The Consultant - NaNoWriMo2021

Chapter 9

The actual house was pretty much as I had imagined it; full of antique furniture and books, but livened up by the occasional colourful poster and flamboyant throw which I supposed was Aubrey's doing; Felix hadn't purchased a throw or a cushion in his entire life. I figure Aubrey suggested a show-and-tell to get us together, but really, there wasn't much to see. I made the usual polite noises but between Daniel's natural reticence and my disinterest in what had proved to be a very disappointing tour, it was quite a flop. We returned to the garden to make our way back to the party; the music was louder now and there were voices raised above it so finally something was coming to life. As we exited the back door of the house, I had another moment of inspiration. I pulled him around the corner to a small wall where we sat, and I extracted a small pouch of weed from my bag.

Daniel grinned in the fading light. I had guessed correctly. I personally don't partake, but I thought it might come in useful at a party and Chinless Pete had left it behind at my place months ago. I handed them over and he rolled a joint. Taking a deep toke, he offered it to me but I declined, not wanting to cloud my mind, but telling him I had work to do later that evening. He wasn't offended at all, in fact he seemed happy to have the weapons grade puff to himself so we sat there contentedly, and he visibly relaxed as he smoked.

'So you're an artist then?' Lame opening line, but I wanted to get him to talk; perhaps he knew something about his mother that would justify SIS's interest in her.

'I guess. But not really. I've only sold one painting and that was to an anonymous buyer who bought it when I was out one day. Mum said he paid cash and gave me five hundred quid.'

'So your mother faked the buyer.'

'Exactly. I suppose that's what mothers do though right?'

'I suppose so. She seems to dote on you; you know, worry about you and try to make you happy.'

'She does, but there's no need. I'm fine.'

'I mean I get it, house prices, graduate wages , blah blah but why are you still living at home? Why don't you just get a job and have your own life. It must be weird having your mother organise your birthday party. What are you, twenty four?'

Twenty five today actually, but good guess.' Shit. I needed to make sure that I didn't give away anything that Felix had told me about Daniel. It was one thing knowing Felix because we worked together occasionally, but I knew far more about him than would be warranted by that kind of relationship.

'Actually, my parents think I'm kind of agoraphobic, you know, uncomfortable about being outside the house, but honestly, that's not true. I don't mind going out, I just can be bothered.'

'I get it, people are annoying.'

'It's not just that. My mum, she has a life, a cause, a reason for it all, but I don't. I guess I kind of find life a bit pointless really. You know, we're promised that if we study, work hard, get good grades, follow the rules, there'll be a career, house, a life but there isn't. It makes me so angry that it's just pointless.'

'So you're a nihilist? Life is pointless so there's no point bothering?'

'I guess, "Values are baseless, reason is impotent." I think that's a lyric but I don't remember, I'm too high!'

It's Nietzsche actually but this is not the time to point that out. 'Your mum is a great lecturer, clearly passionate and knows her stuff and her students think she's a bit of a legend.'

Daniel glanced at me as he got to the end of his spliff. 'I'm sure she is but that's not what I mean; she has an actual cause, you know, the animals. She must have talked about it. You're perfect for recruitment; smart, sassy, keen to impress.' What was it with this family thinking I always need to impress? Is that really how people see me?

I stayed silent; perhaps he would say more.

'That's her real passion in life; if she could get the world to recognise that animals shouldn't be eaten or kept as pets, that would be huge. She's the most committed person I ever met.'

The alarm bells were screaming in my head. Had this been under my nose the whole time and I had been completely oblivious? Was Aubrey actually an eco-terrorist, masquerading as a university professor, using her job as cover for her real activities? Perhaps Duncan was right, maybe I have been too naïve. I had to get more from Daniel.

'Do you think she is really committed, or she just talks the talk?'

Daniel finished his joint and flicked it into the bushes.

'If they find that, my parents will go nuts; they hate it when I don't keep the place clean.'

He sighed, 'I guess we never know what anyone is capable, including ourselves. I mean, what about you? What are you passionate about? What is it that you would do anything for?'

I've thought about that before, but I have no intention of baring my soul to a guy I don't even know, especially not one whose family is caught up with my life and work.

'I'm not sure there is anything really. I suppose I haven't yet found the thing that I would do anything for, and perhaps I never will.'

He smirked. 'See, we are basically the same, just drifting along with no real purpose, or at least, without a purpose that we would sacrifice everything else to protect or advance. That's where Mum is different; she actually would sacrifice a lot to advance her cause because she thinks it is her moral responsibility, and more than that, she believes that respecting life other than humans is a fundamental right, one of life's absolutes as she puts it.'

'And you, do you agree?'

'I don't give a shit. I mean, sure, I don't mind being vegetarian or vegan or whatever, but I don't care what anyone else does. I was born a human, a homo sapien, king of the primates, apex predator of the world. What I do is up to me, and it's in our nature to kill and destroy, just look around. Poverty, misery, exploitation, capitalism; it's there for everyone to see; man's inhumanity to man. The animals and their rights are way down the list.'

I rubbed my hands together; it was getting chilly now that darkness had fallen. It seemed that Aubrey was worth investigating properly after all, and perhaps her little meeting on Monday was a good place to start. Duncan had said that there was not much time, so I needed to stay focused. I couldn't afford to blow this.

'I guess we should get back to your party?'

He pushed himself off the wall to his feet and stood slumped in the darkness. He clearly did not want to return so I took his arm, and we walked back to the converted barn, him readying himself for the party, me preparing to see Felix in his own home and in public. This should be interesting.