Chapter 25
Troubled Memories
After few attempts of escape John gave up.
He too wanted to know who were the people who had kidnapped him and what did they want from him.
If they were related to human trafficking he'd be more than happy to show them their place.
He knew they were a lot of them but somehow he didn't fear them.
He had a feeling that he had faced worst and these could be child's play.
Even if not he'll fight a way.
"whoa whoa whoa!" a sophisticated voice exclaimed "who would have thought this?"
"Release him and open his blindfold." He ordered.
Once the tight fold was removed John had to blink his eyes several times and once he opened them the image he saw after a series of blurry images of a smart man in mid fifties with a French beard and wrinkled neck that narrated his years of experience apart form smooth skin that showed radiance.
John couldn't help but word out "Dylan"
"So you do remember me?" Dylan laughed. I should have come to you long ago.
John rubbed his wrists that were sore of being tied up but not losing eye contact with Dylan wondering how he remembered his name and how does he know him.
Certain images of him training with him or hurting him flashed his eyes but he wasn't sure whether this guy Dylan was a good news or a bad news or how did he know him.
"I understand you are curios John" Dylan laughed as he offered him flute of expensive looking wine."
"John?" John scrunched his brows. So he wasn't from his past life. He did not know him.
"Of course your name is John" Dylan understood John's thoughts without him uttering a word "you think that stupid cop randomly named you John. It was and is your name."
John eyed the flute wondering if it was safe to drink it.
Dylan chuckled immediately exchanging the glass with his "I am glad amidst your dead eye you still remember your training."
"Training?" John asked.
"You were trained John" he emphasized "military level training and yes" he lifted his flute of sparkling wine "it was a part of your syllabus never eat or drink anything offered by your captivators. Seems though I am your unfortunate captivator unless you decide you don't want to be captivated" he smiled.
"You are just the same John" Dylan spoke proudly "with or without memory. I am sure you are here because you decide to come here, my boys are not that smart enough to be able to kidnap you."
"What do you know about me?" John asked.
"Everything" he took a long sip from his glass of wine.
"I have all night" John eased into the cushioned leather chair and confidently lifted the flute to his lips.
"Start Dylan" John said having a strong déjà vu feeling that this thing has happened a multiple times earlier.
Dylan nodded his head slightly "it is not that simple John. The doctors said if we pushed the memory into you, we might loose you to comma again"
"So you decided to throw me into the world of anonymous?" John said irritated.
"The outside world was classroom. Doctors thought you'd heal better in open surrounding. And you did kind of. Till...." he stirred his glass taking his time.
"What changed now?' John barked remembering the terrible life he lived after he left the hospital.
"We do not have much time." a ray of stress and worry crossed Dylan's features but it was as soon gone as it arrived.
"We?" John furrowed his brows, a sense of familiarity was hitting him but he wasn't sure and the complexities of words that Dylan spoke was haunting him.
"Something big and dreadful is about to happen in next few days." Dylan said.
"Big and dreadful?" John repeated "terror attack?"
"Not some regular terror attacks not that they are not dreadful, yet this one is worst, something that involves most of the countries of the world, something that they believe will terrify the existence of human race. Something that will cost more lives than the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attack."
'And what would that be?' John asked, his senses alert, adrenaline rushing in his veins as if he'd solved plenty such cases earlier.
"We have no clue." Dylan's broad shoulders hung low for the first time. "It was you who had cracked their codes and found out, you'd called me the other day and narrated the same words that I spoke earlier.
"Which day?" John asked, "I don't remember"
"The day you were shot and hospitalized." A pained expression surfacing on Dylan's face "we thought we'd lost you. They knew you have cracked it and you were aware of their plans. So they shot you dead."
'But I lived" John corrected.
"You were in vegetative state, useless." Dylan refilled his glass with another round, not happy with the wine but wanted something strong but continued 'that's what saved you. They waited for your consciousness and when they were sure you were never gong to come back they left."
Dylan sounded enthusiastic for first time "that's when we let you into consciousness and later when we realized you'd lost your memories all our efforts to save you worked but it did not help us to know what did you actually find out. You shouted that you wished you could personally kill each and every one of them when you came to learn about their plans of attack.
'
"But that was two years ago?" John stated.
"Yes you said "two years later. Lot of planning and training was involved. You were on this project immediately after Oma Lin Aden's demise. They were planning revenge of death of their leader.
They wanted to teach a lesson to the whole wolrd.
'Entire world will pay for the deed of attack by Omama" John muttered like he'd revised the line multiple times, not sure where he heard these words from.
"Where was I and what was I doing when I cracked the code?" John asked, his eyes red clearly stating his ill health.
Dylan smiled, "I am glad that you believe in me." He patted on John's shoulders "like always eager to work."
"Something tells me I have to trust you" John said his face pale as his hand reached up above the ears on his head, a migraine coming
"First rest" Dylan gave a worried look "then you have an appointment with doctor for a therapy."
"Therapy will take a lot of time to bring back my memory. I have to do it faster.' John was restless "I remember when I woke up I was rushing somewhere, somewhere important, I had this feeling that I had to reach at a certain place. Now I am getting the same feeling D"
"Our meeting has done you good son" Dylan said 'You remember you used to call me D"
"Yes I do." John admitted, "I do not understand how but I do. You have saved my life long ago?"
"Yes I did," Dylan agreed "but to torment and torture you for the rest of your life."
"I owe that life to you." the words spilled form his mouth like a rehearsed play.
Now John headache had worsened and he felt like it would explode.
Dylan helped him to a room where John popped some pills before going to a deep slumber.
''''''''''
"Hey take this"
"What is this?" a young boy probably 15 asked.
"It will ease all your pain John" he said.
"Drugs? You are giving me drugs>" John hesitated.
"No I am liberating you from pain." His friend said, "Just try it."
John held the cigarette for the longest time, his hands shivering his eyes watering as he remembered his family
And then a truck with signboard with initials "No day shall erase you from memory of time" and a picture of twin tower attack.
As if the final straw was broken John like a flash snatched the lighted stick and took a long drag, coughing it immediately.
But the after effect of that painful drag was so calming that he did it again, a little easier this time.
His friend was very kind and generous to give him a good stock of the killer drug to John.
The innocent kid who'd been starving since his parents did not return back home.
He took a drag and remembered "come on Joe. Join us.
It's my first day of work."
He'd denied.
Another long drag from the wick in his hand, his head cleared for a while and he felt himself floating when another vision
"John sweetie. Join us please both dad and me are taking you sis to her new office."
John rubbed the left of his chest, too painful and lifted the soft now burning stick to his mouth.
"No mom it's final today." He slid popcorn into his mouth, his eyes glued to the television.
"John at least wish your sister good luck." His dad had shouted picking keys from the holder.
John wiped the tears from his face and tried to forget the haunting memories
"Yo sis" John had called from the tattered couch old but his still favorite "Go rock lil sis"
"I am your elder sibling not little" she ruffled his hair; she knew it irritated him a lot
He would do anything anything in the world to have his blond bush ruffled by his sister. He jumped on his place, his fingers burning with the burning butt.
He looked around for another cigarette but he'd finished them all.
He tried to do something else to get rid of the pain but the terrorized city was filled with news and trauma of the attack.
How he wished he had told his sister that it was the worst idea to take up office in the tallest building of the world.
He hated heights. He did not want to go to 67th floor of the building where his sister was awarded wither personal office for her commendable performance.
He was a clutz. URRGGGH" he shouted his head exploding he needed to forget. He needed more drugs, more cigarettes, more liberation.
He'd used all the money and savings buying them and when the money exhausted he started selling off his belongings his memories that'd haunt him.
"Hey please give me some." John begged "I'll pay you later."
"Not happening bro." the young lad denied "first cash then ash"
"I don't have any now." John was desperate "I will pay you soon. Please I'll die" John begged again.
"Then go and die just like you mom, dad and sister." He denied, "I don't care."
The young dealer had said a bit too much.
John lost his mind and started attacking him. When the dealer's friends came to rescue, John beat them too.
How did he have that much power John had no idea.
But it was then Dylan noticed him.
IT was then his life changed
For good or bad?
John's pounding headache was back
And if the huge wall clock stated that he had hours of sleep, he 'd felt least rested.
The dream, the nightmare and the vision whatever it was John felt he was dying