The early morning barely reached the sky as Jade finally finished, followed by collapsing onto the couch tiredly. As she hit the couch, the softness and comfort took over her body and she quickly knocked out of exhaustion. It was around 4:00 am when she finished cleaning, and immediately made her way to comfort once everything was put in order.
~~~~
John knew Jade would do this. She was in his full debt, even more so after the death of her mom. He felt guilty that his daughter had been dragged with the mess he had gotten into. After retiring, he felt more protective of her than he did when she was with him on the field, as weird and odd as it sounded. Almost every other day he would call her after school finished for the day, or always ask Helen if she had called her. As well as visiting her every month to check up on her made him somewhat paranoid. He could tell she understood his concern, but then again, she was practically an adult; Helen would always remind him. Although she was the youngest hitman yet, joining at age fifteen, and having her first small mission with him at age seventeen, He thought it was because he knew she can take care of herself. Mainly being trained by himself and sometimes Winston and Marcus it seemed like she was already protected. He remembered that she wanted to do a mission all by herself, but of course, he didn't allow it.
The small memory of her going as far as persuading Winston to do a mission on her own at eighteen made John smile. Her demeaning nature and determination is what he loved about her. Now twenty-six, practically an adult, he felt like she needed the protection. Her teenage years became all training and killing and he was worried something could've backfired after growing up in a world like that. Maybe it was just him or his fatherly instincts. Maybe Helen was right. Maybe, he needs to 'loosen the reigns'.
He gets up from bed; pain and a sudden rush of dizziness hit him. He closes his eyes to get his senses back and his mind focused again. His head still feels fuzzy from last night but has gotten better since and heads to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Taking a glance at the digital clock, displaying '5:00 am'.
Just as he arrives downstairs, he sees the floors shiny and clean. Like no blood has ever touched the floor. The buckets, mop and brush set aside neatly and the sound of rustling on the couch. John approaches his couch only to see a sleeping Jade, with her wavy brown shoulder-length hair covers her face, as her feet dangle from the side and she pulls her arms together; from the shivers and cool air around the house. John then rushes quietly upstairs and takes a blanket from his bedroom, arriving downstairs and gently draping the covers over her body. He sighs, as he gently pats her head and leans in to kiss her forehead before leaving.
He prepares a small bowl of cereal and leaves the rest for Jade as he ties his shoe; Heading into the garage only to find his car stolen and their car with a baseball bat in the windshield. He sighs, sends a text message to Jade and heads to Aurelio.
~~~~
After what felt like hours, Jade woke up. Only to read the clock on her phone displaying '7:00 am'. Its been around three to four hours that she's been asleep since last night's incident. "Dad?" She calls out loud. Silence. Jade's phone suddenly turns on, displaying her dad's text message.
Dad :
'Went to Aurelio. Will be back.'
"Sent at 6:00." She read out loud.
~~~~
Just as she got ready for the day, Jade heard the door unlock as her father stepped in. "Hey, Dad." She said and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "How's Aurelio's?" She asked as he walked towards the staircase to the basement. "He gave me information. Viggo's son, he did this." He said and opened the basement door. "Viggo's son? Iosef?" She blandly asked. He nodded and continued heading into the basement. Jade stood there in thought. 'Why was he going to the basement?' She asked herself. 'Nothing is in the basement besides,' "Oh God." Jade muttered to herself as she placed her cup of coffee on the counter and ran downstairs in the basement. "Dad! Dad what are you doing!?" She asked running down the stairs. As she arrives in the basement, John slams a large mallet on the cement floor; causing cracks and the whole ground to shake violently. Running up to him and stopping him in his tracks before starting again. "Are you sure you want to do this Dad?" Jade looks at him, her heart pounding and her hands grabbing the mallet. "Jade, he killed what I had left of your mother. Your mother." His tone, persuasive. Jade looks down in thought. 'He's right. What the hell am I stopping him for?' She asked herself. Rage starting to boil in her blood as she grabbed the mallet from his hands and slammed it in the cement. Following is previous actions. It made the ground shake once again, and more cracks and started to appear. "You can do the rest," Jade says handing the mallet back.
~~~~