The Son and the Sparrow

Chapter Forty Four(v3)

Chapter Forty Four

Haley's ashes were kept in Leon's pocket as he drove up to the building. He buried his hand in his pocket, fiddling with it, staring up at the den where his tormenter lived. He had waited so long for this. But he couldn't help but feel as though it was a moment too late. As though he had reached out to catch the glass as it shattered against the floor. Leon sighed. He wasn't sure what he was going to do after this. He couldn't kill himself, yet there was no point in living. Oh well. He'd think about that when the time came. For now, he was content with finally exacting revenge against Cale, and ending this torture. Though the real torture would never end. He almost wished Cale would kill him, but he couldn't possibly let Iris or Cale walk after what they did.

They killed her.

That was what it took to load the gun in his hand, and step out of the car. Leon stared up at the building in front of him. This whole neighborhood consisted of either shipping buildings or abandoned structures. The particular one he was looking at resembled a tea house. This was where Cale was hiding. He stopped himself just in time from wishing that he had done this sooner. He knew that he hoped it wouldn't come to this, that he wouldn't have to toss away his humanity once more, even for the sake of his family. But Haley and Clay were the two people in the world that he would do it for, that he had already done it for and would do it again without a moment's hesitation. He had given everything to them, and now he had nothing else to lose.

Leon circled the area. The door was locked. Windows were thick and dusty. Structure was still pretty solid. They didn't make structures like this anymore. He checked the lock again. It would be tough, but not impossible. No open windows he could climb through. So break the window or pick the lock? Leon's lock picking skills were rubbish, but it seemed preferable than breaking the window. He didn't want to alert Cale to his presence. He took a small kit out of his pocket, and placed a tension wrench into the lower part of the keyhole, then turned it clockwise and counterclockwise to get a feel for it. After that he added on a light torque. It didn't fit as well as he liked, so chose another and replaced it. He gently pressed upward, wondering if he was doing what he was supposed to. It had been some time. He could feel the innards of the lock, and attempted to gently push them up. One was more difficult than the rest. He applied more pressure, hoping that it would work. He heard a slight click. Leon grinned to himself, and used the tension wrench to turn the cylinder, thus unlocking the lock.

That went easier than Leon had dared to hope. He stared into the depths of the old building, feeling his spine tighten. There was something about old houses, architecture with true history that made anyone entering really take notice. Something just passed through you, like a ghost of some sort. Leon bit his lip, and held his breath. He knew that Cale could be incredibly crafty. Walking into this house could be his death. Yet death meant little to him now. He remembered that time behind Dante's barn and almost wished for the alternative outcome. Perhaps he would have never felt Haley's embrace again, but he also wouldn't have had to feel her last embrace.

With a final breath, he took a step inside the building. It reminded something of how a grandmother would decorate her house, if she had died several years ago without anyone's notice. The air was distinctly old and rotten, much like the moldy furniture. He could see particles of dust drift across his vision and felt that he should be wearing some kind of mask to protect himself. Everything stank of abandonment. So much so that Leon wondered if Philip had betrayed him. But he didn't have the luxury of time to return to Philip and double-check its authenticity. Cale would kill Daniel if he dwindled.

Leon held his breath, listening for life inside the house. There was no promise that Cale was even here. What would he do then? Grab Daniel and run? No, in that case he was sure that Cale would abandon the house and flee somewhere else. If that happened he'd have to start all over again. He should wait. It might be risky, especially if he came across someone else rather his target, but it was his only choice. Leon was shocked by the silence. It enveloped him, threatening to choke off his air supply. Was Daniel even here? Should he call out? No, that would be foolish. He might as well break a few windows if he didn't want to conceal his whereabouts. Upstairs or downstairs then? The stairs looked horribly dangerous, like something out of a movie where the main character falls to his death. Perhaps it would be smarter to explore the lower level first. It was closer to the door anyway, in case something went horribly wrong.