Guardian Angels

Chapter 39

In the fluorescent-lit corridors of the police station, Clara shared the findings from the final fight at the brewery with Sam, the details painting a tragic picture of Alex Mason's end. "One of the hitmen confessed he might have hit Mason in the final heated exchange. The bullet we recovered from Mason's charred remains matched his gun, and his fingerprints are the only ones on it," Clara explained, the weight of the conclusion evident in her voice. Sam listened, her expression unreadable.

Clara continued, laying out the evidence that confirmed Alex Mason's demise. "And there's more. The bite marks on the straw we found matched the dental records we managed to pull from the body. It's him, Sam. Alex Mason was injured by a hitman, of all things, and perished in that fire. It's like the Taliban's intent finally caught up with him, albeit delayed."

Clara paused, a mixture of irony and frustration in her tone. "Both Maloni's reign and Mason's crusade... they've ended together, dramatically. It's a strange twist, isn't it? After all this time, to think that Mason would meet his end like this... it's not the closure I had envisioned."

The room was heavy with the reality of those words, a silent acknowledgment of the vigilante's complex legacy within Angel City. Clara then shifted the conversation toward the next steps, her gaze lingering on Sam. "I need you to talk to Isabella Diaz, Sam, to help us wrap up any loose ends on Mason. Since you're back, she's shut herself off from everyone. But you were the last one who saw Mason, and you saved Diaz. He entrusted her to you, and I believe she might open up to you."

Sam felt the weight of Clara's request, understanding the importance of this final interaction. "I'll do my best, Clara. Isabella's going through a lot, and if I can help bring some closure to this, for her and for Mason's case, I will."

Clara nodded, grateful for Sam's willingness to take on this delicate task. "Thank you, Sam. It's an unfortunate end, but maybe we can offer her, and the city, some semblance of closure through all this. Let's close the chapter on Alex Mason, once and for all."

In the stark, cold room of the interrogation area, the tension was palpable. Sam made a deliberate choice to switch off the camera, a nod to the gravity of Izzy's pain and the respect to her privacy. Izzy, engulfed in sorrow, seemed barely present, her gaze fixed on a point beyond the walls that confined her. 

Her voice, when she spoke, was hollow, a reflection of the void Alex Mason's presumed death had left within her. "I should have been there with h... him, in the fire. Now, Alex's gone, and so is my heart. I don't have anything to say to you or anyone else. You're just wasting your time here with me, Sergeant Gray."

The depth of Izzy's grief struck a chord in Sam, witnessing the person she loved grappling with such an abyss of despair. She stood, and with deliberate motions, began to unbutton her shirt, revealing the network of scars that marred her skin—scars that Izzy knew all too well. Each one was a mark of survival of battles fought, of a life risked in the shadows. These were the scars of Alex Mason that whispered Izzy's love and acceptance.

Izzy's reaction was instantaneous, a mixture of shock and disbelief washing over her face. The scars that she had once tenderly traced with her fingers, kissed with soft lips, were now displayed before her, on Sam. The realization of what this meant, of who Sam truly was, dawned on her, a sliver of hope piercing her grief.

Sam, acknowledging Izzy's shock, gently signaled for her to remain silent, a subtle hint that there was much to explain but not here, not within the confines of the police station. "I'll explain everything tonight, back at the penthouse," Sam whispered, a plea for understanding carried an undercurrent of urgency. "For now, I need you to trust me. We need to work together to create a statement for the police. It's the only way to bring closure to Alex Mason's case." She moved closer, taking her hand, offering a tangible presence that Izzy could lean on, even amidst the whirlwind of confusion and revelation.