51: Escaped Pain

"When? Hey, you are not asking me for a date, right?"

If Talia was just in her mood, she would be laughing right now because of the remark she heard from Hanz whom she thought was her friend and can be trusted after all. She still can not grasp the fact that he want her parents dead. For what, though? What is it for him? What can he get and can give?

"No, silly," Talia forced a chuckle. "I just want to talk to you if it is just fine."

"Talk about?" Hanz's brows creased on the other hand, curious about the topic they would be talking about. But anyway, Talia can not tell about it to him yet. That is why she is asking him out outside and good thing he did not refuse.

"You fine?" Kiel asked her when Talia sat, sighing and was like none of herself. He walked near her and massaged her shoulders. No one talked for a second until Kiel cut it off. "When would you see him? I will bring you in the rendezvous place and watch over the two of you."

"Watch, huh?" she hissed and groaned a little. "Don't you trust me, Kiel? I will not hurt him –"

"He might hurt you," Kiel said. "I am watching over him, Talia. Hanz would not hesitate to hurt someone that knows what he did and who he is."

"Even if I am me?" Talia was in disbelief. Now she knows what really is Hanz. She already expect him to be not too good but she did not expect him to be so much bad as well.

"We will see about that." Kiel shrugged his shoulders off and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Talia changed her clothes and prepared herself for the take off. She is kind of excited to finally meet Hanz after knowing that he was the one who want her parents dead. Excited and thrilled at one time.

After minutes of driving, Kiel stopped the car in front of a restaurant. He cannot believe that they choose this place when they are to talk about crimes and death. They might cause trouble to anybody.

"Good luck," Kiel told Talia before she get inside. She just waved her hands at him and roamed her eyes around to see Hanz. A crew then went near her to guide her to the table where Hanz is already waiting,

"Good to see you," Hanz said and stood up as a welcome. He smiled at her while Talia on the other hand just nod her head. Then, she sat in front of him, a bit sighing in subtlety. "Whoa, that was kind of awkward."

"Sorry," she muttered and forced a chuckle. "It was just that I am thinking of something. So, you already ordered?"

Hanz nodded. "Yes." From Hanz's eyes to Talia, it pass through out of the walls of restaurant and his eyes darted to Kiel's car. His lips then slowly formed a smirk. "He is here?"

Talia looked at what he is looking and wagged her head. "Yes, any problem?"

"Why did not you invite him here?"

"He does not want to. He has something to do in his car though," she simply said. "Anyway, I should get to the point."

Hanz grinned. "Yes, you should. So, what is the reason you asked me around?"

She gulped first so she would not stammer nor stutter. "I want you to be honest, Hanz."

"Maybe we should wait for the order?" He seemed like diverting the topic. Yet, Talia did not mind his words. She does not care anymore. She is here for asking the truth and reason.

"It was that Cage told me something," she said and squinted her eyes to Hanz. He raised his left eyebrows, getting his interest in to what she said. "You pay him to kill my parents, is not it?"

Hanz stopped for a moment, then he bit his lower lip. "I want someone dead for a reason, Talia."

"So, you are admitting that you are the one who want them dead?" her voice almost broke. Then Hanz nodded his head, agreeing. It pains her that he did not hesitate to show to her that he really is the one who want her parents dead. "Why, Hanz? Tell me why."

Their order came but they did not bother to touch it and give a try to the food. They keep on staring at each other with intensity, now close to hurting each other but of course, they would not cause chaos in this restaurant.

"You are asking me why?" said Hanz. "They killed Kiel's fiancée."

Talia bit her lower lip in disbelief and looked down at her hands. She knew about that before when she is investigating with Mister Deguzman and Zed who turned her around – but she did not know that that is true. That her parents killed her boyfriend's fiancée.

"Kiel was doing nothing, Talia. He is hurt but he does not want revenge. Also my family, like they does not care. I am just the one who is wanting to give her justice. And that's it, I ended up killing your parents," Hanz said like it was just nothing but his were showing otherwise. Regret and sorry crept in his eyes and that is what Talia saw.

"You regret about it?" she now asked, voice were a bit sarcastic. "Did you, Hanz?"

"A little," he admitted. "A part of me is thankful I did that because I did gave her justice. On the other hand, I am sorry for your loss."

"You know what? I have no knowledge why my parents killed his fiancée. Can you even tell me for my peace?"

"It is a long story, Talia."

"Still, tell me."

"They are related," Hanz give it up. "They have quarrel between them that you should not know. So, what now? I already admitted. Would not you deliver me to jail?"

She sighed and clicks her tongue. "You did that for justice?"

"Yes."

"And? You really get justice? By killing, huh? Really, Hanz? When did the definition of justice is to kill?" she narrowed her eyes to him and even raised an eyebrow, a bit challenging.

"That is justice for me," he simply said. "I am guilty, I would say."

Talia want to punch him on his face, kick his ass of, blow him out of the world, flip him hard towards the space and anything that can make her satisfy. She wants to tell him that she will bring him to the court but what for? He has the money to save his own ass. She will just waste her time against him when she knew that she has no beat to Hanz.

Talia's shoulder sagged, hopeless. "I want you to pay your sins, but what for? You have the wealth."

Hanz was stunned for a moment. He stared at her with a different look. Talia is making him realize that his way of living is sort of sin and useless. That his perspective is nothing compared to her.

"Sorry," he said and gulped. "I really am sorry, Talia."

"I guess an apology is not yet enough?" she said with a bitter smile plating on her lip. "I just hope it is, Hanz."

"I hope too," he agreed. "If you would not bring me to jail, then at least punish me. Punch me, slap me, kick me, stab me and so."

She chuckled and hissed. "Silly. How can I do that? I suck hurting someone. Anyway, let us get over with this. I will call Kiel so he could join."

"That is just it?" He was kind of in shock because Talia seemed like she already moved on like that. It was just that she is already used to forgive and forget. She does not carry burdens all over her life.

"You want me to talk about it all the time? Come on before I change my mind."

"Easy to forgive, huh?" he hissed and shakes his head. "Anyway, all right. Make him join here. This is kind of awkward, really."

Talia get her phone and texted Kiel. They did not waste any minute to wait for him because he immediately went inside the place and joined their table. They started to eat without mentioning any problem that they are currently facing, especially about confronting Hanz about Talia's parents death. Talia is thankful that her feeling is already light, that the pointed thing that is darted in her chest through her heart since then faded away.

That was the best feeling she felt, for now.

While they are talking to each other, Talia's phone beeped. They looked at her but she just motioned that she will just answer the call. It was a call from Margo. She stood up from her seat and distanced herself away so she would not bother anyone.

"Hey, what's up?" Talia answered the call, smiling. But her smiles faded when she heard Margo from the other line, panting and was like she just ran from something or someone.

"T-Tali, help..." Margo murmured while panting heavily. "H-Help..."

"W-Wait, what happened to you? Where are you, Margo?" Margo did not answer, making Talia to anticipate nervously. "Hey! Where the hell are you?"

"I-In... In the, fuck! My legs!" Margo was already screaming. "Son of a bitch!" Next Talia heard was a gun shot. "C-Cage escaped, Talia. C-Come here, damn it! He shot my legs for fuck's sake!"

Talia's eyes widened when Margo hang up the call. She did not think in any second. She walked quickly towards their table and since Kiel and Hanz was observing her as she answered the call, they all stood up. Talia then explained what Margo told her while they were on their way.

"Wait, where is she again?" Kiel asked while driving the car.

"She did not tell me!" Talia answered, yelling. "You have a tracker, right? Use it!"

"Hey, relax. Margo got him," Hanz said, hissing. "Check her tracker, dude."

"Yeah, I will," Kiel said and reached for something near the radio. "I got her, baby. Don't worry too much. Cage can not escape from her."

"She was shot, Kiel!" she exclaimed. "How the hell she can keep Cage through that place? She was hurt, I heard her."

"Chill, okay?" Even when they will tell her to calm down, she just cannot. She can not stay still knowing that Margo was shot. And how the hell did that Cage escaped from the prison? They understand that that man has lots of connection but they knew that Cage was already secured there that he will not escape, ever.

"I have heard he made a chaos in the prison," Hanz said minutes later. He was holding his phone and is checking on something, probably news. "That idiot."

"At least you got benefits from each other," Talia said, sarcastic. "Yes, I meant that. How much did you pay him, though? Nothing serious, just curious."

"A million," Hanz simply uttered.

"Wow, big time. She really mean to you that much, huh?" Now, Talia sounds like teasing him. She showed him a grin while Kiel was just silent listening to their conversation.

"Yes, why not? He is my brother's fiancée."

Talia nodded her head multiple times and then stared at the road. "And you wish more than that," she added, a whisper to the air that she is sure they did not hear.

As the car stopped to the place they are not familiar to, the three of them went off. Hanz and Kiel already got their guns. Talia was about to ask for her gun but Kiel held her hand.

"Stay behind me, don't use guns again," he whispered. She just nodded her head and then they went inside to the place that looks like a gas factory. It is already dark and no workers is around. When they heard a gunshot, Kiel and Hanz part their ways. Talia just followed Kiel from behind, carefully.

The whole place is silent for a moment before a gunshot lingered the area. They followed from where it came from. Kiel and Talia went upstairs since they heard the noise there, then they both bent their bodies down when they saw Cage and Margo running after each other while pointing the gun to their way. Cage was the one who had another shot but Margo avoided it. She hid on a container and was even surprised when she saw Kiel and Talia on the other side.

She smiled at them before she gave a shot to Cage. They were in that state before Cage realized that he is trapped again. Hanz was already in the other floor up, pointing the gun to him while Margo was on the left side near the container and Kiel and Talia on the right side.

"Whoa, family planning, huh?" Cage has still the guts to chuckle. He was about to escape by jumping to a metal stairway when Hanz shot him on his leg. "Fuck! You like to target my leg, huh? Well, fuck you all!"

"Fuck you too!" Margo fired back and forced herself to stand up. Then, she took another shot on his another leg. His legs was not yet healed cause by Talia and now, another two shots again. "I will kill you, dumb!"

"Hey," Kiel lifted his weight, Talia standing beside him. "You should not have escape. You are just too hard to yourself –"

"Shut up, Ramirez. I have no time for the lecture."

"Yeah, right. Let's go back to where you belong," Talia interfered and hissed. Cage then laughed like an idiot.

"You are still here? With the family who killed your parents?" he asked, sarcasm was evident in his voice and face.

"You see," Talia mocked. "Come on, don't hurt yourself again."

"You care?" Cage forced himself to stand up.

"Nah ah. It was just that I am turning into demon, it makes me happy to see you suffer."

"Oh, you just realize it? You really are a demon, bitch," Cage said. Because of that, Kiel shot him on his area. "Fuck it! Stop shooting me, okay?! I will come back in the prison! Fuckers!"

They all smirked, especially Talia. Then, she whispered. "I just hope I could kill you."