Walls Came Tumbling Down

The knock, on Hal's office door, came from just below the handle. There was a short pause, then Mello called out, "Yes?" The handle was pulled down from outside and large, brown eyes peered through the resultant crack. Mello smiled, while above him, Matt just impassively watched. "Hello."

Linda spoke brusquely, "Hal isn't in here."

The door was pushed back and a short girl, aged around nine years old, charged inside. "Mello, are you coming to the bonfire party with all of us tonight?" She asked it as a demand, staring fiercely at him.

"I'm afraid not." Mello watched her, amused. "But enjoy your party."

There was a hissed question from behind the edge of the door. "Fourth?"

The girl frowned. "Mello."

"Yes?"

"Why are all of the fourth generation coming to live at Wammy's House again?" She gestured in a circular motion around the four of them. "What is going to happen?"

Mello ignored Linda's tutting. "What is your name?"

"Red."

"I am very pleased to meet you, Red." Mello didn't bow his head, because he felt listless and in pain, but he nodded very slightly. "Are you representing a lot of other children, who told you to come in here?" He saw her nod. "Ok, please tell your friends that nothing frightening is happening to them. A few of us have been on a case, which has left us in need of some of Mrs Carnegie's home cooking. It's nothing to worry anybody else."

Red hung off the doorjamb, leaning out for prompts. "We don't know where Hal and Ann are."

"They needed to have a talk with a little girl. They're still in the building."

Her head disappeared around the frame. Linda sighed, "It's very draughty with that door open. We are having a private conversation in here."

Red looked back in. "Ella wants Matt to be her boyfriend." She giggled.

Mello smiled, raising his eyes to view his husband's face, "I don't blame her. Excellent taste in men. But he's taken."

Linda pointed towards the door. "Red, these are silly questions. If you have something important to ask, then please do, but in the meantime, you are interrupting us." She was lying. She had thought Mello asleep before Red had knocked the door, while Matt had just been smoking himself stupid and Luigi had been staring into space. There was more muttering. "Red." The girl's hand was inside, but nothing else of her. "Red." Linda saw Mello smirk and close his eyes. Linda hissed at him. "I don't know why you're pretending that you're good with children." He ignored her. "Red!"

Red backed into the room, her head all the way back and her mouth gaping. She was staring up at Salvo. "Wow!"

"Sal!" Linda leapt up from the settee and rushed to greet him. Salvo engulfed her in a bear-hug, lifting her off the ground and carrying her further into the room. "Are you alright?" She clung. Century was right behind him, carrying Luleka. Forced further into the room, Red dashed behind the settee and positioned herself behind Matt's back. Linda was murmuring. "I'm so sorry. I'm really sorry."

Salvo emerged from the hug, "She's in the infirmary? Can I just go down?"

Century nodded at Mello and Matt, closing the door to give them all some privacy. Luleka was asleep against his shoulder. "Made it back then, is it?"

"Looks like it." Mello responded, mildly. Century rounded Salvo and Linda to sink with relief onto the settee beside Luigi. He glanced in confusion at Red. "Welcome to family reunion part two. Let's hope it's just as exciting as the first." Sarcasm dripped from Mello's tone.

Linda told Salvo, "I'm sure that they won't mind you going down. We keep expecting someone to give us news, but Hal and Ann are up to their eyeballs and we didn't want to get in the way."

The African nodded, looking anxiously around the room. "Mello, Matt, Luigi, strange girl. Good to see you all." He pointed towards the door. "Can we do this in a minute? I need to..."

Mello interrupted, "Do what you have to, Sal. It's understandable."

Salvo glanced at Century, who waved at him to go. "I've got him."

Salvo hurried out and shut the door behind him. Linda turned her back to them, loud sniffs coming from behind the hand at her face. Mello looked to Century, who turned to pointedly survey Luigi. Matt just smoked, watching Red with stony disapproval. Mello sighed, "Linda, you're crying."

"I miss him." She whispered.

Century looked around at each of them. "Anyone here heard from Fenian?"

Linda hurriedly wiped her eyes on her hand. "Hardly bloody likely to, are we?" She snapped. "Not when he's set G-2 on us."

"Huh?" Century stared at the back of her head. She had Mello and Matt's attention too.

"Luigi had to see them off yesterday." Linda turned. Her face was red and moist. "And suddenly I'm worthy of attention, now that I have information!"

Mello wrinkled up his nose. "We're all too tired to be chivalrous. Sit between Lu and Cent. Someone might put their arm around you. Play with the baby." He shifted his gaze sidewards towards Century. "What's going on with Fenian and G-2?"

"Don't know, do I? First I heard about it."

Linda charged across to the side of Mello and Matt's settee. She pointed a finger an inch from Mello's face and raged, "You're a sexist, fucking bastard!" Mello caught her finger in his hand and pushed it out of the way. Linda spat, "You drive me up the bloody wall."

Matt frowned. "What's he done? He's just been lying here." Across from them, Century was smirking, while Luigi just curled even more tightly into the foetal position.

"Play with the fucking baby! Like that's all that a woman is good for!"

Century hissed, "Linda, you're going to wake him up."

Mello surveyed her coolly and quietly replied, "I was asking about the G-2, then you kicked off."

Linda shook her hair back and pursed her lips. "Then I remembered that we shouldn't be discussing it." She squeezed herself between Century and Luigi, causing Century to have to shuffle right up into the arm of the leather settee. "Just drop it."

A heavy silence fell. Mello fixed his sights upon Luigi. "You saw them off?" But Luigi just buried his head even more deeply beneath his arms. "Someone just tell me."

Red leaned forward, one hand steadying herself on the settee arm behind Matt. She waved her hand within Mello's field of vision. Then quietly said, "I saw it."

Mello pointed to a spot on the floor before him. "My buddy, Red! Come here and tell me all about it." She walked proudly into the spot, her shoulders up to her ears and her eyes sparkling over a clenched teeth grin.

Linda huffed, "Mello, will you please stop doing that? Pointing and clicking and positioning people. It wasn't funny the first time." She met Matt's glare full on. "It's uncouth, patronising and ignorant. It's not on."

Mello clicked his fingers at her to shut her up, then, in the silence caused by her outraged gasp, he pointed at Red. "My friend, Red, woot!" Mello beamed. "Tell us what you saw."

"Luigi was really good." Red began, more shyly than before. "When the men came, he went out and told them that they couldn't come in. But he didn't just go," her tone dropped in a gruff approximation of a male voice, "'You can't come in'," She regained her own diction. "He told them all of the laws and stuff, why strangers can't come in and get us."

Mello's eyes were wide. "Did he?"

Linda intervened, "That's enough. Thank you, Red. I think you should go and play with your friends now." Her eyes flickered towards Luigi. "Mello, honestly, it's not a good subject."

Red disagreed, "Ann said she was very proud of him."

"Red." Linda snapped. "I asked you very nicely to drop it."

Century was pensive. "Fwc. What's he done? Never said nothing to me now, did he?" He shook his head. Against his shoulder, Luleka stirred. "Hurt his back, he had; just wanted to get himself home and get some rest." Century frowned. "Never a word, was there?"

"Luigi." Mello growled. "What precisely did they say?" He flashed a smile at the young girl. "Thank you, Red."

Encouraged, Red plunged on with her story, "They said do we know Liam Tighe and Luigi said they can't ask that, because they aren't British and they didn't bring Social Services."

Century frowned, "So they asked about him by name." In his arms, Luleka sat up, looking around himself in bewilderment. "Hey, L..." He stopped dead, painfully aware that he'd nearly spoken his foster nephew's real name aloud. He couldn't even remember the pseudonym for him that Chrissie had devised.

Luleka's tiny fists tightened around balls of Century's coat. He was wide-eyed in panic. "Papi!"

"Papi's gone to see Mamie. You're alright. Stay with Tou-Tou." In his arms, Luleka started to cry. Century grimaced, apologetically. "He's over-tired." He squeezed out from between Linda and the settee arm, carrying Luleka to the window. The infant stopped only to draw breath, before emitting another distressed wail. Century bounced him, calling back. "So no-one's heard from Fenian at all, except for this?"

In the silence that followed, Luigi unfurled. He shook his head, scrambling to his feet. Linda reached to grab his arm, "Lu, where are you going?"

"Can't do this." Luigi muttered, agitated. "C-can't." He tried to move away, but Linda had him fast. Luigi's over-bright eyes found Matt. "You did this. You. You c-couldn't leave it." He blinked rapidly. Red was right next to him. She was frightened into darting back into the space behind Matt. Luigi yanked his arm from Linda's grasp and tried to flee. But Salvo was walking back in and the two collided.

"Hey, hey, hey." Salvo said, catching hold of him, as Luigi squeaked. Salvo was already looking over the top of him, at his distressed son. He let go of Luigi, thinking that he'd just continue on his way. "Chrissie is..." But Luigi had crumpled at his feet and Salvo stared down, stunned. "Fuck is going on in here?"

Linda barked out, "Shall I tell you? Shall I?" She rose and stormed around the settee to the wall behind the desk. There was a copy of the Resolution there, in a glass fronted frame. She took it off the wall, then turned, glowering at Matt. "I bet you thought it was so amusing."

"Sal." Mello interrupted her. "Chrissie and Lauren?"

"Papi!" Luleka was reaching from the waist towards Salvo. Century looked apologetic over the top of him.

Salvo stood, wide-eyed and momentarily stumped. "Right. Linda, three seconds please, I am interested. Baby, Papi is just here." He stooped down, hoisting Luigi up by the shoulders. "Carl, look at me. Whatever it is, fuck it. Whatever. Just let it go. Fuck it." Salvo nodded, radiating calm. "Because it's definitely not worth this." Before him, Luigi shook so badly that it seemed pneumatic and unnatural. He gave every indication that, if Salvo released him, he would fall straight back down. Salvo surveyed him, then everyone else. "Is there, er, medication for this?"

Linda replied. "Slapping Matt bloody hard might help."

Mello frowned, while Matt seemed unmoved. Salvo answered. "I don't think we need more antagonism right now, eh?" He walked Luigi with him, towards Century and his son. Salvo kept Luigi upright, under one arm, as he reached in and kissed Luleka's head. "Papi just popped out. You were safe with Tou-Tou." Luleka wasn't pacified though, so he was relinquished into Salvo's other arm. There he immediately quietened and peered around like nothing had ever been amiss. The silence was welcome.

"I'm sorry." Luigi stammered into it. "I'm so, so sorry."

"All good." Salvo responded, distracted by assessing the room's politics.

Mello raised his hand, but watched it, stroking his fingers through the air. "Item one. Next person to start yelling random shit at my husband isn't going to make it. You got a problem, we talk it over like reasonable men and women. I have been very patient. I am losing my patience."

Linda made to reply, but Salvo talked over her. "Item two. Does that kettle work?"

"Chrissie alright then?" Century asked, quietly.

"Not really, no. She's in surgery." Salvo allowed a flash of his anxiety to show on his face. "So forgive me, if I'm not really with it. Century, can you do something useful here please?" They exchanged glances. "Either help me here," he indicated Luigi with his eyes, "or put the kettle on." Century nodded and walked across the room to deal with the drinks. "Right." Salvo caught Linda's tight-lipped stare. "Yes, I know. I'm right there with you. Shall we sit down?" He started to lead Luigi back to the settee.

Luigi pulled away. "Got to." He mumbled. "Got to get out."

Salvo gave him a pleasant smile and a little nod, "We're all good here, man. Nice sit down. Cup of tea coming. All calm now." He carried on going. Luigi darted to the door, but stayed there, gripping the handle with both hands and shaking. Salvo sat, extracting his necklace from his son's mouth and giving him a bunch of keys to play with instead. "Mello, man, how are you feeling? Bad one there."

"I've been better." Mello was watching Luigi warily. Red crept across to the kettle, justifying her own presence by ladling sugar into the cups.

Linda strode around to the foot of Mello and Matt's settee, standing between them and Luigi. She held the Resolution up in front of her. Mello's eyes narrowed into slits. Linda's gaze didn't move from Matt. "Just one question. Did you or did you not set this up as a trap, in order to gain some petty revenge upon Roger?"

Matt surveyed her with an aloof look. A faint smile played upon his lips. After an age, he uttered just one word, "No."

Linda's shoulders sagged. She looked back at Luigi, who bowed his head and seemed ready to fall. "Then I apologise for my outburst."

Mello glowered at them. "So what kind of shit was that?"

Linda gushed out, "There's a specific order of events whereby this Resolution becomes evidence! It's a written confession. It proves the existence of our Institution for a start and name-checks L. It's played out. Luigi sent some paperwork out and Fenian's received it. We think he's taken it to the authorities in Ireland. We have the G-2 sniffing around and..."

"And this was potentially Mail's fault, why?" Mello glared.

Matt gave a short cough. "By which I meant it wasn't petty." He took a drag on his cigarette. Against his chest, Mello blinked rapidly several times and stared dead ahead.

Linda jolted, suddenly stuck for words. Behind her, Luigi fled the room and that galvanised her. She bristled, snapping, "He blames his fucking self!" She hurled the frame sidewards at him, but Matt caught it easily. "You are such a wanker!" She turned and rushed out, leaving a gaping door. They heard her calling in the reception hall, "Luigi!"

Startled, Salvo looked from Mello and Matt to Century and Red. He rose and hurriedly closed the door. "I feel like I missed a whole segment here. Is this the usual inability to have a conversation in this house, or has the shit just really hit the fan?" He glanced up, as Century joined them, with a teaspoon in his hand.

Mello reached up for the copy of the Resolution. Matt let him have it. Mello read it all again for what felt like the hundredth time, then he asked, shakily, "Baby?"

Matt took a heavy drag on his cigarette. He'd been calm, but Mello's expression was sending warning signals through his psyche. He whispered. "Luigi is over-reacting."

"One question," Century sat down on the arm of the settee, "Has Fenian been set up?"

Salvo was playing with his son, drawing a finger between the infant's lip and chest, causing him to follow it with his eyes. Red was quietly pouring the drinks, though it took all of her strength to lift the full kettle in both hands. She felt awed to be there, part of the fourth generation in private; though she was also a little scared by the conversation. Mello was reading and re-reading the Resolution over and over again. It was becoming hard to breathe, as uneasiness settled over the company.

Mello raised his eyes. "Baby, answer me." He took in Matt's blank expression and the way that he looked at nothing much. "I'm not angry. I just want to know." There was no response. Mello sighed. "Guapo, you being frightened right now is frightening me. This really isn't helpful. I know that we haven't had a chance to talk. I thought that's what coming in here would be, but Linda and Luigi..." Mello stopped, feeling choked.

Salvo slapped Century's knee. "Shall we give them space to talk?"

"Want to know what he's done to Fenian!" There was a sudden loud clatter as a nearly full kettle smashed into a tray of best crockery. It was followed by a yelp, as scalding water splashed into the air. Century leapt to swing Red out of the way. There was a tense moment, as he inspected her. "Hurt, are you?" She emphatically shook her head, but she was shaken.

Mello closed his eyes. "Please." He rasped. "I need to speak with my husband alone."

Salvo nodded, standing. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I could do without the drama myself. I'll be in the refectory." He gave Century a sharp look. "Come on. Leave them to it."

"Is Fenian in big trouble?" Century demanded. "Just tell me that bit." He hoisted Red over to the settees and stared at Matt. Matt looked away. "Fine! I'll ask Linda!" He followed Salvo out, ushering Red with him. He paused at the door and looked back. "Fucking hate drama, I do." Then slammed the door behind him.