Two weeks in a row with updates! How long can I keep this up?
The next chapter will probably take up this length too, maybe shorter? But chapter 31 is gonna be rather long. So after the next one, the next update might take a full week or two to write depending on my schedule.
I don't own pitch perfect.
Beca smiled a genuine smile, something about a child appreciating her cooking always gets to her. It's not often that she cooked, and she's only made food for children once before – a once upon a time visit to an orphanage in Milan where Don Fabio wanted to make some donations – but it was something that had never failed to make her day.
If only her foul mood over the situation didn't weigh heavier in her mind.
The four-year-old Sunghee Jin beamed up at Beca from where she sat opposite her as she cleared her plate of pasta all'amatriciana. Even her father, Junho, had a self-satisfied smile on her lips. The stay-at home father and young daughter duo still looked at Beca curiously but with bit more warmth and welcome since she arrived for lunch, wanting to wait for Kimmy Jin to return home from work. Beca even encouraged Junho to give his wife a call to join them for lunch since she came all the way from Italy to visit her friends in America, including Kimmy Jin. Beca emphasized that he mentioned that part to his wife in particular.
So, what else was Kimmy Jin to do but run straight home after the message received her. Apparently he had to leave a message in her mail box cause she was just that busy. Beca insisted he also text the message, to make sure she sees it as soon as she could.
Beca didn't mind waiting, she had all the time in the world for this.
Kimmy Jin all but stumbled into her own home when she finally arrived, rushing towards where Sunghee sat. She was on her knees on the floor, looking for any signs of harm from her, before sparing a quick glance at her husband who was a little bit amused by her dramatic entrance. Beca let out a chuckle, amused at the panicked mess she put on display, plastering a smirk on her lips when Kimmy Jin finally looked up to where she sat, the fear of God in her eyes.
But God was supposedly a merciful being. No, she shouldn't have the fear of God in her eyes, or so Beca thought.
She should be afraid of the devil she crossed.
Because the devil is petty, cruel, and merciless. And the devil never forgets.
No, Kimmy Jin would rue the day she betrayed the devil.
"Ah, la mia amica, there you are," Beca then greeted. "You have a lovely family, you should eat lunch at home more often, if you're not going to cook for them. I know you're the breadwinner here, but you should always make time for family, especially when you still can."
"And what do you mean by that?" Kimmy Jin asked, doing her best to mask the hostility in her tone.
"Well, who knows how busy you'll get, I hear your career is about to shoot up," Beca commented. She was no fool, she knew the possibility of a betrayal was there. But she wanted to see the good in people.
More than that, she wanted to see things done properly, with limited intervention from her. The less drastic her measures in taking down Babel, the better. The easier it would be for her to come back once all of this was done.
Because she wanted to come back, she knew that.
Once everything with Babel was done, once Paulo was taken care of.
She had been very patient with her enemies, extremely lenient even. They do not want to know what happens when they break her last straw.
And right now, Babel, DSM, and their corrupt allies were on very thin ice.
"Maybe we should catch up outside," Kimmy Jin then said and Beca nodded.
The prosecutor lived in a humble one-story house, but it was rather spacious. A perfect starter home, in a good neighborhood, and a surprisingly big – yet barren – backyard. Beca thought a garden would be nice, or at least a small playground for her little girl. She loosened the tie on her bespoke suit for the day, looking back behind Kimmy Jin to make sure that they were beyond earshot and view of her husband and daughter after they stopped walking towards an oak tree to one corner of the yard.
"How dare you come here, in my own home, to threaten my family –" Kimmy Jin started to say, seething, pacing back and forth where she stood.
Beca didn't let her finish. "But I didn't," she replied cooly, placing both her hands in her pockets. "Threaten your family, I mean. I just made them a meal."
Kimmy Jin looked at her in disbelief, "And I should believe what a common thug like you say?"
Beca chuckled dryly. "That's rich coming from you," she replied, taking on hand out of her pockets and placing it on Kimmy Jin's shoulder. "I know what I am, and what I'm not. Why on earth would I mess with your family? They did nothing wrong," she went on to say before giving Kimmy Jin's shoulder a hard squeeze. "You want to know what the real difference is between you an me? I never pretend to be something I'm not. Like, you, for example, you really sold that ally of justice act. I guess you believed it once upon a time. What happened? Was the tide to strong that instead of finding the power to turn against it, it turned you? What justification do you have? It's better to work with the devil you know and keep them in power as long as you can go after the other ones they have no use for and advance your career? Is that it?"
Kimmy Jin gave no reply but based on how her features would crinkle as she spoke, Beca felt like she hit the head on the nail.
And she prayed that nail won't be the final one in Kimmy Jin's coffin. There was still time. She had one last chance.
"I had other things I was dealing with, I figured I can help make your career if you brought Babel to justice, and allow me to focus on other matters. You had the history or research, and files upon files to make your case against Babel stronger," Beca then said, letting her go. It's true. She wanted to focus on the Tower case, and getting it back. Retrieving her gold, and helping out on Dr. Mitchell's case. This was the fastest way to take down Babel, and it also felt the most right.
But Kimmy Jin squandered that chance.
It only took half an hour for Lilly to gather intel on what had happened. How the prosecutor made a deal with Chicago after her arrest. The only reason why she wanted to gather all the evidence she had now, why she wanted the Guillotine File, was to make that offer. Blackmail him into helping her progress her career after it was derailed by her initial attempt to go after his father before, and safeguard any attempts at retaliation from him by having what it was that could take him down for good. It would seem her initial failures didn't ignite a stronger passion in her to pursue the truth, but instead it had made her cave. It made her more selfish. Her reasons for taking Charles Walters, Sr. down the first time was never out of pure altruism and justice. No. It was because taking down someone as big and powerful as him would make a name for herself.
Kimmy Jin simply glared back, refusing to explain herself or acknowledge anything Beca said.
Beca sighed and shook her head. "I'll let you have what you want," she then said as she nodded, as if reaffirm her decisions to herself. She reasoned that Sunghee at least deserved to have her mother around for however manner Kimmy Jin made herself present in her daughter's life. "If you stand aside and don't get in my way, I'll even let you keep it," she went on to say. "But don't cross me. Don't mistaken my mercy for weakness," Beca warned. "If you do, then please don't ever forget. Once you have what you want the most, that's when I'll come for you. You won't get to enjoy it. So, for your family's sake, don't be stupid," she went on to finish saying before giving Kimmy Jin two light taps on the cheek. She turned to leave after.
As soon as she said her goodbyes and left the house, Beca pulled out her phone from her suit pocket. "Stacie, how's your assignment going?" she asked over the line just as she made it inside her car.
"Which assignment? The one that glitters, or the one that bane of every rich and powerful man's existence?"
"The latter one," Beca replied.
"Just finished that one," Stacie confirmed.
"Perfetto," Beca replied. "I'll see you in the law firm when I return."
It was time to use their secret weapon.
Flo tried to busy herself with prepping for the not exactly busy lunch rush behind the counter of her canteen. Beca, Chloe, Aubrey, and Emily were already in, busy chatting amongst themselves in hushed tones with an early lunch. The topic of their conversation looked like it was something big, something serious, perhaps to serious that they didn't want to bother the rest of the tenants with just yet.
Unfortunately for them, Flo is an expert eavesdropper and lipreader.
Emily looked like she hadn't had a wink of sleep as she went on, detailing what she had found out in the "files," whatever the "files" were. Flo missed that part while she was chopping some onions.
"I don't think you guys understand. There's just so much dirt. How can people have so much dirt? So much skeletons in the closet? Like they're rich and powerful, why would they do so many horrible things just to get more rich and powerful? It's like the worst horror story ever. One after the other," Emily narrated rather monotonously.
"Focus, Ems, and sorry for putting this all on you," Aubrey replied.
"No, it's alright. Speedreading is a specialty of mine, I'm glad to help," Emily reassured Aubrey.
"So, what's the most damning thing you found on Chicago so far?" Beca asked, all business.
"That he's truly a despicable man, even in his youth," Emily then said before pausing for what Flo believed to be dramatic effect. She had to admit it was rather effective, because even Flo was waiting with baited breath.
"No one in his prep school liked him much, something was always wrong with him, I guess. He was a perfect student in terms of grades, very smart, and while he got along with his classmates, and he had friends, sort of, they tried to avoid him as much as they can. He can be rather competitive. He snapped in seventh grade, when his winning goal in a hockey game during their school's sports fest didn't count because the final whistle had already gone off. The team captain of the opposition was one of his so-called friends, and he didn't react well to his comforting words of his team doing their best. After school, they got into a fight and he beat him mercilessly," Emily narrated.
"Where's the kid now?" Chloe asked, concerned.
"Dead," Emily replied. "He beat him to death right then and there, and stole his watch as a trophy. Charles Sr. had things covered up and shipped him off to boarding school. There were some curious open cases left behind in places he's been, but nothing as direct as that incident. He got crafty, nothing tied him down to those other incidents."
"That man really is a psychopath," Aubrey huffed.
"So, what do we do with this info?" Chloe asked, directing her question at Beca.
"We leak it to a news outlet," Beca replied thoughtfully. "I don't think any reputable source or publication would publish this though, out of fear from retaliation with Babel, especially after the prosecutor's office had bolstered their innocence in the public eye. For now, leaking this to some gossip rag could work, draw Chicago's attention. That we can hurt him if we wanted. Let there be speculation, build-up talk without accusing him of anything directly so he doesn't make a show of taking legal action. Slowly we'll reveal more through those publications. The public would get curious and eat it up, whether they believe it or not. This would generate profits for those companies, and soon the more reputable sources will have to report it, without us even going at them directly. This is just a diversion though, distract him with a growing PR problem while we work on building a case for the tower and finding some damning evidence that even the prosecution hasn't found yet."
Aubrey, Chloe, and Emily nodded. "But what if the gossip rags won't publish? It might be dangerous to do the livestream thing again, with this info at least," Aubrey then noted.
"We can go to Atlanta Daily," Emily pointed out. "Their CEO, Kirk Montmorth, is on the files too."
"Oh, and what did Mr. Montmorth do?" Chloe asked, "aside from owning a publication that's only good for picking up dog droppings in the park."
"He helped in covering up some of Babel's earlier PR disasters. Like when Jr. was sent abroad, he published a character assassination piece on his beloved son's classmate's family. But he also killed his brother. He has a pretty good relationship with Babel, so if they publish something so damning on Jr., the public would most definitely talk."
"Is there anyone on this list innocent of committing murder?" Aubrey asked, rather exasperated and Emily shook her head.
"So far, none," was her reply. "But as for Kirk Monthmorth, he and his brother got into a bit of squabble over the direction they should take their publishing company after the death of their father. They inherited equal shares of the company, and were co-owners. During a hiking trip, they got into an argument and he pushed him over a cliff in the heat of the moment, covered it up as a tragic accident. Since his brother had no children, he inherited his shares too."
"Interesting," Beca replied thoughtfully. "We need to figure out how to get him to agree into helping us without tipping Babel off. Find out his weakness, or a way to get to him without realizing what's happening."
"I'm on it," Emily said, standing up from her seat, taking her plate with her, and exiting the canteen.
Flo had to admit, she was putting a different spin on take out food, but she didn't chase after Emily.
She was busy thinking about how could she help their favorite law firm with this new mission.
With the rest of the cavalry of course.
"So let me get this straight," CR said, trying to recount the plan and the reasons behind the plan that Beca had come up with in dragging Chicago out into the public eye with all his evil deeds.
It was almost serendipitous really. After lunch, Flo had hurried into CR's restaurant to tell them what she had overheard, just after time for Jessica and Ashley to also drop the bomb that after years of trying to get pregnant, their latest attempt with the fertility clinic had become a success and Ashley was now a few weeks in. The rest of the tenants who were in her restaurant at the time as well were in a celebratory mood.
This motivated Flo to share her news even more, emphasizing why they needed to bring Babel down once and for all.
For their future, for their peace.
And all the things that truly mattered, like love, friendship, and family.
Flo had spared no details. It was nearly dinner time when they had finished sharing their thoughts and reaffirming their desire to help Beca and the rest of their friends with their plans. With everyone fired up, they prepared to march straight into the law offices, bumping into Beca and Chloe on the way, the two wanting to look for the rest of the tenants as well as they needed their help.
That's how they all found themselves in Denise's dance studio, Beca going over the details of their current mission.
"So, this Mr. Monthmorth guy is highly superstitious and he gets advice in running his publication from a crooked con-man pretending to be a shaman. He doesn't know the dude is a con-man for the length of time he's known him," CR recounted and Beca nodded. "Well, no wonder his publication is trash."
"And we need to take his shaman out of the picture?" Denise asked, and Beca nodded once more.
"And convince the shaman to suggest he go to a new shaman for enlightenment?" Jessica then asked.
"Boy does he need serious enlightenment," Amy then commented as an aside.
"Yes, and with the info we dug up on him, we can use that to guilt him into righting his wrongs, starting with the truth of a certain incident regarding the psychopath running Babel," Aubrey finished the recap for them.
"So, uh, who's gonna be the shaman?" Jesse asked, turning to Amy. CR could see his point, she was the logical choice.
"I can also volunteer, you know? I haven't really proven my acting chops to you all yet," Bumper then said, running a hand through his hair as he stood up from where he was sitting on the floor and volunteered himself.
But Ashley immediately shut him down. "No thanks, we need someone reliable."
"How about we put it to a vote then?" Stacie then suggested.
Uni nodded along and tore a few pages out of his accounting notebook. Apparently he was crunching for the Trebles current business when they were summoned. He passed the pages along while Donald scrambled on his feet to find some pens and pencils for them to write with.
A few minutes later the residents all submitted their ballots in a small black pouch also procured by Donald. Chloe volunteered to read out their suggestions in the ballot as she randomly picked them out of the bag.
The first one she got suggested Amy to do it. CR would have guessed it was Jesse but Chloe turned towards Beca's direction and chuckled, so she assumed that the redhead recognized Beca's penmanship with that one.
As Chloe read out the rest of the ballots though, she couldn't help but be more and more amused. CR for her part was just surprised Bumper didn't insist in volunteering himself. Because in the end, everyone in the room had unanimously voted for Beca to play the part of the shaman.
"Objection! Are you sure you're reading it right?" Beca protested.
"I can show you each piece of paper if you want," Chloe replied laughing, raising a few of the said ballots that revealed Beca's name on each.
Beca groaned but the rest of the residents started cheering for her, starting with Jesse.
"Et tu, Brute?" Beca bemoaned, turning towards Lilly this time, to which Lilly simply shrugged before abruptly standing up, alert. "What is it?"
Lilly rushed out of the studio and ran towards Flo's canteen, like a bloodhound on a chase of its prey. She motioned something to Beca, who in turn urged everyone to rush out of the building.
"Are you sure Lilly will be alright?" CR heard Chloe asked as Beca all but hurried them out.
"I think you're underestimating Lilly if you're asking me that," Beca replied just as they all reached outside, taking the stairs as they made their exit. To one side of the building, they saw Lilly hurl a small item away before it exploded.
"What on earth?!" CR exclaimed.
Sirens filled the air as the fire department arrived just seconds after. "We received a call about a gas leak, is everyone alright?" a fire marshal asked.
Everyone nodded while the most of the firemen were distracted by Lilly parkouring down the side of the building, giving Beca a thumbs up.
"From my canteen? It was, wasn't it? But, how could there be a gas leak? One of the inspectors came by earlier just to do an inspection," Flo explained.
"Or start the leak," Beca replied, deep at thought. The rest of the tenants was ready to be up in arms and complain about Babel, because who else would attempt such a thing. But Beca raised a hand calming them down.
"They'll get their just desserts soon, don't worry," Beca said reassuring them.
CR huffed.
She looked forward to the day they do.
"So, uh, what exactly are you having Stacie monitor here, Bella?" Aubrey asked Beca as she watched Stacie work on her laptop in the law firm.
Chloe turned to face Beca too, all four of them gathered around the meeting table. Emily, for her part, was sitting on the floor by the coffee table near the TV. She was deep into reading more of the contents in the Guillotine File.
"A pattern? A sign? We don't exactly know when Kirk Montmorth is going to reach out to schedule another meeting with the shaman. We need to be ready to strike as soon as possible. We're getting everything in place already as it is," Beca explained.
Chloe wanted to ask how long would they need to wait to strike exactly when in came Theo, uninvited, into their law offices, strolling in with a bag of coffee beans in hand. Everyone turned to look at him, Emily quickly shutting her laptop close and hiding the drive for the Guillotine File. Stacie mimicked her actions, not wanting to tip off the enemy.
Aubrey scoffed at her presence. Chloe glared straight at the grinning idiot.
Beca looked amused, however. After all, Theo strolled in looking like an extra from an 80's yakuza movie with his current get-up and hairstyle.
Was this supposed to be an attempt for him to go incognito? Undercover?
Who knows?
"You're welcome," Theo said, proud of himself for some reason handing the bag of coffee beans at the four of them at the table. No one made a move. Chloe wasn't sure why he was there, acting all chummy, and it was clear that Stacie and Aubrey were quite suspicious of his presence. "What? Come on, I even brought you guys a gift, Kopi Luak. Do you know how expensive those beans are?"
Emily stood up and trudge along to pick up the bag of coffee beans. "I don't suppose this is poisoned?"
"After all I've done to save you, why would I poison you?" Theo replied.
"Isn't Kopi Luak those coffee beans isolated from a civet cat's droppings?" Chloe leaned in to ask Beca.
Beca nodded. "They feed the beans to the civet cat. The enzymes in their stomach contributes to forming its distinct flavor, but they can't fully digest the beans so they collect it from their droppings."
"No need to poison it then when he's literally giving us cat poop coffee," Emily replied monotonously before tossing the bag of coffee beans aside.
"And since when did you save us, Mr. Walters?" Stacie asked, an icy cold edge in her tone.
Beca clapped her hands, "Ah, so you were the one who called the fire department," she guessed.
"During the gas leak incident?" Chloe asked. "That makes sense, the MO was the same as with what killed those poor researchers… what happened? Had a last-minute change of heart?"
Theo sighed, pulling up a chair and directly addressing Beca. "Listen, I thought about what you said, and I realized you were right. I don't want to be a puppet to anyone anymore, and I meant what I said about changing Babel. But we first need to catch my brother."
"Oh, what's this? Sibling rivalry?" Aubrey then noted. "And why should we trust you?"
"You don't have to trust me," Theo replied. "But someone needs to stop my brother, and for the first time in my life, there's actually a group of people who can thwart his plans. I don't know if you've realized but his batshit crazy."
"We kinda figured that out already," Chloe commented with huff, still quite vexed that once upon a time, she had considered Chicago to be one of her friends.
"Listen, I can help you," Theo then said. "Be your inside man. I'm also studying real hard now, you know, to run a business so Babel doesn't fall into wrong hands again."
"And how do we know you're not a double agent? You called the fire department that one time, yippee, great, but then what? How do we know it's not a ploy?" Stacie commented. "How do we know that Chicago didn't put you up to this?"
"He won't trust me to do something like this," Theo remarked. "He thinks I'm too stupid. If you need proof, go on, ask me anything. I'll tell you all the evil deeds he's done, and I'll even tell you what he's plotting. I'm just… I'm tired of being scared… I don't want to live in fear anymore," he added and Chloe had to hand it to him. He actually sounded sincere.
She could see it in his eyes too. A desperate plea for help.
To stop Chicago, to save him from his brother.
"Okay, how about this. We'll quiz you, every day, you find a way to come here, or meet up with me. Test you about economics and business administration. And you feed us info about Chicago and DSM's movements. If you even consider betraying us…" Beca went on to say, implying he'd be a goner if he did.
"I'm a dead man walking either way," Theo replied knowingly. "Chicago doesn't know I'm here. If he finds out, he'd bash my brain out. I'm sure even if he doesn't find out that once I'm no longer useful, he'd find a reason to kill me anyways."
Beca nodded. Aubrey looked to seriously consider this arrangement. Stacie simply sighed. Emily returned to her quite corner, looking tired.
But Chloe wasn't ready to accept this situation just yet. The memory of her last case with DSM still fresh in her mind. She slammed her hands on the table, poised to disagree, but Theo bowed her head towards her instantly.
"I'm sorry, for the pain I might have caused you. The researchers, the thing with Christopher Beale, that was above me. Chicago ordered the hit on the researchers, and the Kommissar handled the lose ends. I only knew what he was planning once everything was done. I'm not brave, I've lived in fear under his shadow for so long, and I know you might not forgive me for own obliviousness or my cowardice, but please let me do just this one thing right."
Chloe huffed. "Okay, let's see, can you tell us what Babel's up to now?" she asked, taking back her seat, still irritated by his presence.
"Build funds," Theo replied. "Illegally, of course. Chicago's out meeting with the head of a publishing company to talk about the development of new electric vehicles from Babel R&D. One that can put Tesla to shame. He has no interest in making those, of course, he just wants to pump and dump stocks. Manipulate the market."
Beca smiled and Chloe sighed. It sounded like the stars are aligning for them.
"This head of a publishing company you're talking about, is it Kirk Montmorth?" Aubrey then asked and Theo nodded.
"How did you know?" Theo asked, surprised.
Beca simply shook her head and waved him off. "You're dismissed, we're busy. But I'll reach out to you soon again."
Theo nodded, he seemed very satisfied with himself. "Seriously though, try the coffee beans, it's really good," he then went on to say as he got up to leave and waved goodbye.
"Don't tell me you actually trust him?" Chloe grumbled, turning to look at Beca once Theo was gone.
Beca simply shrugged. "He once asked me to kill Chicago, he even shot him once. I'd say, he's at least sincere in wanting his brother gone."
"But would we be replacing one devil with another?" Aubrey asked.
"Only time will tell," Beca replied. "Either way, if he does become a monster himself, we'll just have to take care of him too."
Jesse closed his eyes and focused. After all, Beca personally asked him for his help for this part of the mission.
On cue, Kirk Montmorth had contacted his shaman the same day Theo, their latest recruit, had told them about the new deal he was striking with Chicago for a current false headline. Beca wasted no time in mobilizing the troops. As soon as Stacie confirmed the call for a scheduled meeting, Beca had the Trebles abduct the shaman named Shane Mann.
While awaiting the Trebles, Jesse did his own digging. Shane Mann, born Kon Deman, was professional grifter and conman. With a name like that, Jesse figured, he had no choice but embrace the criminal life. He had been arrested a few times for fraud and once being a leader of a cult that bankrupted some of his followers. All under different aliases of course, and somehow he managed to make a fresh start each time, with a brand-new con.
Jesse figured he probably started young. It was early in the evening when the Trebles came back with their mission. Shane Mann had been peacefully sleeping when they carried him up to the rooftop. He looked about their age, based on Jesse's best estimates on his features. The portly man now tied up in his chair, head dropping low. He wasn't too tall either, he might actually be shorter than Beca.
The Trebles had left Beca, Jesse, and Jessica alone with him by the time Shane was stirring awake. Jesse took this opportunity to splash him with the ice-cold water in the bucket he was holding, to fully get his attention.
"Forgive me for my insolence, but I don't really know how to address a shaman," Beca started to say, playing with her lighter in front of him. Lighting up the fire before closing the cap on it again. "Is it your excellence? Your eminence? Or should we call you your phoniness?"
Shane stayed silent and kept a blank expression on his face. "This is kidnapping," he then said after a minute had passed.
Beca chuckled. "What do you mean, you're hear to visit you're dear old colleague," Beca then said placing a hand on her chest to let him know she was talking about herself. "You have a meeting with Kirk Montmorth tomorrow you can't make because you'll be going off an ever so important spiritual journey and you're going to refer him to me. Make up whatever name you feel is appropriate and very shaman-like, I'll text him the address after your call from your phone. Tell him you received a vision from your maker, after all, that the world would end in fire if you don't go on this journey," she went on to say.
Right on cue, Jessica raised the gallon container filled with gasoline and shook it so that the liquid inside would slosh back and forth. Beca once again lit up her lighter, the flame quickly put out by Shane blowing it out, a deadpan expression on his face.
He was trying his best to be unfazed.
Beca pulled out Shane's phone from her pocket, Donald handing it to her earlier. She unlocked his phone via Face ID, and looked up Kirk Montmorth's number.
"When I press dial, you will greet him and tell him the message I told you," Beca then said. "Don't test me, or you'll find out how hot the flames of hell are real soon," she added with a smile on her face.
"Yeah buddy, I wouldn't test her if I were you," Jessica then said.
"You don't wanna know what happened to the other guy," Jesse added, shaking his head dramatically, piling on the pressure.
"You're not actually going to kill me, right? You'd go from kidnapping to murder quickly," Shane then asked, his voice getting rather squeaky.
Beca paused and looked thoughtful, "Do you really wanna know my body count?" she asked calmly.
Jesse had to admit, he was curious, but he reasoned to himself that he probably didn't want to know.
It was probably lower than he thought anyways, given that Beca doesn't seem interested in actually killing anyone. If had anyone killed, they probably were scum of the earth, she probably had no choice. It was the only way to save more lives.
And that she's worked hard to atone for her sins.
Beca started the call. She quirked an eyebrow after the first ring. "Well?" she asked and Shane gulped but nevertheless complied.
She's so cool, Jesse thought to himself.
And now they're in business.
The thing about the Barden tower residents that Emily loved the most is that they were pretty much go with the flow, go big or go home, no expense shall be spared, no questions asked, we got you kind of people.
Even with the zaniest of plots and schemes.
The stage was set for their latest master plan. Denise's dance studio was converted into a shaman temple just before Kirk Montmorth's visit. Each of the residents were also down to play their own roles, mostly as overzealous clients trying to get an appointment with Beca's shaman, one they dubbed Bellisima-sama for some reason, and without Beca's explicit approval – she simply sighed and resigned to her fate, and so that's how things were on the day of Mr. Montmorth's visit.
They all crowded out in front, while Emily waited in the make shift reception area in the quickly designed set that they all made in record time. Kirk Montmorth was a tall, slim man. He was around his early sixties, with thick glasses. He had that judgmental look on his face that all of the snooty rich people seem to have, or so Emily thought, as he walked in and addressed her.
He looked a little skeptical in the legitimacy of Beca's shaman.
But oh, were they gonna make him a believer.
Emily, Beca, and Chloe were all in kimonos, to match the decidedly Japanese aesthetic their make shift place of business was going for. Beca was sat towards the back of the room, on a mat surrounded by pillows, meditating, a white Jasmine flower tucked behind one ear. Chloe, playing Beca's kind of spiritual secretary, was sat to the left of Beca, painting something on a scroll with a brush.
Emily called Beca her eminence, and left the room, leaving a crack on the door so she could at least enjoy the show.
Mr. Montmorth looked uncertain about how to go about things with Bellisima-sama, and for her part Beca ignored his attempts at talking, raising a hand at him every time he wanted to bring up the purpose of his visit. When his patience was finally running thin, Beca opened her eyes and stated the purpose of his visit himself, telling him that she felt such a negative energy coming from him that she refuses to help.
Frustrated, Kirk Montmorth made to leave. With a huff he stood up but then stopped on his tracks. Right on cue, Aubrey, who was hidden behind one of the fake walls, started playing with the switch. Beca then started convulsing, shaking, even Chloe's hand started to shake as she procured a fresh new piece of parchment.
Suffice to say, Kirk Montmorth was scared and confused.
"Brother… Brother why did you push me…" Beca said in a haunting voice as she stood up and started walking towards Kirk Montmorth like a zombie.
Mr. Montmorth screamed. Emily rushed in and tried to calm him down, explaining how Beca was quite attuned to the spirits.
"Brother… brother… it's me…" Beca went on. "Why did you kill me?"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Kirk Montmorth kept screaming.
"The underworld calls for you brother… it's horrible in here…" Beca replied, still in a haunting voice. "And they're getting ready for you… soon… soon… death is imminent…"
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" Mr. Montmorth asked in a shriek and Chloe raised her scroll. There dipping in red ink was the word death.
"You keep helping murderers, brother…" Beca then said before collapsing on the ground. Emily rushed towards her while Beca tried to recompose herself. "It looks like I can't help you, I shouldn't help a dead man walking," she said, this time in the calm voice she used to address Mr. Montmorth earlier.
Beca shivered, urging Emily to show him out.
On his knees, scared and desperate, Kirk Montmorth groveled and begged Beca for an explanation and a way to ward off death.
Beca explained that the spirits see an ill omen with him working with Babel, and that he should avoid getting in bed with them with deals and such. But that secrets he keep for them seemed to have sealed his fate. The only way for him to free himself from dying within three days – something that made Kirk Montmorth gasp – was to speak the truth of the terrible crime he had helped cover up. Beca delivered her lines well, keeping it vague, but implying details about Chicago's first kill.
"I will! I will let the truth be heard!" Mr. Montmorth declared, asking to meet with her again tomorrow. He had vowed to release that news as a late breaking expose on Chicago.
And that he did.
The next morning, the whole of Atlanta was set on a frenzy with news coming from their publications, not about Chciago's fake plans to make new electric vehicles, but about the crime he committed years ago. No one was making an attempt to arrest him just yet, what with his publishing's credibility as a gossip rag raising questions on whether or not it was the truth. But it got people talking.
And with all of Babel's mishaps lately, a slight majority of public opinion seem to be buying it.
As they should, it was the truth, after all.
That afternoon, Kirk Montmorth visited once more, and Chloe's parchment said "Life."
He was eternally grateful for his visit to Bellisima-sama.
In truth though, Emily was quiet grateful for his gullibility and him inadvertently helping them in their fight against Babel.
Three days had passed since they decided to close down the fake shaman temple. Aubrey was quite amused by Kirk Montmorth's insistence to speak with Bellisima-sama once more, with Beca still getting text messages on her burner phone for this adopted persona. She reasoned they might still be able to use him later on in the fight against Babel, and Beca promised that she will contact him again once she sets up shop elsewhere, explaining that she's quite the drifter and goes to wherever the spirits tell her to go.
It was a rare occasion, but the two of them found themselves stuck together for dinner that day. Beca was still in a good mood, enjoying the media frenzy surrounding Babel. Emily was too tired, and catching up on some rest, while Chloe decided to visit Dr. Mitchell. She had invited both Aubrey and Beca to go with her, but Beca declined. Something seemed to be on her mind about the matter, but it was evidently not a bad thing. The heaviness that Beca felt, her discomfort about addressing matters with Dr. Mitchell head on, seemed to have dissipated. That's why Aubrey declined, deciding to join Beca for dinner instead, wanting to talk to her about the progress on her father's case, and the matter of actually talking to him about being his daughter.
But Beca was like Fort Knox about the latter topic. She simply told Aubrey to focus on the work at hand, and promised that the time will come sooner rather than later.
Something happened, something had changed, and Aubrey feels like she missed it.
Still, she was glad. If not for Beca, then for Dr. Mitchell. They seem to be on a path to mending their relationship. At least, Beca seemed to be on the path to healing.
As they made their way back the building late that night, crossing the street from the parking building, Beca received a message from Kirk Montmorth, asking her to meet by the rooftop.
Beca didn't say it, but Aubrey knew, she was suspicious that something was up.
"Seriously, Posen, go back to the office," Beca said, dismissing her, as they made their way up the stairwell.
"But what if it's a trap?" Aubrey threw back.
Because it most definitely did feel like a trap.
And in the end it was.
The door was already open towards the rooftop. There in the middle of the space before them was a bloodied corpse. Beca rushed forward, and Aubrey followed right behind to find the body of Kirk Montmorth lying in wait for them.
They heard the door shut, someone had just left through the stairwell.
And in the distance, they heard the telltale sirens of police vehicles. Aubrey rushed towards the door, it was thankfully unlocked.
"Go," Beca told Aubrey. "This might be a set-up for me. A gift from our pissed off CEO."
"And what about you?" Aubrey asked.
"I'm pretty sure I'm already the suspect, I need a lawyer to prove my innocence," Beca stated, matter-of-factly. "Gather the evidence, I'll find a way to contact you later. For now, I'm gonna have to draw their attention away from here," she said, running towards the edge of the building where there was an emergency fire escape.
Aubrey nodded, she had no time to waste.
Although she did wonder if things will ever return to normal or if this was their new normal.
She figured it was, until Babel has been put to rest at least.
A/N Pt 2: Next chapter will be… well… interesting to say the least. The bad guys can only take so much Ls after all
UPNEXT: The Trebles prove their worth?! Sweet moments! Dastardly villains gotta be dastardly! Alliances form! And more!