Chapter 4

After getting questioned by the police, they all started leaving and putting an investigation on the brutal murder. They know it's not me since I was just a witness. Dad had me close to him when the detective walked towards us. He pulled me close to his chest and put one arm around my waist and gave that "protective father" look towards the detective. He stopped and gave an emotionless look towards dad.

"I want to ask one more question" said the detective wit h a harsh, loud voice. "Why did he come back?"

"How should I know?"

"Because you are the one that he is after." He started walking toward us again. I clenched on dad's shirt and he noticed I was getting afraid and wanted to go home. "What do you want from us?"

"I want to know the truth. Why didn't he kill you when he had the chance." He is walking slowly like a lion teasing its prey before attacking. "He left you alive for a reason, but for what reason is that?" Dad started to walk backwards slowly and still holding me tightly. "Why did he go through so much trouble to get to you and he kept you alive and now he's back and he's coming for you." He was standing right in front of us and giving me a starving yet seductive look towards me. "How did this pretty face get involved with this kind of murder and killed all your teammates including your master," his hand was about to stroke my cheek, but his hand was stopped by dad and as he grabbed the detective hand, dad gave him a hardcore look to the detective.

"If you lay one finger on my daughter, I'll break you in half." Dad's voice got really harsh a voice. I was clenching on to dad's shirt for dear life. He let go and both of us walked away and not looking back at him. Dad grabbed my bag and we both walked away and headed home. The detective was still watching us and I could feel his eyes on us like daggers. More and more eyes watched us and the secret was blown. By tomorrow, everyone will know my name. The secret was out. Everyone will know that I'm a survivor of 9/11 and I was a member of the famous "Crimson Rose Elite Squad."

Even being up in this big tree in my front yard isn't helping get my mind off of things. Everything happened so fast today, I can't think straight. Who would have decided to go after the "Queen Bee" and butcher here around the corner of the school. I know Michael Myers would, but not just some murderer would do that in the midst of daylight. This is more of a fucked up world then I thought. The only thing I was more worried about is school. I know I'm not known person in the whole damn school, but after today, I'm fucked. There is no escaping from this situation. By tomorrow, everyone will know who I am and my name. Once I get through the school, I will feel all eyes on me and get stares that I get all my life. All eyes will be on me. I feel like I should be fake sickness, but I'll just be avoiding the situation. I heard the door being open and I felt dad's presence nearby.

"What did they say? Am I involved in this Michael Myers murder?"

"I wish you weren't, but there's nothing I can do."

"So what's going to happen to me? Am I going back into the witness protection program again?" I wasn't looking at dad while I was sitting in the tree. Dad didn't like that I was being sarcastic about this kind of situation, but it was the only thing that was making me laugh inside. I was staring out into the distance while I was talking to dad. "Should I pack tonight?"

"You're not going into the witness protection program." He said with calm yet demand voice. I sighed in relief that I didn't have to go back in that bullshit of a program.

"Their sending someone to watch/protect you for this investigation. He works for the U.S. Government and their sending him here; he should be here tomorrow morning before you go to school. They also told me we can't communicate with anyone while this investigation is going on including family members."

"Oh great. It's freshman year all over again."

"Tonight is the last night to talk to Uncle Mikey and everyone else. They're going to be here in 20 minutes." He started to walk away and stopped halfway to the door and turned toward me while I was sitting on the branch of the tree. He broke the silence. "I know this all came back to what happen with the squad and the murderer, but this is the only way to protect you and this guy from the U.S. Government sounds pretty official. I know your upset about all of this and I know this reminds of all the stuff that happen to the squad." I knew what he was going to ask and I wished he didn't, but it is his job as a father to ask. He doesn't want me to get hurt or killed. I know I won't be mad at him, just makes me feel more sorrow about it.

"Are you going to reform the Crimson Elite Squad?" I never thought being asked that question would be today after being the main suspect of the murder of the "Queen Bee" and being under protection of a U.S. Government agent would ever happen. If it was the same murderer who killed my squad members, then I know I need to reform the Crimson Rose Elite Squad. However, if it wasn't the same murderer who had a grudge on the "Queen Bee", must have been a groupie of the preps or someone else at another school did. Two major possibilities, one slim chance that everything could fall apart. I had to answer dad sometime and he was waiting for my answer.

"Give me a day; I'll give you an answer tomorrow after school. I'll know by then. If anything else happens while I'm at the school, I'll call you. You can have my answer then." After I said that it became silent between dad and me. The wind started blowing and leaves started to fall from the trees and the wind filled in the silence. Thinking about everything that has happened to us always ended up getting murdered. I turned towards dad and I wanted to say something positive, but I couldn't think of anything positive to say. We didn't want to be in this, but we are in it. If I do have to reform the Crimson Rose Elite Squad and take down this murder. It's going to be rough, but I've been in worse situations. Dad had a worry face on and yet it felt sad to me. I sighed.

"I'm going to be okay dad. Everything is going to be okay."

"What if everything is not okay? What if it's the same murderer who killed your squad members? More and more people are getting hurt and getting involved in this situation. Everyone knows who you are and who your family is."

"I know, but they don't know my past though. They don't know I'm a survivor of the Twin Towers on 9/11."

"Yet. They don't know yet. We have to be careful of what we say in public and on the phone. We don't know whose listening or watching us. If you do reform the squad, you have to be careful who you recruit and who you can trust." I know he was right about trusting people including the ones I'm going to recruit for the Crimson Rose Elite Squad. "I'm going to choose wisely on who I'm going to choose. If this keeps going, everyone in that whole school is screwed!" Silence fell upon both me and dad. I could hear the wind whispering in my ear I looked into the distance and the sun was almost down. Darkness was upon us. I sighed and jumped of the branch and landed on the soft grass. I walked towards dad and looked at him with a mixed emotional expression on my face. Time to break the silence.

"I know what I'm up against. I'm a strong fighter. I was trained for this. You know what." Dad was uneasy about everything that has happened. He turned his face to the right and lowered his head with sadness and completely lost face expression. I put my hand on his cheek and turned it toward my face. Tears started streaming down his face, it was the first time I have ever seen him cry. I used my thumb to wipe the tears away. Sadness and sorrow started to fill his eyes. "I don't want to lose you. You're my whole life. You're the light to my heart. You're the bundle of happiness. If I lost you to that monstrous murderer, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." Hearing those words coming out of his mouth was like someone punching me in the gut.

"You're not going to lose me. I will never let that monster touch me. I'm not going to let him rip this family apart. Not in a million years." Dad need to hear this. I don't want him to be sad anymore. I don't want him thinking I'm going to die or be murdered. I have to protect him. Before reforming the squad with new members, family come first. "I swear to dear life, I will protect this family from that murderer." I said it with such determination in my voice. He looked at me with faith in me. "I won't let him touch you or this whole damn world. I'll do whatever it takes to protect this family, I promise you that." I could feel the wind brush against my shoulder and it fell into silence. The sun was getting close to the horizon and darkness was upon us. We had to go inside. "I won't reform the squad yet. I'll wait when the time is right." Dad nodded his head and gave me a hug. He needed one and I hugged him back. I felt his tears drop on my shoulder, I hugged him really tight. After a few minutes, we both heard a car coming in the neighborhood. It was Uncle Mikey.

"Hey Gerard! Hey Anya!" Uncle Mikey's voice echoed a little, but it wasn't that much. He waved at him while he was walking towards us. He hugged dad (their brothers, if you didn't know that) and hugged me and spun me around. He always does that, but it puts all of us in a good mood. We needed it, we needed something to smile about. "Guess what!" he started to laugh.

"What's with the presents?" dad said with a cheerful voice.

"Of course they are! Now what kind of uncle would not bring presents for their granddaughter? What kind of question is that!" I laughed at Uncle Mikey's jokes; they don't make sense half of the time, but still funny.

"My young yet naive brother, you still have a lot to learn my friend." Dad pats him on the shoulder and walks him to the house as I follow from behind. All the sadness and sorrow all went away. Having Uncle Mikey here lightens up the mood and dad is smiling. I'm happy when smiles. It makes me happy and now the house is filled with happiness and cheers. However, I just realized, tonight is the last night I got to spend time with Uncle Mikey. I guess it's time to break the news to Uncle Mikey. Better make this night worth it. As I walked in the house, I said, "Uncle Mikey-"he looked over and I had a breaking news face on. His smile went away slowly. I breathed in and held my breath for a second and said, "We need to tell you something." Silence went around the room. As I let my breath out, I shut the door to the outside world. Let the nightmare begin.