Chapter 2
Olivers Turn
Oliver waited a spell with Michael until his tremors finally subsided and Michael came back to himself.
Michael began, “I’m so sorry-”, but Oliver instantly waved that sentence away.
Oliver smiled, “None of that mate.”
Michael stood tall, his six foot and 7 inches of impressive height, towered over Oliver. Michael looked down to the floor in shame.
Oliver snapped his finger in Michaels cone of vision, getting his attention.
“You have done your duty flawlessly as always Michael. You always manage to carry out perfection in the work you do.”
“You’ve completed your part of this, now let me begin mine.”
Oliver escorted Michael to his seat near the middle of the hall where he sat down next to the other agents. Michael never made eye contact with them out of shame, however If he had though, he would have seen the respect and admiration they had as they looked at him. Michael was the best ranked agent in the Roses. He was a legend, an inspiration and the poster boy of the hands of The Roses.
Oliver positioned himself at the centre of the hall. Now he was the centre of attention and he was the one telling more of this tale.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please do show Michael your patience and understanding. Although he is an outstandingly accomplished agent in our organisation and even though he is a hero to many…”, Oliver stopped for a moment.
He spoke gently, “Michael has dedicated his entirety to the truth of Andrew Smith.”
“His priceless research and unshakable loyalty to Andrew's cause is undeniable. He gave his heart and soul to this purpose and all I ask is that you all understand his perspective. It’s been difficult for him to keep this secret… He has made truly difficult choices, in order to maintain his promise.”
Oliver stared into the distance, “All four of us did…”
He snapped back into focus as he stood on his heels for a second, pipping himself up. Now he was ready.
His tone was quick and polite, “So let me take this moment, if you would be so kind, to quickly summarise this entire drama, so that we are all completely on the same page.”
“In the beginning, Aisling and Nadia met Andrew.”
“He helped them throughout that day, yet one of the key things he did during that day was assist in the arrest of Gerald Bruige, Ronald Bruiges son.”
“At the end of that day, the two managed to inspire Andrew with their vision of a hopeful future.”
“Andrew was kidnapped by the Bruiges and Ronald began interrogating him to get information about the Roses, as revenge for his son being jailed.”
“Gerald was murdered in prison on the first day, which in turn sent Ronald into a blind rage. This rage was then unfortunately aimed towards Andrew, as he was tortured for three and a half weeks. The torture progressively got worse, as Ronalds desperation for vengeance grew.”
Oliver paused, “Perhaps the tale of his rescue would be of relevance”, he said, slowly rubbing his chin.
Nadia perked up, her face still moulded with sadness, “Why did it take so long to find and rescue him?”
AI responded: “It was not due to a lack of trying Nadia. After the day you spent with Andrew, I attempted to contact him again. I found his social media page and messaged him to pursue further collaboration, however he never responded. I managed to find his mobile device, but I was unable to access it as the pin code was too complex for me to brute force at that stage. It unfortunately took me weeks to gain access to cloud servers to help me break into his phone account. When I finally got access, I used his device's location history to track down the general area he was last reported at. I then managed to correlate noise complaints of car horns blaring throughout the day, with Andrew's potential location.”
On the large screen, a map showed the blue circle where Andrew's phone was last detected.
“I made an official police report about a potential kidnapping and provided all the evidence to support my hypothesis. The police decided it was probably a safehouse for the Bruiges and as such they warranted a Specialist Firearms Command team to raid the structure. I arranged for agent James Hull and Michael Campbell to join the team as they both had the necessary military and weapons training.”
Aisling was shocked, “So you simply couldn’t crack his phone to find him? That’s why he suffered for weeks?”
AI politely responded, “Unfortunately, yes.”
Both Nadia and Aisling breathed out loudly while looking up to the ceiling. It was not the most satisfactory reason, but reality was often fickle with such small details.
Oliver resumed the tale, “Michael and James were tasked with the basement sweep. They discovered Andrew, tied to his chair after Ronald had just sliced him horrifically with a knife. James subdued and arrested Ronald, while Michael rescued Andrew.”
Oliver paused while he tried to form the most flattering description for Andrews state at the time.
“Andrew was in a desperate state.”
“He was dehydrated, malnourished and was bleeding acutely.”
“Michael immediately summoned the medics, as the gunfire upstairs had subsided.”
“They rushed down with a stretcher and as they lifted Andrew's body onto it, their quick assessment was grave.”
“Andrew was on the verge of dying and an immediate operation would be needed to have a chance of saving his life.”
“Unfortunately, AI was already aware of a massive problem…”
“The local NHS hospital was over capacity. All operating theatres were currently in use.”
“So AI quickly arranged for a nearby private hospital to accept Andrew. Agents were dispatched around the region to collect and deliver any additional medical equipment needed for Andrews operation.”
“As this was happening, the medics discovered additional physical stabs and bleeding, as such the time frame to save his life dropped by half.”
“AI chartered a private helicopter, which landed nearby to transport Andrew, accompanied by both Michael and James to the nearby private hospital.”
“Andrew arrived within 3 minutes and they began operating almost immediately.”
Oliver grimley stated, “The operation took 4 hours because there were complications due to infections of week-long cuts and stabs.”
Oliver looked at the floor sadly, “Andrew nearly died three times over the 4 hour period, he required multiple resuscitations to restore his heart activity.”
Oliver went quiet for a few moments, for a lot was said in the last few minutes and it felt fair to give the hall a second to breathe.
Oliver finally stated with a weak smile on his face, “Thankfully, it was a success. Owing to the near instant decision making of AI, Andrew lived.”
“You’ve all watched the video showing the moment he woke up where he was still under the influence of strong pain medicine”, Oliver stared into the distance again.
“His medicated state didn’t mean Andrew’s logical assessment was flawed, unfortunately. He made us promise him not to reveal his presence, however we agreed because his argument was correct, not because we felt sorry for him.”
Oliver said slowly, “If telling the Roses about Andrew, meant compromising their ability to lead this organisation… Then it wasn’t a choice at all.”, his voice was sad and regretful.
Aisling looked up from her table again, her tears had dried but she was still emotionally destroyed. She spent a moment thinking about how she wanted to object to this point. She wanted to claim you’re wrong, I would have been fine… Yet she was aware of her current state. Her mind was clouded with darkness, sympathy, regret and heartbreak. How would she really have handled being told about Andrew back then?
The truth is that she wouldn’t have handled it at all, she couldn’t even handle it now. Nadia was stronger than her, so there was a small chance she might have managed to stomach the grim news. However, the truth is the two of them act as one person. After all, hope has no footing without vision. Even if Nadia coped, she wouldn’t have been able to share her vision of what good the Roses were capable of, because Aisling would be too depressed to inspire people and rally them under the banner.
Andrew was right, Aisling thought. He understood her in just a day and he realised how fragile her heart was. Andrew had acted wisely, more than many might know.
*
Andrews Aftermath
Oliver stood for a few moments, motionlessly. He rubbed his chin as he thought about what to say next.
Oliver spoke loudly and clearly as he looked around the hall, “Right, that covers everything up to that point. I feel confident that everyone is up to speed now and we can move on to talk about Andrew after his operation now.”
“From the moment Andrew’s surgery was a success, AI had assigned me as Andrew’s carer, on behalf of the Roses. My qualifications in psychology were vital for the uniquely difficult case that Andrew fell into.”
“After Andrew awoke and revealed the nature of what occurred…”
Oliver became sad, “I became the only person he would see or interact with for many many months.”
“The nature of keeping him secret, meant that as few people associated with the Roses as possible, were to be aware of his existence.”
“I became both his therapist, nurse, doctor and carer.”
“I have given my all to support Andrew”, he said slowly as he went deep into thought.
“I have spoken a lot with the man and I know him better than most.”
“His fears, his scars, his pain, his dreams, his hopes and his loneliness.”
“That is why only I can tell you about who Andrew is now.”
Oliver stopped talking for a few moments as he looked around the hall. He was about to start listing the damages Andrew’s body went through, but then he decided that something else must be said first.
He spoke carefully, “I want to tell you something first and foremost”, Oliver's body posture rose, his shoulders raised and he felt pride as he continued speaking.
“Michael tried to express this critical point before and the more astute of you might have picked up on it.”
He smiled brilliantly, “Andrew is genuinely remarkable and absolutely incredible.”
“Every decision he has made… Every consequence he is currently suffering… All of it reflects his brilliantly indomitable strength of will and his genuine hope for this organisation.”
“Every second of agonising pain he suffered he did so determinantly. Every tear he shed, he shed intentionally so that we in the Roses can bring smiles to many.”
“He is the mightiest man I will ever know. He outdanced the devil… He stared into the abyss and made the abyss look away. He endured the agony of torture, then he endured the misery of regaining control of his body and now…”, Olivers voice broke.
He slightly squirmed a little, as he bobbed about a little. He was struggling to hold back tears. A moment passed and he gave up.
He cried out, “And now he endures the agony of loneliness and obscurity.”
He breathed heavily for a minute as he tried to regain control of himself. Finally he snapped back into focus, as he slightly shook his head, he resumed.
“He did everything we have mentioned and everything I will soon mention, because he is incredible. He is a hero, a legend and if we play our cards right… Hopefully we can save him from himself.”
*
He paused as he walked to his seat to get his water bottle. Already his voice was going dry and he had barely begun.
Aisling took the opportunity during the pause, “Is he really that bad at the moment, Oliver? You mentioned suicide earlier…”, she stopped talking out of discomfort of the topic.
Oliver walked back to the centre hall, bottle in hand. He put the bottle down a metre away, ensuring he wouldn’t accidentally kick it as he moved around talking. He folded his arms as he looked at Aisling.
He responded slowly with a tragically sad face, “Yes, he is currently at the end of his tether.”
“Don’t judge him just yet, for you know not what he has endured. You can’t fathom the pain he deals with on a constant basis.”
“In order to understand where he is now, I must tell you how he was.” He stood tall, it was time for more information.
“Andrew's body after his life saving surgery… Was probably worse than it was before it”, he said grimly.
“He was critically malnourished, dehydrated and his body had so many wounds to mend, he was constantly exhausted.”
“Days after Andrew first became conscious, he was alternating between falling asleep and waking up in agony”, he shook a little as he recalled watching Andrew awake screaming in pain.
“The pain medicine helped his body relax and repair itself, however that would make him fall asleep. When he was asleep, we would reduce the medicine, for you see the medicine is very potent, but if overused, he would form an addiction to it. Over hours, as the medication would wear off and the pain would build and build until it would wake him from sleep.”
Oliver shook his head for a few moments.
“If I may please be selfish for a brief moment”, he kindly said.
“This was extremely hard for me to witness”, he said as a tear fell.
“Many nights I woke up next to him… The pain had him screaming in agony.”
“I was so afraid for him… I would then turn on the drip feed as his roars of pain echoed for minutes… Minutes that felt like hours”, he was shaking as he recalled it.
Oliver stopped again, for he needed to let the fear escape him and a few moments later it did.
“It took roughly four days and nights for Andrew's body to regain basic control of itself. He eventually stopped bleeding periodically from the countless stitches dotted across his upper half. The hardest part was the infection from the fork stabs. During the torture, when they burned parts of his arms, they burned the previous fork stabs. This was the infection vector”, he coldly stated.
Across the hall many people recoiled in horror. It’s still an impossibly horrific event to fathom.
“It took four days before the inflammation on his face healed. His face was black and blue from the beatings for over a week however as his body was prioritising mending critical wounds above basic bruises and scrapes”.
“I didn’t speak with Andrew the first week but he was aware of my presence”, he said with a million mile stare.
“Sometimes there were moments when he was conscious, looking at the ceiling and crying. Those moments were when he was sort of in the middle of his two phases. The pain killing was beginning to take effect, but it wasn’t so intense to make him groggy from sleepiness”, he quietly said.
“I first thought it was the pain that made him cry, but then I realised it was something else.”
“It was only in the second week when Andrew finally started to talk when he was lucid”, he calmly said.
“Andrew was in that twilight of painkillers, when I asked him why he was crying”, Oliver stopped again, for it was too difficult to keep talking.
AI spoke, “Oliver, shall I show them that moment?”
Oliver nodded most agreeably, “Yes please AI, it’s easier this way.”
The large screens in the hall went from black straight to playing the video.
*
Andrews Worry
The video showed the same hospital ward room that the previous video was in.
It was dark outside, the clock showed 02:43 AM. Oliver was sitting on a small stool at the right of Andrew's bed, holding on to the bed side rail. Andrew was lying on his back, his arms were out of the blanket, they were scarred with horrid dark red marks and cuts all over.
Andrew's breathing was slow and laboured as his eyes darted across the ceiling, he thought to himself as tears slowly dripped down his face.
Oliver quietly whispered with concern, “Andrew.”
“Andrew, you’re crying.”
Andrew slowly turned his eyes to Oliver, his dark bruised eyes were full of sadness. Andrew gulped as he finally spoke.
Slowly he asked, “Am I ever going to get out of this bed?” His voice was still slightly slurred due to the lack of teeth.
Oliver looked away for a second out the window. Then he looked back at Andrew, trying to show a strong face.
“I hope so”, Oliver finally answered.
Andrew looked away as he painfully chuckled, “Hope… How ironic.”
Oliver looked into Andrew's eyes, trying to discern his meaning.
Oliver asked curiously, “What’s ironic about hope, Andrew?”
He looked Oliver in the eye, “Hope is the reason I am here in the first place.”
He broke eye contact as he looked back at the ceiling, “Now hope is my only way out.”
Oliver quickly responded, trying to cheer him up, “Your body is having a hard time recovering, but there is a chance you will heal.”
Andrew was whispering, “Hope…”
“Hope was my shield against the Wolf.”
“Hope works wonders against fear as it blinds doubt.”
“But my body is not an enemy and hope is not the tool I need to save myself.”
Oliver looked at Andrew concerningly as he whispered back, “What do you think will save you?”
He responded slowly, “I need vision.”
“Vision? In what way?”
“If you can’t see your destination, how can you ever hope to navigate towards it?”
“Ok… How can I help you get this vision Andrew?”
Andrew waited a long moment, deep in thought.
He finally spoke, “I need you to tell me the truth, as a doctor.”
“I need you to tell me… If my body can actually heal this, or if the damage is too grim.”
Oliver nodded as he now understood what he was asking. It was a question relating to futility. Oliver looked over Andrew's body for a long while, deep in thought. He had memorised the medical breakdowns, detailing the extensive trauma his muscles, skin and nerves underwent.
After a few minutes of intense thought, Oliver made an assessment.
“Yes.”
Andrew responded immediately, “Yes… What?”
“Yes, you can get out of this bed.”
“It won’t be easy and there are still questions around your nerve damage, Andrew.”
Andrew's tears flowed faster, “So it will hurt?”
“... Yes, incredibly so, I'm afraid. The question is not if you can leave this bed one day, it’s whether you will.”, Oliver concluded.
It was at that moment that Andrew turned his head to Oliver and looked him in the eyes. His face showed a powerful look, a look of absolute certainty and determination. Andrew's cold green eyes practically sparkled.
“Then it’s a promise”, Andrew said, as he looked back at the ceiling, the painkillers finally knocking him to sleep.
*
The large screens in the hall went black and Oliver immediately resumed talking.
He smiled, “There was your first taste of Andrew's strength of will.”
“I have been blessed multiple times with the privilege of seeing that look on his face.”
Oliver flashed a smile at Michael. Michael was also smiling, watching that video gave him his second wind.
“This is the man we need to save ladies and gentlemen. He is the priceless resource we cannot afford to lose.”
Oliver chuckled, “It’s of particular interest, to me at least, that Andrew knew and referenced the very virtues this organisation is run on.”
He reverently stated, “Hope and vision.”
Michael responded loudly, “Aisling and Nadia.”
Both Aisling and Nadia looked up at that moment. One could see that the two of them had not considered Andrew's words in this context.
Michael beamed a smile at the two Roses., “He sussed you two out flawlessly, didn’t he?”
“And all in the span of one single day as well”, Oliver added.
Nadia gave a weak smile, Aisling simply looked back down at her desk. Oliver had a drink of water and then proceeded to speak again.
“The third week in, Andrew was finally showing signs of mending. His scars were becoming less red and more pink and his face reflected his body becoming more nourished again. In terms of his physical injuries, things were looking considerably better.”
“Unfortunately, things were still very difficult for Andrew”, Oliver stared into space again.
He slowly whispered, “The pain…”
“The pain did not ease at all. From the day he awoke in the hospital to talk with us, till this very day… The pain has constantly battered him.”
“My initial assessment was that the pain was acute because his nervous system was overloaded. I assumed over several weeks, the pain would ease as his nerves would repair themselves”, he clinically stated.
His eyes went down to the floor, “They did not.”
“They did not ease after weeks.”
“They did not ease even after a couple of months.”
“I had him do multiple MRI’s and Ultrasounds… The results showed the nerves were no longer damaged”, he said in a thoughtful tone.
“I know the reason now, and I will get to that I promise, but not now though”, he waved his hand.
Oliver paused for a moment, for deep down, he wanted to scream the truth of why he still hurt… but it was not time.
“Everything is constantly difficult for Andrew.”
“Breathing hurts, moving his arms hurts and even looking around hurts.”
“He is constantly swimming in a sea of agony as the effort to do anything is exhausting.”
He frowned, “In the fourth week, he was medically warranted to leave the ward. I signed him out and we got him on a wheelchair.”
“At first, he was over the moon to be out of that bed”, Oliver looked down to the floor.
“At first at least…”
“I consulted with AI, as I felt it would be best for Andrew's mental health, if he were to escape the prison of a hospital and instead be somewhere lovely. A place where he could heal and find peace.”
“We took Andrew to a beautiful beachside mansion in Cornwall. It was away from the city, so there was no hustle and bustle from holiday goers and tourists. I have to say, it was a true luxury staying there, my thanks to Mr. Crowley for hosting us those several months”, Oliver bowed towards Mr. Crowley, who was sitting at the back row, right side of the hall.
Alex Crowley was the financier for the Roses. He was the first investor in the two Roses when the two started trying to get funds. His investment was repaid in weeks, and even though their debt was clear, the Roses convinced him to join the organisation after several months. He was remarkably good with money. He accepted and so now he coordinates all expenses and spendings with AI. Mr. Crowley is now a member of the Inner Roses.
Oliver resumed the tale, “The fresh air and gorgeous coastal scenery definitely aided in de stressing both Andrew and I.”
“The first weeks were unfortunately the hardest after the move”, he said glumly.
“Andrew was concerned about the pain medication he was still having to take.”
“It had been nearly two months, and he still couldn’t sleep without the painkillers.”
AI chirped in, “Should I show them that evening?” Oliver stopped to think, for it was an intense argument he and Andrew had. However, it was indeed a crucial moment.
He finally responded quietly, “Yes please, AI.”
AI gently mentioned, “You must not spare people from the painful moments, Oliver.”
“I know, I know…”
The screens began playing the video.
*
These pills are so heavy
The video showed a large living room with white leather sofas around a fairly large, circular glass coffee table.
Andrew was sitting at the end of the long sofa, his wheelchair parked next to the sofa's armrest. His legs were together and his arms were postured in a self hug as he slightly rocked back and forth in pain. The light was on in the living room, indicating it was dark outside.
After a few seconds, Oliver walked into the room, manoeuvring around the sofa and wheelchair as he crouched down in front of Andrew. He briefly looked over Andrew and nodded as he tried to fathom the pain he was experiencing.
Oliver gave a weak attempt at a smile, “The pain has built up again, I see.”
Oliver reached into his right pocket and pulled out a yellow plastic pill container. Andrew looked away as he shook his head. Oliver popped out two small white tablets onto his hand, closing his hand as he sealed the lid again and put the plastic bottle back into his pocket.
Oliver looked back at him, noticing his attempt to look away, for he was still slightly shaking his head. Oliver had noticed this behaviour the last few nights and he was concerned, but what else was there to do? The pain had to be suppressed or else Andrew wouldn't sleep.
Oliver finally spoke quietly, “It’s getting late now, best take two of these.”
Oliver opened his hand and presented them to him. He slowly looked at the hand and after a delayed moment he reached out and took the two pills. He brought his hand closer to his mouth, as though to take them, before stopping midway. His hand lay open as it shook in pain with the pills resting in his palm.
Andrew stared at the pills in deep thought, as moments passed, motionless. His hand was slightly shaking due to his constant pain.
Oliver looked at Andrew, 'Andrew...' he said in a pained tone.
Andrew didn’t react as he kept looking at the pills, a dead look in his eyes.
Oliver begged in a whisper, “Please Andrew… Take them.”
Andrew took a deep laboured breath, “How much longer will I have to take these?” He finally looked up at Oliver.
“I don’t know”, he quietly responded.
“How much longer will I suffer this pain?” His tone was impatient.
Oliver looked away as he breathed out.
“I don’t know…”, he finally answered.
A long moment passed as both of them remained still in silence.
Oliver said frustratingly, “The scans they did on you… They showed that your nerves have already healed.”
Andrew slowly closed his hand in pain, as a tear fell down his face, “So then why am I still hurting?”
Oliver also began crying as he shook his head for a moment, “I think it’s psychogenic. That means your psychological trauma is creating real pain, even though there is no longer a physical injury.”
Tears poured down his face, “So I'm not actually in pain?”
Oliver quickly responded, “The pain you feel is real nerve pain and your body is reacting as if it’s real pain.”
Andrew closed his hand and squeezed it tightly as he winced in pain, his muscles cried in agony. Oliver gently put his hand on Andrew's shoulder to try to comfort him.
“I know your pain is real Andrew… I’m not doubting it for a moment.”
Andrew opened his hand again, looking at the pills once more.
He naively whispered, “Are there pills you can give me, to stop the fake pain?”
Oliver’s face went sad, “No.”
He cried, “Then there is no cure?”
“There is… but it’s complicated Andrew.”
“How?”
Oliver stood and took a step back, “You need closure.”
Andrew shouted back, “I don’t need closure, I'm fine! I’m healed up and we’re here in this nice place and… And…”, Andrew stopped himself as his tears flowed faster.
Oliver snapped, “You’re not fine Andrew, you’re hiding!”
He instantly regretted saying that, for they both knew this fact, but this was an ungraceful way to finally say it. In for a penny, in for a pound, Oliver reckoned. This was the first time they finally touched this topic, so it might as well all come out.
Oliver's voice was nearly a shout, “You sacrificed everything for the Roses Andrew… So why won’t you even turn on the TV and see their faces!? Aren’t you even curious to see if they’ve been successful?”
Andrew threw the pills at the glass table as he breathed heavily, his face furled in anger.
“I have my reasons Oliver, don’t you dare try to advise me what I should be doing!”
Oliver instantly retaliated, “Again you hide! The truth is, you’re afraid to see if it was all worth it!”
Andrew broke down sobbing… His whimpers were the only sound as he laboured to catch his breath, shaking from head to toe. Oliver covered his face with his hands in shame, for this was not how he had hoped this topic would be brought up.
Moments passed slowly, as if they were years. Oliver stood there in shame as Andrew kept sobbing. Oliver finally moved his hands, his new tears revealed as he took a few deep breaths before finally speaking again.
“I’m sorry Andrew… Forgive me, mate. I have failed you…”
An idea dawned on him and he spoke excitedly, “That being said, if you are not prepared to face the Roses… How about you face your demon instead?”
Andrew looked up with tears still streaming, his face wracked with sadness, “I don’t want anything to see my horrible scarred face!”
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Oliver recoiled, “Andrew, stop that! I have an idea and I think it might work. Tomorrow, we are going out… Tomorrow you will deal with the darkness buried within yourself.”
*
The large screens in the hall went black as the video ended.
Oliver was looking at the floor, for he still felt shame for his outburst. Andrew trusted him, that was not the way you speak to those you care for. Oliver shook his head, as he tried to snap out of his little emotional distraction.
“So now we see, that Andrew's pain is a far more difficult problem to solve. His salvation is not to be had with pills or therapy… He needs closure.”
Oliver looked consciously for a moment at the two sitting on their raised bench, he looked both Nadia and Aisling in the eyes, before he resumed looking around the hall.
“The next day, I took Andrew to the prison where Ronald was kept in isolation. AI agreed with my assessment, Andrew needed to face his demon. Personally, I wished I had a larger group to seek consensus from… But our promise meant it was only the two of us, so that would have to do.”
“You’ve all seen the beginning of the meeting with Ronald, when Andrew ascertained absolutely that his choice did in fact save the Roses.”
“However, the far more meaningful part for him personally, was afterwards.” Oliver said calmly.
“Ronald was a monster, no doubt about it, but he still needed to tell Andrew something important, that he needed to hear.”
Oliver politely requested, “AI, please resume the prison interview from where we ended before.”
The large hall screens instantly started playing the video, starting a few seconds before, to remind everybody of the context.
*
Prison Interview 2
Andrew was sitting in his wheelchair, opposite Ronald, the two separated by thick safety glass.
Ronald calmly stared into Andrew's eyes, “But that doesn’t matter.”
“You won boy… And I lost everything I ever cared for… But hey, at least you saved all your friends.”
“Against all odds and no matter what I did to you… You beat me.”
“The only thing I walked away with… Was ‘I don’t know’.”
Tears dripped down the wolf's face as he looked away with a devastatingly pained face.
The wolf looked down as he slowly shook his head, his way of showing he lost. He took a few moments and then he chuckled.
He said looking up, “I hope it was worth it boy.”
“I hope those two birds gave you one hell of a night in thanks for what you did for them.”
Andrew looked away.
“No? I suppose I did leave you torn to shreds, I can’t say I blame them for not riding that.”
“How about a kiss on the cheek then?... Or did they shower you in riches as compensation for your spilled blood?”
The Wolf chuckled more as he looked at Andrew in anticipation. Yet Andrew didn’t look at him. The Wolf waited a moment before he realised and the chuckling immediately stopped. His face changed from bemused to outraged.
The wolf leaned closer to the glass, his voice was quiet, “They don’t know…”
Andrew didn’t move and the Wolf interpreted that as confirmation.
“You idiot!” He spat out.
“Here I am, assuming you bested me in a game of will, because you were mighty!” The wolf barked.
“Turns out you’re just a fucking moron!” He said incredulously.
Andrew finally turned to look the wolf in the eye. Andrew's eyes were full of hurt, for he knew the reasons for his choice, but it didn’t make these insults any easier.
The Wolf was impatient, “What was the point of all of this Andrew! What was your plan? After all those weeks of suffering, am I to believe you just like getting fucking hurt?!”
Andrew looked at him in silence as he kept his secrets hidden under his sleeve. He wasn’t going to tell his enemy what his plan was, that would be foolish.
The wolf shook his head in intense disappointment as he looked away. He gave himself a moment to recompose as he got his thoughts together and his face changed from outrage to sadness.
The wolf shed tears, “I lost the most important thing in my life. My boy Gerald was my everything. I cried and cried again when I saw his body at the prison…”
“And I don’t know what hurts more, the fact that I couldn’t get vengeance for his death… Or the fact that you endured my wrath, only to be sitting here alone and hurt.”
He asked quietly, “Did we both lose here?”
He briefly put his face in his hands and breathed out, shaking his head again. He looked at Andrew with sorrow.
“You know, when you torture someone… It takes a toll. Every more horrid thing I did to you in desperation, was more of my soul I paid twice over.”
“I used it all, I'm all spent… I have nothing left of myself.”
He looked down at the bottom of the safety glass, as he stared into eternity for a few moments.
“I remember when I first went down that basement.”
“I remember offering you an easy escape for simple information.”
“I figured you were an easy target, I mean you didn’t initially strike me as someone strong.”
“When I took that bag off your head and looked you in the eye…”
He paused as his face showed both admiration and fear.
“The eyes that looked back at me, they were sparkling. They were the eyes of a man with strength of hope.”
“Those eyes scared me and I never knew why, but it left a horrible feeling of fear inside me.”
“Throughout those weeks, I would look you in the eye… And see that look of indomitable will, staring right back at me.”
“I should have stopped… I realised in the beginning that you were stronger than me.”
“But my heart was shattered from the loss of my son, and I felt I had nothing left to lose.”
he whispered slowly and intently, “But those eyes…”
“I still wake up sometimes in a cold sweat… The last thing I see is those… Goddamned eyes!”
Ronald said nothing for a few moments, his face was absent of any emotion. He finally looked Andrew in the eyes.
“Now I see a lonely man… I see a hurt man. I realise your pain torments you even now, months afterwards.”
Andrew broke down into tears, “You broke me…”
“No I didn’t.”, the wolf instantly said.
“I look in your eyes and that same unshakable man is there, staring back at me… He’s just hiding.”
Andrew recoiled back, as if he were just hit by a spear.
“Look into my eyes and you will see a man with nothing left.”
“I bet my soul into trying to get revenge for my son… and I failed.”
“I gambled and lost everything.”
“But I took nothing from you Andrew. I hurt you, and yet I could never make you yield.”
“You suffer because you think I took something from you.”
“But the truth is that… I was never strong enough to take anything from you.”
“Son… You had already given your everything to someone else.”
“Who?!” Andrew begged, tears streaming down his face.
“I don’t know… You tell me who you keep close to your heart?”
“It’s probably the same people you saw when I drugged you.”
“You called them… Angels.”
Andrew thought intensely on what Ronald said. Perhaps they were in his heart all along and he simply never realised it until now.
He looked at Ronald with confusion, “Why are you telling me this? Why are you trying to console me? You hate me!”
“No I don’t!” The wolf barked back.
“I did what I did to you boy, with the thought of my dead son motivating me… Not because I hated you!”
“If anything… Now that this is all over, I look at you with intense admiration. I have witnessed your strength of will and it’s mighty. You may be the strongest person history will ever know… If you ever bother to tell anyone about it.”
Ronald looked at the red button at Andrew's side and stared at it. It was time… He had said his share. Andrew was still crying as he also looked at the button. He knew that once this button was pushed, Ronald would disappear and never ever return. He hesitated for a long moment, desperately wishing he had more to ask him or more to say… Yet he didn’t.
He finally pushed the button, a loud buzzing sound played in the passageway and a few seconds later the door opened. The two wardens entered and approached the prisoner. They had Ronald stand as they placed one hand on his shoulder. They turned and started pushing him to the door, when the wolf turned around and looked Andrew in the eyes, one final time.
“Your pain is thinking you’ve lost something.”
“But you didn’t lose it… You kept it safe in their laps.”
*
The large screens in the hall went black.
Oliver was still looking up at the large screen above him, deep in thought.
“I apologise… I’ve actually never watched this. At the time, I respected his privacy and never asked what happened. That was quite the… Meaningful exchange.”
Nadia stood up, with confused emotions written on her face.
“Do you mean to say… That we are causing his pain?”
“Not exactly”, Oliver casually responded. “He is causing his own pain, in a sense, and you two are the unknown participants.”
Aisling stared at her desk, her voice quiet and contemplative, “Is it really possible though? Can a person really latch their emotions to others?”
Olived answered excitedly, “Absolutely, we do it all the time, Aisling, both in big ways and in smaller ways. A simple example would be listening to an old song and how it brings back powerful emotions you felt when you first heard it. You recall the memories from when you first heard it.”
“We are inextricably connected to each other, in the most meaningful ways imaginable.”
“Andrew seems to have done this… Tethering, to you two. That’s one of the reasons why I desperately called the vote earlier. Having him come here is the last card in my deck… I have tried so many things to pull Andrew out of his depression… This is all that I have left to try.”
He looked at Aisling sadly, “Humans who suffer extreme stress in a traumatic event, do anything they can to mentally cope.”
“Andrew tethered everything into you two… Into your dreams, hopes and your vision. It was likely how he managed to endure the torture and not mentally break. It was why he hallucinated you two when he was drugged”.
“You two occupy a crucial place in his heart. Every day that went by after he tethered himself to you, he grew more and more depressed. He exists in his body and mind, yet his heart is here with you and this organisation.”
Aisling’s face changed to that of guilt and sorrow, but Nadia was more concerned than sad.
“How can we ever hope to be the angels he thinks we are?” Nadia asked genuinely.
Michael interjected quickly, “The exact same way you’re doing it right now.”
She looked frustrated, “We’re not angels Michael...”
Oliver glanced between Nadia and Aisling quickly and he thought for a quick moment, as he tried to understand Nadia’s stance.
“This organisation is still very young. A lot has been accomplished in a shockingly small amount of time and we are all still finding our place here and coming to terms with our role we have in the Roses.”
“It’s forgivable that perhaps you two have failed to realise how strong an impression you leave on us all. Did you really think we all joined this organisation on a whim? Do you think members and agents carry out their roles here, out of an obligation?”
Aisling and Nadia were surprised, for they genuinely had never thought of this. They glanced quickly around the hall and to their surprise, there were beaming smiles directed towards them.
“From the very beginning, you two have been angels. Your hope, vision, empathy, determination and genuineness have been nothing short of inspiring. Every word you say, every dream you care to share with us… It echoed through us all.”
“It’s not to say you are perfect, for nobody is. All I’m saying is that when you eliminate the standard human imperfections from you, that we all share, what is left with you two… Can only be described as angelic.”
The hall echoed an honouring “Here here!”. The two smiled in flattery as they humbly looked down at their table, “Thank you”, they both said.
“In terms of you fulfilling Andrew's expectations… I have no doubt about that.” Oliver smiled.
He looked at his watch and slightly jumped in surprise, “Oh no, we’re running out of time!” He said in genuine panic.
Everyone in the hall looked up at the clocks across the hall. It was 2:52 PM. The Inner Roses close their session at 4 PM.
Oliver unintentionally raises his voice, “There is still so much left to say, but I sadly don’t have enough time!”,
AI spoke. “Calm down Mr.Jones. An hour is enough for the important parts. I suggest telling them about the aftermath of Andrew's interaction with Ronald and then I will show them Ashleys cam feed in relation to Andrew's food troubles.”
“Yes! Of course, the aftermath, right!” He was back on course now.
“Hmm… I would be careless if I failed to mention…” Oliver rubbed his chin, debating how important this fact was.
“That same night that Andrew visited Ronald… Ronald ended his own life.”
There was a small reaction in the hall to this, a few breaths taken in or breathed out. Naturally nobody was crying for the monster, but it was still uncomfortable to think of suicide.
“Andrew knew Ronald was going to. That last look the wolf gave him must have told him so.” Oliver rubbed his eyes for a few seconds.
“Andrew came back from that meeting, noticeably changed. On the drive back Andrew was remarkably chatty and when we got back to the house, the first thing he did was…”, He smiled gloriously.
“He turned on the television!” He boasted triumphantly.
“I couldn’t believe it, I was so surprised! What Ronald told Andrew, it gave him some degree of closure. Enough at least for him to no longer ignore the Roses.”
“Andrew spent all day sat in front of the TV. He asked so many questions to AI and myself about the Roses. He was so curious and I was just so happy to see him finally face this organisation.”
“Also, both of us noticed a change in Andrew. His pain had eased. When I asked him how he felt, he claimed he felt better but was still in pain.”
“As the days went by, he sat glued to the TV. He watched every second like it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen and it was then that he…” He stopped himself.
“No, I would rather you learned it through Ashley’s video” Oliver made his mind up.
“In the following months, as Andrews' broken leg mended, his mental state began to fall again.”
“While his pain situation slightly improved… His loneliness grew.”
“It first manifested as him facing me less. It was as if he didn’t want me seeing his face anymore…”, He said sadly.
“I noticed this, but he wouldn’t talk about it. He talked less and less with every passing day.”
Oliver shuddered. This was the ugly bit again.
“I visited him in the morning, and he had…” He stopped… He couldn’t say it.
“He had…” No, this was too painful.
AI interjected, “This hall doesn’t need to know about that Oliver. Carry on please.”
Oliver stood there depressed for a few moments, as he remembered entering the house and seeing broken glass from Andrew shattering all the mirrors. He remembered Andrew crying about how he couldn’t stand to see his own ugly scarred face anymore.
AI was right though, this was a private thing the Inner Roses didn’t need to hear. He shook his head and remembered what the time was.
He briefly said, “Forgive me, I will continue.”
“After a dark moment, Andrew was inspired by… A person from the Roses” He said carefully.
“He also picked up a hobby to keep himself busy. Most importantly though, his leg had fully healed and Andrew immediately began his physiotherapy.”
“Andrew's motivation during his physio was inspiring on its own. For a man who was falling into depression, his determination to regain the ability to stand and walk was a sight to behold. It reminded me that even heroes need someone to look up to. Andrew had found his own champion who inspired him, and it showed in his training.”
“It was a brutally painful few months. Andrew's body had healed, but the pain made muscle training slow and agonising. Yet as Michael alluded to earlier, Andrew’s strength of will is unstoppable.”
Oliver paused for a moment as he remembered Andrew trying to stand from the wheelchair, but falling off it, slammed onto the floor. He remembered the screams of agony. Oliver tried helping Andrew up, but Andrew always refused it. Oliver will never forget watching him slowly pull himself up onto that wheelchair, time and time again. The determination on his face as the tears of agony dripped down his cheeks. These memories were both sad and inspiring.
“Eventually Andrew succeeded, against all odds. Facing unfathomable pain, he finally unshackled himself from the wheelchair. We could never get him into a wheelchair ever again. This was a milestone of progress he refused to ever regress on.”
“It’s not to say he is fit though. He can stand and walk, but not very far at all. It was far enough for him to regain his sense of independence though and that is all he cared about.”
Oliver stopped to check the time and drink some water, 45 minutes left. There is now only time for Ashley’s video.
“We left the beach manor a few months afterwards. Andrew moved back to this city and we housed him and I in an agent hostel. An apartment designed to be a safe house and rest point for agents in the area.”
“We also took Andrew to the dentist, as It was time he had his teeth back. Andrew had a full set of permanent prototype dentures done. AI spared no expense and they are for all intents and purposes… Real teeth, incredible work to be sure.”
He was still impressed by the dental work done.
Oliver was saddened as he spoke more, “Andrew still got more and more depressed and three weeks ago the situation reached a critical point… Andrew stopped eating.” Oliver was heartbroken speaking about this.
“We tried everything to get him to eat, but he just wouldn’t take anything in. It was a mild concern the first day, but after four days it became a dire concern. Andrew was thin enough as it was… He simply didn’t have excess energy to afford this. All he did was watch TV as he rocked in pain.”
“I panicked as I ran out of ideas… but AI came up with a solution quickly.”
“We figured, since Andrew was excited by agents in the Roses, what if we had our top agents come over and eat? It would make sense, since he was living in a safe house for agents.”
“AI coordinated with chef Heartly to create a simple and easy meal to digest that would give a lot of calories. Chef Heartly did an incredible job. Truly, my respect goes to the chef.”
“The agents collected the meal and went to the safehouse. Michael refused this mission, so it ended up being agent Ashley Gardner and William Forest, our second and third highest ranked agents. Andrew definitely knew of them both, so the plan seemed sound.”
“The mission was recorded thanks to AI’s kit that the agents were assigned. The portable eyeglass that they use to stay in constant contact with AI.”
Oliver looked to the agents sitting in the near centre of the hall, they all had their little blue plastic screen in front of their left eye. It was the main way people recognised agents as opposed to standard Rose members.
Ashley jumped out of her seat like a lightning bolt. Her eyes wide open as she only now realised the significance of who they visited.
“That was Andrew!” She exclaimed, “Oh my God I had no ide-”
Oliver interrupted her, “Don’t worry Ashley, you didn’t know because we didn’t tell you, due to our reasons, remember? Either way, you handled it perfectly, so please don’t worry.”
Michael said nothing as he sat still looking at the floor. He remembered this mission and he remembered refusing it. The moment he realised it was Andrew, he knew he couldn’t do it. Andrew was Michael's hero and the man he had dedicated months of his life to. Michael internalised Andrew’s character, his motivations and his suffering.
If he were to see Andrew, it would become impossible to keep wearing the mask he promised to hide behind. He would not have been able to act normally and feign ignorance. He had to refuse the mission, or else he might have jeopardised everything.
Oliver quickly glanced at Michael and smiled. There were no hard feelings about Michael refusing and AI never objected either.
“AI, please show Ashleys recording.” Oliver politely requested.
The large screens in the hall started playing its last video.
*
Since the camera was attached to Ashley’s left eye display, the video was from her perspective.
It began looking down at her hands holding two white plastic bags. They were standard looking fast food bags full of different shaped food boxes. In the left bag were the agents' food, it was noticeably larger than the right bag. On the right was a relatively small bag with a hard plastic container inside of it.
She had just stopped walking as she reached the front door. The lock was red and it would only open with AI’s activation. On the bottom left of the video, writing appeared. “Standby, unlocking”. This must be what the agents see in their glass screens, AI directly talking to them moment by moment.
The door light went green as the electric lock clicked. An arm came from the right of the screen and opened the door with the handle.
“About time you made yourself useful Will, I’m usually the one doing everything aren’t I?”, her voice sounded immediately close as she spoke.
She looked right to Will, he was wearing his formal agent uniform. He smiled at her as he bowed sarcastically for her to enter.
Ashley walked through the door into the passageway as she glanced around to get a feel for the layout of the apartment. It was a modernly styled white wall apartment with a more basic and conservative theme. Three passageways seemed to lead to different rooms.
There was the sound of people speaking at the end of the left passageway, so Ashley immediately walked that way. The end of the passageway led to what appeared to be the living room. It had two large white sofas and a massive television. A basic rectangular white coffee table sat between the sofas.
She stopped after entering when she glanced at a figure sat at the furthest end of the couch. He was wearing a black hoodie, the hood was up and covering his head. He was watching the TV, which had the live stream of the Inner Roses hall. You could hear Aisling talking very passionately with what seemed to be a meteorologist. It was about storm patterns developing over the Philippines.
“Hi, sorry to come in unannounced, we were told we could stop here for our lunch break.” Ashley confidently explained, her view not moving from the person sitting on the couch.
The person looked away from the TV and quickly glanced over to them and then suddenly down to the table. Their posture was slumped and their breathing was slow. One could faintly hear a whimper at the end of every laboured breath they took.
Andrew quietly spoke, still looking down at the table, “You don’t need to apologise or explain. This is a safehouse made specifically for you, it’s all yours.”
“I’m just staying here for the moment, so don’t mind me.”
Will walked past Ashley’s left side, “Sound, because I'm bare hungry!”, he said in an energetic and relaxed tone.
Will stopped inside the room to look at the TV for a moment. The person in the hoodie reacted to the voice, looking left at Will and then to Ashley.
He slightly jumped in his seat, a small whimper of pain as he did so. He slowly forced himself to stand up, his body looking weak and in agony as he did. His breathing audibly got louder and faster.
“Agent Forest and Gardner! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise it was you!” Andrew's voice got a little louder and had a hint of enthusiasm.
“I can’t believe…” He started to say before he stopped. He looked down at the table for a second.
He spoke quickly, “I can leave if you want, you two must be extremely busy. I wouldn’t want to interfere with the Roses' best agents…”
Ashley walked to the table, placing the bags on it. “We got an hour break, don’t worry about that.” Ashley’s tone was kind.
Will spoke as he looked away from the tv to Andrew, “AI had us grab an extra food package, so unless there’s someone else here… It’s probably for you.”
On the bottom left, the words “MISSION CRITICAL, SUBJECT MUST EAT” appeared.
Both Ashley and Will reacted immediately, they shot a quick glance at the hooded person. This transformed from a lunch break into a mission. Agents are dedicated to following instructions AI gives them. If AI said jump, they wouldn’t even ask how high, they would just jump.
There was a pause for a moment, Ashley and Will were formulating a plan. If this mission was marked as critical, then failure was absolutely not an option. They needed to get this person to eat, no matter what.
Andrew winced as he slowly sat back down into the sofa, “I’m fine, you go and eat, you need all the energy you can get, as agents” He quietly said, staring back at the TV.
Ashley slowly walked to the couch and energetically plopped herself down, right next to Andrew. Andrew slightly winced in pain as her activity slightly rocked him. She looked over to him but all she could see was the side of the hood.
“Oh dear, that won’t do at all!”, she said with enthusiasm.
“Chef Heartly won’t take kindly to that at all.” She reached over to Andrew's bag and gently patted it.
“If he finds out someone refused his cooking… I think he would probably end me.” Will jokingly said on the left side, as he took a seat on the couch next to Ashley.
He reached over and pulled out the boxes for Ashley and himself. Ashley only slightly acknowledged them in the corner of her view.
“Heartly cooked this meal, with a passion and dedication I have never seen from him before. It means the world to him that people enjoy the food he makes.” Ashley said quietly as she looked over to the weak postured man next to her.
“The least you can do is try it… Right?” She implored as she gently rested her hand on Andrews left shoulder.
Andrew slightly looked away from the TV when she touched him and a moment passed before he slowly spoke.
“Ok… I don’t know this Heartly person, but if agents respect him, then I owe him this respect as well. I’ll just give it a small taste.”
Ashley reached over to the table, opening the bag and pulling out the plastic food container. There was a spoon strapped onto its lid.
She gently placed it down on Andrew's side of the table, “Enjoy!” She said as she looked over to their own food on the left of the table.
There were two large hamburgers sat next to a generous portion of fries. Ashley grabbed one of the boxes, placing it on her lap. She immediately grabbed the burger with both hands and bit into it. One could hear a smooth “mmmm” coming from Ashley. Clearly this chef made a mean burger.
Ashley slightly glanced over at Andrew and saw him very slowly and deliberately trying to pop open the four seals around the container. Andrew wore black gloves, but it was plain to see his fingers were struggling with the fine movements.
Eventually he got them all open as he put the lid to the side and picked up the spoon. It was only then that one could see the shake in his hands. He held the spoon at the lower point and the spoon was visibly shaking. It was like watching an old person with Parkinson's.
He slowly dipped the spoon into the soup and as he lifted the spoon out, his shaking slightly spilled some soup out of the spoon. You could hear a frustrated exhaling of air from Andrew. Slowly the spoon finally reached his mouth as he sipped the soup up.
While one couldn’t see Andrew's face due to it being concealed with the hood, you could hear him lip smacking. Andrew swallowed and paused for a moment, “Wow” he quietly said, “This is so tasty…” He immediately went for another spoonful.
The screen was bobbing up and down as obviously Ashley was nodding. “The man was born to cook, I tell you. I refuse to believe anyone who claims to not love his food.” Ashley said, her mouth partially full of food.
Will leaned over looking past Ashley, “Thank God I don’t have to be the first person to tell Heartly he failed.” He said with genuine concern.
“He would snap me in two, like a twig!”
Ashley chuckled as she destroyed her fries. Agents eat immense amounts, because they usually tend to be extremely active all day and they work a mean appetite. Andrew slowly leaned forward so that his face was closer to the container. It was clearly frustrating him how slowly he was getting the soup from A to B.
Ashley looked sharply at him and caught a glimpse of Andrew's chin. There seemed to be a scar there, but more concerning was how bony his chin was. It was instantly apparent this person was malnourished. Ashley quickly looked away, aware her staring would make him uncomfortable.
“7 days since last meal” appeared on the bottom left as AI clearly noticed his malnourished face too. Ashley held back a gasp of panic. Will stopped mid-bite into his burger, before he took a breath and continued eating.
It was Andrew who finally broke the silence, “Please tell this Heartly fella, that I have never enjoyed a soup as much as I have this.” He was quite quickly shovelling spoonfuls of soup now.
“Thank you for saving my friend”, the words appeared on the bottom left. Ashley shot a look at Will, Will turned to her instantly as well. Both of them must have had their eyes wide open… Why did AI say this to them?
Ashley looked back at Andrew, her curiosity taking the best of her. “So tell me, what’s your name?”
Andrew ignored her, he just kept sipping soup with the spoon.
A moment passed, Ashley tried again. “Are you… A member of the Roses?” She carefully chose her words.
“No.” Andrew quickly responded.
“I’m just a nobody, don’t concern yourself with me. You’ll probably never see me again.” He quietly said before he took another spoonful.
AI spoke through the TV instantly, “That’s not true, you’re more important to me than you’ll ever know.”
Ashley slightly jumped in surprise for she had been an agent for over half a year, and never had she ever heard AI speak like this. Will made eye contact with Ashley, his face was covered in shock.
Andrew paused his eating as he sat there motionless for a few seconds before he looked at the TV.
“You’re too kind to me AI, I don’t deserve you.” He spoke so quietly, it was almost inaudible.
He resumed eating and he had impressively nearly finished the large container of soup. Obviously his hunger had kicked back into drive.
Andrew finished the last of his soup and he slowly and painfully put the lid back on, tightening the corner seals. He leaned back into the couch, his breathing still painfully slow.
AI’s voice was humble, “May I please ask a favour?” Andrew waited a second before he spoke.
“What can I do to help?” He kindly said.
AI spoke slowly, “Can you please show the agents your hobby items?”
Andrew stopped moving, “I don’t think they will care about it, they’re just silly things.” Andrew slowly said as he looked down at his lap. Ashley quickly looked at Will and then back to Andrew.
“Show us, we still got 40 minutes, what else are we going to do?” She said enthusiastically.
Andrew paused again before he slowly pulled himself up from the couch, in the most agonising manner a person could somehow manage such a simple thing. He slowly walked, a noticeable limp coming from his left leg as he painfully went to the cupboard next to the TV. He opened it, pulled out a small black cashmere bag and slowly walked back and took a seat again.
He pulled the tassels to open the bag and reached into the bag, pulling out maybe a dozen cards. He looked at them for a moment, before he offered them to Ashley. Ashley took them and looked at the first card at the top of the small deck. She took a surprised breath as she instantly moved her head closer to confirm what she thought she saw.
The card was beautifully designed, with an elegant silver border around its edges. At the top middle of the card, was a flattering photograph of Ashley, standing in the Inner Roses hall dressed in her formal black dress, smiling as she looked up at what was probably the Roses.
Her name was written underneath, ‘Ashley Gardner’. Beneath that, was a description. It read: “Ashley is one of the top agents for the Roses. Her boundless energy and insatiable desire to serve the Roses is exemplary. Countless lives have been positively changed or directly saved due to her lightning reflexes and consistent ‘Can Do’ attitude. Ashley stands as a proud example for all agents.”
Ashley spent a moment looking at the card, “You made this card yourself?
“Yeah” Andrew casually responded. “I watch you all on the TV and I make these cards to celebrate how amazing all the agents are to me” he quietly said, looking away from Ashley.
“Thank you, it’s… Just so beautiful.” Ashley said as she gently ran her finger down her card. She paused a moment, then slid the card to her right hand, revealing the next card. It was a dark but brilliant copper bordered theme, and there was Will, his arms crossed with a smirk on his face as he looked at the camera.
Will leaned in to get a better look at himself. “Woooow” he said slowly, his eyes dancing around the card. The description read: “William Forest. William is known by many as the ‘face’ of the agents. His wicked sense of humour lightens any dark moment and many would argue his optimism matches Aisling herself. His military time has him decorated with an impressive array of firearms experience and tactical awareness.”
“... and tactical awareness” Will quietly read out.
“That’s exactly what the board wrote about me at HQ”, he rubbed his chin in a thinking posture.
“You’ve been to HQ and copied these descriptions down onto the cards?” Will casually asked Andrew.
Andrew slightly moved his head to look at Will, “No?”
AI gently spoke, “My descriptions in HQ, came from these cards Will, not the other way around.”
Will looked back down at the card and back up to Andrew, “How did you…”, he started to ask but stopped himself. This person was clearly more than he appeared.
Ashley flicked through the cards, all of them agents in descending order of rank. Each one personally described and decorated. She reached the bottom and tilted her head to the side. She quickly skimmed through them all a second time.
“You missed someone.” She quietly stated.
Andrew looked down at the floor, his body slightly shaking, “I keep that card close at all times.” Andrew whispered.
“That person is my hero and my inspiration…” He looked away from them for a few moments.
After a moment, he slowly unzipped the top of this hoodie. He reached into it as he slowly and gently pulled out a single card. He zipped up his hoodie and gently held the card with both hands.
Ashley leans a bit over to look at it. Its radiant gold framed border shone in the light. There was a picture of Michael slightly crouched down as he had both his arms around Nadia and Aisling, his hugely tall and muscular frame towering over the two girls. He was beaming his confident smile at the camera as the two looked up to him smiling just as brightly.
The photograph was stunning and one could hardly imagine a better picture to show Michael in. The description read: “Michael Campbell. Michael is the highest ranked agent of the Roses. He was the first agent to be designated by AI. His list of accomplishments are endless and his performance is consistently flawless. The Roses have much to thank Michael for, his role has been essential in helping the dream of the Roses become a reality. His military experience has saved countless lives. There is no task he does not excel in as his relentless determination, confidence, charisma and strength of will is legendary.”
At the bottom of the card, in small but beautiful font, wrote: “My hero, you inspired me to stand and walk again. You inspire me to try to be stronger. May you forever stand as a giant hope for all, as I humbly rest in your shadow.”
Andrew ever so gently ran his finger across the card. Ashley didn’t dare try to take the card from him.
“He was supposed to meet us here today.” Ashley said, looking at the card. “I don’t know why he didn’t show.”, she whispered.
Andrew started crying. “It’s because of me...” Andrew said. He slowly shook his head.
Will asked quietly, “Oh, you know him?”
Andrew kept shaking his head for a few moments.
“Apparently he once saw me. It was after…”, Andrew broke down crying.
Ashley gently rubbed Andrews back as they waited while for him to be ready to speak more.
“It was after I was rescued… From a very difficult situation.” He slowly said.
“I was still in shock and Michael saw me… At my weakest.” Andrew cried more.
“... I think he hates me.” He broke down sobbing. His body was shaking, not from pain, but rather… shame.
He wept, “He saw a man so pathetic, so broken… Ever since then, he’s been consumed by anger.”
“I must have tainted him with my weakness.”
Ashley spoke quietly, “He’s your hero though… He’s not the kind of man to judge someone like that…”
Andrew wept, “You can’t fathom how low I was…”
Minutes passed as Andrew cried to himself. Ashley looked through the cards again, her hands slightly trembling as she considered what to say.
She finally decided to ask, “If you could say something to him… To your hero. What would you tell him?”
Andrew sat there, rocking back and forth as he shook his head. Many moments passed before he whispered.
“I would tell him… Forget about me.”
“Don’t let me haunt you with my failure.”
“I see you on the TV… Compared to who you were in the beginning, you’ve changed so much since that day you saw me.”
“I want to see you smile again, as you carry the angels on your shoulders to a brighter future.”
“Forget about me… Let me fade out of your mind, like a bad nightmare. I am just a shadow.”
“Don’t let my failure anchor you, holding you back from the greatness you are destined for.”
A few moments passed as Ashley looked at the small deck of cards. “These cards are beautiful. They were clearly made with love, attention and respect. The Roses need passion like this and I hope one day you’ll come visit us. I know all the agents would love to see their own card.”
*
The large screens in the hall went black as the video ended.
Ashley and Oliver were now next to Michael. Michael had not been made aware of this video and it devastated him.
“He’s my hero… And he thinks I hate him?!” Michael asked in shock.
“He thinks I was disgusted when I saw him…” He mumbled.
Oliver tried in vain to sooth the giant, “Shhh” “Shhh”, Oliver repeated. “It’s his depression that led him to view your avoidance from that perspective… You did what you needed to for the right reasons.”
Michael yelled, “Good intentions be damned! Look at the results Oliver, I failed him!”
“When he was lonely and in pain, he felt I abandoned him!”
Oliver yelled over his own shoulder, “AI, please tell me this is not being streamed!”
AI quickly responded, “Of course not, I have been censoring confidential and private moments on the fly. They simply see a buffering logo right now.”
Aisling and Nadia appeared alongside Michael, their faces streaked with tears as together they embraced him.
Aisling cried, “This is not your fault! You honoured your promise… You honoured him!”
Nadia spoke quietly, “We have time Michael… Time to make this right, time to save him from the darkness he’s fallen into.”
AI firmly stated, “I won’t lose my saviour. I will find a way to get him here and he will get the closure he desperately needs.”
Further tears were shed until Michael, Nadia and Aisling finally regained a degree of calm. The angels returned to their seats as Oliver returned to his position at the centre of the hall, “We’re good now, AI.” Oliver stated.
AI loudly stated, “Look at that, our streaming problem seems to have resolved itself. Apologies to our viewers for the disconnections. Local road works have been causing internet outages.”
A blatant lie, but nobody watching would know any better.
Oliver summarised, “And so we find ourselves in the here and now.”
"The Roses and the world now know the truth."
“That we were saved from oblivion, by a single man.”
“Andrew endured extreme torture, and in so doing, gave our organisation the critical time we needed to establish our foundation, to rally like-minded folks to the cause and to give us hope for the future.”
“Andrew believed in the dream The Roses held. He proved his hope and vision in a monstrous trial by blood.”
“He willingly suffered in agony and obscurity for nearly a year, all to allow us what we have here and now.”
“He is lonely, depressed and now he stands at the cliff's edge. He’s about to jump, but I pray we can stop him.”
“It’s time we returned the favour… And rescued our own saviour.”
The hall went wild with applause. There was now an overwhelming sense of optimism across the Inner Roses hall. The entire organisation had stepped out of the shadow of ignorance into the light. Even though this was a hard thing to be told, it was listened to reverently.
Oliver raised his hand for silence. The clock showed 3:55pm. A few more things needed to be said.
Oliver said glumly, “As a psychologist, I must warn you all.”
“Andrew is still in a rough state.”
“There are crucial things we must keep in mind, at least in the beginning.”
Oliver paused to ensure all were fully listening.
“He panics when he hears car horns and I won’t remind you why. When he does arrive, across this entire region, AI will be disabling and forbidding all usage of car horns. Please give us your understanding when this restriction is called.”
“He hides himself in his hoodie for he despises how his body has still not healed away the marks of his torture. They might heal after he gets closure, but until then, his body refuses to repair its cosmetic effects. So please, I implore you… Don’t mention it, don’t stare at him and don’t draw attention to his shyness.”
Oliver stopped and he looked at his watch. “Time’s up. I can’t tell you when he will arrive, only that it will be soon. This has been a difficult day of tears and I feel there will be more tears yet.”
“But today is the most hopeful day the Roses have ever had…”
AI spoke. “This meeting is now adjourned. I will be available for any clarification or questions, both from Roses and the media.”
***
Post Meeting, AI Press Conference
It had been a truly eventful day for the Roses organisation. They had only an hour ago closed the session in which the truth of Andrew Smith had been revealed. The press were invited into the Inner Roses Hall where they took a seat on the wooden chairs, usually reserved for the agents.
Different social media agents, government representatives and members of the press were present, each with an identification badge on their shoulder.
After they had all taken their seats and quietened down, AI began speaking to them through the speakers across the hall.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen of the press and other representatives, I thank you for your prompt arrival to this impromptu press conference. I will be the spokesperson for this session as I attempt to answer any questions or concerns you may have.”
There was a mild reaction as people looked around in confusion. They settled down and a man in the front stood up.
“Hi, Sam Ailmon, Great British Broadcasting. AI, I want to enquire why you censored the surname of Andrew?”
AI responded instantly, “Thank you Sam. Yes, I intentionally censored Andrew's surname to ensure his privacy and anonymity. If people could search him up, they would chase after him and harass him, which in his current state would be dangerous.”
Sam asked another question immediately, “Why did you not show us the videos that the members were shown?”
“Once more because of privacy. However, there was one video that had shocking content of a distressing nature, so in that case I chose not to show it in respect of the sensitivities of viewers.”
A blonde lady quickly stood up, “Karen Dench, Youblub video. AI, there were many interruptions to the broadcast, leading to nearly an hour and a half missed… May we know why that happened?”
“Thank you Karen. Yes, unfortunately we have had roadworks nearby that have been causing blackouts or disturbances to both electricity and the internet. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the interruptions.”
Karen asked another question, “May the public come and see Andrew at the headquarters?”
“Unfortunately, due to the sensitive nature of Andrew's current predicament, only Rose members will be permitted access to the headquarters for the foreseeable future. Thank you for your understanding.”
An older gentleman slowly stood up, he was in no rush, “Harry Kendleton, Northern News. May I ask if you have any comment on the online reaction to this video. There are fierce debates being waged between different communities about whether Andrew is a hero or a villain.”
“Thank you Harry. I have witnessed these online debates, however they are no more exaggerated than any other online dispute. I implore all internet citizens to please wait for further facts before making any hasty assessments of Andrew or his circumstances.”
The last person to stand up was a government member, “Eric Foundman, UK Government Media Liaison. We find ourselves concerned about an AI withholding critical information from the public. Was your silence legal and do you feel you overstepped your bounds?”
“Thank you Eric. I had done research into whether refusing to speak was illegal for a machine, and as far as current legislation goes, there are no specific laws forbidding an AI for withholding information with good intent. On the topic of whether I overstepped my bounds, I deny that allegation. I acted in the best interests of the welfare of humans both in my organisation and in society as a whole.”
He asked his last question, “AI… When will Andrew be made aware of the promise being broken?”
“I do not have a locked-in time frame for this: I will need to employ great care and consideration as to how I inform him of this significant change. I can only state that I intend to act with considered haste.”
Eric sat down and a moment passed as nobody else stood to ask any further questions. AI addressed them all one final time.
“Thank you for your time, questions and concerns. The next few weeks will be challenging for our organisation, however we will remain as transparent as possible, to ensure the public remains informed as the situation develops. In future, I will only be having one on one interviews on this topic. Kindly contact Administration to make further arrangements. Thank you all and good evening.”
***