There was an aroma of savory and smoky meat, and the sound of grilling meat like drizzling rain. Neva felt her stomach growling again as she walked into the living room, freshly showered.
Rhett was in the kitchen, changed in new set of clothes from before. His broad back and shoulders moving sensuously as his arms worked preparing food.
Neva stood in the heart of the living room, contemplating.
It was awkward, no one was still awake, and she couldn't let the white walls of her room consume further her with sickness.
The rainstorm mollified, now sprinkling droplets, the glazed windows to balcony still opened.
Sweet fresh breeze floating in, the trees rustling, the petrichor smell of the earth succoring.
Neva sighed, lightened.
"You're here," Rhett's voice pulled her out of her reverie.
Neva looked at him, their eyes entangling.
"You can sit over there," he gestured with his thumb at the dining table. "Breakfast will be ready soon." He said, and got back to cooking again.
Neva instead approached him. "Do you want me to do anything?"
"I'm alright." Rhett looked at her over his shoulder.
She had freshened up, her meandering hair still lightly damp and air drying, a forest green well–fitted sweater with a sweetheart carved neckline and sleeves flaring along her dainty wrist, a modest lacy beige maxi skirt that he arranged for her. Her face bare, a lipgloss blossoming her pink lips, accentuating the rosiness of her cheek and lustrous dark eyes with long butterfly lashes.
Neva peeking to glance at the steak and brocolli he had been grilling trailed to his eyes on her.
Neva's cheeks warmed up.
.
.
.
When she cleared her throat, Rhett blinked. He turned his attention back to the steak again.
His body enflamed and tingling, surely not for the reason—the fire he stood close to.
His ears were pink.
Chest swarming with feelings, difficulty in his breathing.
It was as if; he fell in love with her all over again.
She was beautiful. And she was his.
Neva leaned beside him on the counter.
His deep blue sweater folded up to his elbow, a hand holding the pan tilting, the other turning the delicious looking meal with a wooden ladle. The bulking sinews working, the veins roping. She glanced away. Too astray in puposeless scenes.
"It's almost done." Rhett said.
Neva hummed and nodded. "Did you make rice?"
"Of course. You love meat and rice." Rhett affirmed.
She raised her brows, surprised.
Then like a gale, the blues spiralled in and the sangfroid of the present stravaiged away from her.
"What's wrong?" Rhett asked, the sombre in her eyes making him frown.
Neva shook her head.
But he saw the wedding ring on her finger that she was fiddling with.
"Dada," a small voice called.
Neva and Rhett both turned to Rhean standing in the middle of the living room.
He was little in his light blue pajama shirt and a pair of pants, with thin white prints of animals.
A white soft–toy of a lamb in his firm grip.
"You're up?" Rhett asked.
Rhean earnest in Neva's presence glanced at his father.
He nodded faintly. His eyes slightly dewy fixated on the floor.
Neva and Rhett shared silent words with the eyes.
She turned to the child.
An adoration... bearing a guilt, a fear, with slow steps she neared him.
Neva angled her form to his level. "Hi baby," she softly uttered.
She didn't know what to do. The child didn't even look up at her.
She felt her heart break.
She didn't feel any connection between them implying of a mother and a son.
Neva sighed and stood up straight.
Wasn't she a mother to two children already?
Then why was she having such a hard time confronting a child?
Rhean's grip on the lamb tightened.
His lowered head dipped further.
His heart clenching.
He had yearned for his mother all this years.
But now, when she was so close to him; he was afraid.
He was overwhelmed with all the emotions churning inside him.
Neva caressed his head.
And Rhean started panicking hearing her footsteps faring.
Rhett in the kitchen sighed. He wished he could lighten the burdens in their mind, weighing heavy to open up the affinity veiled in the soul.
But he couldn't. For he believed in them.
"Are you going to leave again?" Rhean's weak voice seized Neva's steps.
Neva turned to him, confused. "Huh?"
Her eyes softened. He had tears streaming down his bread cheeks, and his lips quivered.
"A–Are you going to leave again?" He asked again. Barely making out his words.
Neva smiled sorely. She didn't know what to say.
She was still figuring it out.
She knelt on her knees and spread her arms. "Come to me,"
Rhean didn't waste a second and ran to her.
Neva caught him as he collapsed in her embrace.
Tiny frame trembling. He was sobbing so hard. Her heart shattered to pieces.
Her chin on his shoulder, a hand gently rubbing his back, the other holding his head, she was securing him close to her heart.
"Hush baby, I'm right here."
Rhean only tightened his arms around her neck, face buried in the crook of her neck, soaking to darken her green sweater.
She was warm; and she felt like his home.
On the doorway, May's husband held her by her waist, as she leaned her head on Niall's chest. Her own tears spilling as she watched the bond of a mother and son after years of apart unfolding.
Neva pulled away and smiled at him. She wiped his tears and kissed his forehead.
He was still sniffing, hicupping.
"I'm not leaving." Neva said.
And she was upset if it had been a lie.
For the comfort of words for him just glided away her lips.
Rhean hugged her again.
Neva smiling enfolded him in her embrace, allowing him to be held as long as he needed.
Rhett breathed in relief. Arms crossed over his chest as he leaned his torso on the counter, his posture loosened and a serene smile in his features.
The door bell rang.
Rhett straightened up.
The mother and son pulled away again as the door bell rang again.
Niall went to attend the door being closer to the hallway, which led to the stairs towards the ground floor.
Soon walked in through the living room door a well–dressed Elk in black suit, followed by Agent Knight in a smart–casual.
"Grandpa!" Rhean called him, his eyes instantly sparkling.
"Good to see you, my child." Elk said, briefly smiling at him.
Elk's pupils shifted a bit at Rhean holding Neva's hand, another hand holding his favourite soft–toy.
He was astounded as the boy would run to him whenever he saw him.
But now look at the wild one, clinging to the stranger of a woman.
Niall then appeared and stood beside May.
"Why are you here?" Rhett asked, he now remained by Neva's side.
"Necessarily, of course." Elk returned, seating himself on one of the three–seated green couch.
"Where's Ace? Go get him." Elk instructed.
He saw Rhett not moving and instead shifted his decree to Knight standing there bored.
"Which room?" Knight asked Rhett.
"The first room by the hall downstairs."
Knight turned and left.
"I would prefer some privacy." Elk stated.
Rhett looked at Neva, and she only nodded in return.
When she made to leave with Rhean, Elk interfered: "Except you, Mrs. Lei."
Neva frowned at the surname. Was Rhett's last name Lei?
"She's not staying." Rhett sternly specified.
"Certainly she is." Elk glanced at Neva coldly.
"I came especially for her."
"You can't involve her in your matters."
"It's fine." Neva said.
Rhett hesitated, but didn't retort back. He turned to Rhean. "Go get freshen up. You'll have to walk Zoro after breakfast."
Rhean glanced up at him, and reluctantly nodded.
Neva smiled at him and he mirrored back a smile. He didn't want to go, but still he agreed and unthethered their hands and trudged out the living room.
May and Niall had gone back to their own room too.
"Hurry. I don't have the whole day." Elk said.
Rhett clenched his jaw, but approached the sofas along with Neva.
When Neva got settled down by the three–seated sofa next to Rhett with a space enough for another person to fit in, Knight appeared again and sat on one of the single sofas adjacent to Elk.
A dishevelled haired Ace bearing bed eyes walked in after in grey sweatpants and beige baggy shirt, with wide neckline that fell down his shoulder.
"Gather yourself." Elk seethed at him.
Ace only ruffled his hair and plopped down next to him on the three–seated sofa, placed against the wall across where Rhett and Neva sat.
"You are aware of the virus outbreak with the symptoms common to Ruhd I presume?" Elk inquired.
"28,039 confirmed cases with 365 deaths globally and still counting. The early casualties were first reported in China a month and a half ago." Knight declared.
"Most affected cases were of Children. From infant to twelve years old." Elk wrapped up.
"Do you know anything about Ruhd?" Elk flatly asked Neva.
Neva's brow furrowed. She didn't know anything about a virus outbreak.
"She wouldn't know." Rhett spoke for her.
"Of course she should. She's all knotted up with the issue." Elk bluntly declared.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Neva said.
Elk stared at her.
"She's not required. Let her leave."
"Don't talk back to me." Elk glared at Rhett.
Rhett matched the intensity of his gaze.
He would come to regret if he didn't stop him any sooner.
"She doesn't remember. Did Ace not tell you?" Rhett persisted.
Their deal was done, and he supposed Ace reported the informations to him.
"Indeed. But still, she had been with him as his wife for four years. She could atleast be of some importance."
Neva didn't know what to think or say anymore. She would have to be in control of her tongue, especially before these grim unfamiliar men in strange circumstances.
Rhett only sighed and let Elk continue.
He would never relent until what he got anyway.
"Do you know where Ruhd is?" Elk asked.
Neva shook her head.
"It's a life threatening virus if you aren't aware. Your father, Dr. Neal Noe created it and even had vaccines for it. But after Dr. Draco Earl's mutation that resulted in a more lethal virus, the vaccines were never made."
Neva was stunned. Her father; Dr. Neal Noe? How do they know her father and Ishmael don't? Was he alive? But why would he create such terrifying thing? Her mind was a mayhem. So many unanswered questions.
"Ruhd was stored in a capsule and protected in a vault in the tower of Worthon in Erriador.
Over six years ago, Raka held hundreds of citizens captive in Hotel Aurora demanding the Ruhd. Even if my team were involved," Elk glanced at Rhett, he was the one who led the mission to rescue the hostages, "he still got hands on it."
"After his infatuation with you, we knew he was after Ruhd because of your trace in the dactylogram sensor."
It was a lot for Neva to take in.
"But why? Why would he be after Ruhd just because of a fingerprint?"
"Because it's through the fingerprint that he could find you." Knight replied instead. The case had gone cold. Yet, now as the case had resurfaced again due to the virus outbreak, he made sure to clear all the data gathered.
"What? No, he told me he found me when I was in a market in Edinburgh."
"Did he not tell you he had been looking for you?" Elk inquired.
"He did." Neva answered meekly. He did tell her how desperately he had been looking for her.
And when she was eighteen, one day, while he was in Edinburgh for bussiness, he saw her there shopping on the farmer's market coincidentally and immediately recognised her.
That was how everything started for them.
Elk chuckled. "He really did spew some nonsense in you huh?"
Neva glared at him.
"That's enough." Rhett said.
"You can go Neva."
"Wait," Elk retorted.
"You wouldn't have really been useful to him if he wanted the capsule be unsealed. Since today's technology to replicate the dactylogram had far exceeded. But tell me,"
Elk leaned forward and placed the clasped hands on his knees.
"How far does his circle go? Anything on Lucas Ito and Jacob Lewis? On his future plans besides the virus?"
"No," Neva shook her head. Her eyes brimming with tears.
Her life was a lie wasn't it?
Ishmael's stupid address about miracles, destiny and soulmates were untrue.
She was gullible enough to indulge herself in his fantasies.
"You have his right hand man. Go interrogate him." Rhett coldly said.
"Zev was it? Damn, he's really out there being fucked for being too loyal." Knight scoffed. Zev was captured in Las Vegas after the baccarat game by Knight.
He had only divulged May Mae and her husband's whereabouts but never opened his mouth and gave away to any other details concerning his boss.
"Language," Elk warned.
Knight only shrugged. "So you've had a bunch of kids with him and for nothing?" He mocked Neva who had her head lowered.
"You're taking it too far." Rhett was angered.
"So this is the plan." Elk interrupted.
"Another team job, obviously."
"Mrs. Lei will call Raka and get him on the exact location we decide. We will have you in a different place and some of our agents for protection of course."
"I will do no such thing." Neva looked at Elk in the eyes and stated firmly.
"I trust him enough to know he didn't have a hand in the virus outbreak." Neva thought she atleast knew him to not practice something so horrifying. He had two children he loved, he wouldn't do that especially since the virus was more baneful to the children.
She believed in him. And she prayed; he couldn't be as bad as they made him out to be.
"Even if he didn't. He had still committed enough crimes for him to be sentenced to death. You can only comply us." Elk strictly laid down.