and practical, nothing more and to claim otherwise is a childish and ignorant.
"Adelaide likes Lorne, Lorne likes both her and Margie. Lorne came to me for advice, both were at this party and he wanted to make a final decision."
"And what did you tell Lorne?"
"I reminded him that he is sixteen and he's not getting married to either of them."
"Oh, yeah?"
"He has the right to do what he wants, with whomever he wants. These humans only live once, Uncle."
These humans.
Nadir could not help to feel a strange cold creep around him. He is just like his father, it's disturbing. Sinister. Nadir is trying his best to keep RC on a good path towards the light. The only thing that has helped the boy from the full plummet is that RC is a devoted son to Meg. He would die before he did anything intentionally hurtful against her.
"What led to the shiner?"
"Romance is nothing without some form of conflict."
"And what's this got to do with your eye?"
"If you allow me to finish, I will tell you."
Nadir gestures him to continue.
"Addie saw Lorne kiss, and I say kiss, but it was more akin to mauling her face, Margie, and she needed someone to confined in. I am nothing but a prince, so I of course lend my shoulder for her to cry on so to speak. In a show of appreciation, she kissed me. Her boyfriend, whom she just happened to forget about, had been watching us. I may have been vaguely aware of his presence."
"Wait, so Adelaide likes Lorne and has a boyfriend, both are at this party?"
"Yes, Uncle."
"Reminds me of the shah."
"How quaint."
"So, who punched you? The boyfriend or Lorne?"
"Gideon."
"Who is that?"
"My sweet human puppy. He gets adorably jealous when I play with others. So, I may have leaned back into him as I was offering comfort to Adelaide. Poor thing did not like that."
Nadir feels lightheaded and grabs RC's legs to steady himself. RC reaches out and holds onto Nadir's hands, his eyes flash concern.
"So, he punched you."
"Yes."
"And Lorne and the boyfriend?"
"Ah. There may have been more violence as I left the party, but my work was complete so," he shrugs.
"Erik would find this funny, so why did you come to me and not go home?"
RC avoids his gaze and tenses slightly. He looks somewhat shamed, a rare thing. Nadir smiles. He knows why.
"Your mother."
"She would fuss and make a big deal out of it. I don't want to stress her."
"You'll have to go home eventually, little one." Nadir reminds him.
"The swelling needs time to lessen. Once it's less puffy and red, I'll return home."
"Stay as long as you need, Lothario."
"A plus refence, Uncle."
"I have my moments."
NYC, Present
Nadir is just about to finish his fifth cup of coffee. He likes spending time alone and to watch people. This café is one of his favorite places to do so. It's equal distance to home and work. He has a good thing going with the staff and sometimes they "forget" to charge him for his pancakes.
"Uncle."
Nadir looks over, his nineteen-year-old adopted nephew. He's slightly shorter than Erik, but still quite the intimidating figure. His hair is dark wavy, somewhat unkept. Red is his favorite color and he never is without something red, today, his trousers, one leg black, the other bright red, his hoodie cream.
"I didn't know you were back. Visiting for the weekend?"
"It's Tuesday, Uncle."
"Isn't this out of your way for coffee?"
"Yes, but I have night classes Tuesdays. Mother wanted to see me, and I need to see you. It works out."
"Me?"
"Later."
He walks away. Nadir feels a strange sense of foreboding. He finishes his coffee and tries to fight back the fear.
Nadir pushes the earlier encounter with RC from his mind once he arrives at his desk at the station. He has several case files to go through and Hadley is compiling new lists of suspects and who they should interview, and what they have collected so far as relevant data.
Nadir cross-referencing and regretting his decision. He would rather work with people, than papers. He reaches for his cup of coffee, only to find sadness. It is empty. He frowns. He looks around, hoping to catch someone on a coffee break.
"Uncle."
Nadir is reminded that RC did in fact tell him that he wanted to speak with him about something. RC is attending NYU currently. He's majoring in journalism and criminal psychology. He started off as a music major, but after a silly argument with Erik, he switched majors to spite his father.
"What can I do for you, little one?"
RC picks up a picture frame from his desk. He runs his fingers along the frame before Nadir takes it from him, rougher than intended. Nadir feels shame and bows his head.
"I need an internship, Uncle."
"An internship here?"
RC takes the seat across from him and slides a paper over to Nadir. He looks at the form. Very official. The college's seal is stamped on the top right corner.
"My professor and advisor approved. All I need is your signature along with your captain."
"Why here?"
"Why not?"
RC shrugs. He picks up a bobble-head toy that Hadley got him as gag last Christmas when she pulled his name for the annual Secret Santa the precinct held.
Nadir considers this. RC is disturbingly like Erik. They share many of the same traits, mannerisms, musical talents, devotion to self-interest, need of power, their shroud of darkness. When Nadir watches RC, he is reminded of those days in Persia.
Those screams, the blood. So much blood that he cannot get it off of his clothing that he doesn't know what blood is his anymore, and my God why won't anyone just shut up those hissing cats, Darius why can't you—
"Uncle?"
Nadir looks over.
"You're crying." There are shades of fear and concern in those feline eyes of his. He watches him with curious eyes, he tilts his head like an animal.
"Oh. Your Uncle is a silly old man. Ignore me." Nadir quickly wipes the tears away. He pushes back the memories and feelings. He can and will endure.
RC starts to speak, but abruptly changes his mind. He shifts positions in his seat. He refocuses his attention on the toy.
"I will need to speak with my captain about this."
"My advisor called him." His voice sounds far away. Nadir gets up, the world is melting away as he walks to his captain's office.
It didn't take much and the conversation had been short. The captain aggress, signs the paper and Nadir returns to his desk.
"What exactly are you looking for?"
"Exploring my options."
"What does this internship involve exactly? What's on your end?"
"You write weekly reports to my professor about my progress and I write a final presentation and paper."
"Do you have a serious interest in criminal justice?"
RC smiles.
"To a degree, yes."
"Not interested in pursuing music?"
RC smile melts away and transform into something darker, angry.
"No room in the spotlight. I'd prefer to cast my own shadow than to suffer in another's."
"You play different instruments, RC." Nadir reasons.
"I am not seeking a career in music, Uncle." He says hotly.
"So, this is my home office." Nadir gestures to the overstuffed bookcases in his home office. Papers, folders, binders, are on the floor in piles. RC clicks his tongue in annoyance.
"What is your filing system based on?"
"The top ones are new." Nadir shrugs.
"I'll fix this."
He moves forward, picks up s folder and skims through it. Nadir shuffles his feet.
"Have you visited your parentals? They know about your interning."
RC flinches and the folder crumples in his hands.
"It was Mother's suggestion. I do not recognize Papa at the moment. Not while he's with her."
RC loathes Christine with a fiery passion that Nadir and the others find truly terrifying. You do not mention the name, "Christine," around him.
"I hope I can live up to the idea they have of me."
"Yes."
RC picks up more folders.
"Do you solve any cases?"
"I've solved plenty."
"Doubtful."
Nadir is ready to go out the door when RC appears by his side.
"Where are we going? Interviewing suspects?" RC has an excited glint in his freaky golden cat eyes.
"I'm meeting Charles and Jules for drinks."
"Oh. "
"You can't come, you're underage."
RC scoffs.
"I'm a college student, Uncle"
RC pulls something from his wallet and presents it to Nadir.
"That's a false ID and you're showing it to me, an officer of the law."
"Take it if you want, I have others."
They arrive at the usual place. RC does not go in.
"You cannot be serious."
"What?"
RC shakes his head.
"This isn't you." He nods at the bar.
"I come here all the time."
"Do you enjoy it?"
Nadir does not, but it's what the Frenchies like, so he just goes with the flow.
"I like the company, not the place."
"You should enjoy both."
"What do you suggest, little one?"
"Somewhere that's more your tastes."
"And you would know such a place?"
"Follow me, little moth."
RC starts walking and Nadir can't help but laugh, he is following a minor to a better bar. What he finds in a hole in the wall place. The lighting is low, the floor is untidy and the bartender is going with a late goth phase.
"RC, babes!" The bartender calls out. RC nods and walks over.
"The usual?"
RC nods.
"You come here often?"
RC nods, turns around and leans his back against the bar.
"This is the place to be, Uncle."
"I can see the appeal."
Several hours later, Nadir is dragging a very drunk RC to bed. He should not have let him drink, so many broken laws, but he did find himself enjoying the night despite having to half carry, half drag a nineteen-year old home.
He takes off RC's shoes and places by the nightstand. He helps RC get into a comfortable position on the bed.
"Sweet dreams, little one. The morning will be painful." He turns off the light.
"Do you think this is a good idea?"
"Of course, it is."
"Erik."
'Trust me. He needs this and you always say you want Nadir to be more of an influence.'
Meg sighs into the phone. Erik orchestrated this whole thing. RC needed an internship; Reza's death anniversary is coming up this month and Nadir usually ends up in a very dark place around this time. So, RC being placed in the care of Nadir would distract him, give him the feeling of being a father again, keep him from spiraling out, and hey, RC gains a powerful mentor.
"I trust you, love."
She ends the call and the conversation.
"Hey. Intern. Coffee." Thom rolls over on his swivel chair and shakes his empty cup of coffee.
"Me too!" Berry shouts from his desk.
"Thrice." Hadley says, a pen in her mouth and she pokes at her computer screen, forgetting it's not a touch reactive device. She looks around, embarrassed before shaking it off.
"Coffee." RC says. He looks over to Nadir, who holds up his own cup.
"This is part of the job. We run off this stuff. Helps us save the world, are you writing this down?"
RC reaches into his back pocket and takes out a small notepad.
"Coffee to save the world." He says as he writes aggressively.
"Coffee!" Thom, Berry, Hadley shout.
"I'm going."
"Google is your friend. You should use as many search engines as you can and we have our databases where we can access cases from others, and also, archives at the library. We're solving a great big puzzle and these places are where we can find the missing pieces." Nadir says. RC writes that down.
"Is there a process or special method to interviewing witnesses or suspects?"
"Yes, but to me it's situational. Each person is different. Remember, you're talking to a person."
"Of course."
RC takes down more notes.
"We should take him on tonight's stakeout." Hadley says from her desk.
"That has nothing to do with our case."
"Still, give him an experience."
"Hadley. Spying on your daughter is not—"
"Khan, it will be helpful. Kid, don't you want to be a part of a real stakeout with homicide detectives."
"Yes."
"Don't encourage her."
"Excellent!"
Nadir sighs in defeat.
"Okay, Khan it's your turn to pick tonight's jams, but I swear to all that is holy to Allah, if you so much as force me to endure another opera, I will kick you in the head." Hadley threatens him in Farsi.
"You like opera, Uncle?" RC asks in perfect Farsi. Nadir hates RC and Erik's language mastery. Must they be perfect at everything they attempt?
"It's growing on me."
"He uses it to torture me!"
"I do not use music to torture." Nadir tone is solemn.
"Music is a powerful weapon." RC says quietly. He looks out the window. Nadir shudders at bitter memories.
"You're telling me. Okay, let's get this night started. Jam it up. Lay down your saucy beats."
He turns on the radio.
Cotton-Eye-Joe.
"Ugh. You bastard." Hadley starts to head bang. RC feels ill. He looks at Nadir, who is also jamming it out, in shame and fear. How can this be something his beloved Uncle enjoys?
"This is maddening." RC holds his precious ears.
"So, how was your first real day being a law man?" Charles asks. He pushes a shot of vodka his way, which Nadir intercepts.
"Nadir needs to apologize to my ears."
"My taste in music is flawless. You're welcome."
"Think you're confusing flawed and flawless there."
RC tries to reach for the alcohol, but Nadir blocks him at every attempt.
"What do you know of music anyway?"
Erik and RC both look at him. Nadir waves them off.
"Music is meant to be enjoyed."
"That wasn't music and I did not enjoy it."
"Consider it payback then."
"For what?" RC is offended.
"The cookies."
RC looks at Erik.
"When you were ten, you ate sweets he purchased from a Persian market."
"They were very expensive, and you got sick all over my carpet."
"That was nine years ago."
"It's good to see your math has improved."
"My math skills were never in question."
"So defensive."
"You're insufferable."
RC crosses his arms and glares.
"I so do enjoy these family moments."
"Shut up, Erik."
Erik grabs his son by the jaw and holds it.
"Such a pretty boy, why an ugly tongue?"
"Erik." Nadir resists the urge to grab him. RC glares, but his face softens. Erik relinquishes his hold.
"I apologize, Papa."
"You've been away so long; do you need a refresher course?" Erik tone is sickly sweet. RC shakes his head.
"No. I know my place." He adverts his eyes to something behind Erik, off in the distance, looking at nothing.
"Good boy." He reaches out and squeezes RC's nose playfully and just rough enough to send the message.
Jules and Meg return from dancing. Meg takes her stool back next to RC. Her smile fades when she sees her son's forlorn affect.
"What's up, buttercup?"
"He's being a child, let him pout." Erik sneers.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
Meg is unconvinced but says nothing.
"How's the internship?"
"I'm a coffee runner."
"Well save the world tomorrow." Nadir winks.
"With the coffee."
"It would be nice if we could all get along for more than five seconds."
It's Sunday and Meg wants to have a nice family brunch. RC says nothing and Erik drums his fingers onto the surface of the table. They're dinning outside at a favorite café and Meg went to the extra mile and they're eating in the evening. A very late brunch.
"I'm cool." RC says finally.
"I have no conflict." Erik says. He wipes his gloves with a napkin.
"I have a dance audition coming up next week. It's for a proper ballet company. Looking forward to that. Probably will be sick leading up to it, like usual. Anyone else?"
"Finished a new work."
"I started playing the flute again. Forgot how much I enjoyed it."
"So, we're being productive! That is good."
"Is it a touring company, Mother?"
"It is."
"International?"
"It is! We'd be touring all over Europe."
"You didn't tell me that." Erik's voice is low, soft.
"I didn't?" Meg knows she didn't.
"No."
"Does it matter? Mother's traveled to different countries before."
"We'll discuss this later, Meg."
"Of course."
"What's the big deal? She leaves the country. You two broke up, it's not like she needs your permission to go or that it complicates your plans with each other."
"RC, you need to use the bathroom." Meg says before Erik can respond. RC takes the hint and leaves the table.
"No."
Meg exhales deeply and leans her head back. She knew she'd have to have this conversation sooner or later, she just preferred later and while she was on a plane.
"I'm a dancer. This is what I'm meant to do. I need this like I need oxygen."
"Dance here."
"This would be good for me. I want to travel again. I want be on my own and do something for myself."
"You can do that here."
"I promised you forever and you chose to have that with Christine, and I have accepted that. I'm trying to rebuild and start a new life, but I can't do that if you don't let me go completely."
He lunges across the table, pulls her close and kisses her aggressively. His mask thrown aside
"She's fun, you're forever," He leans into her to kiss her again, but she turns her head.
"I'm not a side salad. Pick your entrée." She pulls away and stands up.
"I'm going to the audition. If you want to be with me, be with me. Otherwise, have a good life with Christine." She picks up her bag and walks away.
"Where's Mother going?" RC takes his seat at the table.
"Finish your plate." Erik snaps.