Red Princess

56. Father and Son

Seydon

"Sey..."

"Sey... don't look."

"But mama-"

"Don't you understand me? I asked you to close your eyes and cover your ears! No matter what happens, you won't crawl out of the closet!"

She pushed me in, and before I could struggle to get back up on my feet, she slammed the door shut and locked it with the key.

"Mama! Why are you doing this!" I banged on the door with my tiny fisted hands, my eyes tearing up. Mama never treated me this way before. Is she punishing me for something I did? Did I do something wrong? Is this about the test paper I hid from her?

I couldn't see but I could hear her. I could feel her on the other side of the door. As if she was crouching down and leaning her head against mine with the wooden door between us.

"I love you, Sey... So much... Don't ever forget that... Please... Just do as I say... Help will be here soon."

I was lost to my core. As she asked me to, I squatted down silently but decided to glimpse out once through the keyhole.

Help!

Help!

Somebody help her! Somebody save my mother!

I woke up with a jerk, panting and sweating in the humid little room we had rented just opposite to one of the suspected hideouts of Gilaan. They were not the ideal accommodations that I could hope for, but we had to do away with them anyway. I glanced at the curtained window where the Red Phoenix stood with a pair of night vision binoculars in his hand, stealthily peeking outside through a small opening in the drapes.

"Sleep well, kid?" He inquired, not hauling his eyes away from the window. He kept a toothpick stuck between his teeth, and if it were any other person, I'd have laughed at them and accused them of trying to act cool, but I couldn't dare to do that. Not to him. He was one fearsome opponent.

"Any sign of Gilaan?" I didn't want to small talk or beat around the bush. The best way to deal with a much more intimidating person than you was to keep a no-bullshit attitude.

"None." He answered as he pushed the toothpick to the other extreme.

Tsk. He plays the game better than I do.

I paced towards the mini refrigerator to fetch myself some water. As I gulped down the liquid, I stepped in his direction, curious about the scenery outside. I parted the curtains slightly. We were high up on the tenth floor, way beyond their line of sight. Yet caution was non-negotiable. I glanced down at the two-storey abandoned warehouse that was reported to be the last place Gilaan was sighted at. He may have been long gone, but this was the best lead we got.

"I can bet a thousand bucks you weren't assigned on this mission by The Order."

Look at me spouting small talk myself! I must be really bored! Well, it doesn't hurt to socialise with your partner.

I hardly ever met with Alice's father. In fact I met him exactly once when I came to rescue Alice. It wasn't even a real rendezvous. He never made an effort to meet me either. Perhaps it was because of the conflicting nature of the powers we possessed.

I just needed to read his mind.

He just needed to ask the right questions.

I had some secrets. He had things he had been hiding from us. Both of us didn't want the other person to know, and I can bet his thoughts mirrored mine. It was like a tacit understanding between us. We would never come face to face.