Something Peaceful

Two days had gone by since they had uploaded the contents of the flash drive to the pedophile's computer, but in all honestly, it felt like those two days were actually two weeks' worth of vacation. For once, the three of of them had little to worry about in the sense of having to complete assignments given to them by mysterious handlers, for equally as mysterious reasons. As had been promised, their "funds" have been transferred into each of their accounts the moment Ian stepped one foot into the door of their house.

            The amount that had been paid into their accounts was equal to four months of total income for Ian, including Project 8 and his new job at for the Scorpions. In the two days that had gone by, Ed had decided to to spend more time around the Oracle's mansion in hopes that the Red Arrow would return. Ian on the other hand had gone out to a number of car dealerships and started looking for another vehicle, though after two days still couldn't make up his mind about what he wanted.

            "Looking for another WRX?" Ed asked as he placed his keys on the kitchen counter and walked over to the kettle.

            Ian had been hunched over the island counter, studying a bunch of brochures. He held his thumb against his upper lip as he was in thought, only noticing Ed after a cup of coffee was placed underneath his gaze. "Hey."

            "How's the car shopping?"

            "Meagre. I can't decide on another WRX, or something completely different. Not that I'll be buying something right away anyway. I need to think about everything involved. No luck?"

            "No luck. The old man must be extremely busy, wherever he is."

            "Yeah. We'll surface when he feels the time to be right."

            "Indeed," Ed said as he walked out the kitchen and up the stairs. As he entered his room, he removed his quiver, of which most arrows had a feint dark pulsating glow to them, from his back and placed it in the weapon rack along with his bow. He hadn't felt a need to carry his two handguns with him as he felt that whoever it was that was giving them these errands, had managed to keep the Others from their backs somehow, and even though he had no reason to trust them, he trusted them anyway with Aaliyah's life.

            JR was in his room, blasting his music as have been usual those past few days. Some hard metal song was playing with the lead singer screaming at the top of his lungs, something about tears falling all around him. Fortunately, the walling was thick enough to keep most of the noise out of Ed's room, not that he minded some of the songs that seeped through a bit, but most was crap in his opinion.

            He fell down onto his bed and turned his head toward his PC, which haven't been on in weeks. For a moment, Ed contemplated turning it on and trying to write, but as soon as the thought had entered his mind, it died of loneliness. All he could think about was Aaliyah. He also thought of the Commander, that annoying git that watched over his captivity, and the "plane" facility type thing he was in.

            He then remembered that most of the soldiers used to speak of "deliveries" being done, and then thought of how he used to associate the word with a Fedex truck. Whenever he would overhear old Pudgy talk of another delivery being completed, Ed would imagine Tallboy driving up a generic driveway, get out of his Fedex truck and raise his arm to look at the perspiration that seeped through from below his armpits and onto the generic red uniform that covered his body. He then pictured Tallboy walking up to the door of a generic house, give it two generic knocks, and would be greeted by a generic old lady with grey hair and a long sharp nose with a mole on the left-hand side. Tallboy would then hand over a generic black package labeled Pink Stuff - For VIP Eyes Only, and she would except it with a creepy smile, sign it with an ancient ballpoint pen, probably handed over to her by her late husband, and slam the door shut in Tallboy's face. Thanks, now fuck off. He would think as he walked over to his Fedex truck with a huge satisfied smile on his face and drive off.

            In retrospect, those deliveries they spoke of could have meant anything. It could also have meant that maybe the soldiers that had to look over him knew nothing about the fact that it was no plane after all. Or maybe they knew, but it was all just one huge act in front of him! Then again, maybe he just misinterpreted it for all it actually was: scientific and other services and product deliveries.

            Pudgy had once spoken of bodies he had noticed being "Delivered". What he could have seen was bodies, albeit bodies being delivered to the morgue after some scientists had had their way with them.

            The last thought Ed had thought before he woke up was how easy it was to get captured that night everything went to shit, again.

He had made his way downstairs, where Danny and Ian was sitting at the dinner table, enjoying dinner. JR had yet again decided to skip dinner and go out instead, and Devon had decided to stay at home for a change -- he had even joked that the payment they had all received could have been put together and used for a larger home for all three of them. Something Ed merely waved off with a smile and a gulp from a bottle of Johnny Walker he had claimed as his own for the night.

            "Dinner's in the oven," Ian called over to the kitchen.

            "Thanks," Ed replied as he got it out, walked over to the stairs, and stood still, contemplating whether he should decide to be reclusive again.

            "You're welcome to join us," Danny said and looked at Ed with a hopeful smile. "We miss your conversation!"

            "The dinner table has never been more boring without your witty remarks about everything remotely funny."

            Ed ignored them and put one foot on the base of the stairs, then smiled weakly at the couple at the table and opted to join them.