Truth | ✔

Part Eight

Crina sat in her office doing paperwork as the door opened. Mihail came in with his head bowed and arms clasped behind his back.

"I'm sorry to burden you but I have terrible news." Mihail said, his voice full of false confidence.

"With?" Crina asked, leaning back in her black leather seat with her arms crossed across her chest. As she pushed her chair away from the desk she crossed her legs one over the other. Her sharp heel catching his attention.

Mihail swallowed before he said, "Concerning Nic." Still, Crina felt numb whenever the subject of Nic was brought up. The whole house was on edge since her meltdown five months ago.

"What about Nic?" The woman asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Since she ordered Nic to be removed from the situation Crina had been heartless. Going on endless missions that had built up over the months. Alone. If she thought her hands were covered in blood before then now she was now bathing in it.

"He found your sister." Crina had told only her second in command and she was still figuring out how to retrieve her. She wasn't in the best mental state so it wasn't the best time to bring her home despite her parent's pleas. Crina wanted to do this when she was ready.

Crina didn't flinch but she felt her heart beat faster. He couldn't screw this up.

"He found her?" The woman asked, uncrossing her legs to lean forward, looking straight into her second in commands eyes. From what Crina understood Nic had crawled into his shell and started killing innocent girls that resembled herself. It was heartbreaking that he was killing them but she couldn't do anything about it. Even as she was keeping tabs on him she didn't bother to stop him. No more meddling in his life. But now he was meddling in hers.

"He took her from her home in the middle of the night if my intel is correct. He took her back to his cabin. My contact says that he had killed another girl the same day." Crina nodded at his words and closed her eyes.

She knew that she shouldn't meddle but she needed to. Celestina's life was at risk. The woman grabbed a piece of blank paper and neatly wrote out her note in her language.

"To whom it may concern,

Dearest Nicholi Videl, it has been a while. I know what you're doing and I know who it is. Just be careful, it would be a shame if someone could find out.

Yours truly."

Then she folded the paper neatly into an envelope before sealing it and handing it to Mihail.

"Make sure he gets that soon. I don't want him interfering." Crina said, dismissing the man. He left without another word but she was unable to return to her paperwork. Shoving her red hair into a tight ponytail, she stood up. She needed to inform her parents. It was sure to have her father punish her but she needed to let them know the situation.

The sound of her heels clicking on the floors echoed through the hallway as she walked quickly. Mihail was right behind her, following silently. In many ways Crina sometimes forgot that she replaced Nic. Many times wanted to order Mihail to return to his post but this was now his post. He was sucked out of his life and ordered to follow her in her life. Mihail, unlike Nic, showed emotions. Mihail, though he resembled a bodybuilder, was a teddy bear that liked and cried during romantic comedies. Crina found that out during a flight to a faraway country. No doubt it was an amusing sight but not something she expected.

"Is my car ready?" She asked as she made her way down the stairs.

"Of course." His voice behind her said. Giving a single nod she continued down the steps, pausing for a brief moment looking at a woman with a five month old baby resting in her arms. It was Gheorghe's wife. At that moment the woman looked up to meet Crina's cold, lifeless, dull green eyes. The woman's eyes widened as she looked down at the round, bowing a bit in respect. Not caring to acknowledge her, Crina continued on her way to her awaiting car outside.

The sleek black SUV was parked right outside the door, the driver waiting with the door open. Mihail sat across from her but she ignored him as they got situated before the car drove to her parents house. The building passed by in a blur that she paid no mind to. She was dreading telling her parents what she found out. Or rather, she could keep it a secret but suffer the consequences when something horrible happened. That wasn't something that she was willing to do.

Crina didn't spare a glance towards Mihail during the ride but she could feel his gaze on her. His stare felt like a burning hole on the side of her face. Sighing, she turning in her seat to look at Mihail. The large man immediately turned as if he wasn't staring at her.

"What do you need?" Crina questioned, narrowing her lifeless eyes at the lively man.

"Nothing, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am." Mihail said confidently, not looking up at her.

"No, you have my attention, what is it?"

"It's just," He paused, looking out the window. "Why wipe his mind and send him to America? This situation wouldn't be happening if you simply let him heal or killed him. He was still able to continue with us."

Crina clenched her fist and jaw, glaring at him before her face became emotionless.

"You're right, it was nothing. I'll let you in on a secret, Mihail. If I hear this around I'll personally kill you. Nic deserved to get out of this shit hole that he's been in his whole life. You wanted to join, you all did willingly except for Nic and myself. Now if one of us has a shot for a better life then so be it. Next time, keep your eyes and your thoughts to yourself."

Pulling up to her parents house, her mother was outside in the garden tending to a rose bush that was in the middle of blooming. At the sight of the SUV her mom set down the gardening tool and rushed to the car. Her mom's graying blonde hair and pale skin was covered in dirt.

"Babe, you're here!" Her mom, Alexandru, exclaimed, opening the door. Crina let a genuine smile on her face at the sight of her mother. She felt happier and lighter around her mother but when she remembered why she was there her smile then became fake. It was painful to keep pretending but if it made her mother happy then she would do it.

"I come bearing news. Come in, sit down." Crina said, walking past her mom. Her mom and Mihail followed her in the house, locking the door behind them. Her dad, Nicolae, was probably cooking or in the bath since the house was so quiet.

"Nico, Babe is here!" Her mother yelled. Crina didn't flinch but she seen Mihail move a step away from her mom causing her to mentally roll her eyes.

Once her dad was in the room she explained the situation. Her mom sobbed while her father ran his hands through his graying red hair.

"This is why you fucking kill them! This is why you let them die in fucking battle!" Her father roared causing her mother to cry even harder. "So the brainwashing didn't work and the only thing he remembered was Celestina! Now, thanks to your dumbass decision he's going to fucking kill her!"

"I apologize for my stupidity, father." Crina said, her head bowed in respect. She felt her head jerk to the size but she didn't look up even then as she ignored the stinging pain on her cheek. Her mother seemed to come to her senses then and yelled at her father for hitting her.

Without another word Crina stood up and walked out of the house with Mihail in tow. She needed to fix this.  

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Already one month of Truth, whose ready for part nine?
Also, only about six parts left. Just a heads up.

Date: January 29