𝐈 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 (𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐢 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒 - 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.

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Your Pov:

When we arrived in Mitras we checked in with the hospital there for directions to the rehabilitation center on their campus.

We docked our horses nearby and walked through the twin doors. There were groups of elders sitting at tables in the lobby. Some were just chatting, others were eating or playing chess. Me and Levi exchanged a glance as we walked up to the front desk. It seemed like this place was mostly a senior citizen rehabilitation center.

"How can I help you? Visitors can sign in on the sheet here. I will just need to see some form of identification." I began writing me and Levi's names down.

Levi pulled out a badge. It was small enough to fit in his chest pocket. I had never seen it before. All it had was his signature and a silver pendant with the wings of freedom.

"Captain Levi, sir. Who are you visiting today? I wasn't aware someone on government business would be stopping by today." The front desk attendant spoke. She looked over at me and back at Levi then skimmed over my name on the sign-in sheet.

"We are here to see a woman by the name of Avaline."

"Avaline? Are you reopening her case?"

"I'm afraid it's not any of your business. Take us to her."

The lady sighed and told another to take over for a minute. She got out of her wooden chair and walked around the counter. She was tall but hunch-backed and I could tell she was wearing a wig--most likely to cover up her gray hairs.

She walked us through the building. We stopped at a door that had a slate in it reading "067".

"She's right in here."

I opened the door quickly. There was an older woman at a desk in front of a window. She was in a wheelchair and had her hair tied up in a bun. When she heard me and Levi walk in she turned her head towards us.

"Avaline, right?"

"Y-yes, who are you? You don't work here."

"I'm (y/n) and this is Levi of the Scout Regiment. Mind if we have a moment of your time? It is urgent."

"Of the Scouts? What do you have to do with me? I haven't left this facility in ages. I've got nothing to do with what goes on outside the walls."

"No but you've got something to do with a man inside the walls. Do you know a man named James?"

"James-? Why are you asking this?"

"So you do. I need to know why you are connected to him. What happened with Christian?"

Avaline's jaw dropped. She glanced back and forth between us and sighed.

"I knew James would find himself in a position where real authority figures would be after him. He's too prideful and keen on the idea of revenge for this world to handle. Christian, my brother, was similar to James in a way. One night I had heard screaming from the woods behind our old house. I went to investigate to make sure he wasn't in trouble, he was my brother after all. But he wasn't the one who was in trouble. In fact, he had a knife to the throat of a man. That man was James' father. I intercepted and tried to get the knife away from Christian but he ended up stabbing me in the process. I backed away and watched Christian drain the life out of James father. Later on, I learned Christian had made himself a serial killer. He had some sort of god complex in the sense that he wanted to avenge the girls that men had raped by killing their rapists. James father happened to be one of those men. What they did was disgusting but I don't believe anyone deserves to die like that. So James began visiting me and I got to know him. I know that you're Christian's daughter. James warned me you'd come around. He told me to give you this."

She pulled a letter out of a drawer within the desk. I ripped it out of her hand and opened it. I told myself I'd process all this after I rescued Violet.

Levi looked over my shoulder as I read the letter:

You're getting warmer. I suppose it's almost time for me to explain myself. Not yet though. I'm sure Avaline ran her mouth enough.

Here's your next hint: go to the woods.

"The woods? It must mean where my dad killed James' dad."

"Where did it happen?"

"To the north of here in Utopia."

"Utopia? Where's that?" I asked Levi. I hadn't heard of that town before. I'm hoping it's not back in Rose territory.

"It's one of the outlier districts of Sina. The farthest one away from HQ. Let's get going, shall we? It will be harder to navigate the later it gets. That's all the information we're gonna get out of her." This time Levi grabbed my hand and pulled me out. My brain was in scrambles hearing all this shit. Talking to Avaline didn't feel like I was talking to a family member. She was nothing more than James' puppet.

But my goal remained at the forefront of my mind.

Violet, I hope you're safe. I'll see you soon, I miss you so much.

Violet's POV:

"mommy mommy where are you? mommy mommy come back soon. mommy mommy where are you? mommy mommy come back soon. I miss you and Scarlett and i'm really scared lalalalala" I sung to myself.

My dad had brought me into a room and locked me inside. It had white walls and a bunch of toys a little girl like me should be able to entertain herself with. There was a bed and some dresses too. But I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be with my real family.

He was gone anyways. He's been gone and I've been all alone in this room. I sat on the floor playing Jenga while singing to myself.

I couldn't help but wonder if my mom was even alive. What if nobody was coming for me. Maybe she didn't even make it back from her mission. Maybe Scar didn't either. I could be stuck here for the rest of my life with no savior.

I started to cry and the Jenga tower toppled over. I threw the wooden pieces at the wall and stood up. I ran over to the door and yanked on the knob as hard as I could.

"James! Let me out! Let me out, let me out, let me out! Please I won't run away I just don't want to be locked in here! What happened to spending quality father-daughter bonding time?!" I pressed my ear against the door and heard no response. Felt no presence of him.

I slid down onto the floor and sobbed into the palms of my hand.

Mom, I hope you're safe. Please come soon, I miss you so much.