Black Mask [formerly known as The Street Fighter]- BOOK I

TWENTY- FIVE: IS IT REALLY OVER?

TWENTY FIVE: IS IT REALLY OVER?

A man, splayed on the bed. Limbs, still. Completely still, almost dead.

There, he opened his eyes only to see a wall of white. Vision, blurred. Head, throbbing and pounding in pain. Struggling to sit up, he blinked a few times adjusting to the brightness of the room. He felt a hand on him assisting him. Looking over, he found a stranger. A stranger he would soon recognize as Eli Torres, the man who saved his life months ago.

"Easy there, man." he said.

"Where am I?" Matt asked.

"You're in a hospital," Eli answered while calling a doctor.

"How long was I out for?" he asked.

Meanwhile a doctor walked in.

"Almost eight months."

"Good Morning, Mr. West. I'm Dr. Morrison. How are you feeling?"

"I feel like a truck ran me over a few times then went around again for good measure," was all he said just before he held. "And I'm having this horrible headache."

The doctor nodded. "Noted. I'm going to run a few tests on you just to make sure things are running smoothly. However, I commend you."

"Why?" he asked.

"Not a lot of people can say that they suffered a great deal of damage and wake up from a coma this quickly. Usually it would take a year or even longer," Eli explained. "Especially in a situation like your daughter's."

"Riley. Where is she?" Matt asked, quickly. "How do you know her?"

"Stupid me, I haven't properly introduced myself. Please excuse my manners. My name is Eli Torres. I'm a friend and business partner with your daughter. I'm also responsible for helping her save you from the man who's been hunting her for a while."

Matt nodded. "Where is she?"

Playing with the plan, Eli had hung his head low. For a second, he brought himself to a somber mood. "She's here, but she can't see you."

"Why?"

Eli then explained everything to Matt. Seeing as he understood, Eli knew that Matt was disappointed. It was obvious. It was written all over the man's face. Matt tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way, you know." Eli told him.

Matt sighed in disappointment. "I wish none of this happened. I wish Sylvia wasn't involved. But the past is the past. Nothing can change. I just hope those two win that trial today."

"Oh, they will. Trust me."

***

The moment was here. The final moment.

Wearing fitted black suits, Cameron and Eli sat in the brown, wooden chairs set in front of the judge. Carlos, Chairman Masters, Rodney and Nathan with their lawyer across from them. This was it. The end. For the Castro family, of course.

"We are gathered for Cameron v. The FBI case." the security announced.

The trial began and the entire room fell to silence as the judge began to speak.

"Mr. Newman, fill me in on everything," the judge said.

Cameron disclosed everything including all of the explicit details that he could remember. It was as clear as day. As he spoke, he showed them some of his scars. All of the proof that Eli garnered, was set in front of them.