After more meetings with Andy, more tests of his combat skills and tech knowledge, and further background checks, Theo finally received an offer for employment which far surpassed his expectations when it came to numerical compensation, living expenses, and training both in the security systems and as an Immortal. Even so, he had to think it over. Despite Andy doing his best to convince him, Theo still worried that he wouldn’t find just running and monitoring security and surveillance exciting enough. So he’d struck a deal. If he wasn’t satisfied and found the job boring after a year, he could choose to work in a more action-oriented position within Hsu’s organization although Andy had told him that he would find this job more action than he could handle.
So, he’d agreed, and yes, if he was honest with himself, he was looking forward to this new chapter in his life. A life that he guessed would be radically different now that he was immortal. As he would be moving permanently to Switzerland, he’d been allowed a week to move and tie up any business or personal matters that he no longer wanted to continue. There wasn’t much he needed to do. He found a tenant for his flat near Tower Bridge, sold his Ducati Monster and a few other possessions, which he intended to upgrade now that he would have a steady and generous flow of money, and told the girl he’d dated a few times that he didn’t do long distance.
There was just one more thing to do. See his parents.
They didn’t live that far away, a little over four miles on the Isle of Dogs, but he hadn’t seen them in some time. His father, Steve, called himself a property developer, owning several buildings in the East End, and his mother, Lynne, stayed at home caring for his learning disabled brother. They’d been so proud when he got his commission and equally disappointed when he’d resigned it. He had spoken on the phone a few times with them since then, but hadn’t made it out for a visit or, rather, had avoided one. Now he had some questions since Hsu had told him Immortals had no biological families.
He took public transport out, walking the last half mile to their riverfront townhouse. Harry, his younger brother by five years answered his knock at the door. “Theo!” And he was met with a huge bear hug. He was on the autism spectrum and had his difficulties, although Theo long suspected his mum used Harry’s disability as an excuse to avoid having an empty nest, claiming he required more care than he actually needed
“Hey bruv! How have things been? Missed you.” He had. They had been close, and as the big brother, Theo had always stood up to those who had bullied Harry, to the point of nearly being excluded from senior school once, “Are Mum and Dad in?” They should be as it was Sunday.
“Same. I go to the Centre two days a week, They want me to try a group home, but Mum thinks I won’t like it. She’s in the kitchen. Dad’s working on his car. You want to play Call of Duty, Theo?” He spoke in a soft monotone, shifting from one topic to another smoothly as if they all went together.
“Do you want to go to a group home?” Theo asked as they went inside. It was no surprise that Mum would be against it. Losing her baby and just stuck with Dad. Not that they had a bad marriage, just that they didn’t have much in common except their kids. Never mind that Harry might learn some valuable independence.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I will probably be nice. I know some of the others there already. So, you want to play Call of Duty?”
Theo smiled at his persistence, and knew it could get a lot worse than this. “Don’t let Mum tell you what you think. And yes, I will, but I just need a quick word with Mum first. Go on, I’ll be up soon.”
“How soon?”
He’d almost forgotten what Harry could be like. “Ten minutes.” And he smiled as Harry looked at his watch. “Okay.”
With Harry gone, he headed to the kitchen and stood in the doorway for a minute as he watched her getting the Sunday dinner ready. Roast lamb by the smell of it. One of his favourites. He smiled, leaning against the doorframe. Despite the way she clung onto Harry, she was a good mum who always looked out for them. “Hello, Mum.”