Keeper of His Heart
Chapter 7
Stumbling upon the truth had open an emotional floodgate that Sam had been unprepared for. She'd ended up becoming a quivering, sorrowful mess at the Internet Café; angry and hurt at the fact that Terence had lied and led her on.
He had strung up lies and used her blinded perspective for his own personal gain. She had done all the dirty work for him! Stealing, fending of the law enforcement, research, you named it, she had done it. And she had only done so because she was convinced that O.R.A.I.C and W.O.O.H.P had been the bad guys!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she had become. Not just at Terence, but also at the whole situation she was in…and at herself. She had been so blinded by her own conviction that her leader would never lie to her, would never manipulate her…That never once, did she try to uncover what happened a year ago.
Sam wanted to slap herself for her own delusions and to throttle Terence Lewis with her bare hands.
But now that she knew the real happenings of a year ago…
A bigger part of her was yearning for the truth, the absolute truth. She contemplated the situation she was in. If I have never been part of the LAMOS, then where was I part of? Who am I exactly? Was I a W.O.O.H.P agent? Or some random stranger caught in the crossfire?
And then, more unsettling thoughts filled her mind.
What if…Terence had something to do with me losing my memories? It seems a little too convenient that I was just there for him to manipulate…Did he purposely…removed or altered my memories somehow?
The more she pondered upon it, the more Sam was convinced that it MUST be the case. Terence must have had her memories…modified somehow to gain her cooperation. And this theory honestly did not sound too farfetched. Shane and Wayne's combined knowledge would be more than adequate to create some sort of gadget, machine or chemical substance that could cause her to lose her memories.
Terence must be mad. That was the only explanation. He was diabolical, cold-hearted, and despicable, but most of all, mad. To explode an entire building full of law-enforcement agents and criminals, AND to…kidnap her and force her to do his bidding.
It was revolting, and Sam wished for the millionth time that she had known the truth sooner.
She thought of her next steps. A new-found determination to get to the truth and regain her lost memories welled up within. Sam had always felt that something was missing, and here was finally a missing puzzle piece to help her in her quest. And that meant that Terence couldn't know that she knew. Or Sam was sure he would kill her without hesitation. That was just the way her leader worked.
Leader. Sam shuddered at the thought. Terence had to be brought down before more innocent lives were lost. And I must take revenge for my fallen comrades…
But how? It was a tall order. While Sam had no hesitation of giving Terence a taste of his cold-blooded medication, it doesn't equivalate to making Terence rot in jail. He did not deserve a quick and painless death. Instead, Sam thought that Terence ought to atone for his sins for the rest of his life.
He should have to live with the constant reminder of the consequences of his actions.
At that moment, she was suddenly reminded of the bits and pieces of memory she had slowly been gaining back. O.R.A.I.C.
O.R.A.I.C could help her. They wanted to stop Terence as much as she did. Plus, her memories were tied to the three O.R.A.I.C agents: Alex, Clover, and Tim. She could go to O.R.A.I.C. It would be akin to killing two birds with one stone.
That meant meeting Tim Scam on Friday night.
A pleasant shudder went down her spine. That man was…something. Mysterious and alluring. She couldn't help but think.
I can't wait till Friday. Adrenaline was already pumping through her veins.
Meanwhile…
After the drama-filled night, Tim had managed to catch a few hours of shut eye before reporting for duty at O.R.A.I.C. At that moment, he was in Jerry's office, discussing their next steps.
He studied his boss. A permanent air of melancholy had hung over him (and many other O.R.A.I.C agents too) ever since they had lost so many of their own. Jerry appeared as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The haunted, guilty look never left his eyes, and there was a permanent ring of dark circles beneath his eyes. Tim couldn't even remember when was the last time his boss had ever smiled.
Yet, despite all the things he felt, Jerry Lewis still pushed himself to keep going. He was never going to rest until Terence was captured and locked up for his ghastly crimes.
Must be terrible…To know that your twin brother is responsible for all the chaos and the loss of so many lives…
"Alex and Clover dropped in earlier and have given me a run down on what happened last night. But I'll like to hear your version of events." Jerry's words shook Tim out of his stupor.
Briefly, Tim gave a summary of what had transpired. "Something is not right here Jerry. It was like Terence…brainwashed her or something. She was adamant that W.O.O.H.P was the one responsible for the explosion a year ago, the one that killed her friends and colleagues."
Jerry was thoughtful as he processed the information. "Interesting…If the part of friends and colleagues is true…It'll mean that this woman is…was a former W.O.O.H.P operative."
"Or a criminal." Tim pointed out. W.O.O.H.P HQ had an in-house criminal holding facility which was destroyed in the explosion. And in the chaos that followed the rescue operation, it wasn't hard to think that some criminal might have miraculously escaped somehow. Or Terence could have set her free on purpose.
"There's that too." Jerry acknowledged. "But why keep her alive then? You and I both know that this…Red Woman was not part of the fifty people that Terence had set free. Assuming she had been in the building that night, why save her?"
"That's what has gotten me stumped too." A frown formed on his face as he voiced his thoughts. "I would have expected that Terence save some of his past associates like Helga, or Myrna or someone that could be useful to him. What makes this Red Woman so special? What does he want from her?"
"Hmm…" Jerry picked up the file photograph of the Red Woman. It had been taken from one of the CCTV footages and sharpened as best as possible, but the image was still grainy. He scrutinized the photograph.
"I certainly don't recognise her." He said finally, sighing deeply.
"For what it's worth, neither do I." Tim added his two cents. "But I found her mannerisms…familiar somehow. Pretty sure she's wearing a disguise." The nagging familiarity of the Red Woman was driving him nuts. Tim was pretty sure they had crossed paths before. He was equally certain that she was an ex-W.O.O.H.P agent or criminal.
He had some theories of her actual identity but didn't dared to voice his thoughts without being certain. One particular theory involved something so far-fetched that he did not want to give himself false hope. There were still too many missing pieces in the puzzle to be sure.
"Makes sense." Jerry nodded. "And you say you gave her a proposition to meet you on Friday?"
"I did." Tim leaned back against his seat. "I think if she goes through with the research I told her to do, it's very likely I'll find her there. My gut tells me that this woman could be the big break we need to capture Terence once and for all Jer. She's different from other criminals that I know."
Jerry sighed heavily. "I hope so Tim… I certainly hope so."
Sam did not know how she managed to get through the next two days without arousing any suspicions. She had kept her head down as best as she could and not look in her leader directly in her eye. Her newfound hatred and disgust for Terence Lewis was so strong; Sam was consistently worried that he would see through her completely.
But somehow, the next two days passed without a hitch. New plans were made to obtain more rat poison, plans which her leader emphasized mustn't go wrong.
As Friday night loomed nearer, Sam was on tenterhooks. Her stomach was doing flip-flops, leading her to mindlessly pick at her food during dinner.
How am I supposed to get out of headquarters without causing any suspicion? She stole a glance at each of the three men eating their own dinners. Normally, she hardly went out as it is (unless for a mission), so if she were spotted, things could go downhill very quickly.
Sam's worries were unnecessary, however. Almost to the end of the meal, Shane received a phone call. He excused himself to answer it and returned minutes later with a pale face and shaky hands.
"What's wrong Shane?" Sam picked up on her mentor's queer behaviour immediately.
Shane ignored Sam's comment and turned to look at Terence. "It's my mum…The nursing home staff called. She's took an accidental tumble in the garden and broke her leg…I need to take a few days off Terence." The older man said, his lips quivering slightly.
Sam felt her heart clench upon hearing the news. She knew that Shane had an elderly mother living in a nursing home three hours away. He was an only child, so the responsibility for caring fell on his shoulders. Shane would always take a few days off every month without fail to visit her. To hear the news that his frail mother had injured herself must been quite a shocker indeed. Oh Shane…
To her surprise, Terence's face softened. For a moment, Sam caught a glimpse of genuine emotions pouring onto her leader's face. He stood up and patted Shane on the shoulder.
"Sounds serious. Take as many days as you need Shane."
Shane sighed, shaking his head. "Thanks boss…They say…they say it's not serious, but I'll like to keep her company and give her some emotional support."
"I'm sorry Shane. Go, your experiments can wait a few days. Be with her, that's the most important right now." Terence's tone was gentle and understanding.
Sam watched the exchange with some shock and curiosity. She had never seen the cold and elusive Terence Lewis show such…compassion before. Terrence had tried to tamp down his own emotions, but some traces of it remained clear- remorse and some form of emotional pain.
"Hope she gets well soon Shane. Sorry to hear that." Sam piped up sympathetically.
"Yeah, sorry to hear about that man." Wayne spoke solemnly.
"Thanks everyone. If you'll excuse me." Shane left the table once more, this time to his room to pack his things.
As she finished her dinner quietly, her mind churned. Does Terence have a mother…or a parent alive as well? She wondered, assessing her leader out of the corner of her eye. Terence was a private person by nature, so there were a lot of things Sam didn't know about her leader. Aside from mentions of his twin brother Jerry, Sam didn't know if her leader had other siblings or family members alive.
But from the look in his eyes, there were clearly regrets her leader had, and it had something to do regarding family.
For the first time, Sam forced herself to consider the point that her leader wasn't as cold-blooded as she thought he was. Everyone had a story that shaped the way they currently were, a story filled with troubling times and tough decisions. Terence Lewis was no exception.
Although that still didn't excuse her boss's actions against W.O.O.H.P.
Sam's mind was made up regarding that fact. Leader or not, the lies Terence Lewis had spun around her was the breaking point.
Maybe it's a good thing that Shane's leaving town… I've got one less person to worry about sneaking pass.
At precisely twelve fifteen that night, Sam snuck out of her room. One disadvantage of an underground base was the fact that there was only one entrance and exit. There were no windows or other routes to leave the base (as far as she knew).
Thus, it was with much caution that Sam left her room. She had her full disguise on, right up to the contacts. One look at her black turtleneck top, black jeans, and a dark blue jacket, it was clear she was up to no good.
Unless there was a mission, the common areas would normally be empty past eleven thirty. Her fellow associates were all introverts that preferred to spend nights alone in their rooms. Sam crept through the hallway and up the stairs into the common area, thankful to find that the lights were already dimmed.
There was no one in sight, but Sam wasn't taking any chances. She tiptoed across the living area, past the small kitchen area, to the wooden main door that lead to above ground. Glancing around to make sure that there was no one watching, Sam slipped out carefully.
In her anxiety to get out, she never once noticed a pair of dark eyes peering out from the shadows of the kitchen, wondering what she was up to.
Wayne Franklin placed the cup of water he had been drinking down on the counter. As uneasiness crept up his spine, he made a quick decision.
Fuelled by anxiety and apprehension, Tim was at the designated meeting point by twelve-thirty. While he was confident that the Red Woman would make an appearance, it was the nagging pessimistic side of him that was causing him to doubt himself.
Sure, she might appear logical and rational, but what if she chose not to do the research? What if she had told Terence about meeting with you? What if this is all a trap?
He had considered the last point very carefully and took the necessary precautions. Alex, Clover and Jerry all knew of his meeting with the Red Woman and were one call away. He had elected not to have them at close range, fearful that they might scare off the Red Woman. For this to work, he needed to gain her absolute trust.
Plus, a small GPS micro-chip had been placed in his shoes, AND he had a gun (concealed from view, but easily reachable). Tim felt more than adequately prepared. Besides, he had been in worst situations.
Perching himself on a big rock nearby, Tim kept a wary lookout. It was a cloudless night, and the scenery as well as the fresh air rejuvenated his lungs (although it didn't do much for his nerves).
Tim didn't have to wait long. At about 12.50am, he caught sight of a slim figure rounding the bend. She was dressed similarly to him: full black clothing and a long-sleeved jacket (although hers was made of denim). Her face was impassive, and she looked to be alone. Subconsciously, one of his hands wandered to the side of his hip, relishing comfort, and protection in the familiar feeling of his gun in its' holster.
"You're early." Tim nodded his head at her in greeting as she neared him. Up close, Tim could spot traces of emotions she tried hard to conceal. She appeared nervous, uncomfortable, and conflicted all at once.
"So are you." She answered briefly, taking a quick moment to scan her surroundings. They appeared to be alone. Good. At least he kept to his end of the bargain.
Tim watched while she did her visual assessment of the clearing. Looks like she was equally as wary as he was. Sam shifted on the spot and lowered her eyes, not sure of what to say. Finally, he cleared his throat.
"Since you are here, I'm assuming you've done your…research?"
The Red Woman's heavy sigh was the only response he needed. "You were right." She stated simply, shrugging her shoulders. She wasn't looking at him, but he didn't miss the flash of hurt that welled up in her eyes.
Feeling a tidal wave of emotions coming, Sam quickly turned away from the man. She hoped he hadn't noticed the tears brimming in her eyes. "Sorry." She managed to choke out. Sam took several deep breaths and attempted to quash the traitorous tears. Even though it had been almost two days since she knew, the truth was still hard to swallow.
"It's okay. I know it's hard to take in." She heard the reassuring voice of the O.R.A.I.C agent, of Tim Scam.
She nodded slowly, taking a minute to compose herself while finding her next words. Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet the trusting sea-foamed orbs. "I want to help O.R.A.I.C defeat Terence." She stated firmly.
He was stunned to see the level of determination and courage blatantly on display in her glassy eyes. "Are you sure?"
The reply was instantaneous. "Completely. Terence needs to pay for what he has done. Justice must be served." The problem had to be nipped in the bud, and that meant taking down Terence Lewis.
Although Tim didn't know the woman before him personally, he was inclined to believe her. The conviction in her tone was too genuine to be fake. Plus, she had yet to do anything to make him lose his trust in her.
"In that case, let me be the first to welcome you to O.R.A.I.C. Tim Scam." He introduced himself formally, offering a glove-covered hand for her to shake.
Sam was about to introduce herself and reciprocate his handshake when she suddenly caught movement at the corner of her eye.
It was a shadow of a figure.
A figure holding a gun.
Pointing right at them.
Her eyes widened. "Watch out!" Acting purely on instinct, Sam grabbed hold of Tim's shoulders and spun them around, so that it was her back that was against the man, and not Tim's.
In that split second, Tim barely managed to register what was going on. He too, reacted on instinct from the sudden change in position. Automatically, his hands moved to grip the Red Woman's arms to stabilize himself. Caught unaware, it was upon hearing the familiar sound of an object whizzing past his ear an instant later where he drew the immediate conclusion.
Bullet.
His eyes had been on the woman before him the whole time, so he witnessed all the changes in her facial expression. Simultaneously as he heard the bullet, the woman's dark eyes suddenly widened, as she jerked forward. A faint hiss of pain escaped her lips. She stiffened momentarily in his arms.
She's been shot. His brain recognized the tell-tale signs.
Spy training kicked in and Tim immediately manoeuvred them both to the ground, ducking for cover behind the rock he had been sitting on. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. His protective hold on the woman never eased up. The other free hand removed the gun from his holster and held it close to his chest.
The whole scene took less than twenty seconds, but seemed long drawn to Tim.
A quick glance at the Red Woman confirmed his suspicions: she had been shot. A small patch of deep red was showing. Thankfully, however the bullet appeared to have only grazed her shoulder.
"You okay?" He quickly looked her over. No other injuries apparently. That was a stupid move however. He stopped his private musings there. There would be time to berate her later.
She nodded mutely, still coming to terms with what just happened.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Keeping his back to the rock, Tim shouted fiercely.
The clearing went deathly silent for a moment. All Sam could sense was the raging pain that started spreading on her left shoulder, and the frantic beating of her heart.
Then, the sound of slow, controlled footsteps approaching in their direction.
Tim knew they were sitting ducks in this position. Taking a chance, he peeked his head out, took aim, and quickly fired. Although the bullet missed its' target, the opportunity allowed him to determine the identity of their attacker.
The man stalking across the clearing appeared more rugged than what Tim remembered from the CCTV footage, but it was without a doubt, Wayne Franklin.
And his gun was trained on them.
Cliffhanger…Sort of. *Sheepish grin*. Hope you guys enjoyed the update!
Thank you Cresenta, Guest and Sammi for reviews on the previous chapter! I appreciate all the support (hidden or open) that I'm getting for this story!
More drama and suspense to come in the next chapter (and I'll resolve this cliffhanger, I promise)
Until then,
TrixieNancy