The flashback faded as Alice stared down at her daughter, blood still fresh on Roxanne's hands. Her crimson eyes glimmered with pride and a hint of innocence, though they held no remorse for the life she had taken. Beside her, Danny stood quietly, his face pale but resolute, his protective stance beside Roxanne speaking volumes.
Alice's gaze softened as she crouched to Roxanne's level, her voice a low, measured whisper. "Roxanne... was this your choice? Do you regret it?"
Roxanne shook her head, her small voice steady. "No, Mom. He hurt Emily. He deserved it."
Alice reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from Roxanne's face, her lips curving into a faint smile. "It was too soon, my treasure. Too soon to show the world your strength. But you acted with purpose, and for that, I'm proud."
She stood, now addressing Danny with a commanding yet calm demeanor. "And you... protecting her. It seems you have a spine, boy." Her piercing gaze softened slightly. "Stay close to her. You'll need each other in the days to come."
Turning back to Roxanne, Alice extended her hand. "Let's go home. We'll clean up this mess... together."
Without hesitation, Roxanne placed her hand in Alice's, and the trio walked away, leaving behind the aftermath of a moment that would shape their futures.
Alice glanced over her shoulder at Danny, her eyes sharp and commanding. "You're coming too, Danny," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Danny swallowed hard but nodded, stepping in line beside Roxanne. He glanced at her, concern mingling with awe in his gaze. "I'll stay with you," he whispered, more to Roxanne than to Alice.
Alice smirked faintly, noting the boy's unwavering loyalty. Good, she thought. My daughter needs allies she can trust.
"Let's go," Alice said, leading the way. "We'll discuss everything once we're safe."
Together, they exited the scene, their steps marking the beginning of a bond forged in blood and secrecy.
Alice glanced over her shoulder at Danny, her eyes sharp and commanding. "You're coming too, Danny," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Danny swallowed hard but nodded, stepping in line beside Roxanne. He glanced at her, concern mingling with awe in his gaze. "I'll stay with you,"
"One more thing," Alice said, her tone like ice.
Jessie stiffened, awaiting the inevitable command.
"The boy's corpse—make it vanish. Use acid. I want nothing left of him. As for the witnesses, including Roxanne's little friend Emily…" Alice's voice grew colder. "They disappear too. No loose ends, Jessie. You know what to do."
"I...I don't mind, just kill her..." Roxanne complied, earning a shocked glance from Dany.
Jessie's face betrayed no emotion. "Understood, Boss. I'll take care of it personally."
"Good." Alice's tone softened slightly as she glanced down at Roxanne, who was sitting quietly in the backseat next to Danny. "Now let's get moving. This situation has already caused enough disruption."
Jessie nodded, pulling out her phone as she stepped away, issuing swift, coded instructions to her team.
"Prepare a new principal for the school. The old one... kill him. And the entire staff. I don't want anyone left to tell the tale."
Jessie's face remained impassive. "Understood. I'll handle it immediately."
Alice's car pulled into the driveway, the weight of the day barely affecting her. Roxanne, still bloodied but calm, sat beside her, while Danny remained silent.
Alice stepped out, her heels clicking sharply. "Go clean up," she ordered Roxanne, who nodded before heading inside with Danny following.
Entering the mansion, Alice's gaze swept over her domain. Jessie was already waiting. "Everything is taken care of?" Alice asked coldly.
Jessie nodded. "All set."
"Good. Let's keep it that way." Alice's control was unshaken.
After the ride and back in hime, Alice paused as she stood in the foyer, preparing to confront Roxanne about the incident. But something shifted in her mind, and she discarded the idea. The cold truth settled in.
It wasn't a lesson for Roxanne yet; perhaps it was Akira's sadistic side that was making things more complicated. She was her mother, after all, and the way things played out was inevitable.
"Maybe later," Alice muttered, turning to Jessie. "Bring a babysitter for my baby and her friend, we've got work to do." She says.
Jessie, standing near the door, nodded with a quick, professional demeanor. "Boss. We've located him. He's at a retirement house, but he's being heavily guarded. We'll need to act quickly to avoid attracting too much attention."
Alice raised an eyebrow. "How soon can we move?"
"Within the hour. I'll make sure everything's set up for a clean extraction," Jessie replied.
Alice smiled darkly. "Perfect. Let's make sure this goes smoothly."
Alice and Jessie arrived at the retirement home, an inconspicuous building surrounded by overgrown hedges, far from the bustling city. This was a place for forgotten minds, for those who lived out their days in quiet obscurity. Yet, inside, guarded by heavy security, one person remained who could change everything.
The facility's security team stood in front of a specific room, their presence formidable, their training impeccable. But Alice and Jessie were prepared. A few quick, precise shots of anesthetic, expertly administered, and the guards were incapacitated, their bodies collapsing to the floor in a silent heap.
"That was easy," Jessie remarked, her tone detached as she scanned the now empty hallway.
Alice didn't respond, her focus entirely on the door ahead. She pushed it open, revealing the man they had come to see.
The man was sitting in a chair, his wild, white hair unkempt, eyes darting nervously around the room as though he were trapped in a world of his own delusions. His clothes were rumpled, his hands twitching as he muttered to himself.
When he saw Alice and Jessie enter, a strange gleam sparked in his eyes. "Ah... so you're the ones, aren't you? The ones who've come to ask for my help..." His voice was raspy, his mind clearly fractured by years of isolation and madness.
"Mr. Lovecraft," Alice said, her tone icy yet calm, "We need you. You're the only one who understands what's at stake."
Lovecraft let out a breathless laugh, shaking his head. "Understanding? What could you possibly want with someone like me, someone who can barely keep his thoughts together? The things I've seen... they've driven me to the edge of sanity. Do you think I'm capable of helping you?"
Alice stepped closer, her eyes never leaving his. "Yes. Because no one else can. You were right about many things, and now the time has come to use that knowledge."
Jessie stood by silently, watching the interaction unfold. She knew Alice had a way of manipulating people, bending them to her will, and she could see the subtle shift in Lovecraft's demeanor, as if part of him wanted to believe her.
Lovecraft's eyes flickered with a mix of curiosity and fear, but beneath it, there was something else—something dangerous. "You know... you're playing with forces you can't comprehend. Forces that will tear your world apart."
Alice's gaze hardened. "That's why we need you to guide us, Howard. You understand the chaos better than anyone. Help us control it."
Lovecraft leaned back in his chair, a wicked smile creeping onto his lips. "Control it? Control the madness? You're in for more than you bargained for, my dear." He chuckled to himself, a hollow sound that filled the room with unease.
Alice didn't flinch. "Just tell us how to make it work."
Lovecraft's eyes were wild, his breathing ragged, as he leaned forward, practically trembling with excitement. His fingers twitched erratically, his words tumbling out in a fevered, almost incoherent rush. "You have no idea! You can't possibly understand! It's already happening, can't you feel it? The walls are cracking! Reality is shattering! The things that slumber beneath the surface... they're waking up! And YOU—" he pointed an unsteady finger directly at Alice, "YOU are the catalyst! The door is open, and you'll never, NEVER be able to close it! The gods of the void, they are coming!"
Jessie flinched, instinctively stepping back, but Alice remained as calm as ever, her eyes cold and calculating. She had heard madness before. This, however, was something different. Lovecraft was no longer a man—he was a vessel for something much darker.
"Tell me how to open it," Alice demanded, her voice as sharp as a blade, "and you'll get what you want."
Lovecraft's eyes gleamed with a manic, otherworldly light. He laughed—a high-pitched, almost musical sound that echoed unnervingly through the room. "Open it? You already have! You're standing in it! Don't you see?! The rift is here, it's inside you, in your very soul! The Nexus, the place where all worlds collapse and merge, it's already bleeding into this one!"
He leapt out of his chair, the frenzied energy radiating from him like a storm. His voice grew louder, his words spilling out in a torrent, "The walls between the planes are thin, paper-thin! They've been thinning for centuries, and you've done it! You've torn them open with your greed and your arrogance! Do you know what's on the other side? Do you?! The things, the things that dwell beyond the stars! Eldritch horrors beyond your comprehension, waiting to feast on your soul! And you—you've brought them here!"
Jessie's skepticism faded into a growing unease as Lovecraft's insanity spread like wildfire. His eyes bulged out of their sockets, his voice dropping to a terrifying whisper, "I can hear them... I can hear them whispering to me. They want to be freed... they want to be worshipped... and you're the key, Alice. You are the one who will unlock them. It's already too late. You've already started the ritual. The universe is already... unstable."
Alice was silent, her eyes narrowing as she considered his words. Madness or truth? It was difficult to tell. But one thing was certain—this man had lost his grip on reality long ago, and yet, somewhere in the chaos of his ramblings, there might be a kernel of truth.
Jessie, however, wasn't convinced. "This is all nonsense. He's just a deranged old man spewing gibberish," she muttered under her breath, but Lovecraft's manic energy was undeniable. His presence felt... wrong, like the air itself was warping around them.
Alice turns to Jessie.
"Tell me Jessie, what do you know about... selling your soul?"
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
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