Oil is thicker than blood

2.5 Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill someone else.

"Jack. Give me your phone." 

"What do you mean," Jacka asks. 

"Give me your phone." 

Lucy crosses her arms while the agents keep their guns aimed at him. 

"Why do you want my phone?" Jack stands his ground. 

"I know you, Jack. And you didn't just stroll around to make a short walk while we were shooting the nuke. No. You definitely filmed us sinking the Nuke, proving we no longer have it. So before we get back to City Twenty-Two and you email it to a journalist or something, I want to nip that in the bud and stop you." 

Jack just stares at them. Honestly, that would have been the smarter plan. He ruined his pants and shoes for nothing. Not the mention his feet are still burning from the oil that his socks are soaked in. 

"If you don't, these men will just shoot you." 

"Fine," Jack says. He reaches into his pocket and reveals his phone. "Here is my phone." 

"Toss it to me." 

"That will break it, Lucy," Jack remarks. 

"I know. That is the idea." 

Jack tosses the phone to Lucy. It hits the pavement in front of her, and it scatters into pieces. Lucy picks it up and tosses it over the railing. 

"Now, she speaks to one of the agents. Frisk him to see he hasn't any device concealed." 

The agent steps to Jack and searches his body and pockets. Jack tries to push the agent away, but he doesn't budge. He picks a memory card from Jack's pocket and shows it to Lucy. 

"Toss that overboard too." 

The agent complies. He walks to the edge and throws the memory card overboard. 

"Ok, now, the airship," Lucy gestures at the airship. "has two compartments. The back compartment has four seats. The four of you," she gestures at the officers, "will sit there. You take the tapes and all your guns there." 

She continues, "The front compartment seats two. I will sit there with Jack." 

"Are you sure that is a good idea, Miss?" The agent says. "I am responsible for your safety. I don't think it is a good idea to leave him alone with you." 

"Thank you for your concern," Lucy says. "But I am sure he won't try anything." She pats Jack on the head. Jack is taken aback by how much Lucy looks like her mother at this moment. There barely seems to be anything left from the shy, scared Lucy he knew a year ago. 

"Besides, " She continues. "I am gonna need medical attention." She gestures at the wounds on her legs. "And I don't want him to try to go for the guns or the tapes, so this is the best option." 

"As you wish, Miss." the agent bows slightly. 

❖

"So, How are you, Lucy?" Jack asks. There are sitting in the airship, and Jack is cleaning The wound on Lucy's leg. "We haven't talked since I left the Olympus Plateau." 

"Well, you know," Lucy says. "I have been swamped leading the company. Since my Dad died and you poisoned my brother." 

Jack is taken aback. "Wait, you know I killed your brother." 

Lucy shrugs. "Yes, I know. You stole the pufferfish intestines and injected it into his morphine." 

She looks down as she says that, avoiding eye contact with Jack. 

"How long have you known?" Jack asks. 

"Oh, I knew before he died. I could have stopped you. But I didn't. Honestly, the world is a better place without my brother." Lucy shrugs again but is still averting her eyes. 

An awkward silence hangs in the air. Jack searches in the bag of medical supplies. He wished he had brought his own bag, but Edwin had taken it. He just has to make do with the standard first aid kit. It was really missing some important supplies. 

Suddenly, Lucy breaks the eerie silence. "How are you and Katlyn doing? Are you still together?" 

"Yes. We actually got engaged recently." 

"Oh." 

Another silence. Jack finishes bandaging Lucy's leg. 

"So, Jack," Lucy says. "I know you stole and pocketed the spare gun of the officer when he frisked you." 

Jack reveals the gun from his jacket. "I guess you always could see through me. I never could keep any secrets from you." 

"Really, Jack. You lied to me and cheated on me for our whole relationship. And I never had a clue. So I can't see through you. I don't know you at all. Or maybe I didn't want to know." 

"I am sorry, Lucy." 

"Don't be. My Mom always told me secrets are like Nukes. They can destroy whole nations. I guess I never liked secrets." 

"You said it yourself, Lucy, Nukes are tools of peace." 

Lucy laughs. "Our relationship sure has been similar to mutually assured destruction." 

"Anyway." She looks serious again. "We both know that if you fire the gun, you will damage the airship. And then both of us, and the four people in the other compartment, will die. So you are not going to fire it. I know that much." 

Jack puts the gun down next to him. "Guess you do know me." 

❖

Jack steps back into the hospital after the airship dropped him off. He is wearing his spare set of shoes and socks, but his pants are still stained with oil. His feet do itch a bit, but it isn't as bad as he expected it would be. He assumes that crude oil is way less toxic than refined oil. 

"Hi, Jack." Natalie waves at him the moment he enters. "How did the expedition go?" 

Jack sighs. "I am very tired, Natalie. But I did save a life. So it wasn't all for nothing, I guess." 

Natalie smiles. "About that, Jack. The patient you brought in, the one impaled by the iron railing, is in surgery right now, but things look good. He is probably going to make it." 

Jack is relieved. "I am glad to hear that. I am going home. See you tomorrow Natalie." 

"See you, Jack."