Ephemeral

Reflecting

Killian severely disliked Aidan Mathis.

He knew from working in this field that there were people that were the worst scum of the Earth. He had seen exactly how cruel humans could be to one another – the unforgettable sadistic glee on those monsters faces as they were finally apprehended haunted him in his dreams.

There was never a 'well rested night' for him since he had begun this career.

The FBI agent eyed the man who was currently staring down at the floor of the helicopter with his hands secured behind his back. Aidan Mathis hadn't spoken a word since they had entered the aircraft, nor had the man lifted his eyes from the ground.

Killian was itching for a cigarette at the moment, though decided that it was better that he didn't at the present moment. He tapped his knee impatiently with his right index finger – waiting for when Aidan would start pleading to be released.

They always tend to do that when they realize that federal prison was waiting for them --

Yet...the silence seemed to be everlasting.

"Hey..." Killian nearly growled out.

Aidan didn't lift his head at being addressed.

"Don't you feel guilty...?" Killian asked, his voice getting significantly louder by the second. "About anything that you did-?"

Killian had seen the worst in people –

"You sell kids-!" Killian yelled out in anger as he gripped his knee tightly with his right hand. "Aren't you going to apologize for your crimes?"

Killian wasn't expecting a response –

"How many families have you destroyed?" Killian kept going. "How many lives have you ruined?"

Aidan slowly lifted his head and stared into the agent's eyes unapologetically. Killian wasn't intimidated by the harsh, unwavering stare that the blonde headed man was giving him. In fact, he narrowed his own eyes at the youngest Mathis in retaliation, accepting the confrontation that would no doubt arise. 

"The number is too high for me to recall..." Aidan responded uncaringly.

Killian let out a scoff but settled to keep his gaze on Aidan. 

He couldn't afford to let this unhinged criminal out of his line of sight – not even for a fraction of a second. He never let a criminal get the upper hand over him, and he damn well wasn't about to start making it a pattern with Aidan Mathis. Killian had a creeping suspicion that the man was waiting for the agent's guard to be lowered. 

Aidan didn't say any other words, though a small smile was beginning to stretch along his lips.

"How many lives have you ended, agent?" Aidan rhetorically asked, firing the question back at him mercilessly. 

Killian gripped his knee tightly again, knowing that he also wasn't a saint. The overall goal for justice wasn't justifiable for taking lives with his gun or hands. He wished that his previous targets would comply with demands and orders without rebelling...

It would have saved him a couple hundred bullets --

It would have saved him many weeks of not being able to sleep.

"Your thirst for blood was never satiated after the first kill, was it-?" Aidan continued to taunt, knowing exactly where to hit.

"Cut his mic..." Killian grumbled into his headset. 

A similar headset was placed over Aidan's ears in case he wanted to freely give up any additional information that would help them in their case against him. There was still organizations that worked under the Mathis name that they had yet to identify...Killian wasn't about to be subjected to Aidan's monologue for the rest of the helicopter ride.