Reincarnation

33

Flashback to Monday

'Baby. What are you doing here?' Arielle gasped, once her eyes fixed on Alex. He was covered for head to toe in bruises and dark, red blood. His clothes ripped and dirty. Eyes not holding as much light as they used to. But his smile was stretching wider with every look at his fiancé. 'How did you get out?'

'I have a lot of explaining to do, but we have to get out of here now' Alex murmured, leaning down to peck Arielle's lips. 'Hurry'. He grabbed her hand, running down the hallway and out of the door in the mansion.

'Alex, the kids. I can't leave them' Arielle sighed, trying to squirm out of his grasp. But it was useless, Alex was determined and nothing could stop him.

'We'll get caught. Run' He hissed, turning the corner. 'Before Cheuk finishes checking the rooms'.

'Baby, I can't leave, I have work to do here'.

Alex turned on his heels, standing face to face with the love of his life. He brought his clammy, bruised hands to meet her face, cupping her cheeks delicately and brushing his fingers over her lips. 'We have to go' he whispered, his lips too close to her face for her to even focus on what was being said.

'The kids. Kaycee. Did you see her? Oh, she'll be thrilled' Arielle exclaimed, rising on her toes.

'I d-did see-'

'Thought you could get away?' The loud voice echoed across the hallway. 'Really? You know I'm better than that' the man smirked, his shoes clicking against the wooden tiles. 

'Sir Cheuk. How are you?' Arielle bowed, her chest heaving up and down. 

'Couldn't be better. Caught two traitors in one day, isn't that incredible? And I think you know where more are hidden'.

'I-I don't know what you're t-talking about' Arielle muttered, wincing as Alex gripped her hand tighter. 

'Does Kaycee ring a bell? I've been following you around for some time now, no point in denying it. Where is she?'

'Um-uh I-uh' Arielle stuttered, unable to comprehend the situation she was stuck in. 

'Hands off her, Alex.' Cheuk instructed. Alex took in a large gulp, raising his hands in surrender as Mr. Sophus attached cuffs to his wrist.

'Will, take him away. Both of them actually' Cheuk ordered, swirling his tongue inside his mouth.

'You're in shit' Will hissed, pointing a finger to his face. 'You murderer'.

'Murderer?' Arielle asked softly. 'Alex is not a murderer. Don't you ever call him that'

'Guess you don't know him as well as you thought you did'. 

Alex bowed his head in shame, allowing himself to be once more captured and locked away by his own brother. 'The past doesn't define me, it's my greatest teacher' he retorted, once he was locked away in another room that pretty much was a prison cell.

'Write that down' Cheuk ordered Will, throwing a notepad to his face. Will caught it regardless of the bitterness that shivered down his spine, repeating Alex's sentence over and over again in his head.

'Done' Will whispered, ripping the page out of the book and handing it to Cheuk. The older man grabbed the pen out of Will's hand, using his fancy cursive writing to write down the letter C.