Suddenly, from a realm of complete void, I woke up with a grave burning sensation near my hairline at the left side of my temple, which streamed down right to my back and my left hand, which was testing my strength, in each passing time. Gradually, various sounds of hustle and bustle started to hit my ear drums and it started getting clearer, as I was coming back to my senses. But, I did not carry any strength to widen my eyelids. I realized a continuous beeping sound of a heart monitor, near my ears, frustrating the hell out of me. But, ultimately, I gathered my strength and opened my eyes, to see blurred pictures of a white ceiling coming down to white walls, various other figures, holding shadows on the walls. My vision gradually started getting clearer, and I found myself, lying on the bed tied up to various hospital equipment. I jolted in my place, as I realized I was in a hospital. I looked around to find a woman dressed in blue, standing near my bed. When she realized me staring at her, as ran out of the door, maybe to inform someone, that I woke up. Everything seemed unexplained to me. I was clueless in the initial seconds, and then, everything started to wonder back into my mind. Every happenings, every emotions, every actions. All his words, started to ring into my ears, and the views started to flood my eyes. Well yeah, it was just a bullet wound, which is probably not as deep as the wound deep inside me. Just then, I felt someone push the door open. I did not care to learn, who it was. If it is Jackson Claros, I don't want to see his face. I am still not ready to see the either colour of the face, I was habituated with. I don't know whether, I am safe or not. Maybe, I am not free. Maybe, I am under their captive. And, maybe, I am alive, just for that purpose. But, neither of them mattered to me. A rush of thoughts, was running through my mind when, the man walked up and stood near me. I understood it was no one, but Jake. It was Jake, again.

Jacob spoke out in a worried voice, "Maddie! How did this happen?"

"I am sorry." he continued after a brief pause,  "I wasn't there, when you needed me. I don't know, what I would have done, if anything would have gone wrong. Had I not been there on time. I don't even want to dream about the consequences, if I never reached you. I could have never forgave myself, if anything happened to you. (sigh)You are a warrior, Maddie. You can't give up. You cannot lose. You have to fight back. Don't let them break you, Maddie. You have to fight back. You have to tell them whom they messed up with. You can't let them break you. I promise you, I will never leave you alone. Never ever. This is the last time, to handle this alone. I promise, Maddie."

I could hear him, speak to me, but I failed to understand his words. I could simplify none. Nothing entered my ears. Nothing did my brain process. Probably, I chose not to. Suddenly, I felt a hand brushing through my hair, a fatherly feeling of warmth, which I always felt. I failed to hold back my tear and it streamed through my cheeks. Did he succeed in breaking me to that extend? But, the question is, a person already broken, can't be further broken, right? Maybe, I am not broken, afterall. Maybe, it is just a wake up call, not a failure. Maybe, this is what I needed to clear my path to my objective. I can't cry. I can't give up. If everything is just as I assume, that this is the time I wake up. And, maybe I know what I need to do, now.

"Can you do me a favor?"

Jacob straightened his backbone, "Tell me!"

"Can you arrange for a photo artist, tomorrow?"

Jacob frowned, waiting for an explanation.

"I still remember the shooter", I added.

"It's alright. Give yourself some time."

"I can't loose this chance."

"Our force, is already in search."

" Your force can't give you, what I can. He was Jackson Claros."

I could see the color of his face fade away, "WHAT??Are...Are you sure?"

I just nodded.

The Hawks, Hideout;

Jereff thumped a file over Jackson's desk and demanded, "What are these?"

Jackson, who was slumped over his chair, glanced at the file and back at the phone, "The last thing I remember, You brought it in here. Who do you think, will know about it, better?"

Jereff banged at his desk, "I brought them to you, to open your eyes. Check it!"

Jackson peered at Jereff and went through the file.

"Do you have an explanation to this, Jackson?"

Jackson took a deep breath and casually dropped the file over the table,

"I am asking you, how is, she still alive?" he continued.

Jackson looked up at Jereff blankly to see him fuming with anger.

"I need answers. You said earlier, you were killing her."

"That's what I did." Jackson finally responded.

"And you never missed a target."

Jackson chuckled, "Not all fires, hit the right target, Jeff. Some fail as well."

"THAT IS NOT WHAT, I ASKED FOR."

"Right! After you guys left, I woke her up from the dead?"

Jereff moved his head in denial and huffed, "You know? You fail miserably at lying in front of your brother."

Jackson leaned forward and hissed, "Just get to the fucking point."

"The point is, you are letting your emotions tame you. And you telling me, you don't know, why you never hit your target? let me tell you. Because, that is what you freaking chose."

Jackson silently stood up in his place and walked up to the window.

"What is wrong with you, these days?" Jereff continued, "I was never worried about your actions. But now? Some of your actions are not making any fucking sense. You are being utter stupid.

Jackson chuckled softly and shook his head

Jereff grimaced at his response, " This ain't a joke, I guess."

"Nope. It's not. I guess "

" Are you freaking drunk?"

Jackson turned his heel towards him and shook his finger, "You reminded me, right."

He pulled open the mini fridge took out a chilled beer, while Jereff kept scrutinizing his actions like a lost puppy.

Jackson opened the can and took a sip before turning towards Jereff, "You are right. She is alive because, I wanted her to be."

Jereff kept a questioning stare intact on him, waiting for him to proceed.

"You see, " he continued, "The sky, the stars, the green grass..."

"I did not ask for a poem. Dammit!"

"I'm not saying one either. My point is, non of them can be a relevant witness, for a crime scene. Can they?"

 "You mean?"

"She is the victim, and the witness as well." walking closer to Jereff, "If she dies, no one knows, who killed her."

"And, you send your information, through an injured messenger to the cop. Wow! Do you know?She recognises your face now.

"I know."

"Do you know? There is there are face artists?"

"I know."

"Jack, all that we have built, to keep us, and our families safe, are about to turn useless?"

"Leave that on me. Sometimes, you need to take a step backwards, before a bigger jump."

" Be careful, with your jumps."

Jereff gave Jackson a last warning stare before he darted out of the room, leaving Jackson alone in his thoughts and confusions. The truth was, he was unsure of his own actions. Jereff was right, he missed a target. That left him questioning, was it really a miss or was it a change of his own heart.

It was a decision by his heart. That fine day, although he had his gun pointed at her, unshaken but internally he was praying for her to survive.

A part of him was still beyond his control. That part which was making him do things, unexplained to him. That part which is too strong to fight and that part which is leading him through different tests, leaving him devastated at every stage.

A part which is dragging him to an unknown journey without a definite destination. The more he wanted to fight it, the more was it getting stronger.

In short, a fight has started. A fight between him and himself. A fight which won't kill him but would break him to an extend that nothing in this realm can ever fix him. A fight, he can't avoid, either.