Eternal Embers #TheWattys2018

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He watched as Mina strode across the car park, anger filled her features as her feet pounded across the concrete.

He always did like it when she was angry. Shifting down in his drivers seat, he watched as Zak chased after her. His satisfaction only building when he saw that she was still angry with Zak despite him coming out behind her, clearly upset with whatever had happened inside the restaurant.

His eyes glowered as she shouted back in his face and ignored whatever Zak was trying to tell her. Even after all these years, her stubbornness was still something that grated him, but also warmed him.

It had taken him a while to track her down, following up on leads that the private investigator had complied for him.

Now he knew, she was single. She had no child with Zak. And she lived alone.

He hadn't gotten her address, but managed to get access to viewing her social media page, where he found her tagged in a photo from the restaurant, her bright smile brought his heart to a near stop.

Only now that smile was gone.

He noticed how she reacted around Zak, almost shifting away from his touch, how she was constantly looking away from him, or fiddling with her keys. A nervous trait, no doubt.

He had also picked up the weight loss and dark circles that laid under her eyes. He wondered if it had anything to do with his release? He wondered if she even knew that he was now a free man.. Was it custom to let the other party know? He wouldn't use the word victim. After all, she brought a lot of the trouble on herself.

He watched as she got into her car after the heated exchange with Zak and pulled out of the parking lot, he waited for a few seconds. Before starting his engine and following her.

He remained behind her car, at around 4 car lengths, minimum. He watched as she slowed, inevitably causing him to slow down too, making sure that he wasn't spotted following her. He wanted to remain in the shadows, for his plan to be executed, he needed to know that she was completely unaware of him. Slowly blanketing himself around her life, he knew what car she drove, he knew she was alone, he knew what job she had.

Now he just needed the home address.

He followed her for almost 30 minutes, keeping his distance and watching her drive.

When his phone rang, he growled and dug it out of his pocket, answering it with a rough grunt.

"I have her home address.." The voice spoke through the phone.

"I have her. She's about 200 metres ahead of me."

A gasp sounded "You're following her?!"

"What else was I suppose to do? You have been taking too long."

The man shuffled on the phone "I've been working as quickly as I can.."

"Not fast enough. I don't need you from here on out. Goodbye."

Before the man could respond, he hung up and tossed his phone aside. Eventually her car slowed down, pulling onto a side street, so he did too.

He was confident that she wouldn't see him now. The sun as behind them now, and he hoped that the tinted windows of his vehicle worked. The man had placed on the thickest tint he could get, and would legally be allowed.

He still kept a safe distance and smiled when he saw her pull onto a drive. He continued down the street and pulled over just before she disappeared into a house.

His phone went off, making him pick it up. He opened the message to a house address. Looking at the mailboxes lining the street, he smiled.

He had her.

Clicking off the message, he scrolled through his contacts and pulled up the unsaved number.

He rang it.

Upon answering he smiled to himself "Brother... How are you?"

The man on the other end coughed. "G-Gavin?"

"Yes."

"What? How? When did you get out?!"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I have her.."

"Who?"

"My darling little Mina. Now... Are you in? Or are you out?"

The man on the other end went quiet. "I don't want to go back to prison.."

"We won't be. We just have to make sure that it points to someone else."

"Who?" The man asks.

Gavin smiles again as he thinks back to the confrontation in the parking lot. The same parking lot he had scoped out for the past few days, and knew where the CCTV cameras covered and where they didn't..

His car was off camera, but Mina's and Zak's spat wasn't. That was in full camera view.

"I have just the person."