“I’m pleased you’re in here and not shooting people.”
Flick nodded. “Of course you’d see it in a narrow perspective. I’ve summoned you here for some corrective education.”
“You’re going to tutor me.”
Flick smiled. “The first thing you need to know is that I’ll be representing myself in court. All the supposed experts say it’s foolhardy but I’ve learned that following my own instincts works best.”
Milo said, “The court will assign you a lawyer as backup.”
“Whom I will utterly ignore.”
Milo crossed his legs.
Flick said, “Relaxing your posture in order to tell me you’re not concerned. Pathetic attempt at insouciance.”
“What would I be concerned about, Cameron?”
“My getting acquitted.”
I smiled. Milo laughed.
Flick said, “Expected response. Again, constricted by lack of imagination.”
“You murdered a lot of people, Cameron.”
“Expected response. Tell me, do you enjoy parades?”
“Not particularly.”
Flick smirked. “Even pride parades?”
Winking. I’ve done research on you.
Milo’s failure to react made Flick blink.
He repeated the question. Vocally twisting the word “pride.”
Milo said, “Even them.”
“I doubt that but now you’re reaching for the unexpected response,” said Flick. “Well, putting that aside, a lot of people do enjoy parades. And who’s often honored at a parade?”
“A hero.”
“A military hero. And what did that military hero do to garner admiration?”
Milo said, “You want me to say he killed a lot of people.”
“It’s not a matter of what I want,” said Flick. “It’s a fact. Heroes are mass murderers who get to ride in parade floats.”
“You see yourself as a war hero.”
“Why wouldn’t I? Just like good old G.I. Joe, I eliminate bad people.”
“Whitney Killeen—”
“Was in danger of destroying a family.”
“So it was time for cruel to be kind.”
“Are you being dense to annoy me or have we simply reached the limits of your education-starved imagination? Pay attention: Nothing separates heinous from heroic other than intent.”
“Leaving a two-year-old in a boat next to his mother’s corpse was heroic.”
Flick lifted a free index finger into the air and waved it. “The ultimate expected response. I don’t need to explain myself to you but I will. That child was never in danger. I observed him closely and had, in fact, every intent to rescue him when a nosy neighbor showed up and simplified matters.”
“Meanwhile, he’s next to his mom’s bloody corpse.”
“Not an issue,” said Flick. “Memories registered that early inevitably fade.”
“Do they.”
“If you knew your child psychology, you wouldn’t even raise the issue.”
“Thought you were a mathematician.”
“I am, indeed,” said Flick, “but that doesn’t preclude my acquiring knowledge in other fields. In fact, it enhances it. Mathematics engenders an overall sense of intellectual inquisitiveness and creative problem solving and is the undisputed ruler of academia.”
“You’re interested in the world.”
“In the meaningful aspects of the world.”
“Ah.”
“I don’t expect you to fully grasp it,” said Flick. “But once you’re out of here, give it some thought and you may glean a bit of insight.”
“Thanks for the encouragement,” said Milo.
“So,” said Flick, “you’re undoubtedly wondering why I’ve summoned you.”
Milo said nothing.
Flick said, “That’s not going to work, you’re curious and showing it. And let me emphasize that I use the term intentionally. Summoned. I called, you arrived, obedient as a trained poodle. With a sidekick so you can appear more authoritative but that does nothing to alter the basics.”
Dismissive smile in my direction. I was ready for it and had looked away.
Flick frowned. “Would you care to ask?”
Milo said, “Ask what?”
“Why I’ve summoned you?”
“This isn’t a game, Cameron. If you have something to say, say it. If not, see you at trial.”
“Now that you mention it,” said Flick. “That’s why you’re here. To become educated about the trial. I’m putting you on my list as a defense witness and thought it would be a gracious notion to inform you so that you can prepare your testimony.”
“You want me to be on your side.”
Flick said, “It’s not a matter of what I want. It’s what will transpire. You’ll be on the defense list and that fact will be noted. Once you’ve parroted the prosecution case as their unsurprising pawn, I’ll have my way with you and get to the core.”
Licking his lips on “have my way.”
Milo said, “Ah.”
“Milo, Milo, Milo,” said Flick, “you can posture all you like but you will help me, despite yourself. Here’s why: A. You’re more aware than any juror of my intentions and we will explore that in great detail. Including the heroism/criminal dichotomy I’ve just cited. B. You’re aware of the precision of my shots. A single, precisely placed bullet that managed to sever the carotid artery, the jugular vein, and the trachea. A triumph of marksmanship aimed — pun intended — on reducing needless pain.”
Milo said, “You engaged in humane slaughter.”
“If you must,” said Cameron Flick. “But that’s selling me short. Not far from where I grew up there was a slaughterhouse. Cows and bulls dispatched daily so the world could have burgers. When the wind was right, their lowing and moaning could be heard for miles. Traveling along with the stink.”
Another lip-lick. Violence and sexuality melded early.
“As a child, I’d go over there to catch a glimpse of how the poor bovines were actually processed. Quite a mundane but nonetheless bloody routine. Hoisted, shackled, a shotgun shell to the skull, then the butchers would get busy with their long knives whether or not the animal’s chest was still heaving.”
Milo said, “Did that turn you into a vegetarian?”
Flick’s lips pursed. Genuinely perplexed. “Why would it? I’m merely pointing out that my military mission was maximally humane, far beyond anything offered to animals or humans. And that the targeted enemy had in every case committed a heinous act.”
“You think if you get me to say those things you’ll be acquitted.”
“If not acquitted, I’ll be offered a brief, relatively benign sentence, which my good behavior will shorten further. In the meantime, a time-limited incarceration will be easier on me than on other inmates. I’ll engage in my studies.”
“Ph.D. in math.”
“As I’ve pointed out, the apex of academia,” said Flick. “There’s no debate: Mathematicians have been shown to have the highest I.Q.’s. Higher, I might add, than the psychologists who design the I.Q. tests and undoubtedly give themselves a sizable advantage.”
“You’re a smart guy,” said Milo. “Therefore, you’ll beat the system.”
Flick grinned. “If I was a lottery ticket, Milo, you’d be wise to buy me.”
“Hmm. Parole, then finish your Ph.D.”
“Followed by a post-doctoral fellowship and eventual welcome into the tenure track of a highly ranked institution.”
“Your time behind bars—”
“Will not make a difference. Math is free of irrelevancies. That’s the beauty of it.”
“Hmm,” said Milo. “Too bad it’ll never happen.”
“Your lack of faith is comical, Milo. A few years in some minimum security will not impact—”
“I’m not talking jail, Cameron. I’m talking the Ph.D. The U. booted you out two years five months ago because you could never come up with anything close to original.”