The Killers Freedom

Chapter Thirteen: Pure Innocence

I made my way down to the kitchen after showering the last two weeks off of my body. I was fine after the shower, mentally suppressing any emotions I didn't want to feel. Training taught me to be emotionless and this was all part of the job so I couldn't let it affect me anymore then it has. Tomorrow will bring a new day.

Even though I knew where I was going I kept trying to get a hold of Elaine to speak with her. I wanted to thank her for taking care of me the last two weeks because if it wasn't for her I would sure be dead. But to my surprise she didn't answer or show up at my room's door. This is so unlike her. She seems to live to please people so I wonder what's keeping her.

Rounding the corner I saw Joseph stirring a pot on the stove and whatever he was cooking smelled heavenly. The kitchen had a small table off to the side where four large men sat, two of them I recognized from when I was picked up from the airport the first time I was flown out here.

"Smells good," I stated and made everyone's eyes turn to look at me. The men at the table held the pained look of sorrow on their faces and Joseph was plastered with concern. Like at any moment I was going to break down. I'm much stronger than they give me credit for but I understand why they are worried. 

"What, uh, what are you making over there?" I pointed to the pot which Joseph now had his back to.

"Oh! This?" He redirected his attention to the now bubbling liquid and stirred a few more times, "Come here and have a taste, let me know what you think."

I made my way over to the pot and instantly knew why my mouth had been watering this entire time. He was making spaghetti and meatballs, my heart sung at the thought of having real food. "This is amazing!" I say as I lick the spoon he handed me, "it's as if someone taught you how to cook finally," I lightly punched his shoulder and we both laughed together. He had never been one to cook anything when we trained, he was always burning things or too impatient to put anything together other than a sandwich. I always made the food if we had to stay overnight somewhere.

Joseph served everyone a plate piled high with the mouthwatering looking meal he prepared and once we were all seated at the table eating I couldn't take the silence anymore, "so what was it you needed to talk to me about?"

Slowly, he looked up at me from across the table and all the men were now painted with the same confusion I had, staring at him.

"Well, I didn't want to do this with an audience but there is no time like the present right?" He tried to joke but it only made my thoughts wonder what he was trying to say, I had already known it was his right hand man who tried to kill me. I knew that he was also after Stryker. Shit! Did he get to Stryker? Did he kill him? But also where the hell is Elaine? "Betty," he brought me back to my thoughts and I hated when he used my real name because with him it was always under serious circumstances.

"Betty, it's about Elaine," Everyone's attention was now on me and I was shifting uncomfortably in my seat ready to kill someone if he told me she was dead. "I don't know how to break this easily so I am going to just rip the band aide off. Elaine is Romans wife, well was Romans wife I guess. She's technically a widow now," he rubbed on the back of his neck uncomfortable at the news he just told me.

How could she be married to that monster? He kidnapped me, tried to kill me, chained me up and beat me. And she hid that from me? She knew I loved her like a sister and she lied to me. My heart was aching. I couldn't suppress these feelings that were starting to surface and honestly I don't think I've ever felt this emotion before. I knew it wasn't anger but I clenched my chest, my heart was in pain. I could feel tears threatening to fall down my cheeks and all I could think of was her trying to protect me all this time. Bringing me food, washing me, telling me it will all be okay. Was that all a lie? Was she on his side this entire time bleeding information from me and going back to tell him?