Brutal

11

Chicago changed her stance to attentive when she saw Hunter heading up towards the podium. It was his turn to eulogize for his sister. Jesus! Even the thought of what he was going through hurt. More so, because she'd been there once.

He cleared his throat and started, "I don't know where to start or how to end it. Jade. Jade Radcliffe, my sister, was my only world after our mom died. And now she's gone too. I don't know why fate decided this for her, but it did and there's nothing anyone could do about it. It just hurts to remember a little Jade coming up to me with her bucket list and telling me how she wanted to travel the world."

He was holding back; she could see it. He was trying very hard not to break down, and she credited him for it.

"I remember once, in her teenage, she came and told me how she wanted her dream wedding to be. A beach wedding. She was obsessed with talking about it, she would just go on and on, and tell every single human. I was really irritated—being the brother I was—when she spoke about her dream boy. And, I guess being my sister, she noticed how pissed I was, so to comfort me she told me, and I quote, 'You will be my favorite man in the world, no matter what. My first man, okay? That position is only yours, number one, and it stays that way until I die.' I guess she did stand true to her words, making me the only man in her life."

Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he continued, smiling at the memories he was unveiling, "I also remember her tear-stained happy face when she got accepted into NYU. She was so delighted. She came to me, with her Letter of Acceptance held to her chest and cried her eyes out. It was one tick mark in her bucket list. Jesus Christ, it pains to even think of her, hoping that she was here. My baby sister. Jesus! I can't believe she's no more. Jade; you left me, alone," he muttered.

"I don't know how she is right now, or for that matter, where she is. But I do know that good humans are treated well, at least after death—because I have seen for myself what happens to them here—and she was a very good human. Well, all I have to say is, I hope you're safe and happy wherever you are, Jade. Amen," saying so he descended the stage.

All Chicago wished for at that moment was to go hug him and console him. God knew she couldn't. She would, later, certainly.

"FORD, YELLOW," Reed's voice resonated through the network of Airpods. "HE IS HERE, JUST ENTERED THE CEMETERY CHAPEL."

"Everyone, relax, merge in the crowd, don't become obvious. Meld in. Relax, be normal. We need to observe what he does. Spread out, talk to people like you're one of the crowd, some of you sit silently, grieving, whatever suits you. Do not stare at even his back, watch him from your peripheral vision, watch his every damn move. Got it?" she announced through her Airpods while looking at Cooper, so that it seemed as though she was talking to him.

"Hill, first, make sure Hunter is okay. Second, tell him about what's going on—"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. You will need him as a puppet when you have to watch Logan and give me updates on a minute basis. When you talk through your Airpods, it should seem as if you're talking to him, and to achieve that he needs to know your bluff, else he'll think you've lost it. Okay?"

"Got it. Don't worry."

"And, when you pretend all of it, make sure you murmur soothing words to him in between, else we're doomed. He'll launch himself, for sure, if you don't stop him."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Leave it to Ford. And, don't worry, I'll make sure your Hunter doesn't do anything stupid."

"Thank you... Wait, what! My—" she was cut before she could say anything else when Hill hung up on her.