Harrison heard her speak, squeezing his eyes shut tightly enough that it hurt to do so. He could hear her voice fading, starting to come apart from the wound. Gods damn it all to hell! And the worst part of it all was how it ended for her. He could have handled it much easier if she'd ended with how much she hated him. That she was sorry she'd ever met him, that she wanted nothing from him. But no. That wasn't to be. She had felt the same. They could have rebuilt themselves, reforged each other into something great, something...perfect for each other. He let her hand fall, more startled but it than anything. He watched the light fade from her eyes, watched them close, adn watched her fall still one last time. He felt his throat hitch, his breathing catching. He slid an arm around her, pulling her close, whispering one last time to her.
"I'm sorry Esther...I'm sorry." He let her go, gently laying her down on the floor. He stood, his face still damp with tears. He fought the urge to lift up his gun and go shoot Mallory repeatedly. Instant punishment for what she'd now taken from him. But no. fter all, now she was Esther. In her own mind now as well. Her next few nights were not going to be pleasant, he could promise that. Letting out a shaky breath, harrison Trenton put on his mental armour again, and set to work making things right in his life...
Esther Martin was kept cold, kept out of sight While harrison quietly had work done in the woods near his estate. No one else really knew what was going on out there. A chamber was dug, hollowed out, and then lined with quarried stone. It was a tomb of sorts, in a glad he'd known of, and spent time in when he had been idle, adn wanted to escape from the world a while. He had once had the thought of bringing Esther out here, a picnic lunch and some time between them. Just idle time and peace. Now he would leave her here, at rest, and he only hoped that she had found some at the end. And that she might have a little more in whatever came next for her. The tomb was sealed, her body adorned and made as whole as one could do. Harrison hesitated within the tomb at the end, fighting the urge to do something completely stupid. But he still had places to be. The world still called to a man like him. He leaned over, placing a last kiss on her forehead.
"Goodbye Esther. Goodbye." He repeated the word as though finally truly understanding all that the word implied. He walked out of the tomb, and had it sealed shut with a great stone slab. A plaque was errected, set over it. To have her name would implicate him in her death, adn he could not have that. He only left it with a single phrase that showed all he felt he needed to.
My Dearest Love.
Long May She Rest.
Lloyd stared at the screen, showing that Harrison had indeed bullied and bribed the board into quietly transferring shares in the company to him. Lloyd had lost control of the family business, but what could he do now? He had nothing to prove that Harrison had done anything wrong. Mallory had been back to work, and while a little more...distant than she had been before, there was nothing to prove that she had been taken and shattered by Harrison. All Lloyd could do was to stay on in what capacity he could. Maybe temper Harrison's more...extreme urges. But the easy comradery that they had shared for so many years was gone. Lloyd knew that this monster was one that he had helped make, but it wasn't his fault entirely. Harrison had made himself into what he was. And what was more, he seemed to enjoy being what he was. It was enough to drive a man to drink. With that thought, Lloyd poured himself a whiskey.
He did that more an more as the years went on, before passing on of old age and a wasted liver. He made it to eighty five before it all caught up to him. His funeral was well attended. Most of the firm came to see the old man off, past and present. Stories would be told of the man, not one person having a single thing poor to say about Caughlin Lloyd.
Emerson Card spent years working on the drive he had been given, decoding the files, and knowing deep in his guts that when Esther hadn't come back after her meeting that Trenton must have tracked her dow, and quietly had her disposed of. It was enough to break an older man's heart. But he had to find out something, her death had to be worth something in this whole affair! Else it was just too...monstrous. When he had at last broken into everything, he called his contact in the police. The detective that had been so helpful to him. Emerson had been living low, hiding out as he was still being sought after for quite a few crimes, only some of them entirely false. But the evidence he had...once it was dropped off for his contact, Detective Lys took it from there. Emerson would return to obscurity then, living out the remains of his life away from everyone else, whiling away his time, knowing that he had fought the long, hard fight for as long as any man could have hoped for. He only hoped that his daughter had found some rest from his long struggleHe died in his seventies, at peace with himself, and what he'd done with his life. It was all that he could have hoped for really.
Harrison Trenton looked across the interrogation table as Detective Genevieve Lys spread out all of the evidence that she had. It was quite a damning record. One thing seemed to have led to another, and the grand unraveling of his misdeeds had led to so veyr much wrongdoing. Enough that it was very nearly a federal mater, adn his power was not as potent there.
"What have you to say for yourself Mr. Trenton?" Genevieve asked. He nodded. It had been four years since the whole ordeal had drawn to a messy end. It was just this one last loose end.
"I do Detective. Congratulations on all of this. I can't imagine it was easy for you to pull together. And in the hadns of a skilled prosecutor it might even make a case that can stick. I imagine the DA would be very interested in this case, were he not on my payroll." Harrison started. Genevieve's eyes went a little wider. harrison reached into his coat, and set down a small book. "This is the list of peple that essentially answer to me. Go ahead, read it. I've another copy." Genevieve carefully lifted the book, adn began to page through it. Names after names, and more after that. So many...
"You see detective, in a few more minutes, what is going to happen, is you are going t get a knock on the door. It will be from someone far more important than yourself. They will tell you you've extremely well. A promotion is in order! And that I am to be released." Harriosn explained.
"And why would that happen?" She challenged, placing the book with teh other evidence. He smiled. Smart girl.
"Because to brig me down, would bring down teh whol government of the New York City. And much of the County. And even the state itself! My fall would bring about a state of anarchy that defies belief. And that is a state that no one will want. So I will be released to my own affairs. And you will be transferred away. And ordered to sign a gag order. You will not get to speak of this to anyone else. And if you refuse, resign your comission...well, let's just say there are more...permanent ways of dealing with you." She went cold.
"Are you threatening me on camera? Mr. Trenton-"
"Look again. The camera has been dead since you sat me down. This interview will end shortly after the knock." She opened her mouth to deny it, but a loud knock sounded. Harrison waved a hand. "I think it's for you. Go ahead, I'll wait for you." She set her mouth in a tight line, and answered the door.
Harrison Trenton himself lived for a very long time. He was nearly ninety when he finally passed on. He had spent much of his remaining life with his girlfriend, Mallory/Esther, but never married her. Never made anything permanent between them. That right would only have been for the real Esther, and she was gone. Occasionally craving a different feel, Harrison might take some time to find a new woman, and bring her to heel. Mallory/Esther, in her desire to please, helped him mroe than once, but was always careful not to allow the new woman to surplant her as a favourite. After all, she alone knew who Harrison was trying to recreate. He tried the process on a waitress, a cab driver, and most notably, Detective Genevieve when she simply wouldn't abandon her pursuit of justice with him. When Harrison finally died, many of the funeral attendees came to not only see him off, but on some level to make sure that it was true, that the man who had held New York in a silent, iron handed grip was finally gone. That the city might set itself right, and move on.
Hharrison made sure that he was laid to rest within the same tomb that Esther had occupied for so many years. The waitress, cab driver, and former detective were gone now. Mallory/Esther had made sure that they would spread no rumours about Harrison. The same gun that had made her the
real Esther in her own mind had made sure of it. The plaque that was going in place of the old one was set in reading a new epitath.
Here rests Harrison Trenton, and Esther Martin.
The Gods guide them to where the lover never leaves, and all are equal in the eyes of each other.
Requi escat in pace
Mallory/Esther was alone when she came down to see off Harrison Trenton to the tomb. An older woman now, she smiled as she saw him resting on his plinth.
"Goodbye sir." She muttered. She turned around, and caled up to the workers, men who knew from experience that if Harrison was not around, that they should follow what orders she gave. "Seal the tomb." She called. There was a marked hesitation, but son enough, the stone slab was put back into place. She smiled, and sat down. Now she'd be with him forever...
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