I awoke thirty minutes after four o'clock in the morning. My head was still a little heavy, and I believe I'm suffering from a hangover from the drink we had. Before taking a bath, I sat on the bed for a while.
I was meant to go down to the café for breakfast, but Canra and I met by the stairs. She greeted me and said she'd like to have breakfast with me if that's alright.
I agreed and accompanied her to the cafeteria. We both had fried rice with eggs and a cup of coffee. She questioned as to why I had relocated to this town.
I didn't want to tell her I was staying here for my own protection and the town mayor's aid in finding my family, but I'm afraid things would only get worse if I lied and she found out through other people.
"Elias? You seem to have dropped your smile. You can tell me that you can't answer my question, I'd understand!"
She noticed that after hearing her questions, I had thought more deeply. I apologized and told her I'd return to my hometown once things returned to normal.
"I see… will we be able to see each other again?"
Her expression was saddened. I didn't want to hurt her, but I also didn't want her to become attached to me, so I said no.
She nodded and smiled. She then told me that as long as I'm in town, she'll be there to support and assist me in any way she can.
After breakfast, she told me she'd start her shift and walked away from the table.
I saw one of the mayor's personal assistants walking towards me as I watched her walk to the reception area.
"Mister Burghe, the mayor needs to see you right away. It appears to be an emergency. Please follow me to the town hall."
I snapped out of my reverie while watching Canra and ran to the town hall.
The mayor was in the town hall's lounge, and he was walking as if he were in extreme discomfort.
When I approached him, he immediately told me what was going on.
"Elias! The mail we received a few days ago from Fendleburton was a total fabrication!"
I scratched my head and asked him to settle down and tell me what was wrong.
"ELIAS, THE SMYTE! THEY SENT US, THE TOWN MAYORS, A LETTER REGARDING THE MAILS WE RECEIVED FROM THEM ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO!"
I then remembered receiving a brief response from the Smyte in response to our inquiries about their knowledge of the ordeal's existence, as well as a handwritten letter from the blacksmith informing me that he had been invited to an outside event being held by the said company.
"The Smyte Corporation wrote that a few mayors sent them a letter asking why they hadn't been informed about this event but were able to invite the local citizens of their towns!"
Mr. Hullings, upset, passed me the paper and told me to read it for myself.
"Good day, mayors of the following towns:
- FAGARDO
- FLAIN
- FRUSCHIA
- FERRERO
- FUERGO
- FLAVION
We would like to inform you that we have never held any events since the inception of our business. We've received numerous messages from mayors asking why they weren't invited to the event. For the sake of the Smyte Corporation and the town of Fendleburton, once again. WE HAVE NEVER CREATED AN EVENT, however if we did, we would gladly invite the mayors of this region to partake as their towns' representatives. We would never waste valuable time of the busy, hardworking locals for a party. We regret to inform you that we have been unable to appeal to your letters for the previous week due to a business overload. We would, however, devote a significant period of time to assisting you in the investigation of this matter. We appreciate your approach, and the company will eagerly await the findings led by Fendleburton authorities.
- The Smyte Mine Corporation"
As I read the letter, my jaw dropped. Mr. Tyrile, the blacksmith, is in mortal danger. I immediately asked the mayor what we should do about this, and a citizen of this town was involved.
He reassured me that a mayoral conference would be held at Fagardo by dinner, and he requested me to accompany him so that I could share my observations with my former mayor.
I agreed to assist him and walked to the inn to gather my belongings.
I saw Canra by the desk and told her about the emergency meeting I'd be attending. As I went upstairs, she nodded and smiled.
My thoughts are slowly turning to Canra, and I've recently been putting my wife on the sidelines. I wish I didn't have to do that, but Canra is such a lovely person.
I arrived at my room and packed extra clothing as well as other necessities such as papers and ink for taking notes if necessary
I looked through the window and started to realize that the happenings were gradually coming together and that I'd be able to reach a conclusion about the whereabouts of Yarah and our child.
I smiled.
I took my suitcase and exited the room. As I walked down the reception area, Canra noticed that I had brought a suitcase with me.
"Are you going to be gone for a looooong period?"
I told her no, and that I had only brought clothes in case we got caught in the rain.
"Where are you going anyway? Is it a long distance?"
Her coworkers were smiling as they watched the two of us talk. She made me think of how my wife would react if I told her I was going to work for a prolonged period of time than usual.
"Why are you smiling? Ha-ha! Answer me!"
I immediately snapped out of it and informed her that I'd be traveling to my hometown to accompany Mr. Hullings.
"But isn't there a desert between Flain and your place? Ha-ha! Of course, it's possible that it will pour down on Fagardo! Sorry, Elias; I'll see you soon!"
She became more at ease speaking with me. I'm guessing it's because I accepted her feelings and she's trying to persuade me. She's captivating.
I smiled and told her that when I returned, we'd eat together as my treat. She smiled and agreed right away.
"I-I'll look forward to it!!!"
When I arrived at town hall, the mayor was waiting for me in the lobby.
"Elias! Let's eat now because we'll be leaving by lunchtime. I've arranged for a vehicle to transport us to Fagardo!"
We went out to eat, and I asked if I could bring my guns for our protection. He was hesitant at first, but eventually agreed because he realized we never know when we'll be in threat.
I took my guns from the locker and placed them beside the passenger seat of the vehicle, along with my suitcase.
We boarded the vehicle at noon. I sat beside the driver's seat, and the mayor is alone in the passenger seat.
We were on our way to Fagardo when the vehicle pulled away. Once we arrive, I intend to show Mr. Hullings around my house.
We're approximately four hours away from Fagardo. I made the decision to take a nap.
—
A few hours had passed when a loud thud woke me up.
I looked around and noticed large vehicles enclosing us. We'd been cornered.
In order to ensure the mayor's safety, I drew my revolver and slung it around my waist.
I stepped out of the vehicle to assert my dominance and wanted to know as to why these vehicles were surrounding us.
One of the vehicles rolled down their window, and the driver appeared to recognize me.
"Oh, you're Elias Burghe, aren't you? Fagardo's former peacekeeper."
I didn't recognize them, but I told them that I was, in fact, Elias Burghe.
I opened our vehicle's door and told the driver to drive away as soon as I fired a gunshot. The mayor and the driver were both terrified by my decision.
"You are, indeed, a tough man. We've got the trump card surrendering himself, boys!"
I recognized the man's trench coat as he stepped out of the vehicle.
"You, too, were involved in that incident one night!", I exclaimed in realization.
With a chain on his hands, the man laughed at me. I drew my gun and shot him in the head without giving it a second thought. The mayor's vehicle immediately fled the scene.
The other men fired back at me, but I quickly took cover and only had a bullet graze my left sleeve.
I had forgotten to load my weapon and had only three bullets left. There were four vehicles, with one to two people riding in each. I was fortunate that the man I killed was alone in his vehicle.
"MOTHERFUCKER! YOU! MOTHERFUCKER! MOTHERFUCKER! WE WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO SEE YOUR FAMILY AGAIN—"
After hearing that statement from the man inside the vehicle behind which I was taking cover, I became enraged.
I rolled over to take the dead man's chains and shot the driver of the second vehicle. I dashed back to my cover after another man in the vehicle shot me in the right arm.
I only had two bullets left. There were three vehicles that needs removing. One of them became self-assured and approached me in an attempt to shake me off.
As soon as he came into my line of sight, I pulled his feet and he slipped, giving me the advantage in time to shoot his testicles.
He screamed in agony, provoking the other men to rush towards us. As soon as I heard them approaching, I drew him alongside me and grabbed his shotgun.
I then threw him in the opposite direction, thinking I'd peek after distracting the others, and the two men shot him by mistake, thinking it was me.
I quickly peered over to the right side, where only one of them was standing.
I immediately busted the lone man's stomach and turned around to pop another guy's throat with my revolver's last bullet.
The last person trembled in fear, knelt, and dropped his weapon.
"IT WASN'T ME WHO CALLED YOU A MOTHERFUCKER, SPARE ME!"
I put the guns down and approached him slowly. He caught me off guard and charged at me, wielding a knife.
I couldn't pick up a gun from the ground because he had pushed me to a car door and hit my head with the sidemirror. He had his sights set on my eye.
"I'M NOT KILLING YOU HERE, BUT WE WILL TORTURE YOU WITH YOUR CUM-FILLED WENCH!"
I slid my foot against his legs, and he tripped.
"No one is yakking about my wife, bastard.", I said to him as I grabbed him by the neck.
He attempted to punch me, but I countered by punching him in the nose, causing it to bleed.
I forced him to inform me who they really were. He kept telling me that he'd remain silent until he kicked the bucket.
I wrecked his face with my bare knuckles and severed his face well.
He was still alive, so I asked him again.
"I TOLD YOU… I'LL NEVER EXPOSE THE ORDEAL!"
I swatted his face again with the butt of the shotgun.
As I petted him like a dog, I told him,
"That's the thing I needed to hear. The Ordeal."
He began to sob and begged me to spare his life.
"What did you say about my wife, Ordeal slave?", I asked.
"S-She… is… she's being used as the higher ups' slave… they… are constantly banging her…"
I became outraged and dragged his face through the hot desert sands, slamming his face into the window of one of the vehicles until it shattered.
I still double-checked to make sure he was still alive. I stomped on his testicles as I wrapped him in chains to calm myself.
I cut one of the men's trench coat sleeves with the knife and tied it to the surviving person's mouth.
I rummaged through the dead men's pockets and vehicles, discovering a gallon of gasoline in each. I was also fortunate to find a lighter among the dead. I also dug my revolver out of the sand.
I piled the dead bodies on top of each other and began pouring gasoline on them. As soon as the gallons were empty, I lit them up.
I drove the surviving slave in one of the vehicles towards Fagardo.
He wouldn't stop whining for his life as I drove, so I decided to just tie him to the rear of the vehicle and drag him along.