Chapter Thirty
Asli's small body jerked, her six-year-old self crying out in anguish. 'I can't. They're crying.'
Her adoptive father's grip on her neck tightened, his fingers digging deep into her skin. 'Look them in the eye and shoot them! Or I'll throw you out onto the streets to live with them. Shoot... them... now.'
Even for herself, Asli's voice was barely heard. 'Please,' she had said softly, the word lingering in the air like a desperate prayer. Her cry was ignored, lost in the abyss of her adoptive father's cruelty. His eyes looked terrible as if that was his normal ritual.
Aslis's sleeping body stretched and her back bowed as she attempted to escape the memories. Her cry finally rang out, reverberating into the darkness. But she couldn't escape the dreams. They were as if she was living them all over again.
Asli's small hands trembled as she held the gun, the cold metal feeling like a dead weight in her tiny palms. Marco's voice was a relentless drumbeat in her ears, driving her crazy. She wanted to escape his hold. She had wanted to run home and curl her tiny body in the comfort of her nanny's arms. Ruth told her she'd be there whenever she needed her but she wasn't there… she wasn't there when she needed her the most.
'Shoot them, Asli,' he hissed, his breath hot against her ear.
The darkness seemed to press in on her, making it difficult to breathe. Asli's eyes searched the shadows, her heart pounding with panic. She spotted the forms of the animals huddled in the alley's corner, scared… just like she was.
A stray cat, its fur matted and dirty. A dog, its ears floppy and sad. They looked up at her with big, round eyes, and Asli felt a pang of sorrow.
She didn't want to hurt them. She didn't want to shoot them. She couldn't kill them.
'Shoot, Asli,' he growled.
The gunshot was almost deafening. Another followed, and another, reverberating off the walls of the lane. The sound of her yelps and squeaks, and that of the animals' cries, filled the air.
Asli jumped upright in bed, her heart pounded, and her eyes snapped wide. Even though her room had lights, she could still hear the creatures' cries echoing in her head. She struggled to breathe.
Since when did she last have this nightmare? The man who raised her put her through a lot but it was to make her tougher so why would she wake up in anguish when it occurred in her dream?
Her phone buzzed and she checked who had sent her a message. It was Ahmet.
'We are having a meeting at 6 am tomorrow. You always don't show up. How about you change that? See you there!' She read the message. It seemed he had ended the message with an exclamation to warn her he wasn't asking for her opinion as to whether she was coming or not.
Who was he to tell her to come for one of their so-called meetings? She had never attended before and she was going to maintain that. She didn't care what they were going to say. She didn't care about other organizations.
She wouldn't let any organization restrict her operations and would certainly not stop her operations for any Organization. So what was the point of attending the meeting?
They were only likely to increase each other's anger issues. The time spent in that meeting could be used to print more counterfeit money.
'I am not going,' she concluded as she typed with annoyance.
'It's not for you to decide. Don't push me.' The message followed the previous one.
She squared her eyes. How did she get into this situation with him? Did he not have enough things to do?
She sighed, knowing too well she had no choice but to show up… for the first time. This was going to be enjoyable since she was planning to get on everyone's nerves and make them wish she had never shown up.