Aurelia awoke the next morning and to her surprise she wasn't alone as she found herself unable to move due to an arm that was draped around her waist. 'Oh shit' she thought as she turned around to see Marcus sleeping peacefully and her face broke into a tender smile before remembering that her job was to keep him safe not to sleep with him 'why Aurelia why?' she scolded herself before gently slipping out of bed and leaving Marcus' room leaving Marcus sleeping peacefully. Alone.
Marcus woke up to a can being tapped against his bed "Aurelia?" Marcus questioned groggily
"Get dressed" Master Lin's voice rang through the half asleep mind of Marcus as he threw a suit onto Marcus' bed leaving before Marcus could respond
'What the hell' Marcus thought as he put on the suit wondering what happened the previous night surely he couldn't have slept with Aurelia after all there was no trace of her
Lin and Marcus pulled up at a graveyard to attend a funeral, at first Marcus was confused but as they drew near he realised who's funeral he was at "You're with your mum again dad" a lady finished her speech giving Marcus a clear view of the photo placed on the grave before Marcus was shoved forwards by Lin to make a speech
"Who is he?" the lady wondered out loud, then Marcus began
"Rory and me lived in a shanty camp under a bridge" he began "he was always, uh..." Marcus stuttered "he-" Marcus took a deep breath "he was the worst piece of shit I ever knew, he stole and he beat up woman and he hurt people" Master Lin smiled at this "Whatever happened to him, whoever he was. I don't give a shit, because he chose who he became, and who he became was terrible" Marcus finished before walking away but he was stopped by the woman from earlier, Rory's daughter
"Burn in hell you asshole" she said spitting in his face as he passed tears now freely running down her cheeks
Before long Lin and Marcus had walked off and were now sitting on a bench in the middle of the city just watching the water
"Why did you do that?" Marcus broke the silence
"It's important we face our victims" Master Lin said words laced with meaning
"I told myself all day, I didn't feel anything" Marcus admitted "But once I heard his daughter, her delusion..."
Lin shook his head slightly "We hate imagining anyone unveiling truths about us when we pass, so we forgive other once they do" Lin handed Marcus a file "ID, wanted for six homicides, your fortitude likely prevented more" Lin watched as Marcus flipped through the file "Those who lack backbone are devoured, we can't expect others to watch the herd. It's up to us"
"There might have been a better way" Marcus offered his voice quiet
"Noise, noise, noise" Lin dismissed the notion " Just something you think you're supposed to say"
"So what?" Marcus sounded on the verge of tears "I just keep pulling the trigger as long as I believe the old man telling me to do it is fine? Then I can live with it?"
"You were justified" Lin insisted "Erasing that human stain doesn't mean you absorb it. You made the world better, over time you'll see" Lin paused laying a hand on Marcus' shoulder "I for one am very proud of you"
Lin dismissed Marcus as they walked back leaving him to deal with Shabnam by himself
Lin walked into Aurelia's dorm finding her brushing her hair "You were right, Marcus did the kill not Willie. You were smart to tell me. The deeds of your pledge are yours to share"
"Yes sir" Aurelia saluted sloppily before turning around to hug Lin before going back to doing her hair
"Tell me his weaknesses" Lin asked out of the blue
Aurelia pause before beginning "He's a liar, a liability with the cops and a substance abuser"
"And his greatest weakness?" Lin questioned further
"His need for friends and family" Aurelia placed the brush down before getting up from her seat
"Very good" Lin nodded "But you're holding something back"
"Marcus didn't kill the kids at the boys home" Aurelia told Lin "His reputation is a lie"
Lin paused leaning on his desk "So if he didn't kill them... who did?"
