[Lucas]

"Teddy," I heard and I stopped the audio. Tears began to sprout from my eyes, like a sudden rainstorm on a sunny day. Comfort and hurt intertwined as I heard her voice, it was a bittersweet feeling. The realization that I would never see her again hit me like a ton of bricks, causing an internal grapple that I fought with the power of positivity.

After consoling myself and wiping the tears, I decided to continue with the audio. I took back the cell phone and pressed play.

"Teddy, my Lucas, my dear little brown bear, you know how much I love you and I'm glad and also not glad you found this audio. I am recording it knowing that my actions are risky and if you are hearing this now, it is very likely I no longer find myself in your arms where I would like to be.

"Knowing you, I know that if I die, you won't stop looking for revenge, but Teddy, I don't want you to be a psychopath, much less an avenger or a murderer. I want you to find justice and take the sect to the police, finish my job. My virtual friend can help you, his contact is on my cell phone, that's if he hasn't been killed too or hasn't changed his number. I hope you never have to hear this, I can't believe I'm recording it, but well... I'm going to keep enjoying the hot dogs that I stole from Ruth, if she finds out, she'll kill me. Sincerely, your redhead. I love you." The voice stoped and a sudden comfortable warm feeling invaded my body making a smile flicker across my face.

She continued, "well, that was a little sparse statement, so I will continue with my speech. In my house, in the hidden place that only you and I know, I have a very important book, it contains my everyday life as well as the code language I use with my virtual friend, I want you to go for it, you'll get to know everything we discovered from our chats.

"Love, I don't want you to cry for me I will always support you and any decision you make, for me, will be the right one. A lot of strength my dear Teddy. I love you, but you already know that very much, so... I don't know what to say. Just hear our music and I'll feel you."

Have you ever felt sorry and funny for a special event? I kept laughing alone while tears rushed out like a waterfall. It was as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on me, mixing sorrow with laughter in the most unexpected way.

     Although the audio fractured every part of my being into a thousand pieces, it also pieced me back together and gave me much more strength to fight against my trauma and the sect that tormented Wellington and Claudial so much.

     I sat and listened to our music.

[Marc]

I neither liked making the paper work nor taking inventory of all the cases that kept arising in bundles on a daily basis. Little children kept missing massively and lots of parents were found dead of a gunshot or a stab, and the police spread through Wellington's neighborhoods could do nothing. Wellington was getting to Claudial's state—destruction everywhere. There was no surge of hope.

"I think we will need to repeat that, Marc, you didn't danced much on the party," said one of my comrades while I tried to concentrate on the current task.
"Trevor, concentrate on the job, boss won't be happy with our pace." I blurted out without moving my gaze from my computer.

That day, after Lucas had helped me with the work, I waited for the rain to stop and went home to get prepared for the party hosted at Trevor's house. The boy left me thinking on me. I was unable to even attempt to investigate about those who killed my parents even when I entered the security corp. I was lost in thoughts that day until I went drunk and messed up with my dance, but Lucas really activated back the flame of justice that made me want to become a police officer.

"We're not supposed to be responsible for the job of our late coming comrades," he said and continued with the party issue. "The way you stirred your body and swayed your hips that day was insane, you're such a dancer..." he scoffed.
"I told you guys I didn't wanted alcohol and that I was a horrible dancer but—"

The back door opened abruptly. Startled, I almost threw my expensive and hot Blonde-Roast Starbucks coffee I had managed to buy in the cafe before the police station.

"Come to my office, Marc Estrada, now!"
"Yes sir," I said.

I got up and took my creamy coffee with me. My boss was ahead, leading me to his office, but I wondered why. I didn't wanted to be assigned with more tasks, I already felt exhausted when I thought of what I had left.

We reached his navy colored and spaced office and I sat on a chair in front of his desk. I sipped my coffee while I saw him rumbling in a to and fro manner.

     He stopped and faced me. "The lieutenant had informed all of the sergeants to conduct an inspection on their squad."

     "Why?" I inquired knowing that if the lieutenant had been reached..., then it supposed to be serious case. I sipped back my cup of coffee.
     "Stop the fucking noise and keep that aside," he said, annoyed by the irritating noise I generated. He then sat opposite to where I was. "Someone informed a foreigner on how to enter our secret cabin at the Wellington High School Library."

     "That's a really bad new." I dropped my coffee and set it aside as he had previously ordered and continued, "do you have any suggestions who the person is master?"
     "I don't know Mr Estrada. Thanks to a furtive officer that changed the folders name, or else the person would have stollen all the secret information we had there."

     I pondered, "so, this was the reason for Lucas fruitless search."

     "Hope we find who the mole is as soon as possible." I got up. "Master, if you excuse me, all the paper work and inventory wouldn't be done alone." I headed for the door.
     "You think I'm an imbecile or something? You need to give me your reasons, or your career as an officer would be brought to a halt."

     "What? Did boss really caught me off guard? What do I do?" I thought.

     "That boy is the same one you took to our safe and gave him the clues of Allegra Reynors's case... If you don't know, all what you've done violates our rules and can cause you big problems."
     "Master, I don't want to leave this place, please don't squeal to the lieutenant. I just tried to help the boy." I pleaded.
     "You're not helping him, rather you're putting him in danger. You really don't know what that sect can do. And, you know you can't beg me that since it violates our security corp code."
     "I know sergeant, sorry for my deeds. Anything you decide would be the best thing and if I have to leave the police station I'll confront the reverberations of my actions with honor." I bowed my head and raised it back. "Sir, how did you know I took him to our safe?"

     "I also am a good hacker as that your naughty friend."

     "He is really well equipped. I wonder why he is still a sergeant." I thought while crying mentally for my post.

   I went back to do the usual job and met all of my unit colleagues there. We worked thoroughly through out the day and by four I had to leave the station since I had a day shift. My boss called me on my way leaving and I went back to his office.

     "I thought about it and I decided I won't notify the superiors of this your acts, but with a condition."
     "Which one sir?" I asked surprised.

     "You will need to work for me privately at my house. Starting from today. Take my address." He handed me a paper.
     "I agree sir, but what kind of job?"
     "You will get to know when you come. It's by four thirty."
 
[Lucas]

     Filled with the haunting thoughts that Allegra's message had left on me, and after I had fruitlessly tried to reach her virtual friend, I pondered how I was going to travel to Claudial. Ordinary mall our father didn't permitted us to go, talk less of another city. Claudial was separated from Wellington by a river of about seven kilometers wide, but a modern suspension bridge connected both cities making it possible to travel with cars.

     As I wrestled with my thoughts, Dante abruptly entered the room. "Lucas," he said, "you left us in a hurry this morning. What did you need a CD player for? Who even uses that these days?"

     "Just a random CD," I stammered, my mind still reeling from recent events. "How is Lander doing?"
     "He'll be okay... he's sleeping. I left his room when he fell asleep this morning and he has been there for five hours."

     "I can imagine it's the tiredness of the party—"
     "Plus dad not letting him sleep in the night. I couldn't tell him about the incest our parents indulged in. Not in his state." Dante added. "Anyways, you know why I am here." Dante sat beside me on my bed, his presence emanated a mixture of comfort and concern.
    
     I thought Dante had forgotten about my situation, but he was never one to be fooled by my attempts to deflect his attention. It was difficult to recount the events, and I felt unprepared at that moment, but I remembered I would never be hundred percent prepared.

     "I know it's not easy, Lucas," Dante said, his words echoing the advice of my psychologist. "But that's why I'm here. You don't need to tell everything that happened, just a summary."

     "Okay." I took a deep breath. "Allegra was my girlfriend at Claudial. She was simply awesome for me. She investigated about the sect and on the day before my birthday we decided to follow a clue about them. Nothing came as planned and I received two shots, it's what caused this scar." I raised my left sleeve to show him the scar, "and not a random injury as I had told you before. The other grazed my leg and I fell and got unconscious. I don't know what happened in that time interval but we were suddenly in a room, tied up. There, they tortured Allegra to death before my bare eyes." I gulped and opened my mouth to continue but Dante stopped me.

     "Holy Shit—sorry for the word," he said. "So, this isn't all?"

     "No." I said, tears filling my eyes. I held the tears and continued. "I was chained in a dungeon with the dead body for the whole night until day broke. It was my birth day gift." I stopped and sighed with anger, Dante held my hand reassuring he really was in that with me—or maybe to satisfy his curiosity, but I doubt it.

     "I slept in the morning and when I woke up later, they had thrown me, I was blindfolded and my legs and hands were tied. I grappled and moved myself on the floor uselessly. It was an old man passing by that helped me loose those knots. When I realized where I was... I was in shock, I was in Burlington. I had to trek for three days with no breaks since no car was ready to take me. I looked mad. I was half traumatized. But I found the way home and then Thomas went for me to keep me secure."

     "Oh my God. If I hadn't seen you the first day I would've sworn that you are lying. What did Teresa did on seeing you?"

     "She is a self-centered woman. She didn't bothered. I told her the sect attacked me and she called Thomas, but meanwhile she asked me to mop the house and wash the three days accumulated plates for them."

     "Lucas, you are really a strong boy, I admired you from the day dad punished you but now you got all my respect. After all that you suffered visually, emotionally, mentally and physically... you are still here, combatting that era that's  causing you so much pain. And you've even managed to open up to me. I never knew the sect was that heartless. You are very strong." Dante stole a rapid hug from me and gave me two encouraging pats on my back.

     The ringtone of my cell phone shattered the silence, calling my attention. I hunched over and with my right hand I took my cell phone. It was a call from Marc. I excused Dante and went to my balcony and answered.

     "Lucas... Lucas," Marc's voice sounded strained. "We need to talk. I've received crucial information about the sect."
     "What?" I exclaimed on exaltation of the tremendous news he had told me. "Marc, what is it? What did you get? How?"
     "You'll need to keep silence. My boss permitted me to tell it to you only if you promise to keep silence. Which of course you will."

     Marc informed me that his boss caught us, but that that occurrence developed his interest in us—particularly in him. His master had contracted him to be his assistant in his private investigation of the sect. He explained that his master believed that some members of the Wellington police shared information with the sect and that was why he worked on his investigation alone until then.

     As the call continued he explained the structure of the sect. He said his boss told him that the sect was made up of seven members called "The Seven Swords". Each member had a nickname: First Sword, Second sword and so on till the seventh. Also, that the members were extraordinary coordinated strong people. And they comprised of  both male and female. He wanted to continue explaining their modus operandi, but he received a call from someone and went urgently.

     "Who got you entertained for so much like that?" Dante asked coming to the balcony.
     "A friend," I said. "A very good one."
     "So you have a friend? That's a great movement bro. From where?"
     "I knew him at the psychiatrist," I scoffed.
     "Oh no." Dante laughed. "Thats not a good move."
     I smirked and said, "I knew him on my way home after the psychologist and tried to be sociable." I lied and remembered. "It's true, we have to go and prepare the forest day stuff of tomorrow Dante."

     Dante nodded as he contemplated the sunset. I decided to go to my wardrobe. I contained such an adrenaline after Marc's news... after all I suffered in vain, at least he had gotten something. Something that will surely make us bring down that cult.

***

After we arrived at the forest house the next day, I begged I wanted to delve through the forest with no guard since it wasn't necessary and Thomas agreed—I really just wanted to stay away from him and Raven. An unsettling breeze whispered through the tall trees in the forest and the only sound that could be heard where those of the birds and the leaves. The sun shone that morning as if it were also celebrating my fathers birthday and its casted rays passed through the green leaves creating lines of harmonious light.

     I walked through the forest in an attempt to clear my mind and know where to proceed. When I remembered that I was expected to look for a way to escape home and go in search of Allegra's book, loneliness enveloped me so much that I glanced at my right only to realize that she was no longer there.

Despite my improvement, I was still unable to live with the heartbreaking death and the emptiness it caused in me, but I knew that even if she was not in my arms, on my lap or even next to me, she would be up there smiling at me and at least that made the sudden anxiety growing in me dwindle.

Suddenly, a chilling voice pierced the tranquility of the forest. "This time! You're gonna pay for what you did, young Darwell." The voice came out of nowhere and almost seemed to generate some echo. To be the voice of the mystery woman, it sounded very threatening, but no much deal for me.

     "Who the fuck are you," I yelled, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance. "Why don't you show yourself and end this charade?"
"Just gonna say... from here you ain't gonna come out alive, I wasn't able to spy you at your highly secured house, but I've been watching you since dawn cracked, every step you gave and even every gesture you executed. Its time, I will kill you with my own hands."

     On an attempt of her to attack me from the back jumping from a branch with her dagger, I dodged her and turned to have her in front of me. "That same trick doesn't function twice." I said.

     I ran to attack her with rapid te-waza techniques. I attacked her with strikes, chops and punches, but she seemed to know them all—as if she had attended the same karate academy as I. She dodged them, bringing out her dagger and attempting to stab it on my stomach. I held her hands tightly preventing the dagger from penetrating my stomach and I drove her hands to the side.

     I hit her head with mine, the pain reduced her grip on the dagger and it fell. I used one of my hands to remove the balaclava she was wearing and was left astonished. She made use of my amazement to release herself from my grip and direct a mortal karate strike to my neck. I was able to move my neck a little but not enough to dodge it. I fell to the ground in pain.

     She went and swiftly took the dagger taking advantage of my inability to move due to that move.

     "R-Ruth, why are you doing this?" I said in a choppy voice. "What have I done?"

     She stayed silent and slowly approached. I asked, "Ruth, it's you right?"
     "No, I'm Brandy," she said, sarcasm perched on her voice. "Can you imagine. I'm not going to consent anything you tell me, you probably didn't think twice when you took my sister to that graveyard to be killed."