Hunt Down Rose

Chapter 6: Shattered Memories (Part VII)

“This is everything correct?” I asked

“Yes. You know what to do with it afterwards. For now, it’s the only thing that we can provide. Do contact me if you find anything else regarding the syndicate. I’ll see what we can do on our part.” When it comes to information such as this, it is a given to destroy any form of evidence as soon as the job is done. It’s one of the protocols established when I went to military training under the Joint Covert Ops of the South East.

“Understood sir!” I replied with a straight face.

Alecia went forward, said hi to her father and spoke, “I’ll be staying for a few more days or probably a week. I’ll return as soon as I finished my business here!”

Josef stared at her daughter’s gestures even though I’m literally beside Alecia acting all cuddly towards me, “If that’s how you see it, so be it. Just don’t make your mother worry… We both know how angry she is under such circumstances.”     

We wrapped up everything after I received the folder from them. They thanked me for the hospitality as they left my house (FINALLY!) without a single trace of noise.

“I’ll visit you soon Thomas,” Alecia said, biting her lips while holding an umbrella. Giving me one last kiss on the cheek before going away, she went inside the vehicle like a real VIP. I stood from my location like a statue.

“That was something…” Grimnoir said, and I agree that it is indeed something I didn’t expect to happen.

More importantly, the drug she administered to me is potent. She is indeed dangerous considering her intentions are off the roof. If I want to survive our next encounter, I need to think of ways to counteract the effects of the drug regardless if it’s in liquid form or not. These

I quickly took a blood sample from my left arm and placed it in a tube vial with a rubber seal. I asked one of my most entrusted laboratories to conduct a thorough analysis of the chemical components in my blood. Within twenty minutes, an employee from the facility came and knocked on my door, asking for the sample. I gave it to him along with the exact instructions on a piece of paper to be followed by the chemist in charge. I’ll have to wait for the results within a few days.

Washing my face, I brushed my teeth, did mouth wash, and wore casual clothes with some musk—just a shirt and rubber shoes with tracksuit pants for mobility. I brought a knife concealed on my waist for self-defense, and a taser gun inside my sports sling bag. I wore a rain coat and took my motorcycle bound for Elise and Sabie’s location.

While in the middle of travelling I told my psychiatrist to let the remaining bodyguards leave except him. Since I’m on my way, there’s no need to overcomplicate things given the stress both the girls experienced surrounding men. Besides, my Psychiatrist Corazon is more than enough to handle any sort of threat whatsoever.

I arrived in front of the villa gates with my Psychiatrist opening it for me. I parked it to the side of the house and entered, seeing that all of the lights are off. Corazon told me that Sabie and Elise are inside the master’s bedroom. I went and knocked consecutively, waiting for them to respond. Suddenly the door opened, with Sabie peeking through the cracks.

She immediately called Elise who appears to be lying down in the bed, wrapped around in pillows and blankets. Elise emerged out of it and hurriedly went out to see me.

“Y-you’re back!” She said, teary eyed while holding my face. Touching every part of it from my eyes, nose and lips. It’s only been several hours but it almost felt like a lifetime.

Elise is wearing my shirt and khaki shorts, something that Sabie is also wearing since it’s the only thing available for them inside the cabinets.

I held one of her hands tight and replied, “Yes I am… You’ll be safe from now on. I’ll have someone look after you-“

She shook her head no before I could finish another word, “I don’t need them… Just promise me that you will stay, please…”

 Corazon intervened and spoke, “Sire, it won’t take long before her service arrives here.”

“I understand…” I replied to him. Elise is looking at me, confused with what’s happening.

“What did you do?” Elise asked.

“Galvez must’ve contacted your parents and told them where you are. I just followed up and had my psychiatrist handle the rest of the matters to ensure you are safe… I’m sorry, but I cannot stay with you for too long… I have a case to solve… I only visited to see how you are…”

“Why Thomas… Are these people worth everything?” Elise is tearing up while saying those words, looking at me like I’m some sort of unreadable page.

“I-it’s not that... Its work and you should understand by now what the nature of my environment is Elise.” I replied, trying to wipe her tears using my handkerchief.

“When will you stay?”

I felt uncomfortable with her, as she tried to press those questions further. I went out and she followed me under the pouring rain. Sabie tried to stop her but Elise seems to have her own resolve fixed in confronting me.

“Why can’t you answer me Thomas!?”

“It’s because…”

“Because what?!”

“I… I can’t be with you Elise…” I’m sorry… I’m really, really sorry… I don’t have a choice… I would love to be normal but I can’t…

“What are you saying? You don’t make any sense Thomas!”

“Everything that happened to you is my fault… It’s my fault I was late in helping you, it was my fault that I left you alone there… It would be better for you to look for somebody normal, to live a peaceful life Elise…”

“I don’t want that BS! So can you please cut it out?! Please, Thomas… Stop it!” I did it… I made her cry like the bastard that I am.

I went close to her and tried to hug her but she punched me away. It was that moment that she saw my bullet marks on my body. Since it was an improvised surgery, the wound isn’t intact. Blood could be seen through my shirt as she gasped in my current state.

“T-this… You need to go to a hospital…” She is panicking so I hugged her amidst the pain.

“I’m fine… A thousand bullets don’t weigh as much as to see you cry because of me…”

“I don’ want you to leave…”

“It’s not my choice Elise… From where I am, I’m still nothing… I can only protect you in my own ways but other than that there’s nothing left for me…”

“How long would it take you?” Elise said, looking at me with honest eyes.

“I’m not sure… But I’ll do whatever it take so that I can return… If you think it’s too long, you can look for someone else along the way…”

“Stop saying those things Thomas, Please!” I let her go and moved backwards watcher her get her emotions together.

“Will you promise me?” Elise asked.

“Promise what?”

“Will you take care of yourself from now on? Will you return and be happy? Will you be able to smile and feel again after all of this?”

Those questions struck me more than any weapon I've encountered. I remained stationary, paralyzed upon thinking of a right answer. It’s not that complicated, doesn’t even require research yet a simple yes or no is difficult to throw.

The only words that I could say that time were, “I’m sorry…”

I turned around and wore my helmet, riding my motorcycle carrying the biggest regret I’ve made since my existence. Elise was standing in the middle of the rain, being comforted by Sabie who is also crying alongside her. Before I left the villa, I saw Elise’s eyes completely empty of emotion, staring into nothingness as if the entire world that she has was broken and shattered into pieces.

“It’s for the best…” I said to myself as I fixed my destination towards the crypt for tomorrow’s endeavors.

Upon arriving at the crypt, the coldness of the place no longer concerns me. My breath were as dense as a piper’s smoke as the rain water on my body almost froze into ice, making my movements unbearable. Passing through the rooms, I can see Grimnoir looking at me with uttermost concern.

“You can no longer break what is already broken it seems.” Grimnoir said, walking the same pace as I am.

Realizing what his words meant, I suddenly burst into a state of laughter. Trying to get a hold myself as I was reaching for the crypt doors. I immediately removed all of my clothes after closing the entrance to the crypt, allowing myself to bask in my own insanity.

I sat down on my dental chair, crying, while laughing, knowing what I’ve done and what I will do in the near future. My laughter echoed all over the room to the point that it sounds like I’m being mocked. My screams and tears are all bouncing right back at me, similar to the sensation of being hit by a baseball bat.

It’s interesting how miserable I am amidst everything given to me. Laughter out of all things considered is the only thing keeping me intact in this scenario. The worst part of it all was that I realized, after all this time apart from Grimnoir—I wasn’t the only one laughing…

(End of Chapter)