A Dark Secret
Now I know what you are all probably thinking…why is this title named in this way? RDJ wrote the letter to his sister about what was happening in the last few days. But why did he leave out the part about the voices in his head when finding the first key? Well…we are about to find out something much darker about Leandro's past than what we already know! So without further ado…let's get ready to do this!
The evening quickly passed by, and pretty soon all of our favourite friends were fast asleep and dreaming about what the next day will bring.
Well…almost everyone that is…
One of the bird's who was struggling to sleep themselves was none other than the pink macaw female Allie. Who slowly woke up after sleeping at the desk because she was trying to find the location of the second key. Also feeling the pain in her butt, with the teeth marks from the shark showing on her body.
"Ohhh…this is so not fair! I didn't want to get bitten in the butt by a shark! This is so aggravating!" Allie angrily mumbled, trying not to wake up any of her friends. Well…at least not all of them were awake at this time. "God I sure hope this isn't noticeable?"
"It's not that noticeable…"
Allie slowly faced where the voice emerged from…and it appeared to be Aiden who was sitting on top of the roof outside the exit. Keeping an eye out for any potential threats.
"It's not? You're not just saying that are you?" She asked with curiosity in her tone.
"If I had noticed it from here…then I would have told you straight." He responded without looking at her, as he continued to look up at the stars. She then walked outside to get a bit of fresh air herself and stood next to the scarlet male. Who patted the spot next to him. "Care to sit with me Allie?"
"Sure…" She did blush a little when he asked this, and accepted the invitation, then gradually sat down next to him. As both of them gazed up at the sky full of wonder. "So…what's your story?"
"My story?" He asked curiously while raising his eyebrow. "That's an interesting way to start a conversation."
"Hehe I'm serious! Like…where are you from originally?" Allie asked innocently, crossing her talons while sitting comfortably.
"Huh…nobody has ever asked me that before? But okay. I am originally from New York, I have a twin brother. We did grow up quite well together he and I. But eventually he decided to get married and have kids when he was 16."
"16? That's a little young to be getting married?"
"Well he was in love. Plus this girl was really good to him, and definitely made him happy! But I always had the thrill to travel and try new things? So…I decided to fly around the US and help others in need. You name it! California, Mississippi, Miami, San Francisco! I've been all over, helping others when they needed me!" Aiden explained with a small smile, as he felt quite good that he could talk to someone about this. But at the same time…he was a bit interested in why he felt a little more confident around her.
"That sounds amazing! So…can I actually ask you something a little more…personal?" The pink female was a little scared to ask this question, because she didn't want to scare him off.
"Fire away…" He answered with confidence, as he turned to face her with a calm face.
"How did you end up…like this?" She asked specifically, while pointing to his wings like she was asking about the tentacles.
"What do you mean?"
(I think she means me Aiden)
"What the…" Allie suddenly heard a female's voice emerge from Aiden, and got a little bit scared. Which in return caused Aiden to try and reassure her. "Who in the hell is that?!"
"Allie…Allie…relax! This is just my friend Devine!" Aiden rose his wings up to calm her down, as he gave her a look of reassurance.
"Oh…hello Devine…" Allie shyly greeted her…feeling a bit nervous because of her presence.
(Hellloooo! She's a beauty! You should definitely ask her out…)
Aiden widened his eyes and gulped in embarrassment when she spoke those words, and in response Allie giggled and blushed behind her wing.
"Devine…shut…the…fuck…up!" The scarlet male whispered to her completely embarrassed himself…as he too felt a little nervous. Which was quite rare for him to say the least.
(Ooooh, playing it cool? Gotcha…)
"Seriously! Fuck…off for one minute!"
(Alright! I'm gonna go to sleep then! Just a reminder…make sure you wear a leaf first!)
"FUCK…OFF!" The scarlet male felt even more nervous now…because after everything she was saying. It just made him feel extremely humiliated…and couldn't really think of what to say to get out of it. "Hehe…ummmm…friends right? They can be such rascals at times!"
"Yeah…I can imagine…" Allie slightly lowered her tone. Almost as if she put on a flirtatious voice because she found it amusing, seeing him get nervous like that. "But seriously though, how did you and Devine…sort of meet?" The pink female asked as she laid down on her side to get more comfortable. So she could be in a better position to hear his story.
Once Aiden took a deep breath to shake off what happened seconds ago, he managed to recollect his thoughts and answer her question honestly, and in much detail as he could. As well as not making it too long and boring for her.
"Well…I remember one day I was flying around Boston in the US. Just minding my own business and seeing the sights. When all of a sudden, I land on this roof to perch and look at this gorgeous view of the city. When suddenly, this really weak voice spoke to me from behind where I was perching." Aiden explained as he too turned on his side, facing Allie. As he wanted to speak the rest of the story directly to her.
"Who was it?"
"She was a fallen assassin. I don't really remember her name. But all I know was that she was a really weak and petrified yellow macaw. So, I obviously approached her quickly to see if I could stop the bleeding, but the arrow that was too deep in her stomach prevented me from stopping it." He spoke in a calm manner, drawing circles with his wingtip on the rooftop to show that he still remembers the wheezing and the pain coming from her voice. "She whispered to me…told me to take the cube she was carrying. Take her hidden blades. And fly as far away from the city as fast as I could."
"She didn't tell you why? Or warned you in any way?" Allie responded as she felt quite honoured that he would be willing to share such a painful past with her.
"Nope…I didn't ask! I just did what I was told. Grabbed the cube in some kind of satchel that she gave me. Took the hidden blades and attached them to my wings. Then as I was about to leave she grabbed me on my wing…and the last thing I heard from her…before she passed on from this world was…don't let him get his wings on this?" The scarlet male replied, looking back up into her light brown eyes. "I never knew what she meant by that…and I still don't know what she meant? But…"
"But?"
"But I couldn't just leave her there! I thought it might have been better if I gave her a proper burial. So…I took her body to this creek a few miles north of the city. And I buried her body in this makeshift grave. Paid my final respects…then I moved onto the more…interesting part of my journey."
"Which was?" Allie asked again, as her eyes locked tightly with his eyes. She couldn't wait to hear more about his story, that she felt goosebumps from the perfectly explained details.
"I wanted to know more about this strange artefact that I was given." Aiden briefly turned around and checked to see if anybody was paying attention to what they were saying. Luckily for him…Allie was the only one there to listen to his next part of the story. "So for a few months, I had been studying Latin. Just so I could unlock the secrets of this…thing? But…I made several attempts to unlock it. But I never came close to opening it."
"So how did you manage to do it in the end?"
"I took a closer look at the markings around the outside…and it roughly translated to, ahhh what was it again? Oh yes! 'Arise…Devine…The Guardian…Of The Assassins'. Which was very strange for me, because as soon as I spoke those particular words, this huge jolt of energy pierced through me like I was drowning in acid?"
"Bloody hell!" She widened her eyes in shock and placed a wing on her chest.
"Yep! Pretty soon…I heard Devine's voice in my head…and she told me to go to Mexico? No idea why? But she was very clear with how she said it." Aiden explained in a calm manner as he relaxed on the spot. "If it's okay…that's as far as I want to speak for now. Not that I don't trust you at all. It's just…"
"I get it. These things take time. And…when you're ready…" Allie stood up on her talons and whispered in his ear before walking away. "I'll be ready to listen..." She spoke the last part quite flirtatiously. Then walked away with attitude, swishing her hips from side to side.
The scarlet male did only sneakily look at her butt as she walked away, and he did raise his eyebrow in curiosity. But just as he thought he was still alone to continue his thoughts…
(You like what you see?)
Devine giggled in amusement as she felt that Aiden was checking out Allie, but he quickly shook his head to try and avoid the subject…not that it worked anyway.
"I thought you were going to sleep?"
(I was…but then I noticed the way you were leering at her)
"I wasn't leering! I was just…curious." He replied in a very awkward manner, taking one last look at her before she laid down on the mattress in the room that Aiden was sleeping in. "Ummm…she's sleeping in my bed?"
(And? You lay down next to her)
"I can't Devine! You know that I can't!" Aiden sighed heavily, rubbing his wings on his face in agitation.
(You can't? Or you won't?)
Devine kept arguing back, because she knew what he was feeling right now, which would mostly be described as nerves. "Devine…I am not here to form close friendships! I just want to help my new mentor find the keys and then go back home! That's it!" Aiden got himself comfy to possibly stay on the roof for the night. But just as he was about to fall asleep…
"Aiden?" Allie called out from inside the church. Acting as if she was going to ask him for a favour.
(Your future wife is calling you!)
"Shut up!" The scarlet male grumbled in irritation, as he made his way over to the pink female. Standing in the doorway with a straight face on. "What's the matter?"
"Ummmm…could you stay here with me?" The pink female macaw asked a littler anxiously. Hoping that this wouldn't offend him.
"You mean…together? On the same mattress?" He spoke quite awkwardly, scratching his wing in the process.
"Well…I don't really want to be alone after what happened today. Please? You don't have to hug me or anything. I just want you to lay down next to me…if that's okay?"
(Oooh…she is hooking you on her metaphorical fishing line…)
"Seriously…you are really starting to annoy me now!" Aiden shouted at Devine in his head, as they also could speak using their minds. Something that Jameson and Devil Darkness had never tried.
"So? What do you say?" Allie asked again as she scooted over to the left, leaning some room next to her.
Aiden didn't really know what to say. He wasn't really the kind of guy just to jump into bed with random girls. But…he didn't want to offend her, because she was the only one who bothered to ask him about his past. Which did cause him to be rather intrigued by her.
"Okay…but please no spooning! I'm not really comfortable with that." The scarlet male demanded as he laid down next to her and turned around to the other side. Facing away from her, closing his eyes in the process.
"And that's okay. If you don't feel comfortable with that, then we don't have to spoon." Allie replied sweetly as she spun around and faced away from the scarlet macaw. "Goodnight Aiden…Night Devine!"
(Goodnight lovebirds…)
"Grrrrrrr!" Aiden grumbled in a tone soft enough so Allie couldn't hear, as he turned his head over slightly. "Night…Allie…"
As Aiden quickly managed to fall asleep in the process, but as for Allie…she still couldn't fall asleep yet due to her being asleep for some of the day after her shark attack. But she did gradually turn on her side to watch Aiden sleep. And a small smile crept across her mind. "He looks so adorable when he sleeps." She thought to herself in her mind, before closing her eyes…and joining the dream world herself.
Now Let's Head To RDJ…
Lila had come back with the others an hour or so after RDJ's heated discussion with his brother. And she saw that he was fast asleep in the bed. So instead of waking him to talk to him about what happened, she climbed into the bed and snuggled closer to her husband.
The blue and gold male was still sleeping, but instinctively he wrapped his wings around her in a loving embrace and snuggled his head on her head.
But where this was quite a cute sight to look at in reality…RDJ began sweating from his forehead…his body was shivering slightly…and for some reason his eyes were clinching even tighter.
He looked like he was having some kind of weird dream…
(RDJ's Dream…)
On a bridge that was overlooking the coast of Cancun beach, a shadowy figure stood there on top of the bridge. Wearing some kind of assassins robe, as they gazed at the many locals that attended the beach for some kind of bonfire night.
The locals of course being birds, of many different species and all ages. Men, women, even children who were spending some quality time with their families.
The figure who was a blue and gold macaw male, crouched down to take a closer look at one particular bird who was being escorted by heavily armed guards. But the thing is, they weren't being escorted like they were a guest…almost like they were a prisoner.
Soon, another bird turned up and landed next to the figure. This bird revealed to be an older black hawk, who wore a dark cloak. "Have you found him yet?"
"Not yet Eli…I am still keeping my eyes out for trouble…" The male responded as he kept his focus on the prisoner that had been chained up on some kind of bike shelter that humans use. "That prisoner there looks awfully peculiar?"
"Would you stop staring at that female for two seconds?! We are after the thug leader remember!"
"I know, I know! Relax would you? I know what I am here to do old timer!" The male chuckled in amusement and patted him on the back.
"Leandro…just remember your training! We need to bring this guy down today. Let's not forget that we both left our sons in Brazil for this…the war will end when he has been captured alive. Killing him will only result in another war…"
"Yes yes yes I've heard the story millions of times before! I do have good listening you know?"
"And yet Eli Jr is smarter than you! Especially since he will take my place as leader of the guild in Rio when I retire."
"Remind me why you named your son after you? I never quite understood that?" The male who revealed to be Leandro asked his friend Eli, as he scratched the back of his head.
"What did I tell you about asking me personal questions? I am your master after all!" Eli chuckled as he patted him on the back in return. "You don't see me asking you about your lover back home now, do you? Especially since you're eying up that girl down there?"
"I wasn't eyeing her up master, I was simply just observing why she is the only one here who is bound in chains."
"I'm just messing with you kiddo! So, remind me who is looking after your boy while you're here? Is it your wife?"
"Nope! Amber is in Rio, while a…friend of mine is looking after my son in the Amazon!"
"You're a brave man Leandro! Now…I will scope the area and try to find out where he is! As for you…try and blend in with the crowd, and try not to be spotted!" Eli patted his friend on the back. "And don't even think about freeing that prisoner! You are gonna get us into a lot of trouble!" He then gave him a serious look and lowered himself to the lower parts of the bridge to get a closer look.
However…Leandro only had one thought on his mind…and he couldn't quite figure out why that was the case. "Hmmmm…What's your story?" Leandro thought to himself as he gazed at the prisoner with curiosity in his eyes. He stood up on his talons and pulled his hood down so that he could blend in with the crowd. Then, when nobody was looking, he gradually mixed in with the crowd to pretend that he was invited to this event. And walked past many of the birds to get closer to who he wanted to see.
Some of the females around him started to look him up and down with seductive grins. Some even massaged their beasts in a taunting manner, hoping that he was going to notice them.
"Well hey there good looking! Who might you be?" A female military macaw spoke up as she ran a wingtip down his back.
"I'm sorry, but I'm already married." He replied in a blunt tone as he just pushed past her. Causing the female to shrug her shoulders and turn back to talk to her friends.
After a few more minutes of walking through the crowd, Leandro finally came across a certain someone that he had his eye on from the beginning. A certain female scarlet macaw, who was chained up by the birds in question. Who were currently flirting with a group of young yellow macaw females who enjoyed the attention.
He saw how miserable she looked, and wanted to help her out. So he quickly walked up behind her and extended his hidden blade. Jiggling it in the key hole to unlock the chains, which in turn caused her to look at him in complete shock of his presence.
"Huh? Who the hell are you?!" The female asked in a very low whisper, to not attract the attention of the guards. "I don't know you?!"
"Just stay still, and let me help you!" The blue and gold male whispered as he finally managed to unlock the chains, and he set her free in a matter of seconds. He then pulled his hood back up and grabbed her wing, escorting her through the crowd to make a very quick escape. "Come on, I'm gonna get you out of here and to safety."
She did blush a little slightly as she was being escorted away…but as she got pulled by this stranger…a mischievous smile did creep across her face.
"Thank you! Thank you so much for saving me! But…why are you helping me?" The female asked curiously as they were quite a few metres away from the guards, who were still distracted.
"It's no problem…always willing to help a damsel in distress…" The blue and gold male responded calmly…managing to perfectly slip through the crowd with no difficulty at all. "So what's your name anyway?"
"It's Hannah…and you are?" Hannah giggled mischievously, as he rose her wing up and kissed it like a gentleman.
"Leandro…So Hannah…I was most intrigued by you being a prisoner to those thugs over there. Why were you captured?" He asked her in curiosity, getting away from the beach and onto the sidewalk. Hiding away in the shadows.
But just as he was hoping to get the information out of her…she quickly ride her wingtip up and wagged it in a taunting manner in front of his face.
"Ah ah ah! Not so fast handsome…you want some information from me? You're gonna have to…earn it!" The scarlet macaw female winked at him playfully and motioned with her wing for him to follow her into the shadows.
Leandro had a little think about what she was saying…and even though he knew it was wrong because he already had a mate. He needed that information for his mission…so he only had one choice, but to follow her closely behind. "I'm sorry Amber…but this has to be done in order to complete my mission…"
Leandro then flapped his wings and followed her deep into the night…as the bonfire raged on…and the thugs had no idea that their prisoner had been taken…right from under their noses.
(Dream Ends…)
"HUAAAAAA…Haaa…Haaaa…Shit…" RDJ shot up from the bed in complete and utter shock. Swinging his talons over the side of the mattress and burying his face in his wings. Rubbing his eyes to try and get over what he had just dreamt about. "Fuck me…that…ahhhh…that was weird…"
He got up from the bed and sighed heavily in confusion. Trying to figure out why he had such a weird dream. Then…after he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he stroked his wife lovingly on the head feathers, and then very quietly tiptoed outside to avoid waking his sleeping wife.
Once he made it into the other room, he slipped outside the exit to fly on top of the roof to get some much needed fresh air.
"Oh my samba…what…what the fuck was that dream?" The blue and gold male was deep in thought, as he rubbed his forehead irritably.
RDJ hadn't had a dream quite like that before…and it was one that he didn't want to worry about…which was tough for him. Due to the fact that it felt so real to him.
"Seriously…why did that dream feel so real? Who the fuck is Hannah?! And was that really Eli Senior?! What the hell is going…"
"Dude?"
Suddenly, RDJ turned around and noticed that one of his good friends Tomada came out of the church himself. Looking at the head of the assassins with a lot of concern in his eyes.
"Tomada? What are you doing up so early? You should get some rest after a long journey." RDJ remarked quietly, as he remained in his thoughtful state. Trying to collect his thoughts.
"I heard you in your sleep buddy…I was literally sleeping on the perch above you and Lila."
"You were above us?"
"Not directly above you. On the next floor up!" The falcon smirked before approaching him slowly. "What's going on with you? You've been a little bit…distracted lately?"
"You know what buddy…I'm just stressed! I have…a marriage to fix, keys to find, students to train! Even though I'm pretty much babysitting Keith and Monifa as they continue to argue with each other." RDJ tried to avoid the question, because he didn't really want to answer him with the truth. But as he turned away from him, he felt a bolt of pain hit his heart…and he clenched his chest in agony while gasping for air. "Mmmmm…F-F-Fuck! Not now! No…Please not now…"
"Dude?! DUDE?! What's wrong with you?!" Tomada ran to his aid and picked him up as he was about to topple over. And he just looked horrified by what he saw. "Okay…I don't think we need to be searching for the second key anytime soon. We will need to rest for a while to build up our strength."
"I'm…fine! I can do this dude…" RDJ winced in pain, finally managing to regain his oxygen. "Seriously Tomada I'm okay."
"No, you're not! Tell me what's going on with you dude? I'm not gonna let my best friend leave me in the dark." The falcon beamed as he sat him down on the ground, and he sat opposite of him.
"You see me as your best friend?" He asked in surprise, not really expecting this to come from him.
"Well…yeah? You and I have been through quite a lot together? And out of all of us here right now, I met you before I met any of these guys?"
"Oh yeah, I remember! You basically distracted me from catching a fleeing thug." RDJ smirked as he remembered that day. "I also remember Sorrel was there with you?"
"Good memory! But please dude…tell me what's on your mind. Because you know that I'm not gonna let this go!" The falcon asked calmly, staring into his eyes as he got comfy on the spot he was sat in.
"Ahhhhh…fine. I suppose there's not really any point in me hiding this anymore." RDJ spoke in defeat, as he just leaned up against a podium. Stroking his chest after his poor health kicked in again. "I've been having these…weird dreams lately?"
"What kind of dreams?" Tomada scooted a little closer to him, as he placed a wing on his shoulder in comfort for his best friend.
"Well…the last few nights I've been having these weird feelings about my father? Crazy scenarios of him in the past. Fighting off thugs and working for the guild. Little things like that."
"Right…so what does that have to do with tonight?" Tomada asked again eagerly.
"Ummm…this time round…there was a girl in my dream? With my father. Some scarlet macaw named…Hannah? But, I don't remember anyone from my past named Hannah." RDJ replied in confusion as he just rubbed his forehead.
"So this…Hannah girl? Was she from Mexico? Or was she in Rio?"
"She's from here! From Mexico! That's what I can't figure out buddy. I don't know why he was here in Mexico. I don't understand what any of this has to do with me? Do you remember that scroll that me and Jaime found in the tomb of the jongo club passage to the tunnel under the market?" RDJ asked him seriously. Causing him to nod his head in response. "Well…Eli Senior was also there in my dream? But only this dream…it feels so real compared to the other dreams! It doesn't seem natural."
"I think you are stressing about this too much dude. Now come on! Get back to your wife and take some much needed time off. Then when you are ready to go again, we will find the second key." Tomada explained as he helped him up and began ushering him back inside.
"Okay…maybe a few months might be what I need to get my energy back." RDJ spoke in a faint voice, as he let out a loud yawn and retuned to his bed to sleep with his wife.
As for Tomada, he sat by the exit of the church and immediately fell asleep himself. Just so he could listen out for any dangers that may be watching them.
Meanwhile…On The Shore Overlooking The Church…
"Hmmmm…this guy is starting to remember? Everything is going according to plan!" Once again, the very same bird who killed Roberto and threw RDJ and Allie into the pit…The Destroyer himself, was standing on a hilltop. With a limping blue throated macaw standing next to him. "Now…do you remember what the next phase is?"
"Yes! We are already cutting off the water supply to the church as we speak. No fresh water for the samba club army!" The blue throated male beamed as he rubbed his wings together sadistically.
"Good! Also…it is essential that our new little friend RDJ has a really tough time here! And I think a certain…someone may want to…test his marriage to Lila! Or more…test her loyalty to him." The Destroyer cackled evilly as he turned around and flew away from the shore. With his associate following closely behind.
Yes my friends we now come to the end of another chapter! What was happening between Aiden and Allie I wonder? Why was he only open to talking to her about his past and nobody else? What were those dreams that RDJ was having, and why did they seem so…real to him? Uh oh…The Destroyer also knows where his friends are hiding and have cut off the water supply to the church. I wonder how that will effect them in the blistering heat? Not to mention that now The Destroyer is targeting RDJ's emotions specifically! Want to know what happens next? See you all soon for the next chapter!