I couldn't stand it, I started to hyperventilate and feel that my chest would crack. I couldn't be awake. That had to be a very bad dream. Or a free sample of what I would find in hell. It was not possible that Aslan was still alive to cause so much harm to me and the people I loved. It was not possible for Mikaela to beg with so much energy, almost jumping out of the chair, and no one would do anything. Everyone in my room was silent. Everyone disbelieved that it could be happening. But no one said when I whispered:"I can't.”And no one was able to breathe when Aslan replied:"So I choose for you" and your finger pointed to Mikaela.And when that finger bent down, Mikaela gave me one last look. And that hurt. More than any blow or accident. It hurt like having the meat taken from my body with me still alive. It hurt like hell, because Aslan showed me the rot of the people, when the foreman next to Mikaela unlocked the trigger and fired.Mikaela Johnson's body was found the next day
"And why would the police depend on a fugitive foreigner? "I rinsed it, frowning lightly. Thinking about all that mess that the Brotherhood had become, made my chest less sore. At least I wasn't thinking directly about Mikaela or Colton. "Hunter, we've already had the kind of discussion where you're on one side, blindly relying only on what you see, and I'm on the other, suspicious of everything. And I don't know if I'm going to be rude to you in saying that, but I don't consider working for the police, at this point in the championship, to be a beneficial thing. They lied. They fooled us. They didn't give us any help, especially for you and me. And now they want you to work for them? In the name of what? Of another day of life? Because the Brotherhood will not stop just because they will find out what such a man is important to them. They won't settle down until the whole country is in ruins. So what's the purpose? For months Caleb has been trying to convince me to work for them, and
"She killed my brother almost seventeen years ago" I spoke with another imitation of a smile. I didn't know if I would ever be able to smile happily again. Maybe not. "And now I've killed her sister. Do you realize how cruel this is, but as similar as the past?”Hunter was silent for a moment. I was probably looking for beautiful words and consolation to tell me, but I knew he agreed. I wouldn't doubt anything if someone had said that before. Maybe Suzy's mother. Perhaps the woman who tried so hard to keep me away from her daughter, and who in the end, always knew that I would take her to death. The guilt promised to rock me in a way that nothing else could. And Hunter must have seen that I intended to hide in the pillows and kill myself suffocated at any moment, because he hurried to sit on the edge of the bed, finding a space for his big body and held it in my two arms. He didn't want to convey comfort, just prevent me from committing any thoughtless act."Don't think that way," he
"So my answer is no "I spoke firmly. Caleb and Scott looked at each other. "I can't help if you think I still offer some risk to the country. I have a boyfriend to find, a villain to defeat, and a criminal faction to overthrow. I can't let the matters and plans be kept secret. Hunter Hollis knows more than I do. And he is the person who would be least likely to keep a secret. Not because he was part of the Brotherhood; no one in this world wants to end them as much as Hunter. But I say because he's a man. Men do not always know how to contain themselves in the face of a stressful situation. I lost an important person, someone I loved. I lost another one that was with whom I was planning a future. And I know that my country is about to be hit by an atomic bomb if it does not give in to the whims of a crazy Brotherhood. I want to know what's going on and what the real plan is. Or I won't be part of any of that. I won't be used and I won't even keep quiet. You can close the matter now if
"I understand that they wanted me to take command of this type of mission, because Jonathan did not trust anyone to tell about it," I informed in a low and cold voice. "He never trusted the members of the Brotherhood as a family, not in the way they believed. They didn't even know my brother's name. And that must have had some weight for him. I received the gun, and I hid it. I received the notebook and asked Hunter Hollis what that meant. And he said they were just Turkish names, but he didn't recognize any of them. So I could assume that it could only be codenames for people from our country. Even so, I kept the information. I didn't tell it to anyone but Mikaela and Colton.”The answer seemed convincing enough for Caleb, but the head of security just narrowed his eyes on me more cautiously."Then we got to the part that really matters," said the head of security, crossing his hands over the table. "We believe that much of the tortures in which your... friends were subjected is due
And that was the reason why I hated the press the most. Because the right to know about it belonged to Mika's family to the rest of the people who cared. Because I knew your image could be going viral out there. And that this was not fair to everything she represented to us. Mikaela was more than just a woman who was brutally killed. And she deserved to have had respect. But there weren't any. I felt disgusted."I was talking to them at the time of the broadcast," I told Colton, and due to the lack of surprise in his reaction, I noticed that he also already knew about that fact. I sighed. "And I didn't think they were showing that to the world. If I knew, I would never answer. I would never have given them the chance to show that they had a power over me that I didn't even know. And they took advantage of the cue I gave. And I was weak, Colton. I finally understood what they meant about killing all my fears, to become strong. Because I was weak when I saw you and Mikaela. I let you se
Istanbul was like another world. And, in parts, I understood why my father chose that place. It wasn't for the ease with which ships from other countries could cross the ocean without drawing attention. It was not because the government of that place was not so committed to offering basic conditions for its population to survive. It was for beauty. Because he thought he deserved to be ruling a place that was beautiful enough so that no one was suspicious of what was happening under the carpet. And if no one reminded me of my reasons for being there, I would have sworn that it was just summer vacation. The sun would make me think of days of walking and holding hands. And the music that played on every corner, through the voices and instruments of street artists, would make me want to dance until dawn came.It wasn't like Boston was a destroyed and unattractive city. No. I valued the beauty of my country. It was just that Turkey made me think like someone who should travel more often. I
"What I know is that you didn't even tell me your name, but you've already shown yourself to be the kind of person I would never agree to work with "I spoke in a laughing tone, but giving my best look of reprimanding the man. He didn't even seem shaken, and kept cleaning and watching his bullets. The projectiles would be shining when he finished, especially at the time he was illustrating the ammunition. "But if you want it that way, then we have a deal. I also don't make a point of helping in this way, especially if you need it. In fact, I don't even want you to try to include me in any of the missions that are not strongly linked to the Brotherhood. The police know I don't want to get involved in investigations. I don't want to have to take unnecessary risks. I believe this must be your job.”"Names are irrelevant," he said in a cold and distant tone. His fingers pulled the tip of a projectile, and when he brought it close to his eyes, I noticed that the golden tone really shone. "A
The nightclub was crowded that night.It wasn't difficult for that to happen, though. Everyone knew that that place was only filled with regulars by the numerous illicit activities that occurred between the parts illuminated only by the lights that flashed from time to time with colored kaleidoscopes. All the regulars ended their night with good debts in their pockets, enriching the owner of the place, who almost never mingled with those who used their establishment to hide their atrocities for money from the police and the rest of the world.That night, however, the owner of the establishment had left his room on the upper floor of the nightclub, and had taken the trouble to join two other men as arrogant and unnecessary in appearance as this first. All of them were being pampered by the women who worked at the nightclub, because the men allowed there were only the security guards and those who prepared the drinks.Women of all colors and ages walked back and forth in a few clothes.
"I would never sanctify my brother," I guaranteed in a cold tone, although I smiled. "I never told you exactly who Jonathan was, did I? “Osman shook his head, so I sighed. "Jonathan has always been very temperamental. Complicated to deal with. He never introduced us to girlfriends. At least, as far as I can remember. Then he came up dating Suzane Johnson, and at the time of dating, he was aggressive and abusive. He almost killed her, and when he couldn't, he made everyone go against her. The few who supported her made my father and brother pay. But those people had no idea that they ran an entire country. So, even when my brother was presumed dead, and even when my father lost his fortune, they continued to have power over each of us.”"We knew about Suzane Johnson," Osman confessed, watching the sun set on the horizon. "But we didn't know what she could have represented in Saltuk's life. As far as we understood, he was only connected to a woman from his past, and we all knew that he
"When that happens, and if it happens, I'll be ready "I spoke in a tone of triumph, opening a smile without showing my teeth. Aslan's hatred flashed in his eyes and he looked at me as if he were really looking into the eyes of a venomous snake. "You can come after me, because I will always be waiting for you or anyone from the Red Brotherhood. I don't need the police on my way, Aslan. I don't need to work for someone specific, I can take care of myself. I'm more than you think. I became something much bigger that night when you decided to take one of the best people in my life. That night, you determined that I would be your worst enemy. And here I am. I'm not a God. I'm not a ruler. I'm not a person who rose from the dead, as my brother claimed to be. I'm just the one who ended up with a Brotherhood that survived for decades. I am the one who goes after each one of you to condemn you. You will remember my name. You will know what I became that night. And when the day comes, you will
The little boy gave a wide smile, nodding with energy. I walked away from your house, feeling the looks of those poor and desperate people. Watching the children walking freely on dirty puddles and the countless elderly people who sneaked through the open doors of their wooden houses to see that group of foreigners marching away. An entire population that was hidden by the tyrants and dictators who thought they were the owners of their lives.At that moment I really understood my purpose to stay alive.The Red Brotherhood was like the barracks in which I was staying with the American army. The place was located in an open and isolated area, with no houses around, no factories or any impression that people could easily access. In fact, it was necessary for a small boat to travel through the waters of the river that crossed the city to reach that islet on which the barracks remained erected. While the boat in which Osman and I were cleared the waters of that river, with small droplets r
My brother got involved in it because of his thirst for revenge. He made Suzane and I get involved up to the neck in that whole story. I judged and condemned him for being part of a terrorist mafia. I never noticed that I did that to other people myself. And I had just repeated the story by dragging that family to the same bottom of the pit where I was. Not all the excuses in the world would be enough to explain what I was putting them in.“What does your necklace mean? "Asked the little boy named Can. I took a look down. Lately I only remembered the pendant when I imagined that the police would be aware of each of my steps by the little tracker they arrested there. I almost didn't remember that I got it exactly on the last night of Mikaela Johnson's life. I divated for so long that the little boy even thought I wouldn't answer anymore. "I don't want to sound uneducate. I thought you knew about altın yılan's tale.”"The tale of what? "I questioned in a low voice. The boy's father was
The little boy translated, and at this point one of the young people on the couch became more rigid, as if the mention of the police aroused some peculiar kind of interest among them. Perhaps the word in its translation was something that demonstrated authority, and not a specific position. And that they could be understanding that people of a very special and powerful nature could have taken me to their country. The chance for them to think that I could be something worse than the Brotherhood was very great. I took a deep breath to avoid stuttering when I needed to talk again. The little boy finished translating and was silent. It was the lady closest to the arm of the couch who said a few words to him."They want to know what our people need," said the little boy, so he interrupted, because his grandmother kept talking and pointing to the space on the roof. Would they really be so bothered just because I fell? I wonder if they didn't understand that for that, I would have to have a
"Do you think you can reach the next window? "Murmured Osman, his voice sounding no more than a warm breeze against the cold wind. I nodded, but I hesitated. “Great. Remember the training on the climbing wall. Imagine that you are still using the safety equipment. Imagine that there is a mattress down there, waiting for the moment when you will fall. Everything will be fine, Penelope. Just jump. I'll be here if something goes wrong. I promise to pull you.”“Miss Maxwell? "He called Aslan once again, with a note of laughter in his voice. He knocked on the door, with such a slow movement that I knew very well that he was having fun with the situation. Of course he loved that game. I had learned from my father and my brother. The only one who seemed less aware of how to play like that was myself. "I need to say that it doesn't matter where you are. We'll be there. Everyone in this city respects us. Everyone knows that the Brotherhood rewards its allies and torments its enemies. Even if y
"I had to learn everything again after my accident," I said in a low voice. "I had to learn to breathe, walk, talk, and move. So that must have been why the training with the police was better to do. I'm still learning, but the difference is huge. I really feel like a person prepared for any situation. From an extreme cold to an endless race. Even though I have to depend on the firecracker for almost everything, I'm still better than I was in basic activities. Not to mention that my reflexes are much better now. So he was right. It's easier to learn everything when you've forgotten how to do it. That must be why they considered my brother as a God. It was not because he came back from the dead, but because he reached a level of lethality that no one alive has achieved. But I did it. And I think that's exactly what they expected me to do.”"Perhaps, but in relation to the children and his brother, it's all true," Osman said, nodding absent-mindedly. He let out another heavy sigh. "Ther
The arrogance of the leader name of the Brotherhood would be his downfall. He never thought that the police would appear, even more so in large quantities. He never thought that a simple auction "which always took place on days of the week known to people" would cause the police to invade the place. Of course, it would not take long for his sources to inform him of what happened, but, by then, hopefully we would have released the kidnapped children. Aslan had no chance. And worst of all, he left his soldiers and friends, or brothers as they were called, alone. He didn't set up an escort outside to see if they would be okay. He didn't send people to watch the sales and make sure nothing went wrong. He left the people who trusted him the most without any protection. And the strangest thing about all this is that they still remained faithful to that rotten Brotherhood.The police easily surrendered the members of the Brotherhood in that hall, and managed to arrest all the rich who were w