11:47 PM.
I come back to the agency, exhausted and furious that I barely got nothing new.
No new pieces of information, no new clues.
Nothing about my father.
Every time I think I'm getting closer to this coward, it seems like he just... disappears.
I know he's alive. If Mr. Neil or somebody else knew about that personal mission I have and promised myself to fulfill, they would probably be disappointed. But I don't care.
I need to find him.
This isn't just about revenge. This is something that I feel like I need to do.
My mother didn't deserve to die.
And I didn't deserve to lose her.
The North Agency is quiet as I walk through the hall and turn a few corridors. However, it's not long until I hear something.
I frown, following the sounds. I hear voices and exclamations, all filled with panic and... surprise. A bad feeling makes its way inside my stomach and my slow steps become quick ones until I'm running.
My steps come to a stop when I reach the source of the panic. My eyes wander around the room, noticing the few agents all standing around something. Or somebody.
I see Mr. Neil, too. And when my eyes land on the back of the head of a certain someone that I'm quite familiar with, my heart skips a beat.
Something tightens painfully inside my chest. I almost stumble when I take a few steps forward. I don't know why. It's like I'm back to four years ago and nothing has changed.
I act before I can think properly.
"Brandon?" I murmur slowly, not even bothered by the fear and confusion that anyone can clearly hear in my voice.
I don't give a fuck right now. And it scares me.
Some agents step back, glancing at me. Mr. Neil looks up. Brandon doesn't turn his head towards me, but his shoulders tense slightly. I make my way towards him and step around the table he's leaning against, his arms limp at his side.
"What the—"
My eyes widen in shock. Brandon's face is covered in blood and bruises, his lip cut. I wouldn't be surprised if his nose is broken.
He looks down as if it's too painful to even move his head up towards me. I take a step forward without realizing it.
"Jesus, Brandon! What happened?" I question, carefully placing a hand under his chin to see his face more properly.
His own hand raises and closes around my wrist gently. I go still, not knowing if I should step away or keep my hand there.
Step away. What the hell are you doing? You don't care.
I ignore my inner voice. I know I'm probably stupid to even do that, but this is different.
Something happened, and my intuitions tell me that I should know what.
He clearly got beaten up. The question is by who? And why?
Brandon clears his throat, but his voice still ends up being hoarse.
"It's nothing. Just got beaten by—" He pauses, wincing. He releases my hand slowly. "Somebody."
"Who?" I ask coldly, my fists clenched to my side.
"Brandon doesn't know yet," Mr. Neil answers for me and I turn my head towards him. "For now, you need to go to the infirmary. Right now," he orders to him, but his voice stays soft.
Two agents step closer to Brandon, giving me no other choice than moving away. He glances at me as the agents help him to stand up. I cross my arms, the initial panic and fear slowly disappearing from my system.
They start walking away and I stare at the back of Brandon's head for a moment, frowning. Then, I turn to face Garry.
"How? How did this happen? Who did that? Why?" I ask question after question, seriousness in my voice.
"Brandon went out," he only replies, looking in the direction they disappeared.
"Why? And where?"
Mr. Neil's eyes meet mine and for a moment, I see the answer in his eyes. But it disappears, and he shakes his head at me.
"You should ask him, Agent Montgomery. He didn't want to tell me the truth."
"He lied to you?" I furrow my eyebrows.
Mr. Neil nods, his jaw clenched. "For some odd reasons, he did."
Now I need to know what the fuck happened tonight.
*
I find him in the infirmary.
His face looks better if it's even possible after what happened to him. Still, I can't help but grimace. Brandon looks up at me and notices my expression. He tries a smile, but that ends up as a grimace, too.
"Do I still look good? he says, trying to stand up but I motion for him to stay where he is sitting on the bed and walk over to him.
Then, I go straight to the point.
"What happened tonight, Brandon?"
His eyes lock with mine. The blue of his seems darker than usual. He sighs, looking down at his intertwined hands on his lap. I stay where I am, just in front of him, my arms crossed. Waiting.
When he finally looks me in the eyes again, I'm not expecting to see the sudden anger. But it's there.
"Where did you go tonight, Sophia?" he asks lowly, his eyes examining me. I go still, my heart skipping a beat.
"What are you talking about?" I cross my arms and don't look away from his eyes.
Brandon doesn't move, staring at me, searching for the truth. Or the lie. He leans towards me carefully.
"You didn't go to your apartment. You don't always do. And I saw you leaving earlier. Where did you go?"
I narrow my eyes at him. "That's not any of your business."
"Really?" he replies calmly, his eyes not leaving mine.
"Really."
Nodding, he stands up slowly. When he's standing on his two feet, only a few centimeters separating our bodies, he looks down at me. I'm not small, but Brandon is still taller than me and I only realize how much his body has changed over the past years. Obviously, he got muscles. But he also grew up a few inches.
"Where did I go tonight, Sophia?" he murmurs, his eyes soft but his expression serious.
It takes me a few seconds to understand. And when I do, my mouth opens in shock. I step back, shaking my head, my eyes fixed on him.
"No. Tell me you did not follow me tonight, Brandon. Tell me you did not do something so stupid."
I look at his bruised face and what's left of my heart drops. Then, I meet his eyes again. And I get my answer.
"Goddammit, Brandon!" I exclaim, running my hands through my hair furiously. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"Where the fuck did you go, Sophia? What are you doing on your own?" he asks firmly, ignoring me.
I freeze, carefully glancing in his direction. He knows he trapped me. He knows I'm doing something I shouldn't do.
Angry, I turn around to leave.
"Don't you dare leave right now," he growls under his breath, his hand wrapping around my arm.
I whirl around, glaring at him. "Let go of my arm and get some rest. Or, maybe, go to see Nova. Does she know what happened yet?"
His jaw clenches and he releases my arm but steps closer to let me know this conversation isn't over. I curse under my breath and cross my arms over my chest.
"She doesn't. Also, what do you want me to tell her? That I followed you because you definitely are up to something and, maybe I'm fucking crazy, but my instinct tells me this is not going to end well. So tell me, Sophia." He pauses, his eyes softening just a little. "What are you doing? Because what happened to my face is not just some damned coincidence."
His last statement makes me go still and I furrow my eyebrows.
"What happened to you tonight... was because of me?" I question in a whisper, feeling confused.
"I wouldn't say it like that... but you're definitely in the equation."
I shake my head. "But... how? Why?"
"Like I said, I followed you," Brandon begins to say calmly and I look at him again. "I noticed you suddenly turned to walk through a dark abandoned alley and I couldn't stop now. I couldn't because I wasn't the only one following you."
He pauses and I hold my breath, staring at him. Fear, anger, confusion. Everything is a mess in my head.
"I don't know who and I couldn't see properly. Before I knew it, some guys tackled me from behind and..."
"Did you see your opponents?" I ask, swallowing.
Brandon sighs, shaking his head.
"No, I didn't. It was dark and they were too many. I was able to take control again and defend myself after a moment, but then they just left."
Someone was following me. Brandon got beaten up.
"This isn't just a coincidence," I murmur, shaking my head. "None of this is."
Brandon watches me silently, his eyes following me when I start walking back and forth in front of him.
"What are you up to, Soph?" he insists a moment later, his eyes pleading me silently.
I shake my head, looking away. "It doesn't matter."
"Oh, right. Of course," he scoffs under his breath.
When I turn to face him again, his cold expression is back. The same one I saw the day he came back to the agency. His walls are up, just like mine most of the time. His expression is blank of emotions.
"I'm sorry," he voices calmly. "I forgot we're not friends."
He starts walking towards me and then, he just continues his way towards the door. I turn my head, frowning. Just before he leaves, he speaks up again.
"I know you don't trust me anymore. I can't even blame you. I don't deserve your trust. Probably not." He sighs, shaking his head slightly. "I know you don't want to care about anybody. I know you don't want to get close to anybody. I see it, now. But me? I do care, and kill me if it's so fucking stupid. But I'll figure out what you're up to, Sophia. I can promise you that. Do you remember?"
He pauses. My heart seems to be in my throat. I can't move or talk.
"I always keep my promises," he concludes in a murmur, before leaving the room.
For a moment, I just stand there, staring at the door where he left.
Later, I realize that he's right. Brandon keeps his promises. Always.
When we were seventeen, he promised me that nothing bad would ever happen to him. And that if, because of some bad luck, something bad happens, he would always come back.
One year later, he died. Or so I thought.
He kept his promise.
Something bad happened to him, but he came back.
*
Hello my lovelies. 💛
So, a couple of things happened since the beginning of the story. Do you have like some theories yet?
The journey is just starting... *chuckles maniacally*
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