Chapter 3 A second chance?

SAVANNA

When my eyes opened, I felt confused. I didn't recognize the faces of the people around me. I was in a strange hospital, with a splitting headache throbbing in my head.

"V-Vero," a voice called out and I turned, only to find a boy. His eyes were wet with tears and yet there was a wide smile on his face.

"V-Vero," he called again.

Vero? Who's that!? Why does he keep looking at me that way? Who is he?

Damn! Where am I!? What the hell is happening here!? ....

I had a million questions. And sitting at one place wasn't going to get me the answers I needed.

I tried to get up but I was stopped by a small woman with a surprisingly tight grip.

"Stay here. I'll go get the doctor." She let go of me and dashed out. I wasn't one to take orders though. Much less from a person I didn't know.

Ignoring her words and the little boy, who was still beside the bed, I left the bed, even though it ached like hell. But no pain could have ever stopped me.

I walked towards the first door and it led me straight into a bathroom. Blinking, I turned around to leave, but something froze me. My head snapped toward it, and— What the fucking hell?...

There, through the mirror, staring at me was a strange face of a girl. I stepped forward, eyes on the girl as disbelief crawled within me like a tyrant.

This wasn't me...

I touched the face slowly.

"What just..." Nothing came out of me.

I tried to remember what happened. What could have led to this situation?

Did an experiment go wrong?

No... We weren't working on any experiment that I could remember. The harder I tried to think and remember, the worse my headache became.

Suddenly, the door flew open while I was hunched over the sink and a doctor entered with the same little woman from before.

"Come back to bed Veronica. Let the doctor check your head." She said, "You hit your head hard in the car accident."

Car accident? I touched my head, and a splitting ache made me hiss.

"Let me check you young lady. It's a miracle you're awake."

"What?!"

"You died. For approximately thirty minutes. We were about to move you when you suddenly woke up. In all my years as a doctor, I've never seen anything like this."

If there was one thing I didn't believe in, it was miracles. I was a woman of fact and reality. There was nothing like a miracle to me.

But the man's words enlightened me on what had happened. The owner of this body... Probably named Veronica had died for thirty minutes.

In that time, something must have happened to me and I was transported into this body. If that was the case... then this girl was currently in my body!

"How far are we from Blueheaven?" I asked suddenly. The doctor and the little woman frowned.

"Blueheaven!?"

"Yes. I need to get there now." I couldn't hide the urgency in my tone. I do need to know what happened.

"No. You need to get your head checked." The little woman gasped.

"You are badly injured. Besides, you've never even been to the nearest town. How will you go to that faraway island?!"

"Calm down madam. She must have hit her head really hard and it may be disturbing her slightly." The doctor spoke. "There's nothing a check up and some rest cannot fix. Your daughter will be alright."

So this woman was my... no, Veronica's mother. I didn't have a mother. None of us at the Abyss did. We were all nameless children picked up from the streets.

A sudden memory hit me and I clutched my head. I remembered being at the lab doing something on the pannel and then... I rushed hurriedly.

I remembered seeing Lena before everything blew up.

Shit! Lena.

I pushed past the two people in search of a television. If there was an explosion, it would currently be broadcast now.

Like I expected, in the waiting hall there was a huge television and they were talking about the explosion at the BlueHeaven.

My real face was displayed on the television and the caption underneath shook me.

'Savanna was dead.'

'The greatest assassin on earth, Savanna was dead.'

But I wasn't dead. I was alive and in another's body. I staggered on my feet. What was really happening!?

"Let's take her back to bed," I heard behind me but I didn't register it. I let myself be led away and into the room I had awakened in.

What could have been the cause of the explosion? The lab was secure so it couldn't have been an attack. There was nothing being done that could set off an explosion.

Unless... unless somebody from the inside did it.

I had told myself countlessly not to trust anyone within the walls of that organization. Every single one was evil and selfish.

Especially Master. He was the origin of evilness.

Then what about Lena? Had she been hurt?

"The Abyss. Was there any other death recorded?" I asked.

Veronica's mother stared at me in awe. Her expression told me she wasn't expecting such behaviour from her daughter.

"Hello?" I waved my hand before her eyes.

She blinked and shook her head. "Savanna was the only one who died. Others were evacuated safely."

That made things even more suspicious.

I tried to think more, desperate to figure out what exactly happened, but my headache sharpened again, and I clutched my head... This time, some fragments of strange memories were creeping into me.

Creepy Laughters... Fatso... You're a shame... Whore... Sorrows... Accident... Blood... Fire...

Those things jumbled in my head, shaking me violently.

"Vero... Vero, what's wrong?" The woman's voice came again, but I wasn't in the situation to answer her.

I didn't know how it was happening, but the memories of this body were within me now and only these two people— I glanced at Veronica's mother and brother... These two were the only ones who ever loved her.

The rest— only bullied her.

"You okay?" Veronica's mother asked again.

"Hmm..." I slowly nodded and her face relaxed.

Veronica's spirit wasn't exchanged. But, I am in Veronica's body... I glanced at the two people beside the bed. They looked happy knowing their Veronica is alive, yet, it was hardly the truth.

Besides— there were things I still need to figure out. How did everyone get out of the lab but me? Was it a targeted attack? That would explain a lot of things.

I leaned against the bed. My brain was calculating each part of the situation.

I was here now, I didn't really die. For now, I could keep low in this body and investigate until I discovered what really happened at the organization.

And for Veronica— My fists clenched tightly as the ache of hers slipped through my nerves.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore. If they try to cross the line again, this time, they have to go through me first..."

*****

KINGSPORT (THE HEART OF BELVAR )

THE ABRAHAM ESTATE, VICTOR ABRAHAM'S HOME - 11:45 pm...

VICTOR

Cassius, my trusted assistant, walked through the spacious living room.

Typically, he would pause to appreciate the magnificence of my home. Each corner of the house was adorned with expensive decors of a high-taste. Custom-made items were incorporated into its design. Only the most exquisite of everything could be found within.

But today wasn't the day...

He expected me to already be upset because of the news that shook the world... Savanna was dead. Killed in a lab explosion.

I wouldn't hide the fact that I was, but— that wasn't for them to know. I had learned hiding my emotions way before I had grown understanding because this world demanded only domination.

I walked into the living room with my usual calm and coldness.

My eyes were as cold as Arctic ice at the moment, making the whole house feel like an ice cellar.

Good, they should be aware of it.

Cassius immediately lowered his head, hiding his gaze, his expression turning submissive.

"Boss..." Cassius greeted with a shaky tone. "As the news said, Savanna is indeed dead. I've confirmed it with our guys and confirmed that the lab doesn't have any exits to escape."

"...It's been blown to rubble there," he added hesitantly as he glanced at my hardened face.

"I know." I responded eventually, my voice was calm, yet a warning coldness was evident.

I waved him off.

Cassius immediately backed away, not daring to stay another second. Anyone who had ever known me knew that the quieter I was, the angrier I was.

I was still staring at the computer screen in the study. Precisely, at the woman on the screen.

She was a genius assassin, but she also had another identity, she was a talented doctor.

But what made everyone remember her was always her stunning beauty and her confidence that she looked down on everything.

No one believed that she would die like this.

But I knew well the ability of my subordinates to do their job. The information would not be wrong.

My gaze once again returned to the top of my father's case.

"It's a shame," I whispered, "Dad's sickness might not ever find someone to cure him again..."