THE WATCHMAN

Jorges' Love

Jorge stood there, perplexed, waiting for an answer from both of them. "What could they be hiding from him?" He thought...

All Antonio wanted was for the ground to open up and swallow him He could not imagine lying to his best friend! Omitting the truth was okay, but lying was a whole new ball game

Meanwhile, Susan already had a solution. In the twinkling of an eye...

Swish!!!

She had rewound time, taking Jorge back to the grocery store. Unknown to her she was altering all their lives for the worst possible outcome.

She turned to Antonio and asked... "Any Problems?"

Antonio was shell-shocked by what had just transpired before his eyes "What did you just do Susie?" He asked...

He had known Susan Boyle for years and never for once had he suspected her being a Timekeeper. He didn't have any reason to not did she give him one.

"She was just your regular American girl living in Spain". He thought to himself...

Antonio De Castillo. "The Angel of Death", had just kissed someone from the Timekeeper clan! Who was his best friend's lover Worst of all, he may have already fallen in love with her from day one!

***********************************************

Reno Jorge, oblivious about what had just taken place, walked out of the grocery shop into his Ferrari Monza and headed for the hospital.

As he sat in the driver's seat, thoughts about Susan can to mind. She had been highly inquisitive of late and he couldn't let go of the voice of the assassin who he shot to save Antonio's life at the Manor.

She had a gunshot wound in the same spot where he shot Antonio's attacker. The only difference was she was shot at two other gunshots.

Could it be what he was thinking? Was Susan a secret enemy? How was he going to find out the truth?

These were Jorges' thoughts as he drove out of the parking lot of the grocery store.

While he was on his way to the hospital, he suddenly realized something; He has lived this day before or maybe dreamt it!

******************************

After about two months Antonio was discharged from the hospital. He decided to spend a little more time in Costa del Sol mainly because he wanted to spend time with Susan.

On one hand, he wanted to use her to infiltrate the Timekeeper sect and killer her eventually, but on the other hand, he was falling madly in love with her.

Antonio worried about the Prophecy of Tears. Was he or Jorge about to cause the end of the world?

"Anton, Hey Amigos!", Jorge called out to him, thereby interrupting his thoughts as had become his habit. "There's a message from the Liga, we've got a job".

It had been months since Anton had killed anyone or even fought for that matter and he needed to regain himself.

" Do you want to take it?" Jorge asked...

"Yes, take it". Antonio answered.

Later that day, in the night Antonio and Susan met at a motel. It had become their meeting hideout.

Jorge had gone on to Madrid to take care of some business of his.

They made passionate love all through the night till they were exhausted.

When they were done, as Susan laid naked on Antonio's chest, caressing his chest hairs Antonio said, "I have to go back to Madrid soon... I got a contract."

"What contract?" Susan asked in a bid to get more information.

"I've been paid to oversee the demolishing of some illegal structures," Antonio said

"Hmmm.... illegal structures huh?" Susan replied mockingly...

As they parted ways the next morning, Susan decided she would trail him to know exactly where he was going and what he was doing.

******************************

"Please don't kill me!" The young man pleaded for his life... "I don't know what I have done to you!" "Why do you want to take my life Sirs?"

"Because your existence is meant to have ended three months ago!" Jorge retorted...

Slash! s***h!!

And the young man's head was off!

He was one of Jorge's "Watches" who had escaped his fate so many times before so Jorge had to kill him.

Antonio the blood off his jacket and walked away without saying a word.

A few blocks away was Susan, who had been trailing them from Costa de Sol to Madrid.

She was heartbroken seeing Jorge kill an innocent man so heartlessly. But that was the life they were born into.

*Who goes there?" A voice from behind her shouted. She turned to see four hefty men in black overalls and their hoods over their heads

"Why are you following those men?" Another of the men asked...

Susan could see their hands were on their guns and the safety was off, she could also see the other hand on their swords.

She would have to fight her way out of this one

"Hey, guys! Would you harm an innocent young lady?" She teased them as she unsheathed the two swords at her back

Bang! Bang!!

One of the men fired two shots at her!

Clank! Clank!!

She used her swords to deflect the bullets. The men's eyes widened in awe at her speed and skill

Rataatatatatatata! They all opened fire on her so she had to hide behind one of the steel trash cans as she approached them

Swish! Swish!! With her swords and one of them was down in a pool of his blood

Swish! Another one's right arm was off

Arrrghh! He screamed in pain as she took his gun and shot him in the head. The other two men charged towards her and at the same time firing multiple shots at her.

Suddenly time stood still, she had frozen time. She smiled as she made a pathway through their bullets.

She then took their hands and pointed their guns, each man to the others face, and released time... They shot each other in the face

She searched all four men for their IDs and confirmed they were Watchmen.

Just as she was done searching the last man, an arrow flew right past her ears. It was millimeters from hitting her in the face.

She lifted her head to see who shot at her. Before her were Reno and Antonio, standing at the entrance of the alley, a crossbow in Antonio's right hand and a revolver in his left.

Reno's face was red with anger as tears streamed down his face, he was going to kill her no matter what!

"So you're the White Angel?" Antonio asked?

"And you're the Angel of Death?" she retorted

"Why?" Reno asked as he tried to control the tears

"Because we do not choose what or whom we become" she replied

"You lied to me!" Reno screamed at her

"And you were truthful?" She asked disdainfully. "I gave you plenty of opportunities to come clean but you kept on piling the lies Reno! Through it all I still loved you, but your constant lies got me weak"

Antonio just stood there watching them argue...

Suddenly he saw, Susan slump to the ground, next to him, Reno fell, then his head felt woozy and then he fainted

******************************************

Antonio woke up in a very dark room, the incessant dripping of water let him know they would be somewhere in the sewers. His hands and legs were bound by chains. A blindfold was placed over his eyes, he could only see through the little space between his face and the blindfold.

"Jorgy!"Jorgy!! Are you there?" Anton asked...

"Yes, Bro, I'm here... Where are we?" Jorgy asked nervously. "I have no idea bro, it's so dark in here and I don't Susie is here with us" Antonio replied

"Susan!" Both of them called out. But there was no response

Suddenly a metal door opened and they heard footsteps of people walking in the room and the sound of a metal chair placed before them.

Their blindfolds were removed and dim light was lit in the middle of the room. They could see that four men in Black suits were standing at the four corners of the room. Antonio could now see that the chains had digital locks only used by the League.

He also realized that sitting before them was a beautiful young lady whom they knew very well.

She had dark short hair and black eyes. She wore a long black leather jacket with a black leather belt at the waist. She had the face of an angel but the eyes of a devil.

She was known as The Reckoner! When a crime had been committed by high-ranking watchmen, she was usually sent to mete out the punishment, which was usually death by the fires of Tenerife, but not after a session of questioning and torture.

The was dead silence in the room for some seconds...

"You boys know why I'm here right?" She said in a calm but icy tone... "You boys have eaten the forbidden fruit and for that, you need to be cast out.

Both Antonio and Jorge knew what she meant.

"You both have had abominable unions with a Timekeeper both of you have had abominable unions with the say Timekeeper"... She said, a mischievous smile on her face.

"The same who?" Jorge cut in... "I don't understand," Jorge said... looking to his left where Antonio was tied up.

"Anton dear" she called mockingly... "Can you please make us understand?"

Anton had his head bowed to the ground, he couldn't bring himself to look at Jorge in the eyes. He had betrayed his best friend and it had come to haunt him.

"It's true," he said... "What's true?* Jorge said... confusion written all over his face.

"I am having an affair with Susan" Anton replied

"You're what?" Jorge replied... The confusion on his face had been replaced with anger and he was trembling all over.

"Tell me you're joking amigos," he said as he smile wryly. "Tell me you're joking!" he screamed, struggling to move in Antonio's direction but the chains on his hands and legs hindered him.

"I save your life more than once, I give you a home, I have been with you when everyone else left you for dead, and this is how you pay me?" Jorge asked with tears rolling down his eyes...

"I'm so sorry amigos, I don't know how this happened", Anton said, trying to plead with Jorge.

"It's too late to apologize right now," Jorge retorted.

" Awwwwnnn!, so touching". The Reckoner said mocking them.

"Ordinarily we should be on our way to Tenerife right now, but the Barons have instructed that you guys be handled a little differently before your souls are cleansed by fire. The Barons want to make an example of you both, so everyone in the league would be guided".

"The Barons have given you the opportunity to atone for your mistakes, and if possible, avoid death. Though that's highly unlikely".

"Your road to redemption will be in two parts... In about 15 minutes, the digital locks on your chains will open and you will be free, but not to walk free."

" You will be required to face each other in a fight to the death. And with the new. revelations, I believe you boys would have a lovely time"

.All weapons and ammunition you may need are on the far left and right-hand sides of this room, feel free to use them at will".

"The second phase of your redemption lies on the other side of this door. And don't even think of trying to work together to get out of this. You would be executed instantly!"

"Any questions?" She asked as she got up from her seat.

Antonio and Jorge just sat there in silence staring at her.

"Just one question" Jorge cut in... "What have you done with Susan?"

"Oh! Susan? If you guys are as good as your reputation says, one of you will join her soon!" The Reckoner replied and then let out a hysterical laugh as she walked out of the room. The four men in black followed her out of the room and the door was shut.

Susan was dead! Silence filled the room as neither of them could bring themselves to say a word. They just sat there awaiting the moment they would have to face each other.

00:05, 00:04, 00:03, 00:02, 00:01, 00:00!

The chains fell off but no man moved a muscle, the news about Susans' death had sucked the life out of them. "I'm not going to fight you, Bro," Anton said, breaking the silence... Jorge remained silent.

Suddenly Jorge got up and ran to the table on the right side of the room. Picked up a pistol from the table, turned towards Antonio, and said... "I'm sorry bro..." Pointed to pistol to his head and pulled the trigger.