Insanity (Sequel To Madness)

The Owner Of Business, Shane

I walk out of Wade's room after my session of apocalypse therapy and down the hall to the front room. I see Shane sitting on the couch with his com in hand and a very upset look on his face.
"Have you been lying to the district owners again, Shane?" I hear an angry voice come from his com. Mark sits on the couch and seems to be listening contently. Emmet stands by Shane with two glasses of water in his hands, probably for Maddie and himself.
"What's going on?" I ask as I enter the room.
"Shh..." Emmet whispers as Shane raises his com to his mouth and clicks the button.
"I have never lied to you, or any of the other owners. I am in complete control of my compound, it is just going over remodeling." Shane states and as he releases the button on the com he releases a heavy sigh.
"So, you won't mind if I pay it a visit and go see you then?" The man on the com questions.
"I'm currently out of my district, since I want all the construction to finish quickly and my presence wouldn't help." Shane tells the com as he almost slams it on his lap.
"Why can't you just tell him that you're trying to get everything back together after Ian took it?" Emmet asks as he moves the glasses in his hands.
"Because we don't exactly own that compound right now, we got a message from main district this morning." I explain in a hushed voice, careful that the information stays inside the house.
"Ah, got it." Emmet replies just as the com begins to go off again.
"Where are you staying then?" The man asks.
"I'm in District 6, staying with Allan King." Shane admits with a light shrug of his shoulders he let's go of the button and looks up at me.
"It doesn't hurt to tell him our location, since he was going to get it anyways." Shane says with a roll of his eyes.
"The military district? How interesting of you to say that, since I planned to visit there soon." The man says.
"Excellent, I had business to discuss with you anyways." Shane says in his fake-happy tone, but in reality is just his business one.
"Good, I'll be seeing you soon then." The man replies as the com hangs up and Shane sets it down on the coffee table.
"How rude, he didn't say goodbye to me." Shane chuckles as he stands and shakes his head in annoyance.
"What are we going to do?" Mark questions.
"I'll handle this, he's more scared of me than I would ever be of him. Plus, he owns one of the smallest districts, 11. His name is Zachary Zen, and excellent leader, but an awful businessman. His logic and strategic ideas aren't the best, however... The new man who has taken our compound has been telling quite a few people about it. It's as if he's bragging to everyone else, and trying to show that he's replacing me, or is trying to at least." Shane sighs after his explanation and he shoves his com into his pocket where it normally stays.
"Will Zachary be a problem for us owning the compound later on?" I ask him curiously.
"I doubt it. We just have to keep quiet that my compound was ever taken, because that shows people a weakness in me. And when there is weakness, the people will find a way to use it against me." Shane replies while he crosses his arms.

***

I sit in my room looking through documents in Shane's suitcase while Shane dresses himself I'm the bathroom. He told me to look for one that is called a "Declaration of Ownership", apparently it is for the compound. I glance at a few other papers and set them aside until I come across one that catches my eye. It is a small, manilla colored envelope that seems to be sealed shut. On the back, in messy permanent marker it reads "Security Tape #6." I peal open the envelope and spill out the contents onto my bed. Inside are pictures that look to be from inside the offices where Shane worked. There are pictures of signed documents on his desk, different people speaking with Shane at his desk, and a few of me yelling at him with my face circled in red marker. I flip through them and see criminals in their cells, fights in the hallways, and multiple people whose faces are circled in that same red marker. I see a few of people in the interrogation rooms, but don't pay much attention to them, until one slides into my hands which causes me to freeze. A picture of Ian and Jack sitting on one side of the interrogation table and myself and Maddie on the other side sits in my hand. Both my face and Jack's are circled and I take in a deep breath to hold myself together. I slide to the next photo and almost burst into tears. Jack and I stand in the interrogation room hugging and crying into one another after finally being able to see each other again. I remember the moment as of it had just happened. I put the picture to the side along with the first one of us in the interrogation room and then flip to the next picture. A man I recognize all too well stands with a smirk on his face while holding a small sign with his name "Ian Myers." I almost throw the picture across the room through my anger, but instead drop it to the floor and tear up. Shane walks out of the bathroom as he ties his deep red power tie. He looks to me and gives me a look of confusion before his eyes widen.
"You aren't supposed to be looking in envelopes that I haven't given you access to." Shane states as he begins picking up all the pictures and shoving them back in the envelope.
"Why didn't you tell me that you had pictures of him?" I ask in a hoarse voice.
"Because it wasn't necessary for you to know. You can keep the ones of Jack, and if I find more I'll give them to you, but you need to stay out of my business. I handle the compound, and all the business that comes with it, and you need to stay out of it before it gets you hurt." Shane hisses as he takes all his documents and neatly places them back in his suitcase and puts it back on his bed while zipping it up.
"You said that, as your wife, I should know about the business side of your work." I remind him and I neatly organize my two pictures and place them on my nightstand. Shane turns to face me and grabs chin forcefully, turning my head to meet his gaze.
"The business world is a scary, cutthroat, ruthless world. And I'm the leader and most powerful man in that world. You stay out of that world, and leave it all to me. If I find you looking at my business again, you will regret it." Shane hisses, finally letting go of my jaw. He finishes tying his tie and exits the room, carefully closing the door behind him.