Differences

Chapter 16 - Alaina

New Chapter!!! Part 2 / Part B🎉

Warning: Mentions of abuse, dometic violence is discussed within this chapter. Please read what is most comfortable for you.

NEW CHAPTER - Part 3/ Part C (The final part of the mission will be uploaded soon - maybe a day or two)😏 (it's the good part I promise)

Enjoy your reading time📖💘

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We walk in slowly, one by one, cautious of what was most likely to come and pounce on us at any given moment.

But even after all seven of us were fully inside, nothing moved. Nothing came out. Nothing happened.

We continued to walk inside cautiously, down the hallway, all of us controlling our breathing, careful of our surroundings.

"Ash? Josh? How's it looking on your end?" Luke softly asks

"Abnormal. Too quiet." Ash replies.

"Stay cautious and continue"

"Got iT." They both reply

The hallway was abnormally way too long and weirdly very straight. It continued to lead us straight forward and by the time we arrived to what I believed was the living room, it took us a full three minutes to get there. It made no sense.

But just like the long, deserted hallway, no one was here. But from the corner of my eye, I was almost very certain something had moved. And it was not Luke or our men. I tapped Luke softly.

"someone's there to our left." I mouth to him. He nods, demonstrating that he understood.

We approach the figure and Luke grabs it by the neck.

Seconds later our men are shining light directly at the figure. The figure was a women. Someone who appeared to be in their late 40s, with brown loose curls, big brown eyes pleading to be set free. Her whole body was shaking, looking directly at Luke as though she had believed if she took even a second off from his eyes, her eyes would no longer be open.

"Where is Richard?" Luke demands, cutting the chase and questioning directly.

The woman's body continued to shake and her mouth quivers, attempting to form words that did not leave her mouth.

"Where. Is. Richard?" Luke interrogates again, this time enunciating each and every word, his hand still on her neck, and I was certain he was going to lose it soon.

Usually during missions, there was not a second to lose, I always seemed to be put in a life-or-death situation every time, but this time that wasn't the case. Uneasy sure, but dangerous? Not really. 

I scan the woman again, paying attention to detail. She was still unable to form any words, but she didn't stray away from Luke's eyes, she was pale, very pale. Maybe it was because of the light. I wasn't too sure. She wore long sleeve dress that was covering everything and nothing at the same time.

Luke was losing his patience and inches closer to the woman, who had instinctively flinched. Then it all made sense. Her flinching motion ridded her sleeves just a little higher than it should revealing those ugly large handprints that have turned into a purple, yellow bruise.

"Luke." I call out, uncertain if now was the right time, but I gesture and point towards her left arm that were covered with the bruises. His hands slowly pull away from her neck and then he  cautiously takes her arm.

She didn't pull away.

"Is Richard doing this to you?" He asks, his tone softening.

She pauses for a second then nods, her eyes now streaming with tears.

"Are you Ruby Smith?" He asks, again she nods.

She was the wife of Richard Smith. A wife to an abusive husband, a mother to a daughter that no longer lives on Earth, and a woman who wasn't left with much choice.

Luke motions one of our men to take care of her, leading her outside of the residence. She complies. She almost seemed relieved. Relived to be out of here.

I could relate. 

"What do you plan to do with her?" I ask, unsure of what he was going to do with her and what she was going to be left with.

"It's not the first time I've found a wife, or a child abused and helpless. We have a facility that takes care of them and other things if they personally wished to leave and live a life on their own. Don't worry, we take good care of them. You can meet them later, I can take you there if you like." He replies.

I was taken aback. This world was no world for good. We deal with the most corrupt, most illegal, and most life-threatening sorts of things. It was always kill or be killed. It was quite literally the survival of the fittest. So, to take in the information that this family, this Mafia family of the Taylor's personally take the initiative to take care of children and women who are left vulnerable, warms me in the most beautiful way ever. This family goes above and beyond.

"That would be great" I reply, noting that I would definitely love to go.

"Luke?" Ash's voice comes through our earpiece, pulling me out of my trance.

"Yea?" Luke replies

"We got him. He was in his secret study space. Looking like a rat in hiding. What do you want me to do with him?" Ash asks, voice deep and serious despite the casual layering of words.

"Knock him out. Alaina and I will do the rest." Luke replies back, while looking back at me, grinning.

Like I've said before, I don't particularly enjoy taking lives, but looking at this man's eyes, those contrasting eyes that was capable of showing more than one emotion all at once, now holding anticipation, thirst, and anger all at once, I was ready to take a particular man's life.

One who abused his wife. One who betrayed my husband's father. One who for once I believed, it was better for the world without him.