On the Run

3 - Complication

*

Night fell quickly upon the Italian city and everything started to wind down as the night grew later.

It was almost three in the morning, and Orabella stirred in her sleep. She felt herself being pulled into another one of her traumatic dreams and there was nothing she could do about it.

She was a child again. Young and fragile, completely pure and innocent with her full life ahead of her. But she didn't feel innocent or pure, not anymore.

She was backed into a corner of a dark, damp room that had a horrible rotten stench to it which would've made her eyes water, but she was use to it.

She wiped at her tear stained cheeks again, but that didn't stop another load of heavy tears cascading down her face as she watched as another girl was dragged from the room, her screams masking her own. The sound of men shouting followed by a loud smack filled up the room, striking fear through Orabella's body.

'What about this one? Cheap and will be made to follow whatever orders you give her, won't you, piccolo?' One of the men spoke, his voice husky and ragged.

The child he took with her cried out again but she was quickly silenced. Orabella closed her eyes, wishing someone would save her. Anyone.

The sound of heavy footsteps ricocheted into the room. When she opened her eyes, she saw the other man point at her. Orabella began screaming but it was too late to do anything as the man swiftly made his way over to her, grabbing her by the arms and dragged her across the floor, ignoring her thrashing and persistence.

Orabella jolted awake, throwing herself upwards from the drenched silk bedsheets. She panted heavily, the images still playing vividly in her mind. She swatted at the loose beads of sweat that were dribbling down her face while she tried to get her breathing back under control.

She looked up and let out a light scream when she saw a shadowed figure lurking at the door of her bedroom. The figure stepped into the moonlight that shone throw the blinds, revealing themselves to be Ceresa. Orabella closed her eyes, feeling herself ease up at his presence.

"What are you doing here?" Orabella asked, still slightly breathless. She grabbed a nearby cloth and wiped it across the face, enjoying the cool dampness that it supplied.

"Your problem was taken care of but," he started, trying to mask the nervous look that was creeping its way onto his face, "there was a complication."

"Complication?" Orabella repeated, looking back up at him.

"There were two other people there. And that could mean that more people may know what Caterina did," Ceresa explained.

Orabella rubbed her head, exhausted. "I'll handle it. Goodnight, Romano."

Ceresa nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Orabella cursed to herself, running a hand through her sweat soaked hair. She glanced over to the picture of her and her parents on the nightstand. But looking at it tonight only made her eyes well up and she had to drag herself away from it, falling back down onto the sheets. She found herself being pulled back into the allure of sleep and soon enough, the world around her went dark as she slipped back into unconsciousness.

*

The morning spring sun shone down on the DIS building; the air was crisp and chilly and so many of the agents were dressed slightly warmer than on normal days. The wind was cold, pushing the cold harder into everyone's faces. People raced about, desperate to get to their destinations and to escape the frosty morning cold.