Hunt Down Rose

Chapter 6: Shattered Memories (Part V)

I went out as soon as the rest of the medical team ushered assistance. I drove towards my apartment in Marikina to get a fresh set of clothes. It was only then that I realized, I have a bullet mark on the lower left of my body. I didn’t notice it until I removed my clothes probably due to the color of my long sleeve and the adrenaline going on. I hurriedly took a bath and prepared my suture kit, making sure that everything is closed up before meeting Elise and Sabie.

The crossbow was stored on one of the duffle bags that I have and the bolts were placed in a tight container to make sure it is safe. I grabbed an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) on one of the cabinets and munched my way while looking at the news. 

As expected, the media went ham on the hostage-taking while chasing the specifics of what transpired during the chase. However, as soon as they approached the Montero on one of the checkpoints, only one person was apprehended. According to the police, he was brought to the national police for further questioning/interrogation.

Wearing my clothes, a call suddenly went up from Galvez. I picked it up while stirring a fresh cup of coffee on my table. “What’s up? I cleared the trash for you, what is it now?”

“Err…” Galvez seems hesitant, usually not a good sign…

“Spill it out Galvez! I’ve been annoyed more than enough this day, don’t add more to the scene…” 

“I’ll be brief. Alecia Purchinov wants to meet you urgently, along with the president who would like to thank you through video chat.”

“Why can’t they chat me on my phone right now?”

“They want it to be formal…” This is why I hate going to social events for the last ten f*****g years! I want to say now but I’ve been in this situation many times before. The only thing that I can do as of now is to follow and make it quick.

“Where the f**k is this meeting?!”

“They said they will be the one to visit you…” Visit me?

“Where would they visit?”

“From where you are right now…” As soon as Galvez finished his words, I hear a doorbell on my gate.

I quickly wore a shirt with a gun at my back as I went outside to check who it is. Before I could even assess the situation, two black hummers were parked in front of the sidewalk. I opened the gates for them and there, Alecia is dressed casually, surrounded by a pack of guards wearing tuxedos. From the looks of it, they are all foreign, probably Russian if I would be specific.

Alecia is swaying, trying to make me notice her strapless white summer dress and lavender-scented wavy hair. For someone who was kidnapped an hour ago, her energy is amusingly deceptive.

She smiled at me, trying to make herself look cute under the cool weather. “May I go in?” She asked, trying to peek behind me to see what’s going on.

“Why should I let you?” I said to her. Out of nowhere her bodyguards intervened and forced their entrance.

I got pissed off because of their rudeness and kicked them on their shins with my bare feet, throwing them off the ground. The rest of the goons followed as I lunged forward, heading towards the fire.

“Stop it!” Alecia shouted. She scolded her bodyguards in Russian as they backed off like puppies.

“This is important Thomas, and I think it can help you with the case you are working on. So will you please let this beautiful girl inside?” She is really pushing my patience to the limit…

“Fine, but make t quick…” I gave up and finally let her inside. The rest of them were instructed to standby except this big dude wearing a gas mask that came along with us in the house.

Alecia sat down on the sofa with her legs crossed, carefully looking at the bland living room while humming.

I, on the other hand, prepared two mugs, a pot containing hot water, instant coffee sachets, and some tea bags. I placed all of it on the table in front of Alecia for the sake of hospitality, even though I resent their presence. 

“It seems like you’re not a fan of decorations,” Alecia said, as I sat on the sofa opposite to her.

 “This is just another one of those places where I sleep, rest, and eat. I won’t spend so much time investing over something as fickle as ‘decoration’,” I replied to her.

“So tell me what’s going on… That’s what you’re here for right?” I added, trying to squeeze the info as fast as possible.

“My oh my, no need to be in a hurry Thomas. Well, to ease your curiosity let’s say that I have information regarding the drug that you’re trying to chase after.”

Something twitched in my body as I slammed my hand on the tables. Her bodyguard went in between and radiated a menacing aura as he held my hand to stop me from raising my hand.

“Looks like your pet got something to say,” I said to her as I quickly did a push kick on his liver, knocking him on the walls. The impact almost made a dent on the concrete.

I told Grimnoir to help me control my adrenaline for the next series of attacks. Waiting for the masked punk to make his move, Alecia is busy stirring herself a cup of coffee while we are at it fighting.

The masked man stood up and tried to deliver a right punch to my face. I returned the favor by using my elbows to block his punch, however, it’s a miscalculation on my part since this guy is inhumanely strong. His punch amidst being blocked, launched me off the ground and onto the kitchen before connecting with a left punch while I was mid-air.

It was at that point that Grimnoir and I was able to agree on taking this punk down. At the snap of a finger, my senses were heightened, my muscles were all engaged, and my pain sensors are partially numbed. I parried his punch with a right downward elbow, literally breaking his wrist.

Out of nowhere, Alecia spoke in Russian, telling the man to go out of the house and await for orders. Our fight was put to a halt as the man walked away immediately like nothing happened.

“You didn’t have to go at him you know,” Alecia said, sipping from her cup.

“Whose fault do you think is that?” I replied as I went back to my seat, trying to get a hold of my limbs from that exchange.

“I know, I know…. However, I’m serious when I said I have the information you want.”

She placed her cup on the table and stood up, going to my location. From there she pounced on top of me and gave me a French kiss, throwing me off guard as I was pinned to the sofa, wrapping her tongue around mine as she held my head close using both her arms. I tried to pull away but the strength of the brute a while ago made my arms weak. I suddenly felt that something entered my throat and I quickly pulled her away, trying to spit it out but it dissolved as soon as it entered my mouth.

“What the f**k was that?!” I asked as I held her shoulders tightly with my hands.

“It’s your kryptonite Thomas.” Kryptonite? I asked myself as I slowly felt my muscles getting weak.

“This is going to be a long story that’s why I want it to be as intimate as possible,” Alecia replied looking around the place. She stood up for a bit and locked the doors and windows, making sure that nobody would peak outside.

She lowered her dress for a few centimeters, showing a small portion of her chest as she went back on top of me. Her face is all red and her breathing is loud and uncontrollable. I’m trying to shove her aside the sofa but whatever it is that she pushed inside my mouth, it made my body useless. Alecia went closer, to the point that our foreheads touch.

“You must be wondering why you can’t move your body correct? Well, well my love that pill is actually based on the Neuro project before.”

Even though my body is paralyzed, I can still speak, “How much do you know about that?”

“Not much, if I would be honest our government is still curious about the technology surrounding that. Most of our efforts are based on what we understand about Nikolai’s physiology.”

“Who the f**k is Nikolai?”

“You just exchanged blows with him. So yes, he’s Nikolai, one of the survivors just like you.”

My blood is boiling but my body is stiff as a statue. I want to strangle her myself but I’m unable to do anything about it. “He’s a survivor…” I said to myself. From what I remember there are only a handful of survivors from the experiment, if he is one of those, I am certain there's something or somebody inside his head just like mine.

(To Be Continued)