Hunt Down Rose

Chapter 6: Shattered Memories (Part III)

Policemen were already stationed quietly outside of the ballroom doors. The access to the security cameras was already turned down and only the security personnel were able to check the status of everybody. As a straight order from Galvez, I was also given direct access to the cameras for planning. Assessing the situation, there are four armed men inside with the remaining three missing in action. 

Checking the rooms further, it appears that one of the cameras are blacked out. Security says that it is an office somewhere on the western side of the ballroom. There’s no way in except going through the ballroom itself.

More importantly, there are two dead bodies in the middle of the ballroom. One appears to be the body of a security guard, one the body of a waiter. Their corpses were showered with bullets, bathing in their own blood.

So far, all of the hostages are intact, however, I’m seeing s****l harassment going on. Some of the female participants were forced to play a strip game with guns pointed on their heads. The other hostage taker pulled his pants down and started shooting the ceilings, asking one of the women to come near him for service.

Suddenly, the b***h named Maria pushed Elise forward, throwing her off to the sights of these scoundrels. A man near the girl pulled Maria back to make sure she’s safe, hiding her behind the crowd. Sabie went to Elise’s location to help her stand up. However, the naked bastard saw both of them. Sabie was forcefully dragged by the hair by another hostage-taker, pointing his gun at her legs. Elise is being coerced to suck the man’s p***s or something bad will happen to Sabie. The other hostages are delaying the situation by asking them if they want anything else.

It was at that point I decided to play a little game with them. I asked one of the security personnel to wear one of the balaclavas of the guys in order to pretend he’s one of the hostage-takers. Since there hasn’t been much movement yet, they expect that everything is still fine outside. This is a good opportunity to sweep the room. I quickly took some blood on the stairs and painted the side of my cheeks and temples, making it seem like I’ve been struck and dizzy (p.s. I used the blood from the shot down corpses at the stairs).

I pretended to be one of the hostages that came out. My hands are on my back, however, I have my Five Seven and a Glock fully loaded. The security personnel wearing the balaclava knocked continuously until one of the hostage-takers opened it. The police went to the sides waiting, making sure that they are out of the hostage taker’s line of sight. “What the f**k is going on?!” The man shouted. From his breath alone I can trace some chemical scent and powder marks on his nose. He won’t be able to distinguish friend or foe given his “high” state.

The security personnel told him that they missed another person on the bathroom, pushing me inside and giving me a clear view of my surroundings. As soon as he grabbed me on my left arm, I pointed the gun straight in the hostage-takers’ head, blew it up like a ruptured tomato before shooting the man with his pants down.

I immediately pointed my gun towards another hostage-taker way at the back. Before he could grab a person to use as a shield, I shot him a couple of times in the body, with the rest of the hostages pinning him down with their bodies.

The security personnel used the AK-47su to shoot the last guy on the eastern side, wrapping everything up in the room.

The rest of the operatives went inside to secure the perimeter and to help the victims while I hurriedly went to Sabie and Elise’s location. It was a disheartening sight to see… Elise was curled up like a ball, covering her upper body while crying. Her clothes were partially torn near her waist and her sash is almost pulled out. Her sports underwear seems to have a tear on the right side. Thankfully, it is still able to keep its shape and has fulfilled its purpose in protecting her private part. In terms of injuries, she has a bruise on her shoulder, a few cuts on her legs, and swollen ankles from being tripped.

I helped Sabie sit down and she is also crying seeing Elise in such a miserable state.

I approached Elise and tapped her shoulder. She began to wriggle off any form of contact, “shouting stay way!” with her eyes closed due to trauma. She grabbed her sash and covered her private parts by tightening her fetal position further to the point that it broke me just by seeing her like this…

I went closer, kneeling down to carry her upper body on my arm, “Hey, it’s me… You’re safe now…” I calmly said to her, as she slowly opened her eyes, seeing my face under the silhouette of the chandeliers.

Elise hurriedly got on her knees and lunged at me withstanding the pain on her feet. Hugging me tight in fear, crying, and burying herself deep in my chest. I held her close in my arms as I dropped both my guns on the floor to feel her warmth. Sabie went close to us, also hugging Elise to make her feel she’s safe too.

After ten minutes, she is still crying but it seems that she has calmed down. I asked Sabie to take over for a bit since I’ll be dealing with the b***h responsible for all of this…

I stood up with my eyes bloodshot, carrying a handgun on my right hand. I scanned the ballroom and saw Maria being interviewed by one of the Police. I went to her location, intervened with their discussion, and slapped her hard with the back of my left hand, forcing her to drop on the floor hurting like a salted worm.

Trying to regain her posture, she spat blood on the floor, with tears falling on her eyes due to intense pain.

Suddenly the same man that pulled her away which I presume would be her boyfriend, went up to me and decided to throw a punch. I smacked his temple with the stock of my handgun, knocking him on the floor almost unconscious.

“Why the f**k would you hurt me?! Are you f*****g gay?!” Maria shouted, trying to regain herself from that humiliating slap.

The officers tried to stop me but these people are from the NBI headquarters. They know exactly who I am and what I do. Maria tried to move away in confusion as to why I’m not being stopped.

I reached out to her, and grabbed her by the hair and whispered, “I have evidence in regards to what you did to Elise… You pushed her just to justify your petty ego…” I pointed my hand towards the camera, telling her that I have everything I need to pin her down permanently.

“I’ll make sure to see you behind bars…” I added, letting her go. The look on Maria's face was a combination of Dread, pain, and fear. It was something that made me smile as I left her sights, satisfied yet lacking since I won’t be pleased unless I see her writhe in prison. I went back to Elise and Sabie’s location to see what’s going on. Apparently, both of them are being treated for their wounds. Elise was given a towel to cover herself up. I smiled at her, and she smiled back, encouraged with my efforts to keep her sane.

Elise won’t let go of my hand as her legs were being treated by a female doctor that just arrived. I tried using my handkerchief and a water bottle to clear Elise’s face from her ruined makeup. Even though she used a mild eyeliner, it seems to be irritating her eyes due to its waterproof feature. She buried herself once again in my chest as I was cleaning her face. This is the least that I could do for her. All this strength and yet, I can't prevent this scene from happening…

Out of nowhere, my cellphone suddenly rang. I wore my earpiece and answered the call. Checking who is on the other line, it appears to be Galvez rustling a bunch of papers on his table.

“What are you calling me for?” I asked while Elise is fixated on my chest.

Galvez took a deep breath, “We got a problem…”

“I think I have an idea… We are missing three men right now, along with the silver-haired girl,” I replied to him, noticing how weird the turn of events ended.

It seems to me that their real goal was to kidnap the host. As soon as the police slammed the office on the left-wing, the criminals were nowhere to be found except a small door that was found behind a shelf. We don’t know where it leads however, it suggests that they’ve already escaped the scene during the commotion at the ballroom.

“You got that right… That girl was the daughter of the Russian president. Her name is Alecia Purchinov. She’s a political student and has been visiting the country for vacation. But the worst part of it is that we just got a call from her father telling us to send the best unit that we have…”

“So you told him that you would send me…” I know that he could sense my anger. Elise needs me more than anyone right now and this is a bad spot for me to be summoned…

“You and I know we have no choice Thomas… I’ll give you everything that you need as long as you can bring her back safely… The president is also willing to do the same for you…”

The only thing I could do now is to make sure Elise and Sabie are safe from all of this. “I want you to call my Psychiatrist, and tell him to bring several men with him. They need to escort two people in my place.”

“What place are you talking about? You have a lot of safe houses as far as I’m concerned!”

“The one in Antipolo… Please make sure nothing bad happens to them, I hope you understand what my emphasis means Galvez…”

After a few seconds of pausing, “I get it… Consider it done…” He went off after saying those words.

“Y-you’re leaving again?…” Elise asked, clenching hard on my shirt as if she never wants to let go. She is still sobbing due to her injuries but I can sense it is far more than that.

Sabie went close to Elise holding her shoulders, “He needs to do his work Sweety… We have to stay strong for him for later okay?   

(To Be Continued)