Tangled Hearts

“Hey. Rhett. Wake up.”

Rhett woke up with a start, flinching when someone touched his arm. He calmed down slightly when he saw that Alec was kneeling in front of him. He looked sort of sheepish, helping Rhett stand up.

“Hello,” he replied weakly. “Welcome back to my humble abode. What can I help you with? More slop?”

He gestured to the wall, where he'd smeared the slop all over the stone in the shape of a tree.

“That's… Disturbing,” Alec winced.

“This place does things to you,” Rhett said, tone flat.

“Well, I owe you an apology,” Alec told him. “A big one. You were right.”

“I was?” Rhett frowned. “I mean… Of course I was!”

“Your Everhart friend managed to find proof of your alibi,” he said. “An anonymous person sent in a tip to who the real culprit was.”

Rhett looked past Alec, finding that he wasn't alone. Theodore Silva was leaning against the wall, looking so irritated that his face was a bright shade of scarlet.

“So… I'm out?” Rhett asked.

“You're out,” Alec confirmed.

Rhett hesitantly stepped out of the cell for the first time in days, following Alec and Silva up. It was daytime outside, and the bright light made him cringe and blink.

“So, I should offer you your job back,” Alec said.

Rhett looked from him to Silva, who was holding the badge out to him. He stared at the badge for a moment, then shook his head and gave Silva a half smile.

“Keep the job,” he said.

“What?” Alec frowned.

“I'm sorry, Alec,” Rhett shrugged. “When you first offered me the job, I took it because I thought that was the path that was meant for me. I realize now that it's not. I'm always happy to help you if you need my help, but I've never been worthy of a title like ‘General’. Silva wants it. And I mean wants it. I don't fit into that position as well as he does.”

“What are you going to do, then?” Alec asked.

“I'll figure something out,” Rhett shrugged. “Maybe I'll dump my savings into buying a pub. Or I'll shovel horse shit. I'll just let it happen.”

“After what I did, you're just giving me your job?” Silva said slowly.

“I forgive you,” Rhett told him. “And just as Light has forgiven me for my mistakes, all those years ago, I hope you can too.”

Both Alec and Silva had been stunned into silence. Prison really did do weird things to a person. Rhett didn't care much. He didn't belong in the world of the nobility, so he wasn't going to pretend like he was one. He saluted and bowed to them both before shuffling back towards his home, ignoring their offers to walk him there. People stared at him, but with a look of pity. He must've really looked awful. The first thing he did when he got home was clean up and change into fresh clothes, so he looked less like a beggar. The next thing he did was go straight to Lara's house. He quite literally owed her his life at this point. When he got there, he noticed a small, cloaked figure peeking through the windows, seemingly trying to climb in through one of them.

“Hey! What are you doing?!” Rhett yelled.

The figure yelled and stumbled back into the bushes. Rhett hurried over just as she pulled her hood off and brushed dirt off her dress.

“Gina?” he frowned. “What are you doing, trying to break into Lara's house?”

“She won't answer the door,” Gina whimpered. “She wasn't here last night or this morning. Baby is gone, too.”

“Do you have any idea where she might be?” Rhett asked.

“I don't know,” Gina said, shaking her head. “But she came to see me yesterday and she looked really sad and- HEY YOU’RE OUT OF PRISON!”

Gina seemed to suddenly realize that Rhett was out, flinging herself at him and hugging her arms around his neck. He hugged her back, taking a moment to pry her off and hold her by the shoulders.

“I'm out, I'm fine,” Rhett assured her. “Gina, I need you to tell me if she was in trouble.”

“I don't know, she didn't say anything,” Gina said. “Was prison terrible?”

“Gina, focus,” Rhett said calmly. “I need you to focus. What did she say to you?”

“She told me to take care of myself,” Gina shrugged. “And she told me to give you this.”

She handed Rhett a small, round carving. Lara had made it with what Rhett had taught her. Now he really knew she was in trouble. He shoved the carving into his pocket and nudged Gina behind him.

“Gina, promise me you'll never ever do what I'm about to do,” he said.

“Promise,” she said, eyes wide.

Rhett glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was around to witness him as he stepped back and kicked the glass of the window as hard as he could, shattering it. Gina squeaked in surprise as he reached through the hole he'd created and unlocked the window, opening it wide enough for him to climb inside.

“Rhett, is this legal?” Gina whispered.

“I'll fix it myself,” he promised. “Careful of the glass. Don't cut yourself.”

Gina nodded and followed him into the house. Sure enough, it was completely empty, and some of Lara's favorite possessions were gone. Gina followed him like a little puppy until he got to the dining room and froze. There was a note left on the table. It was remarkably close to Rhett's handwriting, and had only two words written on it.

I win.

At the bottom, once again, was Rhett's signature. He crumpled up the note, lips pursed in a tight line. He'd been so blind, up until now. None of his rivals cared about Lara. None, except for one. One that Rhett hadn't suspected at all. Gina bumped him lightly, making him realize he'd almost forgotten she was there.

“It's amazing, how little the legal system can actually do,” Rhett said quietly. “This son of a bitch is still out there, and he's laughing at me.”

“And he has Lara?” Gina asked.

“You know what, Gina?” Rhett said, tossing the note into the dying embers of the fireplace. “I think Lara was a target of his all along. I have to go get her, now.”

“Can I come?” she asked.

“Absolutely not,” Rhett said sternly. “I need you to stay here and pray.”

“Pray for who?” Gina frowned. “For you?”

“No,” Rhett said. “I need you to pray for Greyson Dampierre.”

Her eyes got even wider, but Rhett didn't bother explaining further. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead, tilting her chin up.

“I need you to stay here tonight, alright?” he said. “Make sure no one else breaks in through that open window. Clean up the glass a little if you can.”

“What?!” she squeaked. “And what if they do? I'm supposed to fend them off with my huge height and massive muscles?”

“You'll be fine,” Rhett promised her. “I'll come get you in the morning.”

With that, he left her, not giving her a chance to protest again. He went straight to the pub where he'd last met Clay and Sean. Sure enough, they were there, with a few others Rhett used to work with. They seemed shocked and somewhat glad to see him, but he didn't have time to explain how he got out.

“I know who the rat is,” he announced. “I need your help getting to him. By any means necessary.”

“Any means?” Clay asked. “What about your fancy proper general job?”

“That job is no longer a concern.”

“I'll help,” a deep voice said, clapping Rhett hard on the shoulder.

He turned and saw Rolf there, flanked by some of his other Jalecian giants. Rhett just stared at him when Rolf shook his hand, as a gesture of peace between them.

“Let's go get that rat.”