Finding Serenity

Operation Shadow Veil - Year 1

5 years ago...

June 30th, xx09

Clark turned to look back at Rena. She looked shocked, sad, and lonely. He should have waited. This hurt more than he thought it would. She rejected his hand and the offer to walk her back home. He knew it wasn't a true rejection but it felt like it. It cut his heart like a knife and it flashed on his face. He knew she saw the hurt in his expression and that hurt just as much. He never wanted her to see him like that, but it was too late. The damage was done. There was no turning back now.

"3 years. I promise I'll be back." His voice trembled slightly, betraying the storm of emotions within him. He took one last look at her, memorizing every detail of her face, the way her hair fell over her shoulders, the tears glistening in her eyes. Then he walked away, into the hands of the enemy.

When he arrived back at the house, the car was there waiting for him. The night was eerily silent, the only sound being the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. He glanced over at his grandparents' house one last time. The old, familiar structure seemed to hold a lifetime of memories. His dad was peeking out the window, he gave Clark a nod, then disappeared. Clark let out a sigh as he approached the vehicle, the weight of his decision pressing heavily on his shoulders.

Liam was leaning against the opposite side of the car, his posture casual yet intimidating. As Clark rounded the corner, Liam looked up at him, his eyes narrowing with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

Giving him a glare, Liam sneered, "Who are you?"

"Clark... Clark Reyes." Clark put emphasis on the Reyes part, hoping it would mean something to this man.

"Huh. Well shit. I was hoping it'd be a girl, but I guess you'll have to do. Get in the car, boy, we've got a long drive ahead of us."

Clark got in the backseat of the car and strapped himself in. The interior smelled faintly of cigarettes and cheap cologne. Liam got in the driver's seat and turned the car on. As he started driving, he looked in the rearview mirror, his eyes cold and calculating.

"So did the old hag tell you who I was?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, you're my shit hole of a father who came to use me to solve his problems," Clark spat back, his voice filled with bitterness.

"Of course she said that. Well, she's right, unfortunately. I just hope you get me enough to pay my debts. If you were a girl, I could have sold you to the traders. Made 10x more, but I think I have a place for you. One of the big bosses lost his errand boy. You're capable, right? I bet he'd LOVE you. He's got a thing for blondes." Liam chuckled darkly, the sound sending a shiver down Clark's spine.

"Fantastic..." Clark mumbled under his breath, his mind racing with thoughts of Rena.

The remaining twelve-hour drive across the state was in silence, other than the few phone calls Liam took. Clark tried to listen in, but most of the conversations seemed to not be of any use, so he let his thoughts drift back to the one he was doing this for.

He thought of her smile, a beacon of light that had pierced through the shadows of her past. He remembered the first time he saw it, a moment etched in his memory like a precious gem. It was so in contrast to the sad aura she had carried with her, a testament to the two long years of suffering she had endured at such a tender age. Yet, somehow, in the brief time they had known each other, he had managed to coax that radiant smile from her, a smile that seemed to light up the entire world.

Her laugh was music to his ears, a melody that resonated deep within his soul. It had taken a long time to get her to laugh, but when she finally did, it was nothing short of magical. He would tell her the silliest jokes, ones that made no sense at all, just to hear that enchanting sound. Each laugh was a victory, a sign that he was helping to heal the wounds of her past.