The Karma Study

Chapter 7 - Francis Galton

Dean

I knew Teddy would go on a rampage, but I wasn't expecting this. I got a call from our contact down at the precinct and there are over twenty dead, six hostages that we know of, and dozens injured. Typically the local police will turn a blind eye at the Karma dealings, however this many deaths aren't easily swept under the rug when it comes to federal law.

Brandon is working at covering up some of the deaths as we wait for Teddy's return, and Max is working as many angles as possible to keep the Seattle population on our side rather than switching sides out of fear. I am trying to work out a deal with the police, anything to try and keep Teddy out of custody.

We aren't mad at Teddy, hell, if anything we are jealous that he was able to just let go and execute our greatest desire. We are also incredibly scared for him. He's never been this impulsive, or even violent. Sure, he can get quite creative when it comes to torture and interrogation methods for us, but he's never been like this in public. It's showing all our cards, and proving to everyone just how enraptured with Zoe we all are.

I hang up my phone after calming the sheriff down, and sigh waiting for my two brothers to look at me.

We are sitting at the kitchen table, and none of us have even tried to clear the plate that is still sitting at Zoe's seat. It's been sitting there since six this morning, and it's currently four in the evening.

Teddy made her plate this morning, said something about maybe she'll come back to eat her favorite breakfast. Waffles with powdered sugar, a huge glass of chocolate milk, and a small black coffee.

None of us had the heart to tell him any different, or even disagree. I think we all wanted to believe it too.

To be violently honest, I fucking miss her. I miss the way she smelt, and the way she gave me her worst attitude. How pliant she's be after I fucked her into a piece of furniture. I miss the way she'd mumble "good morning" when she finally appeared at the breakfast table. I miss how talented she was on the fighting mat, and how skilled she was with firearms.

She has to survive this, she doesn't have a choice to survive. We haven't even out her through our family ritual yet. She hasn't even seen the tattoo I had gotten for her yet. I haven't told her that I am so painfully and undoubtedly in love with her.

I didn't get to tell her that I love how she is so honest about who he is, and how she isn't afraid of her own strength around me. I love her fight, her power. I love her, and there's a possibility that she'll never know and the thought makes me sick that bile creeps up my throat every time it crosses my mind.

"I don't want to suggest it, but I think we might need to do it." Max says as he finally lets his eyes move from his laptop screen.

"You're not serious?" Brandon's head snaps towards us. He has kept the camera feed of where we last saw Zoe on a constant stream. She hasn't made another appearance since she was rolled out of that room. Obviously, we are all thinking worst case scenarios, and we are all riddled with fear of the unknown. "We can't seriously sedate him." Brandon's eyes flicker to the camera feed and back to us, and back again. Clearly not wanting to miss even the slightest hint of where it's located.

"We might need to. I think we'll be able to handle this rampage, but I doubt we can clean up another any time soon." I add to the conversation. Hating the idea of sedating our brother, but knowing it might be best for all of us.

"He's our brother!"Brandon shouts and stands from his chair, it slides back roughly and smacks against the wall. "If you do that to him, you are just as bad as Khal. You know how much that used to scare Teddy." Brandon turns bright red with anger, but his eyes continue to bounce from us to the monitor obsessively.

"Brandon," Max stands too, with his hands out like he's trying to calm a feral animal. "Teddy will be no help to us or Zoe if he's locked away by the police. If it's done by us, at least we'll have constant eyes on him."

"And," I chime in, but I stay seated out of exhaustion. "We can't have our focus split between the two of them. If the police take him in, we'll also be worried about getting him out as much as getting Zoe back."

Brandon sucks his teeth and shakes his head before raking his finger through his hair, "We talk to him first." He crosses his arms and leans his back against the wall.

"I can agree to that." I shrug and look at Max.

"Fine," Max sighs and presses the heel of his palms into his eyes. "We'll talk to him when he gets back. Make su he understands the weight of what might happen if he puts himself in this situation again. But if he fights back, we will sedate him tonight."

Brandon and I grunt in agreement, but I know none of us are happy with that option, it's just that it might be our only one. Teddy also hasn't been sleeping. I'm sure none of us have been. Sure we all take our scheduled breaks and swap out search times to get some rest, but I know we all have just been going back to our respective rooms to pace, or break down, or even just stare at the wall.

We all sit in silence for a moment, just trying to take the time to reflect on the exact situation we are in. Brandon finally lets out a breath he had been holding, and relaxes back into his chair. He stares at the screen, and Max picks his phone back up but then sets it down almost immediately.

"How do you think he did it?" I ask the table, and to nobody in particular.

"Fuck if I know." Brandon grumbles, but Max doesn't respond right away. Max only furrows his brows in thought. Brandon continues, "He was some sort of mad scientist towards the end, surely he didn't make some sort of body double." He jokes.

Max stands up with a start, tugging at the hair on the nape of his neck, "Fuck!"

On instinct, Brandon and I jump up as well, waiting impatiently for Max to voice his thoughts.

"I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner." Max begins to pace, and Brandon and I just stare, silently egging him to just spit it out.

"What?" I ask. "What the fuck is it?"

"What was Khal's mother's name?" Max asks.

"Um," Brandon squeezes his eyes shut, trying to remember. "Beatrice. Beatrice Hera!" Brandon snaps his fingers in an 'ah-ha' type of way.

"We need to look into Beatrice then. I don't think Khal had the means for a body double necessarily, but..." He trails off.

"Fucking spit it outs man!" Max shouts impatiently. "What are you going on about?"

"I think Khal may have had a twin, and I think we can find where Zoe is if we can prove it." Max explains, his hands gripping at the back of his chair.

We all exchange a glance, and it feels so right it must be true.

"Okay," I nod. "How do we prove it? And where do you suggest we start?" I ask.

Max straightens his posture, and smooths out his suit jacket before checking his pocket watch, then e slides it back into place. And with striking finality Max says, "We dig up his grave."