"So, what next?" Chantria asked the board. "What do we do, now?"
Angela who was still recovering from the shock didn't know what to say or do as she was confused as why Mark would resign so suddenly.
The whole board turned to Angela and demanded for a response. "So?" Chantria asked again.
"From my observations, I think that Mark is simply having a rough day and should take a day or two to rest. I'm certain that it was just the stress talking." Angela said, attempting to cover up for Col. Mark.
"And from my own observations," Chantria began. "it's obvious that you're trying too hard to cover up for Mark. This man has already pleaded guilty of the charge and has humbly retired, why should we allow such an incompetent person to come back into this administration and ruin everything we've worked so hard for."
"Chantria, it seems like you're forgetting that Mark has been one of the most efficient head of the agency for years and has served Hoboran well, how can you just discard his efforts so easily." Angela said, getting offended.
"I'm sorry if I sounded rude or offensive but what I meant is that indeed he had done an amazing job… In the past, but now I think he's getting rusty and can't perform as well as before."
Karl who had been quiet all this while spoke up for the first time. "Also, one of the doctors in Hoboran's general hospital, just phoned my assistant, and complained that her patient, has just been forcefully taken away from the hospital. And this patient happens to be Sylvian Augustus, Mark's only child, who has been admitted for more than six years after showing signs of mental derailment."
"And how does that affect this discussion?" Angela asked.
"Well, the person who forcefully took away Sylvian from the hospital is her father." Karl concluded.
"I-i-i'm s-sure Mark would have a solid reason for doing that." Angela said, stammering.
"Solid reason enough to risk the life of people in Hoboran?" Another board member asked Angela.
"How does taking his daughter away from the hospital affect people in Hoboran?" Angela asked.
"She is an insane person, who should be locked in a cell." Chantria said nonchalantly.
"How can you say such about a mere fifteen year old? Are you this heartless?" Angela fumed. "What harm can a fifteen year old do to people in Hoboran? Why are you guys not being reasonable?" She asked further.
"It seems like we can't possibly explain to you the dangers of his actions, so I think it's better you hear from a professional's mouth, what harm this girl can inflict on us." Karl said as he turned around and motioned to the guards positioned at the door. "Call her in."
In a few seconds, Dr. Michele was standing before the general council of Hoboran. "Good day." She said to clear off the tension in the room.
"Get to the point." Angela said in irritation.
"Earlier today, Colonel Mark Augustus waltzed into the Hospital, demanding to see his daughter as she had just woken up from her brief coma, which she attained after attacking more than a dozen nurses and doctors."
One of the board members interrupted Michele by raising up her hand. "Excuse me but is she always so violent?"
"Yes. But this days, she has become more violent."
"Then why wasn't she kept in the normal psychiatric ward?" Karl asked, already knowing the answer as he had briefed Dr. Michele earlier.
"Well, Col. Mark had threatened me and my fellow staffs never to take his daughter there and had rather risked the life of other normal patients. As of today, he decided that he didn't want his daughter in the hospital again and then he forcefully took her away, threatening to attack us if we dared call the security."
"This is all too much." Angela said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I think we should here from him first..."
Michel interrupted as she began shedding tears. "He had even hit me when I tried to prevent him from taking Sylvian from the hospital." She took off her scarf and a red swollen bump on her head became visible to the board members who gasped in shock.
Karl who was well aware that everything was staged struggled to keep himself from laughing.
Chantria rose up in false annoyance. "Well, I think that such a person who could be so heartless and inhumane should not be found anywhere near the administration building and should be arrested and put in jail, and also should be reprimanded for his actions, also I think Sylvian should be taken custody and this time in the psychiatric ward."
Angela was dumbfounded and all she could do was to think of the best possible outcome of this situation and still the best was worse than hell.
"Poor Mark!" She thought.
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Henry woke up panting and sweating with his whole body trembling. What had happened? Was it a bad dream? Because he couldn't remember anything. All he knew was that he felt really bad and scared at the same time and his guts were telling him that something awful was going to happen.
Just then, he noticed that he wasn't in the nice room he had been slept in earlier but was in a bright, white locked cell and on an iron bed.
He rose and walked slowing towards the door of the room where he heard a noise of a baby crying.
Who is it? He asked himself.
He held the knob of the door and twisted it slowly and to his surprise the door opened.
Just as he was about to take a step forward, all the lights in the room went off and everywhere became pitch black.
Henry didn't know what was happening but all he knew was that he had to get to that crying baby for reasons he didn't understand.
He found strength in his legs and began running in the darkness towards the sound of the crying baby. "I'm coming." He muttered unconsciously.
As he got closer, he saw the baby wrapped in clothing and under a dim fluorescent lamp.
Before he could take a step closer, a huge scary beast which looked like a lion with dragon wings and long claws appeared and began running towards the baby.
Just as it was about to devour the child, a girl appeared from no where and pushed the monster away, she bent and picked up the baby with her back facing Henry. She had a tattoo of a burning eagle on her back which she somehow transferred to the baby.
"Henry, you're here. Finally, you've come to save us." She said as she carried the child and walked away further into the darkness.
Henry yelled as he felt the mark of the burning eagle form on his chest.
As he yelled into the darkness, he heard his voice change into something like a roar and with that, he woke up for real this time.
He jumped out of the bed, shaking and crying softly. Was it all a dream? But then, he could still feel the pain of the mark.
He ripped open his shirt and to his surprise, the red burning mark was boldly carved on his chest.
Unknown to Henry, from the shadows, an old one-eyed man watched him quietly.