"Just come in. Greg, close the door and call your father," Mom looked a little bit tensed. Emma didn't find it welcoming. She was right. She is not welcome here.
Linda said, "What are you two doing here?"
"Well, you are here to visit you," El said.
"Eliott, Emma, I don't know what to say."
"Mom, why are you pulling the drapes down? It's my house can't I be here? "Emma asked.
"Emma, you shouldn't be here." Mom said.
"Why, Mom? Why can't I be here?"
"It's your-"
"My amnesia? Mom, it didn't even attack since the last time. I am tired of this shit. Whatever is going on!" She ran out of the house.
"She just went outside. don't let the headquarter know she is here. They will suspect her. I don't know if you have heard it or not."
"Yes, some agents have been kidnapped,' Eliott replied.
"Two of them were found dead. You remember Payne, right?" asked Linda.
"How could we ever forget him."
"Freeman killed Payne. But we think he is alive."
"Payne betrayed the organisation. So, he might want to burn the whole agency down. " Eliott said. Then he remembered something.
" You mean, he targeting Emma next?" Eliott asked Linda.
"He already destroyed her," Linda says.
"It was Payne. Behind Shawn's murder? THEN WHY THE HELL THE ORGANISATION IS SILENT? And if it's Ronald Payne behind all this? HE trained Emma. We all know that Emma is his -"
"Look, El, it's not safe for Emma to be here, find her, go back. I know it's her birthday, that's what we all can do to keep her safe. If anyone can stop Ron, it's Emma. But now Emma is not the one we knew." Eliott stopped her the mid-sentence and said-
"I'll do anything to protect her."
" I know you will. Take care of her." Linda nods and tells him to leave the city as soon as possible. HIVEtech has risen again, after a long period. They would do anything to destroy whoever comes to their path.
Eliott gets into his car. As he starts driving, he checks the possibilities of where Emma could be. He drove for fifteen minutes and yeah, there she was at the usual spot by the lake. It's December and the lake's frozen.
"Thought you would be here," his voice startled Emma.
"Oh! You"
" Who else it would be?"
"Yeah," she gave a sarcastic laugh, "Who else it could be? So, what did they say?"
"Your dad is kind of, umm, busy with some business. He couldn't come. But your mom sends this-"
Eliott hands her a box. Emma opens it and it was full of homemade cookies. Then Eliott reveals two bowls of blueberry Ice-creams and one Belgium-chocolate flavour.
Emma shows a curious face.
"What? I thought you remember the birthday tradition. It's the usual place. and after a long period, we are celebrating your birthday."
" You are never going to change, are you?" Emma asks as a smile escapes.
They spend the time enjoying the sunset and the food.
"So, are we going back, or do you want to visit your Abraham and Cassie? "Emma asked. Abraham is Eliott's brother and Cassie is Abraham's daughter. Cassie loves his uncle Eliott. Though she calls him by his name, well she calls him Idiot instead of Elliot. She is five.
"No, I don't think so. We have to leave." Eliott says.
"Boo, El. you are rated five and a half as an uncle."
"Yeah, very funny. Get in the car. And they both are going to visit us this Christmas. And that's in a week."
"I would love to meet her again. Last time we met she was just three."
"Yeah, now she is five and asks too many questions. You should've spent the last two Christmases with us. Not in Dubai."
"It was for the business both of the time."
"They reached the airport. As they entered, some news caught their attention.
"An ex-SEAL officer Abraham Ratcliff's dead body was found on the north side of the city, in an old warehouse. After retiring from SEAl he started spending his life with his daughter..."
The world fades in front of Eliott. It was his brother, another death. All he knows is he has to go to.
"Hey-" Emma hugged him and said, "I'll drive."
"No. Stay here."
"What?! You must be insane."
"PLEASE EMMA! I'll hire a taxi."
"But-" Before Emma could finish, he leaves. He practically vanishes like The Flash.
"I am not going to leave you alone, El," she exits the airport and gets into his car. He follows the news to learn more about the place.
~FEW HOURS EARLIER~
"Tell me, Ratcliff, tell me about the 'Mission Echo'."
Abraham struggles as they tied him with a pole. Already tortured the hell out of him. Bruises and cuts everywhere.
"NO! You and your fucking organisation can die searching *exhales* about it."
"Think about your daughter."
"She will be in great hands.'
"Just tell me, if you want to be alive."
"I won't. After what have you done to those innocents? And Emma? She believed you!"
The masked man punches him hard.
"TELL ME! RATCLIFF!!" he cuts one of his fingers.
"NO! DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO!"
"Okay, you are free to go, enjoy heaven, " The masked man says as his guards brush fire. And there are splashes of blood everywhere.
At that time a man comes in.
"Your Golden Egg, it's back in town."
"So sweet."
The masked man gives a villainous laugh.