The Crime Lords

Chapter 13- The past

I strolled around the treehouse for a while, thinking. Why did Estella leap at Briannon like that? Was Briannon just trying to get to me so she could use me? And the one question that haunted both of my identities: Harley or Acrobolt? Which one was my true self?

I wandered over to my weapons container and picked up my knife. I twirled it in my fingers, a habit I had while I was thinking. My parents loved me, and I loved them. But if they knew some of the stuff I did ... of course they were the ones who taught me how to survive on my own but did they expect me to turn out like this?

My thoughts trailed off to my loved ones. I thought of Estella, she was just a friend right? It wasn't the time to think about love. I'd never been very good with love. The last time I loved someone outside my family was.... April, my... Well I guess you could say ex girlfriend.

I thought it would be a good idea to let her know about Acrobolt. She was interested in joining the team and Wills allowed her in The Crime Lords after she had trained and perfected her skills. I was happy, until, that man came. I couldn't quite picture him properly, it was dark and foggy. Out on the street, April and I were running to escape the police. It was raining which was good for us, more camouflage. Up an alleyway, over a fence, up a ladder. We were almost out of their range. Then that man appeared up ahead. I didn't know who he was nor what he looked like so I dismissed him as just a pedestrian. I signalled April to continue and we picked up our pace to get past the man. That's when he held up the gun.... and shot her dead.

My eyes widened, it couldn't be true. My love, the only one I loved that knew my true colours, was gone. Tears streamed from my blinded eyes. I screamed out for help, but the rain absorbed my wails and showed no mercy against my already soaking wet body. I hugged her limp, lifeless body close to my chest, hoping that my feelings for her would bring her back, but the only thing it accomplished was making me cry even more. I rolled over on the gravel road and stared at the sky. The only thing I could do now, was wait for the police to catch me. I was too distraught to go on. My emotions froze my muscles and impaired my senses. I felt dead myself. I think I was there for at least an hour before Wills found me and I gathered the strength I had left together to make it back to the base. My deepest regret, however, was leaving her body behind. The next day, it had vanished.

A single tear drop rolled down my cheek and fell to the floor. I saw myself, on the street up ahead, the same night that April died. I stood up and whipped my head around to find answers. My vision was right in front of me. It felt realistic, like a hallucination of some sort.

I ran up to my own limp body on the ground over my dead ex. I tried to touch the other me's shoulder but my hand phased straight through it. That's when I saw the man, the murderer, down the street. I ran with all my might at him, fuelled by rage. I clenched my hand into a fist and tried to punch his black, unknown face but as soon as my hand made contact, the vision faded and I was back in the treehouse.

"What a nightmare."I said to myself.

I held my head in my hands and sat down on the couch to stop myself from falling over. The past had come back to haunt me once again. I decided after that day, to never love anyone again. Not with my past. Love can wait for another time.

"Harley? Harley!? Are you up there?" I heard Wills's voice beckoning from the bottom of the ladder.

"Yeah I'm up here." I called back.

I heard him clamber up the ladder and crawl into the base.

"I was just daydreaming that's all." I said, in case he was wondering.

Wills stood up and with a terrified look on his face, I realised that he was definitely not thinking that.

"What's wrong?" I asked, getting to my feet.

Wills struggled to get the words out but muttered the shallow words: "You.... Samurais..... Estella........captured!"