~

“…and that’s it. We haven’t heard from her since,” Allison said, wrapping up the story of Cathy’s discovery and ultimate promise to keep quiet. Jennifer was too distracted by her fantasies to really care about what was being said, but Cassandra was listening intently with an extremely confused look on her face. The room turned silent as she took a moment to process everything she had just learned.

“She just… kept it a secret? Why would she do that?” she muttered, furrowing her brow in deep contemplation.

“That’s a good question,” Elizabeth sighed. “I’m afraid it’s still a bit of a mystery. Allie wanted to believe that Cathy was simply looking out for her, but… I don’t buy it. Considering what we know about how Chevaliers are chosen, and what type of… profile they tend to be…”

“Lizzie…” Cassandra warned, a quick glare indicating that she was once again touching on sensitive information. Elizabeth made a small squeak of realization, before falling silent.

“Allison, do you happen to know if Cathy was recommended to be a Chevalier, like you were?” Cassandra asked, a soft smile quickly wiping away any traces of the previous look on her face.

“I don’t… I don’t know, really,” Allison replied, after taking a moment to try and remember anything that Cathy had told her during her time at the Silver Strip.

“Well, actually… she did tell me that she actively sought the job out, so maybe she found someone who had the influence to recommend her? Has something like that ever happened before?” she asked, perking up a bit as the possibility entered her mind. Cassandra hummed in contemplation for a moment.

“Hmm… I suppose it’s possible. You said she’s drop-dead gorgeous, right?” she asked, to which Allison nodded firmly. Cassandra hung her head slightly and let out a small sigh.

“Yeah, it’s definitely possible,” she muttered, thinking of how vulnerable some of her colleagues were, both male and female, to the persuasive charms of a pretty lady.

“Why do you ask, though? If she was recommended?” Allison inquired.

“I’m just thinking of any potential factors that could have influenced her decision to keep quiet, that’s all,” Cassandra hurriedly replied. “Seeing as how we don’t seem to have any theories.”

“I never said we don’t have any theories,” Elizabeth cut in. “I can tell you my best guess for why she did it, if you want.”

“Please, do tell,” Cassandra replied, clearly amused by Elizabeth’s eagerness to share her thoughts. Allison looked down at the floor, knowing what was coming next. Brian, on the other hand, was looking up at his sister with a curious eye. Sensing his gaze, Jennifer snapped out of fantasyland and looked down at her brother. He waved at her with a small smile, clearly wondering what she was thinking about. Jennifer quietly giggled and waved back, deciding to herself that she would never tell him.

“Basically, I think it was self-preservation,” Elizabeth continued. “I think that Cathy was afraid to rat because she had committed the same crime, and Allie might have retaliated against her. If she was seriously that addicted to the torture part of the job, then I don’t see her just giving up her own convicts, so maybe-”

“What?”

Elizabeth was stopped by a sudden interruption. Looking up, she saw that Cassandra was staring right into her soul, a fierce expression in her eyes.

“…what?” Elizabeth replied, while everyone else looked on with curious eyes.

“You said Cathy committed the same crime. What crime are you referring to?” Cassandra continued, slowly and carefully. Elizabeth, Allison and Brian all shared a moment of embarrassment as they remembered a certain detail they had forgotten to mention in their prior conversations with Cassandra.

“During the session with Brian, Cathy told me that she had also smuggled out convicts. Well, more like heavily implied,” Allison cut in, as Cassandra shifted her gaze over to her.

“D-Do you have any proof of this?” she quickly asked, clearly struggling to stay composed. 

“I… no, I don’t,” Allison quietly replied, looking down at the floor.

“For a time, we had actually considered trying to find proof ourselves,” Elizabeth added. “You know, by poking around her house or something. We thought it could have been helpful in the event that Cathy became an issue while we were trying to prove Brian’s innocence. However…”

“I don’t actually know where Cathy lives…” Allison said, her tone darkening even more. “I mean, I tried pretty hard not to get friendly with my coworkers, so I’m sure I never asked, but… she never told me. Maybe we weren’t as close as I thought.”

“In any case, that idea went nowhere. We just had to hope that Cathy would keep her promise. And, well… to her credit, she did. However, I have no idea why she would have stolen Brian’s SP document like that. Call me crazy, but I’m not exactly willing to give that woman the benefit of the doubt,” Elizabeth continued, subtly clenching and unclenching her fist in anger. As they were talking, Cassandra had been staring off into the distance, an extremely troubled look on her face.

“Allison, I’ve been wondering about something,” she softly said. “Would you say that it was easy to smuggle Brian out of the Silver Strip?”

“E-Easy?” Allison repeated, confused by the unexpected question.

“I don’t mean philosophically,” Cassandra elaborated. “I’m fully aware how difficult of a decision it was. I mean in a literal sense, was it easy to smuggle him out? Were there any cameras in the facility? Some kind of inspection before you left the building? Anything like that?”

“Well… no, not really,” Allison answered. “The rooms where sessions happen don’t have cameras, and we were free to leave the building as we pleased, so… I just had to, well, hide him, and that was it. I suppose it wasn’t the most difficult thing in the world, no…”

“Okay, next question,” Cassandra said, narrowing her eyes as she got to the point.

“In the Silver Strip, was there anything stopping Chevaliers from smuggling out convicts whenever they wanted?”

Silence overtook the room as the question hung in the air. All eyes were on Allison as she genuinely struggled to think of an answer. Eventually, she spoke in an extremely unsure voice.

“It’s… illegal? And the consequences are pretty severe?” she hesitantly answered, to which Cassandra shook her head.

“Darling, consequences won’t matter to a criminal if they think they aren’t going to get caught. That’s why the SP hasn’t magically lowered crime rates, you know this,” she replied.

“Y-Yeah, I guess…” Allison said, fidgeting in her seat. Cassandra sensed that she was making everybody uncomfortable, and decided to change her tune. She could tell that she had already gotten all the available information on the subject.

“Putting that aside for a moment,” she started, “what I want to know is this, Allison: is Cathy a threat to us? Do you take her at her word that getting us this document was an act of friendship?”

Allison thought carefully for a moment, before closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh.

“I don’t know.”

“I see. Well, I suppose I’ll just have to give her a call and see what she wants. Allison, would you be open to talking with her at some point? If she’s trying to make amends, she might be more willing to talk to you,” Cassandra continued. Allison frowned in response, a few conflicting emotions tugging at her insides.

“I suppose,” she eventually answered quietly.

“Thank you, darling. And, um… supposing she wants to speak with Brian at some poin-”

“No.”

“No.”

“No.”

Allison, Elizabeth, and Jennifer all immediately spoke up in protest, firmly expressing their displeasure. Undeterred, Cassandra looked to the one-inch man awkwardly sitting in his sister’s palm, sheepishly scratching his neck.

“Brian?” she asked, ignoring the soft scowls she was receiving.

“Yeah, Cathy kinda scares me, so…” Brian quietly replied, implying that he agreed with the decision of his gargantuan guardians.

“Very well,” Cassandra replied, shooting him a brisk nod as she decided to move on.

“Regardless of Cathy’s intent, the fact remains that an unpredictable figure potentially has access to Brian’s SP document,” she continued. “We can’t assume that she sent us the document without having made copies. So, with that in mind, it’s best that we get ahead of this and release the information ourselves. I think it’s time for Allison to introduce herself to the world.”

~

“W-Wait, hold on…” Brian said, standing up in Jennifer’s palm as his heart sped up in nervousness. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Isn’t it too soon?”

“It’s certainly sooner than I’m sure we all expected, darling, but we’ve been put in a difficult situation. We have to be the ones in control of all pieces on the playing field, we simply have to. So, our next video should introduce Allison, her status as a former Chevalier, and the story of how she saved you,” Cassandra replied, before turning to the girl in question. “How do you feel about that, Allison? Are you ready to go public?”

Allison was staring at her with wide eyes, clearly surprised by this unexpected development. However, after taking a moment to process, she adopted a firm expression as she came to a decision.

“I’m ready. I’m fine with people knowing what I did,” she answered, her voice unwavering. Elizabeth adopted a small, prideful smile at her former student’s confidence, while Cassandra beamed in response. Jennifer’s eyes were indifferent, but the same couldn’t be said for her brother.

“Hold on!” he exclaimed, waving his arms a bit in protest.

“What are you afraid of, Brian?” Cassandra asked in response, cutting to the heart of the issue. Brian was taken slightly aback at her directness, but quickly composed himself.

“Like we were just talking about, smuggling me out was a crime. A serious one. Going public means putting Allie in danger, because it would mean admitting to everybody that she committed that crime,” he calmly explained. Allison’s eyes softened in appreciation, wishing that she was the one holding him at that moment. However, she was holding back her possessive side for Jennifer’s sake, and simply flashed him a warm smile in response. Cassandra was slightly surprised by Brian’s concern, and couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle.

“Darling, nobody is going to prosecute her for saving you,” she said dismissively. “Your story has captured the heart of the whole country, and you think somebody would be stupid enough to try and punish the girl who saved your life? The only person in three years who did the right thing? That would be inviting the ire of an entire nation, Brian, nobody is going to do that.”

“That’s exactly what I told him,” Elizabeth added. “However, Brian has never really been convinced.”

“Because it isn’t guaranteed,” Brian earnestly replied. “That isn’t a tangible, legal layer of protection, it’s only assumed. Isn’t there anything you can do, Cassandra? As a senator?”

Cassandra softly shook her head.

“I’m afraid that’s a bit beyond me, Brian. I’ll tell you what, though…”

With that, she rose from the couch and moved closer to Brian and Jennifer, before kneeling in front of them. Jennifer felt herself tensing up as Cassandra leaned in towards her brother, while Brian simply stared at her with a concerned look on his face.

“I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to keep Allison safe. I’ll have my people keep an ear out for any rumblings of those who would take action against her, and I’ll make sure it’s swiftly dealt with. I’ll also work the press as often as I can, making sure everybody knows just how brave and amazing she is. I promise, darling. No harm will come to her,” she continued, slowly but firmly. She then turned to Allison and gave her a wink, to which she smiled widely. Looking back at Brian, Cassandra saw that his eyes were turned downwards, and he let out a sigh of defeat.

“…okay,” he mumbled, choosing to trust her and push down his anxiety. Everybody in the room beamed victoriously in response, save for Jennifer who still looked uninterested. As far as she was concerned, if it didn’t directly involve her brother then it didn’t require her attention.

“Excellent,” Cassandra said as she sat back down at the couch. However, her face quickly turned serious as she decided to bring up another point.

“That isn’t to say people won’t criticize you, though,” she said, turning to face Allison. “Being a public figure means opening yourself up to scrutiny. It also means telling everybody that you were a Chevalier. Retired or not, working against the system or not, people will criticize you for having executed convicts and profiting from it. Especially now that the SP is so unpopular. Is that something you can handle?”

“Whatever they say about me, it can’t be worse than what I already tell myself,” Allison replied dryly. “But… yes, I can take it. I’m in therapy, and I have a very good support system. I’ll be fine, I want to do this for Brian.”

Brian and Allison shared a tender glance, before both looking to an extremely-pleased looking Cassandra.

“Well, that’s that,” she replied chipperly. “It’s time to start making our next video.”

“Same process as last time?” Brian asked, finally sitting back down in his sister’s hand.

“That’s right, Brian. Now, if at all possible I’d like for you all to finish the video today so we can release it tomorrow. In a little bit, Allison, I’m going to have my head speechwriter give you a call. I want you to tell her the entire story of how you rescued Brian, with no details spared. She’s then going to help you turn that into a script, just like last time. Like before, we want it to be concise, easily digestible, and emphasize the right rhetorical points. I would hope that we can film it by this evening, so we can do a final check and send it out tomorrow morning. Does that all sound doable?”

“It’ll be fine, I’m good at memorizing scripts,” Allison replied, nodding a few times as she psyched herself up.

“I’m assuming that I’ll be in the video as well,” Brian said, to which Cassandra nodded.

“Yes, of course. People want to see you right now, Brian, so your presence will guarantee that the video is seen by everybody. You can also help emphasize the points that we’re trying to make, making sure to keep the SP at the front of everybody’s minds,” Cassandra answered. “Also, do some preliminary thinking about how you want to appear in the video together. Allison, it might be better for you to hold him, or even have him on your shoulder while you’re talking. Anything to keep the public’s interest.”

Brian and Allison shared a glance with each other, before Cassandra remembered one more thing.

“Also…” she started, an odd tone in her voice. “Not in this video, but… are you two prepared to go public with your relationship as well?”

The couple in question both turned red, as they hadn’t considered that yet. Elizabeth couldn’t help but grin at their embarrassment, while Jennifer’s expression subtly soured in annoyance.

“People love an unconventional love story,” Cassandra continued, trying to reassure them. “Trust me, it’ll play extremely well in the press. Plus, it’ll be another added layer of security for Allison. Nobody is going to go after Brian Bentley’s girlfriend.”

“F-Fine,” Brian stammered, looking down in embarrassment. Cassandra then turned to Allison, who was burying her head in her hands to hide her crimson cheeks. Unable to speak, she simply nodded a few times to signal her permission. 

“Great…” Jennifer muttered, gently petting her brother’s back as she rolled her eyes.

Just like that, a plan was formed. It was time to get to work.

~

After a few more details were confirmed, and a final round of thank-yous and goodbyes were shared, it was time for the senator to leave. However, there was something she needed to discuss with Elizabeth first, and had thus asked to speak with her outside for a moment. That left Brian, Jennifer, and Allison together in the living room, mulling over everything that had just happened. Wanting to break the awkward silence, Brian looked up at his sister from his spot in her palm.

“What’d you think of Cassandra, Jen?” he asked, giving her a small smile. Jennifer looked down at him and gave him a small smile back.

“She’s nice. Nicer than how she seems on TV,” she answered, causing Brian to nod appreciatively.

“Yeah, no kidding. She’s actually pretty easy to talk to, we’re very lucky to have her on our side,” he replied, eliciting a few nods of agreement. Brian then looked across at his girlfriend.

“Allie, are you sure you’re okay with going public? Despite everything, I’m still worried about people coming after you…” he asked, clearly troubled. Allison flashed him a warm smile.

“I’m okay, I promise. I won’t lie and say that I’m not nervous at all, but Cassandra promised to look out for me. Cathy has put us in a difficult spot, and I’m fine with doing whatever Cassandra thinks is best,” she replied.

“Cathy…” Brian muttered, a small shiver running down his spine. 

“Yeah, I know…” Allison responded, feeling the same shiver while Jennifer scowled.

“Anyway, get ready to be a super-celebrity, Allie. It’s a lot of pressure,” Brian continued, pushing back any memories relating to that blonde-headed sadist.

“You seem to be handling it pretty well,” Jennifer added, letting out a soft giggle. Brian adopted a small grin, before reaching up and rubbing his forehead with his fist.

“Well, this is my second time being a super-celebrity, dear sister. And compared to the first time, this has been a piece of cake,” he replied dryly, slightly wincing as he continued to rub his forehead.

“Bean…” Jennifer sighed, while Allison took note of his expression and grew concerned.

“Baby, what’s wrong? Do you have another headache?” she asked, leaning forward a bit in concern. Jennifer immediately went on high-alert, and moved her hand forward so she could see her brother more clearly. She didn’t even fully process that Allison had called him “baby.”

“Another headache? Is everything okay, Bean?” she hurriedly asked, to which Brian waved his hand dismissively.

“It isn’t a big deal, Jen. For the past month or so I’ve had a bit of a problem with headaches, that’s all. I can feel one coming on right now, but it isn’t very bad,” he answered. Allison frowned in sympathy, while Jennifer grew even more concerned.

“Well, d-do you know what’s causing them? Why would that just randomly start?” she continued, struggling to keep her hand steady as she got more upset.

“Jenny-bean…” Brian soothed, urging his sister to calm down. “It’s probably just stress related. It started during an… especially stressful period, and it hasn’t really calmed down since.”

Allison looked down at the floor, remembering the “stressful period” that Brian was referring to. Even though they had long since reconciled, the memory of Brian’s second breakdown at her hands still caused her intense guilt.

“Actually…” Brian said, looking back at Allison. “Allie, now that it isn’t, like, illegal, do you think I should go to a doctor? Maybe they could figure out a way for me to take pain meds.”

“Oh yeah, good point,” Allison replied appreciatively, before adopting a small frown. “Although, I can’t say I love the idea of some doctor poking and prodding you all over…”

“Yeah, that’s your jo-” Brian started to joke, but quickly cut himself off as he remembered whose palm he was sitting in. Allison stifled a few giggles, sheepishly glancing away from the miffed-looking sister who was glaring at her. Jennifer continued her annoyed gaze for a moment, before awkwardly changing the subject.

“A-Anyway, what do you need right now, Bean? What can I do to help your headache?” she asked. Brian quickly shook off his embarrassment and looked back up at her.

“I think I just need to lie down in the dark for a while. If it continues to get worse, I’ve found that wrapping an ice chip in a small chunk of paper towel helps. For now, though, I just need to rest,” he answered, to which Jennifer nodded.

“Do you want me to keep you company?” Allison asked, a hopeful smile on her face. Before Brian could respond, though, a small huff tore through the silence.

“I’ll keep my brother company, you need to talk with Senator Day’s speechwriter person for the video thing,” Jennifer firmly replied, before abruptly standing up and heading for the stairs. Before he was completely out of sight, though, Brian was able to shoot Allison a single glance, his message clear:

I’ll talk to her.