Dedicated to @InvisibleHorizons because her comments make me smile. ❤

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Chapter 13 Departures and Arrivals

"We don't understand the value of a moment unless it becomes a memory."

• • •

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Come in." Jake yelled, folding his shirts and putting them in the suitcase.

"You all done?" Mallory said entering her brother's room.

"Yeah, almost." He said sitting on the bed and patting the place near him.

"Wow, I have never seen this place like this before." She said sitting next to him.

"Mom made me clean every corner of this room before leaving." He scrunched up his nose.

"So, when are you leaving?"

"In a couple of hours." He said.

"I hope you remember all the rules?"

"Call you after landing, call you every night and video call every two days?" He said counting each of it on his fingers.

She grinned like a Cheshire cat. "I am proud of you, Jacob Millington." She patted his back.

"I get selected into Yale, you run outside, crying. I remember a couple of stuff, you are proud. Wow! I have a crackpot sister." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, Shut up! I wasn't crying." She said as her cheeks heated up.

"Sure." He winked. "I got a rather entertaining portrayal of your behaviour."

"You people are stoners!" She pouted. "And I will kill that idiot, Ben!"

"For doing this?" Jake smirked and began in a high pitched sound. "He is leaving me, Ben!"

She rolled her eyes.

"You forgot the motion of hands!" Ben said giggling in the doorway.

"Oh, yes." Jake said bashing his arms.

"Stop it, Jake!" She said playfully punching her brother.

"Alright. Alright." He said. "Come here, Smelly-Melly." He said and engulfed her into a hug.

"I will miss you." She mumbled in his chest.

"Don't worry. Call me whenever you want. And if you need me, then Connecticut is just five hours away from California, okay?." He said stroking her hair. "I will come in a week or two. Alright?"

She nodded.

"Wait, what do you mean, in a week?" Ben said.

"Classes don't start until August." Jake explained. "Right now, I am going to get an apartment. I won't live on campus, you see."

"Too many rules?" He smirked.

He nodded then winked.

"So, no hug for me? Wow, this hurts." Ben said faking a hurt face.

"Come here, you douchébag." He said giving him a bear hug. "Take good care of my sister!"

"She is in safe hands." Ben said winking.

"I would rather stay with a chimpanzee." Mallory said hitting his shoulder.

"Ouch!" Ben said pretending to wipe off a tear. "I am leaving and never talking to you again, ever!" He said pouting.

"Buh-bye." Jake and Mallory said together.

Ben pulled out his tongue. "If you people want to apologize, I would be downstairs eating chocolate chip cookies." He said and stormed off.

Mallory was about to follow him when her brother stopped him.

"Mallory." He said. "Here, you can have my car keys." He placed the keys in her hand.

"You are giving me the keys to your 'baby'?" She said horror-struck.

"It was a difficult decision. But yes." He said, sniffing dramatically. "Promise me, you would take good care of it?"

"Yes, Jakiee. I would treat it as my own." She said solemnly shaking her head.

"Take her to car wash periodically. Okay?"

She nodded, trying to hold her laughter.

"And don't wreck it!" He added.

"Alright, big brother. She is in good hands." She winked.

"Thanks." He smiled cheekily.

"Now, I think you should've left earlier." She smirked.

"Oh, my god. The world's a cruel and greedy place." He said looking upwards then smiled.

"Now, I will go have a shower, and see you in a while. Okay?"

She nodded with a smile looking around the clean room. She had always despised, how her brother would never clean his room. Yet, now when it wasn't littered, the surroundings felt almost alien. Somehow, she missed seeing the clothes which were thrown on the floor, the wrappers lying on the table and the unkempt bed.

She saw the ripped posters lying at the farthest corner. She smiled as she remembered how she had tried to talk him into tearing those posters away, but he would say that walls were monotonous. Now, as she looked at the sour cream walls, she could see his point.

The photo frames lying on his desk, told yet another story. She picked up the one she made herself for his birthday. She was ten and it was his fifteenth birthday. She had adorned it with blue and pink butterflies, and he had tossed it away saying it was too girlish. And it wasn't until she cried that he accepted it and promised to always keep it in his room. Fussy kid. He called her.

She looked at the picture in the frame. It was a beach holiday. And he was carrying her on his shoulder trying to throw her in water while she was punching his back, giggling.

Innumerable memories rushed into her mind as she looked at the bed she had shared with him while their mother told them some bedtime story. The red couch at one corner of his room where they would sit for hours, talk and leave crumbles of chips and cookies. The carpet which had hundreds of mustard and ketchup stains.

She remembered hundreds of fights, complaints and 'I-hate-you' as she whispered her next words.

"I will miss you, big brother..."

• • •

"Sean just told me you are leaving?" Andrew said barging into Drew's room.

"Yeah, I am." He confirmed with a nod.

"Didn't bother to tell me?"

"I didn't know if I was allowed to." Drew said neatly folding his clothes. "It was an inner circle thing, you know."

Andrew groaned. That was his evergreen excuse. Inner circle thing.

"So, you are off to a mission in Connecticut?"

He nodded. "Gotta keep a watch on some lad."

"That's all?" Andrew said, surprise clear on his face. That doesn't sound very important. He was tempted to add.

Drew narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? You don't think it's important? Antonio himself ordered it."

Well, then it must be important. Andrew thought.

"Who is this guy, anyway?"

"There's this girl..." Drew said.

"The one everyone seems to talk about?"

"Yeah, everyone in inner circle seems to talk about."

Andrew rolled his eyes. His roommate was way too obsessed by the whole Inner circle thing.

"So, yeah. It's his brother." Drew confessed.

"Why do you people hate her anyway? Whatever she did, how bad could it be?" Andrew said, curiosity brimming in his voice.

"Once again, I don't think I should tell you. It's not my secret to tell." He said zipping up his bag.

"When would you be back?" Andrew piped in.

"Someone's really chatty today?" Drew winked. "Had a meeting with your girl, huh? What was her name, Melissa?"

Andrew shrugged. "So, when are you coming back?"

"I don't know. But not anytime soon." Drew said. "I will let you know. Or Sean would."

Not anytime soon. That was like music to his ears.

"You don't look like you will miss me?"

"That's because I won't." Andrew replied solemnly.

"Yeah, knowing you, you probably won't." Drew smiled. "Anyway, so I should get going. Goodbye." He smiled. "Focus on work and don't fool around with that girl, too much." He said.

He carried the two bags and made his way down the stairs. Andrew followed him.

"Goodbye, Andrew." He said as he saw a taxi coming towards him. "Here comes my ride."

"Goodbye." Andrew said and even before the car could stop, he was inside locking the door.

He looked around the empty house. And sighed in relief. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted up from his chest. After ages, he has at least one place where he could be free, even if it was for a little while.

He didn't need to keep his door locked, he didn't need to hide his scars, he didn't need to worry that someone would hear him talking in nightmares and would guess his real identity. He had complete and absolute freedom. And he planned to enjoy it.

He flared his nostrils as he remembered the face of his roommate, his prying eyes, his nosiness, the tortures he had inflicted upon others. He was a monster, like many others out there.

He laughed, a dark humourless laugh, as his words echoed in his mind.

You don't look like you would miss me.

He almost spat as the words left his mouth.

"I could never miss you, Drew. Never."

• • •

"Mallory, look who's here to see you!" Eva yelled from downstairs.

"Coming, mom!" She shouted, hurriedly wearing a sweatshirt over her tube top.

"Who is it?" She shouted as soon as she reached the landing of the stairs.

"Take a guess?" A voice replied.

"Oh, my god!" She squealed. "If it isn't my favorite officer." She said winking.

"And if it isn't my favorite over-excited teenager." He laughed embracing her tenderly.

"How are you?" She said pulling away.

"I am good, kiddo." He said patting her cheek. "You?"

"Couldn't be happier."

"Keep smiling." He said with a grin.

"Will, is it alright if I leave you two?" Eva said. "I really need to go."

"Of course, you need to go save some lives." He said, with a wink followed by a thumbs up. "But, first give me your number."

"Oh, yes!" Her mother replied. "I am so stupid." She slapped her forehead.

"Like we don't know that. It's really like you haven't grown up at all." Will said looking at his childhood friend with disbelief.

"Says the guy who was flirting two seconds ago!" Her mother said with a wink.

"Well, I was just stating the obvious." He smirked. "You do look pretty."

"Ahem ahem." Mallory coughed rather artificially. Old people.

Eva blushed.

"Before we get carried away, here..." He gave him a piece of paper with her number. "Call me. We really need to catch up."

"Sure thing, my lady." He said with a dramatic bow, at which the woman rolled her eyes and grinning left the house.

"Who made you a cop?" Mallory said laughing as she sat on the couch.

"Shh...That's a secret." He winked.

She smiled. "Should I get you something? Coffee? Lemonade?"

"Nah. It's fine, kiddo." He said. "I actually came here to talk to you."

"Yeah?" She said listening with utmost interest.

"First, tell me. Does your mother know?"

"Know what?"

He looked at her with disapproval. "That you are trying to get Emily's case reopened, what else?"

"Oh that." Her smile fell. "No."

"And when do you plan to tell her?"

"I will soon." She said, though it felt like a lie.

"You better do that." He said. "I hope you realise, what it means if the case is sent to court, again?"

"Yes. I know." She said. "I would have to face all those demons again. I would have to recount the minutest details of every incident. I would have to relive my nightmares..." She trailed off.

"You are ready for it all?"

"I guess." She shrugged. "Right now, my focus is justice for Emily."

"Very well." He said. "So, I was talking to Detective Todd. And he said that the case was closed because of lack of evidence, material or otherwise. You knew that?"

She nodded. "I left shortly after that...umm...incident. And they didn't have any other eyewitnesses." She said looking down at her hands, feeling almost guilty.

"It wasn't your fault." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded. "What about the evidence you people collected, from their...uh...headquarters?"

"Well, we were getting the search warrants ready but someone, broke into the building." He explained.

Immediately a face appeared in her mind.

Andrew.

"And we hurried without the warrant because they were leaving. By the time we reached the place, it was already deserted, but we collected enough evidence to take them down."

"So, what was the problem?"

"Well, the building was a private property. And the owner pressed trespassing charges since we ransacked the building without a search warrant, the Judge nullified all the evidence we collected."

"But, that is so wrong!" She exclaimed with agitated motion of hands.

"But the law is law, sweetie." He looked at her dejected face and cursed the boy who didn't follow the orders.

"I guess." She whispered, mentally killing Andrew. It was all his fault!

"Anyway, it's all in the past now." He continued. "The actual reason I came here was for this." He said taking out a yellow envelope from his bag.

"What is it, Sheriff?"

"Wait a second. I will show you." He said opening the envelope, out came a few pictures, and notes. "Do you by any chance know who he is?"

She looked at the pictures intently. The man's arms were covered in tattoos, and so was half of his face. He did seem vaguely familiar.

"They call him Sean, I believe." He said. "And this other one, is Marcus...no...Marko." He gave her another picture. "We have a reason to believe that they are a part of 'The Beasts'."

The picture belonged to a middle-aged man. His face was adorned with a nasty grin and his neck was covered with scars. Immediately her eyes widened.

Will, noticing her reaction said, "Do you know him?"

She nodded. "He was the one...um...no...I think I have seen him."

The Sheriff looked at her skeptically. "What is it?"

"Nothing." She shook her head as the events of that night rushed into her mind. He was the one who had attacked her. Marko.

"Okay." He said sensing her discomfort. "So you know them? Do you think they maybe in Antonio's gang?"

"They might be." She nodded. "But I cannot say for sure."

"It's okay. We are investigating." He said sympathetically taking away the pictures.

"Can I keep these?" She said not peeling her eyes away from the photographs. "If I look at them time and again, maybe I would remember something?" She suggested hoping that she wouldn't be asked questions.

"Yeah, I guess." He shrugged. "Just don't stress yourself. Okay, kiddo?"

She gave him a weak smile.

"So, that's all. I would keep you posted. And tell Eva. Or I will." He warned and started getting up.

"No, wait!" She almost shouted.

He turned around looking at her expectantly.

"You said that some guy broke into the safehouse that day. Do you know anything about him?"

He looked at her trying to comprehend what she said and mentally cursed himself for telling her that. "Why do you want to know about him?"

"Just curious?" She said mustering up an innocent expression.

"Well, as far as I know, he was Bureau's novice."

"Novice?"

Will nodded. "You know, people they train, who later become a part of intelligence agencies."

"But he is just a teenager?!?" The words left her mouth before she could even think about it.

The Sheriff narrowed his eyes. "I don't remember mentioning anything about his age."

"I...uh...um..." She was baffled.

"Mallory, what are you hiding?"

"Um...nothing. I saw him. That day when that...n-novice came into the building. I saw him. That's why I know."

He looked at her sceptically. "Something tells me that's not the complete truth."

"It is!" She muttered almost reflexively. And immediately regretted it.

Will's lips stretched into a smile. "Mallory, sweetie, have you forgotten that identifying the liars is a part of my job?"

"I know. I know. Cop instinct." She scoffed.

"Exactly." Will said with a satisfied smile.

"Do you know anything else?"

He looked at her intently then said, "Yeah, just that, he broke into the building that day to save his sister."

"Oh." She said, a little taken aback. "But, he was what, thirteen or fourteen? How did he even know about the operation?"

"First, he was very close to the Commander. That explains how he knew everything about the evacuation operation. And secondly, he was definitely a little younger than other trainees, but he wasn't thirteen, he was sixteen."

Mallory thought about it. "But that makes him...nineteen." She muttered to herself, as her eyes widened with realization.

Then what is he doing in high school?

"Pardon?"

"Uh...nothing." She said covering up. "Thank you, Sherrif." She smiled.

"Okay. I guess I will go then." He said getting up. "And Mallory." He turned back.

"Yeah?"

"Whatever you plan to do, I really hope it isn't reckless or dangerous. Or else I will myself handcuff you."

"Don't worry. If I plan to do something, I will make sure it doesn't reach your ears, Uncle Will." She smirked.

"You had to call me that, don't you?" He smiled. "You do know how to pull people's strings, kiddo."

"That I do." She said with a wink.

"I missed you." He said messing her hair.

"Me too."

"Now, I guess I should go. I have some stuff to do. See you around." And with that he left.

But Mallory sat on the couch for next few minutes, tossing the two photographs in her hand looking at them again and again as her mind tried to organise the chaos.

Andrew is a novice? He is nineteen? How is he connected to 'The Beasts'? Hell, what is up with that guy?

She took out her cellphone and opened her contacts.

Ring. Ring. Ring

"Hello?"

"Andrew?"

"Who is it?"

"I don't know. Who do you want it to be?" She said seductively. If she was going to do it, she might as well have a little fun.

There was a familiar groan followed by, "Mallory."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. He knew it was her.

"How did you get my number?"

"I stole it from my mom's phone, ages ago." She beamed.

"What do yo want?"

Way to be blunt.

"To talk."

"About?"

"Stuff."

"Mallory, I don't have time for your games. Just spit it out."

Typical.

"About people you work with. About 'The Beasts'. And other stuff..."

"And what makes you think I would tell you anything."

"Oh, believe me, you would, sweetie."

"Give me one good reason, why would I, sweetie?" He added the last part through gritted teeth.

"Andrew, how old are you?"

"What...How does that..."

"Just answer it."

"Seventeen."

"Lie."

"W-what?" His voice faltered.

Bang on. She hit the bull's eye.

"You are nineteen. "

Their was a crash, followed by a groan and then she heard some very colourful curses from the other side of the phone as she tapped her foot on the floor impatiently, waiting for an answer.

"Meet me at my place in an hour." He finally said.

"Alrighty. Toodles." She said smiling.

The phone disconnected

She kept the phone aside and sat on the couch, a smirk planted on her face. She had to wait. For an hour.

Never did she ever realise that an hour could be such a long time. As she scrolled through her Instagram, she yawned. Finally some ten minutes later, she got up, picking up the keys to her brother's car. She couldn't wait an hour. Though, Andrew would probably kill her for showing up early, but she was willing to take that risk.

As she locked the front door, she muttered to herself, "Now, let's get some answers. Shall we?"

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VOTE? It means everything to a writer.

Heya fellas,

How are you?

A brand new chapter just for you people. So, what do you think about Sheriff Johnson? Like him/Hate him?

You got some answers, I hope? Some more to come, soon.

Jake finally left. Would you like to see more of him? Or should we say goodbye to him?

Like always.

Vote. Comment. Share.

Until Next Time

-Ridhima☺