The Disastrous Union

4

I lie down on my bed as I think about my mother.

The fact that the woman that killed her, killed her defending me made me just a tiny bit happy because for once having someone in my corner made me feel fine but also really angry.

I never got to talk to her, see what the issue really was.

I know it would've been myself but I had to try.

Had to defend myself.

I sit up when I hear the floorboard creak, as if someone was trying to sneak across.

I go to my door and see a girl there and she looks at me in confusion, I just usher her ahead.

"Are you Missy, Rio's wife?" She asks and I raise my eyebrow.

"I'm his sister, Julia. It's a pleasure to meet you." She says and I shake her hand.

She looks at my waffle adorned pyjamas and laughs.

"You're not his usual type." She says and I nod.

"I'm not his type at all." I say under my breath as I take her to his room and knock on the door and open it only to see a woman kissing him.

I close the door before Julia can see.

"What? What was that?" She asks.

"Julia, he's just indecent right now. Give him a minute." I say.

I know she doesn't believe me.

"I saw someone Missy." She says and I can't stop her from opening the door where the girl is standing trying to get her clothes on.

"Who are you? Why are you walking in on us with no shame?" The girl asks and Julia laughs.

"I'm Julia, Orion's sister. Who are you?" Julia is annoyed and upset. She's barely an adult.

"She's Dhara, my girlfriend." I look down in anger but look up again, catching his eye for a second but I break the contact.

Knowing that he dislikes me is one thing, knowing he dislikes me enough to admit he has a girlfriend is another.

"Who are you?" The girl asks.

"It's clear that who I am doesn't matter, especially not to Rio so we'll spare the introductions." I'm about to walk off.

"Why are you upset?" He asks.

"I'm not fucking upset, I'm embarrassed. I tell you not to bring a woman into this house and you not only do that but you actually have the nerve to introduce her as your girlfriend. I feel disrespected, I'm not upset. For the record, we're married." I say and slam the door shut.

"You don't say, I'm his wife, he's my husband but a simple, we're married. Do you feel ashamed?" She asks and I look at her.

"Ashamed of what?" I reply.

"Of him? This marriage?" She's quite invested in what I have to say.

"I'm not ashamed, I just can get a bit sick and fed up of him sometimes." I sigh.

"I'm sorry, I need to go to bed. I've got work tomorrow." I say.

She nods.

"I understand. I'll see you later?" She enquires and I nod.

***

It's 3am when I hear a knock on the door.

I get up and look through they keyhole.

It's the FBI. I'm confused.

I open the door and they ask me to identify myself.

"'Dr. Missy Mistry." I say and they ask if they can come in and I lead them to the living room.

I sit down opposite then when Rio comes out of his room and I ignore him.

"This is regarding the disappearance of Apollo Crane." The male agent says and I pull a face.

"What do you mean the disappearance of Apollo? I saw him just yesterday." I say and Rio sits next to me.

"Orion Lux, mediolegal investigator." He says and they say hello to him.

"Yes. That's why we are here. Apollo's father says that you were rude to the both of them, even as their ME who was informing them of their mother and wife's death." He's about to continue when the people searching the house pull out my weapons case and my rifle.

"I can arrest you right now if you don't explain what's going on, right now." They call for backup.

"Give me a second." I say and I get my phone. I call Rex.

"I know it's late Rex and I'm sorry but... you've heard? It's okay to tell them? Okay. Thank you. Tell everyone I say hi." I get off the phone and I smile at the agents.

"Apparently I should reintroduce myself. My name is Dr. Artemis Mistry." The female agent nods, understanding. "Of course my father said that because he and my mother upped and disappeared a couple years back, taking my twin brother Apollo and my younger brother Rylan with them as they were both 18 and would be in danger. You see my parents, more specifically my mother were not good people just as much as I was not an easy child. My mother ran away from the mafia and when she was 16, had Apollo and I. Apollo was an angel, I, not so much. They were up to their wits end with me and by the time I was 11 had sent me to university. Yes 11. I spent 4 years studying biochemistry. 4 years studying in medical school. A 3 year residency and a year's fellowship. I spent almost all my years after 18 juggling university and US intelligence. The last two years I've spent in the army. I for the first time yesterday got to finally stop deferring my job offer and became a ME. That's my weapon case and that Rifle is mine from the army." I sit back and they both give each other a look and take a deep breath.

"That's a lot to process. It doesn't say that you're their sibling." The male agent says.

"Oh I'm sure, it'll say that their siblings are Lucaas, Maya, Kayden, Preston, Sonny, Jada. Adopted by Rex and Crew Sartori, you see, I'm the only child who is registered under their actual names as their actual child. By doing that anyone who is looking for their actual children will see that I'm their child and so they'll come to pay me a visit. People have, only to see that I clearly don't have a family. Followed me, tried to kidnap me, the whole malarkey." The female agent once again gets my meaning and nods empathetically.

"If my experience tells me anything, I'd say you're looking for my mother's old people back in New York. I'd start with Igor Luwoski." I say and they nod.

"Sorry but do you have any proof of your army days or anything you're telling me. It all just sounds crazy." What he means is, I sound crazy. I do.

I lift up my shirt. "Stab wound from a mafia associate under the alias Monte Carlo, he was arrested and shanked to death in prison 5 years ago."

I turn around. "Bullet wound from the army where I was shot by a traitor and ultimately why I chose to leave the army, effective immediately."

"Bullet wound from where a member of the Odessa shot me thinking I was part of the Italian Mafia, where she also stopped the blood when she realised I wasn't." It was opposite the other gunshot.

There was a lot more wounds but I couldn't show them all, some were even self-inflicted.

"Well, I'm so sorry we burst in like this and I'm so sorry about what you've been through." The female agent says and she pats my hand.

I thank her and lead them out, getting my weapons case, rifle and handing it to a member of the team who I knew would be waiting outside.

He hands me a new one and he takes my rifle for safekeeping.

I thank him and leave and I watch as everyone else leaves and I go back to my room.

Talking about it always resurfaced my other feelings. My fears.

No one ever understood how scared I was.

I had to do it all alone and even know I was still without anyone.

I make a nest to sleep in but I don't fall asleep.