Merciless

Chapter 3

It was nearly seven in the evening and Niko has yet returned home. Sitting on the dining table with the already prepared dinner, Sierra anxiously waited for her son.

Where could he be, he can't be far right?

I should've ran after him.

She stood up wandering back and forth around the dining table and pondered whether she should go look for him or not.

'you're the reason he's dead!'

But those words kept echoing inside her mind, holding her back. Sierra has always been known as a fearless woman. She's never scared of anyone or anything, even her father nor death. But when it comes to her husband and son it became a whole different story. The fear of lost, the fear of one's safety is immeasurable, and so is the fear of being resented.

Before she could think any further the front door opened. Without thinking of who could it be she hastily ran towards it to find her son standing by the door. She immediately hugged him tightly while stroking the back of Niko's head.

"Where have you been? Don't ever run off like that!" Realizing her tone of voice she calmed herself down.

"No, I'm sorry sweetie. I'm just worried." She unwrapped herself from Niko, with hands still on his shoulders.

"I should've told you sooner. I know you deserve the truth, and I was going to tell you. I never want you to find out this way."

"It's okay mom, I understand." Niko held his mom's hand to calm her down. "And about the things I've said earlier, I didn't mean any of it. I'm sorry too." He gave a defeated smile.

A shred of relief washed over Sierra at that moment. She knew there's still a long way ahead of them, but as for then seeing her son back home safely was more than enough.

"It's all fine." Sierra pecked her son's forehead then stood up and head for the dining room. "Well then, you must be hungry. I've cooked your favorite, pork cutlet curry."

The dinner was silent. Only the clattering sound of cutleries hitting the plates that filled the room. Well, they both clearly didn't expect to be all jolly after the death of a family member. But the situation still left Sierra concerned.

She wanted to discussed more about their current family state, and what will come next for them. But she couldn't, not after the unexpected big reveal a few hours ago. She wanted to make Niko feel as comfortable as he could. And bringing the 'family matter' topic to the table that night wouldn't help. After a few quick glances she decided to engage a small talk.

"So, where did you go earlier?" 

"I went to Dewey's." Without looking at his mother he continued to cut the pork cutlet.

"Oh." Was what Sierra could only utter from his short response. And another awkward silence fell between them.

Niko sensed his mother discomfort across the table. He didn't mean to cause it, it's just that his mind wandered somewhere else. It wandered to his early conversation with his grandfather. He knew that his mother wouldn't be happy with his decision, nor would she even approve.

"Mom, I want us to live at grandpa's"

But for their sake he had to say it. He must. He already had a resolution, and he planned to keep it. Whatever his mother's reaction would be, he was prepared.

A clatter was heard across Niko. He raised his head to meet his mother stunned expression.

"Co- come again?" Thinking she might had misheard him Sierra asked.

"I want us to live at grandpa's." Said with a more resolute tone. "The place can offer us protection since he must have an army of trained armed men, and it's clearly safer than us two people–"

"Sweetie.. what are you saying? If this is some kind of a joke your pulling it's not funny." Sierra let out a bitter laugh, Niko only stayed silent.

Sierra's desperate smile turned into a deep frown, she then stood up from her seat. "Didn't you hear us back then? He's one of the mafia families, it's too dangerous to even breathe the same air as them let alone live under the same roof!"

"But we both know that grandpa is right–"

Right before Niko could argue back, Sierra cut him off.

"Not another word about that man! I've already booked us plane tickets to UK, we're going two days from now and that's final."

Niko finally stood up from his seat too. "And for how long do we plan to keep on running?"

"For as long as it takes."

Niko clenched his jaw.

"Until we both end up like dad?!"

"Nikolaus William!" Sierra bellowed, aghast by her son's words.

"No, mom! I won't let us suffer the same fate, I don't want to! Losing dad is already too much for me, if I'd have to lose you too.. I.. I would rather die than to live alone!"

Tears trickled down Niko's cheeks as he's breathing heavily from the erupted emotions. Sierra held her hand over her mouth. Niko's outburst left Sierra speechless, seeing her son's desperation made her shed tears as well.

Niko managed to recollect himself and toned down his voice. "I know that staying with grandpa doesn't mean that we're completely safe. But if there's a better chance, even the slightest on surviving, I'm willing to risk it all, no matter what the cost."

Sierra approached Niko slowly, she cupped his face to wipe the tear-stained cheeks.

"Are you sure about this? Have you thought it through? I just.. I know what kind of man your grandpa is and what kind of world he's living. I'm just scared for you. For us." Said Sierra searched her son's face with pleading eyes.

"Yes. I don't want to run."

She hoped to find the usual teasing expression on her son's face, but there was none. Not a smile nor a frown, what reflected in his eyes instead was an unwavering, determined look.

She knew that look well. It was what made him a carbon-copy of his father. The look that Jonathan had when placing his chess pieces in the tournament, the look that he had when he decided to marry her, and the look that he had each time he said he loved her.

And when those eyes came to display, Sierra knew there's nothing that she could do anymore. She couldn't refuse her son even if she wanted to.

That was the moment she began to lose him.