Reprisal

Chapter 33 : Don't

“Are you sure, Chris ?”

Christopher was talking to Margarette on the phone. He was seated on the sofa in the room, near the chimney. The cracking of fire was the only sound in the quiet. His eyes reflected the flames but the sparkle in them was all because of Isabel as he stared at their photoframe placed before him on the table. He was looking at the camera but she was looking at him. With eyes full of love.

“Hundred percent.” - he replied, a sad smile on his face.

She sighed. “Okay then. I'm coming over to pick up the papers.” - she said gently.

“I am waiting.” - quietly replying, he ended the call.

The clock chimed 8 in the night and a slight frown appeared on his face. It's been nearly four hours and Isabel hadn't returned yet. What was making her take so long ?

He was about to dial her number when his phone screen flashed with Lucas' incoming call.

“Hello..” - he greeted gently.

“Hey! Saw your calls just now. Was out of reach for work.” - Lucas explained. “Everything okay ?”

“Yeah. Just wanted you to be alert as Aiden has escaped police custody.”

He had gotten to know just an hour ago and was trying to contact Lucas ever since as the later worked for the intelligence and had additional resources to find Aiden's whereabouts. The first time also it was Lucas who had traced him out before the police.

“Oh yes, I got the news on my way home. Don't worry, I'm looking into it.”

Christopher smiled with a tired sigh. “You have done so much for me, Lucas. This is the last favour I'm asking of you. After this, I'll never bother you again.”

Lucas chuckled that sounded humourless and gloomy. “Please don't embarrass me, Chris. My life's biggest regret is that I didn't do anything when needed to. If I had not been dozing off on duty that day, things might have been a lot different.”

Christopher took support of the sofa back, a quiet sigh escaping his lips as the most horrible day of his life flashed through his mind once again.

Lucas was the guard of the laboratory where Harold worked. He had woken up from his sleep hearing all the commotion to see a man running behind a kid out the gates. He would have followed but a struggling, painful sound coming from the inside alerted him and he ran inside to find Harold on the laboratory floor. Blood pooled around him that was oozing from his neck.

“Mr. Jenson!” - Lucas shouted, kneeling down in an instant.

Harold raised his trembling hand, coated in blood. “My son.. save him...”

These were the last words Harold had spoken. When Lucas met Christopher four years back for the first time, he told Christopher all that and Christopher felt like the scene had unfolded before his own eyes. He could feel his father's hand, that was stained with his own blood, trembling in desperation to reach out to his Rizz. The hatred towards Foxen had just worsened — which he didn't think was possible — that day.

Foxen had barged inside the laboratory minutes later to find Harold dead and Lucas beside him. He was panting, as if came running which made Lucas frown in suspicion.

“You have been sleeping on duty and THIS happened!” - Foxen thundered before Lucas could inquire. “A man just stole a chemical and ran away! I followed him out but he escaped! And- OH MY GOD! HAROLD!” - he shouted as if just noticing a dead body on the floor.

Christopher had not been surprised. A deceiver could deceive any way. But Lucas had resigned from his job after that tragic incident. He held himself responsible for not fulfilling his duties and remained isolated for some years before joining intelligence forces solely to help tracing out criminals and redeem himself. He had then began his quest to search for Harold's son. Even though the police told him of a bus crash happened years ago in which Harold's son had died, he clung on the thin rope of hope as they had not found any dead body of a seven year old. And his efforts were fruitful when he at last reached Christopher four years ago. Christopher told him he was witness that Foxen had murdered his father and from then, they both joined hands to bring Foxen's downfall.