The Girl With A Broken Heart

Chapter 13

Walking back to The Combattant. My hoodie is pulled up over my head hiding my face as my hands hang lose in its pockets.

Our day wasted. Daylan and I told Mich and Mariel that we were going into port for groceries and supplies but that was a stretch. What we were really doing was meeting with a informant of Lexus, who supposedly had new information on Scar. The intel was a complete bust though, nothing we didn't already know. Which seems to worsen my mood

"What's wrong?" asks Daylan equally as frustrated as I feel. His demure unreadable

"What look?"

"That look where you think something is wrong." he states kicking a small stone with his booted foot.

"It's nothing." I mubble trying to sort out all my jumbled up thoughts.

One thought popping up, remembering what Daylan told me the day we left the harbour weeks ago. That infamous blue folder he had on his desk which caused him and Branson to argue about the authenticity of the content and rised their own suspicions more, on who might have leaked the classified information and also my survival. But I pray they wrong, trying to believe that person would never betray us, to betray me. But after today it's getting more and more difficult.

Stepping onto the docks we take a right turn walking down the deck to where our ship is docked.

"You wanna talk about what happen this morning with Michael?" he asks bringing me out my head.

Giving Daylan a look that convoys my thoughts, he holds his hands out in surrender. I most certainly do not wanna think let alone talk about it.

"Just remember you deserve to be happy too."

Keeping my head down and mouth shut seems like the better option then bitting off Daylan's head, which he doesn't deserve.

"Where's the guards?" he asks as we reach The Combatant.

My head shoots up looking around the dock my instincts going haywire, something is wrong. Grabbing my hunters knife from my back holerst. Daylan cocks his gun as we move onto the gangway.

Both guards that were on shift duty outside the ship lay just beyond gangway. Blood pooling under their bodies from a gunshot wound to their heads. My anxiety reaching a new level.

Hearing a noise above our heads, I immediately take the stairs to the upper level. "Shadow wait! " yells Daylan while keeping pace with me.

Another 3 of our guards lay at my feet at the top of the stair case all with the same injury as the others below.

The blood rushing in my ears as I enter the kitchen my knife held tightly in a white knuckle grip.

Oh my God, the place is a disaster, pots and pan littering the floor, food covering other parts and In the center is Branson pulling himself off the floor. Daylan rushes to Branson's aid catching him before he stambles back down. Coming out my daze I hurry to help a unsteady Branson stand up while Dylan searches the remaining of the room.

"What the hell happened here? " Daylan asks moving to get a ice pack from the freezer. Throwing it to Branson who sits on one of the bar chairs holding the back of his head.

"I don't know boss. We were outside on the upper deck playing cards when I heard a noise coming from down stairs. I told them to stay put and when I went to check it out I found our men down. I didn't notice someone coming up behind me before it was too late, they hit me over the head. I came too I couple minutes ago. "

"Where's Mariel and Michael?" my heart siezes as my eyes dart around the room frantically.

Branson face pales as his eyes go wide with realizion and panic. Jumping to his feet he sways slightly and Daylan grips his upper arm to steady him.

I'm flying down the stairs in seconds. My anxiety turning to overpowering dread. No no no this can't be happening.

"Mariel?! Michael!?"

I search all the room finding nothing but emptiness. Trailing back, I go into both Mariel's and Michaels room again praying for something, anything I might have missed. With nothing I enter my room hoping against hope this was all a dream. That they just hiding somewhere on the ship, I might have missed it if it wasn't for a reflection from my mirrow hitting my eye. Causing me to look towards my bed.

A sliver knife with a blacken handle is driven deep into my bed. Moving further into the room, I see a big bright red mark in the middle of the duvet.

I instantly can tell is blood, but it's what the knife is keeping in place on the bed that makes my heart stop dead.

A folded piece of white paper

"Shadow what's it?" Both men ask coming into the room.

My lungs close as I open it, I stare at the soaked red paper expecting it to be a simple letter only it's not. It's something much worse... a picture. The picture of a bloodied, bruised and lifeless version of Mariel.

"They took them. He took them." I voice bearly audible as I turn around I see Branson holding onto the wall for support, he face whiting as the blood drains from his features.

The picture falling to the ground as my veins run cold with fear and shock.