The Vindication Gents

Chapter 3.24

Kiara Hoffman’s POV

I was grunting as the last thing that I remembered was Charles screaming for my hand before the bombing happened. I felt the fire on my feet before it was all quiet. I don’t know what happened, but it was agony.

I tried to move but I felt hardness against my back. I tried to get up but the burning was still there. Then, I felt it. The rain was pouring cats and dogs on me as I heard thunder a few times. I blinked my eyes as I looked around me.

“What the f**k?” I asked as I was surrounded by tombstones and the statue of the angel was sitting at the far corner of the cemetery. I looked at the tombstone that was in front of me.

‘Here lies Luna Hoffman; a mother, a loving sister and a devoted wife. Rest in peace, my love,’ it stated in German as I was tracing the epithet. I knew where I was now. I was back in Frankfurt, the birth city of my mother, Luna Hoffman.

I grunted as I tried to sit up from lying down on the grave. It was horrendous as I wanted to know what was happening right now. I felt a sharp pain in my head as the pictures were dizzy and blurry. I needed to get to Zurich and find Charles.

I stood up from the tombstone as I saw some people in mourning clothes that were gathering on the far side of the cemetery. Maybe I should approach them and perhaps they would allow me to get to my family in Frankfurt.

“Excuse me? Excuse me?” I asked as I was talking in German to the people that were gathering for the burial. They all took a look at me before the hell was loose. They were shouting before they dispersed from the cemetery. Even the priest was running, holding his hat on with the group before they all disappeared.

I sighed. I didn’t know what to do, but I saw a shining building not far from where I stood right now. It was a church and before I knew it, I was making my way in its direction. I was running to the front door as I was banging on the door. I don’t know what time it was as the cloudy sky was not much help to me.

The door opened as the nun was looking at me. I must be such a hot mess right now as I am huffing and freezing to death out here.

“Dear God, come in, child. You will be freezing to death if this continues,” the nun said as I went inside the church. It was warm and I loved the smell of cooked pastries and bread.

“Here, dry yourself,” the nun gave me a towel to dry myself. I thanked her as I was being ushered to a room that they had assigned for me. There were clean clothes on the bed as I was taking a quick shower and drying myself. I wore nun’s clothing, but it was okay.

“Come, you must eat now,” the same nun asked me to follow her to the kitchen as the other nuns were in their rooms. I thought it was dark now, but I wasn’t so sure.

“Eat, child,” the nun said as I was looking at the hot soup and the bread with cheese. I thanked her as we prayed to our Lord about the food that was on the table.

“Say, what are you doing here late?” She asked as I was sipping on the soup. I was looking at the bread like I was a hungry child. Well, maybe I was, as I was putting some cheese in them and eating it.

“I don’t know. I was lost in this cemetery. I didn’t know where I was until I saw this church,” I said as I was gulping the remaining food and I drank the water like a thirsty sponge.

“My God, are you running away from home?” She inquired until I shook my head as I was putting the glass down. She refilled it as she knew I was thirsty and cold and I wanted to hit the sack, but I just found my way back.

“Where do you live? What’s your name?” She asked as I was sipping on the soup again.

“Hoffman. Kiara Hoffman. I don’t know if you know my family. I think they originated from this city. Frankfurt, is it?” I asked as the nun was smiling at me.

“I haven’t heard any Hoffman anymore. They rarely visit the church anymore, even though their kin was buried here,” she said as I stopped midway with my soup.

“My kin?” I asked, as I knew who it was that she was talking about.

“Yes, Luna Hoffman. Such a nice girl, but the Lord loved her more. She passed away at a very young age. Her daughter did not even know her. She was only five at the time. Still a babe,” she said sadly as I was putting the spoon down.

“That’s sad,” I said before the nun continued.

“I heard the daughter was raised by her great aunt. Clara, if I am not mistaken, but she also died when that girl was about a teenager. It must be tough for her. And her family did not even recognize her. The last time I heard she was in Switzerland,” the nun said as she was looking at me with loving love. I don’t know why I felt like I needed to cry, so I did.

I sobbed and cried until I had nothing in my eyes. I felt like my heart was aching and I was dying like I was on that day again, when my mother had died and my aunt Clara said goodbye forever.

“It’s okay, child. It’s okay. I got you,” the nun said as I was clinging to her. She was soothing me as I was trying to control the sob but failed.

“What should I do?” I asked her as my voice was hoarse after I cried all my heart. My heart even ached when I didn’t even know how to find my way back home. To Switzerland, to Charles.

God, I missed him so much.

The nun asked me to sleep first before we could discuss my return to my family. Unfortunately, she did not know that I did not belong there. I never did with my real family. They thought I was a bad luck charm.

And so, as I have always done since I was a spy, I ran away in the middle of the night as I took out any trace of myself in that church. I went to the kitchen as well to get some supplies for my journey as I went to the city.

I was looking for a familiar place that I once went with my great aunt Clara. I picked the locks in the place before I was hacking into the system. It was the cybercafé that we enjoyed spending our time here. I hacked and booked myself with a ticket back home.

I know what you guys were thinking. Why not teleport back?

The thing about teleportation was that it was limited. I have burned out my use for the day so I have to do it manually. I went to call a cab as well before I went to the airport. It was a quiet night but it was nice and it made me think about a lot of things.

Lots of things, believe me.

I thanked the driver as I gave her some money for the trip before I went to check-in for my flight. I was nervous as it was 4 hours away before my flight. I have to relax before I will be seeing Charles again. I don’t know what will happen. Will he be there? Will he be waiting for me?

“Passengers to Zurich, Switzerland, please board at gate 153, I repeat Passengers to Zurich, Switzerland, please board at gate 153, thank you,” the announcement got me walking to find the gate and board the plane. I was nervous as I was waiting for it to depart.

“Ladies and gentle people, welcome aboard as we will be leaving Frankfurt for Zurich. Please fasten your seatbelt and follow the rules of the cabin crews and safety procedures. Now, we will watch the video before we depart,” the captain said as I was looking outside the window.

I was sighing as the plane started to move. It was a hell of a ride. The anticipation, the nervousness and the feelings of being there were consuming me. I gulped before I put on the headphones and I fell asleep the whole journey.

Charles Debrun’s POV

I forced my hands to get out of bed and went to Zurich as soon as possible. I don’t know why, but my feelings told me that I needed to get there as quickly as possible. But the boss disagreed with me.

“You can’t even move your f*****g foot. You think I will let you go to Zurich in your condition?” he barked at me as I was rolling my eyes at him.

“Kiara needs me. And I knew in my gut that she knew about me in Zurich. Why can’t you let me go there?” I asked him as I was trying to convince him one last time. The boss grunted dismissively as he was showing all of me.

“You are in no condition to make any demand. Now go to sleep and forget all about this dream of travelling to Zurich.”

“But—“

“No buts and I will see you at lunch,” the Boss said, as the nurse came in to help me to eat my breakfast. I could even stomach the food if I knew that Kiara was out there, not safe and I think I had to make sure that she was.

Has she eaten? Was she cold? Was she by the warm fire just as I was?

I sighed before I was looking at the breakfast as I was eyeing the food. I felt something in my stomach before I excused myself to the toilet. My head was inside the toilet bowl at dinner last night. I don’t feel good as much as I thought. I needed to get to Kiara as I was leaning against the tiles.

“Kiara,” I whispered before I was closing my eyes inside the bathroom of the room that I was confined to.

I did not know how long I had been inside the bathroom. It was peace as I was leaning against the tiles. I had to make sure that when I was there at lunchtime. I tried to sit up but my back was hurting. It must be because I was learning for a very long time.

“Charles?” Kiara’s imaginary voice was feeling my head. I smiled as I smelled her nice scent that caught my nostrils.

“Charles, wake up,” that voice called to me again. I hummed in approval before small hands were caressing my cheeks.

“Charles, open your eyes,” it stated before I slowly opened my eyes. It was difficult but I had to do it. And when I did, I was met by two beautiful blue eyes that I had been wanting to look at for the last few days.

“Kiara?” I asked as I was trying to get up before I moaned out of pain.

“Shh, it’s fine. I’m here. I’m here,” Kiara said before she hugged me as I nuzzled her neck, inhaling her sweet scent.

Finally, I was truly home.