The Untouchable

Chapter 97

"Relax, Mr. King. Everything is under control. You're a law-abiding citizen heading home," Mr. Mason whispered.

"I'm trying, but these flashbacks are brutal," Daniel muttered, rubbing his temples as he stared anxiously at the border control booth. "Can you come with me?"

"You'll be fine," Mr. Mason urged with a firm tone. "Please step up to the window. Ms. Lawson is right behind you, and as you remember, she has cameras attached to her bag. Please. And good luck."

Hesitant, Daniel moved toward the booth, nearly choking on his fear. He stopped, dug his fingernails into his palm, and then quickly covered the remaining distance. He shoved his passport and ticket through the window, his heart pounding as he faced nervously at the indifferent officer with heavily lined eyes. Sehe barely looked at him or his passport, quickly typed something, stamped a blank page, and handed the document back. Daniel staggered into the aisle, leaning against the stall wall as he tried to calm down. Looking back, he realized this was the last time he'd see Mr. Mason. He waved awkwardly and then slowly moved on to the next challenge: customs inspection.

Ms. Lawson followed two steps behind - calm and unyielding, like the Statue of Liberty. She gave him a brief, supportive nod. Daniel fell in behind her, trying to match her pace as they approached customs, as they had planned. But as they reached the conveyor belts, anxiety surged through him again, making him sweat and drying out his mouth. He placed his backpack on the belt, lips quivering as he watched Ms. Lawson pass through the metal detector. She stood at the end of the conveyor, legs planted firmly, her dark green Samsonite bag adorned with funny plastic animals slung across her chest, exuding the confidence of a fighter.

Drawing strength from her demeanor, Daniel walked toward her, trying to avoid the gaze of the customs officers. He nearly stumbled when a soft voice ordered him to.

"Retrieve your things."

He turned, grabbed his backpack, and on shaky legs, walked through the open glass doors, where a bustling crowd of travelers awaited their vacations and business trips.

He had made it through! After two nightmarish years, he was finally free!

"Congratulations, Mr. King," Ms. Lawson said, patting his shoulder. "Don't worry, nothing can go wrong now."

Daniel nodded, trying to speak, but the words wouldn't come. He buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed by the moment's intensity. Euphoria clashed with lingering panic, as if at any moment someone might stop him, drag him into a room for further questioning, and the ordeal would start all over again. Yet, a growing sense of optimism told him that only good things lay ahead. It was an unbearable contradiction tearing him in two.

Ms. Lawson whispered, "You did it, Mr. King. All the hard parts are behind you. Breathe deeply and slowly, and focus on something pleasant. Think about the friends waiting for you in New York. Picture your favorite face, imagine it smiling at you. If that doesn't help, take the sedative you were prescribed."

Daniel slowly lowered his hands and looked up at the gray sky, where a plane hummed, leaving a white smoky trail behind it. He took deep, measured breaths, imagining his mother's face - not the usual pallor marred by sorrow, but smiling, radiant, reaching out to him for a kiss.

"Thank you, Ms. Lawson. Just one moment..." he replied, opening Instagram and thoughtfully, calmly reading Alexander's message. It felt as if Alexander were standing right beside him.

"Danechka, my love. During your absence, I realized that we are destined to keep running from each other, only to be caught, breaking each other again and again until one of us finally shatters. And I fear that will be you. I love you too much to let that happen. You once said you could forgive me if I endured what you did in prison. I'm ready to accept that punishment, but please, forgive me. Only someone who loves this deeply would go to such lengths for another. Only someone who can't live without you. This isn't goodbye, my love. I will find you. When we meet again, everything will be different - no drugs, no lies, no restraints. We'll rebuild our relationship on trust. I hope you'll keep your word and forgive me. I love you, Sasha."

"I didn't keep my word," Daniel whispered coldly as he deleted the account. Soon, the identity of Daniel King would be erased as well, replaced by someone new - hardened by inhuman trials and very, very wealthy, all thanks to a 'loving man.' "Goodbye, Sasha."

He straightened his shoulders, looking once more at the expansive panoramic glass. The dull gray sky was giving way to a beautiful blue, and the long-awaited sun began to shine warmly on the unsightly landscape.

Freedom. Happiness. Family.

And... a dream.

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And this is the end. Finally :) It's been a difficult piece to write-both emotionally and physically. 

Massive thanks to everybody who supported me during this journey, would not have been able to complete it without you! 

Tell me what you think. The good, the bad, and the ugly :) It's very important for me to know.

I was overoptimistic when I promised that this is the first book of the series, and The Invisible will follow soon. I will rest for now and see if I can bring myself to write another book. 

Love you all,

Gem