Chapter 23
It was night time in Zambia. The sky was partly cloudy. The clouds periodically hid away the red moon and all its glory. Whitney sat on the very rock she sat on that morning. This time however, she was alone. Melonina felt the urge to feed so she left.
Whitney was determined to be able to morph her weapon. She still had trouble mustering the technique. Concentrating her gamarax on one area had proven to be difficult for her. Her will kept her going. She chose to not give up or die trying.
'Think about why you want to get stronger...' Melonina's soft advise replayed in her mind.
Whitney thought about Britney. She had her whole life ahead of her but it was cut short. Whitney gritted her teeth at that memory of firemen carrying Britney's body out of her smoky house.
The flashing images of what the Packet brothers did to her made her even angrier. Their laughter and taunts echoed and she squeezed her eyes closed in anger. Her heart thumped harder at vivid memory of Steve smirking at her right before he left her dead.
He took it all away! She screamed internally
While Whitney dug out her suppressed memories, she did not realize that she was floating in the air. A strong electric wind circulated around her. It took her high into the sky that the revolving wind spun the clouds away. They peacefully dispersed and gave way to the red moon to showcase its beauty uninterrupted.
Her mark glowed and it left her arm as though it was just a sticker. It morphed into a one meter single edged silver sword. It had a dark handle with two red ribbons. Her eyes were closed but she could still see it clearly. She reached out for it and held it. Her eyes shot open and a big bang followed.
Whitney took a deep breath as she felt the gamarax overwhelming her. Still floating in the air, she gave her sword a swing. A sharp wind was created and it cut down half the trees in front of her. Whitney held her sword up high. The red electric waves cut through the air around her but didn't harm her.
****
"You mean to tell me that the captain failed to explain to you why we have high levels of negative energy?" Diavinx asked as he nibbled on his gumdrops.
"Yes sir," Quix answered.
"The Queen is going to kill me!" Diavinx shrieked and dropped all his candy, scattering them across his desk and on the floor.
"Calm down, sir."
Diavinx's worry concerning the hike in the negative energy grew even more than ever. He had to find a way to make sure the levels went back to normal. He assumed that the high levels were due to a hike in crime. He thought of Queen Sharaina's anger if she discovered this and the hair behind his neck stood up.
"I have to fix this problem quick." he picked up a gummy bear.
****
Rose got into her house and placed her purse on the living room table. The lights were off but the TV was on. On the couch was a sleeping dark haired six year old boy. She turned off the TV and knelt down next to the him.
Rose gently and lovingly touched his face of rosy cheeks. The boy opened his greenish eyes and set them on Rose. He immediately wrapped his little arms around her and she brought him closer.
"Mummy, you are back." he sleepy said.
"I am sorry for coming home late, honey. I was held up at the office." she remorsefully explained and carried him. "Come on, time for bed."
"Can I sleep with you tonight?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"Not tonight Mason but tomorrow night you will." she told him.
Rose put Mason to bed and tucked him in. She kissed him on his forehead and was rewarded with a smile. His innocent eyes blinked slowly until they finally closed.
Rose left slightly closer the door on her way out, leaving only a ray of light from the hallway to illuminate Mason's room. She then quietly left the for the kitchen. Deep in thought, she opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of water.
She couldn't get her mind off Whitney's death. She also couldn't bring herself to trust Steve anymore. She had a strong feeling that he and his brothers killed her.
Rose turned on her laptop and opened the GPS tracker. She kept staring at the red dot that kept flashing. It screamed danger but all she heard was hope. Not for her but for Whitney's justice.
"Hi Rose," a female voice suddenly sounded and startled Rose into nearly dropping her glass of water.
Rose turned to Lois, her 17 year old cousin, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. Her thick coffee brown hair only touched her shoulders. Concealing her big figure was a pink silk nightdress. Her big grey eyes were partially closed as she stared at Rose.
"You should be in bed." Rose said to her and averted her eyes back to the flashing dot.
"I heard a noise so I came to check." Lois replied and yawned.
"I am sorry for waking you up." Rose closed the laptop, got up and headed for the door. She picked up her car keys.
"Where are you going?" Lois asked.
"I am going back to the office. I will be back before dawn. Please try to get some rest and take care of Mason." Rose said not daring to look Lois in the eye for she knew that she was lying. She wasn't going to the office. She was going to Danny.
***
Asher sat sobbing in the living room. She still couldn't believe that Paul was dead. Steve went to her and without a word, he wrapped his arms around her. Asher placed her head on his chest and her tears poured out of her eyes making Steve's shirt wet. Steve listened quietly to her sobs.
"Why would someone do that to him? What has Paul ever done to anyone to deserve such a death?" she said in between her sobs.
"It is very sad. I just feel for his mother." Steve sadly remarked.
Asher sniffed at his words, "He was her only child. What is happening? First it was Whitney and her sister. Now it is Paul. How is this not a bad omen?"
Upon hearing this, Steve let go of Asher. He stared down at his shoes with his hands together. Asher sat up and wiped her tears. With her swollen eyes, she studied Steve's tensed expression. She had never seen him look so nervous before. She was taken aback by his sudden sigh.
"There is something I have been meaning to tell you." Steve began and took a deep breath, "I don't know how you are going to take it but I feel that I have to tell you."
Asher moved closer to him and sniffed. "What is it Steve?" she asked him with concern.
"It is about Whitney's death. I know who her killers are." Steve said and Asher gasped.
****
Rose glanced at her GPS tracker in her car as she drove. It led her into the outskirts of Kansas City. For some reason, the red dot became stationary. She didn't mind that at all for it only made her quest easier.
She knew that what she was doing was dangerous but the fear wasn't enough to stop her. She flashed a look at her pistol on the passenger seat and felt a little safe. Nothing was going to stop her.
As she drove, the GPS led her to a hidden road. Parked just a hundred meters away from her was Danny's beat up truck. She turned off her head lights and looked closely at the truck to see if anyone was there.
Rose couldn't see anyone at all. Just when she thought no one was there, the truck started bouncing up and down. She got out of her car and looked closer. She even went as far as squinting her eyes just to get a better look. Rose finally spotted a woman going up and down with her naked breasts flapping all over. She cringed at the conclusion that two people were having sex in the truck.
Not wanting to disturb and doom herself, Rose got back into her car and drove away. She hid her car in between trees. Rose took a deep breath, picked up her gun and walked back to the truck. She cautiously moved closer and hid behind bushes like a soldier. Her heart was racing so fast that she thought the sound of it was going to blow her cover.
"Oh yeah come on baby girl. You are doing it right." A male voice sounded from the truck. The woman moaned even louder. Rose tried her best not to gag at it all.
Rose watched the two go at it for what felt like a century. Just when she thought she had enough, she heard the truck door open. Stepping out wasn't Danny but Lil Jack. He zipped up his pants, said something slick to the woman and walked away from the truck. He disappeared into the woods only to reappear shortly. Rose quietly spied on him getting back into the truck and drive away.
Rose stepped away from the bush she took refuge behind and straightened her back. She looked on as the truck vanished into the woods. Rose then wondered where Lil Jack went when he left the truck. She headed straight to the direction where he went. When she got there, she faced a tiny cabin.
All the lights were on inside but off outside. Rose released the safety off her gun and ducked as she made her way close. She got down on her knee and cautiously peeped through the window. There was no one in what appeared to be the living room. Rose made her way to the back. She tried to walk quietly but her thick heels refused to cooperate.
Billy heard their knocking noise and picked up his shot gun. He too began walking cautiously in search of the possible intruder. He instinctively went outside to check first. Rose got into the cabin and found herself alone in the kitchen. It was so filthy with grease and dirty dishes everywhere. She gagged at the horrible odour of rotting food.
Rose pointed her gun straight and headed for the next room of which was the living room. It was neat compared to the kitchen. In it was simple old furniture and animal skins everywhere. Stuffed crows were hanging up the ceiling. Rose turned and gasped at the wall decorated with heads of different animals.
The whole room was too scary for Rose. She couldn't bear to be there anymore so she rushed out. She accidentally dropped a vase to the floor and it broke. Rose widened her eyes at the ash on the floor underneath the broken pieces.
Unfortunately for her, the sound of the vase falling alerted Billy and he got back into the cabin. Rose heard him and her heart skipped a beat. She noticed a staircase leading to the basement. With her heart thumping even faster than before, she rushed down the stairs. She tried the door at the bottom and it opened to her relief.
There was no one in the room either. At the center of it was a broken chair and some ropes around it. What got her attention however, was the ripped and blood stained jacket in a corner of the room. Rose's eyes watered as she shakily lifted the jacket.
It was Whitney's jacket. The very one she wore hours before her death.
Rose didn't hear herself sob at the fact that her suspicions were true after all. The Packets were behind Whitney's murder. They were the bastards who took her away. Rose squeezed the jacket on her chest and wiped her tears with a tight knot in her throat.
"What a fucking nosy bitch." Billy said to her and startled her. Pointing his shot gun at her, he icily asked, "Mind telling me what you are doing here?" Rose only stared at him with watery eyes full with terror.
****
"Who murdered Whitney?" Asher asked Steve.
"The Packet Brothers." Steve softly answered without looking at her.
"You mean that ruthless gang my mother used to tell me about?" Asher asked him again.
"What did your mother tell you?" Steve asked her back.
"Well she told me that they are savage men who rob and kill people. She also said that they are rapists too. The cops have been looking for them for over ten years now." Asher paused and from the look on her face, Steve saw that she wasn't done talking yet. "Rumors say that the youngest of the four died after a failed robbery." she ended.
"Those rumors are false. The youngest is still very much alive." Steve reluctantly corrected.
Asher squinted her eyes at him puzzled. "Do you know where he is?" she lowered her head at him and met his gaze.
"Yes I do." Steve swallowed hard and licked his lips.
"Well, where is he?"
Steve closed his eyes in anguish and in almost a whisper, he said "You are looking at him."
Asher abruptly stood up and backed away from Steve in disbelief. He got up to faced her. He knew that what he had just said to Asher was shocking. Asher slowly turned away and covered her forehead flabbergasted.
"Are you telling me that you are one of those criminals?" She asked him. "Please tell me that this is a joke."
"I was one of them until I left them years ago."
"Oh my god Steve and you choose to tell me this now? You have been lying to me this whole fucking time?"
"I am so sorry. I didn't know how to tell you." Steve shamefully confessed.
"This isn't happening." Asher walked back and forth in denial. "Did you have a hand in Whitney's murder? Tell me the truth Steve."
"No, I didn't I swear. I have never killed anyone before." Steve reached out for Asher's hand.
"Don't touch me!" Asher furiously pointed at him.
"I know you are mad at me but please believe me when I say I didn't kill her. I believe my brothers killed her under the instruction of a vampire."
Asher got angrier. "Can you hear yourself? Vampires don't exist!" she blurted out.
"They do Asher. They walk among us. One should have killed Paul." Steve tried to explain.
"Enough! You have said enough!" Asher snatched her car keys off the coffee table.
"Where are you going?"
"I need some air." She said and banged the door in Steve's face leaving him all alone and distraught.
