Aubrie dragged Jet all the way to her brother’s apartment, located in a shady part of town. He kind of understood why she’d taken him with her. A young woman shouldn’t wander these parts alone and even Jet’s presence hadn’t completely prevented unsavoury characters from taking an unwanted interest in her.

Still, they had managed to reach the front door relatively unscathed.

“Should I really be here?” Jet asked. Because he really shouldn’t be.

“Yeah. You’re my friend,” Aubrie replied, as if it were obvious. “Why shouldn’t you be?” He couldn’t answer. She knocked on the door. Moments later, Alvin threw it open. He was wearing an ill-fitting t-shirt and baggy jeans. It was clear he’d been rushing around the apartment to at the very least clean himself up. He was unshaven, and his hair was dripping wet. A damp towel hung from his neck.

Despite his efforts, he still looked disastrous.

Was that a mustard stain on his t-shirt…?

“Aubrie!” Alvin exclaimed, sounding very much like a man that had not yet decided what he felt about his little sister’s impromptu drop-in. He noticed Jet. “And… Who are you?”

“Alarie. I’m her friend,” Jet answered, holding out his hand. Alvin didn’t shake it, just looked between Jet’s hands and face, as if he couldn’t make sense of either. As smoothly and nonchalantly as he could, Jet withdrew his hand.

“Al, I’ve got great news!” Aubrie said, practically hopping on the spot with excitement. “Did you listen to Pammy’s Whammy Potshots?” she asked. Alvin smiled sheepishly.

“Uh, you know that’s not really my thing… Celebrity gossip and all…” Alvin started answering. Made sense. The man had previously worked for celebrities at the MYGK. Of course he’d feel uncomfortable hearing about them from a third source.

“You should have listened!” Aubrie reprimanded. “Al, Pamham’s proven your innocence! And broadcasted it! On live radio!”

Alvin stared at her, brows knitting together. He didn’t believe her and seemed to even believe that she was either lying or had been duped by someone.

“It’s true. I heard it too,” Jet piped up. Alvin glanced at him and apparently, Jet had only succeeded in drawing suspicion on himself. The Sanders brother looked between the two teenagers, then rubbed his face.

“Kids, that’s- that’s not how any of this works. A radio show about superficial news isn’t going to prove my innocence.” And yet, it had. “Even if that were the case, who’d believe some over the top, hammed up radio host?” he then demanded.

Alvin had a point there.

“I’m sure they’re covering the story elsewhere,” Aubrie huffed, barging into the apartment. Alvin side, slouching slightly.

“Sure, invite yourself in,” he muttered, sounding too tired to fight.

“Um, thank you,” Jet meekly said, following Aubrie into the apartment. Or rather, studio flat. It was rather small. A kitchenet stood in the corner, there was a bed by the only window in the place… At least the bathroom was a separate room. Jet had seen studios where even that was a luxury.

Despite the small space, it seemed Alvin Sanders had had difficulty maintaining it. Probably due to deteriorating mental health. It didn’t look like it had been cleaned in weeks. Bin bags filled with rubbish indicated that Aubrie’s older sister had been here and at least tried to make sure the oldest Sanders sibling didn’t end up living in a space easily confused with a toxic wasteland.

Aubrie stormed over to Alvin’s radio, going through the channels, trying to land on one broadcasting Alvin’s story.

But there was nothing.

No matter what station she tuned to, she couldn’t find anyone covering the story.

Alvin let out a deep sigh, closed the door and sat down on his bed, unwilling to argue with his younger sister or the tagalong that had come with her for whatever reason.

Jet decided to take initiative and picked up the tv remote. He didn’t really hope to land on anything as he flicked through the channels. However, when he landed on OCC1, the news was running and had just started reporting the ‘incredible’ story broadcasted by radio personality Pamham just a few hours ago.

“… What was previously a one-sided story has proven to be only half the reality. Earlier today, Pamela Hambleton, better known as radio personality Pamham, covered the infamous story of a monstrous bellhop, but from a different angle – one that had previously gone uncovered, one that has proven all previous reports incomplete at best.”

Alvin’s head snapped to the TV, eyes widening. Both Aubrie and Jet watched him. The TV droned on.

“Alvin Sanders, previously accused of assault and a violent temper, has had many of his colleagues singing his praises, referring to him as patient, slow to anger and just in his actions. It indicates how previous reports have repeatedly failed to at least understand what kind of man Mr Sanders is. On the other side, many of Mr Sanders’ accusers have openly and with great glee admitted to criminal acts, up to and including…”

A tear slid down Alvin’s face. Then another. And another.

“I think we could do with some tea,” Jet said as Alvin broke down in tears. Both Alvin and Aubrie ignored him, as Jet walked over to the kitchenet. He preferred it that way. Jet didn't want to acknowledge or be acknowledged by a full grown man having a breakdown just behind him.

It was always going to be uncomfortable, watching an unknown, grown man break down. But really, it was more than just that. Jet didn’t like having to witness what he’d single-handedly done to Alvin Sanders. What he had done to countless others.

Jet was the reason this man was miserable and hopeless. Jet was the reason Alvin Sanders could no longer find work, was drowning in legal fees, and would continue to struggle, despite now being proven innocent.

Jet was the reason for the misery and hopelessness in countless lives.

I don’t care, Jet repeated like a mantra in his head.

When things had quietened down, sobs subsided and breathing calm and quiet, Jet turned back to the Sanders siblings. Aubrie was sitting curled up next to her brother, head resting on his shoulder. Alvin looked relaxed, sitting in a settled heap.

Jet said nothing as he placed the cups of tea on the table by the bed, before sitting on the floor (there was nowhere to sit but Alvin’s bed and Jet was not about to sit on Alvin’s other side).

“Thanks,” Aubrie said, taking a cup. Alvin smiled helplessly at him.

“Hey, sorry for… That,” Alvin apologized. “That wasn’t a great first impression…” he said, laughing nervously.

“Don’t worry. That wasn’t my first impression of you. Not after the countless tales I’ve heard about you from Aubrie,” Jet informed him.

“You’re too kind,” Alvin said. Jet laughed, making it sound shy.

“Oh, if only you knew,” he said.

— 📀 —

Jet spent some time with the Sanders siblings, forced to get to know Alvin, forced to witness what close-knit family looked like. Then Mr Lark had called him and he’d left. He’d been happy to leave.

That didn’t mean Jet wasn’t happy for the Sanders family. Jet was happy for Aubrie. And, he supposed, that happiness automatically extended to Alvin, since he was important to Aubrie. Jet was happy for her- them.

That did not change the fact that he was now bearing the consequence of failing Mr Lark. He held the ice pack to his face, while Finn laughed over his beating.

“And here I thought Mr Perfect could do no wrong,” Finn beamed. “Look at that impressive bruise.”

Jet knocked the finger away.

Mr Lark was not happy with Jet’s failure. In fact, Jet was benched until Finn sorted out the fallout from his failure.

“This is foolishness,” Jet complained. “Killing is messy. We’ll draw unwanted attention to ourselves-”

“Nah. Death is easy,” Finn retorted, slinging an arm around Jet’s shoulders. “One bang and it’s over and done with. All the nasty, complicated things, over. Just like that.” He demonstratively snapped his fingers in front of Jet’s eyes.

“There are consequences to lives cut short,” Jet insisted. “Unpredictable ones that could threaten to ruin Mr Lark’s plans.”

And Jet should know. He was the living embodiment of an unpredicted consequence.

“Still loyal as a lark, even after Mr Lark beat you up, huh kid?” Finn replied. “What went wrong in your noggin that you’re that loyal?”

Jet said nothing.

“You know what, kid? Why don’t you also take time off Eye For Hire? So you can go back to playing little boy games? Since it seems that’s all you’re good for,” Finn teased.

“I wasn’t planning on going anyway. I work there as a cover, as you so frequently forget.”

“Haha, right…” Finn suddenly pulled Jet in closer, the arm around his shoulder was starting to get closer to his neck, choking him… “Listen, Jethro. If I catch you in Soporifick, don’t think I won’t deal with you myself. I don’t know why Mr Lark keeps you around, but you can be sure as hell that I won’t be nearly as nice.”

Jet broke away from him, shoving him away. He had his own form of damage control to conduct, so he cared very little for Finn’s threats.

Ever since the Red Gent had first become a known variable to them, Jet had been able stop Mr Lark from developing an interest in him. But  now, Mr Lark considered Red Gent their greatest enemy. The silver lining was that Aubrie was still an unknown variable to Mr Lark and his cohorts… But Jet didn’t know how much longer he could keep her out of the limelight.

In the time that he was signed off from work, kept away from Finn Elender, Jet would need to figure out what to do about the Red Gent and Aubrie. Previously, the rival teenagers had only rescued victims of Soporifick. But now they had used the confessional vinyls. Now they could pose a threat.

Now he could find himself standing across from them, knife in hand, with orders from Mr Lark. What previously had been a bridge he could cross when he came across it, was starting to look like something that would be on fire before he ever reached it.

He needed a plan now.

“Hey, don’t give me the silent treatment, kid!” Finn called after him. Jet continued ignoring him, hoping into the lift without Finn.

“Wait, Jet, hold the door- hold the door!”

The doors to the lift slammed shut, giving Jet some space to breathe after being stifled by Finn and beaten by Mr Lark and… hurt. By Aubrie and Alvin.

Jet leaned against the lift’s side, letting out a deep sigh.

If push came to shove, what would he do? If Aubrie ended up in the crossfire, what would he do?

He closed his eyes.

Like he didn’t know the answer already.

He needed to create distance between himself and Aubrie.

For his own sake, he needed to let her go.