Hadis

Chapter Twenty-Four: Shared Knowledge, Dismissed Knowledge

Jeanette sat down on the couch, feeling little comfort from the familiar material. Nixon paced before her.

"This was Stride's plan?" He asked.

Jeanette nodded. "Yes, it's still his plan." She grew slightly agitated. "Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't." Nixon went quiet for a moment before speaking again. He slowed his pace, "Did you see Amara when we left?"

Jeanette shrugged. "I didn't pay attention to anyone, I was focused on getting you out. That was the plan."

"The plan," Nixon muttered. His temper began to rise when Jeanette's dishearted expression claimed his attention. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking..." She thought for a moment. "I'm thinking about you."

Nixon carefully took a seat next to her, allowing her time to protest but she didn't. "Anymore questions?" He smirked, recalling their previous game of Q&A.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jeanette looked up to him, her eyes wide and pleading. "I can handle it."

"I know," he nodded with a small smile of reassurance. "But you shouldn't be burdened with this. You shouldn't know things like me are possible."

"But they are." She insisted. "And that's what killed Daniel."

"Nixon?" Amara called as the door opened. "Jeanette?"

Nixon jumped up, watching as Amara entered the living room accompanied by Jakub and Alfie.

"What are they doing here?" He eyed them with caution. 

Amara shrugged. "They didn't kill me."

For a moment, Nixon ignored them and smiled a genuine smile while embracing his sister. "You always find a way to win."

Amara pulled back and slapped his arm. "Yeah, I do. Unlike you." She narrowed her eyes at him before relaxing. "The boys filled me in on the names. I killed Ewan, they got Cohen. I assume you were the one who got Zara as well as Renzor."

"Elvira?" Nixon looked to Jakub.

He shook his head. "She got out of my grip. Tried to save Ewan and jumped in front of your sister's power." 

Nixon nodded. "It's better that way, she would be lost without Renzor."

Alfie and Jakub silently agreed.

Jeanette moved closer to them, standing at Nixon's side. "Who are they?" She looked up to Nixon. 

He let out a quick breath, knowing what Jeanette was asking. "This," Nixon started, "Is Alfie. He's like me as well, a hadis."

"That's what you call yourselves?" 

Amara's eyes widened.

Nixon nodded. "That's what we're called." He pointed to Jakub, "Jakub is also one of us." His hand trailed to Amara. "Her to."

Jeanette controlled her breathing. Steadying herself by grabbing Nixon's wrist. "The whole gang..."

"A cult." Nixon corrected, covering her hand with his. "They were all hadis. We're the--"

"--the good." Amara interjected, giving her brother a slight smile. "We're the good hadis. You're safe with us."

Jeanette nodded, fixated on Amara. It took her a moment to wrap her head around Amara being so powerful. The girl who took her in and kept her safe was some kind of monster.

"Nixon," Amara spoke up, taking the attention off of Jeanette. "Can I talk to you, outside?"

Nixon nodded, "Just a minute."

She left for the front door, closing it slightly behind her while she waited.

"Boys," Nixon looked from Alfie to Jakub. "You know what side you're on?"

"Yeah, mate." Jakub grinned, punching Alfie's shoulder. "We got you."

"Great," Nixon gently pushed Jeanette toward them by her lower back. "You two can get to know Jeanette." She looked up at him and he continued, "I'll only be a minute."

Without a glance back, Nixon walked for the door and joined Amara outside. They stood there in silence before Amara broke it.

"I want to apologize," she began. 

Nixon shook his head. "For what?"

"For Caroline..." She took his silence as a cue to continue. "I owe you a big apology for that, a formal one. But I don't think any combination of words will truly make you forgive me. I took away someone you cared about and ruined you, I made you like me. If I didn't do that to you then we probably wouldn't have been in this mess."

Nixon was serious. "If I didn't change then neither would you. You'd be much more of a handful to handle in this situation."

"You're probably right," she chuckled lightly. "I... I forgive you for Brent. I don't understand why you did it, but we won't get anywhere if I don't move past it. He was a bad part of my past, I'll admit that. It's just difficult."

Nixon stayed quiet.

"You really test my morals, I swear." Amara shook her head and smiled. "But I do have your back. You must know that by now."

He nodded. Nixon always knew, somewhere inside him he probably felt the same way. They'd been through everything together, seen the worst along with the best sides of each other, and somehow they always managed to pull through together.

"I guess I should apologize to..." Nixon began unsure but quickly planted a grin on his face. "I should apologize for my dislike of your and Trent's repulsive relationship." He crinkled his nose and shook the image out of his head. "I can't even say it seriously."

Amara rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Nixon."

She went to head back inside to check on Jeanette and the boys but Nixon stayed standing in her way. Amara looked up at her little brother, recognizing the look of the wheels in his head spinning.

"What's up?" She tapped his head with one finger. "Something's going on in there."

He pushed her hand down, his face emotionless. "It's Stride."

"Stride?" She thought for a moment. "I'm sure he's fine, Nixon. He--"

"--no." He cut her off. "That's not it."

"Then what is it?" 

"His name is Dantanian." Nixon started, the name so foreign on his tongue. "The man of many masks, that's what Renzor said. Stride has been testing me, apparently I passed. Amara, he just watched everyone fight and then he left." Nixon became tense.

Amara shook her head, dismissing the idea. "I wouldn't take Renzor's word for anything."

"I know, but Stride wasn't hadis. I knew that, and the things he told me--"

She raised a hand. "Nixon, stop. You're worrying over nothing. Your focus right now should be on Jeanette and how she's handling things. Have you told her about Daniel yet?"

Nixon shifted his weight on his feet. "No, she went to ask me about it being related to hadis but you guys got back. I'll tell her later, I have to."

"You better." Amara agreed. "Now step aside and let's go in."

Nixon did as she said and followed her back inside. They found Jeanette sat on the couch with a fresh cup of coffee in her hands. Jakub and Alfie sat on the floor in front of her and were bouncing puffs of coloured smoke back and forth.

"Don't put burns in my furniture!" Amara scolded with chuckle, entering the room and joining Jeanette on the couch.

Jeanette looked up, noticing Nixon in the doorway. He looked to  her, searching for any sign of fear or hesitation but found none.