Chapter 26: Who She Is
A few weeks had passed and Ward searched tirelessly for any sign of Kim Johnson. His twentieth birthday had come and gone not that he cared how old he was until finally he found her.
Slipping into her apartment was easy for someone who was hiding out they weren't doing a very good job at it.
Glancing around at the apartment he took a flashlight out and shined it around the room for the most part everything looked untouched and clean. Walking over to one of the tables he saw an array of photo's sitting on the stands.
One of Jiaying and then another one next to it of Jiaying and a nine-year-old girl with a huge grin on her face with her mom's arms wrapped around her.
Picking the photo up he examined it. The child had a delicate almost innocent smile about her but Ward knew better behind that smile he could see a shadow in the girls eyes a shadow that reminded him of himself.
The girl must have been pretending for the camera this photo was nothing more than a lie. Setting the picture down he didn't think Jiaying would be back for a while. Walking into the dining area he saw a bouquet of Daisy's sitting in a pitcher on the table.
Glancing around once more he walked into the study and noticed a stack of envelopes sitting on the table. Picking one up he read, "To my dearest Daisy" he paused.
"Jesus what's with all these flower analogy's" he muttered and another thing that bothered him he couldn't help but feel that he had been hearing the name Daisy a lot lately or maybe that was just him.
A sound coming from the front alerted him that someone had entered the house pulling out his gun he could hear keys being thrown onto a table and the sound of scuffling footsteps.
Almost taking a step outward he paused when he heard beeping. Jiaying was calling someone. The phone rang for a few seconds before going to voicemail.
"Tony please answer the phone. I have the right to speak to my daughter she deserves to know the truth. You can't hide her from me forever. Call me back when you get this please" she said before hanging up and setting the phone down.
Walking out he held the gun out pointed at her as he spoke. "Don't move" he said as she looked up at him tiredly.
"What are you doing in my house?" she said startled. "Sorry to barge in unannounced but your ex-husband told me how to find you Jiaying" he said.
"I don't know what you're talking about?" she said looking away defensively.
"Really Jiaying, or would you prefer Kim Johnson now. Which is it?" he asked.
"What do you want?" she asked. Lifting his bag up he reached for the diviner.
"I want to talk about this" he said pulling it out. Watching again as it hummed under his fingertips, glowing.
"The obelisk" she whispered with a gasp standing up.
"So, you know what this is" he said. Taking a step towards him he back up. "Eh eh, I wouldn't take another step unless you want me to blow your knee caps off"
"Where did you get that?" She asked.
"That's not really any of your business, is it?" he asked.
"I just need to know how to use it? As a weapon to destroy Shield" he said.
"You've got it all wrong. That doesn't destroy, it gives life and your about to see that very soon. Your already on the path aren't you. I can't stop you now because it's your destiny" she whispered.
"Yea, I don't believe in any of that destiny bullshit. Just tell me how to use it" He snarled getting angrier.
"When you find the temple, it will awaken and you will see the truth" she said.
"What temple?"
"Go to Puerto Rico and you'll find the answers you seek" she said.
"You sound like a god damn fortune cookie you know that"
She smiled at him and despite the gun walked towards him placing a single hand on his shoulder. "Everything will become clear soon and when you change don't be afraid. This is when we find out who you really are"
"You're as crazy as your ex-husband" he said firing two shots into her chest. Watching as her body fell and she hit the ground. Stepping around her he gasped when she grabbed his ankle startling him.
"I know you" she whispered. "I thought you were familiar and now I know why. You've met her…. before. I saw you through…. the window talking to her, but I couldn't go in. I was too afraid. So, I let her real… father take her, I lied so that she…. she could have a better life. You'll see her again don't worry. I know you will" she gasped.
Her hand trembling against his leg. "Please tell my daughter… please tell her something for me… please" she whispered pulling on him until he crouched down. Tears were streaming down her face as she leaned in and whispered gently into his ear.
"Please tell her…. Please tell her that" she gasped pulling away from him as she struggled to breathe.
"your insane, you know that and I have no idea what you're saying" he said as he lifted the gun and fired a single round into her forehead.
Walking towards the door he hesitated when he noticed the picture of the nine-year-old again. Taking the frame, he smashed it on the table breaking the glass and sweeping it away before pulling out the picture of the small child and her mother.
"But I'll tell her one day" he said glancing back at the dead woman. "If I ever meet her" Walking out of the house he folded the picture up and slipped it into his pocket as a reminder of the promise that he might never be able to keep.
"She'll tell you" A voice said from the shadows causing him to freeze up as he noticed a hooded figure obscured by the shadows.
"One day she'll tell you." A woman's voice said as she stepped out of the shadows slightly and he could see yellow eyes staring back at him.
"And when that time comes your decision will change the future forever." Glancing down at her hands he noticed there were thorns sticking out of them.
"Everyone has a choice and the time is coming nearer to find out what your choice will be. Don't push her away because she's the only one that can save you"
"Who the hell are you? And who is this she that your referring to" he yelled.
"It's not your time to know, but you'll find out someday… who she is. They call me the Oracle and you'll be seeing me again Grant Ward, one day" she said and turning into the alleyway she disappeared completely gone.
"Why do I keep running into crazy people? Can nobody just say what they mean without riddles" he said throwing his hands up in the air.
He needed to get back to Garrett he had already wasted too much time and then they were headed to Puerto Rico.
Meeting up at the rendezvous. He sat down at the table that Garrett had picked and waited, tapping his hand on the table glancing down absently he froze.
Written in red ink was the word Run followed by a phone number written down. Memorizing it he stood up and was just walking away when he saw the screech of tires, it was a shield van.
Pulling out his gun he aimed his gun at the fire hydrant and shot three times watching as the water sprayed out and hit the van causing it to swerve. While he took this opportunity to run, pushing through the ground of people, hiding himself from view he made his way to a phone booth before sliding in and putting the necessary change before dialing the number.
"Son, are you alright?" Garrett asked. "Yea and I know where we need to go, Puerto Rico. There is an underground temple there" he said.
"I'll meet you there in a few days be on the lookout for shield" Garrett said.
"Yes sir" he said hanging up and stepping out.
Making his way through the crowd of people he disappeared from view and became lost in a sea of faces. One step closer to Puerto Rico and the truth.