Rabbit fever, p.24
Rabbit Fever, page 24
The intruder couldn’t help but chuckle as he observed Will’s baffled expression and noticed his bewilderment over the removal of his footwear. He decided to make a casual remark, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere and create a connection by sharing something he believed Will wouldn’t know.
“Well, seeing as I paid for this, or more correctly, my mother or father did, I should at least look after it,” he explained, as if this were a shared joke between them.
Will’s face twisted into a mix of confusion and concern. He began to wonder if this person was suffering from some kind of delusional disorder, leading him to believe that he owned or funded the items in Will’s house.
Throwing his hands up in exasperation, he instinctively checked his phone was still in his pocket, even though it had only been a matter of seconds since his last check. Finally, he decided to sit down on the green velvet sofa, which was another shared choice made by him and Zak.
“Bought you that too,” the intruder casually commented, moving silently across the room to pour wine into both glasses on the coffee table.
“I think this is the one you like, isn’t it?” he asked as he filled the glasses.
Will’s confusion deepened.
Who was this person, in his house, pouring his wine into his glasses and suggesting that his possessions were somehow connected to this stranger?
Will took a deep breath, reminding himself of the amount he had drunk that night and the possibility that he might not be thinking clearly. He asked the intruder to repeat himself, his eyes seeking clarification. The intruder responded with a warm smile and assured Will that everything would become clear, but that they needed to start from the beginning.
Observing as the intruder settled into the armchair across from Will, a fresh shock overcame him when the intruder casually inquired,
“So, this was where Zak used to sit, wasn’t it? I can remember him telling me he liked this chair,” he mused, making himself comfortable and even resting his feet on the coffee table, reclining in the chair.
“I can see why he liked it,” the intruder added, fixing his gaze on Will to gauge his reaction.
Will was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend how this person knew intimate details about his life, including Zak’s preferences for furniture. He nodded in response and took a large gulp of the wine that had been poured for him.
The intruder continued to gaze at Will, silently expecting him to lead the conversation, raising an eyebrow in anticipation. Will collected his thoughts, trying to make sense of the bizarre situation and what he should ask next. Even though he was already quite drunk, the unusual circumstances were bringing a newfound clarity and sobriety to his mind.
With a tone that sounded more like a rhetorical question, Will began,
“So, you are the person in the picture in the news, the one with Zak.”
The intruder nodded, confirming his identity.
Will then asked,
“Are you also the person who messaged me earlier?”
The intruder’s response was another nod.
Realising that his yes-or-no questions weren’t sufficient to gather information, Will recalled something from work, a technique to obtain more elaborate responses. He crafted a question that would compel the intruder to provide more details, saying,
“How do you know Gillian Kauffmann and George Wainwright?”
This time, the intruder stopped smiling and pondered the question. Will could sense that he had issued a challenge, one the intruder wasn’t enthusiastic about accepting.
The intruder rose from the armchair, moved to the sofa next to Will, and turned to face him, locking eyes. He said,
“I will tell you, but before I do, remember, I know everything about you—everything. Don’t forget those photos I sent you earlier; there’s more. I’ll share as much as you want to know, and you’ll do the same for me. But be clear, Will, if you make things difficult for me, I will make things exceedingly difficult for you.”
His tone carried a blend of care and threat, leaving Will both intrigued and apprehensive.
Will couldn’t help but hope that this strange encounter would end soon. He yearned for a return to the mundane and predictable daily routine that he used to claim he loathed.
Right now, the life he once complained about seemed like paradise. If only he could rewind time to before that fateful phone call from Gillian Kauffmann.
In fact, he wished he could go back even further, to a time before he met Zak, knowing what he knew now. If he could change his desires, he wouldn’t have allowed himself to get caught up in the whirlwind romance that had led to conversations with Security Services and this uninvited intruder in his own home.
In response to Will’s question about when the intruder would leave, the mysterious visitor offered a reassuring smile. He told Will that he had no intentions of overstaying his welcome, but the duration of his stay depended on the information Will shared.
He emphasised the importance of Will being truthful and detailed, as any incomplete or incorrect information could have consequences for both. The intruder reminded Will again of the earlier messages and calls, alluding to what happened when Will didn’t cooperate.
Agreeing to this arrangement, Will took another gulp of wine.
The intruder topped up both their glasses, the tension in the room palpable. Then he settled back into the armchair, feet on the coffee table, regaining his relaxed posture. He began to share some details with Will.
Ewan started by disclosing his name and identity, considering that this information would soon become public knowledge and sharing it with Will wouldn’t be a significant risk. He went on to describe his complex family situation, detailing his fathers’ punishment of his mother for not having an abortion and her exile to Porthaven. He shared his childhood experiences of being shuffled among distant relatives, with his parents feeling that providing money at regular intervals was their sole responsibility.
Ewan also discussed his long-standing friendship with Zak, emphasising that they had known each other for several years and explaining that this connection was the reason he was so determined to track Zak down.
Yet, he was cautious not to reveal too much. Deflecting questions about how he had met Zak, the circumstances surrounding Zak and Will, and his knowledge of Will’s intimate details, including having a copy of his house keys. Ewan hoped that by focusing on his family situation and using it as a bridge to explain the connection to Will, he could provide enough intricate details to gain Will’s trust and compel him to share more in return.
Will attentively listened to Ewan’s narrative, but he couldn’t help but notice the gaps in the story that was being presented to him.
While Ewan’s account of his childhood seemed authentic. Will sensed that Ewan was concentrating on sharing a wealth of information about past events while providing minimal insight into recent or current occurrences.
Will’s newfound clarity allowed him to perceive that Ewan might be struggling and panicking. Ewan’s decision to enter Will’s home without an explicit agenda made Will suspect that Ewan had arrived out of desperation, hoping to find crucial information in Will’s possession.
It occurred to Will that Ewan’s presence might serve as a way to distribute any blame for their involvement in events rather than having it all fall on Ewan alone.
With a newfound confidence, Will pointed out the gaps in Ewan’s story. He remarked,
“There are gaps in your story, Ewan. While your family history is interesting, it doesn’t answer the question of why the Security Services are interested in you or Zak.”
Ewan sat up, spilling some wine onto the cream carpet. He looked at Will with a mix of surprise and alarm, insisting that Will repeat his last sentence.
Will explained that during the morning meeting in the boardroom, before they discovered Zak’s body, there had been discussions about monitoring online conversations related to the Bubonic Plague and the potential for a pandemic. The Security Services had dismissed these conversations as the product of individuals creating online fantasies without the capabilities, resources, or intent to conduct such plans. Ewan scrutinised Will more intently, demanding reassurance that this information was true, and Will confirmed it.
In that moment, the balance of power in the conversation shifted rapidly.
Ewan appeared shocked by the revelation. It was evident that Will’s disclosure had shattered Ewan’s perception that their activities had gone unnoticed. With this newfound leverage, Will felt empowered to demand more answers from Ewan, contingent on receiving an explanation for why Ewan had involved him and what it all meant.
“Okay,” Ewan suggested, “I will tell you more. First, you will answer my questions, and then I will tell you everything. However, the more you know, the harder it is to deny anything.”
Will nodded, regaining a flicker of the excitement he had felt earlier in the boardroom when this strange situation had unfolded. He felt like he was part of a real-life true crime drama.
Almost forgetting that he was sitting in his living room, sipping wine, with someone who at the very least appeared to be the fugitive son of a doctor he’d only recently met, and the head of the company he worked for. Having a cosy yet tense conversation with a stranger who had invited himself into his home.
Will began explaining his relationship with Zak in much the same way he had shared with the Health Secretary and the MI5 agent earlier that day. Ewan listened intently and seemed to approve when the details Will shared aligned with what Ewan already knew.
Will considered asking Ewan how he knew so much or why he wasn’t surprised by any of the information he shared, but decided against it. The sooner he conveyed to Ewan that there was little he knew that Ewan didn’t, and that Zak had disappeared, the more likely Ewan would be compelled to fulfil his side of the bargain and explain what was happening.
As Will wrapped up his account, explaining that the next time he saw Zak was when Gillian had displayed his face during the video call earlier, he turned to Ewan.
“Now it’s your turn,” he prompted.
Ewan paused, contemplating his options. Thinking quickly, Will emphasised the current challenges Ewan faced.
“To be honest, it makes no difference to me what you say,” he began. “But the nosey barman in the bar earlier has already seen you, he’s probably told half the town, and look at that.”
He proudly gestured toward the wine glass.
“That’s already got all your fingerprints all over it and probably your DNA.”
Will wasn’t sure about the relevance of fingerprints or DNA in this case, as it was likely the authorities would soon identify Ewan. However, he thought it sounded good to include in the conversation.
“I think you will need my help,” he continued, “but you need to tell me everything so I can decide if I help you.”
Ewan was perplexed, experiencing a flashback to a comparable situation in Maputo with Zak. He thought he had a plan when speaking to that group of Somalis. Due to subsequent events, Zak had taken over. Leading to the current situation of sitting in the living room of someone he and Zak had identified as a useful source of information.
Now, this person believed they held the upper hand and insisted that Ewan’s fate was in their hands. Ewan was also puzzled because Zak had portrayed Will as a pushover, yet he appeared to be more challenging than Ewan had anticipated.
Ewan considered this was likely to be driven by the information that Will had been privy to that morning, giving him a sense of power over the conversation as he presumed, correctly, he knew information that Ewan did not.
Regardless of the reasoning behind this sudden increase in confidence Ewan was experiencing from Will it was clear he was now sat in front of someone who believed they needed to provide him with ‘assistance’.
Ewan questioned Will about why he would help him, Will explained that his top priority was returning to normality. If the easiest way to achieve that was by assisting Ewan in disappearing, he would do so to extricate himself from this distressing situation.
Somewhat understanding Will’s predicament and sympathising with it, Ewan leaned forward, as if about to recount a fairy tale, and instructed Will to get comfortable, as the explanation wasn’t going to be brief. He began to narrate the story:
“So it started a few years ago in Africa.”
Chapter 25
2019 – Maputo - Mozambique
Zak guided Ewan through a cramped doorway that led into a rundown bar. It was exactly as Ewan had expected, filled with shady characters who, for some reason, all appeared to know Zak. Their standoffish greetings hinted that not everyone held him in high regard. Zak gestured toward a small table nestled in a corner by the window. It was a makeshift setup, fashioned from an old barrel with a couple of battered metal stools. Ewan couldn’t help but feel out of place in this seedy establishment.
Musing about the appearance of British pubs, Zak expressed his long-standing desire to visit one. Ewan found this statement perplexing, further questioning Zak’s motives. Maybe Zak assumed that Ewan was planning to return to the UK, and there was a chance that Zak might score a plane ticket through him.
Ewan was uneasy about this new-found interest from Zak. He felt that Zak had involved himself so deeply that there was no straightforward way to back out.
In a final effort to change the location, Ewan pleaded for a more comfortable place to have their conversation. He mentioned feeling out of place with his new outfit and stylish haircut. Ewan suspected that Zak might be orchestrating another power play, taking him to an uncomfortable place to gain the upper hand in their discussion.
Zak chuckled at Ewan’s apprehension and reassured him,
“Oh, my little English friend, there’s no need to be afraid. No one here will care about our conversation. I doubt many of them even understand English well enough to eavesdrop if we were to shout our discussion aloud. And, more importantly,” Zak added with a mischievous glint in his eye, as he turned around, raised his arm in the air, and snapped his fingers, “the beer here is free!” he exclaimed, as if he had won a prize he was eager to share with Ewan.
Almost instantly, a waitress arrived with two beers on a metal tray, which just like the table and chairs, had seen better days. It was evident that she was familiar with Zak, judging by the weary look she directed at him. She also gave Ewan a slightly pitiful glance but said nothing, leaving Ewan to wonder why she had scrutinised them both with such deliberate and obvious glances.
Zak brushed off the waitress’s response, shouting after her,
“Oh, don’t worry about her. She wants to be my girlfriend, that’s all,” which earned him a series of hand gestures from the waitress.
Ewan couldn’t decipher their meaning, but the reactions from the bar’s patrons suggested they were meant to be humorous and directed at Zak.
Frustrated by the attention he had garnered, Zak turned back to Ewan, took his beer bottle in his hands, and raised it as if to initiate a toast. Ewan clinked his bottle with Zak’s, still uncertain about the purpose of their meeting. He raised an eyebrow, giving Zak an inquiring look.
Zak explained,
“So, this is the first of our planning meetings, then! We should start it properly!”
He then adopted an authoritative tone, as if they were in a formal business meeting, and continued,
“So, on the agenda today...”
He pretended to peruse an imaginary list on the table before looking at Ewan.
“Ah, yes, only one agenda point: for you to tell me what you’re doing here, and then we’ll decide what we do next.”
Ewan let out a deep breath and gazed at Zak, who seemed to be treating this situation like a big game.
“I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t forgotten what we needed to discuss,” Zak teased.
He took another swig of his beer and adjusted himself on the small stool, giving the impression that he was settling in for an important update.
Ewan contemplated where to start and began to provide Zak with the background of his family history, recounting the trials of his upbringing. He shared the painful experiences of his father’s treatment of his mother, emphasising how they believed that supplying him with a constant flow of money would fulfil their parental obligations.
This upbringing left Ewan feeling unwanted and unloved as he was shuttled between distant relatives, none of whom seemed to genuinely care about him but were motivated only by the prospect of receiving money from Gillian and George. Ewan described the frustration he felt with his mother, who prioritised her pride and failed attempts at reviving her career over his well-being. His father, he explained, was so preoccupied with his extramarital affairs that the mere existence of a son was considered an inconvenient burden, easily dismissed with regular financial support.
Continuing his story, Ewan went on to explain how he had been moved around frequently due to this arrangement. The relatives he lived with would inevitably grow weary of his presence, particularly as they struggled to secure increased financial support from George or Gillian.
As a result, Ewan would be uprooted and relocated, forcing him to change schools and make new friends each time. He conveyed to Zak how, after several years of this turbulent lifestyle, he reached a point where making friends in the real world seemed pointless. Ewan’s friendships were transient, and he resolved to retreat into the online world. This reclusive tendency deepened, but in this digital realm, he discovered that the friends he made wouldn’t be lost when he had to move. Moreover, he found others who appreciated his situation, and some were in similar circumstances.
In this virtual world, he finally felt safe and understood.
Zak nodded empathetically and shared a brief acknowledgment of his own difficult childhood.
“Life is hard, my friend,” he said, “I, too, did not enjoy my childhood, but that’s a story for another time. I didn’t ask you here to exchange stories about whose childhood was worse.”
