(Continuation of the Prologue scene)
Artemis
"LASH! Please, come with me!"
"I promise... You'll be safe."
"Lash, don't do this!"
"Sixteen, three, nineteen, nineteen, eight, twelve, sixteen, three, and four..."
I slowly opened my eyes.
What was that dream? Are those real voices? Am I still alive?
My vision were all bright white. I groaned and moved my fingers. Pain rushed all over my body the moment I gained consciousness.
"L-Lash..." I whispered to myself.
Where am I? Why does this place all white?
I blinked thrice and slowly, my vision cleared. I'm in a huge, unfamiliar and sophisticated room. Covered with the most soft blanket, and on the fluffiest bed, place felt a bit cold.
I looked around then I saw my hands covered with plasters and bandages. On the right side, there was an inserted dextrose.
Where am I? How am I alive? Where's Lash?! What happened to the people in the orphanage?! Was I asleep for hours?! Or days?!
I tried to push myself to get up but I felt a sudden pain on my back. I remained sitting instead.
"A-Ah..."
"Careful yet, young lady," a baritone voice filled the room.
Surprised and scared at the same time, I looked alarmly at where the voice of a man came from.
My eyes widened. Sudden emotion rushed through my veins, a mixture of shock, horror, and anger.
"Lay down still, I'll call the nurse-"
"M-Mister Castro?" I called him. What is he doing here? Where am I?!
A small smile crept on his face. His eyes wrinkled as he stared at me, as if examining my whole face. "You look exactly just like her..."
What is he talking about? Where ares the others?! I saw a dead body that day, what happened to the others, then?!
"Where's m-my friends?! Miss Claudia... And F-Father Erick?! Where's Lash?!" I hysterically asked, my eyes watered as I realized I probably was alone here.
He sighed and picked up a small thing. He pointed it on the air-conditioner and his eyes settled on me after. I tried to read on his eyes, but all I could see is blankness in those.
"Everyone died," he said calmly. "Including the guards and cops."
My heart seemed to stop beating at what he said. Is he serious?!
"M-Mister Castro..." My tears fell, my heart felt a painful pierce. I shook my head. "I don't believe this! They're alive!" I screamed.
He hissed and sat on the edge of the bed. He tapped my left thigh. "I don't plan on sugar-coating my words to you, young woman. I want you to know the brutal truth."
I shook my head more. This can't be true!
"No! Mister, please tell me that you're lying-"
He chuckled. "Oh, dear, lying is for the weak. Being true is for the powerful. Everyone died that day, my orphanage got pulverized. My money was not enough to stop that-"
"You left us hanging around-"
"Then, why are you here?" His eyes darkened. "Pampered, warm, and safe."
I stopped. My tears continued to fall but my hysterical shouts stopped at what he said.
"What happened was beyond my control at all. My enemies wanted me gone, but they couldn't touch even a hair of mine, so they ruined my image to the public." He scoffed. "Now I can not go out without being chased by those stupid cops! My enemies paid the government to ruin my image more."
My mouth ran dry.
"Now, I'm not even sure which business opponent did this to me, my dear."
There was a minute of silence before Mister Castro broke it.
"Your friends were brutally killed."
"By whom?" I clenched my fist. I forced to stop my whining.
"You wanna know who?" He smirked at me teasingly. "Let's find out together. Even I, is clueless. My life is at risk, too, hija."
I stared at the old man. What is he planning to do? Is he trying to scare me more? Or tease my broken heart? What does he want? If everyone died, then why am I alive? Did someone see me as I escaped that place? I remember losing consciousness on the backyard that day.
"Revenge..."
I snapped out from my deep thoughts. The old man tapped my thigh once more and his smile widened.
"Revenge is the only way to make them pay for what they did to your dearest friends," he continued.
I shook my head. "Revenge won't solve anything!"
He roared a laughter. I bit my lower lip as I watched him catch his breathe from laughing at what I have said.
"Oh, dear, you just say that because you saw nothing aftermath!" He laughed even more. "Blood... Dismembered bodies, unrecognizable faces... Some were even torn into chunks! Oh, you wouldn't know, my dear Artemis!"
I could feel my hands bleeding as my nails dug onto my palm. I clenched my fists even more, hot tears streamed more.
Anya... Crystal... Father Erick... Miss Claudia and the others...
Lash...
I felt Mister Castro hug me as I sat on the bed with my aching heart and body. I sobbed so loud, shouted in agony. I will never understand the people who did this to my friends. I will never understand their plan! Their goal! How evil!
Mister Castro caressed my hair as he whispered, revealing the scorpion tattoo on his wrist.
"Rest. That's the first thing I suggest you to do. Train with me, become powerful with me, my dear. One day, we will find out together who did this to your friends... To Lash..." he trailed off.
My cries became louder. I shouted my whole heart out to release the pain, but the moment I think about my friends and Lash, my heart breaks even more that I could not even imagine being able to move forward from this.
"We will look for them, Artemis. Promise me you'll make their lives miserable. Promise me," he whispered.
"I will m-make them pay," I said, as if promising to myself a goal. My mind were clouded by anger that I didn't even care about the words I say.
I heard the old man smirk. "From now on, you will take my surname with you. Rest for now, Artemis Lavender."
I took a bed rest for a month. I did nothing but be on bed, and receive daily physical therapy to restore my strength. My body were severely damaged from the incident. I broke many bones, and my vision and hearing senses were affected as well.
Eight months of therapy, and my body went back to normal.
Years have passed, I have been training martial arts with the help of Papa Castro's men.
Yes, Mister Castro, the CEO wanted me to call him as my father.
He took care of me, gave everything I want, made me live a comfortable life in return with a mission.
To take revenge. That I willingly agreed. I will make those people who killed my second family pay. And to Lash...
I tilted my head and attacked Carson, my martial arts trainer.
He avoided my kick, with a subtle panic on his face. I landed a punch on his stomach, he groaned. I kicked his neck and curled my knees to trap his neck with the back of my knees.
He twisted my body to change the positions now. I frowned at his move. What the heck?
He pressed his elbow on my neck, just enough to not choke me a lot.
I kicked his stomach, just enough to hurt him. He lost his guard for a bit and I took that opportunity to push him back to the sand.
"Fuck!" he groaned when I sat on his stomach and choke him with my hand.
I looked at him blankly.
He was about to pull another move when I pulled my hand gun from my thigh side pocket.
His eyes bulged out.
"Whoa, chill out, lady!" He smirked and moved his head abruptly to avoid the gun that was pointing on his forehead.
I sighed and stood up. I put my gun back to my pocket and watched the calm ocean.
I gasped for air. We decided to warm up ourselves here by the sea shore, just in front of Papa's massive old mansion.
"I'm sorry, got carried away..." I said and sat on the lounge chair. I cleared my throat. He sat beside me and offered me a bottle of water.
"Happy birthday," Carson said.
I hissed. "It's not yet my birthday. Better save that for tomorrow," I said and looked at the sun set. The golden color of afterglow made the scene look ethereal.
It's Lash's birthday today.
I looked up at the sky.
How are you dong up there, Lash? Are you... happy? Free? Or seeking for justice? Are you happy that I'm alive? You should not, you died brutally because of that.
My eyes watered a bit.
Don't worry, Lash. Tell Anya that justice will be served very soon. Once the information about the criminals were confirmed, I will not hesitate to work on my plan.
"Art? Are you okay?" Carson snapped his fingers. I stared at the scorpion tattoo on his wrist. "You look really tired. Wanna go inside?"
I nodded and stood, walking first back to the mansion.
Papa's men in black bowed the moment I entered the grand entrance of the mansion. I saw Dad on the living area, talking to someone in his phone.
"I'm totally glad you found the best spy! Send him here as soon as possible, my daughter needs him for sure." I heard him.
I bent to give him a kiss on his cheek.
"Oh, my dear Artemis!" he greeted and put his phone down. I sat on the other side of the sofa and leaned my back on to the backrest. "I prepared a birthday celebration for your twenty-first birthday tomorrow!"
I groaned. "You don't have to, Papa."
"I had to. Tomorrow is when you're turning twenty-one, the right age to get our organization mark," him referring to the scorpion tattoo. "This is more special than your eighteenth birthday, my dear. You excited?"
I chuckled and nodded at him. This man... is an infamous mafia boss, his men call him Don Castro. His late brother was the underboss, his brother's late wife is the Capo or the captain.
No wonder many mafia organizations want him down.
How naive I was back then to not realize anything. Huge money means... huge business, huh?
The moment I knew about it, I got mad at him. But he assured me he stopped stupid business after his brother died about twenty years ago. I trust him. For sure if he still does businesses, he won't be scared to use those connections to stop the threats he receives.
In the past years, I never got to experience having another friend. I don't consider Carson and the other associates as friends.
It's better to not treat someone so important anymore, I have had enough of getting hurt for loving friends. Better to not have one again.
"You're closer now, Artemis," Papa added.
I smirked. "I know, Papa. I am ready."
He laughed heartily. Carson suddenly sat down next to me, with a bottle of tequila in his hand. He put the bottle on the glass coffee table together with the three shot glasses.
"Oh, my God, Carson. I'm on a healthy diet!" I rolled my eyes and pushed the bottle away from me.
"Oh? A shot won't hurt, baby," Papa said and poured a small amount of liquor in the glass. He offered it to me. "Since we moved in this remote island, I have been so strict about your health. Now that your misson is approaching, consider this as a small good luck celebration!"
I stood up. "Papa, stop!" I laughed when Carson grabbed me by the waist, putting me back on place.
"Come on, Artemis! Celebrate with us your nearing mission!" Carson said and got the glass from Papa.
I grabbed the glass from Carson's hand this time, I gulped it. My face crumpled at its bitter and spicy taste. It drew pain on my throat.
"There you go," Papa cheered.
The midnight came, signaling my birthday.
The two went to their rooms already, called it a day. But I remained in the living room. I finished the last remaining shot and I went straight to my room.
Liquor hit me. My vision turned.
"Shit..." I murmured. The long grand staircase pissed me off a bit. This Victorian Mansion is so huge that it took me many minutes to arrive in my room.
My huge room felt emptily spacious. How funny.
I fell on my bed. I staired at the high ceiling. The dimmed chandelier made me feel crestfallen.
"Lash..." I called his name as if he would appear by my side. I closed my eyes as I recall his deep set of grey eyes, tan skin, well sculpted physique. His innocent smile... His innocence.
A tear dropped from my eye. It traveled slowly until it stopped, it reached my ear.
I miss him... His scent.
I wonder how far could he be now if he didn't die.
I put my hand on my chest, feeling the rapid beats of my shattered heart. My fingers moved to touch the cold moon pendant. I pinched it, as if it could support me and save me from the pain.
"I miss you," I said, only the wind could hear it. "I'm sorry for leaving you that day."
You promised me that I'll get out of that place safe. You did as you promised. Now it's time for me to pay what you sacrificed.
I promise to give you and others' the justice. Once Papa finds out the people behind the massacre, I will make sure I'll do whatever it takes to take them down.
I promise you that, Lash.