Agent Benjamin Ripley

Chapter 29

Wow.... It's almost done you guys! I can't believe it's been 3 months since I started this. I want to thank all my dedicated readers, I love y'all so much! If you want to set the mood, listen to this song. It gets a little upbeat, but it's really dark. I think of it as Ben and Erica's perspective. I will not be able to update on Sunday, so I will post the last chapter today. *sob*

The video appeared the wall of the conference room. It was the man with the scar and terrible clown mask again. Erica growled, her knuckles white from clutching the conference table.

"Hello, CIA. I have dreadful news to share." He didn't really sound that upset.

"Agent Benjamin Ripley..." Cain paused for dramatic effect. "Is dead."

He gestured behind him, spinning out of the way. There was a corpse hanging from a pole there. Erica cried out. It was Ben. His eyes were closed, three parallel lines running from his left eye, making it look like he was crying blood. He looked at peace. His mundane brown hair was dark with blood and he looked malnourished, his eyes coated with dark circles. Zoe had her hand to her mouth, her eyes filled with tears.

"No... He can't... He can't be dead...." Erica murmured. She stood up and yelled at the screen, tears threatening to stream down her face.

"You promised you would always come back!" She screamed before collapsed, sobbing on the floor. Ben couldn't be dead... He promised... Alexander rushed to his daughter's side, no longer paralyzed.

"Erica, maybe..." He couldn't make any promises though, and his daughter stood up, her face an irate mask. She pushed him away and ran through the door, outside to the garden of the school. She crumpled to her knees. 

"How often are men happy right before they die! They call it the lightness before death. Oh, how can I call this lightness?" She bit her lip, blood hitting her mouth with a metallic twang. 

"He can't be dead...." 

Zoe crept her way to her friend and put her arm around Erica Hale's shoulders. She silently laughed to herself thinking that 5 years ago, she wouldn't have pictured their. Friends with the Ice Queen, and Ben dating Erica. She smiled slightly, but it dropped when Zoe remembered. Ben... He was gone now. 

"We can go retrieve him. We know which warehouse now. Mike and I narrowed it down." Erica didn't look at her. Tears were snaking their way down her face. She was even more of a mess than she had been when he was captured or in the hospital. In those situations, at least there had been hope. 

Hope. What was the meaning of the word? Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish a desire with anticipation.", but Zoe didn't feel it. 

Don't waste your love on somebody who doesn't value it. (William Shakespeare) That advice had been given to Erica by her grandfather when she and Ben started dating. She knew he would never break her heart. He was a true romantic, and this wasn't his fault. They both valued the time they had together. Ben and Erica loved each other. Loved. No, that wasn't true. Erica still loved him even if he couldn't love her back. 

Ian rushed to the garden. He had to get to Erica before Cain told them that he was dead. Maybe he was too late. The mood in the academy was somber. He ran all the way, and halted panting. He could see the crowns of Erica and Zoe's head just above the bushes in the garden. 

"Erica!" He called. He ceased running right in front of her. 

"Ian?" Zoe said, looking surprised.

"Ben... Ben," He panted, trying to catching his breath. 

"He's dead, Ian." Erica spoke up quietly, her blue eyes lamenting. She stood up and smiled at Zoe. 

"Let's go find him." They walked away, and Ian was left in the garden.