Chapter 17: Without Warning

I walked down the hallway rubbing my eyes to adjust my vision. I see Linda walking into Yanni's room, a bit worried. I walked over there to see Linda checking her temperature and seeing that she was doing better than last night. She was able to sit up on her bed now and Linda was trying to measure her temperature. I stood at the door frame in fear of Yanni's health. Troublesome of feeling the guilt of a little girl becoming sick. A shout echoed throughout the house.

"Papa, what are you doing?"

"Papa, what's wrong? Stop!"

It was Nina. From the sound of her voice, I can tell she was worried about another thing. I quickly ran downstairs to check up on Jack's office and saw him grabbing a sword and trying to get up. Though he was struggling on his own to get up, Nina was not allowing him to lift up an inch.

"Shadow, help me!" Nina cried.

"Sensei- I mean Mr. Rose, stop! What are you doing?"

Jack stopped trying to get up and took a deep breath, "You can call me Jack, Shadow."

"Thank you but what's the problem? Why do you have a sword in your hand?"

"I got word that one of my best students got ambushed and captured by the demons. He must be suffering now and I can't let it continue. I have to save him."

"No, I'll do it."

Nina gasps. "NO!"

"Are you sure you can do it?"

Nina shouted louder, "NO!!! He can't leave us!"

I reassure Nina, "don't worry Nine, I'll be back." I grabbed the sword and put it on my side.

Nina stepped in front of me, "No don't you dare. You didn't even finish training yet."

"I'll be fine."

"Nope, I am too worried for you. I don't want anything to happen to you. Especially you please!"

I cupped her cheek as she stared at me with her cute puppy eyes. "I'll be okay. I'll be back before you know it."

She immediately grabbed my arm and said, "Just stay with me."

Jack responded, "Nina…"

I questioned, "W-what?"

She started to look up at me, "Aren't you scared and worried about my safety? If you do then stay with me."

"I'm just going to fight some small demons and be back home without a scratch."

"You don't know that. The last time you fought some 'small demons' you died."

"What!?! Th-they weren't… augh look, your parents trained me well and I'm a better fighter now. I can take care of my own."

Nina hugged my entire body now instead of just my arm. "I'm not letting go of you no matter what." I hugged back.

Jack said annoyingly, "Nina~..."

Nina talked back, "Stop encouraging him to leave and fight. You know that as soon as you expose him to this world there is no coming back and everyone would want his head."

I explained, "That's true. My identity might have some demons chasing me but I have a hoodie to cover myself."

I tried pushing her away and loosening her grip onto me, "Take care okay? I'll be back."

Nina shouted again, "No! I said stay!"

Jack finally responded with a bit of anger, "Nina! Stop acting foolish. It's either he goes or I go."

"I AM THE ONE ACTING FOOLISH? IT IS YOUR FAULT FOR EXPOSING YOUR CHILDREN AND STUDENTS TO THIS WORLD AND THEY ARE DYING ONE BY ONE!"

After shouting through the entire house, she ran upstairs to her room quickly. Her eyes were weeping. She slammed her bedroom door closed. You can tell she didn't want history to repeat itself. I couldn't leave the house knowing that Nina is like this. I would like to do this mission without any thought holding me back. I had this strange feeling inside me as my heart started skipping beats whenever she was getting close to me. I tried to hold myself down thinking that what I am thinking is probably not true or okay. But I want to make sure Nina doesn't cry the entire day while I am gone, and I don't want her to be upset when I come back. Grunted on my teeth "Augh." I rushed upstairs.

"Where are you going?" asked Jack.

"Just… give me five minutes and I will be on my way to do the mission."

"Wait. You will need this." He handed me a GPS tracker. "It will be an easier way to track yourself where you are. If you feel like the situation is getting too risky. This can help you come back home."

"Thanks, Jack."

"Alright go." He stared at me directly. "You have 5 minutes."

I went back running up the stairs again and knocked on Nina's door. I can hear her crying through the door. "Nina…?"

A muffled voice reached the door, "What?" The crying resumes.

I entered without permission this time and sat next to her. Had my hands on my lap and wanted to know what she truly felt. "I'm here, Nina."

She hugged me quickly and I was forced to be in a lean-backed position as she put her entire weight on me. "Don't leave me like my sister did."

When she said that I immediately thought of Katy's death that I assumed she was implying as leaving her. It must be hard living a life with one less family member. Losing a twin is losing a part of you and no one can fill that in. By the way she is hugging me, I can tell she is trying to get some control in her life. A way to capture things and store them in a safe place. She's been hurt so much that she doesn't want to have this chance of losing someone important to her. It was a hug that felt like two long cobras tightening their grip on your sides. She was hugging me so tight. My body felt like it was going to be split in two.

"I will never leave you. I will be here for the rest of your life."

The feeling came back to me again, how Katy used to be so protective of me but never showed it. But I can tell she wanted me safe. I wanted to say those same words to Katy. Though I feel somewhat guilty for thinking about Katy more than Nina. I can't let go.

Nina hugged me tighter, "You promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

She got furious instantly, "Liar!" She pulled away from the hug

"Wh-what?"

"Why would you promise something you can't keep?"

"Nina, why are you acting like this all of a sudden."

Nina was about to burst another sentence at me but let out a big spew of air, releasing her lungs from built-up air. "I… I have always blamed you for my sister's death. Ever so slightly though I come to slowly realize and see how much you loved her. You love her so much that you decided to give up your normal life to train every day to fight against those who have killed her. Are you not scared of facing the same demons you saw that day? Doesn't it terrify you that you could've died?

"I won't lie. I still have nightmares every night about that day."

"Exactly! But you still love her more than any man can ever love a woman. Even though in the end she died to save you. Even though the world is putting you in so much danger. I'm sure she doesn't want you to die for her or else she would have lost the reason to die. I'm sure she wants you to live like a normal human being. To go and fall in love with someone else and have a normal life. I'm sure she's happy up there knowing that you will always have a part of her inside you."

I shook my head. I was in some sort of disbelief at what I was hearing. Especially at the last part. "Nina… where are you going with this?"

She immediately took my hands and placed them on her sides while she wraps her arms around my neck, "I can be that woman that you will have a normal life with. You don't have to fight for your safety or even live in danger. We can have a normal family and travel around the world. You can go back to another school in another country."

I shook my head again, "No Nina, if I do something like that then more demons would come and more people will die and suffer.

"But you don't have to fight them. At the end of the day, it's not your mission. Plus are those monsters not your people?"

That's when I felt disgusted for the person that I was truly born into. In my head, I don't know how I can be blood-related to those savages. I was honest with her, "I find it disgusting how my blood comes from them." It's unforgiving and shameful in my name to be part of the most dreadful and destructive anarchist who wants to destroy the lives of others.

Nina, "Dammit Shadow, you are not understanding me." she clutches my hands tighter, "I love you. Let's live a normal life, you have a beautiful woman next to you, grow a family, and live a peaceful life.

My eyes widened and I shook my head. "Nina no-"

"What? Am I not pretty enough for you? Is it because I can't fight like my sister?"

I grabbed her shoulder, "Nina listen, please. Even though I wish I can have a normal life, be with a beautiful woman such as yourself next to me, and grow a family. I can't. I can't build my family knowing that they will have to hide for the rest of their lives because demons might come and kill them. The family I wanted to grow was all destroyed on that day. The life I wanted was taken away from me by my people." There was a long pause. I knew Nina was going to cry, "I'm sorry Nina… but I can't be with you."

Nina, had tears rolling down her eyes but still pushed for me to accept, "Why? Don't you want to date and watch movies together instead of fighting by yourself? You and Katy's relationship was all about training and fighting and this crazy world. Can I show you what dating a real woman feels like?"

I tried keeping my cool, so I went and kissed Nina's forehead. "When everything is done. I will come back to tell you my answer."

"Are you going to give me a chance?"

"Maybe." I don't even know myself if I was lying or considering giving her a chance instead of being too harsh and closing the door in front of her face.

"Then please come back. I promise it will be your last fight."

"Don't promise me that. I know it won't be my last fight. But I will come back to your comfort every night. How does that sound?"

She smiles and lays on my chest, "I'll take my time to think about it as well. But I'm certain I want to be with you till the end."

"Honestly… Thank you. Makes my mind at ease knowing I wouldn't be alone forever in this harsh world." I started to brush her hair with my hand letting my fingers go through.

She hugged me tighter as I was trying to lay her on the bed, "I'll be waiting for you."

I said, "I'll be back." before covering her up and walking away.

I went downstairs where Jack was waiting and he asked, "Is everything alright?" I nodded my head reassuring him that I'm gonna go save his student now. Jack gave me the name of the student. Michael Zerg is now a VIP that I must save. Jack warns me of someone else that could potentially be there, but he is unsure. Linda came out from the kitchen to bring me my backpack which she loaded with some food and water, before Jack could give me a name of the second person. "You are all set. Do not forget what I taught you." I placed my hand on the handle of the katana and nodded. Didn't want to say anything as this feeling was the start of getting out of my comfort zone. But I know I will never want to come back home without bringing back Jack's student. Every mission I do from now on will have to be a success in order to help Jack. I'm sure he would never accept failure.