She's a murderer
Vi stopped her movement when the sound reached her ear. Something downstairs.
She put back the weights on their stands and wiped the sweat off her forehead and her back with a clean towel. Such a luxury, to be able to clean herself with a soft and fresh fabric instead of the t-shirt she could wash once a month a best.
And not just the towel! The whole place was a luxury she could barely even describe. Caitlyn and her father had setup an unused office and turned it into her own personal gym. Weights, machines, even a boxing automate like the one she had grown up with, except, a million time better. Everything was better, and arranged so she could be better. The best, even.
She thought of the clandestine fights that sometimes happened in the undercity, back in the days. She used to be certain that Vander could win them all and get some extra cash, but he had always refused, much to her disapproval. She had sworn that someday, if he didn't want to do it, she would, and she'd be the city's goddamn champion.
Now there was nothing to win anymore anyway. The old underground arenas were closed, the fighters too busy lining up for Chem-Barons or rotting away with Shimmer in their veins or any of those new drugs that tried to replace it since the supply had dropped.
Finally clean enough to her liking, she got down the stairs, loudly, towel on her shoulders.
- Hey Cupcake! You're back earlier than I expe...
She stopped mid-stairs, surprised.
- Oh, Mister Kiramman. Hello! I was not expecting you to be home already either! Sorry!
The man looked tired, burdened, almost defeated, but he tried a smile.
- Hello Vi. I could say the same to you.
- I had an early shift this morning, but Caitlyn had to finish some work, so... yeah I'm here. Are you alright? Why are you home so early?
- Well it is already eight in the evening, you know.
- Oh. I guess I didn't see the time.
- Actually, it is a good thing you're here. Would you mind stepping with me in my office? I need to talk to you.
Something sting her back like a poisonous dart. He didn't wish to speak to her, he needed. And they never talked, not just the two of them without Caitlyn. The man had always been distant, albeit very polite and respectful.
She followed him in his office, at least the one that was on the ground floor, since there were at least three across the whole mansion.
He sat in his massive wood-and-leather chair, his head lifted to the ceiling, the eyes closed, and exhaled deeply as she sat in front of him.
- You're sure everything's alright...?
- You know, he said, completely ignoring her question, his eyes still shut, I remember the first time I saw you. When Caitie sneaked you into her chambers.
- Your missie pulled a shotgun on me, I recall.
He chuckled.
- Yes she did. It was not even a year ago, and still, it feels like a decade. Do you know what I thought, that night?
Vi shook her head.
- I thought three things. First, it was "Finally! she sneaked someone in her room, like a normal teenager!" Better late than never, Cassandra and I were always rather sad to think that Jayce was her only friend, not to mention anything romantic... She might have rebelled in her way by joining the enforcers, but... Well, let's just say I was more happy that scared.
He took a small break, enjoying the feeling of the thin smile on his lips, as if he hadn't in a long time.
- The second thing was "Wait, that's a woman!" I didn't think, didn't know, that my daughter was...
- Gay?
- Indeed. To be honest I don't even know if she herself knew. It was a shock, for a second, yes. A surprise. Cassandra and I talked about it, afterward. She had a harder time than me accepting this, but we both agreed that if it was what she needed to be happy, then anything else was secondary.
Vi tried to understand, but still, she clenched her fists slightly. Tobias Kiramman noticed.
- I don't want to give the wrong idea. Maybe I'm choosing my words poorly, Cassandra was always at wielding the rhetoric. It was not, is not, a judgement, not a matter of morale or opinion. It was a surprise. At no point in our lives was it something either of us had considered, it never crossed our mind. But that's not the point... Where was I?
- You noticed that I was a woman.
- Yes. Surprise. If only it had stayed at that! What really shocked me that night, was the look in her eyes. And in yours. It was not the look of some kids caught with their pants down, if you pardon the expression. I knew something was seriously wrong. I wished it had been something as trivial as Caitie having to explain why she had hidden a girlfriend from us. That moment, I saw my little girl disappear, swallowed by... whatever this was.
Vi said nothing. She twisted her hands and fingers, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. But she knew what he was talking about. That's what the Undercity did to folks. It swallowed them whole, their lives, hopes, dreams, and spitted them back. Caitlyn had just been caught in the madness.
- Next thing I know, my wife is dead.
His broken voice brought her back to reality. He was now staring at her, straight in the eyes.
- And now, I see the same look on my little girl's face, every, single day. Everytime I see you two coming back from work, I feel like I'm seeing you climbing through the window all over again. The same look. The same fear. The same blood.
She didn't know what to answer.
- And you know, Vi, if it was just that, maybe I could live with it. Live with the fear of losing my daughter just like I lost my wife. Because I see what she's doing, the good she's doing, for the city, for everyone. I'm so very proud of her.
- So am I.
- And I'm proud of you too, Vi. I know we don't know each other much, but I see where you're coming from, what you had to go through. The life you had, and what you're making of it. I believe this Vander of yours would be very proud, because I see you much you deserve it.
What he didn't see was how that statement was making her both incredibly happy and sad at the same time. But the feeling didn't, couldn't last long.
- That's why maybe I could have endured. But you know what I learnt, today, Vi?
Of course she didn't.
- I learnt that Jinx, this lunatic terrorist who killed my wife, half the Council, and more recently blew up the bank, is your sister.
Vi's blood ran cold.
- I read the reports. She called you "Sis" in front of everyone, didn't she? And it all clicked. All made sense. How you both did you best to hide this information, how you even failed to mention it to the Council when you were first invited, by Cassandra, to present your case against Silco. Again. I read the reports!
Vi just stayed there, silent, looking at the desk, shameful and hurt.
- And I understand why! Of course I understand ! She's family, isn't she? Family you were forbidden to take care of when Marcus locked you in prison so unjustly. Not to mention how much harder it would have been for you to do the incredible work you did, if word had gotten around! Which might actually still be an issue coming your way, now.
She started to feel her anger rising. His "understanding" felt like an attack.
- What is your point, Sir?
- I want you out of this house. As soon as possible.
She looked at him, defiant, fists clenched.
- I don't blame you, Vi, he explained. I don't hate you, I actually like you very much. But I cannot look at you. I cannot see you walking these hallways where my wife used to walk, I cannot hear you having sex with my daughter, yes I do, I cannot stand this knowing that your own sister destroyed my family. This is not fair to you, I know. And for this I apologize. I'm not asking you to stop seeing Caitlyn, to leave Piltover, or to pay for the crimes of your sister. But I need you to leave this place so I can finally breathe again.
Vi felt like crying, and at the same time, so did Tobias Kiramman.
She took a full minute to breathe, to cool down, to process. In the end, she just stoop up from the chair and said :
- I understand. Thank you for the hospitality and the kindness you've showed me. I'll be out as soon as possible.
Then, again, softly.
- I hope one day your grief will be lighter on your shoulders.
Without listening to his answer, she stepped out and closed the door.
She stumbled onto Caitlyn who was just coming home.
- Oh! Vi! What were you doing in here?
- Nothing. Good to see you, Cupcake.
Then, after a quick silence, she added :
- We need to talk.
Caitlyn studied her for a second, before answering.
- Yes, we do.
They sat in one of the three living rooms (who need three living rooms anyway?), the smallest one. They had not kissed hello, not asked about the day, not even shared a touch. Both of them were tensed, scared, but also determined.
- I'd like to start, said Vi, surprising Caitlyn.
She was usually the last one to take things seriously, often trying to lighten the mood with snarky remarks. Why she wanted to go first terrified Caitlyn, but her steel blue eyes would not show a thing.
- Sure. Go ahead.
Vi took a deep breath, straighten her back, and said, without looking at her.
- I'm going to leave this house, and search for my own apartment.
Caitlyn sucked a breathe, and would have stepped back if she was not already sat.
- What? Why?! Did I do...
Vi stopped her with a raised hand. She thought for a second, but she had already made up her mind. She would not mention Tobias. If she did, the Sheriff would have gone straight to him, in open conflict, and he was the last family Caitlyn had. Vi would not take that away from her.
-Please. Let me explain. I... I want to build my own life. Here I'm just a guest. Nothing is mine, no matter what you say. It's all yours, and your family. I...
She stopped and breathed again.
- When we were kids, I told Powder that one day, this city would respect us. I never thought I would have a career to speak of, even less with the fucking law enforcement, but here I am, and to be honest, I like it, Cupcake. I like what I'm doing, what we're doing. I have my own salary, bigger than anything I have ever imagined, although I suppose it looks like pocket change for you.
- I never...
- No, I know, just a manner of speaking. But you get what I'm saying right? For the first time in my life, I feel like I can truly rely on my own. Maybe I played tough before, but I always had Vander to have my back, a place to go back to if I fucked up. Then I had you, needing me and wanting me, although gods know I still don't understand why. But I'm happy you do! Still, I feel like I owe it to myself. And to Powder, to the promise I made her. For the first time I can have my own place, make it my own. And I want to.
Cait leaned back on her seat and gently smiled.
- I understand.
- You do, really?
- Yes, I think so.
Then her smile disappeared.
- But what does it mean for us?
Vi shrugged.
- Nothing. You're free to come visit with me. We can pick a place we both like. Hell, you could even move in with me! When I talked about building my own life, I sure as hell plan to have you in the middle of it.
Caitlyn blushed and smiled again, but lowered her head.
- You know I can't. Not right now. I don't want to leave Father alone and...
- I know. I know. I'm not asking you to, I'm just telling you I'd be happy to see you move in with me if you ever want. But we'll still see each other at work, we'll still go on dates at that fancy restaurant you like so much with the weird-ass food, and we still can go back to my place to break the bed.
- I like this idea. Very well. I'll show you tomorrow how to search for an apartment and how to apply. We'll do the visits together.
- Really?
- Of course! How else am I supposed to be sure you won't end-up living in a cupboard under some stairs!
Vi sighed, relieved this did not turn out into a fight.
- Really looking forward to it! So, what did YOU want to talk about?
Caitlyn's face suddenly turned to ice.
- About your sister.
Vi's heart dropped and her whole body tensed.
- What about her?
- We both know we have conveniently avoided the topic. As long as she was gone, she was not a problem, we could keep our heads in the sand. But now she's back, and she's already targeted the city.
- Where are you going with this? What's your point?
Vi was doing her best to contain the anger in her voice.
- Do you really want to catch her? Stop her?
- Of course I want! How can you even ask that?
- And then what? Once we have her?
- I...
- Are you okay with locking her up in Stillwater? Like you were?
Vi gulped. No, no no, of course not. She wouldn't wish that fate onto her worst enemy, this place was worst than hell, how could she send her sister there?
- I thought not. And even if we do give her the fair trial you never had, we both know she's guilty. She killed half the Council. They'll probably want to put the Death Penalty back on the table just for her!
- No...
- She killed my mother, Vi! And as much as I love you, I can't just forget that! I can't let her go with a tap on the hand just for your smile! No one can.
- I'm not asking you to!
- Then what solution do we have? Stillwater? Death? Lock her in the basement and spend our lives as her wardens?
- What about the asylum that Jayce had built?
Jayce Talis, when confronted to a wave of undercity citizens begging for help, ravaged with Shimmer and the effects of withdrawal, loosing their minds, tearing their own bodies with their fingers to escape the pain, had rehabilitated an old abandoned hospital. It was built and designed to keep and help mentally unstable patients.
- She's not herself, we both know it! She talks to dead people and to her guns! She's not in her right mind! That's the perfect place for her!
- And she'll be out in a day! We both know the place is not designed to keep her in!
- Then I'll get a place with a basement and keep her myself, like you said!
- Don't be ridiculous. That could at best be a temporary solution, and not even one I'm okay with.
- Then what? We kill her? Use that fancy rifle of yours to put a bullet in her skull?
Caitlyn tilted her head and winced.
- Is that really what you think of me? That I would just execute your own sister?
Vi stopped, her mouth opened, realizing she might have gone too far with her accusation.
- I don't know what to say, she answered with a softer voice. I don't know. I just don't have a solution.
- You didn't want to think about it. We didn't.
- I guess not...
Her shoulders fell. She felt defeated, all happiness and satisfaction from their previous talk vanished into ashes.
- I might have a beginning of solution, said Caitlyn, reigniting the spark of hope.
She reached for the suitcase she had brought from work, and extracted a thin file that she handed over to her girlfriend. Vi reached out and started going over the pages, without really understanding what she was reading.
- I don't get it.
- It's a project I started on the side with Jayce. A complete rehabilitation of Stillwater. Lots of changes in the system, lots of construction work, to add windows and lights at the very least...
Vi looked closer, and indeed, it started to make sense. She saw how Caitlyn had noted all the things she had told her, and tried to find solutions for each and single one of those. This was so considerate, so incredible, so like her, it made Vi melt inside, despite the complicated situation.
- Look at page 7, sait the Sheriff.
She did, and her eyes widened. She leaned forward, almost getting her nose against the paper, to make sure she was reading right.
- What is this?
- It's a new wing. Completely equipped with a new Hextech technology Jayce is working on. It's meant for...
- Jinx.
- And others like her. Violent people who need help. They will be completely secure, but it will at least be human... They will have access to psychiatric help, and...
- It's still a prison.
- Yes. But it's what she deserves, Vi. You know it. We can't let this slide. And this way she will get the help she needs. You will be able to see her, talk to her, take care of her. You said it yourself, she's sick. Maybe, with the proper care, we can rehabilitate her. Cure her and get her out.
- But it will take years...
Caitlyn didn't know what else to say. It was so hard to convince Vi that Jinx belonged in prison, especially when Vi herself had spent years in there.
- Violet, please listen to me. I know how much you hate that idea, but this is the only future for her. This is not unjust like it was for you. She killed people. Good people. Jinx is a murderer.
- But Powder is not!
- She's not Powder anymore! You were here with me! You saw her, she chose this! With her stupid chairs! The only way that you COULD have Powder back is with us catching Jinx, putting her behind bars, and get proper help from trained specialists!
Vi jumped out of her chair and started pacing across the room.
- I hate it! I hate it that you're right!
- I know.
- I hate you for being right!
She turned to Caitlyn. The blue-haired woman took the hit without flinching. She knew it wasn't true.
- If there's a better way, I'm opened to it, you know it. If anyone has a better idea... but it will be hard enough to keep her from the firing squad. I'm really doing the best I can for her, Vi. For you. So no one else has to go through what you lived.
- I know. Thank you...
- Sadly I'm not finished.
Vi rose her head again, not ready for another punch to her soul.
- This plan that you saw... It's in good way, but it's not completely finished just yet. And when it is, we need to present this to the Council for approval.
- And they might not approve...
- They might not, but Jayce and I have good hopes. And then... It will take time to build this new version of Stillwater. At least a year or two.
- And during this time...
- We will probably have to lock Jinx in solitary. Where she can't be hurt, or hurt others.
Vi felt like throwing up.
- I... I need some air.
Caitlyn finally got up her seat to try and stop her, but Vi shook her head.
- Thanks for trying, Cupcake. No one has ever tried so hard for me. Or for her. It means a lot. I just can't stomach the idea that this is the best solution.
She turned her back and left the room.
- Don't wait up for me tonight.
Caitlyn didn't try to stop her again, or to reach her. Or even to talk. She just sat there, swallowing hard, repeating to herself that Vi needed to be alone a bit and the best thing she could do was to keep working and wait for her to be back.
Vi walked fast down the stairs, eager for the fresh air outside. She slammed the big wooden door behind her, almost too hard. Finally out, she started walking toward the city, no matter how far it actually was. She knew it was the best solution. She just needed some time to make her peace with it, otherwise, she wouldn't be able to do what she needed and catch her sister. And Caitlyn would never forgive her for that.
She wished it was raining, instead of this hot spring night, and headed toward the nearest bar and the cheapest bottle.
A/N : A short post-holidays chapter! Happy new year everyone =). The next chapter will be more focused on Jinx, and will get back to the action and the blood.