This was Rabbit’s choice.
No one else’s.
“You aren’t going to shoot me,” December said, some of that veneer cracking. She was uncertain.
“I could,” Rabbit replied coldly. “Or I could simply release the video.”
She straightened. “What video?”
“You’re right. There is no proof you murdered Oli that night. But there is proof that no matter the how you’re the why that drove him to death.”
She frowned and shook her head.
“Security cameras,” Baikal stated, picking up on Rabbit’s plan. His hand pressed against him a little more firmly, in clear support this time. “They’re a real bitch. Us filth who grew up in the Brumal know better than to leave the scene of a crime without clearing the area of them. Too bad you didn’t think of doing that yourself.”
“There’s proof you had him beat and that you also helped,” Rabbit continued. “Once that’s leaked, all I have to do is tell the world my side of things. Even if they don’t believe me, even if the doctor sticks to your fake story, it won’t matter. Everyone will know that even if it wasn’t by your actual hand, you killed Oli.”
He recalled her cruel words that night and snarled.
“You’re the reason he’s dead.” And Rabbit’s only guilt was that he’d allowed himself to forget the truth all this time.
“You’re lying.” She licked her lips, pale and shaking now.
“I’d show you the video,” he said, “but you don’t deserve to see his face ever again, not even in grainy footage. He’s on the ground for most of it, but you? You’re front and center. There’s no mistaking it’s December Trace lording over a poor man getting kicked in the ribs.”
“Don’t forget the hand,” Baikal added helpfully. “She stomped on his hand.”
Rabbit’s mouth thinned in a line as anger and disgust boiled within him.
“Oli could have told you about all of that before I caught you two by the greenhouse,” she accused.
“Don’t believe me then,” he shrugged a single shoulder. “Risk it. Either way, I’ll still be the one standing here with the gun and you’ll still be the one who’s lost all their power. I can release the video from right here even. Should I?”
“What do you want?” She hated it, but she bit the words out finally.
“Call some of your friends,” Rabbit said to Void. “Have them come here ASAP. They’ll escort my mother to the nearest shuttleport and watch as she boards a ship off planet.”
Off of it. The planet was technically big enough for the both of them, but Rabbit couldn’t even stomach the idea of breathing the same air as this woman anymore.
“What?” Her hands fisted at her sides. “You can’t be serious? You have no right! Vitality is my home! This is my house! You ungrateful—”
He shifted on his feet, bringing the gun a few inches closer to her person. “Or I could always just shoot you and be done with it altogether. It’s as you’ve already pointed out, mother. My boyfriend is a criminal. I’m sure he knows more than one way to dispose of your body. I’ll get away with it, just as you got away with it a year ago.”
“People will come looking,” she disagreed.
“And I’ll play the part of the concerned son, wiping my teary eyes for the camera. Playing the audience, just like you taught me, isn’t that right?” She’d always told him how important it was to work those around him, to make them see the image of himself only he wanted them to see.
“You couldn’t.” Her gaze dropped to the gun and then returned to his face. “I’m your mother!”
“You’re the monster who locked me in the dark with the dead body of my only friend,” he corrected, and it was a wonder he didn’t scream it when he did. But that wasn’t part of the projection now. To make her believe he was capable of shooting her as he claimed, he needed to come off cold and detached, not give in to the tumultuous rage simmering inside of him.
Baikal went still at his side, a coldness sweeping off of him. “She did what.”
It came out rhetorical, but Rabbit replied anyway.
“Yeah,” he said. “Turns out my trauma? A little deeper than I first assumed.”
“Shoot her.” It was clear Baikal wished to do so himself now.
