Repentance || BTS ||

Chapter-5

'As two extremes of the same reality,
Either fall back to fail again
Or fight back to face again.'

My phone buzzed, but I simply hung up when I saw the number.

We all were in the bus, we staff members I mean. The stars were way ahead of us in their private limos yet complaining how much they hate road trips. We could shake it off more easily, our bus was air-conditioned this time at least. How cool is that, with an empty mini refrigerator I'm loving this fun trip already.

We were halfway to our location when Tim changed his seat, coming beside me.

"Check this out Kim, " he showed me his 6-month-old daughter's pic.

"Aw, she is adorable. Goofy little puffball. Who's that behind?"

Later I regretted asking that silly question. For half an hour the same person's pictures were flashed in front of me.
'Who's that behind', turned out to be his sister in law, Samantha.

She is working as an interior designer, loves dogs but is allergic to them, has her house in Neukley hills which aren't actually hills. She is single (seriously what's the need to mention that to me. I'm straight, sorry.)
She's loves hiking, is brilliant at painting and etc, etc.

I knew her whole list of likes and dislikes by the end.

Finally, it was a relief when he jumped beside Carla for a few suggestions on shades of buff.

"Samantha is thinking of creating those realistic portraits next. Hyper-realistic, you know" he had mentioned to me.

Carla is a makeup artist. So you can pretty much guess the look she gave Tim.

My phone buzzed again. The same number. I switched it off this time.

The beach was on the western front, while our hotels were on the other another side, closer to the harbour. The seagold beach is a perfect crescent beach with clean golden sand and the clear azure sky above. At sunset the beauty is even more ethereal as the skyline gets painted in different hues.

Silver7 reached before us, their limos parked together. With all the prerequisite preparations their schedule will be kind of bush today.

Getting manicure and face packs is really
hectic, right.

It was almost evening when I walked alone to the underground parking on the pretext of forgetting something on the bus.

I dialled the number.

"Joseph, you crack head, I told you not to call me like this."

"Kim it's me, Hana."

"What are you doing at the centre?"

Hana was a clinical psychologist and has been known to me for quite long, partly because we had too much in common.
Though she was my therapist once, that's not the only reason we are in contact with each other till date.
She knew too much and I witnessed too much.

"I'm sorry, but I thought it would be wise to have you here today."

"But I'm out at Kewaska."

"I saw the news, Silver7 shooting at Seagold beach and all. But dear I thought I must tell you this. Oh, here Joseph is back."

"Hello, hello? Hana?"

"Kim, Joseph this side. I'll go straight with it. There is a good and a bad news." His heavy rustic voice filled in the speaker.

I nodded slightly, "I'm listening."

"Are there...." He hesitated.

"I'm alone. The jammer is on and I'm on the specific frequency."

"Okay then. We had the last hearing of Case 45 today, but due to insufficient evidence, the case was called off. They are out, free again and now threatening to sue us with defamation and personal harm accusations.

I pursed my lips, "That's bad. "

"No Kim, the worst is the next one. They won't sue us, I bet on it. If they do so, it will backfire for them only, for doubting government organizations and not cooperating in the enquiries. And the other private competitors are just waiting for such an opportunity to take upon their rivals."

"It will turn as a plus point for us in the end," I said

"Yes, but I'm afraid Kim it will be of no use. Natalie Persson, the Sweden immigrant, you remember?"

"Of course. One of the victims of the 66 Avenue Northfield. She is the main hope for all, only if she recovers from the trauma first.

" Yes, the same Natalie. Last night we found her dead in the rehabilitation centre."

What!?

I felt myself turning numb. It can't be. No, it just can't be possible.

"No... How could this happen? She, she..." I trailed off.
Natalie Persson was the only lifeline. We were so close to getting things right. So close.

"Hi Doc, what ya doing here?"
I turned back started by the voice, almost dropping my phone.