Part 2The Price of Pity

2

My mom shot up from the floor and grabbed Iris's hands like a drowning woman clinging to driftwood.

"Iris, can you do it?"

My dad's eyes regained their composure.

"Iris, this isn't a drill! I know you want to save him, but if anything goes wrong, you and Ethan will both..."

Iris straightened her back and gave a perfect police salute, her voice ringing with certainty.

"Chief Rhodes, rest assured!"

"Ron and I have handled over five hundred explosive cases together. Every step is burned into my mind!"

"Ron is heartless enough to let Ethan die, but Ethan and I grew up together. I can't abandon him. I have to try my best!"

She implied I was harboring a wicked motive and intended to let Ethan die. She was placing the guilt of murder squarely on my shoulders.

Colleagues who rushed in upon hearing the commotion now looked at me with disgust.

My dad returned a formal salute to Iris.

"Regardless of the outcome, your family will be taken care of from now on. The police force needs people with your courage! If you return safely, the Captain's position on the Serious Crimes Unit is yours!"

He cast a cold glance at me.

"As for certain heartless beasts who refuse to help, they don't deserve this uniform!"

A flicker of delight crossed Iris's eyes. She glanced at her watch, her voice urgent.

"Only three minutes left! We have to go!"

"Wait!"

As soon as I spoke, my mom's hand slammed across my face again.

"Ron, stop wasting time! Do you want your brother to die?"

I wiped the blood from my mouth and gave a light laugh.

"Am I required to give consent for the use of my proprietary disarming technique?"

Iris froze, looking at me with shock and disappointment.

"Ron! Are you insane? This is life and death, and you're worried about irrelevant intellectual property?!"

"No, it's very relevant."

"If I don't agree, you're infringing on my patent. I can sue you."

"What do you think the sentence is for breaking the law while upholding it?"

Iris trembled with anger. "You—!"

My mother's recently dried tears started again. She gripped my dad's uniform, sobbing.

"Rob, what do we do?"

I looked at them and spoke calmly.

"I might agree, but only if all the family assets are transferred to me. Not a penny goes to Ethan."

"But there's only one minute left! You'd better decide!"

My dad glared at me, then slammed his fist on the table.

"Fine, I agree!"

I hid the darkness in my eyes, calmly rubbing the plaster cast on my right hand.

"Dad, you have to keep your word. I recorded all that."

My dad glared fiercely, then turned and left with the others.

Once the three of them vanished around the corner, I slowly wiped the moisture from my eyes and tossed the fake diagnostic report into the trash.

Three minutes later, a cheer went up on the large screen.

"In the critical moment, Officer Iris Gray of the Special Tactics Unit turned the tide, successfully disarming the explosive device and saving the hostage..."

I switched off the screen, walked out into the pouring rain, and made my way to my rental apartment.

Only here did I feel like I had a home.

Before I slept, a message popped up on my phone.

"Tomorrow's commendation ceremony: confess, or disappear."

I smirked, then downed the glass of milk laced with a sleeping aid.

After tomorrow, everything would end.