Bloodbath of the Fallen Crown

1

TWO YEARS LATER

"How are you feeling?" I set down the food tray on the nightstand and sit on the chair, pulling it closer to the bed my father is laying on.

He smiles like a father would when he didn't want you to worry about anything. Too late for that now. "Like I was nearly blown up a few days ago. How are you?" 

I roll my eyes. "Does anything new hurt? Or has any pain gotten worse?"

He shook his head, "just feeling like a burden to you."

I frowned. As if. "Don't be ridiculous, Dad. Now please be serious. The doctor said I should call if you have any new pains."

He smiled, "and if I did, I would have called myself."

I took the soup from the tray and placed it on my lap, "except you wouldn't because the phone is on the other side of the room and you're not supposed to get out of bed for the next few days."

He narrowed his eyes at me and frowned. "Feed me child. Or am I the child, because I'm really starting to feel like one."

I fed him a spoonful of soup that the cook prepared for him. He took it with an open mouth and made a point to over-exaggerate how good it tasted.

"Vee said the ceremony went well. He was properly cremated and they were able to say their goodbyes. I couldn't go because I was dealing with some business, but I went yesterday in the morning and paid my respects."

He nodded, not responding anything to that. It was hard, seeing my father like this. So devastated and defeated. The last time I saw him like this was...well, when I was the reason.

I spoon fed him some more before the silence became too much. "I visited mom yesterday. The doctor said there was no progress, but that's better than...you know."

Should have taken the silence.

He sighed, "does it make me greedy if I disagree?"

I shook my head, "no, not at all."

A knock on the door stopped me from feeding him another spoonful. We both turned to see who interrupted us, when I strictly ordered no one to disturb me while I was visiting my parents.

Elijah popped inside and bowed his head, "boss."

My father nodded. "Elijah. Nice to see my little girl is still in good hands. I'm surprised she hasn't made you run for the hills."

"I'm too old to run, sir. Tolerating her is the only option I have."

"Ha, ha," I mocked. "Elijah the reason better be good."

"Oh, it is. Seven more went missing this morning in Ukraine. They all fit the profile; ages seventeen to twenty-two, all girls."

You have got to be kidding me.

I sighed, barely holding myself together. I didn't know being in charge was going to be this tiresome when I volunteered. Not like I really had a choice, but oh well.

I got up and gave my father a kiss on the top of the head. "I'll be back, papà. I'm gonna call in the nurse to finish giving you the food. You better eat."

He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm. "Ti voglio bene, bambina mia. Be strong."

"Rest, papà. Ti amo."

I walked out of the hospital wing with Elijah by my side. "Have we got any police reports on the missing ones yet?"

"No, not yet. I put Gabriel right on it as soon as I got the alert from the leader of Temni Anhely. He told us most of them were from different cities. But three of them were from Donetsk. They all disappeared right around the same time and the leader told me he has cops working on the case right now, but hasn't gotten any new info."