Interwoven

Chapter 2

//Case File 100697//
The Life and Death of Storm Aldemir

[[Error: Information of Guardian 100227 Redacted]]
[[Authorisation: Commander Zavala]]

As Storm stepped into her flat, she stumbled over a pair of sneakers strewn in front of the door. Groaning, she shouted out, "[Redacted] stop leaving your shoes in front of the door! I almost fall every single time!"

[Redacted] poked his head around the corner grinning, "Sorry sorry, I got excited for our sibling game night!" He paused realizing the a discoloration on her cheek before noticing it was a bruise. Quickly speed walking to her, her grabbed her face and looked at it intently, his voice serious, "What happened? Please tell me one of the kids you teach at the Dojo turned into a mini hulk or something. Tell me this is from one of the kids." His eyes were pleading and Storm couldn't find the words to lie to him. Her eyes said it all, how it wasn't the kids she taught.

On her way home from her work, she was dragged into an alleyway and beat, left with the threat that [Redacted] had a month to pay back his debts or things would get much worse. As she explained this to her brother, she watched his eyes fill with rage before simmering down and his entire face filled with shame. These were his debts, his little sister shouldn't be dragged into this.

He knew the only reason his "debt collectors" went after Storm was because his wife and son were hiding states away until the debt issue passed. Taking a deep shakey breath, he grabbed an ice pack from her freezer and handed it to her. "Come on sis, let's have our day together. I'll fix this. I promise." His voice seemed different as he made his promise, but Storm brushed it off as being tired and weak from work and the alleyway incident.

After she showered and threw on some comfy clothing, she made her way to the living room where [Redacted] sat and grinned. "So what's the game we're playing today big brother?" Her eyes looking around for any type of board game. Instead he brought out two Wii controllers smirking "Just Dance time dragonfly!" This made Storm audibly groan, both at the game and also the nickname. Playfully glaring at her brother, she walked over as [Redacted] stood up and they started up the game.

After a few hours of yelling and jokingly sabotaging the other mid-dance battle, Storm was fast asleep on the couch. [Redacted] pulled a blanket on top of her, crouching beside her. He sighed seeing the bruise on her cheek again. This was all his fault. And they even said it would get worse. He couldn't do that to his little sister. Not his little dragonfly. Coming to a single thought, he kissed his sisters forehead, murmuring how much he loved her before walking out of the apartment and unknowingly to Storm, out of her life.

~*~

When [Redacted] didn't text or call Storm back for a week, she brushed it off as he lost his phone again. But when he missed Sibling Game Night, she knew something was wrong. Arriving to his breaking down apartment building, she ran up the stairs knocking hastily. To her surprise, someone else answered the door. They had moved in two weeks ago saying that the previous tenant just up and left from what the landlord had told them. Heartbroken, Storm stumbled down the street. Her brother had left? Was he okay? Was it an emergency? He'd come back, right? Right...?

For months after that, Storm would rush to her phone at any call or text notification. She couldn't even get ahold of her sister-in-law. After a few months, Storm came to the conclusion that her brother really had abandoned her. She knew that since she wasn't getting threatened anymore that he probably had found a solution for his debt, but she didn't care. He had swore to her that he would always be there. "No matter what" he had promised. But even with the belief he abandoned her, she still hoped he was at least alive and well. And he was...and wasn't.