"I think the G stands for Ghost..." Mila answered.
"It does, and this is the beginning of the prophesy...."
Suddenly, both Anna and Mila jumped in surprised as they heard a voice behind them. They quickly turned around to face Tristan, who was leaning against the wall with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.
"Dude, you almost gave me a heart attack," Anna retorted, with mix of annoyance and relief.
Tristan continued to lean against the wall, not even bothering to look in the direction of Anna or Mila. His words were serious and commanding. From now on, you girls will always need to be on guard. Watch your front, back, and sides at all times. All the years of training you've had will be tested now, and you need to be at your strongest," he warned.
Mila's voice trembled with concern. "Babe, you're scaring me. What's going on?" she asked, her eyes searching his face for answers.
Tristan took a long sip from the bottle of whiskey, feeling its warmth spread through his chest. He stood up from his leaning position, his movements slightly unsteady, and walked over to where Alfonso was lying.
"I redirected the ambulance, so it's not coming, we can't afford more exposure,". He knelt next to Alfonso, his movements slow but purposeful. With a firm grip, he tore Alfonso's shirt open and broke the arrow off just above the steel edge.
Alfonso winced "aaaahhhh you...." Alfonso tried to shout but passed out when Tristan poured alcohol over the wound.
Chad, visibly concerned, "No offense, but where is Tristan and what did you do with him?" Chad asks.
Tristan, still maintaining his quiet demeanor, swiftly withdrew a pair of pliers from his jeans back pocket. He approached Mila and spoke in a hushed but authoritative tone. "Come here, Mila. Hold this," he's said handing her the bottle of whiskey. " Listen carefully. When I say 'now' you pour more of the whiskey over the wound. Understand?" Tristan looked her straight in the eye, a sense of urgency in his gaze.
"Yes, I understand" she said her voice breaking up.
Tristan focused intently as he took the pliers, carefully pinching them over the piece of steel embedded in Alfonso's side. He tried pulling it out gently, but it seemed to be stuck. "We have a problem," Tristan stated, his gaze fixed on the task at hand. Without a beat, he reached into his other back pocket and retrieved a knife. With a swift press of the small button on the top, blade emerged, making a sharp sound.
Anna, feeling a wave of discomfort, whispered, "I can't look," as she covered her face with her hands.
Concerned, Mila turned to Anna and ask. "Anna, what's going on with you? You've been acting strangely since this morning."
"Not now Mila!" Tristan exclaimed, looking at her with a dangerous expression.
Mila's face contorted into a frown, hurt evident in her eyes.
Tristan quickly softened, realizing he had been too harsh with her. "I know what's going on, but we will talk about it later," he said, his tone gentler. "Right now, let's focus on helping Alfonso. After that, we can discuss everything, okay?"
Mila nodded, her voice trembling as she replied, "Okay."
Tristan took the knife and insert it in between the piece of steel and the small opening in Alfonso's wounded side. Carefully, he turned the blade of the knife a little bit and pressed hard against the steel tip of the arrow. Lowering himself down, he put his ear as close to the wound as possible, listening intently. With a slight wiggle of the knife, he heard the click sound he had been waiting for. Gently, he pulled the piece of steel arrow point out of Alfonso's side.
"Now Mila," Tristan ordered, his voice firm.
Mila grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured some of it over the wound, wincing at the sight. Without hesitation, she took a huge sip from the bottle herself, needing a moment of temporary relief from the intense situation.
"What in the world is this thing?" Chad asked, his curiosity piqued as he saw the front piece of arrow Tristan had placed on the floor.
"That, my dear friend, is one of the rarest arrows in the world. Only the Ghost himself uses them," Tristan explained, letting out a sigh as he slumped back and sat down on his butt.
Anna sprang into action, quickly grabbing a pillow and a wet towel. She rushed over to Mila, who looked at her sister with a confused expression. "Tell me, Tristan, what's going on?" Mila asked, her concern evident.
"I will, Mila but first let's make sure Alfonso is comfortable in a bed and gets his medicine," Tristan retorted. "Once that is taken care of, we can gather around the table and sing Happy Birthday to Chad..."
Mila looked surprised. "Wait, Chad, is it really your birthday today?" she asked.
Chad blushed and nodded shyly. "Yes, it is," he confirmed.
Mila's expression turned onto a mix of concern and disappointment. "Why didn't you tell us, Chad? This is an important day, and we could have celebrated it properly. Half of the day is already gone, and you haven't even had any cake yet!"
"No, Mila, it's okay," Chad said with reassurance. "Let's get all this chaos behind us first so that we can start living our lives,"
Anna, who had been silently observing the conversation, stood up from the couch, clutching a pillow in her arms. "I agree, she added, her tone composed yet determined.
LATER THAT DAY
"Okay, Alfonso's is peaceful and sound asleep," Anna said as she walked into the kitchen, her voice calm and composed.
Mila, Tristan and Chad exchanged glances, their expressions puzzled except for Tristan. Anna noticed their silent communication and raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, curious about their unspoken conversation.
Tristan shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing," he retorted, trying to brush off the tension. "Let's blow out the birthday candles," he suggested, standing up to retrieve the cake.
"Happy birthday to you...Happy birthday to you...Happy birthday dear Chad, Happy birthday to you..."
They all sang in union, the warm melody filling the room.
As everyone sang and clapped their hands for Chad's birthday, Mila and Anna each gave him a kiss on the cheek, while Tristan enthusiastically fist bump him. Chad smiled gratefully at them. "Thank you, I appreciate this. I'm just thankful for another year of being alive," he said his voice filled with sincerity.
Tristan the ever entertainer, raised his voice to gather everyone's attention. "Right, who want's cake?" he asks.
The group settled around the table, each person holding a piece of cake. They began eating in contented silence, savoring the sweet treat.
Mila's frustration reached its peak. "Okay I can't take it anymore!" she snapped. "There are too many secrets and shit going around, and I want answers now!" Her voice demanded attention.
Tristan leaned back, trying to maintain his composure. "Relax, cupcake," he said coolly. "All in due time...."
Mila's patience wore thin. She raised her voice, her anger palpable. "Take your 'due time' and shove it up your ass, Tristan! I've had enough." She shouted. "And never, I mean never, tell me to relax, I swear, you won't see the light of day if you ever tell me to relax again." Her eyes flashed dangerously.
"Mila, calm down, please," Chad pleaded, desperately trying to diffuse the tension. "I know you want answers, we will get them, I promise you," He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Speaking of answers, how did you know it was my birthday, Tristan, and why are you acting so strange?"
Tristan leaned forward, his folded arms resting on the table locking eyes with Chad. His gaze was intense, filled with an air of mystery. "I know everything about you, Chad. Do you think I would let you have your claws all over the love of my life without knowing your secrets.
As Tristan narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, Chad felt his heart started racing. He fought to keep his emotions under control, maintaining a calm facade. "I have nothing to hide, Tristan. You could have just asked me, and I would have told you everything you wanted to know."
Tristan's gaze intensified as he pressed on. "Well, okay then. Tell us where Phoenix is and why he refuses to make contact with Anna."
Chad's eyes widened, realizing that Tristan was driving him into a corner. Thinking quickly, he turned to look at Anna. "Why don't you ask Anna, Tristan?" Chad said, his voice steady. "Come now, Anna. Tell them...tell them that you're in love with Alfonso..."