Then I kissed her forehead and held her in my arms. For a moment, I forgot about the terrible things that were happening to my family. All I cared about was that my daughter was feeling better. I kissed her again and then laid her in bed. Then I started to cry. I cried for myself, for my family and for my guilt.
***
With every step walking towards my wife bed, my soul Trimble as if all the guilt I felt compiled into one heavy weight which lifted itself with each step. As I arrived at the door of her room, I turned around and looked back over my shoulder. The other children were fast asleep on their beds; but my son was sitting up in his cot and waving his little handkerchief at me. That made me feel sad, because he had not wanted to go to sleep and now there would be no one to wake him early in the morning. I went inside and closed the door behind me. My wife's eyes opened slowly as she lay there. She did not seem frightened or disheartened. She just seems...off.
" I hate you," she said very softly. Her voice sounded like it did when we first met. It was sweet and melodious, with no trace of madness. "I want to die." Then, after a pause, she added: "It is too late for me."
My heart fell. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything except how much I loved her. There was nothing else I could do. She seemed so different from the way she had been before!
"Don't leave me!" I whispered. "You're going to get well. You're gonna live. I love you!"
She smiled and squeezed my arm affectionately. Then she asked, "What would you do next, tell me, Please! Because the next time you go for any revenge quest we are getting a divorce!"
I gasped as I tried to reply, but my brain was suddenly blank. What can I say? How could I justify such an action in her eyes?
But I couldn't answer. I just stood there looking down at her and waiting for some inspiration. After a while she sighed and closed her eyes again. I kissed her forehead again and left the normal patient room. Geneva was sitting at a bench waiting for me patiently.
"She must have seen something horrible," she saided. "I don't think she meant what she said." As she spoke gravely.
"I'm lost, I really don't know what to do next, maybe Andrew was right after all...maybe this thing should never be spoken of anymore. What will happen to them, Will my daughter stay here till the end of her natural life?"
" Please don't give up hope yet," said Geneva. "We both know what that Skullet guy has done. Let us find out more about it. Once we have tracked him down I'm sure everything will turn out fine."
"But we can't possibly defeat him, he stronger than both of us, with his raw power alone..."
" I don't think we should ever try to take revenge against someone without having at least some idea of his weak points. We need to know him better first. But first," said Geneva, taking hold of my hands in hers," I want to find out just what happened on that trip back. Tell me what you saw."
So I told her the whole story...
***
She nodded knowingly after I had finished. She leaned forwards and rested her elbows on the table as she stared down at a pile of papers, with her head tilted slightly to one side. She drummed her fingers on the surface as she thought and seemed deep in concentration. Then she spoke again.
" I understand where Andrew was coming from," said Geneva. "That is exactly why we decided not to give these pages to the police or anyone else. The main reason is that they describe many unusual aspects of the case and I don't want these aspects getting exposed before we can find out more about them. You might not notice but there has been a large shift in the world by their action, it has already exceed to level that authority could barely handle. One of the reasons that I was trying to be so vague concerning the source is the fact that in their present state the policemen cannot contain this kind of situation. We'll find another way, somehow. But Our main goal how aren't going change from the original target. After close encounter, I can certainly said that that guy is maleficent at the worst extent and even worse in all respect. His malice can be clearly seen; the intention of destroying your family is very obvious. These things were part of our conversation on the journey home. If these matters remain un-detected by ordinary means we will be putting your family in danger. So here is my proposal, I hope you can join my team of the JJDSF and meet up with the others who joined before. You would work with me to track down and eliminate these culprits. Only you know the details about their behaviour and you know the place they live, therefore you should be able to help out. And in returned, we will provide the best treatment for your daughter keep your family protected by our top security."
I had trouble responding. "No one could prove a thing anyway. Nothing ever happened in public..."
Geneva grinned as she said," Of course you are right, we will avoid public situations. Your daughter and wife wouldn't appreciate having people stare at them. I personally do not care. You got to understand that most of us think we have a right to know about the strange events that may be occurring on our Earth. With the risk they are facing, their freedom can't be ignored. But we would like to protect their anonymity. Then their lives and their families' future would remain intact. Don't worry, I will arrange the team members and how long of an investigation I will assign to you, since the government agencies cannot be involved. In return, if our search proves useless, I'm prepared to do something drastic myself. The details later, once you join the team. Besides, you would still have to tell the truth to your wife. I will persuade her to have a little faith in our skills and intentions, so you and your family would not feel any regrets at all."
This was hard to comprehend at first. How was it possible? Geneva sounded reasonable and everything she said just seemed right. There had always been some doubt about letting someone else deal with these kinds of things. But my fears were almost immediately quieted. At last I realised how happy I would be knowing my family would be safe, with everything in order. As I looked at my beloved children sleeping peacefully in their cots I remembered my own childhood. It had been hellish. My father was abusive and constantly mistreated me, especially in front of the other children. They often witnessed his cruelty towards me, but always turned a blind eye whenever I needed any help from them. They said things like "The big bad wolf has his way with everyone," and tried to put the responsibility on me. There was always some excuse, when I mentioned how I suffered. Most of the time they refused to listen at all. My mother would occasionally step in to break things up; she did not enjoy the abuse either and often stepped back when things started becoming out of control. One day I reached the point I no longer knew if I was being abused out of pleasure or purely for pleasure. On that particular day, when I reached that conclusion, it was probably too late to stop it.
As my mother started yelling for me, my father took up a paddle and struck my mother in the face. He turned it around and smashed the back of it onto her head and knocked her unconscious. It wasn't long before blood ran from my mother's mouth as well. From that point on I finally realised what I could expect from him. I knew I had to escape this house and that very night I packed some essentials in my bag and hid the rest under the house. As quietly as I could I snuck out of the back door and fled into the darkness, in complete terror that he would find me. I was afraid even to go outside.
***
"There is no sense in living," said Geneva,
" only through passion we can survive and thrive. Without passion there is nothing. When there was no life, how could we learn from the past, reflect upon our choices to create new paths for ourselves and evolve? Would the Earth not fall apart without passion?"
After Geneva had calmed down, the door opened gently, her rest of the teammate has arrived. Her name was Udo Krieger and she was wearing a large hat and sunglasses to hide her identity. As she entered she pulled off her hat and glasses, revealing short curly red hair and a friendly smile. As she approached the table and sat down next to Geneva she spoke cheerfully:
"Welcome to the team Udo, please sit down. Thanks for helping us out, I was just discussing a problem with your colleague earlier. Your are quite experienced in fieldwork and can easily take up the job of scouting this town."
Krieger shook her head and looked me dead in the eye. Her lips twitched as she remarked: " I've been a professional spy for years and the last place I want to see is any place called Tuttlingen in my free time. Not for the obvious reasons!"
She pointed over her shoulder at the three others who were seated near the corner of the table. Their names were Beckmann, Schmitt and Brown. They all gave brief nods to our guests before speaking:
" We have already settled this matter." Said Beckmann, " His family is ours."
Schmitt replied angrily," Don't forget the punishment clause!"
Brown added: " Let us remind him about this one more time."
Beckmann snickered sarcastically, " We will ensure he remembers. Then it will be his time to die."
I felt a sudden chill run down my spine and my ears began to ring violently. I shivered as my skin crawled beneath my clothes. All three men leered in anticipation. They seemed strangely excited as they gazed at me, like hungry wolves who were preparing themselves for a kill.
I suddenly realised what was happening.I was desperately disappointed to find out they had chosen the dark path. That I was expected to participate in this chase was inconceivable but unfortunately I must accept their demands. Their rage was insatiable and they were not to be stopped until the perpetrators had met their ends...
***
That very night was dark and full of shadows. Through the windows you could see distant lights reflected on snow covered roofs of houses. For some reason they reminded me of prison lights seen at a distance, illuminating the buildings ahead.
Geneva asked me if I minded staying at the JJDSF headquarters while my wife and children went to stay at her parents'. I didn't say anything.
Before I fell asleep my nightmares continued with that damned madman laughing wildly as he whispered: " A job well done, boy. I think you enjoyed that as much as I did. Tomorrow we go for the next family! Make sure everything is ready. The team will be here shortly."
***
It was no coincidence that Beckmann, Schmitt and Brown came knocking at our door exactly the next day. I was at work at my station. My colleagues were working hard alongside me and Geneva had taken a few days of leave, so the safe house had to be empty to accommodate the three men. I open the door as they enter the house . There greet me in their trench coats and capes. Geneva's old coat had been discarded so she would not give herself away. Two of them pull a large trunk towards the living room, while Brown patted me on the back saying:
"Let's get straight down to business then. So what do you know about our target Uno?"
"A little," I told him cautiously. " But I know my limitations. I can help with background information though. They moved into a suburb of a city, because their work takes them away from town. I haven't known where they worked though."
Brown rolled his eyes, as he pulled his dossier out of one pocket and looked at the details," Yeah right, sure! What else do you know?"
"Their appearance? One is very tall, one is medium height and the third is short. The tall one is the leader, but doesn't look like a leader, But he shows some unexpected surprises. The last time I encountered them he disgures himself as one of my teammates, than one of them can turn into a pile of snakes, and the other can cut people's body clear of with somekind of line, and he can even stay invincible to the eyes."
Brown shrugged as he held up a finger, as if he had only now begun to question the authenticity of my story. " Interesting, very interesting indeed."
"Thank you for helping us," said Krieger as he offered us a hand each. His smile was pleasant enough to reassure the team member in front of us that everything was going fine, so long as we cooperated fully. She spoke again when Geneva and I had gone inside, " This will not take long, we should be out of here soon enough. Do not go too far from your homes if you can help it, but be careful too. "
"What exactly is the plan?" I humbly asked.
Brown frowned, " First we shall tail them wherever they go. Second we try to figure out where their base is. And then-"
Krieger interrupted him before he could continue." But that all depends on this Uno character and his information."
Brown nodded as if he had read my mind. "Uno and his group are a tight ship, but I am sure that once you two come in the picture, we will get exactly what we need. Make yourself useful while you can. Report anything unusual at all, no matter how trivial it sounds. If you get caught in the act we will assist you, we will send a team of infiltrators to get rid of them with us. No need for unnecessary loss of lives. Any other questions?"
" No, not really. Do you guys want to talk about your own prospective for cooperation sake?"
Brown gave us an appraising smile. "I've been doing this a long time, trust me when I say it makes me feel good to use my abilities to the fullest, and for a noble cause."
Krieger agreed with a nod. "It feels liberating. I used to make a living killing people, after all. Now I am able to use my skills for the common good. The pay may not be so high, but it's worth it when you consider the situation."
They left with another gentle shake of their hands and I sat thinking about Geneva. I wished to deal with those monsters. If she only knew! If she knew about their capabilities we would not be in such trouble. It was incredible how a change of perspective could lead to different conclusions...
***
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