Demon's Reborn

Chap 14

Dale threw a newspaper on Hale's table showing the circled title at the second page. "Lady found floating up-side-down in a shallow canal" Hale read uninterested. "So the Moles killed her then?" Hale then asked after seeing the photo of lady, whose face is full of cuts and bruises, attached to it. But his brother is lighting up his cigar. "Were you able to find Venice?" "Nah, no one has seen anyone like her. No new pop ups too." "So you just came here to show me this irrelevant news?" "Luigi and William are busy tracking down a person whom they believed to have stolen the lady's seal" Dale told him without dilly dallies. "And how did they get to that?"

"Remember the failed burial massacre?" Dale asked but is not expecting his brother to answer. "Those vigilantes possess the symbol. Someone must've sent them and that someone is nicknamed Persephone. They're searching for the queen of hell and believed that the ugly girl is a great lead to her whereabouts. Her current meet ups with Luigi was believed to be a clue" Dale explained between puffs of smoke that is giving off foul smell in the office. "So you made me read the news first before telling me that so I won't hope? How kind." "Not really. And Luigi doesn't care about that news either." "Then that means he encountered her after the date of the body's discovery" Hale concluded. "Probably." "Do you have any idea then?" "He must've been hiding her somewhere torturing her until she spill the beans then killed her afterwards." "Sounds just like him" Hale agreed.

Someone's humming and...something's dripping. It sounds really close. When I turned beside me the hum disappeared and I saw a rabbit whose fur is so white it looked like snow being illuminated by the rays of the sun. Its eyes were so red like they're pools of blood. Its hand and legs were all amputated as if they were ripped off and are now bleeding little by little while it is lying down helplessly in its pool of blood. Then a humungous tiger came closing in with four small red and white things between its lips. It was as if they were stuck in between its teeth. Its wide pink tongue swept the hare and took it inside its mouth. Its eyes were locked on their direction and is still coming closer going with the beat of his heart. Then it went on a run and jumped—"No!!!" Luigi sat up from his bed as beads of sweat trickle down from his forehead. He's been having the same nightmare for days straight. He always had the same reaction too. The feeling that he's being targeted or that he could be the rabbit being hunted by that tiger is not so pleasing at all.

"I told you I have no medicine for nightmares" Gilbert groaned when Luigi went lying down on the sofa again. "I know, I only came here to ask you something." "Just go to a psychiatrist will you?" But Luigi is not listening. "How and why would she be my lucky charm? I don't get it?" Gilbert rolled his eyes over the same question Luigi has been asking him every day he goes into his clinic. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't know?" "Coz you're not trying to think." "Oh, so you think you're thinking?" Gilbert asked annoyed but Luigi doesn't care. "Get out of here Colonel, I treat battle scars not heart with scars. Get it? If you do then you're free to go." Gilbert went back in front of his computer browsing the SEAL website. Luigi was about to leave when the doctor called him. "Hey Tiger, come here for a sec." Gilbert moved away from the screen to show it to Luigi. "Is that Miss Venice's seal in that auction?" Luigi quickly fished his phone and called William. "Sir, the seal is at the auc--" "Yes, I'm already on it. I'll get that seal no matter what" William answered and ended the call. Gilbert and Luigi has been watching the online bidding that ended after William announced ten million. He then contacted Luigi to go and get it. "Thanks Gilbert."

Luigi went straight to the seller's location after taking the cash from William's account. It's a huge mansion sitting on top of a village at the suburb. He left the money at the back of his car and went for the door. After the doorbell rang, the door was opened by a tall man in black suit and looked at the tablet he's holding. "Who are you?" the butler asked after confirming that he's not William. "I'm Luigi, Sir William sent me" he shortly answered then a 'ping' sound from the tablet took the butler's attention. "Sir Luigi Ardeur?" the butler asked. "I am." The butler moved aside and let him in then closed the door behind them. "This way." The butler led him up on the first room. It's a private living room where a man is sitting in wait. "Have a seat" the butler ushered him on the seat across that man and stood behind him.

"Look who we have here." Luigi's eyes went wide after he heard the familiar voice. He's still wearing his mask and those slanted annoying eyes never changed. Before Luigi could do anything more, the butler behind struck him unconscious. He was woken up by a sharp sting at his side then he felt the crushing pain on his wrists and ankles. They were chained tightly by several loops. He's being hanged up by the chains gripping his wrists and is being held down by the huge round weights attached to the chains on his ankles.

"No matter how I look at you, you don't look really frightening at all" Faile said as he emerge from the dark side of the dim lit room. "Oh? Free me and you'll see" Luigi stated, challenged but Faile just laughed. "I'm questioning your ability Tiger. I'm rather puzzled why they say that with one look, you'll tremble in fear." "Those are false rumors." "And as I see it" Faile agreed then snapped his finger. Above them, at the second floor at the hall way, the butler came with a blind folded lady before him. Those ugly scars dividing her face and neck and covering her visible limbs. There's no mistaking who it is, Luigi thought. Though she was reported dead, she's here perfectly fine.

"Yleine dear" Faile called when he noticed Luigi staring at her. "How are your injuries?" "They still ache but it's quite better now. What's with the blindfold anyway?" "Ah, for a surprise of course. But you're not allowed to undo it yet. Wait for my signal okay?" Faile instructed as he folds his sleeves. "Oh, okay" she answered gladdened and wore a sweet smile.