CHAPTER 3

Helen was now shaking and crying while tied onto the uncomfortable wooden chair. Her eyes remained shut afraid to open and see what Darian had done to Joshua. It was then that a hand touched her and she cried louder eyes still shut

"Helen its me dont cry i am here." the familiar voice had her open one eye before opening both and when she looked around she saw a struggling Darian lying on the floor blood oozing from his stomach. Joshua was quick to untie her and help her to her feet in a bid to leave the place as soon as possible

"Josh..." he gasped struggling to even breath properly. Helen held on to Joshua for dear life and it was the first time she had seen anything of that sort, a man lying in a pool of blood struggling to utter a word and about to die. She had only seen it in the movies

"Next time you want to kill someone, do a whole body search." with that he pulled Helen out with him leaving Darian hardly holding on to dear life. Upon stepping out Helen tripped on something only to be held by Joshua. There were bodies everywhere and Helen did not really bother to ask, she had a whole lot of trauma to take care of. They eventually got to the car got in and were on their way home. Joshua then handed her his jacket seeing how much she was shivering and hoped she would not utter a thing or ask anything about what had happened but...

"Did you kill all those men?" her frail voice cut the silence

"No."

"So why were they lying there cold? Joshua what is happening who was that guy?"

"Helen listen." he said pulling over by the roadside 

"Those men wanted to hurt Raymond. They knew the only way to get him and through you, so please dont say anything to your father or anybody else okay?He will worry for no reason do you hear me?You will never see any of them in your life ever again got that?" She nodded then leaned against the window more thoughts flooding in and before she knew it she was already fast asleep.

*******

Richard had spent the entire day in his study trying to arrange his life, well, trying to calculate his next move like he had always done in the past. Where was the issue why wasnt he being nominated fairly by the board or even by the people. He had been minister for a whole five years and he sure did deserve a raise didnt he? As more and more thoughts flooded in a call came in and he hoped Lucas had good news

"Goodnews and goodnews only."

"Sir, A.S.3." 

"What?"

"He was in the Chicago plane. He died with the rest."

"Chicago plane?What chicago plane?What are you even talking about i asked for good news not tv news what is wrong with you?!"

"You should watch the trending news sir, you just lost an arm." before Richard could answer the call was cut. He hadn't logged onto the internet the entire day on one hand it was Helen not showing up at home, on the other it was work issues now death. His head was really going to blow up. Opening his laptop in annoyance the Chicago plane crash greeted him. It was then that it dawned on him that A.S.3 was on it, he had a mission to complete in Chicago and Lucas was right, he had indeed lost an arm...and that was bad news

"Dad Helen...are you okay?" asked Raymond seeing his distraught facial features 

"Yes...yes i am fine is Helen home yet?"

"She is on her way. Joshua is bringing her, she had booked a flight under a different time frame."

"Oh thats good. And Dominic?"

"Oh yah Dominic, he uhm....i dismissed him he had a running stomach so..."

"Okay thats good atleast one thing to smile about. Can you excuse me i need to make some calls." Raymond lingered around still not sure whether to leave or stay. He was sure something had happened but even if he stayed, his old man was never one to say anything concerning his matters of struggle 

"I will be in my room if you need something."

"Sure no problem." He then watched Raymond close the door behind him before quickly dialing a number. If A.S.3 was dead and history, he had to replace him, besides, its not like he knew him or was it a her?They were simply...acquainted strangers.

****** 

The following day was just another normal work day for Julia except that it was a Friday, the most refreshing day of the week well maybe for others because she also had to report in on Saturday except it would be half day

"Goodmorning." she greeted heading to the counter where her everyday duty awaited her

"You are late today, what happened?"

"I just woke up late nothing more to it, and you how are you today?"

"I am doing pretty well....Steven did not come home last night though. I just hope he is okay."

"You hope he is okay or you hope he is not with another girl. Mandy what are you doing to yourself." she asked carefully folding her walking stick and sitting before the money counter

"Lets talk about it later hey our shift is about to start."

"No Mandy i know its still ten minutes before we open so talk to me will you?If its about a place to stay my apartment is home for you we can always share just please..."

"Steven will come, he loves me and i love him we are just going though a phase we will be fine."

"Going through a phase for a whole year? You still call it a phase?You pay for everything from food to rent, you even dress him while he sits at home all day doing nothing and now who knows in whose arms he slept last night?!"

"Enough! I need some air please." With that all Julia could make out were her footsteps walking away. She wished Mandy would listen to her for once but hey she always marched out of such talks. She was not going to give up on her though, she was determined to get her out of that toxic relationship nomatter what. And a part of her believed Steven did lay his hands on her time and time again, she just could not figure it out because unfortunately she did not have the eyes to look at poor Mandy.

*****

"Are you okay?" Helen lifted her eyes to meet a pair of worried ones. She was still in bed struggling to put the events of the previous night past her. The memories kept haunting her she even hardly slept

"I am fine Ray. Come give me a hug i didnt hug you properly last night." Raymond moved on to sit next to hey and hugged his poor little sister. She struggled to keep it in and cried her eyes out in his arms

"Shhh. I'm sorry you had to go through that i'm so sorry. I will never let you come home alone ever again okay?" she nodded hands still holding onto him

"Its over now it will never happen again."

"I thought he had killed Joshua." she sobbed making Raymond chuckle

"Kill Joshua? Joshua is going nowhere. Maybe another Joshua, but most definitely not A.S.1..."