Protecting John (earlier: Bad Boy Needs Protection)

CHaPTeR FouRTY SeVeN

"Oh my God! I'm so glad you are okay!" John's mother came running and engulfed her son in a tight embrace. "I don't know how I would live if something had happened to you." She started sobbing into his shoulder and John stroked her back lovingly, a faint smile on his face.

"Stop it mom, you're embarrassing me," he chuckled, meeting my gaze for a second and then closing his eyes, letting Emily hug him for as long as she wanted. Antony entered his office with Mathew and Mark, discussing something in low voices.

"Mary is just about to reach the office. We need to know the extent of her involvement in this before deciding on further actions. Levi and Elijah are in the next room with the police and they will be taken into custody as soon as we finish talking to Mary."

We all nodded in understanding.

Mary soon walked into the office, a phone pressed to her ear as she quickly scribbled something into the small notepad she held in her arms. She stopped in her tracks as soon as she spotted us and the phone slipped to the floor as she stared at all of us in shock.

"Wha- how did you guys get here? I was just arranging for your pick up for tomorrow!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

All eyes just stared at her, some still in shock that her own son had gone to such an extent to kill John, others in speculation, unsure if her reaction to seeing us was genuine or just top-class acting.

"What happened?" she asked Antony, walking towards him in small steps.

"Do you really not know what happened, Mary? All these years I considered you a member of this family and is this what I get for trusting you with the life of my own son?" Antony asked, struggling to keep himself from raising his voice.

"Antony I..I really don't know what you are talking about. What happened? How are the kids here?" she asked again, this time with a little tremble in her voice.

"The locations of the safe houses were confidential. Only the people currently in this room knew of it. Are you sure you didn't speak of it to anyone else?"

"Antony, I promise you. Whatever you are thinking I did, I didn't. You know I have no friends. My whole life is within this house. You know I would sacrifice my own life before I let anything bad happen to any one of you."

"What about your son? Elijah"

"Elijah!?" she exclaimed. I haven't even spoken to him since Easter. I would never share such confidential information with him even if he is my own son. He is happy living with his father."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Antony said and walked out into the next room, Mary and the rest of us following him.

Mary let out a gasp and let her bag fall onto the ground as she lay eyes on her son and his friend tied up to a chair by the policemen who stood towering upon them.

"Elijah!" she exclaimed. "What happened" she screamed as she walked towards him purposefully.

"How could you do this Antony?!" she accused him. "I can vouch for my son. Whatever you think you did, he didn't." She started untying the knots on the rope which held him in place but was stopped by the uniformed officer.

Antony sighed. "Elijah was the one threatening to kill John. He-"

"Impossible!" Mary interjected. "Are you even listening to yourself right now Antony? This is my son you are talking about."

"Elijah has confessed to his crimes, Mary. He hired people to kill my son and yesterday he even shot John."

"What..." her voice trembled in a meek whisper. She turned to look at her son, "Elijah...tell me he is lying. Tell me you didn't do it." she urged him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I wouldn't have to do it if you ever thought of me as your son before him. I just had to remind you that I was your only son and that he is just your job. If you ever loved me as your son you wouldn't have neglected me all these years!" he shouted at her.

"Elijah!" Mary exclaimed."What are you talking about?!"

"You know what I'm talking about. You wouldn't have left me with dad if it were not for that bastard over there. He deserves to die for making me spend all those years with dad, having to bear his thrashings every day. If it were not for that bitch I would've easily- " Mary slapped her son across the face and the sound echoed through the large room.

"Stop. Talking" she breathed out and he scoffed.

"Makes sense." He chuckled bitterly. "You would hit your own son to defend this family. You see my point now? Mom?"

She turned to look at Antony. "You can turn him in. I accept any charge you have to press against me."

Antony paused for a second. "If Mary did not share any confidential information, how did you get to know about their locations?" he asked Elijah who scoffed and let out a loud laugh.

"Oh come on! It's like she did not even try. I hacked into her work email. My birthday is not such a foolproof password if you ask me. Their locations and daily itineraries were a bit too easy to figure out if you ask me." he smirked confidently.

Mary collapsed on the ground, her head hanging low in shame. "I will hand in my resignation today, Anthony. I'm sorry... I'm really sorry."

"Officers, you may take them." Antony instructed. "Mary, may I please have a word with you in private?" he helped Mary stand up and the two of them walked out into his office again.

All of us stayed still as statues for exactly seven seconds, eyes darting from person to person, unsure of what to do or think. Emily broke the silence as she ran up to me and hugged me tightly.

"I don't know how I can ever repay you. You saved my boy's life!" her arms around me became tighter as I patted her back awkwardly.

"I just did my job, maam."

"Oh psshh!" she stopped hugging me for a second to look me in my eyes, just to go back to hugging me soon after. "I know you can now stop coming here and I know that you will soon get new assignments. I wish you could stay here forever!"

"Mom," John started. "I'm pretty sure you will be seeing more of her from now on," he trailed off, a shy blush staining his otherwise pale face.

"WHAT?!" she screamed and looked at me as I nodded at her with an awkward smile. "I'm so happy right now I could die!"

We all walked out into the dining room, John and I walking side by side in slow steps. "I can't wait to show you the world." He whispered into my ears and smirked.

A text notification pulled me out of my trance as I unlocked my phone to look at the new text message.

NEW ASSIGNMENT. TONIGHT. UAE

"Honey," I whispered back at him. "I've already seen more of the world than you can ever imagine."