Chapter 28: Creaky sound of the Gurney

*******
"And you fucking let him go again!" Xavier punched Jerry in the face. He staggered, crouching in a pain. Xavier was about to proceed with his assault when Lucas held him slightly on the shoulders. He snapped his head to look at Lucas and jacked him up by the collar of his black shirt.

"You should have taught them better" Xavier shot angrily. "One job. One fucking job and you all messed it up!"

He let go of Lucas's collar and turned his back again them, trying to steady his rage, but that didn't work. "Now Magnus is out again. Out of our reach. He could be anywhere"

"This hasn't been much of a problem has it?" Lucas asked not certain of Xavier's outrage. In his opinion, He overreacted and the reason wasn't understandable to Lucas.

Xavier swiveled to give Lucas a death stare. That gave him the clue to zip his mouth shut. Lucas was right, this had never been much of a big deal. Magnus was not the type to stay in a particular place longer than a month, but he couldn't help but bother about Rachael's safety. The realization that Magnus could get to her if he wanted to infuriated him on the inside. Now that Magnus was in hiding, his hands were further bounded.

Xavier turned to Jerry whose bleeding nose was probably broken"I want him found and I want him dead" Xavier whispered pointing at Jerry with gritted teeth.

"Lucas" he called out and Lucas humphed a response. "Sell off the warehouse in California"

"The one that belongs to the both of you?" Lucas asked with narrowed confused eyes.

"What else do you think I meant dimwit!"

Lucas's frown showed hesitation "but..."

Xavier didn't let him finish "Even as the consigliere of this confraternity, you have no right to question my judgment".

"Yes boss" Lucas sighed with a slight nod.

"That could lure him out of his rat nest" Xavier muttered underneath his breath. "I have to be at the office"

*****
"Come in," he said to Rachael who stood disgruntled at the other end of the office. The door opened and she came, not taking the stern look off her face. It was understandable even by Xavier. Inwardly he agreed about how much of an asshole he had been.

Rachael slapped a document on the table. "Jerry said I should give this to you," she said stiffly.

"Why is he sending you on errands," Xavier asked confused.

Rachael was taken aback" Isn't that my purpose here?"

"No, I'm the only one allowed to send you on errands"

"Oh great" she cheered dramatically. "How is that even any better?"

Xavier sighed and took a look at the documents. "This isn't it, tell him to bring the first one," he said briefly, dismissing her.

"Okay," Rachael turned to leave but was distracted by her ringtone.

"Chloe," she said softly, flashing a glimpse at Xavier to see if he was staring at her. But no, his computer had his rapt attention.

"What!" Rachael exclaimed when the news sank in. That stole Xavier's attention. He looked at her with keen interest. "Chloe relax where are you?"

"I'm in my way" the call was ended and Rachael was ready to bolt out when Xavier called her.

"Is there a problem?"

"My mum" she stopped to steady herself because, at that point, the oxygen seemed to have betrayed her. "She's not breathing" she sobbed.

"What? Wait let me give you a ride. Where is she?" He asked, taking his tuxedo that was hugged on his seat. He didn't stop to wear them as he rushed to her. One look in her eyes and it was certain it was only a matter of time before she choked on air and passed out.

"At the house" her eyes widened. "What if she's dead? Oh, Xavier" she moved back a bit. He held her by the back to support her Incase she lost her balance.

"Let go" he grabbed his keys and they Departed.

********
Rachael didn't bother slamming the car shot as she ran towards the mansion. Her legs could barely move without staggering because Xavier was practically flying on the road with reckless abandon.

She ran up the stairs as rapidly as possible to her mother's room and the scene shattered her immediately. Chloe knelt on the floor beside her mother's bed with puffy red eyes. She turned to the door immediately after Rachael got in and that only accelerated her sob.

Rachael collapsed on the floor. She didn't want to check Mrs. Britney because she was scared of reality. Tears flowed down her cheek and her nose became clouded as she sniffed. Xavier came in next. He took some time to examine the situation of the room before moving straight for Mrs. Britney. he wasted no time as he took off his suit and started CPR on her.

Each time Xavier made contact with her chest, pushing it down with no response, awakened the reality of her mother's death. Rachael sobbed. When Xavier stopped all sweaty.

"Oh God she's dead" Chloe wailed.

"Did you call the ambulance?" Xavier asked, reaching for his phone Incase Chloe had been too disturbed to make the call.

"I did"

Xavier put down the phone and strode towards Rachael who was on the floor, seated, mumbling inaudible words under her breath. "Come," he said softly, but she didn't budge. At that point, it felt like she had sleep paralysis. Her body felt numb with the need to just sit there until the realization hurt less.

Xavier helped her up when he realized she didn't comprehend what he said at that point. Her eyes wandered and finally landed on Xavier. She erupted into tears once more and Xavier pulled her into a hug.


*********
The creaky sound made by the gurney as it was towed away made Rachael cry more loudly. Xavier didn't let her feel alone for a second. He held her by the hand, guiding her to cry on his chest instead. She sobbed uncontrollably while he stroked her slightly on the back.

It was when the ambulance had gone far enough that he let her go. The tightness of her chest made her breathing unstable because of how much she cried. Chloe who sobbed slightly by their side, ran inside when she couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you want to take a walk by the boulevard?" He asked. Her lips being too heavy to speak made her nod her head positively.

Xavier held her by the hand which shook terribly. He feared she might fall over if she was left alone.

As they walked through the boulevard, she stopped sobbing, sauntering with her head down. No one said a word because they didn't know what to say. Xavier knew saying “sorry” was bullshit. It didn't solve anything. The way, he detested it made it an impossibility to utter the word.

Rachael left Xavier's side and sat on the platform close to a tree. Even the boulevard didn't look as fun anymore. The memory of how she rode her mother through this same place slapped back in her head and it triggered her again, but she didn't give in. Her eyes were kept transfixed at a particle place with absolutely nothing on her mind. Her inner self was too weak to even feel anything. This had to be her most broken self because it felt like death.

Xavier sat beside her quietly with his eyes on her. He didn't say anything for a while but finally parted his lips to speak.