Before Another War

Chapter Fifty-Two

Matt laid on his bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. He hadn't been sentenced yet, but the evidence against him was hard to dispute. He hated himself for what he'd done. If only I hadn't lost that money.

He told himself he should've gotten a loan, something easy to pay back. Then, he could've stayed off the poker tables for a while. Still, even without the poker, Matt would have done what he did. The Egia could save his mother, after all. At least, that's what Cyrille had told him.

At first, it had been hard to lie to the others. He'd laid awake at night, terrified of what was happening to Nadia. But, slowly, he gotten used to it. The lying became easier, almost a habit. Then, of course, like they always do, things kept escalating. He began to do more and more for Cyrille and became less and less like himself.

He wondered if people played poker in prison. There had to be something there to waste away the days. He tried to catch himself, steer his thoughts away from the game. Yet, he just couldn't help it. The game was a part of him now.

Matt had had a lot of time to think in the past few days. But, no matter how hard he tried not to, the one moment he found himself relieving was the fateful day when Nadia told him what she had. They'd become friends, the pair of them. He'd babysit Sapphire whenever Nadia needed to go out. Although she never told him where she was going.

One day, however, just as he was leaving work, she'd rushed over to him in a great panic.

'Can you look after Sapphire for me?' She'd asked, a desperate look in her eyes Matt had simply nodded, wondering what was going on. It was then, that, finally, he had to know what she was up to. Part of it had been out of concern, and part just from curiosity.

So, that day, Matt didn't look after Sapphire, he'd passed the job onto Raf, saying something about visiting his mother, and followed Nadia out to the car park. It didn't take her long to get to the grubby bungalow on the outskirts of town. Full of junk and disarray.

Matt hadn't known it at the time, but it was where Cyrille kept the machine. He'd parked outside, not bothering to hide himself as Nadia walked in.

As he'd waited, a pair of men had come out of the house and shoved clamps onto her car's wheels. He'd slid down in the chair, hoping not to be caught. They obviously hadn't wanted Nadia going anywhere without their permission.

She was in there for a long time, and Matt had started to doze off, but when she came out, Nadia was running. Sensing danger and knowing that her car wasn't going to work, Matt jumped out of his seat and flailed his arms wildly.

'They've clamped you car!' He'd shouted. Hearing him, Nadia had stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn't had the time to be confused. Right on cue, several men dressed in black came dashing out of the front door. Nadia rushed towards Matt and they both jumped into the car.

She'd told him everything after that. About the Egia and where it was from. But Matt had hardly listened to any of it. He tuned out as soon as he realised he could use it to get his mother back. His life back. And slowly, that idea took hold.

As Matt sat wallowing in the cell, there was a click as the door opened and a chubby young officer came in.

'I'm sorry,' he began, not meeting his eyes. 'But I have some news for you.'

Matt just watched him from his bed, waiting for him to continue.

'Your mother went missing last night.'

He sat up. 'Missing?'

The officer nodded. 'From what I understand, your brother got home and she was gone.'

'But she can't walk.' He narrowed his eyes, sitting up. 'How could she have disappeared?'

Cyrille, his brain answered for him as the officer left with a shrug. 

He's killed her. He knew his mother was a loose end, after all. But was Cyrille really capable of that? Of course he is.

Matt stood up and hit his fist against the wall. His hand cracked as it made contact. 

He didn't care. Nothing really mattered anymore.