31

Jackson forced himself to watch her retreating figure, he forced himself to stand frozen in time and face the consequences of his actions for they were immense. He had hurt her; after all the promises to do the complete opposite. He took her already low perception of love and ripped it up in her face. And now he stood outside, the bitter winds brushing past him harshly, his eyes pricking with tears, with the knowledge that he had destroyed her. He had destroyed them. And yet even his realization and self-guilt was trampled on by a call from reality, his phone blaring brightly, Mark's name staring back up at him.

"Jack I need to see you preferably now."

"Mark I am really not in the mood for this."

"It is about Irene Jack. It is about all this shit that we have all found ourselves in and I would prefer to do this face to face than risk our call being tapped."

"Mark what the heck are you talking about?"

"Jackson everything was an inside job."

Jackson paused. "Where are you?"

"Waiting for you at our place. You need to hurry up Jackson."

"What the heck are you on about Mark? Stop talking in riddles..."

"I can't Jackson they already know that I have been snooping and it won't be long before they come after me. I need you to know this information before then."

"What do you mean they're after you."

"I mean I know I am not coming out of this alive."

"Mark."

"Jackson shut up and get your arse moving. I compromised myself, if you don't get to me in time I need you to access my computer as soon as you can. All the information that I need to tell you is on there. And if it comes to it, promise me you will protect Wendy."

"Irene's friend?"
"Yes you knob my girlfriend."

"I am on my way."

"I need you to promise me first Jack."

"Mark-"

"Jack. Please..."

"I promise Mark. You have my word and my life. I will protect her with my life."

"Thank you my brother. It has been a beautiful journey with you."

"Shut up before I kill you myself. Don't you dare say shit like that Mark."

Mark chuckled. "We promised to the end of the line Jack. This is the end of the line. Till next time."

Before Jackson could utter another word, Mark had hung up. He cursed loudly, his eyes momentarily turning back to the path that she had just left down before running in the opposite direction.

His driving was nothing but reckless.

His heart sinking deeper into the pit of his stomach with every unanswered phone call of Mark. Jackson called for backup immediately, his hands moving simultaneously between the steering wheel and his phone, his eyes flickering back and forth as he weaved expertly between traffic.

He reached his place in record speed, his unit meeting him just as prompted, guns loaded, bullet proof vests pulled over their bodies before they barreled into his front door. Into the place he hadn't been in weeks because of the new home he had found with Irene. He attempted to focus his running thoughts away from her and back to what required his attention and he wished he had not. He wished desperately that this was nothing but a bad nightmare, but reality had a way of being deafening.

The sight of crimson liquid caught his eye. A strangled breath catching in his throat. He could smell it, the decay already, and he wanted his feet to stop instantly. They refused. Pushing their master forward to fully confront the scene in front of him. Jackson found himself choking on a sob, his feet staggering back in defeat, his eyes watering in disbelief. He could hear the gasps and the recognition behind him, and yet he remained fazed. He felt his legs buckle, hurling him to the floor as he looked towards the man he had titled his brother, laying lifelessly, his head angled towards him, his eyes no longer sparking with life.

"Mark!" He choked out, pushing out of the hand that had been placed on his shoulder in comfort.

He knew he shouldn't have disrupted the crime scene, but seeing his brother laying there all rational seemed to desert him just as quickly.

"NO... this can't be happening. Mark!...Mark wake up. Brother please. I am sorry...Wake the fuck up! PLEASE!"

No one dared to move a muscle watching their team leader break the way he was, because they were as equally devastated.

Hours slipped by, Jackson numb to his work, to the world. His hands were clenched in tight fists, until he found himself recalling Mark's words. He pushed himself up, ignoring the looks of pity directed towards him as he swayed, ignorant to the menacing eyes that had fixated to his form. Because Jackson just wanted an out.

He found himself back in his car, picking up Mark's laptop before continuing down an endless route until he found himself at her doorstep again. He should not have come. Not after all the pain and hurt he had caused her. But he was selfish and he needed her, like crops craving for water in the middle of a drought. He needed her.

His fist raised to knock on her door, and every passing second his force gained greater momentum until her door was rattling on its hinges and his knuckles were covered in his own blood.

The door was flung open finally, a telltale sign of the sheer annoyance, and when he looked at her disheveled and eyes red, he knew she was a mirror to his own appearance.

"Mark..." he found himself say. And for a moment he saw her eyes soften, until his eyes focused in on the figure sitting in her lounge. He looked back at Irene, who watched him with her walls ten times as high.

He found himself forcing his way past her, dropping in front of Wendy, who looked at him in slight astonishment.

"I am sorry." He mumbled. "I should have saved him." He repeated.

And yet Wendy looked at him with no ill intent. Instead she pushed herself into his embrace, seeking the protection of a brother, who Mark had told her she could rely on. And rely she did.

Irene who bore witness to the scene, found herself leaving the two alone. She didn't know Mark but she knew he was a monumental part in two of the most important people she had ever come to know. And she knew that they needed each other.

When she had returned an hour later, she caught herself within their conversation. Wendy was pregnant, and the father to be, now lifeless had no clue. It was tragic. But after awhile Irene found herself forcing Wendy to rest, ignoring the longing gazes that were directed towards her.

Because they were broken.

And Irene, despite her deepening humanity refused to look her traitor in eye.

"Irene."

"Stop."

"Please. I can't lose you not after today." She heard.

She whirled around. "You lost me the minute you started this Jackson. You never had me. I told you how much I valued loyalty. I told you that the consequences of disloyalty would be dire, and this is your punishment."

"Not now please." He begged.

"I've lost my brother Irene."

"And you didn't hesitate for a moment in allowing me to lose my sister." She walked towards him. "Quite frankly Jackson I do not care if you're in pain. Because this is your karma. I am not going to stand here and take you into my arms and tell you everything is okay because you don't deserve that part of me anymore. Just because I allowed you to stay in my house for Wendy does not mean everything is forgiven between us. I meant what I said about destroying you and I will not rest until I have done so, to the point where you are unable to stand."

She turned away from him.

"Leave." She forced out through her grit teeth, her heart aching at the strangled choke that escaped from behind her.

She was adamant he had left the moment she said that, but she found his arms wrapped around her waist, his head burying itself in the crook of her neck. She could feel his tears on her skin. She could feel his chest shaking, and she could read the desperation in his actions.

But she had nothing left to give to him. He had taken everything from her. Including her heart.

Her eyes remained closed, giving him what he needed for some time, until she pushed away his hands and walked away.

He heard the door of her bedroom slam mercilessly.

His feet pushing him out of her front door and into his car, before driving endlessly yet again.

He stopped at a hotel.

Checking in before collapsing onto the bed, Mark's laptop laying on his side.

He forced himself up, forcing the lid of the laptop up before punching in the password 'Markson' into the bar, staggering over his breaths yet again.

He hovered over the files addressed to him,

Before sitting back and watching, scanning and filing through the documents Mark had compiled.

His breath leaving him faster every second, all the evidence staring him in the face in black and white.

The culprit of everything, every murder linked to Irene's friends and families, every plan, every mention of Samuel stared him in the face. A list of culprits who were supposed to be societies protectors were looking at him as criminals.

The mantle of Samuel however caught his attention for longer, Mark's handwriting under it signing it off as the main conspirator off the airplane attack.

The name beneath it causing all the air to spill out of his lungs, a nauseating feeling manifesting as he looked closer. But there was no mistaking the name.

                                                         JINYOUNG = SAMUEL <I.I>

Author's note: Hello fellow readers, it has been a long time. Finally my exam season is over and I found the time to write an update for this. This should be wrapped up within the next few chapters and so I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter and will look forward to the upcoming chapters. I hope you have all been keeping well during COVID times and i wish you all to continue to stay safe. Lots of Love. Take care x