Nace Bilby
ACME
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"And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling - my darling - my life and my bride,
In the supulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea." - Edgar Allan Poe, Anabel Lee
"Through me the city of woe." - Dante, The Inferno, Canto III.
Edgar Allan Poe's Anabel Lee perfectly captured the feelings Nace felt. Less than 24 hours earlier, in great pain, Evey Hammond had passed from this world. Terminal Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma had taken Evey from his life just as surely as Poe's jealous angels. Evey had specifically asked for no drugs, she wanted to be fully lucid with her last goodbye. 11:30 PM, 22 June 2012, a date and hour that I shall never forget.
Sleep was a forgone non-possibility. Dante's words from the Inferno kept him awake. Was Evey even now hearing those words, being ferried across the Acheron to face King Minos, to have the Judge of the Damned wrap his tail around her to send her to the appropriate circle of Inferno.
And so it was in the hour before dawn that Nace wandered through London. No real direction intended, nor any true destination in mind. Love for Evey, the thought of building a life with her, had been a hope. A hope never to exist. Nace thought.
His wanderings had taken him to Westminster Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom. To the Lady's Chapel. Where he would appeal to the Blessed Mother, that Evey would be spared the crossing of Acheron, never seeing King Minos, and being spared the icy confines of Lake Cocytus.
"I thought I'd find you here." a voice sounded.
Nace turned to see Chief Inspector Anthony Carlyle, head of ACME's Britannia Branch, responsible for all of ACME's operations in the British Isles. He was also Nace's brother in law.
"For Evey." Nace said.
"I thought as much." Anthony said and added, "Both Rey and I have been worried."
Nace held up his iPhone, "I've had it off since Evey passed."
"I know you in all probability don't wish to be disturbed." Anthony said, "But Rey, and in fact all of us can't help but worry."
"I'm in no danger of offing myself, mate." Nace replied, "I've just had a lot on my mind."
"I'll hazard a guess as to say some of that thought was inspired by Dante?" Anthony remarked.
"Yes." Nace replied, "I pray still that Evey is spared having to cross the Acheron. That at best she is in Paradiso with her parents or at the worst made to work her sins off in Purgatorio."
Anthony didn't reply, knowing his brother in law needed to vent. Losing the woman he loved with all his heart was going to take time to heal.
"Some might think this odd, that I would care this much for a someone who is a traitor. Knowing my views on loyalty and the like." Nace replied.
"You loved her. Nothing changes that." Anthony said, feeling like right sod for haivng used the past tense of love. He could see that Nace still loved Evey very much.
"I can't thank you enough, bru." Nace said, "For keeping the vultures away."
Nace was referring to the fact that Evey's final hours were spared being troubled by ACME's Internal Affairs division and that Anthony had extended a considerable amount of influence to make this so.
"I know that my report will thus be due." Nace said, "I'll report everything Evey told me that can pertain to VILE, as per your deal with the Internal Affairs lot."
"Nace, they're doing their job." Anthony replied.
"I know, but I'm glad you allowed Evey to go with dignity and with what peace she could find." Nace replied.
"You're welcome." Anthony said, "And for what it's worth we've said our own prayers for Evey as well."
"Thank you." Nace replied.
"I thought you should know that the Internal Affairs case to find the agent that betrayed Evey's parents is still open." Anthony said.
"But they still haven't found the wanker?" Nace said, coldly.
"These things take time, Nace." Anthony said.
"I understand." Nace replied. Whoever betrayed them had better hope Internal Affairs finds them before I do. Because I will not show mercy. I will send that wanker screaming to Acheron's shores if I can help it...
Nace headed off, back to his small flat...
Of my darling - my darling - my life and my bride,
In the supulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea." - Edgar Allan Poe, Anabel Lee
"Through me the city of woe." - Dante, The Inferno, Canto III.
Edgar Allan Poe's Anabel Lee perfectly captured the feelings Nace felt. Less than 24 hours earlier, in great pain, Evey Hammond had passed from this world. Terminal Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma had taken Evey from his life just as surely as Poe's jealous angels. Evey had specifically asked for no drugs, she wanted to be fully lucid with her last goodbye. 11:30 PM, 22 June 2012, a date and hour that I shall never forget.
Sleep was a forgone non-possibility. Dante's words from the Inferno kept him awake. Was Evey even now hearing those words, being ferried across the Acheron to face King Minos, to have the Judge of the Damned wrap his tail around her to send her to the appropriate circle of Inferno.
And so it was in the hour before dawn that Nace wandered through London. No real direction intended, nor any true destination in mind. Love for Evey, the thought of building a life with her, had been a hope. A hope never to exist. Nace thought.
His wanderings had taken him to Westminster Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom. To the Lady's Chapel. Where he would appeal to the Blessed Mother, that Evey would be spared the crossing of Acheron, never seeing King Minos, and being spared the icy confines of Lake Cocytus.
"I thought I'd find you here." a voice sounded.
Nace turned to see Chief Inspector Anthony Carlyle, head of ACME's Britannia Branch, responsible for all of ACME's operations in the British Isles. He was also Nace's brother in law.
"For Evey." Nace said.
"I thought as much." Anthony said and added, "Both Rey and I have been worried."
Nace held up his iPhone, "I've had it off since Evey passed."
"I know you in all probability don't wish to be disturbed." Anthony said, "But Rey, and in fact all of us can't help but worry."
"I'm in no danger of offing myself, mate." Nace replied, "I've just had a lot on my mind."
"I'll hazard a guess as to say some of that thought was inspired by Dante?" Anthony remarked.
"Yes." Nace replied, "I pray still that Evey is spared having to cross the Acheron. That at best she is in Paradiso with her parents or at the worst made to work her sins off in Purgatorio."
Anthony didn't reply, knowing his brother in law needed to vent. Losing the woman he loved with all his heart was going to take time to heal.
"Some might think this odd, that I would care this much for a someone who is a traitor. Knowing my views on loyalty and the like." Nace replied.
"You loved her. Nothing changes that." Anthony said, feeling like right sod for haivng used the past tense of love. He could see that Nace still loved Evey very much.
"I can't thank you enough, bru." Nace said, "For keeping the vultures away."
Nace was referring to the fact that Evey's final hours were spared being troubled by ACME's Internal Affairs division and that Anthony had extended a considerable amount of influence to make this so.
"I know that my report will thus be due." Nace said, "I'll report everything Evey told me that can pertain to VILE, as per your deal with the Internal Affairs lot."
"Nace, they're doing their job." Anthony replied.
"I know, but I'm glad you allowed Evey to go with dignity and with what peace she could find." Nace replied.
"You're welcome." Anthony said, "And for what it's worth we've said our own prayers for Evey as well."
"Thank you." Nace replied.
"I thought you should know that the Internal Affairs case to find the agent that betrayed Evey's parents is still open." Anthony said.
"But they still haven't found the wanker?" Nace said, coldly.
"These things take time, Nace." Anthony said.
"I understand." Nace replied. Whoever betrayed them had better hope Internal Affairs finds them before I do. Because I will not show mercy. I will send that wanker screaming to Acheron's shores if I can help it...
Nace headed off, back to his small flat...
