THE WATCHMAN

Before the storm

The following day Gwen checked Antonio out of the hospital and they continued on their journey.

"Where are we going?" Antonio asked.

" We are going somewhere safe, where no one will be able to find us". Gwen replied.

As they passed by another hospital Antonio suddenly began to jerk behind her, and almost fell off the bike. Gwen held the brakes, bringing the bike to a halt so he wouldn't fall off.

Antonio looked dazed and was shaking his head to regain himself.

"What just happened Antonio?" Gwen asked with a worried look on her face.

" I have no idea". Antonio replied weakly.

"My head just feels woozy, and I also had a flash in my brain. I saw different pictures flash in my head. Antonio said.

"Could it be your memories from the past?" Gwen asked enthusiastically.

"Maybe, but I don't seem to recognize any of the faces I saw". Antonio replied.

" I guess we should hold on with our journey for the meantime, to allow ample time to recover. Gwen said.

"We should look for a nice hidden motel, where those men will not be able to find you". Gwen suggested.

"Actually I feel very fine," Antonio said.

"Even the pain on my abdomen has seriously subsided. What kind of painkillers did they give me at that hospital you took me to?" Antonio asked her.

"How am I to know?" Gwen asked with a little giggle. "It's probably nothing special, they just did the usual". She replied casually as she continued the journey.

"Well, they're working wonders and I feel almost no pain anymore!" Antonio said.

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

For a moment, Susan stood there frozen in shock, at the sight of Becky the reckoner.

Then as if possessed by a demon she charged at her, ramming her into the wall.

Becky was taken unawares by Susan's sudden attack on her so she didn't have time to prepare herself for the blow.

He head was rammed into the wall and she began to bleed from the head.

Susan claimed on top of her and began to punch her in the face. Becky used her arms to block as many punches as she could while trying to regain control of her senses.

Becky managed to flip Susan over but rather than retaliate, she go up and tried to run, but Susan wouldn't let her.

" Susan, please wait, let me explain, "Becky said as she tried to calm Susan down, but Susan was in no mood to listen to anything.

Susan managed to get her hands on one of the chords of the medical appliances. She pulled it out of the wall and wrapped it around Becky's neck, somersaulted over Becky, and dragged the chord, thereby strangling Becky to death.

Becky struggled as she gasped for breath. Becky was almost passing out when she heard Orahas voice scream. "Susan! What are you doing? What has come over you?

Susan immediately let go of the wire leaving Becky to drop to the ground, gasping for breath.

Jose Reyna rushed to her side to check on her.

"Becky are you okay?" He asked.

"What has come over you, Susan?" Jose Reyna asked in rage.

"What is eating you up on the inside that you are not telling us? Minutes ago you stormed out of the hospital and disappeared into thin air... Next, you are about to murder my daughter before my eyes!" Jose Reyna dimmed at Susan.

"Your daughter?" Susan asked in shock

"This lady is a heartless soul! I've known her for childhood and I know her family! How can she be your daughter?" Susan asked

"There are so many things you do not know my dear Susan," Jose Reyna replied.

"But she tried to kill Antonio and Reno Jorge, and she's responsible for many other despicable acts and you still chose to accept her as your daughter?" Susan asked

"We know all this, but she still is his daughter! What matters is that she is on our side now". The Oraha said.

"Hahaha!" Susan laughed hysterically.

" Becky the reckoner on our side? You have got to be kidding me. This lady is a snake! You don't know her! Do not believe any word that comes out from her mouth!" Susan warned them.

"Well, we choose to believe her and she has done nothing to prove us wrong. The Oraha replied. "Even my son Antonio was once a cold-blooded killer and you still loved him that way and believe her could change. And he did, didn't her?" The Oraha asked.

"Antonios' case was different! Susan said, trying to justify her claims.

"No, it was not. The Oraha retorted.

"Where did you go? And why was your room empty? You had me scared to death!" Susan said to The Oraha.

"It was moved as a security measure, since you suddenly disappeared we didn't know if there was an ongoing attack on us. We had to hide and make sure that nothing was wrong". The Oraha replied.

He turned towards Becky, who had regained her consciousness and was breathing better, and asked... "How are you feeling dear?"

"I'm fine" Becky replied as she massaged her neck. The lines of the electric cable which Susan used to strangle her were visibly showing on her neck.

"Susan," Becky called out to her. "There's someone I believe you would be glad to meet and is also eager to see you. That's what I was trying to explain to you".

"And who could that be?" Susan asked in her heart.

Jose Reyna turned to look down the hall and Camilla and Antonio Jr emerged at the far end walking hand-in-hand with her.

"Junior!" Susan and exclaimed as she broke down in tears and ran towards the young child.

Antonio let go of Camilla's grip and ran towards his mother. They met in a warm embrace with Susan falling to her knees crying tears of joy she held him so tight.

"I'm so sorry Junior", Suzanne said to him. "I will never let you go again! I will never let you out of my sight! I promise you that!" She said as tears streamed down her eyes.

She picked up her child and walked back to the spot where Becky was seated on the floor along with Jose Reyna who was squatted beside her.

"Thank you!" She whispered to Becky, who nodded in agreement.

"I also guess an apology from me to you would be the correct thing to do. I'm really sorry I attacked you. Please forgive me and anyway I can make things better I am willing to do it". Susan said.

"It's okay", Becky replied. "I understand your angry reaction. I'm just glad you're back with your boy".

" So what happened to you?" The Oraha asked.

"Where did you go to that Camilla could not find you?"

Susan was dumbfounded, she didn't know what to say and she didn't want to tell him about her assignments back here on earth because she would have to let him know that she would die very soon.

" I just needed to cool off so I hid somewhere she lied.

"I'm sorry I caused so much panic, but how come you're on your feet?" She asked looking at The Oraha in surprise.

" I'm surprised myself!" He said smiling back at her.

"Things are changing, I think my body is recovering faster than it should. The gunshot wound doesn't hurt anymore! Something is definitely going on beyond the normal" The Oraha said.

Let's get out of here as soon as possible, we are beginning to draw attention to ourselves. Jose Reyna cut in.

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

Lord Murillo and Ricardo Pereira checked out of the hotel,l and moved to a secret hideout in the outskirts of Berlin.

It was an old warehouse the league of Watchmen used to run their operations from and it has been deserted for some time now.

All the allegiant Watchmen in Germany were summoned to meet him there and by the time he got the place was brimming with activity.

Immediately Lord Murillos' vehicle drove into the warehouse, everyone stood at attention.

He stepped out of the car and walked straight into his office which was already prepared for him beforehand.

After he had shut the door, everyone resumed their normal activities. After a while, an announcement was made for all the Watchmen to gather together so they could be addressed by the Baron General.

But to their utter amazement, it was Ricardo Pereira who walked out of the office.

"There were murmurings of discontent among the Watchmen as Ricardo Pereira stood before them, but none of them voiced it out at that moment.

" Greetings, fellow Watchmen. I bring you word from the great Baron general, Lord Murillo".

"We are in dire times indeed, and a great evil threatens to ruin the fabric of our League. We cannot sit and let the name of the league be rubbed in the mud, we cannot let our legacy be brought to bought!"

"Which is why you have all been summoned here today.

!"

"All your training, all the lessons you have learned had brought you to this point today. To fight for what you believe in and fight for the future of your children".

"Make no mistakes, we are going for war!" Ricardo declared.

" Prepare yourselves, lay with your wives and lovers, bid farewell to your families because this might be the last time they would lay eyes on you".

"The time has come to fight for the League of Watchmen!" He concluded.

"But you are not a watchman!" A voice screamed from inside the crowd. "You are a timekeeper, an enemy of the league! What makes you feel you can come here and begin to give orders? Who gave you the powers to call us to war?" The voice asked defiantly.

"I did!" A voice replied from behind the crowd.

Everyone turned around to see who it was, and to their amazement, it was Lord Murillo who stood behind them.

None of them had seen him come out of the office, so they were all shocked to see him behind them.

"I gave him the powers to speak for me", Lord Murillo said as he began to walk in between the crowd towards the man who challenged Ricardo Pereira.

"You talk about the right to speak, you talk about the power, you talk about something you know nothing about? Lord Murillo said.

"When the mansion in Bucharest was attacked and I lost my dear wife, which Watchman stayed behind to protect me? Where was your loyalty then? Where was your power? Where was the code of the League at that time?"

And now, you think you can just come and question my decisions? Lord Murillo asked in Anger.

He continued working through the crowd until he stopped in front of the watchman who challenged Ricardo Pereira. The Watchman bowed his head as Lord Murillo stood before him.

His hands were trembling and his knees were wobbling from fear of what Lord Murillo might do to him

. He was a man in his early forties and had been a devoted Watchman for so many years. He was also very respected amongst the League in that region.

"Lift your head and look me in the eye". Lord Murillo ordered him.

He slowly lifted his head to meet Lord Murillo eye to eye.

"What is your name Watchman? Lord Murillo asked.

"Thomas, Sir, the man replied as his lips trembled from fear.

"Hmmm... Philip! Lord Murillo said as he turned and walked away from him.

Philip took in a deep breath on seeing that Lord Murillo had turned away and was walking away. He was expecting to be put to death immediately, but the Fates had smiled on him.

" Our League needs to be wiped clean of every vermin". Lord Murillo continued his speech. We need to let the world know that it's not business as usual, and we need to start by purifying ourselves and that purity omes by the washing by Blood!"

Suddenly he disappeared from their view and reappeared behind Philip. Then Lord Murillo grabbed his head from behind and snapped his neck before he had the chance to react.

The force was so much that everyone heard the breaking of the bones. Blood spilled on those around him, as Lord Murillo almost beheaded him.

Everyone was in shock, as no one was expecting Lord Murillos' actions. None of them had ever seen such a show of gifts and shear strength.

A great fear took over all of them.

" This will be the last time anyone will question my order,s or any order given by someone I have given authority is that clear?" Lord Murillo shouted at the Watchmen.

"Yes sir!" They all replied in chorus.

Lord Murillo silently walked back into his office, followed by Ricardo Pereira.

When Ricardo Pereira had shut the door behind him, Lord Murillo turned around and said... Ricardo, something is happening to me, I feel stronger now than I have ever been!