what he knew of adam had been simple , almost too simple —- a photographer , a journalist . someone who was easy to talk to , how long ago had it been that they had met by chance ? when adam asked him if he was the hero who was talked about —- & atlas , a hero born of tragedy , a weapon of war in the shape of a man , was talked about by many . he , the invincible hero who could walk into gunfire , who did not die no matter how much he bled . immortal , enduring atlas . the lord titan reborn mortal , surely !
true to form , he had arrived upon hearing the commotion , the sudden , deafening silence . & now , this . ❛ who … who is that , adam ? ❜ there is concern in his voice , what he knew of adam was too simple , but he had never thought of adam as evil , as erratic or lawless . ‘ killer ’ & ‘ adam ’ did not fit together , even when the evidence now pointed to it . but , had atlas not once stood over the corpse of oliver crichton , that bastard —- ! atlas had done what was right . caroline was a mistake he would regret for the rest of his days , but oliver ? the memory is red bleeding into his vision , he takes a breath . adam deserves a chance to explain , that chance he offers to anyone , without discrimination , he wishes to think . however , had it been the body of someone atlas had loved that adam stood over , then two corpses would be left . blessedly , it is the body of a stranger . blessedly , he thinks , for adam had been kind , adam was someone he had found himself fond of .
❛ not how you wanted me to find out … ? what on earth happened here ? i don’t need to be a detective to know you killed this man … but i want to know why —- as someone who cares for you & as the hero you think i am … what happened ? ❜
Careful thought is put into the answer, his hands still in their work ( the papers know he isn’t a DOCTOR. Just that he’s been killing long enough to develop some skill, but nothing handy enough to show schooling. ) and withdraw. Adam stands, careful not to let bloody hands touch anything. -- and oh, sweet Atlas. Adam smiles, equal parts empathy and sympathy, because he’s too kind and too good to equate Adam with the viciousness of the crime. -- “ This is a man I met at a gala I attended months ago. His wife was polite, kind, a little skittish. He was ... “ Adam has to repress the urge to roll his eyes, outward displays of his DISGUST.
“ He was garish and crass, spent the entire night flirting with everyone in sight ... when I talked to his wife, he looked like he would beat her black and blue right in front of me ... not really a hard assumption to come to. He didn’t even wait till they were home ... “ Adam is THOROUGH, if nothing else. He always makes sure that his victims DESERVE it. Abusers, adulterers, the unfaithful and the vile. People who hurt GOOD PEOPLE.
“ She’s CATHOLIC. Divorce isn’t an OPTION for her. No one offered her a hand, her church turns their noses up with insistence of GODS WILL. Now, she’ll be free ... she won’t suffer anymore. These will be the first flowers he’ll have given her in years, I think ... “ He smiles at the roses, lovely -- not from his own garden, of course, concerned that it might link back to him. But EXPERTLY chosen.
