No Matter What

27

CHILDE'S POV (CONTINUED):

"Father!!!" Lyney cries as he breaks into a sprint across the sea of bodies sprawled about the floor. There aren't many members in our organization as it is, so this has to be everyone....

In the corner, I spot a glimpse of white and black hair laid out beside a woman clearly lifeless against the tile, but I'm too afraid to look fully. Lo and behold, that's exactly where Lyney runs to. He throws himself across the body and his cries echo the room.

I squeeze my eyes shut so tightly it might rip my lids. I take a few deep, shivering breaths and shake my head. This isn't real... This couldn't have happened... My comrades... every last one of them... dead.

Why was I spared? Is it because I got lucky and was on holiday during this time? I don't feel lucky at all. None of it makes sense, though. Someone knew I wouldn't be here because they sent a man to kidnap my son. Did they think Arlecchino would also be away and that's why they kidnapped Lyney? Were they trying to separate us from the rest for a purpose, but she didn't come looking for Lyney soon enough? Did they need information from us specifically?

I drop to my knees, hands violently riding up my face as I try to control my shaky breathing. Why? Why did this happen? Why was I spared? Why? Why?!

I look up from my hands and over at Lyney, who's curled up in a ball across his parent. I frown, standing to my feet again and approaching him gently. I kneel down beside him this time, placing a hand softly on his back.

"I'm so sorry," I say, but it comes out in a tremble and a tear of my own trickles down my cheek. "I'm so sorry, Lyney. I shouldn't have brought you here."

Lyney's sobbing stops suddenly, and so does my breathing, as we both seem to have heard the same sound. Lyney's head pops up from being buried in Arlecchino and the both of us quietly stare in the direction of the restroom and wait.

"Help..."

There it is. A small voice can be heard from behind the restroom door. Lyney gets up before I do, shuffling quickly to the stalls where I follow close behind.

"Lyney, wait!" I say. "Careful!" But he ignores me, immediately grabbing the handle and yanking at the door. He gasps, freezing with the handle still firm in his grasp. I catch up to him, looking over his shoulder to find... a child.

A little blonde boy sits on the floor, looking dirty and dissholved. He's holding an older girl in his arms, who's just laying there, motionless."

Lyney's breathing starts picking up again. This time he drops to his knees, and it worries me how quickly he's hyperventilating because I don't want him to pass out too.

"L...Lynette... no... n-no...please..." he hicks. "Stop, stop playing around.... You got me, okay? It's...it's not funny. Get up... Get up, Lynette... please..." Lyney groans, letting out another series of sobs, more violent this time. My heart aches listening to them, I can barely stand myself. He grabs onto the other blonde boy tightly and pulls him close, burying his cries into his shoulder as the little one switches to hold him instead.

I place a hand over my forehead, squeezing my eyes shut again. This is the sister he mentioned. I know it is. And this is probably his little brother, too. Arlecchino did say she had three kids. Fuck... why? Why did these poor kids have to go through this? Is this really the price we pay for trying to save kids like this? Fuck! Who would be so angry at us for saving children? I understand that we're killing people, people with families as well... but they have no idea what kind of person it is they're defending!

"I'm so sorry," I say, trying my best to stay strong in front of them but finding it extremely difficult. I take another deep, shaky breath, then lower my hand and open my eyes. "We have to get out of here. I'll come back later for them. I promise. Come on."

Lyney pulls away from the little boy and slowly stands to his feet, unstable on them. I offer a hand as he looks like he'll pass out at any moment.

"C-come on, Freminet..." Lyney says through his tears, offering his own hand to him.

"I can't walk," the little boy, Freminet, says, then points to his ankle, his foot seemingly bent a bit too much into a point. I rush to bend over and gently pick him up, being mindful of any pain he may be in. He doesn't seem to protest, so with Freminet in my arms, I tell Lyney to hold onto me to steady himself, and the three of us go toward the elevator.

When we get to the car, I tell Lyney to sit in the back with a pillow on his lap. I place Freminet down with his back to the door and his leg propped up over Lyney's lap, before getting in front and taking off quickly down the road.

I try my best to focus on driving, but my mind is so foggy. Whoever did this, I need to find them so they can't hurt anyone else. Especially not my family. I look into the rear mirror when I hear Lyney and Freminet talking quietly amongst themselves, trying to listen in.

"What happened..." Lyney says through his tears.

"Bad guys came in and they had big guns," Freminet say, tears welling up in his eyes again. He starts to sob, his fists violently rubbing at his tears, now talking through a pattern of hicks. "They came out of nowhere... they shot everyone and... and Lynette pushed me into the restroom, but... but she didn't make it inside...!"

Lyney frowns, throwing his arms around his brother and burying himself in his shoulder again, his own bouncing as the younger one hugs him back.

I look away, not able to bear the pain they must feel. I can't even imagine losing my family, and in such a tragic way... I sniffle, quietly wiping my own face. I can't take it—the suspense of getting back to my own family and making sure they're okay is killing me.

I reach for the touch screen in the Bentley and scroll through my contacts, pressing the one labeled 'Husband' and holding my breath as it rings several times. It finally stops, and I hear shuffling on the other end.

"Babe," I say. "Are you alright? Is everyone okay?"

More shuffling, before someone finally speaks. "Hello? Childe?"

"Are you okay love?" I say quickly.

"Sorry," Zhongli says, "I dropped the phone when I answered it. The security people are here and they were saying something to me when the phone rang. I'm fine. Everything is fine here. Is everything okay there?"

I let out a sigh of relief. "We're coming back to you now," I say. "See you soon."

"We?" Zhongli says. "Is Lyney still with you? Arlecchino wasn't there—?"

"I'll speak with you when I get there," I say, cutting him off quickly. "Sorry. I love you. I gotta go."
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TO BE CONTINUED (please vote 💛)