The Secrets Behind The Act (Part 3)

"You seek justice for them instead?" Olivia asked as if she still doesn't realize it. But only to confirm it.

Olivia realized that Matthew and his friends were doing that to give justice to the victims of abuse who don't have the ability, connection, influence, and money to get speedy and fair justice.

She understands what Matthew was talking about and she agrees with him. Their justice system is flawed. Influence and money can always bend the law, making justice almost impossible for ordinary citizens who are victims of abuse to achieve. It always seems impossible to get justice especially if the assailant came from a wealthy and influential family or he himself is wealthy and influential.

But if the assailant is just as ordinary as the victim, justice might take time to achieve until the case was already buried in piles of papers and soon forgotten.

Olivia had seen dozens of cases of abuse against women and children that remained on the table neglected while others were forgotten. That means those victims haven't got the justice they deserve and most likely will never get it.

And that is what Matthew and his friends were doing. Giving them the justice they deserve but in an unconventional way which Olivia was doubtful of.

"Yes," Matthew nodded his head.

"But…Matthew, that's unlawful," Olivia said. Her concern was not because of the fact that what they were doing was unlawful but because it was Matthew who was doing it. She was afraid of the consequences.

Matthew sighed. Seeing the look on Olivia's face, he is starting to feel that he is slowly losing this battle. He lowered his head and said, "Yeah. We know that. But we cannot just sit and watch for the system to take notice of women and children who were raped and killed while their assailants were free as a bird. Because there is always uncertainty when they are going to get justice or if they ever will,"

Okay. Olivia understands that and surprisingly, she agrees. But she remembered that they did not only target those criminals that are still walking out of prison freely. She clearly remembered that some of those were taken from their cells and were assumed to escape only to be found dead weeks or months later. She knew because she had their photos on her board. She said, "But some of them were already in jail,"

Matthew looked up and asked, "And do you think that is enough? Do you think that is fair justice?"

Olivia stared at him because to her, it is not enough. It is not fair. Those criminals who raped, abused, and killed women and children took something from their victims that has a lifelong impact on their lives. If not their life, they lost their sense of control of their lives…they lost hope.

They suffer from extremely difficult and painful emotions. They suffer from trauma, anxiety, and depression. Most of the time, it is long-term to the point that they started to have suicidal thoughts or attempts.

In Olivia's line of work, she had met a few survivors of rape and sexual assault…had interviewed them. Though some of them became strong because of what they have been through, she noticed that there are still lingering negative effects of the trauma. She could still see the vulnerability in their eyes. Their lack of trust in people and situations. Their emotional instability.

But Olivia thought that killing those criminals just makes it easy for them. She thought that they deserved the same emotional pain that their victims suffered. "But killing them…" She uttered but was stopped when Matthew spoke.

Matthew knew Olivia so well that he already knew what she was thinking. "I assure you Liv, it is not an easy death,"

Timothy thought that killing those criminals would only give them freedom. Matthew thought the same. But they also know that even if they drown them multiple times in a drum of holy water, they will never turn into a dove from a raven. Inflicting harm on innocent people is like an addiction to them. It is in their nature and somehow in the future, it will still call on to them.

And the solution to that is erasing their existence. By that, they were also giving the world a favor by making it one less of a crook in the streets.

Olivia instantly knew what Matthew meant. "You torture them…" Although not all of those criminals in her vigilante board have signs that they were tortured before they were killed, Olivia's instinct says that they all suffered torture though in a different manner.

And her instinct was confirmed by Matthew. "Yes. This facility has torture cells and is complete with different torture devices," Matthew said as he looked around the luxurious bunker although Olivia knew that he was not talking about the bunker but the whole of the facility. Then Matthew added, "Uncle Leo has mastered the arts of torture,"

Olivia will not be surprised if the underground facility has more unexpected features than what Matthew had told her. It has a control room, cells, hotel-like suites, hospital-like facilities, a laboratory, a luxurious bunker, and now different torture cells completed with torture devices. She could only imagine how expansive the facility is.

Olivia suddenly felt overwhelmed not just by the realization that she is in a massive facility under a mountain but by all the information that Matthew told her…by the realization of what Matthew could do. Now her emotions were overflowing and it is getting mixed up that she is starting to have a hard time sorting it out.

Olivia let her body lean on the backrest of the sofa as if she ran a mile and is feeling drained and exhausted. "Matthew…this is…this is all too…overwhelming," She said.

Concern and worry instantly flashed on Matthew's face. He so badly wanted to close the distance between them and held her in her arms but he thought that his nearness to her will only make her feel overwhelmed even more. "I know. That is why I am asking you to take your time in processing all the information I gave you before you decide that you don't want to be with me," He said in a pleading tone as if one moment, Olivia will suddenly stand up and run away from him even though it is impossible for Olivia to get out of that facility without him escorting her.

Olivia suddenly looked puzzled by what Matthew just said. She straightened her back and leaned forward. "What?"

Matthew sighed defeatedly. "Liv…I know your opinion about vigilantism. You told Meg enough. You told me enough. And it scares me that once I tell you the truth…you will leave me. I don't want you to leave me," He said, shaking his head. Though he was determined to make Olivia see his point and not leave him because of what he had done, he knew that there is still that fifty percent chance that Olivia might not understand him and leave him.

As the seconds ticked, Matthew was afraid that that percentage was rising.

Olivia's face softened. "Why did you tell me?" She asked. Matthew was scared that telling her about his secret will make her run away from him but he still told her anyway.

Matthew looked straight at her and answered, "Because I don't want to keep secrets from you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I want it with a clear conscience,"

Olivia was satisfied with Matthew's answer, not that she was seeking satisfaction. But it did make her heart swell thinking that Matthew had those thoughts. But something caught her interest and made her heart skip a beat. "Spend…the rest of your life…with me?" She slowly raised her brow.

Matthew didn't wait for a second to answer, "Yes,"

Suddenly, all else was forgotten. Olivia could only think about Matthew's words. She doesn't want to be hopeful but his words are making her think that Matthew wants to marry her. She could only hope that she read it right because she doesn't want to be heartbroken.

If Olivia was feeling giddy, she hid it for a while and kept a straight face. She knew that they were not in the right place, time, and situation to talk about it. "So, you are planning to tell me about this?" She asked because it seems like that is what Matthew was implying.

Matthew nodded his head. "Yeah. I was about to talk to you about it one night but you beat me by showing me that board with your vigilante theory,"

Olivia remembered that night. They were in her apartment. Matthew said that there is something that he wanted to tell her but she was so excited about her vigilante theory that she went ahead with her news and forgot about what he was about to say. Looks like Matthew lost his spirit to tell her his secrets which turns out to be about the vigilante that she told him.

Olivia pursed her lips and in a low voice, she said, "You should have told me that night. To save me from all that hassle,"

Matthew smiled faintly at her words because Olivia's words could mean that if he had told her that night, she could have dropped and let go of her theory and had his back instead. But he doesn't want to put his hopes up because her words could also mean that she could have exposed him that night without much of a hassle.

Matthew felt that he had already tried his best…it is now up to Olivia to decide whether to leave or stay. And wanted to give her time and space to think clearly about what she wanted. He asked, "Do you need time to…think about everything I told you?"

Olivia nodded her head. "Yeah,"

Matthew sighed and stood up. "Okay. I'll just leave you here. I'm going to see the others," He said, making Olivia's eyes widen.

Olivia hastily stood up as well. "Wait! Are you going to leave me here alone?" Not that the bunker is scary but it was still a strange place for Olivia and though she wants time and space to think, she doesn't want to be alone in a strange place.

Matthew thought for a moment. He could just send Olivia alone but he is afraid that he might not see her after that. And besides, it looks like his friends need him at the moment. So, he suggested, "How about I call Meg to accompany you here?"

"She's here?" Olivia was surprised that Megan was also in the underground facility. But then, should she be surprised?

"Yeah," Matthew nodded his head. He knew that Timothy followed them into the facility and that Megan was with him.

"Okay," Olivia felt better that she would be left with Megan alone even though she asked for time and space to think.

Matthew stared at her for a moment and then he finally crossed the distance between them. He stood not a foot from her which made Olivia crane her neck so that she could look into his face. He slowly leaned forward and kissed her forehead with his hands on the sides of her neck. When he pulled away, he kept his hands on her neck and said, "I love you, Liv…so much. You are my life and I don't know what I would do if I lost you,"