The Assassin's Cure

Chapter 18- Why did you do it?

Jane gazed intently at her mother, who lay sound asleep on the bed in front of her.

The two of them were alone in the room. Suddenly, Amy walked in, breaking the silence. "This is just impossible," she muttered, clearly frustrated by the situation.

Despite the chaos, Jane remained calm and composed. "All I know is that I'm grateful," she replied, her grip tightening around her mother's hand. She leaned in closer, studying her mother's tired face.

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Celestine sat on a chair, looking weak and tired. Jacob pulled up another chair and sat down next to her.

"When I get back my strength, I'll be leaving just so you know," she said to him, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jacob's face fell at the news. "Maybe stay a little longer? I'm gonna need you," he pleaded, gazing into her eyes.

Celestine looked away, not wanting to make eye contact. "Why?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room. Jacob hesitated for a moment before replying. "For when I...turn?" he said, his voice trailing off.

Celestine sighed deeply before finally responding. "Well... okay I'll help. But only because you helped me," she said, her voice softening slightly.

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Avena and Satori were in the kitchen, deep in conversation. "All of this is just madness. We have the person who started all of this tied up in one of the bedrooms? This is just crazy," Avena exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"It's just a matter of time before they leave. This is our house, remember that," Satori replied calmly.

Just then, Sidney walked in on their conversation. "Well, at least I can make things right," she said. "With Jane? I thought that was in the past," Satori asked, confused.

"I just feel bad for leaving her when she needed me the most. She's definitely changed after all these years. Back then, she was this sweet, innocent girl,"

Sidney reminisced, looking back at old memories. "Now, she's... a completely different person," she finished, her voice trailing off.

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Amy stared into Aria's alluring green eyes, while Aria gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. "I went out of my mind when you weren't here," Aria said, her voice tinged with sadness.

"You had nothing to worry about; nothing was going to happen to me," Amy replied, trailing her fingers along Aria's hand.

Aria caught Amy's attention by expressing how much she cared about her. "You're my best friend, I care about you too," Amy said as she got up.

"I'm going to go see my mother," she added, before leaving the room. Aria looked disappointed as she lay down on the bed, lost in her thoughts.

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Victor was bound to a chair, alone and lost in thought, when Annalise entered the room, shut the door, and locked it behind her.

Gently, she ripped the tape from Victor's mouth, causing him to grunt in pain. "What happened?" she asked, clearly in a hurry.

"I don't have any of it, if that's what you're asking," Victor replied, his hands moving around the ropes that bound him. "Where is it?" Annalise pressed, her tone becoming impatient.

Victor locked eyes with her and asked if they trusted her yet. "No," she answered, growing more agitated. "Where is the mixture? I need it now."

Victor remained silent. Annalise tried to persuade him by reminding him that someone would soon come and end his life, as he was responsible for the apocalypse and the loss of many families.

"If you want my protection, you're going to have to give me powers. I can kill Jane and all your enemies, one by one," she said, making him doubt. "Why do you want to help me?" Victor asked.

"Because you will give me what I want, Jane will never." Annalise replied, her tone firm.

Aria walked down the hallway, her heart racing with anticipation as she approached the room where Annalise and Victor were.

She could hear muffled voices from within and stopped to listen. "I will kill every single one of you," Victor's angry voice boomed from inside, and Aria's blood ran cold.

Suddenly, Victor signalled at the door and Annalise understood completely. They have been working together for a while. "You won't get away with any of this. There will be vengeance for all the lives lost," Annalise said while putting the tape back on his mouth.

Aria then walked in, and Annalise greeted her with a casual "Hello."

But Aria was not here for pleasantries. "Hello, Victor. You might not know me. But you hurt my friend. And bad things happen to people who hurt the people I care about," she said, her voice low and threatening.

Victor looked at her remorselessly, and Aria rolled the tape off his mouth.

"You can't do me anything. Once I gain back my strength, maybe you'll be first since you tried to threaten me," he said, but Aria was not intimidated. She landed a punch to his face and shouted, "My parents are dead because of you!" before following up with an uppercut. "Where's my brother?" she demanded, her voice tinged with sadness.

Victor laughed cruelly. "I don't keep prisoners. He's probably dead by now," he said with a deadly smile on his face. Aria was about to land another punch when Annalise stopped her. "This is not the way," she said calmly.

But Aria was beyond reason. "Then what is it? He deserves to die for all the lives that are gone because of him. And then after, that woman. Maybe if they're dead, this apocalypse would end," she spat, pushing Annalise away.

She kicked Victor, and he fell to the floor still tied to the chair. The noise attracted Jane, Amy, Brian, and Jacob, who rushed into the room.

"What happened?" Brian demanded, and Annalise told him that Aria had lost control. "He deserves to die," Aria shouted, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Aria, this isn't like you. No one deserves to die," Amy said, and Jane nodded in agreement. But Aria was inconsolable, her eyes locked on Victor until Brian led her out of the room.

Jane picked up Victor in the chair and whispered in his ears, "Don't worry. Your time will come," before leaving the room with Jacob.

Amy was left alone with Victor, and slowly walked up to him. "You kidnapped me. You tested on me. You took blood out of me. Your guard killed my father. And you continue to threaten us. And I still consider forgiving you," she said.

Victor gave her a questioning look, and then a look of hunger crossed his face. He pulled his hands free and then his feet, and then he pushed Amy with enough force to send her flying into the wall. He ran out of the room, down the hallway, and down the stairs to the living room, where everyone were talking.

Victor looked at them with pure anger, and Jane ran up to him, but he pushed her away with force. Annalise rose up and stopped him in his way, mouthing "bite me." He punched her and bit her hand before running out of the house.

Amy's head pounded as she rose up from the floor. She looked around, "I'll find him." she said as she walked out the room, trailed through the hallway and down the stairs.

She met everyone on the floor slowly getting up and saw Annalise's hand bleeding. Her head started to hurt more and more. Annalise failed to cover most of it up. Jacob walked up to her and looked at it. "This is bad." he warily said.

Annalise writhed in agony, clutching her burning hand as she collapsed to the ground. Jacob quickly followed suit, his concern for his friend evident on his face.

As they struggled to comprehend what was happening, Celestine emerged from the staircase, her presence commanding attention. "Can she be infected by a bite?" Jacob inquired, desperate for answers.

"Bite, scratch, death..." Celestine replied ominously.

Just then, Amy approached the group, but before Jacob could call out to her, Celestine intervened. "Wait," she interjected, her voice laced with intrigue.

"There is another way to cure her, one that will rid her of this affliction entirely."