By the way Bark ducked his head it was evident that he expected to be recognized, but Kyle could already tell that his father had no living clue who Bark was; nor did he seem to care. His gaze, however, lingered on Daniel. "This is Daniel," Kyle said and grabbed Daniel's shoulder. "And this is Bark, better known as Eddie Valentine."
Bark gave him a sharp look, which Kyle chose to ignore.
Jonathan glanced back at Bark, arched an eyebrow and then sighed. "Regulations demand that you all submit to a physical. Heaven knows what kind of diseases you may have caught up there," he said, speaking to Kyle. "After that ... well, you are all three released into my custody for now. And I believe you could all three benefit from a decent shower, some proper clothes and some real food." He glanced at his assistant. "Marie? Will you take care of that?"
"Yes, Mr. Whitmore, sir," she agreed instantly.
Jonathan turned, ready to leave them behind, but then stopped and looked back at Kyle. Neither his expression nor his eyes revealed anything. "I am glad to see you, Kyle," he said, stressing the words as if he was forced to say them rather than doing it voluntarily.
Before Kyle could think of anything to say to that, the old man had turned away again and was striding out of the arrival hall, followed closely by the suits. Only Marie remained behind and she was a sight for sore eyes.
"Kyle," she said with a smile and spread out her arms.
Since this was the closest he would get to anyone on Earth giving a shit about his return, Kyle stepped forward and allowed her to embrace him; not that he minded. He had always liked Marie and it had always baffled him how she would choose to work for a cold man like his father. "Marie, it's good to see you again."
"Same here," she agreed and leaned back a little, her nose slightly wrinkled. "Your father is right, though. Shower, clothes and food. In that order. All three of you," she added and stepped back from him. Waving toward the exit his father had taken, she gave him a crooked smile. "March," she said.
***
Whitmore Enterprises
After the physical, which had revealed nothing special apart from a low level of calcium in Kyle, he and his companions were taken to the main office of Whitmore Enterprises, where Bark and Daniel had been asked to wait outside, while Kyle had a chat with his father.
In a way it was surreal to be back in this office with its dark wood and humongous desk, and Kyle found himself questioning if he had even experienced the last few months at all, or if he'd been stuck in a drug-induced haze for that time.
Jonathan stood by the large window behind the desk and stared at the city below them. He was well aware of Kyle's presence, could not have avoided hearing the doors open and close, but he had yet to acknowledge his son. In other words, not much had changed.
"I was under the impression that there were four of you," Jonathan finally said, still without turning around.
The thought of Stan bit him and Kyle briefly closed his eyes. "There were. But ... Stan didn't make it," he said and had to clear his throat when it came out a little rough.
"Stanley Hillingsworth?" Jonathan finally turned around to face Kyle, his expression the usual stone. "A man with low ambitions he could never live out because of his ... lifestyle."
"He was one of the nicest guys I've ever met," Kyle countered a little tensely. Generally, he had no real idea of how his father felt about homosexuals, but could imagine that the man didn't approve since it served no general purpose in the overall picture.
"Daniel Parker," Jonathan went on, ignoring Kyle's words. "Marie contacted his family to let them know the boy was back. I guess not all parents care about their offspring."
Kyle blinked. "What do you mean?" he asked. A part of him knew, because Daniel had already said as much, but Kyle never really believed it.
"Marie had some choice words for that woman," Jonathan said and pursed his lips. "Suffice to say, Mrs. Parker is not interested in a son who has been convicted of a crime."
With a sigh, Kyle sank down on one of the chairs in front of the desk and stared forlornly at the mahogany for a moment. "Bitch," he muttered and shook his head lightly.
"The boy's physical revealed some very disturbing scaring," Jonathan continued, his voice grave. "I gave the doctors the go-ahead to remove what they could. He did not seem opposed to the removal of any of the scars."
Kyle looked up to face his father and wondered if he had any idea how callous he sounded. "Why would he? They're very bad memories," he countered and leaned back on the chair. "What's gonna happen to Daniel and Bark?"
"Bark?" Jonathan frowned and then arched an eyebrow. "Eddie Valentine, you mean," he added. "I have spoken to a friend of mine and it has been agreed that all charges are dropped for both of them. I do want to talk to Mr. Valentine at some point, but for now, I believe all three of you would benefit from some rest."
Kyle nodded and leaned forward, ready to get up, but there was something in his father's expression that made him stop. The frown, the slight curiosity; these were new expressions.
"What happened up there, Kyle?" Jonathan asked, his tone suddenly softer.
For the briefest of moments, Kyle was very much inclined to point fingers at his father and claim the old man knew exactly what was wrong on the Moon, but then he closed his eyes briefly and sank back on the chair again. He took it from the top, told his father everything that had happened from the moment he had arrived on the Moon and until they were rescued. It took time and to Kyle's immediate surprise, Jonathan did not interrupt him even once.
Once he finished his little tale of woe, he waited for what he considered the inevitable; namely phrases like 'You don't expect me to believe that, do you?' or 'Are you high?' But Jonathan just watched him intently for a moment, then strolled over to his bar and poured himself a drink. He knocked it back, then turned back to face Kyle. "And you think that all the other prisoners up there are now dead?" he asked.
"I don't know, dad. All I know is that there's something seriously wrong up there and this thing can't have been going on for thirty-five years without someone down here knowing about it," he countered tiredly. Most of all he just wanted to go home, but he didn't know if he still had a home. And why would he? His father had probably sold his apartment off the second he had been shipped off to LPC. "What the hell were they researching up there anyway?"
Jonathan took a seat, the look in his eyes distant. "All I know for certain is that there was a research station up there and it was abandoned about forty years ago. For five years, the domes were left to their own devices until someone came up with the idea of turning them into a prison for lifers. I condoned the idea, posted a lot of money into it. But I would never have done so if I had known there was ... something left up there."
Kyle leaned forward, hands braced against his knees. "Left? What do you mean, left? You do know what they were researching, don't you?"
"Rumors, Kyle," Jonathan said in a stern tone of voice. "I heard rumors. I was not interested in the project prior to that. I had no funds involved in the research station. It was classified and there was no reason for Whitmore Enterprises to get involved." He paused, breathed deeply, then leaned back on his chair and steepled his fingers. "Rumors had it that they had discovered a life form on the Moon. Personally, I thought they were talking about bacteria or some such nonsense."
Kyle snorted. "That's the biggest damned bacteria I've ever seen then," he growled. "Look, dad, there's something up there, something big. And it's killing people. Yeah, sure, the majority of those sent to LPC probably deserve it. But Daniel and Bark should be evidence enough that not all of the prisoners are murderous dicks." He rose, braced himself against the edge of the desk and leaned in. "It's eating people, dad, eating them. When we left, all but the first dome were dark. And I had ..." He stopped, straightened up, suddenly not so sure he should say anything more.
His father eyed him, frowning. "You had what?" Jonathan asked and rose too.
"Those moon cows I told you about," he said to which his father nodded. "I think they're part of that thing. I had ... weird dreams after eating that meat. It tasted fine, but ... I kept dreaming about this thing, about ... a monster; whatever you wanna call it."
"Visions?" Jonathan asked, his expression bland. "Whatever is going on up there, I will try my best to look into it. But I have to compete against the Governing Council and they seem unwilling to pursue this any further. What more is, you and your friends ... you will only remain free if you sign a gag-order."
Stunned, Kyle stared at his father for a moment. "What?" he asked.
"It was and is non-negotiable. If either of you ever want to be free again, you have to sign a gag-order. That means if either of you breathes a word about what you saw up there ... you may end up in LPC again," Jonathan said and he sounded tense, almost anxious; another new development in his father's suddenly growing spectrum of emotions. "I want you all to sign that gag-order, and I want you all to abide by it. I believe Mr. Valentine will at present do anything to remain free. I'm not worried about him. But I am worried about that young man. And, needless to say, I am also worried about you."
The distrust this implied made Kyle see red. "What? You don't think I can keep my trap shut?" he demanded.
"It's not about that, Kyle. It's about your ... habits from before you left. You say and do things that are not always in your best interest when you are under the influence of whatever recreational drugs you are using," Jonathan countered patiently. "I am worried about what you might accidentally say or do. It could land you in a world of trouble, and I think you've had enough of that for the rest of your life."
The anger threatening to erupt simmered down again and was mostly overwhelmed by surprise. Could it really be that his father cared? "Oh," he muttered and dropped back down on the chair. "Well, I have no intention of picking that up again. I've had enough weirdness to last me a lifetime. Besides ... it would seem I've picked up a roommate ... unless Daniel wants to brave the world on his own."
"If you decide to take on the responsibility it is to care for another human being, you should know that it is not at all easy." Jonathan stepped around the desk. "I will negotiate further with the powers that be to perhaps get around that gag-order. But for now, I think it might be best if you and your friends keep your mouths shut about this."
Kyle nodded and rose again. "So ... where do we stay until this all falls into place?"
Jonathan's expression was once again impossible for Kyle to read. "I will take you there," he said and led the way out of the office.
***
Accommodations galore
Kyle was tired enough to drift, while his father's ridiculously big limousine drove them through town toward wherever Whitmore Sr. had deigned to place them, until matters were resolved.
Bark was nervous, jittery even, and kept glancing at Jonathan as if he were on the verge of speaking, but didn't quite dare.
Daniel sat next to Kyle, his eyes on nothing, his demeanor that of a doomed man. And Kyle simply did not have it in him right now to reassure him. He was too tired and too depressed.
The light faded, indicating that they were either in a tunnel or had pulled in somewhere. Kyle looked up and focused on the concrete walls passing by the windows. "Home sweet home," he muttered.
When the limousine came to a stop, he didn't feel much like moving, but did so anyway because, what was the point really? The government wanted them to shut up about what they had witnessed and, from what his father had said so far, so did Whitmore Sr. That meant that nothing was going to get done about that creature hiding on the Moon and it depressed Kyle. He had somehow hoped that his homecoming would be brighter, that he would feel exhilarated and ready to take on the world, but all he felt was tired and depressed.
Granted, the temporary clothes they had been given did make a nice change from the prison garb he had worn for a while now, but he still felt uncomfortable, out of place.
Jonathan gave him a look he couldn't decipher and wasn't even trying to read, then led the way to a bank of elevators with the three of them trailing behind him like wet kittens. The elevator itself seemed familiar, but Kyle figured that there were enough of them around town for one to look like the other.
The moment it came to a stop again, his gut instinct made itself known, but not in a nasty way. He just suddenly had that tingling of being in familiar territory, and when Jonathan stopped in front of a door further down the plush-covered corridor, Kyle almost felt the needed to scoop his jaw off the floor.
"Dad?" he asked, not sure he remembered this place correctly.
Jonathan opened the door and stepped inside without a word. Daniel and Bark followed him in, but Kyle remained where he was for a moment longer. And at this point, things started to look a little better to him. "Home sweet home," he repeated quietly and this time, he meant it.
***
There was absolutely no change to his apartment apart from one very prominent thing. It was tidy and clean. Ruefully, Kyle glanced around after stepping inside too. The front door had swooshed shut behind him and despite its familiarity, all of this felt like a dream.
"You kept it?" It was obviously a stupid and redundant question, but he felt the need to ask anyway. Turning to face his father, he was torn between reactions, and settled on waiting for his father's response.
Jonathan met his eyes and arched an eyebrow. "I had no time to deal with your apartment, Kyle," he said flatly. "I took the liberty of having it cleaned, since that seemed to be the last thing on your mind while you lived here. But apart from that, yes, I kept it. I saw no reason to get rid of it."
Despite of the lack of emotion Whitmore Sr. displayed when he said those words, Kyle still felt uncommonly chocked up and it took him a moment to get his act together after that. "Thanks," he said with a slight nod.
"Well, I'll leave you three to it. Remember, for now, you should not leave this apartment without informing me first. I need to be able to get a hold of you no matter when," Jonathan said and glanced around at all of them, before settling his gaze on Kyle again. "Tell Marie what you need and she'll make sure you get it. The account is still active and you should receive your bank card by courier later today or maybe early tomorrow morning." He took a step toward the door, but stopped right next to Kyle. For a moment he just stared at him. Then he took an almost gentle hold of Kyle's shoulder with one hand. "I am sorry for what you had to go through. But I hope you took something away from this experience that will make your life more complete."
Kyle nodded and managed a small smile. "If you're worried about the drugs, dad, you can stop. As I said, I'm through with that."
"That's good to hear, son," Jonathan said, then let go of his shoulder and glanced back at Bark and Daniel. "Gentlemen," he said and left.
***
Bark eyed Kyle for a moment. "Yeah, your dad hates you. That's very obvious," he said, the sarcasm heavy in his voice.
Kyle rolled his eyes. "What you just witnessed here ... that's not how he was before. I guess this whole stinking deal opened his eyes to a few things," he countered, drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly while looking around his pad. "Welcome to my humble abode," he added and made a sweeping gesture with one hand.
The living room spread out before them, spacious and clean-cut, framed on two sides by a window wall that displayed a good part of Pangaea Capital. Furnished lightly with black faux leather couches, a stainless steel and glass coffee table and a shaggy rug underneath, it looked exactly like the bachelor pad it was. The big, sixty-inch flat screen on the wall was silent and black right now, but Kyle aimed to change that.
The kitchen, open and inviting, looked like it had never been used, but Kyle knew that his dad only hired the best and they had managed to restore his home to this picture-perfect page in a glossy magazine.
"You live here all alone?" Daniel asked, obviously a little staggered by the immensity of the
apartment.
After spending time in the cramped confines of those rooms in LPC, Kyle saw his spacious apartment in a whole new light. "Yeah," he said and descended the two steps to the main living room area. "Sad, isn't it?" he asked and glanced back at the younger man, who looked like someone had just run over his puppy. "Daniel, lighten up. You're safe."
Daniel nodded, his gaze skipping around the room trying to take in everything at once. "I know," he agreed. "But what about the others?"
Bark wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. "Dude, this is a dog-eat-dog world. You know that. The fact that you're here, standing in this ... monster of an apartment, two hundred and thirty-odd thousand miles from the Moon ... that should make you deliriously happy." He waved at the window wall. "Look at that, man. Just look at that. There's air out there. And sunlight. And tons of people who don't know about monsters and don't want to know about them. You can walk down the fucking street without ever having to look over your shoulder. How can you not rejoice?"
Daniel looked uncomfortable, like Bark's words hit home but had the opposite effect of what they should have. He looked very tense right now and Kyle felt sorry for him.
"Lay off, Bark," Kyle suggested and stepped up in front of Daniel. "You look like you could sleep for a year," he said with a small smile. "Let me show you where you can crash, okay?"
Daniel nodded and followed him down the corridor to the left of the front door.
"Down at the end, that's the bathroom. There's a guest bathroom right there," Kyle said, pointing to the first door on the left. He opened the door across from it and found the first guestroom fully set up and tidy. He recognized Marie's handiwork here and smiled at the fact that the woman had filled the part of mother for him for so long, he had actually managed to overlook that fact for many years now. "You can take this room," he said and ushered Daniel inside.
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