Behind the lies / Duskwood

Lies

Alan had already finished interrogating her.
MC was left waiting for them to tell her that she could go home. She didn't want to stay at the police station. She was waiting for a message from Jake. A message that he was alive. She was afraid that the FBI might have really arrested him.

She heard the door open and looked up, waiting for the words to finally say "You can go."
A tall, black-haired young man in a suit approached the table.
He sat in the chair, leaving a folder on the table. His look sympathized with her. As strange as it seemed, he became familiar to her despite never having seen him.
    "Can I go home now?" MC asked tired "I've already said everything I have to say, what else do you want?"
     The young man took a breath and clasped his hands on the table.
    "I am the government agent Jacob Donfort" Upon hearing that name, MC lit up his face. Afterwards, it was total confusion ". I wanted to thank you for finding Hannah Donfort and bringing Richard Roger to justice."
    "Jake?" Asked the girl, confused "Is it... Is it you?"
     He lowered his gaze upon hearing the name 'Jake'.
MC reached out for his hand to caress it, but he pushed it away from her. At that gesture, MC looked at him even more confused, not understanding why he do that.
    "Jake, I don't get it. What do you mean, a government agent?"
    "It is time you knew the truth, MC." His look was sad, but she didn't think it was because of what had happened ". I have never been a wanted hacker by the government-"
    "What?"
    "Actually, I was being persecuted, but not by the government or the FBI, they actually came to rescue me after completing my mission and giving them the coordinates of a terrorist group that I had been investigating for years-"
    "Stop Jake." The young woman raised her hands in surrender ". I am not understanding you at all. What do you mean, terrorists? But... the attacks I received-"
    "Yes, they were the terrorists."
     MC raised her hands to her head. How come he hadn't told her before? Well, nothing was wrong, it wasn't something so serious, she could understand it because he was protecting her from the truth... Right?
    "Was it to protect me?" She asked, a little doubtful "You didn't tell me the truth so as not to scare me, right?"
    "I thought if I told you that terrorists were after me, I might make your mentality worse and stop looking for Hannah."
     She didn't know what to think. Really, she was shocked.

She let out a laugh. At least, at least he was alright and it meant he didn't have to run.
    "Then we can be together" MC smiled happily ". We can have the life we wanted."
    "I am sorry, MC..." it was hard for him to look into her eyes. He knew this was going to hurt     "There is something else."
     MC took a deep breath, waiting for his response.
Jake tapped the folder, then looked at her, pityingly.
    "I am married, MC" he finally replied "and we have a girl. Five years old."
     The young woman's expression began to change. She even started seeing double. Was she making herself dizzy?
Small tears began to well up in her eyes.
All this time... The talks they shared... The dreams.... Even the "I love you" was a lie?
    "What...?"
    "I needed your help finding my sister, MC" Jake spoke calmly, as if she wasn't affected "I thought if I kept you on the investigation, I might have time for mine."
    "Did you lie to me?" MC began to cry harder. She felt that her breath was failing "You told me you loved me!"
    "I am sorry-"
    "You told me that you wanted to invite me to eat! What did you want to make my dream come true!" MC raised his voice, hitting the table. Jake didn't move an inch. "And now you're telling me that you're married and have a daughter!"
    "I had to tell you the truth." He watched as the young woman collapsed on the table. Now it did hurt him. He sighed. He wanted to at least apologize ". But I want you to know, that you will always be and will be a good friend to me, MC" little by little, he saw how she was raising her head, with an expression of disbelief ". You have been a great friend and a great research partner." He passed her the folder and a pen.
     MC slowly opened it, though she could hardly read it because of her tears. They completely clouded his view and there were many words.
    "What... what is this...?" She asked, slowly.
    "It is a confidentiality document, so that you do not tell anything of what I have told you and that you accept a check for one hundred thousand euros please and damages that you have experienced during the investigation."
     As he was talking, MC tossed the folder towards Jake, who didn't react either.
The pages scattered on the floor. Too many pages to keep her quiet.
MC felt disgusted having heard his words. It seemed that everything she had been through, a simple check was going to fix it.
    "Do you dare to tell me that this serves as an apology for everything I've been through?" MC asked through her teeth "Is this going to help me get ahead after I had to listen to the confession of a friend and the boy I loved?"
     Jake ignored seeing her face. He didn't dare. He knew perfectly well that she was angry. That he had betrayed her.
    "Look at me Jake!" MC hit the table again, drawing his attention "Look into my eyes and tell me you don't love me! What have you lied to me all this time! Tell me!"
     She felt a strong pain in her chest, fearing his answer.

Jake looked at her. He could see how her tears fell on the table, leaving small water marks.
He looked down, without daring to answer her. It was part of his work just informing her. He didn't want to hurt her either.
Besides, why did she want to know something she already knew? Why did she have to do herself more harm?

He looked up to look her in the eye. Good. If it was what she wanted.
    "I am sorry MC" Jake shook his head, speaking with pain in his voice ". I was just doing my job. I do not love you."
     She collapsed in the chair, crossing her arms over the table, and then supporting her head and continuing to cry.
    "I hate you ... I hate you Jake."
    "If it is easier for you to hate me, I will accept it" Jake got up from the chair, collecting the folder and the ground papers, putting them back on the table ". I will be out when you return the signed papers."
     MC didn't look up to see him go, but when she heard the door closed.

She look at the documents again, taking the pen in her hands, what would she do? He had really involved her the government and the FBI by having explained it everything.
She had to sign it to save her life. Don't talk about it again.

Jake waited for the young woman to sign. Meanwhile, he read his wife's messages saying that if he was going to return home now that after so many years working, he had achieved a well -deserved holiday, but was it worth it? To hurt someone? He knew that the first was always the mission and also the victims who were in the middle. He couldn't abandon that sister who had sent him that message asking for help. He couldn't abandon MC to her fate and because of his fault, they were for her. The FBI didn't know about her until after he himself told them what happened. They knew that he shouldn't put a civilian in everything that happened. But he had dragged too many pretending to be who he wasn't. Saying words that were not true. But time investigating with MC, it had been something that was not in the plans since Hannah sent that phone number. She had been a civilian too smart, she had surprised him a lot.

He saw MC approaching him, with the folder and the pen in her hand.
She laid it, without looking at his face.
    "Done" the young woman replied, with a broken voice "I won't say anything to anyone..."
    "Thank you for your services, MC" Jake said, taking the folder ". We promise that your life can be the one before.
     MC showed him the check he had given her and began to break it into pieces. And those pieces, in smaller pieces.
She threw it on his face, looking at him with anger.
    "Keep yourself the money, Jake" she said, looking him in the eye, hurt ". Keep your money and don't appear again in my life."
     Jake looked at her. Hurt. He really didn't want to have caused so much suffering in finding Hannah.
MC turned around, ready to leave.
    "Wait, MC." Jake took her from the wrist, stopping her.
     The young woman looked at him, waiting for his words.
Jake swallowed hard. He didn't know why, but this situation was hurting.
    "Yes?" MC waited for him to continue.
     Finally, he released her hand, slowly, brushing his fingers with hers.
It wasn't right. And he knew. It was better to forget her.
    "You have done well in rejecting money" he said in the end, "it is ... honorable you values yourself."
    "Fuck you." MC replied, hard.
     She walked away, crying.

Jake and MC is over.
The promises, dreams are over. The 'I love you'.

Duskwood is over. She didn't want to know anything else about this.

She just wanted to have that normal life again that she had one day before the man she loved, the man named Jake, appeared in her life.

It would be difficult to stop loving him. That was sure.