Chapter 21: On The Hunt

Present Time

August 4th 2010 0100 Hours

The Nubian Desert, Sudan

Silence. That was the only conversation she and I had for the last two hours, what could she say? At least this time I didn't throw up when I was finished with Lehm. But her reaction was one that I expected, fear and sorrow. The cold and ruthless ways I killed all those men. How my anger caused me to go completely berserk. My own team getting caught in the crossfire. And lastly how I ruined a young woman's future. It was more than appropriate for CIA to coin me with the title of "Nightmare", as if they were cursing me. It didn't happen instantly but gradually as time went on my choices began eating me away from the inside. That I couldn't sleep at night without hearing gunfire, screams of dying men and walking in a sea of blood. On jobs I took where I was technically committing murder. That I could never go home again, much less even see or speak to any of my family. I thought because of how smart I was I thought I knew how the world worked. But in the end that bastard Brooks was right, I'm just a stupid kid.

We managed to get past the Sudanese border rather easily but we would have to ditch this car and get another one soon. Egyptian plates in Sudan were gonna raise a few more eyebrows than necessary. We had to maintain a low profile at least until we found out where Chan was at. Since we were also in a Islamic country that had a legal system based on Sharia Law we had to be extra careful on not to cause too much of a stir. Being an American was bad enough but Sophia would have the most trouble, simply by being a woman. But I figured she could handle herself if some asshole got a little too misogynistic she'd just stab him to death. Being fluent in Arabic had its perks so I could do most of the interaction with the locals at least until we came across anyone that spoke English. I proved I could handle that better than Sophia when we were filling up on gas before we left Egypt she asked for a plate of fried hair. I was starting to get a little sleepy though, so I pulled off to the side of the road and we'd get back on the trail once morning came around.

"We'll stop here for the night, we'll do a food run first thing in the morning."

I then leaned my seat back as flat as I could and shut my eyes, didn't really matter if I slept or not.

"Damien…"

"I don't wanna talk about it, so fucking drop it."

A growl, then pain started emanating from my stomach.

"I WASN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT "THAT" YOU ASS!"

"COUGH! COUGH! Ok, sorry. What is it?" My old habit of my temper getting the better of me decided to remind me to think before I spoke.

"If we keep following this road it will eventually turn into a highway that will take us to Khartoum. From what I've been reading on your computer the Chinese are funding an improved railway from there to Port Sudan. A Chinese finance office is there. I figure that be a good place to start looking."

"Hmm. Sounds study enough, better than nothing. Ok before we hit the city we'll get another car in the next town we come across, hopefully one a little larger."

As I shut my eyes again I then realized she was right I really needed to stop being an ass around her at least until our little renegade mission was over.

"All too often I just mouth off instead of wanting to talk about anything sensitive. Sometimes it's just reaction and not intent. I'm sorry for snapping at you like that, it wasn't called for."

"It's alright I know you were just venting, and I'm sorry I punched you."

Once again she sets it up.

"Heh heh…the first time or just recently?"

"Good night Damien." She said annoyed.

1448 Hours

Khartoum, Sudan

After ditching our car and managing to find a Land Rover in a small town called Barbar it was about another five hours until we reached the city. The trip was rather boring, just nothing for miles but then again we weren't taking a scenic route and Sudan wasn't really what you would call a place you wanted to go on for a vacation. Once we got to Khartoum Sophia was the navigator and she steered me in the direction of where the bank was. We parked the truck a good two blocks from where we were going to, The China Construction Bank, and walked the rest of the way to do a recon. The sun was blasting on us like a heat ray the whole way, appears as though the dry season wasn't over yet. Even though this was Sudan's capital it looked rather mundane but it's varieties of architecture provided a mix of African and Arabic cultures. I once read that the number of different ethnic and cultural groups in Africa literally reached in the thousands. But today was not a day where we were taking in the sights, we were there to find and cut off the head of the snake of the Tashinhai. But who were taking in the sights were the locals looking at us. Even though we had been wearing casual western wear and kept our scowls behind sunglasses our figures and postures were the most eye catching. A height advantage on everyone, an aggressive walk, tattoo work, long hair on a man, muscular arms on a woman, and scars that signified that they had been in more than their fair share of fights. I was even getting wary looks on getting bottled water from the vendor that was across the street where the bank was. Sophia was sitting on a bench eyeballing it and I handed her a bottle while sitting down next to her. She was doing most of the research while I was driving so I'd follow her lead for now.

"So now that we are technically on a military mission, I'll let you lead the way Major. How do you know this place will lead us to Chan?"

Ignoring my attempt to get a rise out of her she stared back at the bank.

"Since Chan still technically works for the Chinese government he would have to use one of the four main banks in China for anything financial, this is one of them and it's the second largest bank in the world."

"That means that there's a lot of companies we'll have to cross reference." I said as I cupped my chin in a thinking pose.

"Not necessarily. Tashinhai is legit and it's a public company and that means public records, it will be available to us. But they won't let us just walk in and start snooping around."

Then a lightbulb just went off in my head.

"I think I just figured out how we're gonna do that and not seem sketchy."

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's too late in the day, but we're gonna need to do a few things before we execute this plan. We need to make a call to them, stop by a library, stop by a print shop, get a new change of wardrobe, and I'll need to take your picture."

"What are you planning?" She said with her head tilted.

"You'll see soon enough." I turned back to her smiling.

August 5th 2010 0900 Hours

China Construction Bank, Main Accounting Floor, Khartoum

We weren't going to stay in Khartoum long so we slept in the truck but we both had to make ourselves presentable for our "interview" with this Chinese accountant. After convincing him that he was going to get interviewed by a British news source about Chinese trade in Sudan I managed to work a little magic I had saved on my laptop by making some fake press passes for me and Sophia. After getting cleaned up in a spa and having our first shower in three days we were only gonna wear these cheap three piece suits once and then get rid of them. That also meant I had to put my hair back in a ponytail. I was going to ask why Sophia didn't buy a skirt but I thought better. Having legs that gave Chun-Li a run for her money wouldn't really signify her as a reporter but we needed to keep the guy distracted long enough so that we could find anything that could give us a lead on Chan. As we were sitting in the waiting room, she leaned over to me and whispered.

"Ok, I'll do the interview and keep him distracted, you act like you want to confirm numbers on how much of whatever is going in and out through here. Find anything that relates to Tashinhai or what's been shipped from them."

"Got it. If I find something I'll scratch my forehead with my pinky, try and call my cell discreetly and I'll make something up that we need to leave."

"Sure." She then looked to the secretary that was coming towards us. "Head's up."

"Miss Thatcher, Mr. Orwell, Mr. Leung will be with you momentarily. About five more minutes."

"Thank you ma'am. We look forward to speaking with him." Sophia answered with a posh English accent that reminded me of someone she fought a few months ago. I leaned back over after the secretary left.

"Mildo does not sound that polite, you do know that?"

She scoffed. "Like your one for originality." Referring that I made our fake names from British historical figures.

After a while Leung entered the waiting room. He was of average build but had the description of your average office drone. Shirt and tie, glasses, slightly balding and definitely not expecting his interviewers to be towering well-endowed beasts. All I could do was pray that he didn't see through our disguises.

"Mr. Leung, I'm Damon Orwell and this is my partner Sophie Thatcher, I spoke to you yesterday."

I held out my hand and he took it. I at least kept up my accent but the guy still kept staring at us in awe.

"Ahh yes the reporters from "The Mirror." Please forgive me for staring though I didn't expect my interviewers to look as you do."

"If you're referring to my colleague and her eye she was the victim of an animal attack many years ago. But we're here to discuss the effects on how the Peoples Republic of China is bettering Sudan by helping them rebuild after its civil war."

"Of course follow me."

As we followed him to his office I turned and saw that she was gripping it again. That statement I made was sorta true, an animal did do that to her. As we entered his office, she pulled out my laptop from its brief case and was about to start her phony interview.

"With your permission Mr. Leung I'll conduct the first half of this interview. My partner will need to pull up some numbers for references on how many products China is selling Sudan, he'll need to use your computer. You can sit here next to me."

"Of course Miss Thatcher."

"Please it's Sophie."

Using a little bit more of a convincing tone she managed to hook him. As they started talking about whatever, I got to work.

Just keep him distracted for only a bit.

After switching the translation of the screen over to English I started searching through anything that involved Tashinhai. I immediately got a hit but there were quite a few transactions that I had to narrow down to transactions that involved natural resources. After about two minutes searching through oil I got nothing, one minute through natural gas still nothing, but when I hit steel I spotted a shipment of 300 tons of railroad track coming from a steel plant in Ethiopia just last week. The shipment was approved by Guoming Chan.

Gotcha. Ok time to get out of here.

I gave the signal and Sophia speed dialed in my cell. I answered the nobody on the other end while logging off of Leung's computer.

"Hello? Yes chief we're…yes but were right in the…alright give us an hour and we'll be there. I'm so sorry Mr. Leung but we have to go it's an emergency. Come on Sophie."

"What but we just started…"

Sophia cut him off. "If it's from our editor and chief then it's an emergency we can't ignore. We'll speak again, thank you for your time."

As we left the tricked accountant behind we subtly hurried to the elevator. As I punched the down button I undid my ponytail and loosened the cuffs on my shirt I turned to Sophia.

"I found Chan, he's in Ethiopia."

"Where?"

"Some steel plant that's next to a town called Sali. About an hour from Lake Tana."

There was a moment of pause but the gratitude finally came when the elevator stopped at the lobby.

"Nice job."

"Thank you. You know when we're not trying to kill each other we make a good team don't we Major?"

She then formed a smile as we made for the exit and to the Land Rover, loosening her tie as we got in.

"Your performance is only average Captain. I expect you to make improvements in your execution."

I chuckled as I started the truck. "Yes, ma'am."

1500 Hours

Sudanese Savana, 150 Miles Till The Ethiopian Border

Our little road trip was longer than I thought it was but it was never boring except for the scenery, just nothing for miles in all directions. Sophia and I just did what we normally did with the rest of the crew on the Fruition, just bullshitting for about an hour or two and occasionally singing the same song that we both liked I had on my iPod playing on the radio. I much preferred that to whatever gibberish was coming out of some African radio station. But the fun and games would end the moment we hit Ethiopia, if Chan wasn't there we both agreed we'd just grab one of his cronies and beat some answers out of him. Or her if Low was there at that steel plant.

Gedaref was pretty much the last major town we would come across until we hit the border so we stocked up on food, water, some extra first aid supplies, medicine and gasoline. We also checked the truck to make sure all its bells and whistles were in proper tune because we were gonna be completely out in the middle of nowhere and if we broke down then we were screwed. The only thing I wish we could get more of was ammo and neither of us knew where we could find any type of militia to get some from. Not that they like to advertise where they hang out and they probably wouldn't have any for the types of guns I had.

"Oh by the way I forgot to ask. Which guns do you want to use when it's time to go hot?"

"I won't need any. I got this." She pulled out her knife and I let out an agitated sigh.

"I know you can stab and slice faster than some anime samurai but this is real life and I can just do this." I formed my hand into a finger pistol. "Bang. Before you can even get close."

"You saw how I fought Low, don't tell me you doubt me."

Unfortunately she was right, the way she moved didn't seem human. But not everyone's luck lasts forever.

"No…I do not. But at least take my shotgun if you wanna get that close."

"Ugh…fine if it will make you stop bitching I'll keep my sidearm with me."

As I at least breathed a sigh of relief I twisted my neck to relieve some of the stress that I had been sitting in one spot for hours. As I was looking around and the endless plains and sporadic trees with the mountains in the distance I spotted movement in the distance, movement that was rather fast as the truck was going about 60 mph. As it slowed down I slowed the truck to a stop, there was only one animal in the world that could move that fast.

"What's going on? Why are you stopping?"

I turned around to grab my bag and pulled out my camera and binoculars. I handed the binos to Sophia and stepped out of the truck to get as close as I could for a clear shot.

"Take a look in the distance."

We were far enough away from them so that they didn't see us as a threat but were aware of our presence as they were looking right at us, cheetahs, a pack of five. I zoomed the camera in as far as it could and managed to get a few clear shots before they darted off. It was only then I just realized that we were in Africa, and chances are we'd come across something but never something so rare. I got what I needed and went back to the truck and continued on. But Sophia was giving me an annoyed look.

"We're not on safari Damien."

"Hey now, I don't think you realize how rare that is. Cheetahs normally inhabit central and southern Africa, they are never this far north."

"Try and stay focused on the task at hand and not zoology."

I let out a frustrated groan. "Damn girl I figured you of all people would recognize awesome shit."

"And you do?" She said totally unbelieving.

"Duh. I'm sitting next to some of it now."

"Pardon me?" She said sounding offended.

"No I'm serious. I wanna know. Who taught you how to fight the way as you do?" I asked with sincere curiosity.

Silence. I saw her looking out to the plains, I think I must have brought back the bad memories as she was gripping her scar again. She did say she only got this way after her unit got slaughtered. I decided to change the conversation, I swore I would think before I spoke and I was gonna keep doing that.

"Umm…anyway we should be at the border in little more than two and half hours. Why don't you take the wheel after we cross? Then we'll find some place to lay down for the night."

"Fine with me."

2000 Hours

Amahara, Ethiopia, Just Over The Border

Getting across the border took a little more effort than what we initially planned. Since we were in a spot of Africa that had just gotten through a lot of skirmishes the guards at the checkpoint were wary of us. These guys must have seen mercenaries come and go all the time but when one of them gave Sophia a wolf whistle she responded by almost breaking a poor guys hand. But using a few readily prepared phrases I had saved on my phone and flashing $2000 wrapped it up rather quickly and they didn't bother starting anything else. The town was fairly large but not what you would might call well developed, people in this part of the world survived on what they could make with what they had. Which was a firm description of the design of the inn were staying at until morning and in which Sophia "insisted" that I sleep on the floor and she get the bed. At least I still had some cell service in which I could access the internet on my cell, but not my laptop, to find music I could download for my iPod later. It was then I came across a pretty cool techno dance rift. I was more of a rock and roll guy but when I saw the name of the song I couldn't believe that was what it was called.

Maybe I could use this as some sort of prank after we're done out here. Providing she don't kill me later.

But we were now in what you might call hostile territory. If Chan got one whiff of us he was gonna run, and we'd probably have to start all over again in our search. It was time to start prepping, I got my bug out bag and pulled out the toys. My distinctive field knife, two M1911A1's, one MP7, one short M870, one .308 Thompson Center Fire and two grenades. My bag was not large enough to store body armor so I just had a carrying vest. I had to be 100% faithful to the golden rule of combat, take cover or die. I then put my headphones in and started loading up the clips with ammo.

A few songs in "Until It Sleeps" began to play, it was one of her favorite songs. My head started bopping a little harder than earlier. But I didn't care, she weened me on what kind of music a boy should listen to. She was a bit of a rebel that wanted to get away from her parents and didn't really finish high school. But she ended up being a great parent herself. And she and dad made each other happy, which goes to prove that not everything is what it seems. As was Sophia's thoughts when I saw her looking at me. Wet washcloth in her hand, probably from washing dead skin off the slight sunburn on her neck and face. And in what appeared to be her sleepwear of a tank top and shorts. Lutz said it best when she wasn't around, a killer body that belonged to an actual killer.

"What are you listening to?"

"Metallica, it was my mother's favorite band."

"Wait a minute, your mother was a fan of metal?" She said almost unbelieving.

"Yeah. She and my dad we're only teenagers when they had me. Both were rebels against my grandparents, that's what they found interesting in each other from what my father said."

"You must have had an unusual childhood. Was she a soldier too?"

"No. Just a high school dropout that was drifting along doing odd jobs until she met my dad when he was stationed in Ft. Benning. She's been dead for years now, cancer."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She said as she sat down across from me to help me load the clips.

"Ok your turn. Are you finally going to tell me who taught you how to fight like that? I know the human body can do amazing things and when I was going through my Green Beret training I couldn't believe what they actually taught. But you remember the first gunfight we got into together back in Prague? How you jumped on that van? I couldn't really process the fact that that was real."

She sighed as she placed a full MP7 clip down and took the next one. Then looked at the 4.6 mm round as if she was analyzing it.

"I didn't really start out that way. I've literally been all over the world with Koko and I manage to meet and be trained by some of the best teachers in marksmanship, fighting, survival, and combat experts around. I started building myself up when I first met Koko seven years ago. It was right after THIS happened." She pointed to her missing eye. "I was drowning in paperwork and death reports and finally made out as a scapegoat for my units massacre. That's when I met her."

Wait a second, seven years? I know Koko is not really that old but she couldn't be more than a high school freshman if she met her that long ago.

"When she first talked to me I found her wisdom to be intoxicating. She may have looked like a child but she spoke as if she'd seen centuries of knowledge. My unit didn't really accomplish much here in Africa and she said I had another choice to make after I was discharged. A key to a domestic life or a key to the world. Because of that, I think you can figure out which key I took. I owe everything to Koko, she helped me unlock the world. I love her with all my heart, I would do anything for her. But I couldn't let what Chan did go unanswered."

The woman walked along a grey path. But beneath that occasionally cold personification beat a strong heart and a concern for those that she held close. She said she'd help me make an impact on the world without dropping my title as a soldier, a chance at redemption. But I then realized I don't need the world, I'm a simple man when it came right to it. I only needed the simple things, like finding humor in wherever I could look.

"Now what are you smiling at?" She asked.

"Just had a quick image going through my head. I don't think domestic life suits you either. You in a dress, holding a roast, asking your husband how his day was, acting all chipper? That's got to be the most freighting thing I could ever think of."

She then formed a slight smirk. "You're right. I'd feel better off covering myself in sugar and letting horsefly's eat me alive."

August 6th 2010 1000 Hours

One and a Half Miles From Hong Taiyang Steel, Sali, Ethiopia

We got up extra early and speeded around Lake Tana and headed into what was open plains and rolling hills to our north. We decided to set up shop in the previous village that was quite a distance away from Sali by giving a farmer a grand to stay in one of his store houses. As that a sizable amount of who populated the town next to the steel mill consisted of Chinese. No doubt a few of them worked for Tashinhai and a couple of outsiders like us would stick out like a sore thumb.

Scouting was the bread and butter of turning a battle in your favor. Sophia and I were positioned on a ridge that oversaw the plant, giving us a nice panoramic view of the entire place. The mill was not huge but the blast furnace was belching out smoke that I could smell burning metal all the way from where we were at. Multiple buildings were packed tightly within the fenced off plant, most likely the rolling, casting, and fabricating areas with a shipping and receiving dock hauling in ore and delivering finished products. We both continued to scan the area looking for anyone that might have looked like Chan. I handed Sophia the binos and I kept an eye on the roads leading in and out to see if any VIP's were visiting.

"Anything?"

"Nothing yet but this is the place cause I didn't think the guards at steel mill's needed to carry those kinds of weapons."

They weren't dressed in security uniforms but the assault rifles, radios, and of course their posture were dead giveaways. The workers at the plant seemed to be a bit uneasy around the guards but they just worked there, so there was no reason to declare them as hostile unless one of them started shooting at us. It was then that I spotted several figures out in the distance, three of them next to a black sedan with no one else around. One of them slightly hunched over. I shook Sophia's shoulder.

"Let me see those."

I zoomed in as far as they would let me. I then saw a man with a cane that reminded me of an old man who spoke to Koko during the DIESA convention.

"Jackpot. Northwest corner, slag dump, black sedan."

I handed the binos back to her. I could tell she wanted him bad by the way her mouth formed a snarl.

"You're right it's him and Low is with him as well. Hold on."

"What's up?"

"She looks like she's pleading with...hmpf. The third man, looks like he just took her job. He shoved her into a dirt pile."

I could just make it out but I saw her then stand back up, salute, and then drive off in the sedan. Hopefully that was one less problem to worry about. But I then got hit with another one as Sophia then pulled out her blade and pistol.

"Ok, let's do this."

As she was about to stand up I pulled her back down to the ground hard.

"Hold up! What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"Let go of me Damien!"

"Christ will you listen! You have no idea how many people Chan's got protecting him and it's the middle of the day. Security is at its highest right now!"

She swatted my arm off her and got on one knee.

"Neither of us know how long he is going to be there. If I don't take this chance now I'll lose it!"

I then let out a grunt of frustration and got on one knee and got face to face with her. I figured she would have used her own sound judgement but it looked like I'd have to reminder her.

"That won't matter if you go and get yourself killed. I told you before, I'm not gonna let you make the same mistakes I did. You can have Chan, but we are going to plan this out MY way. You said you trusted me, do you?"

Her good eye started twitching and she then shut it while letting out a frustrated exhale shifting her head to her right. I cupped her face alongside her scarred eye and turned it towards me.

"Do you?"

I looked at her and spoke in the same manner as I did to Koko when we were in Dubai. Her expression baffled on how I was being so close to her but then relaxed.

"This goes against my better instincts but yes I do." I took my hand off her and we both started to walk back to the village.

"Alright here's the plan. We go back to the village and drive to the outskirts of town away from the mill. Since steel mills always work in shifts we'll come back later when that happens. We'll try and hide amongst the people going in and out, all we really need to do is get in. Once that happens we find a security station and figure out the interior of the place. We then find Chan, you do what you need to do, and we run."

She didn't respond. I turned around and she was looking away with a look of regret and sadness. The way I addressed others often described me as some sort of asshole tough guy but sometimes I had a weakness for sounding comforting and not sounding like I normally did. I think that was an inheritance I got from my mother.

"Hey we've already come this far that it makes no sense to turn around. And I don't think losing is an option for you." I winked at her. "Right?"

She smiled. "Yeah."

1200 Hours

Gereby, Farmers Hay Shed

We were here, we had what we needed, all that was left was to go through with it. I then realized what I was doing out here in the end, I was associating with preforming a hit. Granted it was not the first time that I had actually done this but something about it felt different. It felt a bit like a journey and that I wasn't alone in it like I often was in the last two and a half years. That I actually had someone I could truly rely on, that I could trust, that I could see for who they really were. Then again that was how I got to know the crew the way I did. When John talked about his times working for Koko's father with Chiquita. When William was giving me a few extra lessons on EOD work. Mao and how he talked about how awesome it was being a dad. Karl teaching me that there's more to sniping that just being a good shot. Michael and I sharing a beer while we were working on his Mercedes. Renato explaining the reasoning for the black feathers he wore sometimes when he had a hat on. Akihito rubbing it in that technology can beat brute force any day. Lastly there was Sophia, the week we spent finding Chan was explanation enough. But strangely the only one I still couldn't figure out was Koko. The grey path, a mind that never seemed to slow down, enthusiasm that made her appear larger than life, cold and calculative reasoning, ruthlessness for her enemies, and on occasion being a little weird. But no matter how this turned out, Sophia and I were going to do what we came to do out here and then go home. And then get the ever loving shit kicked out of us by Koko.

I finished loading up my vest and then took out my blade and began to sharpen it. Around ten inches in length and straight with a ribbed grip. It was entirely black so if it was in the sun then the shine wouldn't give me away, with a gentle and sharpened curve about two and a quarter inch from the tip. Sophia then came over with two bowls of soup, some thick broth with carrots and potatoes, and eyebrow raised at what I was sharpening.

"Is that a sword or a knife?" My sarcasm was rubbing off on her as she set the bowl in front of me.

"Unlike that butter spreader you got?"

She then brandished hers, similar in color but designed completely different. Six inches in length with a sharper more circular curve at the tip with a checkered grip and a rigged edge along the back of the blade.

"Simplicity is just as effective as intimidation, and this hasn't failed me yet."

We both set our knives down opposite of each other and then ate the soup in silence. About three bites in I stared at her a little longer than I thought. I was never this open with anyone before, it was just the two of us for the whole week and I didn't really think about anything else except helping her. Normally I almost never got into the affairs of others it just wasn't my business. But she wanted justice against the man who slaughtered her unit. Hopefully it would give her some closure and allow her to move on with her life and unlike me I wouldn't allow her to be alone once she was done and that included Koko and the gang. She then looked up at me, it was time I'd be honest with her.

"What is it?"

"You're everything that I am not." I said bluntly.

"Ok where is this coming from all of a sudden?"

"I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive or redeem myself for what I did. Despite my hulking appearance, occasionally inappropriate sarcasm, and my horribly good ways at killing people I am damaged beyond the point of repair. I know that once you kill Chan the pain won't go away completely but I'm gonna do my damnedest to support you and make sure that you won't end up like me."

"Damien I…"

"I won't take no for an answer."

I gripped her hand rather quickly and tightly with her eye widened in surprise. I then saw that she was starting to blush and I'd be lying if my heart wasn't starting to skip a couple of beats and I was starting to feel a little lightheaded. I then let go of her hand.

"I'm sorry that was uncalled for." I said looking to my soup rather embarrassed.

"Relax, I know what you were trying to do." She said with her hand up in defense.

"Try and act cool and end up being a total idiot?"

"No you established that a long time ago."

"Well then you should realize that I'm not the first idiot that's ever done something for a cute girl."

The response was silent but the expression was one I had all too often seen. Really?

I did feel uneasy after I said that though, I thought I was gonna get a knife in the face. But the drowsiness was for some reason starting to get worse and my vision was starting to get blurry. My hearing then started to sound like an echo, only then I realized what the hell happened.

Oh my God you can't be serious.

I did my damnedest to keep myself focused and aware but my muscles we're beginning to shut down. I couldn't even say anything. I then planted my face on the table hard. I could still feel things but everything started to turn black and my hearing was out of whack when I then heard loud stomping coming over to my left. I then heard Sophia speak with an echo.

"I'm sorry Damien, but this was the only way. I know you wanted to make sure we did this right. But this is something I have to do my way and by myself." I then felt a hand ruffle through my hair. "Thank you for coming with me and helping me out all this way, it was really sweet. You can hide it all you want but there is no doubt in my mind that you are a good man. You aren't that same man from what you told me."

I tried to move and speak but the drug was too strong. Then I felt what I would never expect from someone like her, a kiss on my left cheek.

"I'll see you later handsome. If I survive that is."

Then all was darkness and silence.