COLD DUTY

Beginning & Freedom

Ace POV

I feel a surge of freedom as I stand at the bus station, not sure where to go but happy nonetheless. The rain pours down on me, but I don't mind the cold and the wet.

I just want to see the world that has been hidden from me. I board the bus and find a seat, hoping for a smooth ride. But soon, a car blocks the bus and a man in a black suit steps out.

He looks straight at me and walks towards me, making me tense up. Is he from the government or the organization that trained me? Is he here to kill me or capture me? I'm not ready to give up my life so easily.

But he doesn't seem hostile or threatening, so I stay calm and avoid drawing attention from the other passengers.

The old man lowers his head and whispers to me with a mix of respect and authority.

"I am Butler Wang from the Zafe family, young lady. We have been searching for you all day."

He shows me his iPad, where I see my own face.

"Mr. Zafe has ordered us to bring you to the mansion, by any means necessary."

He says that as more men in black suits surround the bus, ready to fight if needed. I glance at the old man, who smiles like a psycho. I could kill them all in a flash, but I don't want to cause trouble right now. I'm too exhausted for that. I get off the bus and follow the old man. I get into their car without resisting.

I just want to close my eyes and rest for a bit, but I have no idea what they want from me or what awaits me. All I want is to be free from any organization that tries to control me. As we enter the gate, I see a huge and elegant mansion and a vast estate. I have been to many places, but I never cared about the beauty of the buildings.

This is the first time I notice it without being in a hurry or on the run. The place is impressive. As we cross the veranda, I feel the presence of people around me, security guards everywhere. That's not a good sign. That means danger lurks in every corner.

Butler Wang leads me to the main door, where a middle aged man in a sharp suit waits for us. He has dark hair and piercing eyes, and he looks at me with curiosity.

He must be Mr. Zafe, the owner of this mansion and the one who ordered my capture.

"Welcome to my home, young lady. I'm glad you came willingly. I have something important to discuss with you."

He says, gesturing for me to follow him. I don't have a choice, so I do as he says. He takes me to a spacious living room, where a fireplace crackles and a sofa beckons. He sits down and motions for me to do the same. I remain standing, wary of his intentions.

"Please, make yourself comfortable. You must be tired from your journey."

He says politely yet cold.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?"

I ask, getting straight to the point. He chuckles and leans back on the sofa.

"I'm sure you have many questions, but let me start by introducing myself. I'm Alexander Zafe Jr., the CEO of Zafe Industries, one of the largest corporations in the world. And you are the daughter of my father's late friend and partner, Giovan Llacza"

He says, dropping a bombshell on me. I stare at him in disbelief, feeling a surge of emotions. Anger, confusion, shock, fear. Is he lying? Is he telling the truth? Who is Giovan Llacza? And what does he have to do with me?

" Your father was a business man and a scientist who hid and fled from the government and his organization to protect your family, 17 years ago because they wanted to get rid of his experiment to cure cancer. And your father opposed the idea until his death." He says

I don't know if I should believe him or not.

"How can I trust your story?" I ask him coldly.

I'm prepared to turn my life upside down and kill this man if he can't prove his words. If everything he says is a lie.

He walks to a safe behind a painting on the wall and takes out a photo.

He comes back to me and says,

"You saved my sister from danger. That must be why you followed Mr. Wang willingly. Knowing that you owed me nothing. I know this is shocking and hard to believe. Destiny meant us to meet"

He hands me the photo. It shows a happy family: a couple in their 30s, a boy around 10, and I see myself as a 4-year-old wearing a white dress. I feel like all my questions are answered. Tears stream down my face for the first time. I'm overwhelmed by mixed emotions. My tears show how much pain I'm in right now.

"I watched the footage of how you saved my sister's life. And I thanked for that. I was as surprised as you when I saw your resemblance to my father's friend. Mrs. Tiffany, your mother. I knew then that you were the child we've been looking for. The one I had been searching for. I don't know what happened to you, but my father made a promise to your father that he would take care of you. And I'll do the same as he pass it to me the responsibility before he passed away."

I saw his sincerety.

" But we're too late. After the fire, We thought you were dead. But when we investigated the crime scene thoroughly, we both realized that your body and your brother's body were missing. Since then, we never stopped looking for you" he added.

I look at him, not sure what to say. He seems sincere, but I don't know if I can trust him. He is a powerful man, and he could have ulterior motives. He could be using me for his own agenda. He could be lying about everything.

But he also could be telling the truth. He could be my father's son's friend, and my only hope of finding out more about my past. He could be the only one who knows what happened to my brother. He could be the only one who can help me. I feel torn between doubt and curiosity, fear and hope. I decide to take a risk and ask him a question.

"Where is my brother?" I say, hoping for an answer.

He sighs and shakes his head.

"I don't know. I wish I did. But I have some clues that might lead us to him. If you're willing to cooperate and work with me, that is." He says, looking at me with expectation.

I hesitate, wondering if this is a trap or an opportunity. I weigh the pros and cons, the risks and rewards. I make up my mind and give him my answer.

"Okay, I'll work with you. But only on one condition."I say, setting my terms.

"What is it?" He asks, curious.

"You have to tell me everything you know about my father, my mother, and the experiment they were working on." I say, determined to find out the truth.

He nods and smiles, pleased with my decision.

"Of course, I'll tell you everything. But not here, not now. We need to go somewhere safe and private. Somewhere we can talk without being interrupted or overheard. Follow me, I'll show you the way."

He says, getting up from the sofa. He leads me to a hidden door behind a bookshelf, where a staircase descends to a basement. He opens the door and gestures for me to go first. I follow him, feeling nervous and curious. He closes the door behind us and locks it. He turns on a light switch and reveals a large room filled with computers, monitors, and other equipment.

It looks like a high-tech laboratory or a command center. He walks to a desk and turns on a computer. He types in a password and opens a file. He turns to me and says

"This is where I keep all the information I have about your parents and their work. This is where I'll tell you everything you want to know."

He says, inviting me to sit next to him. I sit down and look at the screen, where I see a picture of my parents smiling at me. I feel a pang of sadness and longing, mixed with anger and confusion. I look at him and say,

"Okay, tell me. Who were they? What did they do? And why did they die?"

I say, demanding answers.

He takes a deep breath and begins his story.

"Your parents were brilliant scientists who worked together with my father for Zafe Industries, my father's company. They were working on a project that could change the world: a cure for cancer."

He says, starting from the beginning.

"What happened to the project?" I asked

He pauses and sighs, looking sad and guilty.

"The project was sabotaged by someone who wanted to steal their research and use it for evil purposes. Someone who wanted to create a weapon of mass destruction instead of a cure for cancer. Someone who killed your parents. " He says, revealing the truth.