Donnie's Ranting Mind: Stolen Love (1)

Chapter 15: A Warrior Speaks

Brandon and Logan entered the Police Headquarters side-by-side.

They were greeted by Jade, Chief Vincent's assistant.

"You must be Brandon?" Jade asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," Brandon responded with a nod.

"Chief Vincent said you would like to talk to the family of Zuzanna Kaminski?"

"Correct."

"Follow me," Jade said. "We have them in a private room."

Brandon looked at Logan and jerked his head slightly toward the chairs in the waiting area. Logan got the message and sat down.

Brandon followed Jade down a maze of hallways before arriving at the door of a private room.

"They are already in there. Take all the time you need," Jade said before opening the door. Brandon entered.

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Brandon stood in the doorway after he closed it. Cepos, Filip, and Zahra all looked at him. His breath caught in his throat.

"I... I'm so sorry about Zuzanna," Brandon whispered once he finally gathered his bearings. Cepos nodded but remained silent.

"Thank you," Filip said, holding his sister's hand. "It means a lot."

Brandon nodded. He took a deep breath. With it, he approached the table they were sitting at and sat across from them.

"Just after she died, I died, too. The... The first time, we were still in the containment units that... Stockman put us in." Brandon spat Stockman's name like a bad taste in his mouth. He looked at his hands and fidgeted. "She told me about how you and she met, Cepos, and how you saved her life and several others after she got into a plane crash when that 'threat from the sky' came about."

Cepos smiled slightly- ever so slightly.

"I remember. I would have rather died thinking I saved her than live knowing I didn't that day," Cepos said sadly. "I love her so much more than my heart can hold." Brandon nodded.

"She told me that story because I knew my partner- my fiancé- was going to come with their brothers and rescue us, but I was starting to doubt it. But she told me that she didn't doubt you would come for her that day because she knew how much you love her, and she trusted that you would be there before First Responders."

Cepos smiled a little more.

"And I would do it again," Cepos said. He finally made eye contact with Brandon. "Did your fiancé ever come?"

"Yes. They came with their three brothers," Brandon responded. "I didn't doubt them after I spoke to Zuzanna."

Brandon took a deep breath.

"The second time I died- when I spoke to her again- she told me to tell you something as well. All three of you." Filip and Zahra looked up at Brandon.

"What is it?" Zahra asked.

The room's temperature rose to a comfortable warm, like a fresh cup of hot cocoa on a winter evening. Brandon's eyes started to water.

"Not a moment went by where she didn't think about you, and she was trying to fight for you. Her... Her death was quick and painless. And... She said that her transition forward was made peaceful by a young gentleman who was stronger than anyone in that space and practically died not once but twice in an act of rebellion to try and save everyone else."

"That young gentleman was you, wasn't it?" Zahra asked. Brandon nodded.

"I'm proud to know that I was able to help her as much as she helped me," Brandon said.

Zahra stood and walked around the table. She sat in the chair next to Brandon and looked him in the eyes. Her green eyes looked identical to Zuzanna's as they filled with tears.

"Thank you for helping her move forward peacefully," Zahra whispered to him. "I know she appreciates it."

Zahra wrapped her arms around him. Brandon tensed for a moment, then hugged her back. Brandon didn't know what words to use to express his emotions, so he just hugged Zahra that much tighter.

Filip stood and approached his sister, tapping her shoulder. She released Brandon and stood, letting Filip take her seat. He looked directly at Brandon, his blue eyes that much more intense and wet with tears.

"Thank you for everything," Filip said before hugging Brandon. Brandon hugged him back just as tight.

Cepos soon repeated his son's previous action and tapped Filip's shoulder. Once Filip sat up, Cepos sat in the seat. Cepos also looked Brandon directly in the eyes. Brandon knew immediately that Filip got his eyes from his father.

Cepos didn't need to say anything to express how much he appreciated Brandon's help.

Cepos broke down as he hugged Brandon the hardest by far. Brandon's eyes overflowed and he, too, started to cry. Zahra and Filip put a hand on both men, whispering in Swahili.

They said prayers of peace for their father, prayers of tranquility for their mother's soul, and prayers of gratefulness for their new friend.

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Logan went back to the apartment as Brandon stayed with the family until Zuzanna's body was returned that evening. Brandon noticed her body was free of dust and her cuts were stitched up; the team must have done that on the way back from Red House.

When Cepos saw Zuzanna, he fell backward subconsciously onto Brandon.

Brandon knelt to the ground- not only due to the taller man's weight, but also his own shock.

Zuzanna looked awful.

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