To Be A Killer

Chapter 66: Satisfied

I sit on a bench at the park, watching Penelope go up and down on the seesaw with Carina while Molly pesters Milo to push her higher and higher on the swing set. He rolls his eyes but otherwise doesn't complain, not when he keeps trying to get on my good side. He keeps hoping I'll bring him with me on a short supply run, but with everything that's going on and with what recently happened with Janine's nut job of a sibling, I'm not letting him leave Abel's walls anytime soon.

Janine hasn't said much more about Tom, and I'm not dumb enough to ask. Even Sam has stayed silent in asking about her brother. I think it's best we all just leave that alone for now, especially with us still needing that equipment for the Tavington machine, not to mention at how close we are to Christmas.

Three days away, and I still have no gifts for the children. I don't have gifts for anyone, not the kids or Sam or Kefilwe or Caleb, not that I could give Caleb his gift anyway, seeing that he's on the Comansys ship. Still, it'd be nice to be able to tell him I got him something...

It's odd, knowing he won't be here for Christmas. He was here in Abel last Christmas. But then again, Archie was alive last Christmas. Sarah was alive last Christmas. Simon was here with us last Christmas. Van Ark was still a problem last Christmas.

It all seems like it happened a lifetime ago... It seems like it all happens so quickly, that what happened not even a year ago seems like it happened decades ago.

It's hard, knowing this, knowing we're going on without them-without Archie and Sarah and Simon and Esteban and everyone else that we've lost. We've lost so many people, so many lives. I know Simon's not dead, but the chances of seeing him again are... slim. He's gone off with Amelia, and they both know they aren't exactly well loved by the people here at Abel. So why would they want to come back?

But Archie... Sarah... I still hear them sometimes, in my head. I don't hear them as much as I used to, but I still hear them. Sarah sometimes talks to me when I look at the gift she left for me after she died. I still don't know when I'll use or when it will actually become useful. Either way, I have it, and that's what she wanted.

"Hey there, Five-o."

The use of that nickname snaps me out of my thoughts, and when I look up I see a smiling Australian man standing near my bench. I send Owen a small wave in reply, and he wipes off the the bits of snow that's still on the bench and takes a seat.

"I'm surprised to see you out here. I thought you didn't like the cold," He says, and I simply shrug in reply.

"I don't, but I have on a thick jacket and the sweater Jody made for me, so I'm alright for now. Plus Penelope wanted me to come out here so she could play with Carina and Molly." I pause as I watch the three run around in the snow, while Milo takes a chance to sit down near the small slide with his sketchbook. "What're you doing out here?"

"Just finished a visit with Dr. Lobatse. Thought I'd walk around for a bit."

"Oh, yeah. How's your leg healing up since Amelia..."

"Great. I'm doing fantastic, really. They just don't want me going on any big missions right now because of, you know, everything that's going on. I'm hoping I'll get to do something soon though. It gets kinda boring going on food supply runs nearly everyday."

I nod. "I bet."

"Speaking of injuries, how's your wrist? I heard you hurt it when you were on that tech run with Janine."

"Oh, yeah," I say, rubbing my wrist, which has healed basically overnight. "I uh, just sprained it. Well, I didn't. Janine's brother, Tom, did. Maxine says it was just a small sprain and I was just being dramatic."