Sixty-Nine

His words hit me like a blow and when I realised I was already on top of him, holding his dear life by a thread. The teen in the picture, now that I thought about it. She had the same eyes as me, purple but slightly bluish, and she looked like him. That beautiful girl was my sister, and I couldn’t be happier. But she was a grown woman now. What kind of life did she lead, what horrors had she seen? This man in my hands was a coward who delivered his family to vultures and not once thought about fighting back.
He was in for a rude awakening, since I wasn’t a coward. I fought for my life and brought justice to people like him. He became restless in my grip, and his eyes widened like saucers. Maybe my grip on his neck was a little too much and the pressure of my dagger on his skin was causing a bit of bruise.
“Alexandra, your eyes!” There you go. My eyes were glowing as rage swamped my soul. I smelled his fear, but it also mesmerized him.
“You turned me even more into a freak injecting me with that stuff!” I sneered at him.
“Sorry. I didn’t want to. There were others there and cameras. He was watching through them all the time. I was glad it never worked...” He trailed off.
“That’s because you’ve missed the Frankenstein element, as my REAL father put it. Shit started happening after traitor Jacko electrocuted my ass, frying me like a chicken in that cabin!” I was about to snap his neck. How could they let me think she was dead?
Dragă, breathe and calm down, don’t act in the heat of the moment to regret later. Tears flooded my eyes, listening to his voice filled with concern, but also trust.
Vlad… I cried out in my mind, but I had to dismiss him. He couldn’t distract me. I had to focus.
“Start talking, or blood will leak out of your throat like a geyser!” I gritted out. “Where is she?”
“She’s with him, the Shadow. He has your sister, she has always been with him.” I let him out of my grip and sat back in the chair. He took his hand to his neck, massaging the spot where my blade had been, then to his scalp, soothing his hair.
“Don’t dare to move!” It was a low, menacing hiss, leaving my throat.
“I won’t Alexandra.” He let out a loud sigh and stared at me. “I’m tired already. I won’t run anymore, and if you want to deliver your ‘justice’ upon me, go ahead.”
“Talk! Who’s this Shadow? Wasn’t there any more creative name? What a bummer!”
“He’s a stupid prick, but very cunning.” He shrugged, resting his hands on his lap. “I loved your mother. I asked her to give me some time to sort everything out, but she was so scared she tried to run away with the two of you. Unfortunately, by the time she did, she was already addicted to sleeping pills and other meds. She was a doctor and could reach for them.” He blinked several times and averted his gaze. “When the news of her death got to me, it was late, and my world crumbled.”
“Why was that?” I focused on him, not missing anything. I put my senses to work, hearing for sounds, smelling his fear, the waves of sadness coming out of him. Everything. The need to make sure he wasn’t a cold, manipulative bastard was imperative, or my plan would go down the drain.
“I tried to track you two down, but I’m a scientist, not a hacker. They knew where you were all the time until they lost track of you, and they got furious.”
“They knew? Did they know what was going on with me and did nothing? They let me suffer?” Air stopped reaching my lungs, and the room closed in on me. I had to gather all my strength to not give out my misery.
“Sorry! I didn’t know about it until you blew up your foster parents’ home. You were like a bug under a microscope for them, they wanted to know how much you could endure, what could trigger your talent. And they got their answer, but you disappeared.”
“Why me, why not somebody else? Not that anyone deserved what I’ve been through.” To my bad my voice trembled, and he stared at me.
“I don’t know, Alex. In the beginning I thought it was because you had your talent, and it was strong in you. Also, you were my daughter and in my research program, so it would be easier for them. I’d never go against them for my family’s sake.” He narrowed his eyes at me, full of wonder and sorrow. “But as time passed, I realised they wanted you, not because of your talent, they wanted YOU. The talent was only an asset, and I swear I still don’t know the reason you are so important to them.”
My entire life I relied on my sixth sense, and it never failed me, not even once, and this man in front of me wasn’t lying. I felt it. Besides, waves of hatred, hurt and tiredness for this Shadow were coming out of him, all mixed up in continuous, powerful surges, never changing since I got there. He was the same man I knew from my job, with a calm nature and a soothing voice, those shy eyes with a bit of clumsy in them, making us feel comfortable in his presence. Should I give him the benefit of doubt? Still thinking about it.
Time was short, and I had to get going. I could feel my beloved boys closer. I needed to wrap up my visit to daddy. “What happened to Alice?”
“She doesn’t have any talents, and since they separated you, she has been with him.”
“Does she know about you and me?” Hope blossomed in my heart once I voiced the question. I didn’t know until that moment how much I had missed her.
“Yes, she does. I meet with her once in a while. She knows her way around him, and gets a bit of freedom sometimes, but never lasts long. She’s a sweet woman, but she doesn’t have your strength and she’s very lonely.”
“I can imagine. Did he or somebody else abuse her?” That was my biggest fear. I prayed she didn’t have the same fate as I did. No one deserves it.
“No, never. He gave Alice everything she could have asked for, but he never let go of her.” A relieved breath came out of me. I didn’t even notice I was holding it.
“Ok daddy dearest, time is up. It was nice to chat with you.” I stood up, reaching for his cell phone and handing it to him. He unlocked it, and I put myself as a contact there. “Do you really want to make up for your sins? Buzz me with all the details about him, and where to find this creep.” I narrowed my eyes at his face. “Don’t you dare send me into a trap, because if I survive, I’ll be your personal devil, do you get it?” He nodded, and he grabbed my wrist when I was about to walk away.
“I was so happy when you disappeared. I thought you were free from all this crap, at least one of us would have a chance at a normal life, but then I saw you riding into the agency in the back of Shane’s bike, and that made my heart bleed.” He looked at me with teary eyes. “Although I realised you were different, you were strong Alexandra, and I knew things were about to be different.”
“God placed a great man on my path, Doctor Blake. Either way, you also don’t have a clue of who or what I am, and the power I yield.” My eyes glowed, and a wave of happiness hit me. “Don’t make me regret my decision.” I pulled my wrist from his grip and walked to the door.
“Be careful Alexandra, he’s not like us.” He said in a confidential tone as if someone could hear us.
I turned my head over my shoulder. “What about him?”
“I don’t know, but he doesn’t age.” I nodded to him, and just like a ghost, I departed.
Once I was outside and the cold air hit me hard, I couldn’t help myself but bask at the warmth I felt in my heart. My sister was alive and well. She has been a hostage of a lunatic her entire life, but at least he didn’t mistreat her, according to doctor Blake. That itself lifted a weight from my chest. No one deserved to go through the horrors I had to endure. I didn’t dare to think what could have happened to me if I hadn’t come across Anton. I’d be forever grateful to him. Enough thinking for now. It was time to sort out all the information and meet Shane by morning with a plan. Things were about to get ugly.