Chapter 4

Brick

6:30 p.m.

            Rick sat in his chair behind his gray metal desk situated awkwardly in the middle of his living room. The ba-dum ba-dum of his fingers tapping the side of his chair was the only sound to be heard in the room. He had just sent a message to Brick enquiring after whether he was off, when the answer came back that he was, Rick had asked as nonchalantly as possible if he wanted to come over and hang out.

            Do you know what feels nice? The voice of Kite barged into his thoughts. Doing what feels good no matter what. You want to help Jakson? Do it, we will even be able to indulge in some light killing as well.

            Do not go getting yourself in trouble Rick. Alice’s voice cut in, you did what you could, and you did your best but to go against the government is patent suicide.

            A quiet knock, knock, knock, cut into Ricks ruminations with the voices in his head. “Come in Brick.” He yelled at the door.

            The door creaked open and a tall, lanky, clean-shaven man stepped through. “Hello Rick. Uh, how is your foot?”

            “It is causing me great anger that’s what.” Rick stated honestly. “I move at half the speed I used to, as soon as I feel a bowel movement coming, I have to start hobbling because it takes so long to get there.” He paused for air. “Sit down, just looking at you standing there is making me feel exhausted.”

            Brick spoke as he sat, “Yeah that certainly sounds annoying.” He paused awkwardly for a moment. “So how is the Psychologist working out?”

            “I suppose he is helping; I don’t know.”

            “Well, you have only been at it for a few months.”

            “Yeah.” Rick rested his head back and stared at the ceiling, “If you want coffee, you know where it is.”

            “Yeah, I’ll make some. You want some?”

            “Of course, I do.” Rick said as Brick went to the pot to start making it up. Rick kept opening and closing his mouth trying to find the perfect way to formulate his question before saying screw it and went for it. “Brick, are there any laws you disagree with?”

            Brick shrugged with his back still to Rick. “I suppose I disagree with the suppression of certain natural drugs like marijuana but that won’t stop me from doing my job.” Brick turned around with two cups of coffee, “What about you?”

            “Probably the suppression of nonstate ordained religions,” Rick accepted a proffered mug, “I just find it difficult to go along with laws and more specifically enforce laws I disagree with.”

            “Yeah, it can be tough sometimes, but it is the price we pay to live in a civilized society.”

            “But that is just it.” Rick exclaimed almost spilling his mug, “I did not ask to be a part of this society, I did not pay, it was required of me from birth.” He shrugged. “Since Alice’s death obviously I have become less religious,” He motioned to the abandoned prayer mat in the corner, “but never fully atheistic, I don’t not believe in Nextian, but I feel as though forcing people to either believe nothing or the state religion is a bit wrong.”

            Brick visibly started at what he heard. “Be careful who you say that around that is borderline heretical.”

            Rick sighed, “I think it is fully heretical.”

            They sat for a few minutes till Brick spoke up, “There was a terrorist attack in the Lower Nexus District a few hours ago, they are trying to keep that quiet for the moment, they said it was perpetrated by heretics.” Brick drank from his mug. “They are violent, there is a reason they are outlawed. If we attempted religious freedom, we would have chaos.”

            “You claim we would have chaos, and yet you are perhaps the only person I have met who works for this institution who is not fully corrupt. Everyone else profits from the drug trade, from taking bribes and lining their pockets instead of upholding law.” Rick held up his hand as Brick went to speak. “I know what The Visions of the Reverend Saint says, “To pass what cannot be taken to the Holy Lands onto those who come after is the greatest way pass on blessings.” But to follow this command, at the expense of the law, and for the fact that that is what our officers are doing is an open secret, that must be wrong. Look at my living conditions, I was the most talented man on the force, and yet I was also the poorest. Does that mean Nextian will look on me less favorably than those who actively sabotaged their fellows?” Rick reached into his drawer and pulled out the Bronze Book and The Visions. “I have read both cover to cover and found no answers. To gain favor with Nextian must I abandon my conscience, my morals?”

            Brick sat, not speaking for a few minutes before replying, “I am not a priest, a Reverend, a saint, or a holy man, but I think that now that your detectives badge has been taken, now that you no longer have to enforce the law you now have the time to sort out what you believe and why, perhaps you should go to The Nextian Cathedral, hear the head of our nation speak The Lord Reverend. besides, religion is not meant to be questioned or to be reasoned with, that is the priests job, ours is to believe and obey.”

            Rick nodded thoughtful, “Perhaps you are right.”

            “I usually am.”

            Rick just laughed, “I will have difficulty with simply obeying and not questioning, because normally when the government tells you not to question that is what you must question.”

“The government is ordained by Nextian, we should not question a holy institution.”

“You fully trust the government?”

“What they are doing is beneficial.” Brick answered.

“For whom?”

“Those willing to benefit. Rick, you were the poorest in the department because you refused to take hold of the benefits of the government. Instead, you attacked our officials who are ostensibly chosen by Nextian for illicit activity.”

“They were involved in illicit activity.”

“Our job is to enforce the rule of law on those not ordained by Nextian to rule.”

“Then why would the department still arrest them?”

“you gave us no choice! We would have riots from the lay people if we knew of perceived abuses of power and did nothing.”

“Brick, that is idiotic. The law must be applied evenly to work.”

“Rick, you are my friend, so I will keep what you have told me to myself but if I hear any more traitorous speech, I will have no choice. Understand?  

“I understand.”

Brick just nodded then left. Rick stood and threw on his trench coat because his mind was made up. He would rescue Jakson.