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"Good morning!"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TiUVnPBVe
"Good morning."
My wife Gisela and my kids greet me good morning as soon as I wake up. They are all in the living room. My son is playing with his favorite toy, a toy car. My daughter Ashleigh is sitting on the couch eating some cereal. She's going to start elementary school next year. My wife is reading the newspaper. It isn't much—just one of those local-interest papers that we can afford now my work has picked up so—but it gives her something to do at home when the little ones have finished breakfast.
The paper says the international organisation name Skullet are in heat off debating of should it be deem as a terrorist group or not. The head of the thing is about to come here for a friendly chat with our president, but he wants to go over the question once more with people who really know what they're talking about. It looks like this might actually happen; the UN seems anxious to avoid anything that might upset relations with them. Ever since they spread the ability virus or whatever it call across the world without a singal warning are turely worrying us. We just don't know what they'll do next.
There was a lot of excitement about it last night on TV, though. A special news broadcast about the Skullet thing had been put out. There were interviews with experts on things like bio-terrorism and terrorism in general, all of whom said that Skullet wasn't doing anything illegal. What they wanted to make sure of was that it wouldn't be used by others as an excuse to get themselves into trouble.
I hate to admit it, but these people did seem to know what they were talking about. And if Skullet can stop itself from being misconceptualize, why shouldn't it? After all, it didn't mean any harm...yet.
And then there was another report saying that the Skullet thing really couldn't be stopped, that even if you tried to apprehend the leaders, the followers would simply take over and carry on. That's what those people who were interviewed seemed to think. They weren't being totally honest with their interviewers, either.
At least I've got work today. If the Skullet thing doesn't bother anybody else, I guess it won't bother me. As I last checked my family and I weren't effected by the mind reading abilities virus. Maybe it because I already have abilities? I'm not sure.
For all I know, though, maybe my children will inherit the abilities from somewhere. I suppose that's possible. I hope not. But at least we have enough money for food. Just don't ask me how I made it. because It's classified, I was working as a special Black ops unit for the government call the omaga-6, and that's just one of the secrets of my life. I still remember the horror happened that day, the day that I take that job. It was the worst nightmare come true. The Chef promise us that we would be pay handsome if we successfully lure them out. We did it. But it turnout to be worse than I ever thought.
After we lured the group out we had no choice but to kill them. No matter what, we couldn't let them escape. But we were outnumbered, with no intel of their ability, size and numbers. We could only fight back until we were overrun. With only me left standing. Even the Chef was killed in that encounter. I never want to experience that feeling again. I wish I was dead at that moment.
It took forever to clean up after that mess. I don't want to talk about it. I hate myself for participating in that massacre.
After that I decided to put out from the job. So far I only got half of the money. And I haven't heard anything from the ICCO, neither the CIA nor the FBI. I guess they're keeping quiet about me. Oh well, I'm glad that I still have this life to live. I hope I never feel that way again. I guess that I should have declined the job like the rest of the two people who are still on the team. But then again, I have to admit that the pay was too good to pass up.
My daughter has finished her breakfast and is ready to go to school. She goes to a private kindergarten near to our house. It's not cheap, but we can afford it. At least my wife does. I only have to make ends meet as a cover-up.
Anyway, she's waiting for me to drive her. I should hurry up or else the teacher will complain. She's very strict and doesn't hesitate to punish anyone who don't show up on time.
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31kf2gGN8p
I pick up my son from his toys and take him to the car. He's wearing his blue dress shirt and khakis. His hair is combed neatly. I wonder where he gets that neatness.
After I drove them both to the kindergarten they went out from the car. My son is holding his sister's hand. I guess he's happy that she's going to school with him. I wish I could be like that with my parents. I guess I'm lucky to have a family like that.
They waved goodbye to me, and then they turned and headed towards the kindergarten. The way they act remind me of my childhood. I think I miss them.
Well, I've got the rest of the morning to spend alone. I guess I should call the rest of the two remaining colleagues for a drink. It would be nice to catch up with old times.
As I enter the club I see the owner sitting at a table near the bar. We called him the Big Head, because he used to make cocktail for us before we entered the black ops. He's dressed in a suit and tie. I guess he wants to look important.
He waves at me as I walk through the door. I guess he knows that I'll always come to him before any others for a drink. I like his company. He knows me better than anyone.
"Welcome back, Mr. Ben," he says. "Have a seat anywhere you like."
I sit down at a table near the back corner. I don't want to be too close to the other customers. I'm not sure what kind of reputation I have. And I don't want to attract the wrong attention.
"You know, I'm very impressed with your performance yesterday, Mr. Ben," he says. "What you did with that gang was incredible! You must be very proud of yourself."
"Thanks, Mr. Head. I try not to let the pressure affect me, though. It helps me relax. Anyway, I don't care about the publicity. I just do my job and nothing else matters to me. I just want to make a lot of money. I have to support my family and the rest of the stuff is just secondary."
He nods in agreement.
"That's right, Mr. Ben. Sometimes you have to forget everything else, and just concentrate on making money. And I want to congratulate you on your marriage. How are things going?"
"Oh...you know..." I say. "We're managing to survive somehow. The kids love each other."
"That's good! I'm happy about that. Now please tell me, how many women are there in your life now? Any new ones?"
"No, sir. None at all."
"Don't worry, Mr. Ben. Things are looking up for you. I know you're going to have lots of fun tonight!"
A waitress comes and asks me to order a drink. I'm not sure whether I like her or not. She smiles at me, but there is a certain coldness about her eyes that makes me uncomfortable.
"What would you like, Mr. Ben?"
"Just give me a beer. Nothing fancy. I'm not in the mood for something expensive. I'll be paying for it myself."
She nods and walks away. While she's gone I see someone coming my way. I recognize him immediately. It's the guy who gave me the contract on my job. I don't know what he wants here, but I can't help wondering what he's doing here.
He stops in front of my table and sits down across from me, facing the waitress who brought me my beer. He's wearing a dark blue sports coat over a white dress shirt and tan pants. His shoes are polished so hard you can see your reflection in them.
"How's business?" I ask him, trying to sound casual.
"Fantastic! Everything is going just perfect! The clients are lining up outside my office every day, and I can't believe how many deals I closed recently. Business is really booming! I don't know how long I can keep it up, though. It's getting harder and harder to find good people. It seems like everyone is becoming more and more reluctant to work for me."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask.
He thinks for a while.
"No, Mr. Ben, not at the moment. I think I can handle things on my own. Thanks anyway."
I don't understand what he means by that. It's obvious that something is bothering him.
When the waitress brings my second beer she puts a card on the table. I pick it up, and I see that it's the same card I received during my first visit here. It says that the waiter of the week is on duty tonight and that he'll give me a free beer if I mention his name. As I was Wondering if I'm going to use the card. A familiar footsteps came from behind.
"Hi, Ben! Long time no see."
"Hey, Bostrom! How are you?"
"Great! And you?"
"Same old, same old."
I look over at the waitress who served us our beers. She's smiling at me.
"So, Ben, what are you drinking?"
"Another beer, please."
"Coming right up, Ben."
Bostrom takes a sip of his beer.
"Ben, have you heard that I'm quitting soon? I thought about retiring some time ago. But now I think it's finally the right time to quit. I've been in this business for a long time, and I think it's time for me to hang it up."
I nod in agreement.
"Yeah, I heard that you were quitting. But I'm surprised that you waited so long to do it. I figured that you'd be quitting a long time ago."
"Well, you know...it's not easy to find people who are willing to take risks these days. Also, I've been thinking about a different career now that I've retired. Something that's more stable, that's easier to manage. I've always had a knack for this business, and I think I can make a lot of money."
"Good luck with that!" I say. "I guess I should told you what happened in the job Andrew and you declined."
He looks at me in surprise.
"Really? What happened?"
"Well, it was a simple job," I continue. "We were hired by the ICCO to impersonate and bait out a certain group that were responsible for the mind reading virus. It was supposed to be a routine job, so we didn't think that we needed much protection. When the Chef call us out for a meeting we went there without any problems. Suddenly we found ourselves surrounded by a large number of opponents with various abilities. They had us pinned down, and they started devouring us. There was no escape. We tried to fight back, but we were outnumbered. I managed to shoot one of them, after that the whole building force apart. Then I realized that I would have been dead by then if I had kept fighting. So I decided to give up and surrender. After he asked me some information that I only know so little of, they spare me. I felt like I was already dead at that time. I thought they were going to torture me. But they didn't do that. Instead they leave without a trace. As I was standing there checking the bodys. I found Wendy K.I.A, Tom K.I.A, Chef K.I.A and Joker M.I.A . It was a bloodbath. That's when I knew that I was screwed.
"The next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital, with my wife standing beside my bed. They told me that they saved my life. And when l look up to the television, they are death was covered up as a building collapse. The media never mentioned a word about what happened. No one even questioned why those people died or what happened to them. I guess I should have done something to stop it, but I couldn't. I was frozen with fear. I couldn't move a muscle. If I had done anything to stop them, I would have been dead too. I didn't want to die, especially not like that. That is when I know that I have to pull out."
I take a sip of the beer in front of me.
"To Wendy,Tom and Chef! Rest in peace. " Bostrom says. "Thank you for all of the time saving my life! I owe you all my life! I will never forget you guys! Thank you!" We cheers for one that we lost.
"Cheers!" I say.
After we finish our beer Andrew finally enter the table. He sits down and looks around. I point at a chair and beckon him to sit down.
"Hello, Andrew! How are you?" I say with a smile. "Are you having fun?"
He shakes his head, obviously annoyed.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting so weird?"
"Well, I was just talking to Ben about the last job."
"What do you mean?" he asks.
"Andrew, the last job was a disaster. The way they handled it was terrible. There was no way to save any of us. They killed Wendy, Tom and Chef, and they didn't even bother to interrogate us. They just left us for dead and then covered it up as a building collapse. And it seems that nobody even cared. Nobody even questioned what happened to them."
Andrew looks at me in anger.
"What do you mean? They did the best they could do under the circumstances."
"And what about the Mind Reading Virus? Do you think they would have been able to prevent that?"
He takes another sip of his beer.
"I don't know. Maybe..."
"But why didn't they do anything, Andrew? Why did they let us die like that?"
He continues to stare into space for a while.
"They probably wanted to cover up what happened, so as not to endanger themselves. They didn't want to get involved with those people."
"But why? It wasn't their fault that we were attacked. They didn't even protect us."
"Maybe they were afraid that if they helped us, they would also be exposed to danger."
"Why did they want to expose themselves to danger? You agree to do the covert operation. That mean that we have no affiliation with the government at all. Of course it was going to be covered up. What do you expect? Are you drunk?" Andrew asking in confusion of rather I was drunk or not.
"Because they made a mistake, Andrew! They should have protected us instead of letting us die!"I continue to ramble.
"That's ridiculous! After seeing seen what those people can do to the world. It's impossible to defeat them.That's why I declined at first Place."
"Why do you think they're so powerful Andrew? It's because they're immune to telekinesis. They have superhuman strength and speed. They're inhumanly strong and fast. How many of them did you fight before you saw the light? Did you ever see them being hurt by someone else, or did you see them being blown away by an explosion or a gun shot? Just how tough are they?"
"You shouldn't talk like that," he says angrily. "You should remember that none of them survived that night. You was the only survivor. I think you should cherish it rather then talk as if you have nothing to live for."
I stand up angrily.
"Shut up! Shut up! Just shut up!" I shout. "I don't want to hear anymore of your crap! I thought you were a man, but now I realize that you're just a coward. Don't you dare talk to me like that again!"
In a flash he grabs me and pushes me against the wall. Before I know what's happening he punches me in the face.
"Fuck you!" he shouts. "You think that you're better than us, but you're not! I don't care if you're drunk or not, but in this line of work it is kill or be killed, and I will do everything to survive, even choosing to not do anything! I don't give a damn about any of you! I don't need anyone to help me! I don't need anyone to tell me what to do!"
"Let go of me!" I scream. "Let go!"
He releases me and stares at me in disgust.
"You're such a dumb ass. You don't know shit. You can't even handle yourself in an interview. You think you're so smart, but you're the most useless person I've met. You're not even worth getting killed for."
He turns around and leaves the table.
"Andrew, wait!" I yell.
But he doesn't even turn back.
***
"Fuck you!" I yell. "Fuck you!" I sit down in the chair and shake my head. "I can't believe he said that to me. He doesn't know anything. He is just a stupid idiot."
I begin to cry.
"Wendy, Tom, Chef, Jokr. I'm sorry for all the time I wasted. I'm sorry for not taking action sooner. If only I had known! I should have stopped them before it was too late."
The waitress comes over and sits down across from me. I wipe my eyes and sniffle.
"Hey, Ben, are you okay? What's wrong?" she asks.
"Nothing," I answer. "It's just that I'm really tired."
"Do you want another beer? I'll bring it right away."
"No, thank you," I reply. "I think I should go home now."
She nods and returns to her station. I pick up my beer glass and drink it quickly. Bostrom didn't interrupt me at all during this conversation. So I have no reason not to go on.
"Bastards!" I whisper aloud. "They killed my friends. They didn't even bother to question them, they just killed them like animals."
When I reach the bottom of the glass, I put it back in the table and stand up. I walk toward the door and exit the bar. On the way out I run into a couple of people that I know. They both greet me and I say hello. But my heart isn't in it. My mind is still filled with thoughts of those people that died that night. I feel empty, and I can't seem to concentrate on anything. I just keep repeating their names in my head.
***
When I got home I lay down on the sofa and fall asleep. When I wake up I notice that the room is dark. It must be very late. I get up and shuffle around looking for the phone. I find the receiver and dial my sister's number.
"Hello?" she answers.
"Hi, Liz."
"Ben, what are you doing? It's really late."
"Sorry. I overslept."
"So what's up?"
"Nothing," I say. "Just calling to talk."
"Okay, but don't stay up too long. I'd hate to have to call the police to come and drag you off to bed."
I laugh. She always says these things to me.
"Alright. Goodbye, Liz."
"Goodbye, Ben."
My sister has a way of making me feel better.
I hang up the phone and walk over to the window. From here I can see the park across the street. There are children playing on the swings. I watch them for a few moments and then turn back to the TV.
I turn it on and sit down in my chair. I change channels and watch some old movies. But after a while they start to bore me. I can't even remember what they are about, so I switch the channel again and find a baseball game. I watch it for a while, but soon it starts to annoy me. I then decide to go to sleep. As I lie down on the sofa, I feel sad. I wish there was something I could do to make myself feel better. Maybe I should go to the cemetery and visit Wendy, Tom and Chef. I wonder if they would be happy to see me.
I get up, put on my jacket and shoes, and leave the house. I walk through the streets of the city until I reach the cemetery. I cross over the bridge and enter the place where they are buried. I walk along the path towards the grave and stop when I reach the spot. My eyes well up with tears as I kneel down and touch the stone marker. I lean forward and gently kiss it. Then I look up and take a deep breath.
"Hi, Wendy, Tom and Chef. I'm here."
I rest my head on my chest and slowly weep. After a moment, I look at the gravestone and read the inscription.
Erected to the memory of Wendy, Tom and Chef, who perished in a tragic accident on July 7, 1979.
May their souls forever fly above the clouds.
Rest in peace.
I remain silent for a while and then stand up. I turn around and leave the cemetery.
***
I return home and take a shower. After drying off, I lie down on the bed. I am still feeling depressed, but I know that I should try to relax. It's important to be calm in order to think clearly.
I close my eyes and try to clear my mind. I am thinking about the events that took place over the past two weeks. I replay every single detail and I try to visualize each image. I want to be sure that I have all the facts straight. I have to be absolutely certain.
Everything began on a day much like this. I woke up early in the morning and went downstairs to eat breakfast. I was so deeply in the thoughts of revenge that I hadn't noticed that my daughter have been staring at me looking concerning.
"Daddy, what's the matter?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" I replied. "There's nothing wrong with me."
"Oh, yes there is," she said. "You look as if you've lost your appetite. Is there something bothering you? Something that you have to get off your chest?"
I paused for a moment.
"Yes, there is," I answered. "I think I might be having a nervous breakdown."
She came closer to me and hugged me.
"Don't worry, Daddy. Everything will be alright. We'll solve this problem. I promise you."
"Thanks, baby," I whispered.
Then she kissed me on the cheek.
"Now go upstairs and get dressed. I'll make you a nice breakfast."
After the meal, I decided to go for a walk. I walked around the neighborhood for an hour and returned home. I lay down on the bed and continued to brood over my problems.
***
Later that day, I visited my attorney. I told him what happened and I explained how I felt.
"Well," he said. "I think you should start looking for a new job."
"I can't quit," I answered. "I need the money. Besides, I have three kids to support."
"Look, Ben, the company won't fire you because of this. They'll probably send you to a shrink for a while, but they'll never let you go. The board of directors will make sure of that."
"All right," I replied. "You're probably right. And I really don't want to quit anyway. I love my job."
"I'm glad you feel that way," he answered. "But it's for your own good that you find another job. In just about this weeks, numerous spy and undercover agents world wide was exposed and most of them are either hold captive or executed by their own countries."
"I don't care about them," I exclaimed. "What does this have to do with me?"
"Well, you see, due to the outbreak of the mind reading virus, many organisations and company are in chaos due to the unpresidented expose of intentions and ploting among themselves and other. Over 19% of them have crumble over just this month. Many companies are now facing bankruptcy. Some have even gone bankrupt already."
"And what about my job?"
"Your job is safe. Your employers don't suspect you of anything. But I'm afraid that if you continue working here, you'll be infected sooner or later. Consider your line of work, Ben. You'll become a liability to the organisation, and that's not something we can afford."
I nodded.
"How much do I owe you?"
"It's not a problem, Ben. You can pay me whenever you can."
"Thanks, Joe," I said. "I appreciate it."
I left the office and sat down on a bench near the entrance. For a moment, I thought about quitting my job. But I decided against it, since I liked it so much.
I started walking again and made my way back home.
***
The following week was difficult for me. My mind kept wandering back to the incident. I couldn't forget the images of Wendy, Tom and Chef lying dead on the floor. I often found myself crying, thinking that I should have done more to save them.
My family tried to help me, but it was no use. I knew that I had to do something. I already know that the Skullet were responsible, but if I waited any longer, I might lose my mind altogether. I needed to act fast and decisively.
***
On Saturday morning, I packed some clothes and my personal effects into a suitcase and left the house. I rode my bike to the nearest bus stop and took a ride downtown. I walked around town for a few minutes and then entered a nearby hotel. I rented a room for a week and paid cash. When I got inside, I dropped my luggage to the floor. I felt exhausted and I wanted to rest.
I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. My mind was filled with thoughts of Wendy, Tom and Chef. I thought about how I could save them from their fate. I was going to kill their leader and his men. I was going to take vengeance for my friends.
I woke up suddenly and noticed that it was getting dark outside. I looked at the clock and saw that it was after nine. I turned on the light and picked up my suit case. I opened the window and let in fresh air. Then I checked the bathroom and kitchen. Both were clean, so I locked the door and took a bath.
After I dried off and put on my clothes, I sat down on the bed and thought about the plan I was going to enact in the next few days. I wrote down all the details in my notebook, including the names and addresses of the men that I was going to kill provide by the CIA. It was now time to go out and buy some weapons. I went back to the bedroom and took my gun. I placed it under my pillow and then lay down again. I closed my eyes and tried to rest, but I couldn't sleep.
***
In the morning, I ate breakfast and took a taxi to a large sporting goods store. I bought a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, a box of bullets and a hunting knife. I also purchased a map of New York City. Then I returned to the hotel and waited until noon. I took the bus downtown and went to the nearest police station. I informed an officer of my purpose and showed him my identification papers. He took me to a small interrogation room and asked me several questions. Finally, he gave me permission to carry out my mission and sent me on my way.
I got back to the hotel and took a short nap. Then I headed for the weapons shop and bought a sub-machine gun, a .44 Magnum revolver, a pair of binoculars and a gas mask. After paying for everything, I took a taxi to the nearest subway station and got off at Times Square. I walked around for a while until I reached the main street. I bought a newspaper and read it while I waited.
At last, I spotted a man wearing a black trench coat. He was carrying a briefcase and seemed to be very busy. I followed him and watched for a few minutes. Then I approached him and pretended to ask for directions.
"Excuse me," I said. "I'm looking for a drugstore on Broadway Street. Do you know where I can find it?"
He looked at my face and then replied:
"Why do you want to know? Are you one of those people who's obsessed with drugs?"
"No," I answered. "I'm a policeman. I want to buy some medicine there."
"I don't know what kind of medicine you want," he replied. "But I don't think you're entitled to use the word 'police' and 'policeman'."
I smiled and handed him my badge.
"Well, if you say so," he answered. "But first tell me what you do for a living."
"I'm a detective," I said. "I investigate murder cases."
"And why are you interested in buying medicine?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
We talked for a while. I told him that I was in New York City on a vacation, but my wife was sick and I needed to get her some medication. I asked him if he knew of any good drugstores in the area.
"That's strange," he said. "Since the outbreak of this mind reading epidemic, all the drugstores have been closed down."
"What do you mean?" I asked. "Are you sure?"
He looked at me strangely and then replied:
"Listen, pal, we have enough problems without having to deal with people like you. Now if you don't mind..."
"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "You must know something about this. Don't you?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering:
"The only thing I know is that this epidemic is caused by some kind of virus. As far as I know, the authorities haven't found a cure yet."
"Do you know anything else?"
"Not really," he replied. "That's all I know."
I thanked him for his help and left the shop. I got back into the taxi and told the driver to take me to Central Park South.
***
When I arrived at the park, I climbed onto the roof of a nearby building. From there, I had a good view over the entire area. I saw him. The person with the mask and the black trench coat was walk out from a hallway, this is my chances to make things right and take my revenge, as I pointed my gun at him, Him look at me and say:
"What do you want?"
Before I could answer, he ran towards me and pulled the trigger. I heard the loud bang and felt the bullet hit my shoulder. The pain was unbearable, but I managed to pull the trigger on my own gun and shot him in the stomach. But strangly, the bullet pass through his body like it didn't hit him, could this be his ability, to make himself intangible? I fired two more rounds, hitting him in the chest and head, but these shots didn't seem to hurt him either.
"What's happening?" I screamed.
One of his arms came in front of me and grabbed my wrist. Before I could react, he pushed me to the ground and dragged me away from my gun.
"So we have come to me for revenge. I assume, didn't l told you that we better not meet again?"
"Fuck you! You kill my friends!"
His hand tightened its grip around my neck. His arm pressed my mouth shut and forced me to swallow whatever words I might speak. I felt my life slipping away.
" Well, personal I don't think I am at fault of your friends death, after all you are the one who pursued us to bait us out. Well you did what's your intended. But there is no good reason for us to spare the impostors."
His voice became softer. He kept pushing down on my chest. I felt myself choking and losing consciousness.
Suddenly, he let go of my throat. I coughed and gasped for breath. I opened my eyes and saw him standing over me. He was smiling.
"Oh, well we finally meet again, little Ben. This time, I won't fail you."
He grabbed my gun and then tossed it aside. I could smell the malice come with in him . I reached into my pocket and pulled out the knife and try to cut his hand, when he grab me by the neck. He lifted me high and then slammed me hard against the wall. I could feel the bones in my legs breaking. I kicked him in the knee and saw him stumble backwards. I jumped up and stabbed him in the chest. He fell forward and landed on top of me. His weight was too great to push off, so I rolled over and straddled him.
I grabbed hold of his mask with both hands and pulled it towards me.
" Do you really think that you stand a chance?" His voice was soft and low. "I'm not even brother to kill you." Then he punch me in the face so hard that I flew across the floor.
I got up and tried to run, but he caught me by the neck. I couldn't breathe. He held me tightly and looked into my eyes.
"You're not going anywhere," he said.
Then he punched me again. I fell to the ground and almost lost consciousness. My vision began to blur as I struggled to stay conscious.
"Look," he said. "I don't want to hurt you. Please don't struggle. I just want to talk to you." His phone rings as he spoke. He pulls the mask off and answers the call.
"Hello?"
"Yes, this is Uno" He listened for a few moments and then said: " Well good job, send me the live."that he hangs up the phone and laugh at me. "To be honest I was only buying time when I was fighting with you. Because as soon as you choose to approach me, our safety procedures will triggers. And you have already corny yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you see I have your wife and kids now."as he showed me the video on his phone showing her being taken away hostages by a group of masked men. To their eyes and mouth a covered. "Now you and your family is mine. You are going to die a horrible death. I am going to take you to a secret place where there is nothing but pain and suffering, until the end of your life. So you better start praying for forgiveness because you're going to need it."
" No, what have you done. Don't get my family involved in this! Let them go, please!"
" As for the attempt for my life, this will cause one of your family member. Now choose who to kill."
"Please don't do this, I'll give you everything you want!"
"Don't worry, I won't kill your whole family. Just your wife."
He signal his man to action. When they point their gun in the back of her head. I couldn't help but scream from the bottom of my heart. I can't let this happen to my family, I would rather sacrifice my life than to see them suffer.
"Stop!" I cried. "Let my wife go. If you don't, I swear I will make you pay for this."
He looked at me as though he didn't understand what I'm saying.
"Ben, when I enter enter the meeting that day, I only see those who only crave money for themselves. And not for another purpose. They don't even remotely think about how the mind reading virus will benefits humanity as a whole. They only act on their greed. That's why I have no mercy towards them. Except for you, at least you have the decency to think of the consequences of your own action. Maybe it is too late to say this, but I wish could have spare you."
He gave me a sad smile and then said: "Well, the time has come. I am going to make you suffer, as much and as long as I want. I hope you have the courage to bear with it until the end."
I stared at him with tears in my eyes, begging him to stop this madness. Suddenly, a different type of pain came over me. It was a pain of humiliation and loss. I had failed to save my family. I had also failed to stop Uno. My wifeand my children were taken hostage. I wasn't able to protect my family.
Suddenly, someone comes out from blue and kick Uno off me.
"So you are the evil one," said the new arrival. "I guess you don't want to be killed by me." She turned his attention to Uno and started to shoot him.
Uno disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Damn! Where did he go?" the newcomer cursed.
"Maybe he's still here." I yelled.
The stranger looked at me and asked: "Do you know who I am?"
"No, I don't."
"My name is Geneva, our team been sent by the Justice Department to take down the culprit of the mind reading virus."
I felt myself lightened by the news. "I'm glad you've arrived. You can take care of Uno. I can't afford to lose my family."
"All right, I'll try to handle the situation, but if you want, you can come with me and rescue your family."
"Thank you, but I my family are about to be killed by them. Please hurry!"
Geneva smiled and nodded. Then she took out an object from her pocket. She waved it and Uno reappeared.
"Get ready to die," she growled.
Geneva stood opposite of Uno.
"You wouldn't believe the tricks I learned from my old boss," she said.
She shot him in the arm and he quickly vanished in a cloud of smoke. Then she shot him in the leg and he reappeared in his right side. Geneva kicked him in the stomach and he disappear again. Then she shot him in the back and he reappeared from the left.
Once again, Geneva kick him in the stomach, but he reappeared behind her. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. He slammed her against the wall so hard that I heard the sound of cracking bone.
"That's enough," he said and went back to her feet. "If you want to kill me, I'm not going to stop you."
Then he punched her in the face so hard that her teeth flew out. She stumbled back and fell to the floor. Geneva lay on the ground and began to cough.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, I will be alright," she said. "But I think it's best for you to leave now."
I looked back at Geneva to see if she needed help but she was already sitting up and breathing normally. I have to fight alongside her, because I knew that Uno was waiting for me to show my weakness.
"Alright, let's go!" She said.
"Do you really want to approach me? One wrong move and I'll have his family dead on site. It would be wise if you stop and surrender." Uno show his phone screen to her as a threat.
" I'm not going to let him get away with this. He's not going to get away with this!"
"Wait, wait! I'm going to ask you something. Do you want his family's lives or yours? Which one do you prefer?"
I could see that she was very frightened. But she forced herself to look Uno straight in the eye.
"Take care of them first!" She replied.
Uno laughed at her reply.
"I don't have time for this! Get out of here and stop wasting my time!"
Geneva shouted: "There is no time for this! We can't save your families if we don't do anything about Uno!"
"That's right, lady. The hell with you!"
We ran towards Uno and Geneva pulled me ahead of her. Before we reach Uno, I saw Geneva taking out an object from her pocket. She waved it and Uno appeared in front of us. Geneva raised her gun and fired several rounds at him. After the bullets hit his body, Uno disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Geneva and I were running towards him. We jumped over the boxes and crates and rushed towards him. When we reached him, he pointed his gun at us and began to fire. Geneva and I dodge the bullets and continued to chase him. I kicked him in the chest and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Run!" I shouted.
Geneva and I ran towards the exit. Uno chased us and we dodged all his bullets. Then we reached the door and jumped outside. Uno followed us and tried to shoot us. There were so many bullets that I thought that I was going to die. Finally, Uno stopped shooting and chased us until we entered the car. Then he vanished in a cloud of smoke.
After that, we drove away from Uno's supposed headquarters. I looked back and could see Uno's men chasing after us in their cars. Then we reached the highway and sped away into the night.
"I don't know if this is the right thing to do, but I have to follow through." Geneva said. "I will make sure that this doesn't happen again."
***
"I have good news for you!" said Geneva. "We have recovered your wife and kids."
"Where are they?"
"They are safe." Geneva put her hand on my shoulder and said: "I know this is difficult for you, but you have to face this. Your wife and your children are alive."
I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that Uno hadn't harmed my family. But I couldn't. I was afraid that Uno had done something to them.
"Where are they?"
"They are at the hospital."
"How? Why?"
"Because they have been infected by the mind reading virus."
"What?"
"I'm sorry. I can't tell you anymore."
"Why can't you?"
"Because I have been ordered to keep it a secret until the Justice Department made their decision."
"Alright, I understand. Thank you." I said.
"It's no problem. Just remember to stay positive. This will all work out, I promise."
I was thinking of all the possibilities that might have happened to my family. I was hoping that they were alright. But deep inside, I knew that this wouldn't be the case. Uno was hell band to make me suffer. I didn't know what else he planned, but one thing for sure, he was going to torture me until the end of my life.
I went to visit my family at the hospital. When I got there, I saw my family lying in bed. They were unconscious and unable to communicate with me. I waited for the doctors to explain what had happened to them, but none of them came.
"Hello, Ben," said Geneva. "I'm glad you came."
"Hi Geneva, I just came to see my family."
"I want to introduce you to the doctor." Geneva walked to the other side of the room and greeted the doctor who was standing beside my family.
"How are they doing, Doctor?"
"They are fine. I must admit that all three of them were very lucky. Two of them will recover in a few weeks. Your daughter is the only one who is in critical condition. She needs more time before she can wake up."
"Is she going to be alright?"
"Yes, I think so. But she will need some special treatment. I have scheduled an appointment tomorrow afternoon for you to talk to a specialist about it."
"Thank you Doctor," said Geneva.
"Don't mention it. I'm just glad that you brought them here when you did."
"That's all I can do."
"Please excuse me," said Geneva. "I have to go somewhere for a while. If you want to stay here and visit with your family, please feel free to do so. I will come back later."
"Okay, I will."
"Ben, are you coming with me?"
"Sure."
"Good. Then I'll see you later."
Geneva left me alone with my family. I looked at them and noticed that my wife was sleeping peacefully. My son was awake and was playing with his toys. My daughter was the most unfortunate. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be in terrible pain.
"What kind of treatment did you say your daughter needs?" I asked the doctor.
"She is currently under observation. But if she continues like this, she may face certain death."
"But how is she going to die?"
"She is going to lose her mind. Soon she won't be able to walk, talk, eat or even breathe by herself."
"Oh God..."
"There isn't much we can do. We can only hope for the best."
"Can I stay with her tonight? I want to watch over her."
"Of course."
"Thank you."
The doctor took me to a private room where my daughter was lying down. As soon as the doctor left, I walked over to my daughter and sat by her side. My heart was heavy with grief. I couldn't stand it any longer; I had to find out what happened to my family. I leaned over my daughter and touched her cheek. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and stared at me as if she knew that I was there.
"Daddy?" She whispered.
"Yes, honey. It's me."
"Did you find me?"
"Yes, I found you. And now you're going to be alright. Everything will be okay."
"No, Daddy. I don't want to be alright. I don't want to be alright. No one wants to be alright. Don't lie to me."
"What do you mean?"
"I know what you've done."
"What did I do?"
"You lied to me. You told me that you found me and now I am going to lose my mind. That's why I don't want to be alright."
"Honey, I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you everything."
My heart ached with sadness. I wish I could have saved her from this terrible fate. I felt so helpless.
" Father, if we open our to eachother none of this would have happened. Please forgive yourself and ask for forgiveness."
I was overwhelmed with sorrow for my daughter. I couldn't believe that my family was in such great danger. Then I remembered the conversation that I had with Uno when I was facing him. Uno had mentioned that my family was in danger because of me. What he meant was that I had a cause, my family and I failed to keep them safe. That was exactly what was happening. I was responsible for their suffering. My guilt was overw helming. I regretted what I had done and wished that I could undo it. But I couldn't. So I decided to accept my responsibility for what I had done. At least I was trying to help my family.
" Father, I felt...like I'm having a fever. I felt that my body was burning up and that my skin was peeling off. I felt it everywhere...in my head, my stomach and my legs. It was like I was dying. I tried to hold on to my sanity, but there was nothing I could do."
I put my hand on her forehead and felt her temperature. It was high.
"Doctor, she's got a fever."
"Yes, sir. I will give her some medicine."
"When is it going to stop?"
"It will take some time. But the worst is over."
"I'm so sorry, Honey. I'm so sorry."
"I don't want to be alright. I don't want to be alright."
"I love you, Sweetie."
"I know. I love you too, Daddy."
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