Chapter 6

The coincidence

"You didn't come for breakfast?" Mia asked. 

"Yeah, I've got a lot going on in my mind, and besides, I'm not hungry." 

Mia set down her bag. The look on his face told her that something was wrong. Her big brother barely missed breakfast, and he had missed that of today and the previous day Therefore, she had every reason to be worried.

 "Care to talk about it?" she asked.

Zarek, who had been searching for the online novel he had failed to finish, finally put down the phone. Mia was never one to give up, especially seeing how worried he was. 

"I'm just curious... did the cops ever find out what caused the accident?" he asked.

 Mia was surprised that he had brought up a conversation that would only unearth painful memories. She adjusted herself, still trying to understand the reason for the question.

"I understand if you choose not to reply, but I'm just trying to know what caused the accident," Zarek explained. 

Mia made a deep sigh. "Yeah, sure. Something like... an animal had run into the highway, and the car veered off in an attempt to avoid collision," Mia explained.

 "Did the cops say what animal it was?"

"I don't remember. Something like a wolf or something... is something wrong?" 

"Not at all. I'm just trying to know if the cops ever found out what truly happened."

Mia sighed. She knew there was something he wasn't saying. However, now was not the time for such a conversation. She was running late for work. The hospital where she worked, the Blue Diamond Specialist Hospital, seemed to be getting a lot of patients lately. Something about an increased occurrence of accidents and others who had bite marks.

"How about we talk about this later? I gotta go," Mia said before finding her feet. Her five-foot-eight-inch frame was wrapped in a blue pair of jeans and a turtleneck top that showed how sexy she was. 

"Sure!" 

With that, Mia picked up her bag, and Zarek resumed his search. He still couldn't find the book, and neither could he remember its author, which made it even more difficult as Zarek continued to scroll through several web pages.

However, a pressing concern came to his mind, and Zarek saw himself dashing outside. He managed to catch Mia right before she drove out of the yard.

 "Something wrong? You've been acting strange, and you're beginning to scare me... and what's with the sweat on your forehead?" Mia asked the moment he registered his presence. 

Zarek had not even noticed that he was sweating. Of course, there were more pressing matters on his mind, such as ensuring the safety of the girl he knew as a sister. However, Zarek struggled to find the right words to make her understand how she was no longer safe out there.

"Could you be more careful?" He simply said. 

"You said the same thing yesterday. Is there something you're not telling me? Am I in any danger?" Mia asked with a worried expression. 

Of course, she had every reason to feel uneasy. Yesterday, before going to work, Zarek had tried stopping her. He gave the excuse that she was no longer safe out there. When asked what it was that threatened her safety, he had told her that the details weren't important. He even suggested that she take a pistol to work for personal reasons. But Mia knew she wouldn't get past the tight security of the hospital with a gun in her bag.

The hospital had scheduled a very important staff meeting that same yesterday, and Mia had insisted on not missing the get-together conversation. And Zarek had to call her every hour to satisfy himself that she was well and fine. Right now, the same brother of hers was telling her to be careful, and she could only imagine that she was in danger or something. Perhaps a son or daughter of his previous clients was trying to exact revenge. 

That was a plausible explanation for his recent obsession, and Mia had thought it that way.

"Seriously, Zi, are you in trouble or something?" 

Zarek contemplated, not knowing how best to tell his sister that she was in danger. Werewolves may as well be lurking around the hospital, and there was still a bigger danger - the hostage's boyfriend. 

Zarek had been tracking him for the past twenty-four hours but had recorded no success.

 Zarek took back his initial thoughts. The less Mia knew, the better. Besides, she would never understand werewolves and vampires, or even the fact that an apocalypse had started.

"Let's just say... I'm being overprotective of my baby sister," he forced a smile. 

Mia found it weird.

She drove off, and Zarek wondered if she would ever come home. The only way to stop her was to have her locked up. However, Zarek was not about to get on his sister's bad side, not when he already had so much going on.

Later in the day, Zarek decided to take the one-hour drive to his warehouse. The previous day, the hostage had attempted to escape. She had accidentally gotten hold of a chisel and had cut through a barbed window, the only source of ventilation. 

Luckily, Zarek was quick to arrive, and he found her just in time. He had underestimated her skills, but Zarek would never make that mistake again. So, he moved her to a much safer side of the warehouse, right into a dungeon that had never felt a ray of sunlight. Or any light at all.

Zarek moved straight to the dungeon, where he met a different person, unlike the lady he had left. From the darkness, he could see her skin, which had red spots littered all over. The other parts were just pale. Zarek had not expected a hostage to be in perfect condition. However, he could tell that something was wrong. 

She was sick.

He opened the cell and found her lying helplessly on the insect-infested floor. Her entire skin was in such a sorry condition, and even her black gown had become a mess that Zarek couldn't stand its awful smell. 

Anger had consumed Zarek, and he hadn't noticed how unhealthy the dungeon was when he tossed her in. He had used it to torture a notorious target who had escaped him on several occasions. And Zarek had not cleaned up the mess he made of the cell. Right now, the lady he had just moved out of cell might die if he did nothing.

Settling her on a metal table, Zarek found himself in deep thoughts. Luckily, he had some first aid kits, and he administered a few needles of antibiotics. Soon, he noticed a change in her pulse. Her breathing became steady, and Zarek could see her regaining some strength. He sighed, knowing she was no longer in danger. 

Like a choreography in his head, Zarek figured that the next step was to get her cleaned up. For this, he took her into the shower and even offered to help. But she wouldn't let him. So, Zarek simply let her do her thing. However, he later realized how stupid he was to have asked to help with her hair in the first place.

After what seemed like an eternity in the shower, she returned to the hostage Zarek once knew. And the red dress went perfectly well with her petite frame. With her skin finally regaining its texture, Zarek thought she could pass for a model. In truth, he was beginning to admire her beauty.

Zarek had purchased a burger while coming to the warehouse, so she settled in to munch on the second part of it. 

"Not bad, is it?" Zarek tried to make conversation as she chewed. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to make the decision of what to do with her. But he was certain that her name no longer belonged in his kill book.

The silence lingered on. She wouldn't even make eye contact as she chewed on, but Zarek could tell that she was angry. Of course, she had to be. But Zarek thought it was no fault of his that she got locked up in an unhealthy cell.

"Look, I'm just—" 

"What are you going to do with me?" her voice shattered the silence. Her eyes glared as she put down the remaining half of the burger.

Speaking of what to do with her, Zarek hadn't thought much about it. So the question seemed to have caught him off guard.

"Why don't you finish, and then we'll talk about that," Zarek answered. He was polite and reasonable. At least, he had to be. It was the least he could do after putting her through the mess. A mess that was no fault of his, or so Zarek thought.

Her face furrowed, as if infuriated by Zarek's reply. She returned to the burger but this time gave it a deadly stare. It was as if she was wondering what to do with the remaining half left on the table. 

Zarek, on the other hand, thought her to be blaming the burger for all the troubles she had been through. However, he was quick to duck at the brown object flying in his direction. But he couldn't dodge its sauce. Seconds later, he found himself staring at some red spots. The sauce had made a mess of his white shirt.

Zarek was in absolute dismay that she had done that, and equally surprised that he wasn't even angry at her. 

"What's that for?"

"That's for keeping me hostage. If you're going to kill me, I suggest you carry on with it," her harsh tone came forth. 

Zarek was left stunned at her words. He could never have imagined that a target would ever say that to him, and he was equally baffled by her effrontery. But what intrigued him the most was that he had not the slightest inclination to act on her words. 

Totally unbecoming of Zarek Slade. 

He had failed to pull the trigger the first time. So, how was he going to do it if given a second?

"Don't look at me like that!" she cautioned as Zarek continued to stare at her. 

Zarek released a slight chuckle and simply took off the white shirt. Soon, he noticed a change in her expression. Her eyes seemed glued to his naked upper body, his broad chest. 

What was she looking at? 

Well, Zarek could be charming if left without his clothes. With his increased muscles, he could easily pass for a guy who had gone to the gym for the last 365 days.

"Don't flatter yourself. I have a boyfriend," she turned her eyes away. 

Zarek almost laughed at the expression on her face. She had an expression that showed she was angry. However, Zarek found it funny, and he struggled to hold back his laughter. 

"Perhaps a thank you would be great!" 

She hissed. Zarek could swear that he was beginning to enjoy her company. However, he never lost track of what was at stake, and a buzzing cell phone reminded him of that.

Again, the number was anonymous. 

Zarek moved to another portion, far enough to avoid her prying ears and close enough to keep an eye on her. 

"Hello!" He said simply.

 "Mr. Slade, the target is still alive, and you are required to finish the mission." 

Just as he had expected, the voice was his regular caller. A muffled voice at the other end. But she wasn't a werewolf, and Zarek had no reason to pull the trigger.

"But she isn't a werewolf," Zarek tried to make the caller understand. 

"This isn't about that. The target knows too much and poses a threat. This is your last chance to save yourself from the punishment of a failed mission," the voice at the other end deadpanned. 

After much contemplation, Zarek finally came to a decision. He was done being told what to do. It was supposed to be his last job, by the way, and he finally had a reason to keep to his promise.

"You know what? How about you go fuck yourself." 

Beep! Zarek sighed as he moved to rejoin his hostage. He had given the caller a piece of his mind.

 "Done with your call?" she asked. 

"Yeah, just a crazy client from a business deal that went wrong." 

She chuckled at his words. Maybe she found them funny. Or maybe it was something else.

"What's the smile about? Am I being funny?" 

"Nothing!" she said with a broader smile. 

Zarek settled himself in a chair. He couldn't understand the reason for her smile, but he had more important things to worry about.

"Speaking of your boyfriend, where can I find him?" 

"Really! You don't mean that, do you?" She said with much amazement.

"Since we're the awakened humans, as you put it, I figured we have a lot to talk about, such as why I have no memories of my previous life." 

She scoffed, "Well, maybe your so-called client can tell you that. How much did he pay you to kill my father? Fifty million, a hundred?"

At this point, Zarek thought that the conversation was going out of proportion. She was beginning to get on his nerves. He needed to find her boyfriend, and Zarek had thought she was the go-to for clues. However, he seemed to have gotten it all wrong. Maybe she wasn't the right call.

With a cold expression, Zarek simply found his feet. Besides, it was time he got back home, away from the jerk she was becoming.

 "You don't need to find my boyfriend... he will find you," she said as a way of threat. 

Zarek simply ignored her. Satisfied that he had secured whatever opening she might attempt to escape, he took his leave. He didn't find her worthy of any goodbyes, and he simply walked until he got to his car.

Sure, she occupied his thoughts even as he took the drive home. He had spared her life, and all he got was her ungratefulness. Yet, Zarek seemed not to understand why his hands were tied. 

She had thrown a burger at him and had even ruined his clothes. Mia would never have tried that with him. Yet, Zarek had only laughed it off, like it meant nothing. In truth, the concept of love had crossed Zarek's mind, and maybe he had begun to fall in love. Just maybe, because even at twenty-seven, Zarek had never had a girlfriend or thought of having one.

Although Mia had set him up on a few dates, Zarek had thought it best to keep his distance. But Zarek had also thought that the idea of virginity belonged to the girls. Not boys. However, he could not have a girlfriend. And maybe after twenty-seven years of being single, there was finally a reason to have one. At least, that's what he reasoned as he drove into his apartment. But he quickly remembered that she had a boyfriend, and Zarek shoved the girlfriend thing aside.

His attention moved to the sober lady he found as the apartment door slid open. Mia was looking sad, and Zarek thought that something must have gone wrong. 

"Did you get fired?" 

That was the first thing that came to his mind, and Zarek would be glad to have that as a reason. At least, he would no longer have to worry each time she left for work, and Zarek did not think it wrong to want that for his sister. 

She had no need for the job anyway.

Mia finally looked up, and her red eyes caught Zarek's attention. 

What could have gone wrong? If she were fired, why would she cry, knowing fully well that her big brother was a billionaire? 

It had to be something else. 

"Our boss was found dead in his apartment, and his daughter is missing." Mia turned back, her teary eyes fixed on her palms.

Hearing those words, Zarek rubbed the back of his head to make sure he had heard correctly. He tried to connect the dots. 

A boss, dead. Two days ago. A missing daughter… 

Zarek combed his hair, amazed at the coincidence. First, the events he had read in a book had begun to unfold. And his baby sister's boss was dead. His daughter had also gone missing? 

Zarek refused to think that the dead boss was the werewolf he had killed.

"This daughter of his, what's her name?" Zarek thought to ask, hoping it would turn out to be a different person. 

Mia would never forgive him if she found out that he was responsible for her boss's death and her friend's disappearance. 

"She's a friend, Zi. She was going to come around next week."

"Her name," Zarek said, elongating the word 'name.' 

He had begun to grow impatient with her explanation.

"Emma… Emma Grant!" Mia sobbed.

Holy shit! 

Of course, Mia had told Zarek that a friend of hers was coming for a visit, and she had told him to be nice during the visit. But how could Zarek have known that Harrison Grant, victim 775, would be her boss? Even so, how could he have known that her friend would turn out to be the locked-up lady in his warehouse?

Had Zarek known all these things, would it have made a difference? Could that have stopped the job? 

Zarek couldn't answer the many questions in his mind. But one thing was certain as he stared at his kill book. Mia would never forgive him for this… that's if she ever found out.