Laurel Drexler, mother of Lorne, is the president of the PTA of the school and she has big damn dreams and ambitions. She wants to be, will be the Queen Bee of the society in this city's sector and she is a fantastic in: her son's best friend, or rather, the parents of her son's best friend.
She discovered his usefulness when she picked him up from school. Her driver had been caught in traffic, she held him up, but really, he should have known better and arrived early, or made the accommodations needed.
She never really paid much attention to her son or his social group, but there was something striking about that seven-year-old. Lorne and RC were waiting together. Lorne waved goodbye to his buddy and ran up to the car, got in and started his incessant chatter.
"Who is that boy?" Laurel watched him, he found his parent and they left together.
"My best friend RC." He says happily.
"RC?"
"Reza Charles."
"What's his last name?"
"Giry!"
That name was vaguely familiar. She stored it in the vault for later use and investigation, it wasn't until that evening that the name clicked.
"Carl is trying to get me to attend this ballet. Apparently, he is keen on the head dancer, Meg Giry. She looks 12, but you know his delicate tastes." Her says over the newspaper he is casually reading.
"Meg Giry?"
"Yes, that's what he said. She is supposed to be quite good. Came from France, she is part that elite crowd everyone's been salivating over." Her husband did not abide by social climbing.
"Elite crowd?" Laurel's interest piqued.
"Oh, you know of them, I'm sure. Those two architects Julian something? And Charles Garnier, supposed to be related to some great French architect from Paris. Designed a fancy cathedral and some Opera House that burned down. Then there's that leader of theirs." Her husband shivers.
"Leader?" Laurel knew who these people were, she had been trying for the last two years to get into their view.
"Ah yes, sweetheart you know, that eccentric. He is never seen without some sort of dramatic mask. No one has seen his face. The French, a strange bunch. They can all go back if you ask me. I have heard nothing positive about them. Drugs, murder," her husband clicks his tongue in disgust.
"I believe he's supposed to be well connected. The eccentric. He can make things happen." Laurel feels her heart race.
"Making deals with devils is no way to get ahead. Use your own talents to achieve your goals."
"Of course. You said that this dancer, Meg Giry? She's among them?"
"Yes."
"Isn't Lorne's friend surname Giry?"
Her husband lowers the paper.
"I believe so, yes. But it is not her. She is too young. She is probably 14. She'd have to have been seven to be RC's mother." He raises the paper and continues to read.
"Let's go to the ballet. Take Carl up on his offer."
"Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't suggest it otherwise."
And so, they went to the ballet. Laurel had no interest in the production, and it was all she could do to not fall asleep or just leave and wait in the lobby or the bathroom.
And when it was over, she prepared herself for introduction. If Carl had an in, she would be there with him.
"The stage manager is going let me have a private meeting with the ripe blonde." He is practically drooling. Laurel hands him a tissue.
"She is a child," Her husband reminds him.
"Nonsense! Dancers always look ten years younger than what they are."
"Let's hope you're correct."
The stage manager led them to Meg's dressing room, where she is alone and surprised at this gathering.
"Meg, this is my friend Carl. Hope you don't mind, he just wanted to say hi."
"Ah, hello." She quickly puts on a rob and covers herself. She extends her hand; Carl partially licks her hand with his kiss.
"You were a goddess!"
Meg cheeks flush, she covers her face with her hands, ever the demure woman. She laughs, the sound is light and cool.
"Do you offer private—"
"Mama!"
A child pushes his way through the adults and hugs the young woman. Laurel recognizes the boy, her son's friend. This is the woman she wanted to meet.
"I believe our children are friends. Perhaps we could set up some sort of play date this week?" Laurel smiled. Meg nodded, not being able to speak while her chatter box boy hugged her and demanded her full attention.
RC always knew that his parents and their friends are not what you would call normal, and he knew he is not normal. He has always been above and beyond others, that includes adults.
"You're a different breed, a new species if you will," his Papa had told him. He is different, and he did not have to slum it with humans, but they were useful.
"Take heart, sweetheart. There is always someone who can use you, wants to use you, just as much as you can use them."
RC remembers a night where he learned a lesson about people and their true intentions.
RC's parents invited Lorne and his parents over to a party they were hosting. The idea was that Lorne and RC would be distracted and out of the way, while the adults could play.
RC has a lot of toys and promised his Mama and Papa that they would stay in his toy room and would not bother the adults. They had to stay in the toy room until they were collected and put to bed. Lorne and RC promised several times that this would be followed.
Once the others arrived at the party RC's Mama handed them a snack plate, reminded them of their promise and followed the others to the living room.
RC and Lorne played princes and dragons, they destroyed all humans, the floor is lava and we can fly, but soon enough even their imaginations were drying up.
They decided to a new game, the ninja avengers. They would sneak around the house, spy on the wicked and learn their secrets of their world.
They wrapped their faces with toilet paper and then did ninja sneaking. They took off their shoes just in case they made too much sound. They rounded the corner to spy the living room.
RC saw his Uncles Nadir and Charlie were by his Mama. Uncle Jules was on the ground. Mama was on the ground by his side, holding his hand.
"Jules," Mama says soothingly. She used her other hand to caress his face.
"Jules, this is the third time this week your heart has been "broken." Maybe you're the problem." Uncle Charles blew smoke from his ciggy into his face. Uncle Jules responded with a rude gesture.
"Eternal torment! That is what this life has become because of the likes of you! If I knew I had to spend eternity with you, I would have told Erik to fuck off!"
Charles bends down and kisses Jules on the lips and pulls away before he is hit.
"Charles," Mama sighs.
RC and Lorne both giggled. They covered their mouths with their hands and retreated and went off to find another more interesting room with adults.
The lowered themselves to floor and tried to keep to darkness and shadows. They gently push doors open, just enough to prevent as much sound as possible. It was not until they came across his parent's bedroom that it got interesting.
" . . . so far all I hear is that you want something." RC stops, that's his Papa's voice. He signals for Lorne to get down and lay on their belly and crawl forward.
There is little light, the only source is the lamp by the nightstand. Loren's mother is on her knees in front of Papa, who is seated on the chair by the vanity.
He changed into his lounge clothing, dark red silk PJs, a dark robe with a hood up and his mask is white, covering his entire face, his golden feline eyes shine through, they always come through.
"What do you want me to do, so I can have this?"
"Meg said you were her dear friend." He looks off to the right. Lorne's mother grabs his hands, vying for his attention.
"I don't dislike her, but what is she, what is her friendship compared to your favor?"
"What is it?"
He looks down at her.
"What? I don't understand the question."
"My favor. What is it worth compared to her?"
Loren's Mama does not speak for a long time.
"You have no answer."
"You're worth more. There is no measurement."
He considers this. He pulls her up and sets her onto his lap. He cups her face and plays with her hair.
"You used her to get to me." His voice is a sweet melody. Lorne's Mama nods.
"That's not very nice. She speaks highly of you."
"I needed an in. A way to get to you, she was easy. There. She is naïve and it worked to my advantage. Am I to apologize for seeing an opportunity? Is it not something you would have done?"
He cups her face and leans forward.
"You're correct," he turns his head, his masked face pressed against her cheek," the problem is that you used my mate, and you offer me no amusement for me to let that pass."
"I-"
He presses two fingers against her lips.
"Sshh." He studies her for a moment.
"You want to use me, for something, and yet I will gain nothing. We need an equal exchange for our relationship to be successful."
Lorne's Mama started to undress, Papa laughs and shakes his head.
"Not enough. A few minutes of a lame fuck is nothing. Tell me, has that ever gotten you truly far?" He pinches her chin and shakes her head back and forth.
RC sneezes.
He covers his face in horror, Lorne sneezes too. Papa slowly turns his head to their direction. RC can feel his heartbeat inside his head. He promised Papa he would not leave the toy room until he was called for, and now Papa saw that he broke the promise. He shakes with fear.
Papa carefully removes Lorne's Mama from his lap, strides over to the bedroom door, he looks down at the boys, into them. RC can feel his scorn, his anger, disappointment. He does not need to see Papa's face to know he is not smiling at him.
Papa grabs both RC and Lorne roughly by the arms and pulls them inside the room.
"You want to see what your curiosity and disobedience brought you?"
He closes the door. He throws RC and Lorne to the floor before returning to Lorne's Mama.
Papa turns his attention to RC. Lorne is too scared to speak, to move.
"Take heart, sweetheart. There is always someone who can use you, wants to use you, just as much as you can use them."
He indicated Lorne's Mama.
"Like this bitch for example, she used your Mama, abused her kindness and friendship so she could get something from me. She is unapologetic, aren't we?" He says this to Lorne's Mama, who says nothing.
"What say you, should we forgive her? Let this slight go?"
RC did not know what to say, but he didn't want to annoy or anger his Papa, so he said what he thought he wanted to hear.
"No."
"Ah, and why not?"
"She was mean to Mama." RC is not sure if that is true or where the words came from, but it sounded right.
Papa claps his hands in glee and spins around to face Lorne's Mama.
"Now let's get to work."
RC covers his eyes with his hands, he dares not peak. He sings the song his Mama sings to him when he is scared to block out the screaming.
12 Years Later, NYC
"This is our best lead. Lorne Drexler." Hadley says she drops the file on Nadir's desk, he reaches for it and flips through it. RC's ears perk up. He looks over.
"Lorne Drexler?"
"Yeah, know him?" Nadir asks, still flipping through the papers.
"He's my best friend. What he do?"
"Murder."
RC laughs.
"No, really."
"Yes, really. He's our main suspect. Everything points to him. Such a shame, I hate dealing with kid sociopaths."
Hadley nods and sits against Nadir's desk.
"They're so damn arrogant. If you are so smart, why am I interviewing you, dumbass."
"Lorne doesn't kill people. He doesn't even use flyswatters." RC reaches for the file from Nadir.
"Sometimes people hide their dark places even from their closest relationships." Hadley says.
"He's transparent. I know him. He would not kill anything or anyone. I see him tonight, I—"
"Kid, you're an intern, not a detective."
"Little one, this isn't something that we—"
"Uncle, I'm not stupid. I'm not going to say, "so, have you murdered anyone lately and why didn't we do it together," I'll just ask him how he's been and what's he been up to, what dates and locations was he supposedly doing murder things?"
"RC, if he is a killer—"
"Then we should arrest him, but I know he isn't so, this will clear his name and we can find the real dick,"
"Your mother will kill me if anything happens to you." Nadir rubs his temples.
"She's more likely to give you Sad Face."
"No. Mama's don't fuck around when it comes to our babies. If someone hurt my baby girl, I'd unleash the helliest hell."
"My mother doesn't feel negative emotions like that."
"You mother has had her dark days, RC. We just don't talk about it because it was pretty bad."
"My Mama is a sun goddess, shut your damn mouth."
"There are some things that are best left unknown to the children."
"It's cool, I'll just read her diary."
"Anyway, about this Lorne."
"Leave it to me."
"RC, I cannot let you do this, as an officer of the law, this is unorthodox and goes against—"
"You're not asking me to do it, I'm telling you I'm doing it."
"He may have found our loophole."
Nadir curses in Farsi. He slams his head onto his desk.
Seedy Club, Brooklyn.
The lighting is terrible, the floors is sticky, and RC has to fight his feet to come off it. The space is way too small for the amount of people being let in, but this is the kind of dive that RC and his friends like to hang out at.
Loren sound space at a small table near the stage and waves RC over. RC strides off, drops off their drinks and turns his attention to the stage, the band hasn't started yet and the roadies aren't doing sound check for a few more minutes.
"How's Officer Giry?"
RC studies his friend. He looks for some kind of sign that says, "yes, I do enjoy the thrill of the kill," he studies his fingernails, which is hard in this light. He looks at his shoes, which is not helpful since his shoes are worn anyway and he's not sure what that proves.
"I bring coffee and annoy my Uncle. It's a good gig."
"I'll trade you. Working with the dead isn't as fun as I thought it would be."
"You wanted to be medical examiner."
"I'm going to be a dentist I think."
"There you go."
They sit in silence for a moment. RC is trying to find the right words.
"How have you been, Lorne?"
"Stressed. I'm not doing so great this semester. I may need to drop a class or find a tutor."
"What do you do to relieve stress?"
"Oh you, know, kill prostitutes. Like usual."
"Of course."
"Plans this weekend."
"Yeah, killing more prostitutes."
"Care to take a break, and do something different?"
"I don't know, I'm getting really good at it."
"You're coming over."
"Fine."
"But what have you really been up to?"
"School. Work. Taking care of mother."
RC feels a pang of quilt but quickly dismisses it.
"How is she?"
"She's mother. She still refuses to eat; she won't go to sleep. I have to fight her to just to get her to drink water. She was never this bad."
"Maybe you need help."
"I do need help, but I can't. I promised Dad, I would take her of her myself. No outside interference."
"You can only do so much."
"Yeah, I know. So, how's your Papa doing?"
"He's well."
"That's good, I would hate for him to be miserable."
"Right."
"And your Mama?"
"She and Papa broke up again, so she moved in with Uncle Charles until she finds a new place."
"She can stay with me, she's hot."
"Yeah, no."
"But she is though, hot."
"I'm not hearing this."
"I don't know why your Papa would dump her, I bet she's really—"
"Stop. Now."
"She's probably really flexible and bendy. Which, there are a lot of positions that is good for, I've read the—"
"I will hurt you."
Lorne laughs while RC glares something fierce. Lorne stops, those golden feline eyes are intense, and Lorne is afraid of them.
The lights go down and the music begins.
2012
RC must be very sneaky as he sneaks back into the home. He promised his Mama long ago that he would not climb out or jump out his window anymore, but there are other ways to leave and go on midnight adventures.
He is back, tired, and ready for sleep. He slowly opens and quietly closes the door, makes sure that it clicks but the sound is minimal.
He starts forward but stops. Strange lights circle around the room. He can hear laughing. He focuses and he can see his parents are lying on the ground, half dressed, holding onto each other as they laugh madly.
He's never seen them in this state before.
"Sssh, shhh. You'll wake RC." He hears his Mama say. She taps Papa's arm. She cannot stop laughing and he moves over to kiss her, his mask still on and forgotten about.
"You silly, goat, it's still on." She reaches for it; he catches her wrist.
"Any regrets about tonight? "
"I have many regrets, none of them involve you."
He takes off his mask and his lips devour hers and RC uses this as his chance to escape.
He is halfway free when there comes a terrible CRASH and strange muffled noises. He hears his parents curse. His Papa, mask back on, runs down the hall to the noise, he stops when he sees RC.
"I can't sleep." He says, he rubs his eyes. His Mama comes up from behind him.
"Take him to bed." Papa says before he heads into the room where the crash came from. Mama leads RC into his room and tucks him in.
RC wakes up. He shakes the memories from his head and tries to back to sleep.
RC makes his way to Nadir's desk and hands him the coffee and sits down across from him.
"Do you ever have dreams about your time with Papa in Persia?"
"I do. Why?"
"Do they ever go away?"
"No."
"He's not a very good guy is he?"
Nadir exhales deeply.
"He loves you, he's awful when he wants to be, but he loves you."
"What about Mama? He love her too?"
"I think he loves her the most."
"Then why does he do it?"
"I do not understand the way his mind works. I never will."
"I don't think Lorne did it, but I don't blame if he is fucked. Papa has a way of poisoning people, doesn't he?"
"RC,"
"I want to help with the case. I don't mean as your coffee runner, organize files, I want to help."
Sorelli burst through the door, drops her suitcase and heads to the main living area. Charles and Meg are snuggled on the sofa watching a movie.
"Oh, gods. Why are we watching this?" Meg covers her eyes with her hands. Charles is unfazed.
"That's painful. Who are the main characters? Everyone we followed is dead and we have an hour left of this movie."
"And hour?!"
"I think so, according to the time."
"What else can they do? Everyone who was our eyes just died!"
Charles shrugs.
Sorelli coughs. Charles turns his head. Meg looks behind as well.
"Hello."
"What, uh, what is this?" Sorelli tries to smile, but it does not reach her eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean?" She asks innocently.
"I told you to go away. I do not want to—I don't have time for this. You see yourself out." Charles turns back around to the movie.
"Charlies, are you sure you don't want to—"
"I have nothing left to say. We are done. Ellie, I know you're there, go back to hell, thanks."
"Charlies I—"
"It's done. Nothing left to say."
"Are—
"Meg leave it."
Sorelli storms out of the room, out of the building and screams. She kicks the wall, her fists go through, causes the wall to crack, split, break.
Sorelli sees herself into his home, she kicks open the bedroom door and is unfazed and not embarrassed by their present state.
"We have a problem."
Christine covers herself with the sheets.
"What kind of problem?"
Erik reaches over and puts his mask back on.
"Tell me, do you know where your Meg is?"