RÊD FLÂGS
Red Flags - Episode 63 & 64
(Badasses•Bad•Jerks)
★★★★★★★★★
"The third and fourth bullet will be for you both if you f+çking touch her. You feel me?"
His voice cut through the thick tension in the air, leaving chills in the throats of everyone in the room.
Levi's eyes changed expressions close to ten times in a minute, but all the expressions are not close to good.
Deadly, lethal, dangerous, animalistic and lots of devilish other ones.
He ain't joking,, so the couple stayed in place, including Emory herself.
She still has tears in her eyes. In fact, she's crying more than before right now.
She has always thought the side of him she saw on the bridge when he killed Lizzy was his worse side, but now that she's seeing this new side, she doesn't know what to do anymore.
Fear ate through her like cancer, and she almost fainted as she watched him maintain his gunpoint, at her parents.
Her head is in chaos, and she's surely short of blood in her system right now. She's dying even when standing.
The silence was palpable, and none of the club members said a word as Levi started walking towards her.
"No" she shook her head, stepping back again.
"Remember what I told you about when you'll run away from me?" His velvety voice came calmly, and she gulped.
"I told you I'd chase, and the time is now. You can't run away from me, Noah. I'll never let you go and that's...
His words were interrupted when a tranquilizer dart flew to his neck.
He was quick to remove it, but it was already taking effect as he drowsily turned his neck to look at the shooter.
It's Rebekah.
"I'm sorry" she muttered guiltily.
"I'll kill__you" he whispered with his remaining energy before falling heavily on the ground, his arm bleeding more.
The couple released their breaths, then Tate quickly grabbed Emory.
"Let's get out of here" she started pulling her out, but she kept looking back at Levi's body on the ground.
Adrian had to block her view till they stepped out completely.
"You shouldn't have done that" Hyce told Rebekah.
"I'll take any punishment he gives me when he wakes, but he needed the shot. He was running wild, didn't you see his eyes?" Rebekah replied.
"Doesn't matter" Hyce said.
"Whatever... Help me carry him" Rebekah shrugged, and Chadwick joined her.
They carried Levi by each shoulder, his boot dragging on the ground.
"F+ck! He's heavy!" Chadwick groaned as they climbed the stairs.
Hyce went for the rat again, pulling him up and resuming from where Levi stopped.
He has almost bled all his blood through his bursted balls, and only a little life is left in him.
If he doesn't get to the hospital within three minutes, he's dying, and that's for sure.
"Where is Fred? How did you both meet?" Hyce questioned, twisting his neck slightly.
"Arggghh!!! He... He came to my house by himself and....and offered me the...the money...he was masked...I dunno how...I dunno how he got my address" he replied weakly.
Hyce dropped his body on the ground, and Conrad shot him on the chest, killing him off completely.
"Everything about Emory, Fred, and the f+çking rest of it, count me out" he said.
"Was just about to say the same thing" Hyce replied frankly.
"The scheduled search for tomorrow is cancelled. Meeting over, till further notice" Conrad said, and the members began dispersing.
*
UPSTAIRS*
Rebekah removed the bullet from Levi's arm, and Chadwick treated it with the available treatments before wrapping it up with a bandage.
He's still unconscious in bed, his face sweaty, and his lips pasty.
"Why is everywhere suddenly silent?" Rebekah stood.
"I'll go check" Chadwick started walking to the door, but then Conrad and Hyce came in.
"I dismissed everyone" Conrad announced, and Rebekah gasped.
"What the f+ck! How about the search scheduled for tomorrow? We're very close to getting Fred and...
"And we're not doing that shit anymore. Emory's parents are being stupid, even Emory herself doesn't believe anything so give me one damn reason why we should continue" Hyce replied.
"You can't blame her. She's the same person who got raped by her uncle and then Lizzy's own. She got betrayed by too many friends and she obviously has trust issues. You don't expect her to just believe it just like that!" Rebekah defended.
"And I don't bloody care! It's been three awful years Bekah! Three good years of Banks being her shadow and living her life, he doesn't sleep at night and he doesn't focus during the day all because of her. You know how many people he offed all for her. You know how many risks he took for her and she's aware! He didn't start killing for her this semester" Conrad said angrily.
"Yeah...I remember the man who assaulted her in the club last year. Banks literally made him drink bowlfuls of water till his stomach ballooned, then he bursted the stomach with a knife" Hyce said.
"That's...brutal" Chadwick muttered.
"Yeah...and that's the smallest in the list" Hyce said casually.
"Anything about Emory is off our list! Master X's men are watching over her too, right? Leave it to them" Conrad said.
Rebekah didn't say another word before leaving the room.
*
BACK IN THE CAMPUS*
Nina and Sybil are still at the maze, and they've had their fill of the different Halloween shows.
Now they're seated tiredly, trying to catch their breaths after participating in the general dance.
"That was ... euphoric" Nina laughed.
Sybil couldn't talk, she only exhaled.
Even before she came for this party, she felt odd, but she only blew it off.
During the dance, she nearly slept off.
She finished it with difficulty, and now that she's sitting, she doesn't feel like standing again.
She's tired and sleepy, and her eyes feels too heavy and hot for their sockets.
"Are you ok?" Nina asked when she noticed her unusual silence.
"Yeah... just... sleepy" Sybil blabbered, and Nina immediately got a text from Sabrina to return home ASAP.
She hissed out before standing.
"I have to go. Can you manage on your own?" She asked.
"Sure...bye" Sybil yawned
Nina drank the remaining wine in her cup before leaving.
Immediately she stepped out of the maze, she bumped into someone, and the person's phone fell.
She quickly picked it...
"I'm so... Rain?" She blinked in surprise.
"Hey Nina! It's been a while!" Rain smiled.
"You're always scarce to see whenever exam is approaching" Nina replied.
"I know, right? Are you leaving already?" Rain asked.
"Yeah... here" Nina returned her phone, and immediately Rain took it, Nina's eyes narrowed.
Rain has a birthmark on her wrist, but the weird thing is that she also has same, on the same wrist.
Before she could comment on it, her phone rang.
"Ciao!" Rain smiled again, entering the maze.
Nina took her ringing phone. It's Rebekah calling.
"Hey, wifey!"
"Meet me at Emz's street right now, she found out about Fred!" Rebekah replied.
"What!" Nina gasped.
*
Rain located Sybil so easily inside the maze, and she sat in front of her, smiling like a creep.
"Hey, Sybil"
Sybil couldn't even open her eyes, she only moved slightly, and Rain's smile turned cruel.
"Don't worry, I'll bring you to safety"
She lifted her up, holding her by the waist and draping her arm across her shoulder.
"Chadwick... Chadwick kissed...me" Sybil muttered senselessly.
"Aww, too bad your romance won't last" Rain replied, taking her out.
Getting her to the car wasn't a problem, and the moment they arrived, she drove her out of the school.
She didn't take her to Fred's new mansion.
Instead, she took her to a warehouse three streets away.
Fred was already waiting with Omar and Romeo when she arrived, and they were the ones who carried her inside.
She was dropped on the bare ground, and a little blood escaped her nose.
"You're good, Rain. Since when did you poison her?" Romeo said surprisingly.
"The day she spent the night at my place. I slipped it into the coffee the next morning, but I was lenient. I picked a painless slow one. She doesn't even know she's dying right now, but she won't make it to daybreak" Rain smiled.
"Bravo!" Omar clapped. Thanks to plastic fingers, his hand is back to use.
"She's my daughter after all" Fred said proudly, stroking Rain's hair.
"So what'snext? Tomorrow is the birthday" Romeo asked.
"Emory, she's next" Fred said, getting Sybil's phone.
She unlocked it with her finger and typed a text.
• Will be spending the night with Rain and might come back late tomorrow.
He sent the text to Emory and Tate.
*
GRAND CASINO*
Only Tate followed Emory home.
Adrian came to the casino straight, but the army of guards outside forbade him from entering.
"I need to see your criminal boss, fuckers! Bring your boss to me!" Adrian shouted, banging at the gate.
He was throw off, and he hit his head on the road which started bleeding immediately, but he stood like nothing happened.
"I need to see your so-called Master X!!!" He yelled, trying to force his way in again.
One of the guards aimed for his leg and was about to shoot when Hazzan came out.
"Boss allowed entry" he said, and the guards opened the gate.
Adrian stormed in, and Hazzan led him to the office where Master X is standing robotically.
"I'll go straight to the point. I know you and your son are working with Fred and no amount of talk can change my mind. I can get you arrested but I know you won't even spend an hour there before getting released cos you have everyone in your dirty palm,... Stay away from my daughter, both you and your son!" Adrian said hotly.
"I have a daughter, too. Though she's nowhere to be found, but wherever she is, I wouldn't want anything like what happened to your daughter for her. Fred once worked for me, and...
"Shut up!!! That's not an excuse. You're a criminal and that's period! Stay out of my family" Adrian said, walking out furiously.
"Should I follow him and kill him?" Hazzan asked.
"No need. What's going on with Levi?" Master X sat.
"Reports said he got insecure and hurt himself" Hazzan reported, and Master X grinded his jaws.
"All my men who're out in search of Fred, call them back. Cancel the investigation" he said.
"Yes sir" Hazzan bowed, rushing out.
*
CARSON'S MANSION*
"You lied to me? I've been living with lairs for years? Why didn't you tell me? Why!!!" Emory shouted at her mother in tears.
She's standing on the stairs, and Tate is standing below it, begging her.
"Please Em, you're the only one I have and I couldn't afford to lose you. I knew it'd be too much for you if you found out and that's why I decided with your dad to keep it. I'm so sorry sweetheart, please forgive me " Tate was crying too.
"I don't even know who to believe anymore. Why is everyone lying!! Why are y'all messing with my brain and deceiving me what did I do wrong! What's my offence!!" Emory cried.
"Emz!" Rebekah rushed in with Nina.
"No not you again! Were you working with Banks all these while? Are you like Lizzy too?" Emory said frustratingly.
"Fine, I knew about the cameras, but telling you would only blow things up. And besides, Banks never used the camera he installed in your bathroom. Each of the cameras have their panels and screen through which he watches them in his control room at the Loft, but I swear to f+ck he has never opened your bathroom screen. He only installed that for emergency and...
"That's enough" Tate cut her off.
"Emz, you'll at least allow me right? I swear I never wronged you before. I love you like a sister Emory. I can't lose this friendship" Nina cried.
Adrian barged in, and his eyes turned venomous when he saw the two.
"Out of my house! You're not allowed anywhere near this place anymore! Out!" He shouted.
"Sir__" Rebekah made to beg, but he dragged them out and locked the door.
Emory rushed to her room and got her phone first.
She saw Sybil's message about spending the night with Rain before switching off the phone, then she sat on the ground beside her drawer and opened it, bringing out her stash of weed and zippo.
It's been a while since she did this.
Her fingers were shaking as she tried to roll the weed, and it kept pouring away, so she pushed it off with her leg as tears fell from her eyes.
She buried her face in her knees, crying hotly.
*
LEVI'S MANSION*
The corridor is completely dark, lined with metal doors.
Slowly, one of the doors opened.
Five years old Levi peeped out, and thanks to his ability to see in the dark, he scanned the corridor and made sure it's clear before pulling out seven years old Silver.
Silver might be older, but she's like a baby who depends on him for everything. She's shorter, too.
He was holding her hand tightly, and she was holding her favorite stuffed bear in her other hand, following his lead.
"Are mum and dad waiting for us outside?" She asked, swinging their arms.
"Shh" Levi replied.
"But I want to talk to you" she whined.
"It's dangerous to talk here, monsters might come out" he said, and she gripped him tighter, but that was it
The ground below her cracked and opened, sinking in and swallowing her.
"Levi!!!!!!!!!!" Her shriek came in waves, and Levi's eyes flew open.
It's the nightmare again.
He sat up in bed, and pains gripped his bandaged arm, then he remembered what happened before he was tranquilized.
"Noah" he muttered, getting off bed, but Rebekah blocked him immediately.
He instinctively wrapped his arm on her throat, slamming her roughly on the nearest wall.
Rebekah yelped, her legs leaving the ground.
"Banks!" Conrad tried to take her from him, but he's like a mountain... immovable.
"Urghh!!" Rebekah struggled again, her eyes reddening and rolling up, her veins mapping.
Conrad impatiently got a combat knife from his pocket, ready to stab Levi, but Hyce stopped him.
"Drop it, bro!"
"Get the f+ck! He's killing her!" Conrad pushed him.
"Levi!!!!" Chadwick yelled, almost breaking the walls.
That seemed to do the magic cos he dropped Rebekah immediately, and she fell on the ground, catching her breaths.
"She's everywhere in my f+çking head! Every damn drop of blood and every spark of thought! She's my chaos! My ruin! How dare you!"
Tears came out of Levi's eyes as he yelled out the broken words, and they're hot as he held his head with both hands.
"She doesn't believe Rebekah and Nina, too" Hyce said calmly.
"Her parents chased everyone away, but I'm sure Master X's men are still watching her" Chadwick said.
"You're turning 25 tomorrow. I know you don't do birthdays, but live your own life tomorrow for the first time, please" Conrad said.
"It's Friday tomorrow. Take a rest" Rebekah added, and the four walked out of the room at once.
Levi shut his eyes, feeling sick and empty to the core of his soul.
*
NEXT DAY, CARSON'S MANSION*
The time is currently 5pm, and Emory rolled from one side of her bed to another.
She hasn't been able to sleep since last night, so her eyeballs are red and she has swollen bags below them as a result.
High body temperature, bitter mouth, weak body and cramped feet. She's not even feeling herself, and it's like air is not entering her skin.
She feels dead as she stared at the bird cage with hurting eyes.
Sugar is chirping happily after having it's meal of grain,.
The more she looked at it, the more soreness she feels in her heart, so she got her phone and turned it on.
The first message she got was Sybil's.
It's a new one.
Sybil: Can you come get me at Rain's? Tell me when you're already coming, I'll send the address.
She didn't even wait for anything before getting off bed.
Her face is a streak of colours right now, and her hair is pointing around her head, but she doesn't care about her hideousness.
She only changed her period pad and cleaned up before leaving the room.
She met her parents waiting in front of her door, but she pretended not to see them.
"Em! You should at least eat!" Tate shouted.
"I can drive you!" Adrian offered.
"Don't follow" she glared, leaving the house and getting in her Audi.
She texted Sybil about it and received an address immediately.
It's far from here, but she doesn't care. Maybe a drive will help her detox a bit
She tried to empty her head as she drove, but the fact that today is Levi's birthday didn't stop ringing in her banging head.
She arrived at the location with a sigh, and that was when she noticed she actually drove for over an hour.
The time is currently 6:30pm, and it's getting dark
She came out of the car in the middle of the silent area, and she squinted when she saw the building.
It doesn't look like a house, but so far it's the address she received, she walked to the only visible door and pushed it open.
Stepping into the house snatched the remaining oxygen she has, and she almost passed out.
In the middle of the dusty place, Sybil's body is lying unconsciously with blood trails on her mouth and nose.
"Sybil! Sybil!!!" She ran crazily to her, kneeling beside her body before lifting her head up with tears in her eyes.
"What is this? Wha... what...what is this...Sybil!!!!" She cried out, shaking her vehemently.
Sybil is already totally cold, and her body is a deep shade of purple.
Emory's eyes widened when realization hit her...
"No you can't be dead....no... No you can't be dead!!!!!!"
The clicking of a gun on her head made her go still, and all her breaths got robbed.
"Welcome to the show, Emory. It's been a long while" Fred's voice said.
Emory literally died.
*
AN EXCLUSIVE GRAVEYARD, 7PM*
There's only one grave here, and it belongs to Xusan.
Levi sat beside it, a bottle of tequila in hand as he stared at the tombstone.
He's not a fan of alcohol, but he's making an exception on this day.
He decided to listen to the guys for once, and he has been doing a good job pushing Emory away from his mind, though it's killing him.
He has been here since daybreak, and he hasn't moved an inch from this grave.
There are tons of flower bouquets on the grave, and everything is fresh. Definitely dropped by Xavier
For the first time in his life, Master X allowed him to visit the grave, so sleeping here tonight is an option he's willing to jump on.
Despite the fact that he didn't get to see Xusan in person, he misses her, like mad.
He saw her in his nightmares a lot of times, and she was always smiling, pulling her back to reality. She's like his anchor.
Levi drank from the tequila bottle again, then his phone chimed.
He retrieved it, and he frowned when he saw Chadwick's number.
He swiped green reluctantly.
"I know we told you to use today for yourself, but I can't keep this. I'm just finding out right now that Master X dismissed his men who're watching over Emory too" Chadwick said fast, and Levi cut the call immediately.
He went to the camera watch on his phone and loaded it.
Actually, there's a camera in the necklace he gave Emory, and it's connected to his phone.
Immediately it finished loading and he saw where she is, his world came crashing.
He could see just one face, the face of the bastard... Fred, and he's holding Emory's phone.
He could hear Emory's cries as Fred typed a text on the phone, and he received a message immediately.
• Warehouse at Metro... Come right now or I'll just have to kill her before you get the opportunity to see her for the last time.
All sense of reasoning left Levi as he jumped on his bike in the next minute.
He even forgot Buddy at the graveyard as he drove out roughly, his full lights blinding.
He wasn't thinking, he wasn't reasoning nor using any component of his head.
They refused to assemble, and the blinding need to protect his property overpowered him as he drove in humanly-impossible speed.
He nearly hit a kid, but he directed the bike to the second lane of the road, breaking the government plants as he zoomed across.
He wasn't receiving air in his lungs till he arrived at the said warehouse, but the steel door is locked, so his head snapped to the vent.
He kicked it off with his boot, then he entered and climbed up to the suffocating space.
Cobwebs made a decor on his face and hair before he could get out, meeting himself on a rail.
He picked a thick stick lying on the ground and broke it into two with his knee before jumping over the rails, landing down.
The first person he met is in the middle, and he skillfully shoved the sharp ends of the stick into his throat.
His blood spilled on Levi's face, and he went down, his eyes bulging as he shrieked in agony.
He's a thug, judging by his mode of dressing.
"Noah!!" Levi yelled desperately, but he was replied by several red lights from sniper ruffles on his body.
He stood frozen, then he reached for his gun, but it's not there. He's not even wearing his sword-belt.
Today was meant to be peaceful, it's the first time in his life he was met unprepared, and he could already smell blood.
The only option right now would be hand-to-hand combat which he's madly good at, but the moment he looked up and saw the people pointing snipers at him, he got rid of that thought.
They're mercenaries who're covering their faces with balaclavas, and there are over thirty of them.
Mercenaries are mad shooters, and one move from him, he'll be gone.
Damn shit!
He perfectly walked into the trap!
His brain was trying to device something new when a reshuffle happened, and Fred appeared on the rails.
He's holding Emory roughly by the hair, and she's crying, but her wet red eyes widened the moment she saw him.
Rain, Omar and Romeo appeared beside Fred, all smiling victoriously, and Levi's fist went balled, but then a body came falling down.
The body landed on the concrete ground, and the head cracked.
It's Sybil.
Emory cried louder, and Fred pulled her head, hitting it on the rail metal.
"Shut up!"
"Ahh...hhhh!!!" She cried out, her head swelling, and Levi's adrenaline rush came immediately.
"Bloody motherf+cker!" He spat and moved from his spot, running towards the stairs.
He could only run three steps before one of the mercenaries shot.
It was straight and precise.
The bullet rammed into Levi's head, right beside his ear, and he went motionless, his knees bending.
Pitch black covered his vision as he fell dead on his face, his blood pumping out of his shot head.
Emory's soul and goddamn spirit departed from her body instantly.
"Fu+ucckk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... No.... F+ck, f+ck!!!!!!.... Xhen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
TBC
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