CHAPTER TWELVE I stood there, dumbfounded and trying to piece together why I had to go with Julian to the trade off when I saw only the back of Julian leaving my room and shutting the door. I found my way to the stool right by my canvas and sat, dazed, and realized what unveiled in each moment I spent locked up here. This wasn't going to end, Julian said it would but I think I know now that it actually never ends. My mind wondered what next would happen if I scaled through this. Now I was beginning to consider Marcus’s plan about escaping this place. It wasn't even up to 10 minutes Julian left my room, I heard another knock. I suddenly stood, a part of me hoping it was Marcus so we could go ahead with his plan. “Marcus?” I said hastily. The door opened up and it was not Marcus but one of Julian’s men. I let out a deep sigh, turned and tried to get back to my seat when he said. “I was told to bring you with me ma’am” he said sturdily, not moving an inch from the entrance.
CHAPTER THIRTEENMarcus saw that I was led into Julian’s study and sensed that something was wrong. He waited until the man who brought me came out of the study and quickly approached him. “Hey” Marcus called out, signaling him to come closer.The man came closer to Marcus, skeptical of being caught not at his position. “What's going on? Why was she taken in to the study?” Marcus asked curiously. “I don't really know anything, I was only ordered to bring her to the study” he said. Marcus knew this information wasn't quite enough and still looking around his surroundings, he pressured him for more information. “Who gave the order?” Marcus asked. “Mr Julian gave the order, that's all I know” he said.“C’mon, that can't possibly be all you know. There must have been a reason to have brought her there. See, in a place like this, all we've got is ourselves, so sharing things like this would help us stand firm together don't you think?” Marcus said cunning
*THE D-DAY*I heard the door to Julian’s room where I stayed opened, a part of me was happy that I had taken a break from painting a beautiful yet difficult art but another part of me was unhappy and angry that my life was about to be put in danger because of some mafia business that I had no idea about. It was Frederick who came in, holding a sun dress hung on a single cloth hanger. He approached me with a charismatic smile, he always gave off a certain kind of energy whenever he was around, he was more of the opposite of Julian. “I don’t know if it’s me or does Julian not have a good eye for women’s clothing?” Frederick said as he handed over to me the sun dress with a funny face, I just couldn’t help but smile. “I bet Julian doesn’t have a good eye for anything,” I said smiling as I collected the dress from Frederick. “This is what I am to wear today?” I asked. “Yeap, that’s what the boss wants,” Frederick said as he reached out for the chair by the table, pulled it closer and
While Xavier’s men were on their way back to the car after confirming the money, Marve put down his binoculars and turned to Xavier from the passenger seat. “There is no sign of the kid Marcus in their convoy, he was supposed to give us a signal if he had the painter way before now. I only saw a lady in the car with Julian, I think she could be the painter,” Marve reported to Xavier. Xavier grunted in anger and slammed his laptop shut.“I just knew that kid was up to no good…… He’s going to pay for this. Find his father and bring him to me,” Xavier ordered Marve.“Give me that!” Xavier said out of anger and collected the binoculars to take a look as well. “Yes boss,” Marve answered and passed the binoculars to Xavier who then took a look and saw me at back seat, right before we drove out. “That’s my beloved alright….. I wonder what made Julian bring her out here to be snatched. At least saves us the trouble and risks of taking her from his domain,” Xavier said pleased. “But she’s
The head security was done doing his usual rounds around the house when he suddenly observed that Julian was yet to be back and it was long overdue. He brought out his phone and dialed Julian’s number but it didn’t go through, he then dialed Frederick’s number more than once and it rang but no one answered. Now this was unusual of Frederick not to pick up his call and Julian’s number not being reachable. He turned around and saw Marcus standing in his position, still trying to figure out a way to leave the mansion in his head. “Hey you!” The head security called out, pointing to Marcus.“Me?” Marcus asked.“Yes you….get me two other men and get the car ready now. We are heading out,” the head security ordered.Finally! There was an opportunity for Marcus to leave the house. Of course he had to think of a way to evade the head security and others while they were outside but he decided he would figure that out when he gets out of the mansion. “Yes sir,” Marcus answered and went off t
Marcus was still on the run as he kept driving as fast as he could with the mindset that he could be followed by Julian’s men. After he drove for a far distance and realized he wasn't being followed, he brought his burner phone and dialed his father’s contact and it answered. “Dad, I was able to escape,” Marcus quickly said over the phone.“Good! We've been trying to get in touch with you….. If you know what's best for you and want your father alive, come to the address you'll receive,” Marve said over the phone and hung up. Marve texted the address to Xavier’s place to Marcus and handed the burner phone over to Xavier. “Do you think he'll show up?” Marve asked. “I guess we'll see how much he loves his father,” Xavier said as he turned his attention to me. “You see at first, I heard that Julian had abducted a famous painter and I wondered, what could he possibly do with a famous painter to have her kidnapped? Keep her as his play thing? Make her paint a couple of plagiarized artw
There was a lot going through my mind now, my father who I considered dead is alive and well before me. “No—no—no, something must be wrong with me. I must be seeing things.” I said to convince myself. “I hate to interrupt your little reunion but I need to get to business,” Xavier said and turned towards Davidson who had sign of emotions.“Mr Davidson, we get to meet again and this time around, quite unplanned,” Xavier said. “Xavier, I can explain,” Davidson implored. “I think its a little too late for explanation don't you think? You and your son had just one little job to do, to get me Lexi!!. I just had to get her myself didn't I?” Xavier exclaimed. Another shock hit me, one that I wasnt expecting. “What—what do you mean his son?” I asked as I hoped to get an answer. “Sorry to ruin all of this for you princess but it is just as you heard. I'm sure you met this son of his a couple of times while he was in Julian’s mansion didn't you? Whats his name again?” Xavier turned and a
Marve led me back to my room and I immediately laid down on the bed as I was already exhausted. The bandage round my stomach was already soaked with my blood as it required dressing. “I'll get you a nurse to dress up the wound,” Marve said. He decided to take his leave when I called back his attention. “Why did you do that?” I asked inquisitively. “What do you mean?” Marve asked as though he had no idea what I meant. “You lied about not seeing Julian in the car with me……you could have ended Julian’s life and made your boss happy and proud but you didn't,” I said. “Lets just say I am my own man and I get to make my own choices. I'll send the nurse,” Marve said this and exited the room. A certain kind of sadness befell me and I thought about Julian and Frederick in that moment. **************************************************************************** *JULIAN’S MANSION* Mr Walter, the head security, helped Frederick open the door to Julian’s room and they both entered
Julian and Frederick finally arrived at Marve’s place and luckily they met with Marve but unluckily not with me.“What do you mean she is no longer here?” Julian asked. “I am sorry Julian, she left a couple of hours ago. She didn't want us to let you know she was with us” Marve said.“I understand…..Where is she now?” Julian asked.“To be honest, I have no idea but she mentioned she was going to return to you when she had cleared her head” Marve said.“There is a chance she might be back at the residence” Fredrick said.“We must have missed ourselves while coming” Julian said and headed back into the car, followed by Frederick.******************************************I was not back at the residence yet as I was still trying to find myself so I had lodged in a motel. I took a cold bath and was finally prepared to head back to the residence and figure things out with Julian instead of running away. Immediately I opened the door, I encountered Marcus and one other man at the entranc
Mr Blackwood is seen in his lodge smoking his cigar as Marcus knocked and came inside.“You called for me sir” Marcus said. “Are you ready for this task I have for you?” Mr Blackwood asked. “I am ready for any kind of task given sir” Marcus said.“I want you to kidnap Lexi, can you do that?” Mr Blackwood asked. “Yes sir, I can” Marcus said with a straight face. “Good…..have her here latest by tomorrow noon” Mr Blackwood said.“Yes sir” Marcus said and took his leave. Immediately Marcus left the room, Mr Blackwood’s personal man who had been doing his biddings from the onset came out from the shadows.“Kidnap David and bring him here quietly” Mr Blackwood ordered.“Yes sir” the man said and exited the room as well. *******************************************“Still haven't spoken to her?” aunt Melda asked Julian.“No, she has not been picking my calls and I don't even know where she is or could be” Julian said as he was frustrated with the whole thing.“I am truly sorry Julian, I
Detective Garrett was at the precinct when he received a call from his informant.“Whats up?” detective Garrett asked.“I have been tailing Mr Balckwood for a while now, although its been tough having to keep a track on them, there has been some movements” the informant said.“Finally!…..what has he been up too?” detective Garrett asked.“There has been a few cases of children missing from orphanages of late….. I looked into and I found out that it's been Mr Blackwood” the informant said.“He is up to it again” detective Garrett said.“What do you mean? What does he want to do with orphaned kids?” the informant asked. “He is going to test his drugs on them again” detective Garrett said.“My goodness” the informant exclaimed.“Keep tracking him and notify me of any news, no matter how little. I will try to figure out the orphanages these kids are missing from” detective Garrett said.Mr Blackwood is seen with one of the pharmacists dressed in a white lab coat in the new lab he already
Aunt Melda wiped Julian’s tears and carried him as she tried to make him calm down from crying. “Where are your parents?” Aunt Melda asked but there was no response from Julian as he had calmed down now and was comfortable being in her arms.“Don’t you want to tell me? Where is your mom kiddo?” Aunt Melda asked. “Ish shcream” Julian mumbled.“Ice cream? You want ice cream?” Aunt Melda asked.Julian nodded his head in agreement.“Okay then, let’s go get ice cream…… I just hope your parents would be able to return right on time. Aunt Melda carried Julian and went into her car as her driver drove them to a nice and fancy ice cream shop and Julian had his fill. On the other hand, Mr Carter was still looking for their son.“Julian!…….Julian!………Julian!!” Mr Carter searched and searched the hospital but there was no sign of Julian.It was late noon now and Julian had enjoyed what he wanted and aunt Melda was happy that she could do that for him as she looked at him with so much emotion a
Just then, my phone rang and it was Julian.“Hi!” I said as I was not expecting his call.“I didn’t hear from you since you left, are you good?” Julian asked.“Uhh yea! Yea I’m good, I’m glad I came around” I said.“Okay that’s good….. I actually called to tell you that aunt Melda will be staying with us for a couple of days” Julian said.“Oh wow, that’s good to know…..do you think she’d be happy to meet me?” I asked.“Yeah….she really can’t wait to meet you” Julian said.“Really?, it would also be nice to meet her based on the fact that she’s nothing like your father” I said.“If anyone wants to take down my father badly, it would be her………I’ll come pick you up when you are ready so let know me alright?” Julian said.“Sure, I love you” I said.“I love you too” Julian said.It was late in the evening and Julian came and picked me up as we headed back home. We got down from the car as Julian walked me to the door.“I have something to tell you” I said as we walked.Julian looked at m
BACK TO THE PRESENT We had finished looking through the pictures of the kids being experimented on years ago on the chip and finally figured out what it was Mr Blackwood had been up to 18 years and possibly now and also read a note left with the chip by mom telling me about everything that was about to go down and how much she and my dad loved me even if they ended up going before me. “I can’t believe all of this happened” I said with tears in my eyes.“We are close to getting your father behind bars….we need to find current evidence that would link him back to this old one. There is a high chance he is repeating history again since the previous one failed” detective Garrett said.“I apologize to everyone here, my father has caused you all so much pain and hurt and I feel devastated and ashamed to be called his son” Julian apologized. “It’s not your fault to have been born to such a monster” Marve said.“What is the next thing to do now?” Frederick asked.“Mr Blackwood has been off
David drove for a while and finally got to his apartment as he carried me in right after he knocked and his wife opened the door for him.He carried me to one of the spare room and laid me down on the bed as I was completely asleep. “What is going on? Who is this little girl?” his wife asked.“No one you should be bothered about” David said as he tucked me in. “What do you mean someone I shouldn’t be bothered about? What are you up to now David?” His wife asked.Just then, Marcus came into the room and saw me sleeping on the bed and was surprised that a stranger was in his home.“Dad?….who is this?” Marcus asked.“I need you to keep your mouth sealed and not a word to anyone” David ignored Marcus’s question and said to his wife.David immediately left the house and left his wife and son surprised as she called out to him.“David!” She called out but David didn’t answer and got into his car, headed back to Mr Blackwood’s residence without me or the Elysium. *************************
My mom was already done with the painting she had painted and hidden clues in it. “Let’s call it…….Elysium, symbolizing happiness and bliss” my dad said. My mom nodded in agreement as she wrote the word “Elysium” at the base of the painting. “I hope Lexi will find the happiness she truly deserves” my mom said and dropped her paint brush.Just then, there was a knock on the door right after as my dad and mom looked at each other. They suspected who it could be at that time so they went silent and said no word or responded to the door. Suddenly there was a loud bang and the door flung open as David and the aide walked in. “Sorry, we had to let ourselves in. It’s not nice to keep your guests waiting outside without a response, don’t you think,” David said as he walked in.“You weren’t invited……What do you want?” My dad asked.“I think you know what I want, I wouldn’t want to waste my time” David said.“We have no idea what you want, we have no business holding whatever it is you bel
The car finally dropped us off at our house and drove off as we all went inside. “Lexi, what was that all about? That wasn’t a nice to do” my mom said to me as she sat me down.“But mommy, Joan was there and she needed help” I insisted.“Are you still on this Lexi?” My dad asked.“But—“ I got cut short.“No more buts Lexi” my mom said.I then suddenly remembered that I had taken pictures of what I saw with the toy camera my mom got me so I could take beautiful pictures of artworks.I hurriedly picked up my pink bag and brought out the toy camera and showed it to my mom.“Here mommy, I took pictures” I said as I handed over the toy camera to her and she went through it.The gasp and shock on her face alerted my dad as he came over too.“What is it?” He asked and collected the toy camera from my mom and looked at it and saw the same thing my mom saw— a secret room turned to a lab to experiment on the kids from the orphanage.“How could this be?” my dad asked. “This is unbelievable, ha