Chapter 567
“So how are things? Caroline?” Kane, Caroline’s brother, asked Caroline while sitting under a tree beside a lake in the yard of their room, with a rough and crude looking fishing rod made of simple wood and a long thread with metallic shine in his hand: “Can we go out now? Don’t take this the wrong way - this room and this inn, they are both very very - well, how do I put this eloquently, magical. But it’s not the real world out there - in here it’s peaceful and joyous, too much so at times.”
“What, bounty hunter afraid of losing his touch?” Caroline chuckled as she watched Alex throw a fishing net at the lake and wait for fish to fall into the snare.
“Yeah, that, and if we stayed here any longer Alex would be missing school.” Kane laughed gently and said: “And if Barbara knows, it’s gonna be a whole lotta trouble.”
“Don’t worry. You will be able to go out soon.” Caroline hesitated for a long while, then said to Kane, hard as she tried, her voice was still trembling: “Soon, either way.”
“What’s wrong?” Kane noticed that Caroline seemed off, so he leaned in and asked: “You’re upset about something, what is it?”
“It’s - it’s uh, complicated. It’s just a lot, for me.” Caroline wiped off the tears from the corners of her eyes and said: “I can’t exactly tell you, but something bad could happen soon, and I am just not sure I am prepared, if I am cut out for all of this at all.”
“Hmm, I may not know what you’re talking about, but I kinda get it, the sentiment, I mean.” Kane held Caroline’s hand and said: “Did I ever tell you the story of that mayor’s wife?”
“Yeah, I kinda heard it once, or twelve times.” Caroline giggled then sighed: “But this time it’s different, it’s not some political situation you can wager your way through, or a legal situation you can consult your lawyer friend and try to find a loophole or two to squeeze yourself out - it’s something big, and really dangerous, there’s practically no way to stop it, and the worst part is that I can’t do anything, all I can do is sit on the sideline and wait for it to over. There’s a chance it will not be terrible, but there’s also a chance that it will be very very bad.”
“So, why worry about it?” Kane shrugged.
“What do you mean?”
“If you can’t do anything about it, then why be worried?” Kane shook his head: “I know how you feel, but there’s some relief in the feeling that you cannot do anything. If it was bound to happen and you can’t do anything about it. Then you don’t have any reason to worry. Why worry if shit’s about to hit the fan? Just buy more fucking towels! No towel? Then just close your eyes and protect your nose and mouth.”
“That - you know that’s an attitude I’ve never condoned.” Caroline couldn’t help but start laughing: “And for that I envy you.”
“Aunt Caroline, you look worried.” Just this moment, Alex came to their side and said: “You want to catch some fish with me?”
“Yeah, sure.” Caroline let Alex grab her by the hand and drag her to the side of the lake: “What are you trying to catch?”
“I don’t know what it’s called. But it’s pretty.” Alex answered: “Dad told me we should keep him, but I just put him back.”
“Oh, so what’s the point of catching him?” Caroline asked.
“I - I don’t know. I just like it when I get to see him, and it feels like we’re friends.” Alex stared at the water and said: “And I asked Rash to make me a soft net, so that I don’t hurt him if I’m not careful.”
“Kid likes fishing, just not in the traditional sense.” Kane laughed and said.
“It’s good, be proud of who you are and what you like.” Caroline smiled while slowly and gently stroking Alex’s hair.
“Captain Wonderia says, it’s an implied duty of us to make the world better with our actions, however little it may be.” Alex looked up at Caroline and said: “I just don’t wanna hurt him.”
“Captain Wonderia? Who is that?”
“It’s a pretty vintage superhero cartoon for kids we found on the TV.” Kane explained: “We haven’t heard of it before, the same goes for a bunch of other programs I’ve never heard of.”
“Huh, that might be because of Boss.” Caroline shook her head and chuckled: “He’s got … well very particular taste. But at least I hope the programs he put in there are PG?”
“Oh yeah, all family friendly, kid friendly type of shows, barely any raunch in them.” Kane looked Caroline in the eye: “Believe me, I tried.”
“What’s ‘raunch’?” Alex asked while retrieving the fishnet he just cast.
“It’s bad stuff, like cigarettes and alcohol.” Caroline answered with a smile: “When you’re older you’ll understand.”
“Anyway, if this is such a big bad thing, what will your boss do? If he's as powerful as you make him out to be, I assume he would be at the forefront?”
“Oh, he is, and he made the decision to not let me and Jason join him. Because it’s dangerous, and because ‘we’re the future’.”
“Sheesh, what a jerk.” Kane lay back and said.
“You know, you don’t have to - ”
“I know.”