Chapter Twenty-Nine: "I'm..."
Weight is lifted off Ava's lap, as Christopher takes Stewart out the car. Doctors get him, and lays him on a stretcher, while Cindy approaches them. Christopher then wakes up Ava who was slightly awake. The familiar building of HQ comes into vision, nothing has changed. Except that it is unusually silent at this time of the afternoon.
She steps out the vehicle watching her father go with the doctors. She looks up at Cindy, who walks as though she has no care in the world. She looks pretty, and resembles that of Cleo. Recent scenes rush through her mind, as she realizes she's still in danger. She heaves a sigh and looks at Chris, who haven't uttered a word to her since their little fight. She looks back down.
"As we discussed, Chris?", Cindy says as she stops at the couple.
"Yeah definitely. I need a shower though. At six?"
"Definitely, I will alert Crystal and Robert", Cindy replied, then she was off with the phone at her ears.
The couple made their way inside the building. Heading up to their room, that stays just the way they left it. Ava tries to figure out what Cindy's and Chris' conversation was about. She decides to ask him, however, finds it backward. Since, she had recently told him that how she is now is because of him. She sighs.
Her hand run from her eyes, nose then mouth as she heaves a next sigh. She rests her hand on the elevator railing, as Christopher watches her. He bites his lip wondering if he should ask her what's wrong. However, he decides not to. Since he thinks, she doesn't want to talk to him and is just worried about hers and her father's safety. After all, he doesn't blame her. She's right, who she is now is all because of him. The elevator pings and Chris comes out first, head hanging low. Ava watches him from behind, wondering what's on his mind. If he has forgiven her or just sorry, he had met her. Her eyes wonder to her shoes as she walks resulting in her bumping in Chris side, as he tries to open the door. She looks up into his eyes. Happiness, goofiness, she sees it. Or at least she thinks she did. She looks at his back as he enters.
"I'll shower first", he utters after clearing his throat.
"Okay", she squeaks. Receiving a 'what's up' look from Chris. She turns to hide her blush as she wonders about in her draw.
It takes no time for both to have a shower. Ava comes out the bathroom, clothes neatly worn. She looks around the empty room for Chris, however, sees him nowhere. She looks over at the clock it reads 6:15. She squints her brows and decides to go to Cindy's office or find Robert, or Crystal. She gets her jacket from her closet after pulling on her shoes. She rushes in the elevator, that is just about to close, then fixes her wet hair in a ponytail. She brushes her blouse to smooth the wrinkles, then gets out the elevator as it reaches the last floor. The cold December breeze rushes to her, making way for a trail of goose bumps. She quickly puts on her jacket, and curses for wearing shorts in such a chilly time.
She arrives at Cindy's office at 6:28pm, finding no one there. She looks around, then spots her walking in the lobby.
"Cindy", she shouts, running up to her. Cindy turns around, looking for the source. She sees Ava, she smiles.
"Yes", she answers, when Ava reaches. She continues walking Ava by her side as she heads outside.
"Where is Chris?", She breathes out.
"He's going out. Didn't he tell you?"
"No he haven't said anything much from in the car. Where... where is he going to"
"To Clinton's house"
"To get the devices? You can't let him do that", Ava barks
"I didn't let him do it he came up with the idea-"
"And you are just going to let him go?"
"Well someone had to?"
"And you're making that someone him. You are no better than your uncle. Has he left yet"
"No, he's at the parking", Cindy replies, a bit hurt. She watches Ava run off to meet Chris before it's too late.
She runs and runs to the other end of the yard. Adrenaline pumps in her blood, as she thinks of all the possible dangers he may face. The guards and maybe Damien himself. Damien must have picked up that they now know what he is up to. He'll definitely try to get to the device before anyone else. So, he would be there tonight for sure, one of the reasons why Christopher is also going there tonight. Ava sighs.
Christopher isn't even in good condition to drive. She curses. Her legs skid as a van approaches the 'round about to exit HQ. She stops in front of the vehicle holding her hands out, in attempt to stop the car. It stops, she runs up to it. However, she doesn't find Chris or the couple. She continues her run. Heat engulfs her body as she realizes that he may be gone. She curses a line of words and run faster.
No longer after she reaches the lot. She sees Chris getting into a van, Ava hollers his name to stop him in his tracks. He turns and sees her; he swallows a lump. They make eye contact and keep it as Avagay makes her way to Christopher, now walking.
"Are you stupid? You can't go, it's too dangerous", she blurts out, as she comes face to face with him.
"I know it's dangerous. Damien may be there tonight and maybe guards too. However, I need to go I need to try. I need to make things right"
"You don't need to go. You don't need to try and get yourself killed. You don't need to do anything. You have done enough. Please don't go'
"I'm sorry but I have to. If I don't then who will?"
"I don't know? Someone else. Just not you. You have done enough. I have suffered enough. I can't lose you. Please-", she stops mid- way staring into Chris' eyes. "I'm sorry. You weren't the problem at all. You're not the cause of how I am right now. I chose this way just please don't go. i... i... i... l... I can't let you leave. I can't lose you"
"You won't lose me. I'll always be here with you. I'll come back to you. Even if I get lost I'll find the way just wait for me", Chris says relief to hear an apology. It was all just out of anger. He hugs Ava and kisses her on the forehead, wishing he had the courage to kiss her lips. He smells her hair, refilling his system of her scent. He walks away to enter the van. However, Ava hugs him from behind,, stopping him once more.
"Let me come with you", she whispers "At least bring me with you... I'll protect you".
Christopher looks down at Ava's tiny arms around his waist. "Okay" he answers.
It takes them around two hours to reach Clintons house from HQ. Robert drove, Chris keeping his company by talking about random stuff. While the two girls slept in the back. Chris wakes them both, when they stop in a secure area, that keeps them covered.
"You're staying in the car, with Robert and Crystal", he informs Avagay, then calls Cindy. He speaks to her for a while. As soon as he's finish with his phone call, Christopher checks his weapons and exit the vehicle. Ava does too. Christopher turns around to tell her to go back in, however, Ava's expression tells him to shut up and walk. So, he does just that.
The two enter the building through the window just like she had already planned, dropping at the start of the staircase, upstairs. They stride towards the office carefully so not to alert anyone or anything that they are there Avagay checks to ensure that she has her gun and two knives, remembering her downfall of not having any weapons when all this started. She's armed.
Christopher turns the lock of the door, it's open. They sneak in the room and the alert of Damien, since he could have got there before them. Ava puts in the code for the safe, it opens, and the devices are lying there. Chris takes them out, slightly smiling at Ava. His eyes move and sees the pictures on the wall. He moves closer observing them.
"Dad", he says brushing his fingers over an older version of himself. "Mom", he says eyes growing wider. He looks over at Ava, who looks back at him in sympathy.
"Who is this man exactly?", Christopher asks "How does he know my parents", his eyes land on the pictures again. "Who is this... your mom?", he asks Avagay as his eyes lands on Amelia.
"Yeah", she swallows. " She's my mom. She worked for Clinton, just like my dad"
"Where is she now?"
"She's-", Ava clears her throat "I think she's dead"
"Oh... I'm sorry-"
"It's fine, at least I still have my dad-"
"And me", Chris says pulling her closer. He kisses her on her forehead, sending a wave of warmth through Ava's body. She grips his shirt hem, and bites her aching lips. Chris' eyes wonder over the photos some more, wearing the same expression Ava did when she first saw them.
"Do you know why these are her?", he asks looking down at her.
"Nope not a clue" Chris takes out his phone and takes a photo of the wall.
"I think we need to go before you know who gets here", He says then takes Avagay's wrist leading her out.
"It's a bit too late for that now", an all too familiar voice says. A tall figure emerges the door, leaning on its frame. Hair now in a pony tail at the back, Damien smiles.
"You", Chris growls in disgust.
"Nice to see you too. And, you Avagay, you have done well. After all I have always seen you as a little shooting star. You are just like your mother aren't you?", Damien says playing with his nails as if he is bored.
"I'm not here for games or to talk over coffee", Avagay says cocking her head.
"Neither am I miss brown", Damian says straiting his stance, while placing his hands in his pocket. "I'm here on business, so hand them over" Christopher laughs.
"So hand it over", Chris mimics. "It's not so easy sonny boy"
"Well unless you want to get killed by me... no problem", Damian says looking unbothered.
"You are really cocky I see", Ava utters "Let's see if you can think fast", Ava says then throw her knife at Damian's face, which he catches at last minute.
Ava huffs, "Talented I see"
"I say the same to you Ava", Damian Smirks, then shoots. Avagay and Chris takes cover from the bullets as they spray. When given a chance they both fire their own weapons. Chris clutches the devices to him, desperate to not let it go. However, it slows him down, and so he tells Ava to cover him while he speeds over and put them back in the safe. He ensures that it's close, just as Damian shoots him in the arm and leg.
"You guys good... I'm hearing a lot of bullets in there", They hear Crystal voice in their ears " You have company.. guards have heard the bullets... Hurry and get out of there"
"Damian has us", Ava says over the bullets. She spots Chris on the opposite side of the office clutching his bleeding arm, while firing. She sighs. Didn't she say she would protect him.
The shooting stops as they all reload. Avagay uses this time to spot Damian and throws her knife at him. It sticks him in the back he cries in agony. He stumbles back, firing his now loaded weapon. He exists the room, desperate for time to address his wounded back, however, receives a bullet in the arm. He sees the guard coming up the stairs. He takes them out one by one, barely escaping any injuries. Avagay uses this time to prepare for her next attack, she tells Chris to stay where he is she'll handle it.
It doesn't take long till she comes face to face with Damian himself, he stays crutch down trying to take the knife out his back, by stretching his hand over his shoulder. He sees her.
" You little bitch. You like seeing people suffer don't you", he grunts.
"That sounds like your job. Why turn the table now, Damien? Are you suffering? For what exactly?", She says, then kicks him in his knee, as he takes out the knife. He throws it at her, she dodges it quickly. Turning around, as Damien kicks her gun from her hold. He punches, she acts quickly catching his punch. She kicks him in the gut, skating back. Ava then runs up to him sending him a power kick. He grabs her foot mid-way and drops her on the floor. He kicks at her, she rolls and dodges, however kicks him on his foot, causing him to fall on her.
More guard crawl upstairs shooting at them both on the ground. Damien takes his other gun from behind him shooting aimlessly killing them, except one. A skinny guard runs upstairs, heading to the room as he reaches the doorway Damien throws his gun at him, it catches him in the throat, causing the man to step back until he falls of the stairs.
Ava looks at Damien in awe and hatred. She got to learn that trick, when she disposes of him. Ava pushes Damien off her scrambling to her feet. She holds her fight stance, as he jumps up to face her. They start hand to hand combat each fair at their own game. Both has damaged each other.
"You're good... almost as good as me", Damien lets out as he walks in a circle.
"Almost", Ava laughs. "You mean better", She says repeating his moves.
He laughs, "Well to be fair, we are equal love. How you say about joining me?" Ava looks at him in disgust.
"I'ma have to say no to that", she says, looking in disgust. She luges for him, he dodges. She ends up over the stairs, clinging on to the railing. 'What a foolish move', she curses herself.
"I didn't know you were on a mission to kill your own self honey", Damien snickers, then winces
Ava grunts, trying to get herself up, she fails. She looks down, realizing the stairs isn't so far down. She lets go, hoping to fall on the stairs beneath. However fails rolling down the stairs carrying two bodies with her. She sighs.
Chris hearing the commotion runs out after dressing his wounds.
"Look if it isn't Mr. lovey Dovey", Damien says. Chris staggers to Damien shooting, but missing since he has injured his shooting arm. Damian laughs
"What's that", he laughs again. Christopher looks downstairs, following a line of blood where he sees Ava body along with the guards. He burst in anger.
"You killed her", He shouts.
"She killed herself", Damien shrugs.
"You mother f****er you are so going to pay for this", Christopher yells, launching his body at Damien. Both are knocked to the ground, they fight. It takes a while for Damian to get the upperhand, but when he does. He has a bruised eye and a broken nose. Damien now on top of Chris digs his knee into Christopher wound in his leg. Christopher screams, Damian laughs. Christopher smacks Damian across the face sending him in the wall. Christopher hurridly takes his stand, Damian does the same. They wrestle again Damian trying to push Chris over the railing, and downstairs. Christopher grunts as he hears his hand cracks.
"Shit", he howls like a wolf.
"You like that okay", Damian says then repeats his action. Christopher bites his lip muffling his scream and pushes Damian back aggressively.
A shot is heard, then Damian is on the floor. Christopher looks over to the window he sees Cindy.
"When did you get here?", he muffles.
Cindy looks at the mess they have created then to her uncle. She stoops beside him, as he holds his chest, where he got the shoot.
"If it isn't my favorite niece", he says, trying to smile. Cindy smacks him across the face with her gun, then turns his face back so he can look at her. He spits blood on her clothes, she slaps him across the face again. He laughs.
"You won't achieve anything like this you know", he whispers.
"You sure did", she comments. "You f***ed up uncle", she says
"No you did, and you still are little dog", he utters then Cindy shoots him in his head ending his life. She stands looking around for Chris who is downstairs helping Ava.
"I think I've sprained my ankle", she says then winces.
"I think I've broken my arm", Chris says in return, then laughs.
Cindy heads down helping them out the house through the front doors. The guards were taken care off. What more could be the problem? The three walk towards the helicopter waiting on them to get it. Mark rushes to them, helping Christopher. Christopher takes his help reluctantly still not fully trusting him. Before Christopher walks off from Ava, though. She grip his hand tightly.
A million questions and sentences run through Ava's mind. However one stands out about the rest. She squint her eyes at the pain coming from all over her body, and tries her best to look into Christophers eyes. She feels herself slipping, her eyes closing. She fights it.
"I need to tell you something", she chokes out. "I I'm truly in l..", her body rocks. Christopher catches her. She stares into his face. She feels a wave of pain crash into her. Her eyes closes, she sees white.
'No... no', she tells herself. Her eyes open slightly "I'm l...l... sorry", she utters before she collapses unto the floor.
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