The Hidden Box

The Meeting

Matt

I was nervous regarding my encounter with Bryan, given the fact that I had just sneaked out his most recently acquired possession - Sarah. Though I knew that the word 'sneaked was putting it mildly and Bryan would probably use a much harsher vocabulary.

Traitor, that's the word Bryan would use. The very sound of it twisted my stomach into knots. Mathew Rodriguez was not a traitor. I had remained loyal to all those I cared about, not that I cared about Bryan anymore, but I had once. He had been a father-figure to me, a savior who had lifted Nick and I from the streets and this mission was my way of giving back to him. A way to make him proud of me....until love came in the way.

I was at first entrusted with only retrieving the box from Sarah, but when that effort seemed to fail I was given orders to lure her to Bryan but my conscience wouldn't allow it. What kind of guy deliberately pushes his girlfriend into the belly of the beast? Definitely not me. So I had kept stalling her meeting with Bryan which had led to the recent turn of events.

Even now, I felt guilty as hell when it came to loving Sarah. Even kissing her would make my heart race - not due to the heat of the moment but due to the wrongness it felt. She was an assignment. Only an assignment, something I needed to finish off and move on. But her love was pure and simple. She loved me and nothing in the whole world would be simpler than that. Every time she spoke to me I could feel it and I would wish my guiltiness would just go away but it stayed there adamantly boring into my skull. Though Sarah and I lived together we had never become physically intimate. It was just something my conscience would not let me do. Sarah believed that I was saving myself for marriage - something I told myself too.

Meeting Bryan and discussing a pact would have been an unthinkable thing in the past before I had met Sarah, but now it didn't seem outlandish at all, though it involved a large number of risks and it would be a miracle if Bryan were to agree. Quickly sending a prayer to above, I sat down at a table near the window. I had ensured to choose a restaurant that Bryan would approve of coming to. It was five past five and he hadn't come yet. I knew he would be late, that was his style, but I hoped he'd at least be on amicable terms when he did come.

Soon after, I saw Bryan enter the store with Nicholas. Seeing Nick made me relax for a couple of seconds, but as they walked toward me I couldn't help wondering as to why he came. Bryan would not want anyone else to know his plans, so why did he bring Nick? Of all the people, he chose Nick.

"You are off the case", Bryan said the instant he sat down. He motioned Nick to bring a third chair since the table I had chosen was a two-seater.

I felt my jaw hanging open, of all the things I had prepared myself for this was the last thing to cross my mind. "Why?" was all I could manage to ask without choking up.

"Clearly, you have grown too close to that girl and have done things that are completely unacceptable...", for a second I was worried that Bryan had figured out my brain washing, but his next lines made it clear that he didn't know about that,"I know you are a good man Matthew but this case has been having its toll on you. Come and stay with me for a while, relax, try to re-think your motives and focus on the important things."

It took all my self-control to not scream into Bryan's ears and tell him how Sarah was my life and she was the most important thing there ever would be for me. Instead I just decided to stick to the basics, "Sarah's head injuries are very severe. She has forgotten about the box. In such a scenario, you will need someone who knows enough about her life to help her trigger memories of the past." I stopped before I would give away more regarding how much I 'knew' her.

Bryan seemed slightly dazed by what I said but after a second his expression went back to normal. "We need someone who knows enough about her, which is exactly why Nick fits so perfectly into this picture. He has shown time and again his understanding of the importance of this mission and has been keeping tabs on the girl's whereabouts since before you were even on-board. He is the perfect match."

I just stared dumbfounded at what had unfolded in front of me. Dubiously, I stared in Nick's direction hoping he would say something to prevent this from happening but he sat there stone-faced. If I were in his place and not met Sarah, I would have done the same so I couldn't blame him. But still....

Up until now the plan had been to keep Sarah safe and slowly slip fro under Bryan's radar. But now all my plans had just been shattered. I couldn't process what had been told to me. Away from Sarah forever...

A waiter came over to take our order, Bryan casually looked at him and spoke, "Bring my friend here a French Vanilla", he gestured towards me. "What about you Sir?" asked the waiter. "We won't be having anything, getting late for an appointment".

Bryan looked back at me, "There is no need for you to go back to the hospital. I personally will be waiting outside for you."

And just like that, my Boss walked out of the place followed by my best friend.

Sarah

When I opened my eyes the officer was gone and a gorgeous girl was sitting next to me. She had fallen asleep with a book in her hand and her black curls were spilling on her face. I smiled at the peacefulness that surrounded her. Somewhere in my sleep I had had a bad dream where a man was strangling my throat, then out of nowhere I heard someone say, "I'm there for you". A knight appeared and looked towards me with his dark brown eyes that pierced the very depths of my soul. Looking at this knight, the man who was strangling me vanished and the knight carried me in his arms to a beautiful meadow. His eyes looked so familiar. I touched his cheeks and traced his jawline with my finger and drew my lips close to his cheek, "Thank you", I whispered to which he just hugged me in response. It was a beautiful dream overall when you thought about it and left out the beginning.

I was feeling very light headed now that I had woken up and my stomach rumbled. There was no food around me, looks like they must have removed it. Just then my eyes fell on the glorious chocolate pudding but it was far away from my bed, on the window sill. I got up and a shot of pain surged through my wrist. I was on drips.

Suddenly a man entered the room. He waved at me to say hi and handed over the pudding. "How are you feeling?" he whispered. I smiled gently at him, "good". He smiled, "good".

Right now I wish I was feeling too nice to bother asking who he was, but that jolt of pain through my wrist broke my little bubble of calmness. He was probably a well-wisher come to check up on me, but I still needed to ask, "Who are you?"

"I am your brother"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is getting interesting now. I was asked to add a few parts from Nick's POV. You might get to see that in the coming chapters. Let me know if you would like that or should I just stick to Sarah and Matt. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts!!!!!!