Chapter-10
"No..." I faltered. This wasn't something I wanted to remember. I thought I had buried this memory deep inside me. I was sure I had moved on. Yet, the memory flashed before my eyes as it had just happened.
He had changed his hair color but his eyes...they looked the same. I stared at him, finding resemblances that I hadn't paid attention to earlier.
He had grown out his hair too. It reached his shoulder. The only thing that has monumentally changed was the way he dressed. At least it was different from what he had worn those days. More formal.
When the door to the room opened, I jerked realizing we weren't alone. It was reassuring and startling at the same time. Azi looked back and forth between us with confusion. Jin had returned back to his aloof self, shielding his eyes from me by wearing his sunglasses.
I still had my arms around myself and forced myself to move away from the wall.
"I fixed the security system. Did I miss something?" he asked.
"No" Jin and I replied at the same time. Any other time I would have found that funny but smiling was the last thing on my mind. I frowned and forced to move my gaze away from his. Azi's eyes were filled with mirth but he didn't say anything.
"Can we leave?' Jin asked, sounding a little wary. The nerve. If it was up to me, I wouldn't want to talk to him. His indifference was getting on my nerves.
"If there's anything else, please contact us," he said in a business-like tone. I nodded, too tired to think of any kind of retort. Internally, I vowed not to ask for his help.
I closed the door behind the two men, sighing, and dug my fingers into my hair, trying to arrange my distorted thoughts. I had thought I had finally escaped my past but it was still there, taunting me and reminding me of everything I wanted to forget.
He was the past that broke me beyond repair, shattered my dreams, and left me hanging.
Did Adrien and Kai know who I am? Or who my parents are? It felt too much of a coincidence to meet Jin.
The whole day was a blur while I was surprised that neither Adrien nor Kai texted me. What was going on? The chatroom was strangely normal and Jin didn't come online either. A part of me knew that we had just left things unsaid but it just felt better that way.
****
Adrien had been watching the camera, more than he usually did. Kai had noticed something odd about Alayna and had tried to take control. Adrien let him though he was still aware of what was happening.
The security system which he had accidentally turned on had woken up Alayna who looked almost empty, an emotion Adrien was very familiar with.
Kai, though, had a different reaction. Sadness and regret. What was up with this guy? Why did someone emotional and weak exist in the same body as Adrien? It was his Achilles heels. A weakness he tried so hard to hide.
He knew how the other members would view him if they ever come to know of Kai. Though they were members, everyone fought for a place that Adrien had easily got with the Goddess.
The ranks really helped Adrien with his revenge. When Alayna jerked as if in fear, a protective nature arose within Kai. It was a new emotion. Something Adrien wasn't aware Kai would be able to feel.
The camera showed two people outside the apartment. What the-
He eyed the tab with the codes he had for the security system. He had already accessed it. The two people he wanted to destroy in one place. This was the perfect scenario...except she was there. It didn't matter, did it?
Adrien's mind was racing with the possibility of getting revenge way sooner than he expected. What was another life compared to the two he wanted to take?
He had followed Alayna closely for months just to arrive at this moment. Even after his revenge, she would be brought here anyway. Wouldn't it better to just give her an easy way out? The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.
Watching the two men had provided enough distraction for Kai. It was a chance that Adrien took. It would only take a couple of codes to activate and couple more seconds to detonate. He could imagine the reward he'd get. The satisfaction.
Adrien eyed the camera for a split second. Alayna had opened the door. She seemed to be confused but let them in. Jin didn't waste any time but neither did Adrien. He opened up the security system tab, his finger typing in the codes almost instinctively when his fingers jerked away from the keyboard
"Kai, don't control me" Adrien roared, trying to make his fingers work.
"Don't do this, don't do this" Kai pleaded which fueled Adrien's anger even more. Who was Kai to question him? A mere weakling. Adrien was gaining control yet Kai didn't give up.
"Stop. Controlling. Me" Adrien whispered coldly. The hacker was close to Alayna's room which had the security system. If Azi stopped the system, it would all be useless. It'd take weeks for Adrien to hack in once more and even more to destroy both of them at the same time.
Adrien put in a bunch of codes and had the system ready. Just one click and they would all disappear. Kai found an opening to control Adrien and he took it. For all the time Kai existed within Adrien, he had never rebelled against Adrien. It threw Adrien off the loop. The fight for control was getting stronger.
Kai tripped over himself, delaying Adrien. Kai could feel Adrien's anger and need for revenge. Adrien was gaining control again. His head felt like it was going to burst. He screamed- or maybe it was Adrien- trying to stay in control. It was a losing battle for Kai.
Rarely being in control, Kai was overpowered by Adrien. Adrien laughed humorlessly. He stood up and rushed towards the keyboard. His fingers hovered over the button. Just a click and he could end both of them at the same time. He hadn't felt this much power or pain for so long. It overfilled his veins.
He looked at the girl, a forlorn distant look on her face. She kept to herself, her arms around herself protectively. Alayna Swelyn.
The perfect candidate he had said after looking into her background upon his Goddess' order. No one cared. No ties to her family or friends. Just another nobody. The kind of toy Adrien had searched for, for months. It took him months more to put his plan into motion.
The girl was a loose end and he could end it all at the moment. He could prove his position as one of the trusted members was rightfully his. The answer was easy. Adrien was in control once more. He made the mistake of looking at Alayna.
His fingers slightly pressed into the key, a slight hesitation. Suddenly, he felt the phantom touch of her skin when she hugged him, thinking it was Kai. Why would she even embrace a monster like Adrien? He still had time. He could press the button and the apartment will turn to ashes in a few seconds.
He backed away from the computer until his back hit the wall of his room. Azi had already entered the room and started working on disabling it. Adrien stared at his finger. He buried his hands on his head, his head throbbing in agony.
Kai was long gone. Adrien was just left to deal with his action. He couldn't do it. Why? She meant nothing to him. She was a nobody.
Who are you, Alayna Swelyn? Why couldn't I kill you?
A question he would ask himself for as long as he lived.