It was oddly silent. The familiar smell of wet grass hit her the moment she was coming to. It was freezing, causing her skin to grow goosebumps as she felt herself lying on a cold hard surface. 

What happ–she stopped. Her eyes snapped open and she gasped in shock. Brick walls filled her vision. It was dark but save for the fire torches flickering and lighting the dim brick walls. 

She groaned softly, turning her body slowly, realizing she was lying on the ground. It was so cold. She could hear the soft pitter-patter from the rain. Why does this place look familiar?

Sitting up fully, she leaned against the brick wall and looked around. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she saw iron bars for a door. This place...looked awfully familiar when the president was captured with her. 

Is it the same place?

Brook winced, looking down at her arms. Her eyes widened, seeing the hand bruises covering her arms. Who put her here? Where is Tarzan? Where is everyone?

Brook gritted her teeth, standing to her feet and walking towards the bars. Maybe she could get herself out of here. But where are they? Raising her chained hands, she grasped the bars and started to pull on them in hopes for the rusty old bars to collapse on the weight but they were strong. 

She cursed, shaking her head in disbelief. What is going on?

"You're finally awake..."

Brook stopped, looking around through the bars but she couldn't see through the shadows. She squinted her eyes, trying to look through and adjust to the lighting. It was until she heard a click, she snapped her head to her left, paling as she faced a gun pointing at her. 

Her heart raced, her eyes widening in horror as the person stepped further into the light. 

He was old. His blonde hair aged with stray white strands. His short beard grew over the years. But his chilling coal eyes were the same. It was the same man that started it all. The same man who separated her from her family. The same man who tortured her father. The same man who killed her mother. The same man who tried to kill her. 

"Vincent," Brook gasped, taking a hesitant test in shock but flinched as the man raised his gun and neared it closer to her. 

"Sir Vincent to you, Devil," Vincent sneered, glaring seethingly into her golds. 

It was like being five years old again. Her body trembled in fear, her lips quivering as tears welled up. She was alone once again. The man was in front of her again and aiming his gun at her. 

The man sighed, lowering his gun, and wobbly took a step, leaning on his cane. "You just refuse to die, don't you?" he dryly chuckled as he leaned against the bars, his eyes glaring into her trembling being. "First that vile woman, that professor, and now you escape here into the wild."

Brook's eyes widened, narrowing into a glare as he mentioned his mother. Although she was heavily intimidated by the man, she still felt a bile in her throat, furious about what her parents had to go through because of him.

"But then, I hear the infamous ape-man took in the devil. What nonsense," Vincent threw his head back, shaking his head in disbelief. "I didn't believe it at first. After all, you were dead by poison. It was until McTeague madly ran through the streets, screaming about the devil and the ape-man."

"All of a sudden, everyone is talking about it," Vincent shook his head, chuckling as he tapped his gun at his head. "I'm not an idiot. You were there. You were always there!" he laughed, making Brook frown at the man. 

He was crazed. He wasn't wearing his usual formal coat. His hair wasn't composed like before. Dark circles were under his eyes, his complexion was visibly rashy and wrinkled. 

"If no one was going to kill you the right way, I had to come here myself! But that beast wasn't something to underestimate. He was strong, he was agile, he was a monster."

Brook glared at the man, seething in rage as he bad-mouthed her husband. He should be afraid. "So why didn't you?" she spat. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance? Why don't you kill me now?"

Vincent's smile slowly dropped, stoically looking at the woman in front of him. He noticed the trembling receding from her form, her fists clenched on her sides despite the chains scratching her skin, and her eyes filled with fear burned in rage, flaming the internal fire in her pupils. 

She looked like a beast herself. 

He couldn't help but be amused. Spending an entire year in Africa certainly changed her. 

"That's the thing," Vincent spoke, tapping the bars with the gun. "I could have. I could have buried a bullet between your eyes, but that beast will come for me. It's unwise for me to die in such a brutal way."

"So why am I here?" Brook glared, but flinched back as Vincent slammed the but of his gun against the bars, causing a loud clang to echo in the lone walls. 

"Don't think for a second that I won't hesitate to do worse on you, Devil," he glared down at her. Brook stayed quiet, glaring at the man. Vincent sighed, backed off the bars, and turned away. "He'll come," he mused as the soft tapping of his cane echoed through the walls.

"I'll get rid of him...then I will finally kill you, just wait."

Brook stood silently, her lips quivering as tears finally fell heavily to her chest. Raising a hand to her mouth, she muffled her sobs as she dropped to her knees. Her body rushed in heat, her heart rapidly pounded in her chest. 

It was blurry. 

It was getting harder for her to breathe. Why can't she ever have a peaceful life? Is this her punishment? Is she going to spend her last moments waiting to be rescued once again only for the man capable of killing a child to kill her husband? 

Brook softly cried, leaning her head on the ground as she clenched her fists in defeat. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I'm scared. Please don't come, Love. I'm not worth it. Please!"

The lone woman cried in her cell, her body shivering from the cold but the rushing heart made her desperate. Hoping her prayers would reach the man who gave her a chance through hell. 

"..." Brook cried, dragging her fist from the ground and placing it against her chest. The thin vine comfortably wrapped around her ring finger. 

"...Please" she pleaded, shaking her head. She can't drag him more into her problems. She can't let him die because of her. She can't let him suffer because of her. She already lost her mother. She already lost her freedom. She already lost her father for sixteen years. 

Brook can't lose him too. He was her future. He was her bright future. She doesn't deserve him. She never did. It was too good to be true. She can't have him. 

She could never have him and she hated herself for it. If only she had normal-colored hair. If only she didn't have that god-forsaken red-blood hair. The same color everyone detested. 

"Your hair...looks like flames. I like it..."

Warm tears fell, dropping on the ground. Her eyes shut as she felt the heavy pain in her heart. She wanted him. She wanted him so badly. No matter how many times she's tried to push him away in the past, he always comes to her. All she wanted was to be selfish. To be happily in her beloved's arms. To be cuddled up in their bed in their home like nothing was wrong. 

Is it too selfish to think like that?

"Save me," she sobbed. "Please save me, Tarzan. I need you."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Tarzan shook his head, narrowing his eyes at his family. "No. I'm going alone."

"Not an option," Gray shook his head at him. "This is much my fight as it is yours, boy. My daughter is out there with that maniac. I'm going."

Archimedes nodded, "I am going as well."

Tantor stepped beside them, "I like Mrs. Tarzan. I want to go too!"

"Same here," Terk smirk. "Red must be scared out of her mind. So I'm going too."

Tarzan took a moment, frowning at his family. He doesn't know much about Vincent. But the moment he burned his home as a distraction to take Brook away from him and fled on a boat, he knew the man was intelligent and not someone to underestimate. And by Gray's behavior, the man was visibly trembling in rage. 

Tarzan understood. He knew that even if he went alone, Vincent was a powerful man with powerful allies. He's not certain if he brought his allies with him but Tarzan only needs to bring Brook back. His eyes narrowed in determination. Reaching over to his spear, he gripped it tightly before turning to the others. "We have to move fast," he spoke before running around the shore.

"We're right behind you!" he heard Archimedes call but he kept running ahead. Tarzan swore Brook wouldn't get hurt. He just hoped she could still hold on by the time he found her. And he will find her. He will also deal with Vincent, for what he put his mate through. He will make sure of it.

And so, Tarzan climbed to the nearest tree and swung on the vines. Although he couldn't track where the boat drove off. He last recalled the boat staying near the beach so he will start there. But as he swung on the vines for a while, he couldn't help but ponder at the side of the jungle he was going to. 

It almost felt familiar to him. Recalling the time the president of the United States was kidnapped with Brook and took them far into the jungle and out of sight to an abandoned city. Tarzan's eyes narrowed, perhaps he could start from there. Stopping on a branch, he looked back to look for his family. It took them a while, but Tarzan spotted the group walking towards him. 

Tarzan couldn't help but look at the sun, frowning as the sky finally stopped raining but the clouds still lingered, covering it completely to a shade of grey. Tarzan dropped down from the tree, landing in front of the group. "I know where we could start searching," Tarzan spoke up. 

"Really?" Terk and Gray asked simultaneously. Unfortunately, Gray couldn't understand what the ape spoke but solely focused on Tarzan's words. "Where?"

"There's an abandoned city around here," Tarzan informed. "It would take us a while to get there on foot but it's not too far from here." 

"Then there's no more time to lose," Gray clenched his jaw. The moment he saw her again, the moment he heard her and held her again, Gray knew that he wouldn't make the same mistake as last time. And won't make the same mistake about Vincent. He will kill him. 

Tarzan followed next to them, keeping quiet as he concentrated on a plan. Thinking it logically, he should be the one to find Brook. He is more familiar with the area but...glancing at the man on top of the elephant. Brook's father's eyes were dark. Revengeful and loss. Tarzan understood but knew it wasn't right. 

After a few more hours walking past the beach, Tarzan spotted the boat as he predicted. Running down the small hill, he rushed over and looked down at the beige sand. Narrowing his eyes, footprints led to the jungle. There was only a person's footprints. Just one. 

"They're close," Tarzan spoke up, turning his head to the footsteps' direction. He was right. Vincent was heading towards the abandoned city. With that, he and the others followed the tracks. 

Terk frowned, "What is this place? I've never been in this side of the jungle."

Tantor hummed, agreeing to her words. "Yeah, it's kind of spooky."

"Hunt took the president and Brook here last time," Tarzan kept walking. "There's an abandoned city around here. Vincent must have brought her here."

Gray blinked, turning to the man on the ground. "Hunt? Thaddeus Hunt? That bastard is still alive? Who would have thought..." he muttered under his breath, surprised to hear a familiar name. 

Tarzan glanced up at him while continuing to walk. "You knew him?"

But Gray shook his head, "Not personally. But I heard of him recently. Known for attempting to kidnap the president of the United States a while ago. What the hell was he doing here in Africa?"

Terk scoffed, crossing her arms. "Kidnapping the said president and your daughter."

Gray glanced at her but turned away, unsure of what she said, and turned to Tarzan. "You said Hunt kidnapped my daughter and kept her around this area?" He frowned, sounding like a question but knowing he didn't want to know the answer. Even when Brook stayed in the jungle, many attempted to take her away. 

Tarzan watched his expression, turning back to the footprints. "...Yes. But I always save her. And this is no different."

Gray dryly chuckled, "I hope so, boy."

The group stayed quiet, unsure of what the outcome would be like from now on. But it will always be the same. Brook will be rescued and back to their family. 

Finding broken bricks on the side, Tarzan crouched low as he crawled over to the edge of the hill. His eyes narrowed on the broken building below. It was the same as he remembered. For the dark sky was still evident, Tarzan took notice of the lit-up torches around the center of the city. 

Archimedes, Terk, and Gray got off of Tantor and crouched beside Tarzan, looking down at the city. 

"I didn't know there was a city around here," Archimedes watched in awe. It would have been interesting to learn more about it. 

Gray frowned, "Something doesn't feel right." The uncomfortable feeling in his chest appeared, making him frown deeper. He did not like this at all. 

"What do you mean?" Archimedes turned to him. 

Gray frowned, nodding to the center of the building. "If Vincent didn't want to be followed or found, why just light up torches right in the center of the city? Why leave tracks for us to find?"

Tarzan's eyes narrowed, "He's waiting for us."

Gray narrowed his eyes as well. Vincent was conniving and intelligent. What is he planning? Is it an ambush? Gray looked around but didn't see anyone around in the darkness. He gritted his teeth. Are they hiding in the shadows, waiting to get them and kill them? 

Gray wouldn't matter if Vincent ended up killing him. He long has accepted that after that night. But his daughter and his son-in-law were on the line along with Archimedes and Tarzan's friends. He sighed, turning to Tarzan. "What's the plan?"

Tarzan gripped his spear, "We go in."

A/N: Hi guys! I thought of doing a little AI of our sweet Brook. What do you think? See you guys later!

Published: December 6, 2023

Word Count: 2571