I was in the clinic adjacent to Elise's house, standing next to her in front of the reception, fully clothed in outerwear. We were both wearing comfortable sneakers and warm overcoats. Hers was white and fluffy, and the one I quickly borrowed from her dad was grey and utilitarian.
She was quickly informing the receptionist to inform her dad that we're going to pick up Ken.
While she did that, I was looking at all the patients in the waiting area. It was packed full. And to my despondence, it's not because the flu or something similar is spreading.
Most of them were wounded. Not severely, but still, it was a tragic sight to behold.
Luckily, William's powers made him perfectly suited to handle this. But how had all this violence suddenly grown? It had only been one day since the Whiteout. I couldn't imagine how things had already escalated to this point.
While taking it in, I heard the receptionist asking Elise if she could help with organizing the mess here.
Elise said that she would later, but first wanted to pick up Ken.
With that, we turned our attention to our goal again. My house, so that we could get my car and drive to the other side of town to save the imprisoned Ken from his parents.
And we were hiding panic and hurry, because Elise seemingly caught something dangerous that I hadn't realized yet. I could not ask her, because my father's shadow might be listening in, so I could only put my trust in her.
Once outside, we both walked towards my house with a slight quickened pace. If we were too fast, the shadow would catch that something was wrong. But if we were too slow, according to Elise, something worse might happen.
My house was maybe seven minutes away at our pace.
We were holding hands while walking in silence, Elise guiding me, because there was something else I was focusing on.
I wanted to know more about the state of the country right now, to maybe find an explanation of what I saw at the clinic. I was therefore scrolling through the news on my phone while walking. I had a few minutes now that I might not have later. It was best to do it now.
When I opened my phone, and saw that the time was 10:48 AM, I started with the news sites. I immediately found the answer. It was front-page news everywhere.
The riot in Philadelphia, and what its consequences were.
Chaos.
The violence that started in Philadelphia acted as a catalyst for order breaking down in other major cities across the country.
Violence was growing everywhere, not yet as severe as in Philadelphia, but I doubted that soon the distinction could be made anymore.
That was why the clinic had been full of wounded. Violence was growing in this town too.
Damn my father! Did he know this would happen! Why… why did he do it… I still couldn't comprehend why he did it.
And my brother. Should I damn him too? He… no… he can only follow our father's orders. If I repaired that, I'm sure he'd become the good person that he truly was again.
And the state of this country now. My father and brother orchestrated it, but there was also another party to blame.
What the hell is our president doing!?
Nothing, apparently. Mayors, governors and other figures were begging him for a response, or damning him that he had done nothing yet.
The only thing our president did was condemn the violence, and saying he would deliberate on invoking the appropriate measures.
What's there to deliberate, you fool! Your country's burning down! Send some troops to Philadelphia to quell the violence there, and then other cities!
And more importantly, suppress the news cycle until order has been restored! Being able to witness all this violence makes it only grow! Why do you think gladiators and coliseums were so popular in the past!
Only, it just popped into my head that the president can't do the latter, because of the [Grace of Aletheia]. Freedom of press and news structures would always be maintained, so that every citizen could always be factually informed in some way or other about the state of their country.
How is that a 'grace'! It's a tragedy! Look what's happening!
What… what's happened to the world? And this new 'grace' that just popped in my head. Was it because I asked the right question, and knew about 'graces' now?
Then, can I discover what other 'graces' I could know about now?
I thought back about everything I knew about the state of the world, and I 'realized' two new 'graces'.
The countries of the world have become informatively isolated due to the [Grace of Hestia]. And only wind-powered ships, not engine-powered ones or air travel machines, work due to the [Grace of Aeolus].
And the [Grace of Athena] which I learned of earlier, that no humane knowledge can be supernaturally or clairvoyantly gained. No powers as such exist, and humans must gain knowledge by their own capabilities.
I… that's four of them that I know now. I didn't recognize the names, or who these people were. But I'm sure there are more of them that I'll realize later. And I wondered if they were humans that gained some power that changed reality itself.
Or, were they human at all, or something more? Because the last question I had remained.
Was humanity gaining superpowers also related to a 'grace'?
A THRONE FLASHED IN MY MIND
Elise pulled my hand, because I suddenly stood stock-still.
She turned around to look at me, and then she gained a worried expression on her face.
"Wh…what's wrong?"
"…Nothing. I'm fine," I managed to say after composing myself.
"What do you mean nothing! You looked terrified just now!"
…My expression cracked? Was I that scared?
"I…I just thought about something. But… I couldn't finish it. The moment I got close, I just… stopped. And I don't think I should say it out loud. Because… if I'm right… you'd be terrified too."
…Elise got confused, and contemplated for a moment. Then she shifted right in front of me, and looked deep into my eyes.
"Please tell me. I want to know what you think about as well, even if it scares me. Please don't hold back for my sake. Even if I become terrified, I'll count on you to compose me, okay?"
…Her eyes were full of purity and love. They… could only sway me into nodding.
"I just thought about that Athena grace we heard over the phone, and if there were any more of them. Then the graces of Aletheia, Hestia and Aeolus popped in my head. Do you know what they do too, and who these people are?"
Elise thought, but said she only knew what the Athena grace did. And she never heard of these people either.
I explained to her what the other graces did, and then the knowledge clicked in her head too.
After discussing it with her, we guessed that you have to either uncover or ask the right question about reality, or get the answer itself explained first, before the grace is revealed to you. It's like you have to become aware first that reality has changed in a specific way.
Then, I came to the important question.
"Lastly, I thought if everyone getting superpowers was also a 'grace', but I suddenly became too terrified when I tried to think deeply about it. I… I don't think you should try. But…, it's your choice."
…Elise thought for a moment, then nodded.
And in a flash…
Her expression immediately turnedindescribable. It was… like her whole reality and all she believed in had suddenly ceased existing.
She became deadly pale, started shaking and breathing heavily.
SHIT! NO NO NO, I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN!
I pulled her body towards me and put her face to my chest, then spoke softly.
"It's okay. I'm here for you, focus on me. It's okay, I'll always protect you. I'll always be here for you. Breathe in and out slowly, as long as you need to. I'm here for you…"
I kept repeating my mantra while stroking the top of her head.
Luckily, it worked.
Elise slowly composed herself again while hugging me tighter and tighter.
After maybe a minute, she was calm again, and pulled her head from my chest.
"Thank you, I'm fine now. And, thanks for telling me," she said, her blue eyes looking up to me.
"…Thank me? I almost gave you a heart attack…"
"Yeah, well, you warned me, and I chose to do it anyway. Thank you for giving me that choice, and for calming me down again. It means a lot to me."
"…You're welcome then. And…I guess you didn't come to an answer either?"
She shook her head.
"Well…, it doesn't really matter anyway. If it caused such a strong reaction to both of us, we'd best avoid it. Let's stop thinking about it for now. We have more important stuff to do."
Elise nodded, after a flash of terror recalling what she went through. But, we kept staring into each other's eyes, neither of us wanting to break the hug first. However, we had to move, so an idea popped into my mind to lighten the mood again.
I wanted to tease her a bit!
"At least it wasn't all for nothing. I now know how to make your heart race for me."
Elise's eyes shot wide open. Her expressions changed quickly. In between, my thoughts halted when she started blushing and looking shy.
A god! She's so cute, I can't!
"That so. Maybe later I'll make your heart race too then," she said with the same smile I had on my face now.
My mischievous grin froze on my face.
…Wh… what a scary opponent! My heart is right now almost exploding out of my chest already, you know!
…I wondered if it was out of fear… or love?
***
Elise and I were now staring at my house at a distance from a street corner.
It looked the same as when I went previously to grab the vase and essential stuff, only a bit more blocked off with barricades and police tape.
It was because the details of my mother's disappearance had been explained on the news.
A residence address had not been shared, but it was shared from which town the kidnapping had occurred from.
The specific residence information was not really necessary to be shared. In fact, it would be only detrimental to the investigation.
My mother was famous, maybe the whole country would have flocked to the celebrity site, only interfering with everything.
But still, for people in this town, they could connect the dots together if they wanted to. A short walk in town required a lot less bravery than traveling the country looking for an unknown residence.
And some people had been brave enough. The evidence was lying all around, in front of the barricades that kept the brave visitors out.
A couple of flowers and bouquets were standing in vases around the house.
It was a known fact that my mother loved nature after all.
The sight made me stand still for a moment.
I couldn't really comprehend the information before me, so I slowly let my feelings comprehend the sight.
Of how much the world had loved my mother.
And who had murdered that love.
…?
Warmth filled my left hand.
I looked to my side. Elise had grabbed my hand, and was now looking into my eyes.
'I'm here for you,' her eyes said to me.
I nodded and smiled. We still had to hurry. My father comes later. Ken is more important.
I broke out of my spiel and focused on my house again, and my car still standing on the driveway.
It looked less busy with officers. It made sense.
According to Officer Rock, the investigation was as good as over anyway. A lot more than my mother's kidnapping was happening to this town and surroundings. They just had to station the minimal amount of manpower to protect the scene.
Speaking of which, I saw that Officer Rock hadn't arrived yet. There were only two people talking in front of my house, and I recognized one of them.
The forensic officer who comforted me when I faked my emotional breakdown to get my mother's ashes. The woman who I had deceived. She was busy talking to a male colleague.
Damnit. I recognized her, but I never took note of her appearance.
Was I already that far gone then? I'm so glad Elise pulled me back from the abyss.
But, I couldn't count on Elise constantly. I'd have to put in the effort myself to prevent me from spiraling downhill again.
I looked at the woman.
She was Mexican, with straight black hair, brown eyes and a motherly face. She had red lipstick on.
I focused on her lips, and read them for a few seconds as she was talking to her Mexican colleague.
I quickly noticed that she was gossiping. About another colleague. A lot of embarrassing stuff…
And my heart began pounding loudly in my chest.
Because I had taken some Spanish lessons, but was by no means fluent.
Yet, I understood what she was saying so well that she might as well have been speaking English, instead of Spanish.
Why?
The answer came to me.
The [Grace of Hermes]. Language barriers had disappeared and everyone understood all the languages like I had just now.
…You've got to be kidding me. This 'grace' was at least convenient, but don't tell me that all of reality is influenced like this right now?
I was kind of scared to figure out what more things that were natural in the old world had suddenly changed.
And a question remained that I was too scared to find an answer to.
Had the old world also been governed by these sorts of 'graces', and we just hadn't been aware of it?
The terrifying implication made my heart beat loud.
But that was not the only thing that increased the volume.
Because it was also beating from excitement.
While observing that female officer, I had gotten another idea to defeat my father, or at least stack the deck further in my favor.
Even if I manage to get the Red Party involved into arresting him, the existing necessary evidence still lies with this police department.
If they keep being in my father's indirect control, that might turn out to be a bottleneck.
And I can't free them of his influence directly, because my father would then realize my defiance.
But who says I can't influence things indirectly too.
I'll destroy the entire police department from within, without lifting a finger myself!
I'll rot away my father's indirect control!
I'll rot away their chain of command!
By using the compassionate female officer in front of me!
Because she is a tattletale!
I had to kill the time anyway before officer Rock arrived to escort us. Right now is the perfect time!
I focused on my facial expression, preventing a mischievous grin from forming there.
I couldn't let my father's shadow potentially notice. It also meant that I could not guide the female officer myself.
Luckily, the sharpest person I know is holding my hand right now!
The circumstances are perfect!
I looked back at Elise. She had been patiently looking at me the entire time, while I got my thoughts sorted out.
But now, while we were looking into each other's eyes, I saw her anxiety grow.
Because even though I had hidden it perfectly from my face, she still caught the mischief in my eyes.
With my fingers, I wrote letters in the palm of her hand that I was holding.
Once she realized the words, she got confused. Her entire gaze had turned into a question mark.
The words I wrote were…
ACT ALONG
I signaled with my eyes to the officers in front of my house.
She looked briefly at them, then looked back at me.
She was still not entirely sure about my plan and what she should do, but she nodded anyway.
Because she trusted me.
I then let go of her hand, and we walked towards my house.
During the walk, I became kind of excited to see what sort of Oscar-worthy performance Elise and I would deliver.
Just as we approached the barricades, the officers noticed us, and walked towards us.
The female officer recognized me, and gained a compassionate smile on her face.
The male one however…
I didn't like the look in his gaze.
I subtly changed my walking direction, forcing Elise to unconsciously swerve to the side.
Once all parties arrived at the barricade, I stood directly in front of the female officer, Elise slightly behind me to my left, and the male officer diagonally to my front right.
My body was blocking the male officer's awestruck gaze directed at Elise.
I mean, she is beautiful, but come on! Be professional and control yourself! It hasn't even been a year since she became comfortable with her beauty! You might make her uncomfortable again!
The officer tried to look past me subtly. God the asshole! I can't believe this! Take the hint already!
I looked into his eyes with animosity. The officer noticed, and froze. He became stunned.
Good!
The female officer also caught on. She looked quickly between me, Elise and her colleague, then addressed the latter.
"Diego, why don't you go inside and check up on the rest. I can handle it here."
The male officer shifted his attention, ready to rebut, but he changed his mind after seeing his colleague's dead glare.
"S…sure. I wanted to grab some coffee anyway."
He then turned around, walking back to my house. He couldn't even bother to look back at Elise again, since the two dead glares still aimed at the back of his head scared him too much.
Once he entered the house and was out of sight, the female officer turned around and addressed Elise first.
"I'm sorry about that. He's a good person. But well, I'm sure he has rarely seen someone as pretty as you. Me too, for that matter."
"It's fine. I'm… somewhat used to it. Thank you…, uh?
"Sofia."
"Thank you, Sofia."
"No problem. But who you should really thank is your boyfriend. Without him…"
"Boyfriend!" Elise suddenly screamed, deafening us and interrupting her.
Sofia stopped in shock, and then quickly looked at me with a question mark in her eyes.
Before I answered her misunderstanding, I quickly looked at Elise.
She was bright red and embarrassed. So cute.
Well, I knew Elise wanted to start a relationship with me, because she loved me.
We were basically acting like a couple anyway. She was just waiting for my words to make it official.
Words I wanted to say, but couldn't. Because I still was too scared to figure out why I loved her, and if I should keep loving her.
I needed to spend more time with her to find my answer. That was the right approach.
I was sure… because… I felt like I've already gotten closer to the answer in my heart.
When she caught me in my mother's act, when I promised her to always tell the truth, when she promised me she wouldn't immediately walk away even if I did something scary or she disagreed with.
It… it all made me fall in love with her even more. Because… I felt like she loved the good person in me that was independent of the act.
That she believes that my true self is a good person. The person she wants to see instead of my act.
And I slowly started believing it too. That I can be a good person. That's why I've let my true self slip through the act sometimes with her.
And the more I let slip through, the more I fell in love with her. The more my love felt true.
And the more my fear festered in me.
Because the monster that hurt her in the past and uses the people around me is also my true self. The monster Elise can never love.
The monster I couldn't bury yet, because I needed it to defeat my father.
And the more of my true self is let through, the more the monster is let through too.
That's how I suddenly got the idea as to how to use the female officer in front of me for my own purposes.
She wouldn't be in any danger, but still. Will I take that into consideration later, when the monster is fully let through?
I… I didn't know. If that happened, how would Elise judge me?
How… how do I want her to judge me then?
I don't know… so I have to wait and hope the answer will come to me.
Until then, Elise and I are the answer I'll give the female officer now.
"We're just very good friends," I answered, while grabbing Elise's hand again.
"…Oh. My apologies. I misunderstood," she answered, looking at Elise again.
Elise nodded, still beet red, confirming it.
An awkward silence stayed between us three for a moment, until Sofia cleared her throat and found her voice again.
"So… Jack, I wanted to ask if you're holding up alright after yesterday?"
I focused. I knew she would steer the conversation this way. I prepared myself to perform while writing ACT in Elise's palm.
"I… I feel a bit better. I'm glad I could stay at Elise's house and am not alone for now," I said, at the end switching my gaze to Elise.
"Of course. I'm here for you. You know that," she said softly to me.
I nodded, and looked to the other side, to a vase of flowers. I stared at it for a moment.
"Jack, what's wrong? Your hand is shaking."
"Oh, sorry," I said to Elise, letting go of her hand while maintaining a despondent expression on my face.
"Are you really alright?" The female officer asked me.
"Yes…, no. I… I just thought, if my mother is not found again, then I don't know who I should go to. Then, I'll be truly alone."
"Hey, your mother will be found again. I'm sure of that. You've got to believe in that, okay?"
I stayed silent upon hearing Sofia's plea, still looking unconvinced. She searched for another answer to comfort me, and then spoke.
"And you still have your friend and other family. You'll never be alone."
I stiffened. I let shock hit me as I feigned a hint of terror on my face.
"Jack?"
I didn't respond to Sofia. I was lost in my own world for a moment as I slowly started shaking, until Elise pulled me in a hug.
"Jack…, it's okay. I'm here for you. So focus on me and try to calm down, okay?"
I nodded my head against her shoulder.
After a moment, Elise started speaking to Sofia.
"His… his father was abusing him and his mother. That's why they moved to this town."
"…What!?"
I heard the shock in the officer's voice. I couldn't see her expression, but I'm sure it was grandiose.
"Jack, is this true?" she asked, to confirm.
I stayed silent, only hugging Elise tighter.
All was quiet, until Sofia came to the conclusion on her own.
"Jack, please look at me."
…I obliged after a second, letting go of Elise and facing the officer again.
"I promise that we'll protect…"
"No!" I interrupted her harshly.
Sofia got stunned and confused. I continued talking.
"My father, he'll get you in trouble. I… I don't want that."
"…Jack, even so…I…"
"No. Please promise me…, that you won't do anything that gets you in trouble."
…Sofia stayed silent for a while, her thoughts racing through her head, and then something clicked in her head.
My father's scandals during his political career.
Corruption, abuse of power, subversion of law, bribery.
None of it proven. But still, where there's smoke, there's fire.
If he could do that in the highest courts, then why not in a simple police department he was interacting with?
And his treatment of women. Cheating on his wife with my mother. I was the evidence that had exposed it, but if he had done that once, did he do it more times? If he treats women like dirt, then why not my mother and his bastard child too?
Danger and justice were in conflict on Sofia's face.
And then, her answer came.
"I promise," she said to me, determination still in her eyes.
I feigned a sigh of relief and said a thank you.
Elise and I succeeded. Sofia would very likely do as I wanted her to do. Something that rots the department from within, while fulfilling her sense of compassionate justice and without putting her in harm's way.
She'll spread rumors and gossip to colleagues, that my father is not the nice man he pretends to be while helping the police department.
How effective it would be didn't matter, as long as the rumors existed. If the Red Party comes demanding evidence against my father, the rumors will gain validation, even if no one believed them before. The department would then think twice to resist if an attempt to subvert justice is made from higher up.
I was satisfied. We really put on an Oscar worthy performance. I made a mental note that I'll cook my co-star a nice meal tonight.
I stayed silent with internal pride for a moment, until Sofia started speaking to me again.
"Hey, I have your car keys with me. But we still have to wait for officer Rock and Sprout. I think they'll arrive in a couple of minutes, but do you in the meantime want to grab more stuff from your house, like your mother's other plants?"
My head got down to earth. I should indeed in the meantime grab my mother's other plants.
During my previous deceptions, I had mentioned I wanted to bring them with me at a later date. It would be suspicious if I now did not take the opportunity when asked.
And…, I genuinely wanted to bring those plants with me. So that I could remember my mother while taking care of them.
Speaking of…, something else popped in my mind that I wanted to bring along.
Some romance novels that were in the living room. My mother was a fan too.
Although, she read for work related reasons too. She did character analysis so that she could improve as an actress.
She kept a notebook in her room for exactly that purpose. I wanted to find it, so I could pick out the ones with good male leads.
That were not dirtbags like in that one book Elise read with me!
I'll shove those romance novels in Elise's face until she has a new favourite one with a wholesome and good male lead like me!
What a good plan! I'm sure my mother would have approved! And I myself don't even have to read those boring novels anymore!
Finishing those thoughts, and thinking about some other stuff I should bring along like some more clothes, I answered Sofia.
"Yeah, I'd like to grab some of those plants, and some other…"
BOOM!!!
A scorching flash, thundering noise and shockwave interrupted my speech.
Sofia turned around, and we three all stared in shock at the origin.
The upper right side of my house had exploded and was burning down.
Where my mother's bedroom was.