33
We walked hand in hand through the gym as the halls were starting to fill with people. Otto and Oscar were waiting for us in the lobby and when they saw us they smiled. As we passed them, Otto lovingly put his hand behind my neck and I smiled up at him and then Oscar as we left the gym together. Axel drove and I sat in the passenger's side while the other two sat in the back. We were in comfortable silence. I was wondering when our next mission was.
We hadn't been on one in a few weeks. I wondered if it had anything to do with the mid-month reviews. Perhaps they kept our missions on hold until they got a chance to speak to us. I glanced at Axel to see his eyes glued to the road nonchalantly. His face, like the other two were unreadable. It was only when we are completely alone that he will show any true emotions. We arrived down the familiar road of the farmer's market, but to the boy's dismay nothing was there. Everything was closed. There were no stands out. Oscar and Otto leaned forward looking perturbed. The three of us looked at Axel to see he too looked annoyed before looking down at the steering wheel in thought. He looked at me as if hoping to find some hidden answers in my eyes. I looked up in thought before nodding at them.
"I know of a Home Improvement store in town that we can go to. They sell many different home like things from appliances to gardening needs." I informed. Oscar and Otto looked with major relief before looking at Axel who just looked down in thought before nodding and turning the truck around. I directed them through town and once we made it to the large store, the boys' attention was directly brought to the gardening section. There many different seeds and honestly, I was not paying attention to any of it. But the Swedes looked to be going through aisles thoroughly looking over the items they touched. This was there zone and I wouldn't both them. I just watched from behind as Axel paused and tilted his head as he examined some radish and onion seed packs.
He picked up one each, showed his brothers and they nodded in agreement. The oldest Swede then turned to me, holding up the packs as if to include me in the decisions of what they were going to buy. I held my hands up.
"Get whatever you know how to grow, this is your project." I said. The triplets looked at each other for once with pure excitement and I felt they only were comfortable doing so in public was because no one was down the aisle with us. I decided to venture off on my own looking at the different tulip colors they had at the front. There was only one blue tulip plant that caught my attention and I felt why not buy it. I moved to touch it, before a smaller pale hand touched it as well. I looked over at the young boy who had made a move to grab the plant. He looked to be thirteen years old wearing some school uniform with black parted hair. He looked at me completely stunned as if he was surprised to see me here suddenly.
"Anastasia…" he said in a breathy tone and I tilted my head.
"I'm sorry do I know you?" I asked, and he shook his head some the star struck look in his eyes having faded. He just turned and began to walk back inside the building. "Hey wait!" I mean I didn't know any kids so I had to know how that kid knew who I was. I hurried back inside and looked around. Already I lost him. Who was that kid?
"Anja!" I heard Oscar's distressed voice and I turned to see him approaching me. Axel and Otto had left the aisle looking around until finally seeing us before a look of relief crossed their faces. Oscar shook his head.
"You should not go running off like that. You had us worried." he said. I didn't even think that would worry them. But then again they're killers who are on guard all the time. I guess not being able to have tabs on me made them moderately paranoid. I looked around one more time for the mysterious boy before pushing him from my mind. I smiled at Oscar and took his hand.
"I'm sorry my love." I replied and he just nodded raising my hand to kiss the top of it. He led me back to the others. Otto immediately looked me over to make sure I was alright and Axel no longer showed interest since he knew I was alright. They had found many packs of seeds of different vegetables and so we paid for them and headed back to the truck.
"We should get ice cream." Oscar said suddenly which made Otto's eyes pop with interest.
"You will ruin your appetite for lunch." Axel said.
"I want a milk shake." Otto chimed in. Now my eyes popped with interest as I looked back at the two.
"Oooh I want a milkshake too." I replied looking at Axel who just frowned in mild annoyance.
"Me as well." Oscar replied and I just smiled at Axel innocently batting my long eyelashes to him and he sighed.
"Where is milkshake place?" he asked, his English thick. Now the rest of us smiled happily. There was a small burger join up the road that had wonderful milkshakes. Otto and Oscar was definitely interested. As we pulled to the drive through, Axel motioned for me to order. Oscar wanted a Oreo milkshake, Otto wanted a peanut butter shake and I wanted plain jane chocolate. I then glanced at Axel.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing." he replied quickly. I tilted my head at him.
"You sure… want to share some of my chocolate shaaaake?" I teased. Axel glanced at me giving me a look over before looking ahead.
"Yes." he replied his fingerless gloves tightening over the wheel some. I smiled and ordered the milkshakes, paid for them, against all three of their wishes, and now we were on the road back to the house. Otto and Oscar sat quietly in the back with happy smiles on their faces as they drank their shakes. Meanwhile, I held my cup between Axel and I with two spoons sticking out of the top. He had literally two bites before he was done. The silence was comfortable yet again and I found myself thinking of the boy back at the store. Who was he? Such a strange encounter. Once we got home, the brothers spent most of the day outside discussing the land. I could see Axel pointing at the ground and running his hand down the land and Otto would just nod before crossing his arms in curiosity and would speak maybe trying to put in his opinion for plotting the land perhaps.
Oscar just stood there finishing his milkshake probably going along with whatever his brothers wanted. I decided to make beef stew with mashed potatoes and garlic bread. One of the windows were open just so we could all hear each other. My Bluetooth speaker was playing Brian McKnight's Back at One and I was swaying my hips with the music as I sang along with the lyrics while stirring the stew.
"Saaaay farewell to the dark of night. I see the coming of the sun! I feel like a little child whose life has just begun! You came and breathed new life into this lonely heart of mine! You threw out the life line just in the nick of time!" I sang and I sang loud and proud as I hit that high note that not everyone could manage before swaying my hips with the remainder of the song. "One: you're like a dream come true. Two: Just want to breathe with you. Three: Cause it's plain to see that you're the only one for me and four: repeat steps one through three. Five: Make you fall in love with me. If ever I believe my work is done then I start back at one."
As the music died down, I noticed something in my peripheral and I looked to the window and jumped screaming loudly as I realized three faces just peeking into the window staring at with wide eyes.
"Oh my god you creepers!" I yelled embarrassed after realizing they just watched me sing and dance. They looked at me if they wanted ask if someone was dying in here. But they were not dumb enough to do so. After an hour, the rumbling of a storm made the boys come in. Their plans would have to wait until tomorrow. They went their rooms and showered. I left the stove on simmer and left everything open for them to make their own plates.
Otto came out first, his hair damp and his face red from the hot shower and wearing his usual flannel onesie. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my hip and kissed the side of my head.
"Everything smells good." he complimented. I smiled in thanks at him.
"Thanks. I haven't made this in years." I replied. Us standing here attracted the kittens to us immediately. Oscar came out next wearing a white t-shirt and grey sweats. He was holding one of the kittens. He leaned over to look at the stew and smelled it.
"Delicious." he replied and I grinned.
"Well help yourselves." I replied moving to the fridge to pull out lemonade. Axel came down in his usual shirt and briefs combo. They all smelled so fresh, I loved it. We got our plates, fixed them, and sat together at the dinner table. We all smiled at each other before digging into our food. After a few minutes of trying their food, they all nodded and looked at me with approval and I just smiled and nodded knowing my food was good. The garlic bread was crispy and delicious. Axel glanced at Oscar's plate noticing he didn't have a lot on his plate. I looked at Axel noticing he was just shaking his head slightly at Oscar and Oscar just pouted and kept eating. I could only imagine the conversation they were having with their eyes.
"You're still full from the ice cream aren't you?"
"Hey I'm eating aren't I?"
"See this is why you don't eat sweets an hour or two before lunch!"
I shook my head at the thought before just eating in silence. The day was pretty quiet. We made our usual blanket fort and binged all the Pumpkinhead movies in the living room. The brother's eyes were glued to the TV and I could tell they looked at the screen with interest as if they were watching some documentary.
"The creature kills its victims in ways we could use." Otto said in a matter of fact tone.
"We'd have to make a Freddy Krueger glove to slash faces… but I think it'd be worth it." Oscar responded. Axel just arched a brow at his brothers before shaking his head and glancing at me. I just looked down hiding my smile. When it got dark, we ate our left overs, but none of us seemed very hungry and so we all turned in for the night. I kissed Oscar and Otto goodnight before Axel and I headed up stairs.
Normal POV
It was quiet throughout the house. Otto was sprawled out over his large bed. Oscar was sleeping on his stomach, the kittens curled up on him and the bed. Axel was asleep on his back with his hold on Anja. Her cheek was pressed into his chest as they slept. The rumblings of the storm grew every couple of minutes. The silence of the house was cut however by an engine gliding through Axel's ears. His eyes opened and he stared at the ceiling for a moment as he heard the engine. He looked at Anja. He had made himself wake up during certain hours while she was sick to check on her to make sure she didn't get worse.
Axel looked toward the window and quietly got up from the bed and walked over toward it. There shouldn't be any cars in the vicinity. Anja's home was not in a neighborhood but purposely away from the city. That meant anyone who was here at this hour was not supposed to be. And he was right. Four cars had come up the driveway. Four cars too many. Axel's rough eyes sharpened before moving quickly over to his dresser and pulled out his gun and his silencer. He then moved into the closet quietly and placed one of his black belts around his waist. It had his knives and ammunition in it.
He walked out of the closet and paused as he looked at Anja's sleeping form. He would make sure she didn't stir tonight. He moved to the door and opened the door quietly only to see Oscar and Otto standing there, their guns and silencers in their hands. Axel just stared at them with the same silent and threatening stare before glancing back at Anja. The three looked at her and then looked at each other.
Their mission was clear. They had intruders and they had to kill all of them quietly. Axel just pointed to his own forehead making it abundantly clear that any shot fired must be a headshot. They would not ruin their love's home. Not again. Otto and Oscar stepped back so Axel could exit the room and close the door behind him. He then led his brothers down the hall, their faces drained of all emotion. Axel raised his silencer to his gun and began to twist the pieces together. The Swedes were ready for war.