Marco A continuous buzzing sound fills the air, pulling me from the hazy fog of unconsciousness. I tilt my head, blinking against the blinding brightness that surrounds a tall figure standing before me."Took you that long," he says, his voice cutting through the silence and wind like . And in an instant, I recognize the face. The mysterious devil who holds my fate in his hands.I try to lift my arm, to aim at him, but my bad leg protests, sending a jolt of pain through my body. I'm stuck, my ass glued to a metal chair, and my hands cuffed behind me.Two more men enter the small, empty room, their presence adding to the suffocating tension in the air."I figured we needed to make something clear," the devil speaks again, with his usual smooth and dangerous voice. "If our collaboration is to work, I need to be sure I can trust you. Especially after last night's... incident.""You've taken everything from me," I spit out with bitterness and anger. "What more could you possibly want?""T
MarcoThey pull up at the entrance of an old cemetery, the car coming to a halt as I feel this strange nervousness. Stepping out, I'm met by the guard, whose eyes haven’t pardoned a minute away from from me."Over there, pal. The party's almost over," he sneers, thrusting the jar of my brother's ashes into my hands.My gaze sweeps over the small group ahead. Not one familiar face and I can't help but ask, "Where's my sister?""What, you think we take orders from you now?" the man behind me retorts, delivering a sharp kick to my healing leg. I grit my teeth against the pain, limping forward. I’ve to cage my anger and come up with a plan to take down all these bitches one by one.Among them stands the familiar figure of the pope from the chapel. Two other men in dark coats stands adjacent to him with shaded glasses. I know their presence there is anything but for a good purpose."What's the point of a burial if my only family isn't here?" I question, turning back to the guards who brough
One year laterSarahA sharp, urgent knock startles me from the soothing rhythm of rocking Carlos to sleep in my arms. It had taken more than an hour of tender care to pacify his incessant cries, and I couldn't bear the thought of him waking up again. I lay him in his crib and answer the door, desperate to silence the noise that threatens to disturb his nap time."Who is it?" I called out, my voice a little above a whisper."You have a package, ma'am," the voice says from the other side.I hesitate, my mind racing. I hadn't ordered anything, and I rarely spoke with the neighbors since arriving here. A sense of unease settles over me as I cautiously open the door, revealing a delivery man with a pen and paper in hand."You need to sign here, ma'am," he says, his voice having no emotion."Who is it from?" I ask."Look, ma'am, I don't know. I'm just doing my job."I glance around, scanning the peaceful surroundings for any sign of danger. Satisfied, I sign the paper and carry the package
SarahAs I make my way back home, my head feels like it is on a roller-coaster, struggling to maintain focus. Shadows dance and flicker behind me, but I dare not glance back. With hurried steps, I hurry down the sidewalk. The apartment building looms just a few blocks away.Reaching my front door, I fumble for my keys, my hands trembling. With a quick glance around, I rush inside and slam the door shut behind me. I lean against it, panting heavily, my heart still racing with my eyes closed. I stumble to the bedroom, relief flooding over me as I find Carlos sleeping peacefully in his crib. What was I thinking ever letting him out of my sight for one moment? Tears well up in my eyes, a mixture of fear and exhaustion washing over me. It must have been my imagination running wild back on the streets.Thoughts of what they'll do to me if they ever find out about my betrayals.The silent cyphers are unforgiving.I collapse to the floor, the headache pounding relentlessly in my temples. Sea
MarcoTwo weaknesses haunt me relentlessly. Sarah is one. I've forced myself to accept that she's no longer a part of me, burying the pain deep every night. But, now, hearing of a possibility and seeing it for myself, there’s no going back, denial is no longer an option. Whatever these enigmatic people seek, I'll provide it.I observe as the mysterious woman is ushered into a sleek car, the convoy fading into the night. Driven by the thirst for answers, I hurry out of the bar. A motorcycle sits idly at the corner, its keys still in place. I watch the owner for a while, but as more distance adds between me and these enigmas, I seize the opportunity, leaping onto the bike and tear off into the darkness."Hey! That's my bike!" the owner shouts, but his protests are drowned out by the roar of the engine. I race after the convoy without looking back, pushing through the crowded streets, determined to uncover the truth. If this woman needs my aid, then I must know who she is. If ever her wo
SarahI reach for the door for a means of escape. “It's no use Maria," he says with a smirk as he zooms off.“i'm not too familiar with this environment.” His eyes scans the road as one having troubles navigating towards our destination. He glances at the rearview mirror and our gaze meet,“Maria... How long will you keep running?” He must be enjoying the moment, seeking for ways to taunt me. “We're done Shawn and you know that. ”He takes a sharp turn. Surprisingly heading towards my apartment. It dawns on me. How long he's been monitoring us is what I don't know. “Don't be like that Maria. I never for once let you out of my sight. How's my son?"His words hit my ears as he mentions about Carlos. I feel dumb for a moment.“What son?” I stutter, searching around for any weapon to set myself lose from the beast driving the taxi.“it's useless. Stop the pretense and give us a chance Maria. I'm the only one who can protect you.”“i don't need your protection, Shawn! Stop the car now
Marco “We have a meeting with the boss.” I drop the call immediately as I glance at the alarm clock.“Shit!”All attempt to prove a worthy first impression is about to be ruined. I take a quick shower and hurry into the outfit provided by my new boss—black clean suits.I look too responsible for my reputation. Some sort of a corporate worker with no past. That was me few years ago. I take a deep breath, remembering how passionate I was about the tech world and how my corporation died years ago in my quest for revenge. Now I've fallen to the level of a street dog searching for free meal, at the mercy of my own very enemy clocked as family. I swing my phone into my pockets and head for the entrance.Two boxes sit comfortably at my front desk. I take a sharp glance around but there's no sight of anyone. I unravel the packages in my new vehicle.A note falls off the sides,“Give this to him personally.”On the smaller box, i find another note, “This is yours.”I unravel the package th
Sarah Scared from shock, my hands are glued on the doorknob, the door partly open.“Now's not a good time,” I add, giving no chance for him to come in. The devil somewhere behind me will stop at nothing if he ever realizes what the doctor wants.“It's alright, Sarah. I wouldn't be taking much of your time.” He climbs up the stairs and reaches in front of me with a smile as though he has no idea I was blocking him from coming in. “How's your son?”“You said you weren't taking long,” I interrupt immediately, glancing at the room where Shawn is.The fucker is in there with my baby.“You have to go doctor. By that I mean right now.”I hide my fidgety palms behind my back, waiting for him to just leave. As much as I need his company, yell and get the cops on the psychopath in my house, I'm smart enough now to know that Shawn is way more dangerous.He could run off with my kid and frame me up, after killing this innocent man.“I stumbled on your record, Sarah,” he says, sitting on an armr
Marco Before I can respond, Sophia’s already packing up her equipment, saving files, closing out of secure databases. “I’ll reroute everything to a mobile setup. With that, I can operate from the road.”“Good. I'll be in the car. Meet me in five,” I say, heading toward the door. I glance back at her. “Sophia—thanks.”She gives a sharp nod, though I catch a glimpse of worry on her face. We've been here before.History is about to repeat itself. “Just don’t get yourself killed. I’d hate to do this without you,” she finally chokes.We’re in the car and halfway across the city before either of us speaks again. I steal a glance at Sophia, her eyes focused, fingers tapping on a tablet as she keeps an eye on Ricco’s movements. Every minute counts. Every second. If Ricco’s man gets to Padre first, we lose the one card we have against him.Not just him, including the corrupt officials funding their activities.Padre is the only key, we can't affor to lose it.As we approach the penitentiary,
MarcoAs I turn to leave the lab, Sophia grabs my arm, her grip surprisingly firm for someone half my size.“Marco, please listen to me. This isn’t about Padre alone. Ricco’s reach is deeper than we think, and getting tangled up with Padre could ruin everything. They’re tied to powerful groups, and they don’t tolerate outside interference.”Her words sink in, but there’s no going back now. I give her a straight look, pulling my arm free from her grip. For one, she knows she can't stop me.“If this information leads us to unraveling Ricco’s entire operation, then it’s worth the risk.”She sighs, adjusting her glasses and muttering something under her breath. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”I slip out of the lab, heading into the cool evening air. A quick drive brings me to the outskirts of the city, near the penitentiary. It’s set behind high towering steel fences and walls.At the entrance, I flash a badge I’d 'gotten through a past job, posing as an attorney. The guard bare
Marco"How many times do i have to repeat this? I'm not Betty," she responded in a frenzied whisper as Ricco's voice overshadowed every other sound in the room. There's another task. Never an end to his missions, but thankfully, amongst all the people he called out, I don't fall in the list.Celebrating the temporary freedom, I watch as Betty gets up from me to join the selected crew.I don't pay much attention on the instructions. It's none of my business.Big Tom is addressing them but Betty and i exchange eye contact. I need to find the truth from her and the only way to do that is to exploit her witnesses.It's not my fault that she provided me one on a platter of gold.After a brief discussion with Ricco about the delivery of new sets of ammunition, i head out of the mansion, in search of Betty.I find her standing by her car, about to get in."Elizabeth Maguire," i announce, few metres away from her. I watch her reaction as she stiffen. Definitely Betty. One doubt crossed. N
SHAWNThe fucker is standing right next to her. I hate to see her cry but she deserves to be punished. Everything I've ever done has been for her, yet she chose to trust this fucker over me. Brought my very son to him. I try not to think about how many times he's had to touch her. My Maria.She can't belong to anyone else and she knows this.The anger grows rapidly inside of me as the doctor halts in front of her."Please, don't do this," Maria pleads. She's managed to crawl to the door. Her cry stings my heart as the fucker attempts to land a kiss on her.That's when I reach my limit. The guts he has. All I wanted was to scare her, to make fear me, respect and just follow me.I'm more than enough for her. That has to sink in her tiny sexy brains.Three close shots. He goes limp, and falls right by her side.She screams, shutting her eyes in terror."You've forgotten who I am so soon," I say, approaching her and kicking the body away from her.Now that I've details about the doctor
SarahHis grip over my mouth is so hard. All my attempt to get away proves futile. My heart beats even faster as he pulls me out of bed.My back is against his chest but as we walk past the large mirror in the room, he halts.His gaze rests on my reflection. "Maria, i dont like that look on your face. Everything I've ever done has been for your own good."All i do is shut my eyes, hoping this is a dream. A lucid dream Michel assured me that Shawn was a forgotten past.I didn't bother to ask how he knew but i believed stupidly.Shawn leans towards my ears, his grip tighten against my mouth."I've something to show you. Please, Maria, please, dont do anything stupid."He grabs the sheets on the bed to cover my naked body up."Do you miss me? There's no doubt. You do. But i'm mad at you. Maybe I'll be able to forgive you afterwards. Just maybe..."He pulls me towards the door. The tears trickle down my cheeks over his palm."I hate to see you cry," he continues as he unlocks the door,
Sarah"I got a call..." Michael begins, resting both palms on my shoulders, like he's about to give a long speech.His reaction makes me uneasy. At least I made sure no one noticed when i left. "Remember i mentioned something about my sister living in the same neighborhood with you."I nod in agreeement. "There was a fire."I pretend to be shocked, but i am. How did he find out so quickly. "Is your sister okay-.." i ask."Yes. But," he hesitates but continues, "The fire started at your place.""My house is on fire?" I force the tears to leave my eyes.Michael pulls me into a hug making it easier for me to fake it as I cry aloud against his soft fabric."This is now your home, Sarah. I'll also replace everything that was lost in the fire," Michael adds. I pull away from him, thankfully my face is wet enough."You don't have to. Maybe this is a sign for a fresh start indeed," i blurt out. "I don't want to look back anymore.""I agree, Sarah. The police have begun investiagtion on th
SarahI knew the doctor to be comfortable, but i would never have guessed that he could own such a massive place. There are a few staff around, as they help us unpack the few luggages we brought. A bag for Carlo and one for me. "It's massive," i whisper under my breath as i pat Carlo on my shoulder. He's still fast asleep."I have something to show you," the doctor says, guiding me away from the lobby with bright chandeliers at the centre, towards the flight of stairs ahead. We arrive at the first floor. The first door to our right leads to a room. "Are you ready?" he asks. I nod, gaping around like some lost stranger. I've lived in luxury all my life but with the doctor, it's different.I'm not a prisoner.As he opens the door i find a beautiful nursery all set up.My palm clasp over my mouth, stopping me from exaggerating my emotions, careful not to wake Carlos.The emotions rush in as i step in. It's blue-themed. A typical baby-boy room."I'll call in a nanny to take care of hi
MarcoThe old woman doesn't seem to buy my story. Her look spells suspicion.I retain the smile on my face, closing the gap between us while I continue,"I'm surprized Elizabeth never mentioned it. She told me she'll be here also.""I'm going to call the cops on you. Stay away," she yells making her way back in."Grandma," the little boy comes running out, stopping the woman in her tracks.He's holding a picture frame, extending it to the woman. The boy for one is certainly smart.The woman takes a glance at the picture, and back at me.I catch a faint view of it. A picture of Andrey. For some reasons, he looks almost like me. It's part of the reasons i don't believe Ricco and his lies.Andrea and I have always shared a striking resemblance."Do you believe me now?" i say to the woman, squatting in front of the boy and ruffling his hair."What's your name big man?" The boy doesn't smile. Not a word escaped his mouth. Just the surprise written all over him."Your story had better b
Shawn For a doctor, he sure is a hard man. I barely escaped him. Not without a severe hit on my arm and a bruised knee. For one, i acquired the vehicle, in on piece, however broken my bone feels right now.I've to lay low. Get these fuckers off my track for now or i just might be a cheap prey for them. I'm heading north, with no direction as i try to set up the GPS of the car.They will try to find the village now that I've exposed one of the hideouts.Even though it will be no use to them. There's no way they can crack the vault without the clues in my possession.Still, i'm living nothing to chance. Not the inheritance I worked for. Not ever. I drift into a sharp corner, viewing the rare view mirror for any sign of my enemies. It looks all clear. I keep driving, searching around the car for notes. I'm dead broke, for a man entrusted with such wealth.I find a dollar bill and make a brief stop at a grocery store.Before i get out of the car, I clean off the blood stains on my