For The Love Of Chéri (CHAPTERS 1-112 REWRITTEN)

Chapter 181 : HARK! The Herald Angels Sing : Exit Lennon

In the locked family compound, the family members were in their panic rooms. In the reception area, Ethan was pacing back and forth.

"Stop doing that..." Mateo said.

"Why?" Ethan asked.

"Because it's fucking annoying." Mateo answered as he searched his security jacket for more cigarettes.

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Ethan asked as he sat down, listening to the quiet Christmas carols piped into the room.

"Waiting to die..? It's nearly daybreak anyway." Mateo said as he looked over to Javier, who had his arms folded and was just staring out the window at the first orangy light of dawn.

"Well, I didn't think we'd live to see another day, let alone Christmas morning." Ethan said.

"Hmm.. I wonder where Chéri is, and what he's doing..?" Mateo asked in Javier's direction.

Javier pulled his eyes away from the window and sighed, "Well, as the situation is dire, and everyones lives are on the line.... Chéri's probably.... playing his fiddle as Rome burns down around him." Javier said as he looked back out the window.

Ethan nodded, "Yeah... playing candy crush on his phone if i know him... turning up the volume to drown out the sounds of peoples screaming. Come to think of it, if I get shot up, my girlfriend won't even know about it. She's locked in the offices. What about you, Mateo? You got loved ones?" Ethan asked.

Mateo shook his head, "I have no-one. No family, fuck all. The most I have is that guy over there, and members of the security team. They're my family."

"Who, Javier? And security are your family? That's rough kid." Ethan said.

"Yeah. Marcel took me in off the streets, taught me everything I know. Gave me a job and showed me the code to keep me straight and out of young offenders. Hav, Nachio, Roderigo... they're all my brothers."

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Ethan asked.

"Nah. I'm not as lucky as you and Hav. No unrequited love for me. I've fancied a lot of the gorgeous girls here.. but the feelings were never returned. They were fun though, right Hav?" Mateo asked in Javier's direction.

Javier responded in monotone as he continued his stare over the grounds, "Unrequited love is a crock of bullshit. A stalkers fairytale. It's a fake, filthy, one-sided infatuation that makes you grieve for something that you never had, and never will have. It's like.... taking a running jump off a cliff."

Ethan and Mateo looked at each other with wide eyes, "Who's pissed on your parade, Hav? You're usually the voice of optimism." Ethan said.

"What does it fucking matter now..?" Javier responded.

Mateo leant over and silently said to Ethan, "Someone's got girl trouble..."

"Ohh gotcha.." Ethan responded.

"But! On a lighter note.. I can make girls laugh but.. none of them take me seriously." Mateo said.

Ethan scratched his head. "How can you expect them to take you seriously if all you do is make them laugh? You can't play the jester the whole time."

Mateo looked thoughtful, "I guess you're right. But! If the boss, who's a total savage, can have a pretty and glam girlfriend, why can't I?!" Mateo said before turning to Javier, "Hey, speaking of which! What do you think your French buddy is up to, Hav?" Mateo asked.

Javier didn't answer, just continued to stare out the window.

Ethan turned to Mateo, "You're not funny, do you know that? Anyway, Spangna's got issues and screws loose. Ofcourse he'd appeal to her."