The Vigilante's Code (A Watch Dogs Fanfic)

13. Burn Alive

Later that night, Aiden arrived at his motel room and turned on his computer.
"Son of a bitch. Fucking Merlaut job. Alright Damien, let's see if there's something you missed." Aiden said to himself.
"Right there." Aiden found a corrupted video and he couldn't see much of it.
"Dammit!" Aiden punched the table.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from the other room. He took out his gun in a matter of second and pointed it towards the door, only to see Clara coming out.
"Hey! It's me! You called me here." She jumped, scared.
"Shit. I have a lot on my mind." Aiden put his gun down.
"Yeah..." Clara looked at him.
"Okay, come here. Take a look at this." He said, pointing at the corrupted video recording. The image obliviously portrayed a woman, but it was blurred and distorted.
"Who is she?" asked Clara.
"I don't know. And the file's corrupted. Do you have any ideas how to make the video play?"
Clara pressed on a few buttons on the computer and tried to solve the problem but she couldn't.
"This isn't fixable. You'll need the original."
"I'm running a search on the ctOS access." Aiden turned back to the computer.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."
"See, I don't think he knows about this. He would have bragged. I know him." Aiden said, while still working on the computer.
"Who would have bragged?"
"She might be a lead... Or not. I gotta stay a step ahead of him." He said, nervously.
"Are you in trouble?" Clara asked as Aiden showed her an IP address on the computer screen, the one Damien wanted him to trace.
"An IP address." Clara said, suspiciously.
"Yeah he gave that to me. Can you find where it leads?"
"What is all of this? Aiden, answer me. I'm not doing anything until-"
"He took her, Clara. He's using my sister as a collateral."
"Oh my God. The man we traced?"
"Yeah. Damien. Damien Brenks."
Clara seemed unnaturally nervous. "I... I can't help you. I'm going to go. We'll talk later. Right? After you've done." She said and prepared to leave.
All of a sudden, Aiden heard noises in the parking lot.
"Shh." Aiden went across a wall and made a sign for Clara to come.
"What's happening?" Clara was getting scared.
"Cover your ears." Aiden said as he got his phone out of his pocket.
Aiden pressed a button and made his computer systems explode. Men started shooting all over the place and a few entered Aiden's room.
"Grab the drive! Go!" Aiden yelled, while shooting the enemies.
"I have it!" She shouted, grabbing the drive from the desk. The both ran through the exit, but at the same time, a guy came from behind a wall and took Clara. Aiden shot him with precision and got Clara back.
On the way out of the motel, he protected her from all of the other shooters.
"Go! Get in the car! I'll finish here." He said as Clara left.

After Aiden was done with the fixers, he made a run for himself until he was completely safe, and then he called Clara.
"Clara, are you okay?"
"Of course I'm not 'okay'! God. Who are you?"
"I don't know how to answer that."
"I know a place where we can talk."

Aiden took a car and drove to the meeting place.
On his way there, Damien called.
"The TV is reporting a fire at the Owl Motel. You can't just check out like everyone else? He asked.
"When have I ever done like someone else?"
"Are we bantering? It's been so long I'm tongue-tied."
"Savor it. Cause you're not gonna see yet again. I've lost my network. I'm gonna need some equipment." Said Aiden.
"Not my concern. You didn't want to work as a team. This is your problem, you figure it out. But do it quick, I need your head in the game. Hey, sweetheart, your brother wants to talk." Damien said as he put Nicky on the phone.
"Aiden? Jacks, is my baby okay?" She asked.
"He's safe. Where are you?"
"I don't know. It's cold. I was blindfolded the whole day. I'm scared, Aiden."
"I know you are and I'm getting you out. Look, I know Damien. He's not crazy, he won't hurt you. Just be careful around him."
"What do you mean you know him? He kidnapped me!"
"He's trying to get to me through you."
"What-"
Nicky was cut off and Damien was back on the line.
"Time's up. My God, what did you say to her? The poor girl is in tears." Said Damien.
"Damien put her back on."
"You want to continue your little chat, you follow that IP address and get something I can use. Ta-ta." Damien hung up.
"Alright. She's safe, for now. She's somewhere cold. Maybe outdoors. I'll keep her talking and maybe I can find where she is." Aiden said to himself as he approached the place where he was supposed to meet Clara.

Meanwhile, Eva was watching the TV news report.
"A fire occurred at the Owl Motel today. The police are thoroughly investigating the scene and it is believed that the fire was caused by spontaneous explosions. Traces of bullets and shooting were also found. There were a few victims, and they've been taken care of at the Chicago Central Hospital. We'll keep you up with the latest news."
"Oh my God... Aiden." Eva couldn't believe her eyes. She grabbed her phone and dialed Damien's number.
"Is this your dirty work?" She asked.
"My my, Eva. When will you ever grow up? You don't just call people like that and start the dialogue with a question." Damien shrugged.
"Answer me. RIGHT. NOW."
"Well, keep your voice down. Probably yes probably no. But what do I have to tell you? You're his girlfriend. Or... Was." Damien laughed.
"I'll get you, you piece of shit. And I'll make you suffer."
"Such strong words from a girl that could barely get out of an unlocked room." Damien laughed again.
"I know it was your brother's work. I got what Aiden needed from him when I was there. Let's say he won't bother us anymore."
"Look, I don't care. Do whatever you like with your Aiden. He has to finish some work for me and that's all j need him for. I was wrong about you. You're just like him. An annoying piece of trash."
"Speak for yourself Damien. Without us you would've been nowhere by now."
"True. Without Aiden, yes. But without you, of course not. You're good for nothing, Eva. I could've hired somebody else to set up the apartment in the Loop. It wasn't that big of a deal."
"You're so dead, Damien."
"Oh. You are already. Aiden's with someone else and you're left all alone. No family, no friends. Nobody."
"Aiden's with someone else?" Eva bit on her lip.
"Yes, my darling! He gets over people as fast as he changes socks." Damien laughed.
"Alright then. Thanks for the tip. Although you'll regret it."
"My pleasure, darling. Another advice, don't come into our lives anymore."
"Bye Damien." Eva ended the phone call.
"Seems like Aiden's got a new life. Well... There's only one person I can call." She dialed a number on her phone.
"Hey, princess."
"Hey, Jordi. Can you come over?"
"To where?" Jordi asked.
"To my place, I hope you haven't forgotten where it is."
"Of course not. I'll be there." He hung up.

Half an hour later, Jordi knocked on Eva's door.
"Hey. I heard what happened." He said as he sat on the sofa.
"Yeah. I need you to help me get there. Is that possible?" She sat beside him.
"Well... As a matter of fact, not really. The place is all burned out, there's nothing left."
"I know there is."
"Alright but where's Aiden?" Jordi asked.
Eva looked down and tried to hold her tears.
"Ah I see. How did that happen?"
"We both did huge mistakes."
"Haven't you tried to fix them?"
"No, it's too late. He's with somebody else. Do you know anything about 'her'?" She looked at Jordi with her watery eyes.
"Yeah. He's been talking to some Clara girl, but I don't know what's their business with each other."
"Clara... I see."
"Do you... Need any help?"
"No..." Tears fell down on her cheeks.
"Hey. Eva." Jordi took his glove off and wiped her tears with his hand. "It's going to be alright."
She hugged him tightly. Jordi was a bit surprised, but then hugged her back. "I know he loves you, and nobody else."
"How do you know?" She asked, sobbing.
"The way he looks at you says it all. You see I've been through human psychology and I've stumbled upon quite interesting things. But what I know for sure is that he truly loves you. Even though he might not seem like it sometimes, but believe me, he does."
"You think so?" Eva looked at him and wiped her tears.
"Absolutely. I've never been proven wrong before."
"But what about the other girl?"
"I think she just works with him, that's all."
"But what if..."
"No what ifs. That's how it is. He doesn't talk to her the same way he talks to you and that makes a huge difference. Plus..."
"Plus?"
"He has your picture with him all the time."
"Really?"
"Yes. I've seen it. He looks at it at times."
"Aiden..."
"Eva, look. Love stays. Even if you're angry or upset with your loved one, it's still there. Because your heart chose that one person and it won't easily give up on that choice."
"He shouldn't have confessed."
"Actually... I pushed him to. He liked you but he didn't have the guts to say it."
"You did what?"
"Yeah, the night you got shot and I was here to give you medical assistance. He sat here blaming himself for everything that has happened to you. I saw how much he cared, and that was another Aiden. Not the Vigilante, but the other, good-caring side of him."
"I never knew. Thanks Jordi. You made me feel better."
"It's always my pleasure, princess." He kissed her cheek and stood up. "I think I should go for now. Will you be alright on your own?" He walked towards the entrance door.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Alright."
"Jordi wait!" She ran up to him.
"Yeah?" He looked at her.
Eva gave him a kiss back on his cheek and hugged him again. He smiled.
"I love you, Jordi. You're the best."
"Oh I love you too, Eva. Take good care of yourself alright? And don't make me worry."
"I will."
Jordi closed the door behind himself.
Eva ran up to the window and waved at him. He waved back.
"Sweet sweet princess." He said to himself as he drove off.