"Episode 47 - Hunting humans is better."    

When I returned to my room, Elena was still sound asleep. I slid in from behind her, wrapped my arm around her torso and pulled her closer. She didn't jump anymore when someone touched her while she was asleep. Suddenly, an imaged flashed before my eyes.

A normal suburban house, white picket fence, a couple of trees here and there. Maybe a front garden and a pool at the back, something simple and calm. For someone who wanted the world couple of months ago, who wanted the blood of politicians responsible for my friend's deaths, didn't really seem to care about the lavish life anymore.

Being with Elena made me feel normal. Maybe she'll let me turn the basement into a torture room and I could still carry on my quest to torture the people who ruined my life or my friends. That would be fun.

An evil smile stretched across my lips when I imaged Elena coming down the stairs to find one of our enemies hanging upside from the ceiling, confessing there crimes and just roll her eyes. Now I sounded like a serial killer. Again, what the hell was wrong with me?

I couldn't believe I, finally, found my match.

Jamie and I were stressing over a legit business deal in Capone's office, when he finally strolled in around 11 am the next morning. His nose was the only thing in a plaster but the black eyes still remained the same. He was supposed to speak to the CEO of a fast food franchise called Urbaners that sold unusual fusion of food that actually went well together. It was the most popular with the millennials.

Capone wanted to buy an old club, renovate it and rent it out to Urbaners. Not only that, he wanted to buy shares, including an opportunity for future investments. I had to give him credit, he was smart when it came to business. Morally, he was Satan's brother.

The real Satan was Jude. I knew what he looked like, who he was or still is, his talents, the murders he committed, literally, everything I could know about him, I knew. Including his shoe size. As a Seal, we relied on intel that's what I was doing. Making sure I knew everything about my enemy. The only thing I didn't know and wished I knew was where the hell he was.

Finally, when Chef Orzo entered the room with his team following behind him with silver domes on trays, Jamie and I decided to get lunch. Anywhere but Urbaners.

"That shit sounds crazy man." He laughed stuffing his face with a cheese steak sandwich we got from subway. I only nodded, sending Elena an image of the food. She replied soon after with a sad face emoji.

"Is that Elena." Jamie asked.

"Yeah." I replied, absent minded.

"You two are really serious." Putting my phone away, I started to eat.

"Yup." He nodded his head.

"So, the fact that she stuck a knife through his heart didn't bother you." It clearly bothered him

"Nope. You do know what I ordered to get rid of it right?" I countered, defending her.

"Yes, but you were trained to."

"Yes, she was abused into." He suddenly quietened after my retort.

"I didn't mean-"

"I know." I shook my head.

"How bad was it?" He seemed curious but cautious at the same time.

"She was kidnapped as a kid, abused in every single way until Jude had to leave to evade murder charges. Oh, get this, Lydia, blackmailed the guy Jude was with to testify against him. Now, that killed the guy in prison and his family, Jude's coming back." I made sure no one was around us.

"What the fuck did we walk into?" He looked somewhat baffled. "I just wanted a simple job where I couldn't go to jail, I didn't know he was that bad. I mean, I guessed that there were at least like tax frauds and stuff, white collar crimes. But not this deep." He explained.

"Yeah but what kind of an institution that straight would give you a job with a record?" It wasn't an insult, by far from it. He was one of the smartest people I knew. It's just that the system was rigged against him the minute he to prison.

"True." He shrugged.

"You should tell your mom that you're a lawyer now." I suggested.

"I don't even have her number." He confessed.

"I'm sorry man. Do you have her letters? Maybe write back?" He contemplated for a good long minute.

"It doesn't matter really. Their daughters are probably something big and amazing and doesn't need me in their life." He complained.

"Maybe." I didn't know why I was pushing this. Maybe I accidently called George dad and wanted them to meet Elena.

"Thing is, I want her to suffer. Is that so disgusting of me to want? I suffered a lot as a kid. I remember when I told her that her hatred drove me away and I remember her so shocked. She said she never hated me and when I asked why she acted like that, I could literally see the light bulb turn on."

"Did your dad ever come to your trial?" I wondered.

"I haven't seen him since he dropped me off to my mom's." He sighed.

"You've been in there for so long, it's like you were trapped in a time capsule. Everything here has moved on and you're still holding onto that kid who just wanted affection. It's time for you to move on too if you're not willing to go back to make amends." He looked like I had punched him instead of telling him the truth. I could tell he was hurting but he had a choice to make, like we all did.

To give up or survive.

Hopefully, he'll choose the latter option.

I'd been texting Elena all day after lunch but had yet to receive a reply. At first I thought she was playing with me but then I realised that if she wanted to mess with me, she'd send me a provocative image of her. Teasing me. Tempting me but the silence was different.

I had sent Jamie home earlier, to check on her and when he texted me back saying he couldn't find her anywhere in the mansion, my heart started to pound against my ribcage.

Me: Where are you?

I quickly texted Elena before moving onto Jamie.

Me: If Yashiko is moving around you or you've bumped into him more than once today, stop looking for her and stay put. I'm coming.

Jamie: FUCK. He's here.

Me: Who? Yashiko?

Jamie: Yes.

Me: Stay put, I'm coming.

I didn't know where Elena was or knew what the hell was going on but I knew one thing for sure. Yashiko knew what the hell was going and I was going to use every tactic I was taught, every tactic that was used on me, to get the information out.

I drove like a maniac, heart thumping against my chest, wondering what happened to her. If someone was hurting her right now.

"AHHH!" I screamed in anger. How the fuck did this happen all of a sudden? Was I that invested in her that I didn't even recognise the threat level around me?

My hands tightened around the steering wheel, veins pulsed along my arm. I couldn't live without her. I wasn't sane without her.

"FUCK. FUCK." I shouldn't have pulled Jamie out of the mansion the same time as me and Jake was always on night duty. I fucked up. I didn't think it through. "FUCK." I tried to slow down as I neared the mansion. I quickly picked up my disposable cell and called Ross. It took a couple of rings before he answered.

"Who is this?"

"Look, I think someone took Elena. Capone is at the mansion and I have a feeling that Jude is already here. I didn't know that he was getting back this quick but Elena has been taken and I'm going to get her back. I need you get me and her out." I demanded, desperately.

"FUCK." He whispered. I heard some commotion and the door being closed. "You're not my boss."

"You want Capone, I'll hand him over on a silver platter but I need Elena and I to be safe. Jake McKenna has my fake I.D.s and tell him to stay away. He needs to get out of town too. Get in touch with him, figure some shit out because if something happens to Elena, you don't want a serial killer lose in your town killing every politician or billionaire in this town."

"I'll see what I can do. Get me Capone." Selfish bastard. The world was a sinister world and it was starting to get a lot darker for me. "What are you going to do now?"

"What I do best." I remained vague.

"Which is?" He inquired.

"Hunt."

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