Veil (84 page)

When it was only the two of them, Hunter made
it clear to Peyton that he wouldn’t cosign the release of her
Veillusion or the rewriting of The Jin Experience bill to allow for
what she was asking until he felt the story was perfect. Peyton
told him she understood, as it was his story. It was his life and
the lives of his husband and best friend. Hunter also offered
Peyton detailed information and additional scenes. They would be
details to which she would’ve never been privy. She was
delighted.

Hunter told her he was willing to work with
her closely—every single day if necessary—to create the best
Veillusion possible. After all, he pointed out, it would be the
very first Veillusion of that caliber ever to make its way into the
world. She would go down in history, he said. If there was one
thing he learned from Ken it was that if you’re going to do
something, do it right. Go all the way and don’t half-ass it.
Peyton agreed wholeheartedly.

Suren called on Peyton to visit her alone.
Suren informed Peyton she would not be on board for enacting any of
the changes they discussed until she saw the final product and
experienced the Veillusion from everyone’s perspective. She said
her main concern was that absolutely no representation of Lundy be
included anywhere. She didn’t want his voice, his face, his
image—nothing. Even in the courtroom he was to be a black, empty
space. Peyton assured Suren that would be the case.

Suren also offered two other things, provided
Peyton did Suren a favor. Suren promised to replace
The Jin
Experience
in the Tsay Temple with Peyton’s new Veillusion and
promised to provide Peyton with exclusive details about anything
and everything she desired. All Suren wanted in return was for
Peyton’s Veillusion to include not only the storyline of how
The
Jin Experience
was created, but also
The Jin Experience
itself. Peyton agreed wholeheartedly.

After three and a half months of going back
and forth between Suren’s mansion and Hunter’s mansion, Peyton
finally pieced together a complete Veillusion about the story of
Veil. What started as a tactic to manipulate the remaining Tsay
Trustees turned into Peyton’s first Veillusional masterpiece. And
masterpiece was an understatement.

Actually, there were two versions of it. One
version only Peyton had seen. It was the version that included a
storyline about which the entire world had been kept in the dark.
Considering they were living in the New Veil World, Peyton thought
secrecy of that magnitude was a damn miracle.

“What is this?” Suren asked as she examined
the unmarked black box Peyton handed her.

“It’s the alternate ending, you could
say.”

“I’m supposed to Veil it?”

“Yes. And if I’m wrong, I’ll destroy it. I
wanted you to see it first, though. If I’m wrong, no one else will
ever see it and I’ll destroy it.”

While working on the finishing touches,
Hunter allowed Peyton to use the streaming technology he and Ken
developed for
The Jin Experienc
e and Lundy’s trial. Using
that, Suren streamed Peyton’s Veillusion without any of the typical
delay caused by shadowing. As Suren streamed the Veillusion
contained inside that unmarked box, she wasn’t prepared for or
expecting what Peyton added. Suren quickly noticed the storyline
the young girl included in that secret, alternate version of her
Veillusion.

Suren ripped off her collar and snapped at
Peyton.

“What have you done? Where did you get this?”
she grilled as she lifted the glass skull and snatched up the black
box.

“I … I just kinda pieced it together myself.
It wasn’t hard. It became obvious when I dug into the story.”

“Has Hunter seen this?”

“No, no, I swear. Only you.”

Suren wasn’t sure what to do about what
Peyton created. The story Peyton told. The one no one but the
Trustees knew. Suren contemplated while fidgeting with the unmarked
box. She had to figure out the best way to go about addressing what
was inside of it.

“What all do you know? And who have you
told?” she interrogated.

After the words came out she realized it
sounded as if she was threatening Peyton. As if Peyton had
uncovered the truth and therefore, was about to be offed. For the
first time, it dawned on Suren that back in her Great Widow Tsay
days, that was a threat she could’ve easily made good on. Without a
doubt in the world, Suren could’ve ordered that someone be offed.
Not like going to Roy’s with a handgun, but rather someone who
would do the job for her.

The thought amused Suren. She was glad she
never had the realization when she was the Great Widow Tsay. A girl
like Peyton just might’ve found herself being … Suren couldn’t
bring herself finish the thought. She’d taken it too far.

Luckily, Peyton answered her before she could
think any further.

“I haven’t told anybody. I haven’t told
anybody at all, I swear. And, I mean … it’s all in there,
everything I
think
I know. I figured out Ken was the Vault
for a memory. I’m pretty sure the memory belonged to Jin. I know
it’s how Lundy killed two people, using that memory. It never came
out that Ken was the Vault, but I know that’s the case. Now I know
it’s part of how you used the network to track Lundy down. I know …
well … I know the
big thing
. The one thing no one talks
about.”

“The big thing?” Suren fished.

“Yes.” Peyton wasn’t going to give it up that
easily.

“And?” Suren wasn’t going to give up until
Peyton gave it up.

“And that’s why I’m showing you and not
Hunter. No one talks about what happened. It’s the one secret all
of you still have. I can understand why. After seeing you and
Hunter together, I know something happened between the two of you.
Something big and horrible. I started thinking it’s probably the
same big thing that happened to Ken. So, I thought I would show
this to you first.”

Suren mulled more. She couldn’t make it about
her. That was the problem before: they all knew Lundy would be dead
soon enough but Suren made it about her. She made it all about her
bloodlust. Lundy already had ninety-nine convictions, which meant
ninety-nine daily Veil Atonements. Each vAtonement would take about
three minutes. That was nearly five hours a day. Five hours of Veil
Atonements every day. If Lundy didn’t kill himself within a month,
he’d be driven completely crazy and his body probably would’ve shut
down from the stress.

They all knew Lundy was going to die. She
knew it, but she didn’t care. She was more interested in watching
Lundy die than she was in making sure Ken stayed alive. All she had
to do was say “no.” Just like Hunter did. All she had to do was be
concerned for Ken, just like Hunter had been. Regardless of his
inability to communicate effectively or appropriately, Hunter’s
outbursts and objections were simply care and concern. All Suren
had to do that day was tell Ken she didn’t want him to act as
Atoner and tell him she wouldn’t let him do it. All she had to do
was stop and consider Hunter’s point. Had she not made that moment
about her and her need for revenge, maybe Ken would still be alive.
Alive to that day. So, no … she couldn’t make it about her
again.

“It’s up to Hunter,” Suren exhaled her words
heavily, and they sounded as though she held her breath the entire
time she mulled them over.

“Are … are you sure?” Peyton asked.

“I’m sure. It’s up to him. It’s his Ken. He
can decide.”

“So—so, it’s true? Dr. Wise executed Lundy
using Jin’s memory? And that’s what killed Dr. Wise?”

“Peyton … ask Hunter.”

When Peyton got to Hunter’s, he was streaming
her Veillusion again. She wondered if that was all the man did.
What was even more odd to her was how he always Veiled the story
from his own perspective. She assumed if he were going to obsess
over the Veillusion because of Ken, he would Veil it from Ken’s
perspective. But, Hunter always took on his own role. It was odd to
her: always choosing to be himself in the story of his own
life.

“Here,” she said and handed him one of those
little shiny black boxes. He hadn’t seen that one before. It wasn’t
marked.

“What is it?”

“Just Veil it. Then call me.”

“Look, little girl—” he started to say.

“Hunter,” she put her hand up, “I’m not
Suren. I don’t take that shit. Not from some bitter old queen who
hates the world and doesn’t leave his house. Shut the hell up and
Veil it. When you’re sober and your sad gay eyes dry up, feel free
call me.”

Hunter smiled. Ken would’ve liked her so
much. Brock would’ve
loved
her.

“Has Suren seen this?” Hunter happily and
maliciously shit-stirred through the phone.

“Yes, she has.”

“Oh…” he groaned.

He had to pause. He was expecting Peyton to
say ‘no
.
’ He was hoping she would say
‘no
.
’

“Well, what did she say when she saw it?” He
hoped Suren died when she saw it. Although, he definitely would’ve
heard about it if she died. Nope, Suren was still alive.
Bummer.

“She said it was up to you.”

“Up to me?”

“Yes, she said it was up to you. She said you
got to decide, and that he was—that he is—your Ken. So, she said
it’s not up to her or about her. Something like that.”

“I see,” he replied in an effort to buy some
time.

He really didn’t know what to say, which was
something he wasn’t used to. He was usually able to make up some
offensive drivel while plotting what to say next. He was thwarted,
though. He planned on calling up Peyton and telling her to go ahead
and inform Suren about the new and improved Veillusion he watched.
However, Peyton sucked the wind out of those sails. He imagined
Peyton’s vagina was one huge, big, giant vacuum, and he pictured
her—

“So what would you like me to do?” Peyton
interrupted Hunter’s thoughts, as if she could tell from the other
end of the phone that Hunter was perverting her in his mind.

“Fuck it, come over tomorrow. We can polish
this new version up. There are some things you got wrong and some
things you left out.”

When they hung up, Hunter took a large sip
from his drink and set the glass down. It made a loud, sharp clink.
The noise distracted him and he was bombarded by the thoughts he
actively repressed. They were thoughts about what Suren’s gesture
meant. Make no mistake about it … that was what the old bitch did
by leaving the decision up to him: she made a grand, apologetic
gesture.

“Ah, damnit,” he growled to himself.

After another drink, he called Roy and told
him to come over the following day. Roy was perplexed and nervous,
but he agreed.