The Face Of The Enemy

Chapter 6

Detective Delaney arrived at Annie's apartment on ten o'clock of the next day. He was pleased with the job he had done. Finding that man's family hadn't been an easy task, but he managed to find it. It was his job after all and he did make good money from it.

His client opened the door of her apartment, welcoming the man inside. At least she wasn't a bitch, like the last client he had. His former client had employed him to stalk her husband, whom she suspected to be cheating on her. The woman was right, her husband did cheat, but the detective couldn't blame the poor man, that woman was something.

Anyways, Delaney entered in the apartment, following his client to, he assumed, the living room. The apartment was nice, he thought, not to classic, but not to modern either. He sat down on the leather sofa as Annie offered him a cup of tea. "I'm guessing you like tea." she said, chuckling.

The detective nodded, smiling. "It's okay." he replied, taking a sip of the tea. Surprisingly, it was more than okay. She definitely knew how to make her tea.

Annie sat next to him, as the detective opened his briefcase and took out some papers. "Finding them wasn't easy." the detective started. "Apparently, your friend had interrupted all the connections with his family about six years ago. I don't know the reasons though." Delaney continued. "His name is Ronald de la Cruz-"

"Spanish?" Annie cut him off, curious.

"Mexican." the detective corrected. "As I was saying, his name is Ronald de la Cruz, born on September 15, 1989. His father, Miguel de la Cruz, died ten years ago, cause of an car accident. His mother, Victoria and his sister, Camilla, live in New Jersey." and so he continued giving all the information he had found during the last two days.

Annie took the papers from him and handed him the cheque with his payment. "Pleasure doing business with you." she offered her hand.

"The pleasure it's all mine." the detective shook the woman's hand. "Hope we see each other again." he said as they walked to the door.

"I doubt it but we will see about that." Annie closed the door before the detective could say anything else. It might have been rude from her side but she didn't want to be around the man for longer. He was a good detective but she had heard some words from her friends that he wasn't a good man.

She had called Lucas last night when they had finished eating. The reason he had not answered the phone when she called him was him falling asleep. Lucas had assured her that he was alright. Annie didn't quite believe him, but she knew Lucas could be stubborn as hell when he wanted. So she decided to leave him on it's own for a few days. During this time, she would help the poor man with amnesia.

"Who was that man?" the latter asked. He had seen that man enter the apartment, but he didn't want to bother. So he decided to take a shower whilst Annie conversed with the strange man.

"Come here." Annie motioned to the sofa, where she and the detective had been sitting earlier. The man did as she said, waiting for her to speak. "That man was detective Delaney. I contacted him a couple of days ago. He found your family."

"Really?" the man asked, excitedly. He still couldn't remember a single thing about his past, but he hoped if he saw his family, then it would somehow trigger his memories.

"Yes." Annie confirmed and handed him the papers she took from the detective. The man in front of her read them carefully, not missing a single word that was written. He finally knew who he was, he knew he had a family, but why did he still felt a stranger to himself?

"Ronald." he muttered under his breath. "My name is Ronald."

"If you want, I can leave you alone." Annie said. Ronald shook his head.

"No, it's not necessary." he said but Annie wasn't the one to fall for it.

"Hey, I know you need some time alone. I need to run some errands anyway. If you need me, just call me, okay?" Ronald nodded.

Annie left soon after, leaving Ronald alone on his thoughts. He read all the documents. His father had died, but it wasn't like he felt any remorse or pain. He didn't remember him at all. His mother was a teacher at a middle school. His sister was still in high school. She was an excellent student and he was proud, but he wished he remembered them.

Unfortunately, there were no photos so Ronald still didn't know how his family looked like. He would discover when he will meet them after all. He left the papers on the table and laid back on the sofa, thinking?

Did my family miss me while I was gone? Did they think I was dead even though they never had a body? Did I have any friends or a girlfriend? Why can't I remember?

He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. "Ughh!" he groaned. "I need to get out of here." he got up and went to the room he had been sleeping for the last few days. He just took a jacket with him, since it was colder outside and left the apartment soon after, locking it with the spare pair of keys annie had given him. He didn't want to take them when she gave them to him, but now he was glad he did. He just couldn't stay inside anymore. He needed air.

After leaving the apartment complex, he remembered he didn't have any idea where he was or how to navigate in this place. Hence, he had been locked up for a year, the closest thing he had to the outside world was a forest.

Stop thinking about that. He scolded himself. Now you're safe and you found your family.

Ronald walked down the busy street. Everyone was on their own, not sparing a glance to the other beside them. He had heard New York was a busy city, but it's not like he remembered.

Suddenly, something, or a voice captured his attention. It was so angelic, so soft, so homey. He was certain he had heard that voice before, he just couldn't remember when or where. Like so many things he didn't remember. Ronald followed the voice, determined to know whose it was. Maybe it was someone from his past. Excitement built up on his chest as he walked and then found himself before a music shop.

On it, there was a TV, from where came that voice. He neared more to the TV and was shocked at the face he saw. A strong pain hit his head. The same pain he had when he saw the young man on Annie's apartment just yesterday.

Visions or flashbacks appeared on his mind. They were only of that young man, his face was the only thing Ronald could see, whilst his head hurt like it was hit with hammers.

"Sir, are you alright?" He felt someone shake him. The visions stopped as he turned to the person who spoke to him.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay." he managed to say, forcing a smile at the woman. The pain on his head had subsided a little, but it still hurt nevertheless.

"He is a talented young man, isn't he?" The woman, who looked on her late forties, said glancing at the TV. Ronald nodded, not knowing what to say. "My daughter is obsessed with him. She send me here to buy his album. Crazy teenagers!" she chuckled, shaking her head.

Ronald kept his eyes on the TV. He remembered yesterday perfectly. How could he not remember the terrified expression on that young man's face as soon as he saw him? Or how he just collapsed to the ground? Or how broken he sounded after he woke up?

"What's his name?" he asked the woman. He needed to meet that young man, but he couldn't tell Annie. Not after his reaction yesterday. He needed to do this alone.

"You don't know him?" the woman asked surprised. Ronald shook his head no. "Well, his name is Lucas Haven."

"Thanks." Ronald said to the woman and then walked away.

Lucas...