ชิ้นChîn: Chapter 12. Be Made Whole

Conner stands in front of the board as Nora steps into the basement and walks up to him.

Conner: "Call Hyphae down."

Nora: "They're not here right now."

Conner frowns: "This one's been out a lot, do they not have other bodies to do errands?"

Nora: "Actually, their count has been dwindling for years. That one is the only body they have that can track scents right now."

Conner grumbles: "Call the Diner, get an update from Hyphae there."

Nora gives an amused smirk and mock-serious tone.

Nora: "Conner Edwards, do you ever sleep?"

Conner flat: "No."

Conner speaks while focusing on the board, peering closely. He reaches up to scribble a note.

"—the Vassal of Desire, first feast upon the Scion—"

'The murderer is feasting?'

[View board #3]

Conner leans back again, still focused on the board as he speaks.

Conner: "But sometimes I rest, and my imagination wanders."

Nora: "That's sleeping, Conner."

Conner: "No. It's closer to meditation."

She shakes her head and turns to leave.

Nora: "Well, I'll leave you to 'not sleep'. But do get some rest, Conner. We all need to be at our best."

Conner sighs and reluctantly steps away from the board. He reaches up to tug, pull, and intertwine the red threads, creating a hammock-like web. He slips into it and closes his eyes.

-

Blades of grass in a well-tended lawn, morning sun shining on the drops of dew. A small spider, with Conner's same colors and pattern, crawls up one of the blades of grass. Suddenly, a pair of stubby little hands clasp over it. They lift to the face of a little boy. He opens his hands, staring at the spider inside with excitement.

Boy: "Bonjour, petite araignée !" {Hello, little spider}

The boy stands in his room with his face pressed against the side of a glass enclosure, staring intently with a wide smile. Inside, the little spider crawls up a stick, weaving a tiny red web as it goes.

The spider enclosure sits on his desk by a window, a bit of paper taped to the corner labeled: "Conner"

-

Charlie flips pancakes in a pan. Behind him, Kate sits at the table, applying makeup with a little handheld mirror. The TV remote sits on the table in front of them, the TV playing a random sitcom.

Kate: "How was work?"

Charlie: "Work?"

Kate raises a brow: "Isn't that what you were called in for last night?"

Charlie: "Oh, right. Uh—It was..."

Kate puts their makeup in their bag while Charlie sets the food on the table.

Charlie: "It was nuts, a guy broke through a wall, and some nerdy crime boss lost his head. You should have been there."

Kate snorts: "Well, that's creative. So definitely not a date then?"

Charlie stammers: "No! Nothing like that!"

Kate chuckles: "This isn't one-sided. You can be honest if it was."

Charlie: "Still no, it wasn't that. It's just—I guess it's not really 'work' like a job. More of... an obligation."

Kate: "Want to talk about it?"

Charlie: "Maybe later..."

-

Charlie picks up the plates and takes them to his sink, Kate sitting on his couch. Kate looks up from their phone.

Kate. : "Any objections if Ayden meets me here? I'm taking him out for the day."

Charlie shrugs and shakes his head, indifferent.

Kate looks back down at the phone for a moment before turning their attention to the TV. The show changes to advertisements for a theme park's offer of birthday discounts.

Kate looks back at Charlie.

Kate: "Say, when is your birthday?"

Charlie shrugs, walking back to the couch and sitting beside them.

Charlie: "Dunno."

Kate confused: "You don't?" They smirk, "So I wouldn't find it on your ID?"

Charlie: "Oh—uh, I guess..."

Kate: "Is it not accurate?"

Charlie: "Probably not."

Kate: "Because of the foster thing?"

Charlie, hesitant: "Yeah."

Kate: "Couldn't you find out?"

Charlie: "Probably. But I don't want to know it."

Kate: "Why not?"

Charlie, witty tone: "Why disturb it? There's enough ghosts haunting me already. I don't need my past to get in on the party."

Kate, saddened: "So you haven't celebrated any birthdays?"

Charlie: "Nope."

Kate goes to speak, but their phone dings, and they look at it.

Kate stands: "Ayden's here."

Charlie watches them gather their things. Kate stands, ready to leave, and looks back at Charlie.

Kate: "You can still walk me out if you want."

Charlie half-smiles and stands.

-

They step out of the apartment building, Ayden standing and waiting at the base of the steps. He stretches with a painful flinch, a few scratches and bandages visible on his arms. He looks up and smiles at Kate.

Kate, concerned: "What happened to you?"

Ayden: "Don't worry about it. You know me, I get into dumb shit."

Kate tightens their lip, knowing but still concerned.

Ayden: "Ready?"

Kate, light smirk: "You always ask that, but I'm never the one who takes ten minutes to find his shoes."

Ayden grins: "That only happened once—a dozen times, you gotta let that go, babe."

Kate: "Mhm."

Ayden looks behind Kate at Charlie.

Ayden: "Charlie, sup man!"

Charlie: "Hey, Ayden."

Kate eyes them both: "Have you two met?"

Ayden: "We met at work the other day."

Kate: "Really?"

Ayden suddenly falters: "Yeah, I mean, in passing. He's not a hard guy to miss."

Kate feigning upset: "And you both leave me in the dark about this? What are you conspiring against me?"

Kate goes to reach into their bag.

Ayden: "Come on, Kate, we can't reveal that just yet—Someone else has to, so it becomes a huge scandal."

Kate half-smiles, the smile instantly dropping as they continue to shift through the bag.

Kate: "Damn it, I forgot my keys. I'll be right back."

They turn and head back into the apartment building, Charlie waiting behind.

The two stand awkwardly for a moment.

Ayden: "So—How's it been?"

Charlie speaks with his usual witty tone, but it is weak and falters as he speaks.

Charlie: "Oh, great. I'm surrounded by dead bodies—" the tone falters "—and violence, and I always feel like—"

He abruptly stops, brows furrowing.

Charlie: "Sorry, there was supposed to be a joke in there."

Ayden gives a sympathetic look.

Ayden: "Like—you're always in danger?"

Charlie's brows furrow in recognition.

-

Kate, in Charlie's apartment, rummages through the bed sheets for the keys. They lift the pillows to no avail and bend over the edge of the bed, feet in the air, as they look under the bed. They spot the keys on the floor and grab them.

-

Ayden: "You know—There's treatment for that. Therapy, medication—"

Charlie: "They don't work for me."

Ayden: "Sometimes it takes a long time to find the right balance—In medication, diet, sleep, therapy technique, hell even finding a decent doctor took me fucking forever. It's rough as shit."

Charlie thinks for a moment.

Charlie: "You take meds?"

Ayden: "Oh yeah, Wellbutrin, Adderall, Lamotrigine, and—"

Kate steps back out of the building.

Kate: "Found them!"

Kate stops by Charlie, kissing him on the cheek.

Ayden grins: "Does this make up for my missing shoes?"

Kate grins: "Not even close."

Kate walks away with Ayden, waving to Charlie.

Kate: "See you later!"

Ayden: "Hey, Charlie, hit me up sometime! We gotta plan the cover story for our conspiracy!"

Ayden gives a wink, Charlie gives a half-amused wave to them.

-

Early evening

Charlie sits on his couch, holding up his head with his arm on the couch rest, tired and watching the TV infomercials. His eyes grow heavy till they slowly close. He leans, his head falls, and in a split moment, his left arm is grabbed. He panics and jerks awake, looking around nervously. He takes a deep breath, rubbing his face to wake himself up.

He leans back again, staring at the TV. He flinches at small noises, hyper aware and turning to listen to each one. A drop from the sink. A themp from a bee flying into the window, the creaks and mutters from people walking past his apartment door. He closes his eyes and rubs his face again, trying to ignore them.

A drop of water onto the basement floor, the dusty scratch of rubber boots on parchment paper. He opens his eyes again and stands up, grabbing his hoodie and stepping out of his apartment.

-

Charlie walks into a bar and sits down, visibly uncomfortable. He stares down at the counter, listening to the murmurs of the crowd around him. He takes a deep breath.

A glass is set in front of him. He takes it and downs it.

Charlie: 'I'm fine. I'm fine.'

He closes his eyes and sighs, more relaxed.

'You know these places are expensive as shit, right?"

Charlie jumps to the voice beside him, turning to see Basit.

Charlie: "Damn! Warn someone instead of sneaking up on them!"

Basit: "Sorry, wasn't trying to startle you."

Charlie: "What are you doing here? I thought you didn't drink."

Basit: "I don't. But places like this aren't always safe, so I keep an eye out."

Charlie weary: "What do you mean?"

Basit: "Predators are in every corner, not just back alleys."

Charlie: "Coming from 'The Carnivorous Claw'. Aren't you, like, a predator?"

Basit frowns: "Not that kind."

Basit: "Come on, let's go."

Charlie waves for the bartender as he speaks to Basit.

Charlie: "You go ahead—hey!"

Basit grabs his clothing by the shoulder, pulling him out of the seat.

He reluctantly follows her out of the bar.

Charlie: "I'm getting just a little bit tired of being dragged around like a used chew toy."

Basit ignores him and keeps walking. The sun is starting to set.

Basit: "What do you do for fun?"

Charlie: "You already dragged me from it."

Basit: "No, I mean like a hobby."

Charlie shrugs: "I used to work on cars."

Basit: "Used to?"

Charlie: "The shop I worked at under the table shut down. No one else wants an unlicensed amateur."

Basit: "I know someone who owns a dump. It gets a ton of cars for scrap. The owner fixes them up and sells them. I bet she would take your help."

As they walk in an isolated back area between a hill and water, a few people follow behind.

Charlie: "Where is it?"

Basit: "About 15 miles south—"

Man: "Hey!"

They turn around, the man (from Chapter 1) standing with a few others, his nose crooked from being broken.

Man: "Remember me?"

Basit condescending: "Nope, not really. I see so many of you shit stains."

Man: "You'll be the stain when I'm done with you!"

The three men charge at her, Charlie fearfully backing away, Basit stances up.

The first man goes to swing at her, and she kicks him back. Another takes the opportunity to grab her, holding her arms to her side. The third comes up, she goes to kick, he catches it, she swings her head back, hitting the one behind her in the nose.

Charlie, nervous: "Should I call someone?"

Basit: "Don't bother!"

The man's grip loosens, and she grabs the man in front of her, bashing his face into her knee and pushing him back, his nose bloodied. He falls to the ground unconscious.

The other man goes to swing. She grabs his fist and pulls it, causing him to lurch forward as she jabs him in the back of the head with her elbow, knocking him out. She looks at the final man standing. He reaches for a taser, holding it out. Basit's face turns to terror as she stares at the electric spark from the taser end. She sees the spark coming from a more cattle-prod-like device, held by a gloved hand. He goes to charge, and in a panic, her arm extends into flesh and bone. In a split second, she stabs him in the chest and hurls him to the side before reeling back, breath ragged and still shaken.

Charlie shock: "Holy shit!?"

Charlie stares at the dead man, then looks at Basit. She looks around, rushes to the body, drags him to the edge of the quay, and pushes him into the water. She then turns to run, Charlie in a daze of confusion, taking a moment before following her.

-

They walk silently down a more public street.

Charlie's voice cracks: "Uh—what was that about?"

Basit, crossed arms: "What? Sometimes assholes don't like getting put in their place and they think they can bite back."

Charlie: "Yeah, no, I get that. I mean, you were like—I don't think I've ever seen you actually scared before."

Basit's brows furrow, and she stays silent for a moment.

Basit: "...I really don't like electricity. It fucks me up."

Charlie: "So that's your one weakness?"

Basit tightens her lips.

They walk in awkward silence for a moment. Charlie sees she's still shaken by her face.

Charlie feigning optimism: "Hey, at least that's your only weakness, right? I mean, look at me; I'm a weak, walking, indestructible liability that flinches at loud noises. I would take being weak to only tasers and cattle prods if it meant I had your strength."

Basit lowers her hands to rest them in her jacket pockets.

Basit: "Is that really how you feel about yourself?"

Charlie flat: "It was a joke."

Basit: "That doesn't answer my question."

Charlie, uncomfortable, looks away.

Charlie: "Where are we going?"

Basit: "I'm going to check on Conner and let Nora know about—earlier."

Charlie sighs: "Great."

Basit: "You can head home if you want."

Charlie sighs: "I'm fine."

-

Charlie and Basit walk up to Nora's house and enter. Charlie follows Basit inside.

Charlie: "Shouldn't we be knocking?"

Basit: "Nah."

Dog Hyphae walks up to and past them for the door, and Basit holds it open for them.

Hyphae: "Hello, Basit. Hello, Charlie. Nora isn't here right now. She'll be back soon."

Basit: "Thanks, Hyphae."

-

Conner in his nest, staring up at the ceiling, brows tense in thought.

Charlie: "Of course, when you relax, it's in a web of—"

Conner looks to the side, seeing Basit and Charlie walk up to him.

Charlie: "—of whatever that is."

Conner slips out of the web, catching several strings with each finger in one hand and pulling as he walks, the hammock displacing back into the hanging webs.

Conner: "Do you have any news?"

Basit: "No. We're just checking in."

Conner walks over to the desk and stares at the board.

Conner: "Apollo was correct. My contacts are having no luck finding our next would-be victim. So we must just sit around and wait, les bras croisés. We have less than four days until we can check on our lead. We need to be doing all we can until then." {arms crossed}

Conner looks over it, brows still tensed.

Basit: "It's okay to rest, Conner."

Conner turns to Charlie, motioning towards an area of tangled webs full of items.

Conner: "Charlie, grab the black leather case from over there."

Charlie looks at the mass of webs, brow furrowed.

Basit: "Besides, we don't have much of a choice right now, right?"

Charlie steps up to and looks over the mass of webs. He spots the case, tangled inside and hanging beside the skeleton of a small dog. He grabs it and pulls, the webs not budging from it. He tries to detangle it from the case, freeing all but the handle.

Basit: "We have checked every humanoid Abnormal we know of and then some. Hyphae has checked the victims' homes and places of work. You have dug into these bullshit notes till bedrock—"

They hear Charlie grunt, struggling to pull the case free of the mass. He spots a sharp, heavy pair of scissors in the mass and grabs them, trying to cut the red web from the case's handle. The scissors clasp several times, the mass of undamaged web slipping out of and in between the blades unfazed.

Charlie: "What is this shit made of?!"

His eyes shift to the side, jumping slightly to Conner's uncomfortably close, disapproving gaze.

Conner grabs the case and effortlessly pulls it from the mass. He steps away, going back to the desk.

Charlie: "I feel like that was a setup..."

Conner frustrated: "I have other cases to work on."

Basit pensively peers at Conner as he sets the case down. He opens it, takes out a loupe, and puts it to his eye to closely study the papers.

Basit looks at Charlie.

Basit: "Nora is back, why don't you go see her?"

Nora steps into the basement.

Nora: "Is my car that loud that you heard me pull in?"

Basit: "No."

Nora: "How did you know I was back then?"

Basit mild disgust: "The perfume you always wear. I could track you from miles away with how potent that shit is. You should change it."

Nora offended: "This is my favorite scent! It doesn't smell bad… does it?"

Conner ignores them, and Basit gives a disapproving crook of her lips.

Charlie: "I think it smells fine. Like a rich old lady's closet or—Oh! Mothballs, that's it!"

Nora gives a flat, discontented stare to his comment.

Basit, amused: "See?"

Nora turns to Charlie with a light hearted smirk.

Nora: "Well, why don't you come up for a coffee and you can tell me exactly what old ladies' closets you've been getting into."

The two head up the stairs, Basit staying behind.

Basit steps up beside Conner, who's still focused on the papers.

Basit: "How is your other case?"

Conner: "Which case? I have many."

Basit: "Edward."

Conner stays stoic, but the edge of his lip flinches.

Conner: "That doesn't matter right now."

He sets down the lens back into the case and stands straight, his shirt shifting to further reveal the single deep red string around his neck.

Basit glances at it as he steps away with the packed case, bringing it back to the web mass.

Basit leans against the desk, crossing her arms and pondering.

Basit's face turns to confusion.

Basit: "You acted surprised when I came to get you for this case."

Conner pretends to work with the cluttered web, avoiding looking back.

Conner: "I was."

Basit, half-smirk: "That's not my thread then?"

Conner looks downward towards the thread around his neck.

Conner: "It is. I don't use it. I figured you would want your privacy respected."

Basit sincere: "Thank you."

-

In Nora's dining room, she brings Charlie a coffee.

Nora: "So—"

Charlie gives her a questioning gaze, sipping the coffee as she sits down beside him, on the cleaner side of the table.

Nora: "So, how are… things?"

Charlie shrugs: "Fine, I guess, kind of a roller coaster when it gets tied up in an episode of Sherlock Holmes, starring Spider-Man and the Thing."

Nora stifles a snort: "I mean with you and that person—Kate?"

Charlie tries to hide a flustered grin.

Charlie: "Oh. Uh—It's good."

Charlie hides behind his coffee, drinking it.

Nora suppresses a wide grin.

Nora: "How long have you been seeing each other?"

Charlie quietly: "A few months."

Nora, mild worry: "Are they a human?"

Charlie, blunt: "Yes."

Nora, concerned: "Do they know about you?"

Charlie sighs and lowers his coffee.

Charlie: "No, Nora. Don't worry, I'm not going to out anything."

Nora's brows furrow: "I'm more worried about you, Charlie. What if they find out and things go south with them? What if—"

Charlie: "I'm not worried about that right now."

Nora goes to say something but hesitates.

Nora: "Well—I hope they make you happy."

Charlie, weak smile: "They do." Witty tone, "But you know me, I lose at Jenga on my first turn. Hopefully, I can break my high score on how long before I topple the relationship."

Nora frowns: "What do you mean?"

Charlie feigning humor: "I mean, look at me, I'm a walking bag of disaster, I—"

His voice cracks, and his smile drops as the emotion breaks through. He looks down, keeping his eyes on his coffee as he speaks, slowly, like each sentence is a struggle.

Charlie sighs: " I mean—I'm weak, a coward, I can't even really help in the case other than be a walking canary for Conner, I—"

Nora interrupts him: "No, you're not, Charlie! You're a great help, and you've been so brave! I know you can do anything you set your mind to! Kate is lucky to have you!"

She gives an overtly warm smile.

Charlie, masking smile: "Thanks for the pep talk, Nora, but be careful or you'll make my ego start to compete with Conners. I should go before he smells competition."

Nora: "Are you sure? You can stay longer if you need to."

Charlie: "I'm good."

He stands and heads for the door.

Nora: "Just tell me if you need anything, alright?"

Charlie looks back at her, still holding the fake smile.

Charlie: "I'm fine."

He turns to leave, the smile dropping as he closes the door.

-

In the basement, Basit is leaning against the desk beside Conne. Her attention on him. Conner leaned over the desk, bracing himself with his arms. He looks down at the small closed tin beside his hand, his pinky subconsciously stretches for it.

Conner: "Did you ever consider coming back?"

Basit, flat: "Yeah. But why would I?"

Conner looks towards her, his head staying low.

Conner: "I would have taken you back."

Basit, soft tone: "I know you would have, but what would have been different? You're still the same old, jaded, obsessive man getting tangled up in his own head."

Conner looks back down.

Basit: "What's the point in me staying with you when you're not actually with me?"

Conner's lips tighten, and they sit in silence for a brief moment.

Conner: "I miss you, Bones."

Basit: "I miss you too, Tangles."

Basit pushes off the desk, putting a hand on Conner's shoulder and kissing his temple.

Basit: "Finish that case. Then, maybe we'll talk."

She leaves. Conner stays at the desk, lowering his head further.

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