The Seven Revels

Cain Complex

         

The Burgess family arrived on Addiphate several days before the events of the last chapter. They had found themselves a home and settled in. Margaret Verdine was staying with them for the time being, until she could scrape together enough money to find her own place to live. Daniel hated her more and more every day.

    Here she was, alive and well, while his brother had sacrificed himself for the good of some stupid lower class girl who was probably going to die anyway. He imagined he could feel his little brother's ghost hanging around everything he did, which, admittedly, wasn't much.

    He believed his little brother to be dead until he heard the ISA's transmission on the radio, explaining what he had been doing. Daniel didn't bother hiding the look of glee and relief on his face when he heard the news, although the rest of his family looked a little uneasy at the mention of Indigo Verdine and the Seven Revels.

    "I thought Indigo was killed by those people," Mary said. Margaret looked sick.

    "Margaret, are you okay?" Nigel asked, concern clear in his voice.

    "Oh, yes, I'm fine," she said. "I suppose I'm just a little... shocked to hear that Indigo survived, is all. But I'm more surprised to learn that Milo has told the ISA about her plans and whereabouts."

    "He's a good kid, isn't he?" Daniel said.

    "I think it's a terrible thing. To betray his friends like that."

    "I agree," Nigel said. "I'll admit I am a little disappointed in him, but he did what was best. After all, if what they said is true, those kids have done some pretty bad things. Milo was right to turn away from that and follow the right path."

    "Dad, why don't you seem surprised that he's still alive?"

    "I had faith in him," Nigel explained. "I believed he would pull through whatever hardships befell him and he did. He's an ISA agent now, just like I was. Just like Andrew is."

    "Andrew isn't exactly an ISA agent," Daniel said, his tone suddenly defensive. "And neither is Milo. He's just helping them because he's the only one willing to."

    "Nevertheless," Mary interjected, "I'm proud of him for doing the right thing. I always knew he was smart."

    Daniel glared at the floor for a moment. "And what about me, mother? Or Tetso or Pepper?"

    "You kids will find your places in the world in due time." Daniel clenched his teeth.

    "He just got lucky, that's all. Brains had nothing to do with it. Any self respecting person would have gone with the ISA."

    "You seem to be forgetting that that is also my granddaughter you're talking about, Danny. Mind what you say."

    "Shut up, you stupid hag. You wouldn't know a thing about any of this. It's your stupid, reckless granddaughter that got my brother into this mess in the first place. If she had just stayed put like she was supposed to and-"

    "Danny, I am warning you, do not cross me. You seem to have forgotten that I was promoted to captain in the MRO after less than a year on duty."

    "MRO, big deal. No one cares about that stupid army anymore."

    "Trust me, I've seen things you couldn't even begin to imagine," Margaret said, her voice getting dangerously calm. "I could break your neck without breaking a sweat."

    "That's more than enough," Nigel said, his face red. Margaret had leaned terribly close to Daniel, gave him one last hard look in the eyes, then leaned back. Daniel didn't want to admit that what she had said scared him a little.