Chapter 5 A Storm is Coming

Like the calm after a storm, silence followed. My hearing ceased and the pain I felt at that moment catapulted me past the ten stages of anguish. I was as if I was dead, yet I could see my environment. Only several flickers of light illuminated the space. I could see flashes of light from guns held by black silhouettes. I tried to move my limbs but failed.

Where I landed seemingly hid me from the gruesome devilry that was unleashed. Each time a flash of bright light appeared, I either saw figures in black stabbing helpless people, or bursting brains with their bullets.

I reached for my phone in my pocket. Luckily, the sudden adrenaline rush through my veins caused my limbs to move again. I quickly dimmed its brightness and dialed the police, putting it on the loudspeaker, before tossing the phone away.

Slowly my sense of hearing started to return, and I managed to raise myself to a sitting position, grunting and groaning, until my eyes collided with Maya, lying motionless close by. My throat dried up.

"Maya!" I whispered harshly, crawling toward her. She gave no response, and when I reached her, I saw blood stains on her forehead and nasal region. Perhaps she hit her head somewhere. My heart tightened and tears collected in my eyes.

"Lawd! Why can't I have this one?" I lamented under my breath, pulling her into my arms. I placed my index finger close to her nostril and felt the air. She was alive! Thank goodness! I tapped her checks repeatedly. Then, her eyes slowly peeled open.

"Hey, baby. I got you." I cried.

"Huh?" She moaned weakly.

"Come, we have to get out of here, okay? I need your help. Just stay awake for me..."

"I will try..." She grunted, taking a short glance around, before wrapping her hands around my shoulders. I helped her up, supporting her with my weight as I searched for a door behind the bar section. From my experience, there's always a staff-only exit there. Luckily for me, the place was so dark that we could easily slip away unnoticed.

Before long, I found the door. It was already open, so I helped myself and Maya out.

"What do you think is happening?" I asked Maya as we limped away toward a hidden lobby.

"Oh, I told you, Caesar. This is your life now, embrace it." She replied. At this moment, I began to wonder about Rossi and Stan. They had suddenly disappeared. I just hoped they were not present during the explosion.

"My friends..."

"Caesar, we cannot go back. Your friends are La Cherussian warriors, they will find a way. For now, we have to find my uncle and inform him of this."

"Then what?"

"We'll see."

"Why don't we just escape and leave the building entirely?" My brows furrowed.

"Because a Cherussian never backs away from a fight," she replied sternly, holding me even tighter. "It is this way." She pointed at a door to the left and my eyes narrowed in recognition.

It has a vague similarity to the room where I was initiated. I slowed down, hesitating a bit. Something seemed off to me. Maya pulled me on, "This is your moment, Caesar, don't ruin it. Make a name for yourself."

On hearing her words, my face folded with fierce determination. Then she did what surprised me even more. She reached for her brown designer boots and pulled out a shiny silver object. On seeing it, I staggered a bit. She halted as the yellow light overhead finally steadied. I could see her face. Although it was bloodied, she remained a shadow of the sparkling innocence I beheld earlier. Her eyes were sunken and furious. She raised the object, showing me.

"This is a 1997 mini revolver. Very expensive stuff." She kissed it.

"What do we even need that for?" I protested.

"Open your eyes, Caesar, we are under siege. You are a soldier now, are you not?"

"I am a recruit."

"Same thing," She grunts, "Now come... Help me." She rested her weight on me again, and we continued edging toward the ominous door, my heart pounding with reckless abandon.

Immediately we reached the door, I saw a dark figure approaching us with the side of my eyes, but before I could say a word, Maya had corked the gun and released a bullet. The sound of the gun deafened me for a while, but the enemy was sent the opposite way, blood splattering on the wall.

"What the..." I exclaimed, but Maya ignored me and booted the ominous door open. The sight we beheld sent shivers down my spine.

We saw the Chiefs' bloodied bodies heaped upon each other, and two figures standing over them. I froze! They were clad in all black and holding heavy machine guns in their hands. Immediately the door went ajar, they swiveled their guns in our direction. I raised my hands in the air, but Maya didn't.

"Uncle!" Her wail tore through the night, echoing in the hollows of my bones. I was too stunned to react because of the image that stood before me. It was Roma, my Roma. I never imagined this was possible, that the person who would kill me would be the same woman who broke my heart.

As Maya's outcry raged continuously, I heard a gunshot. The other figure who was male with a bushy mustache had shot Maya... Wait...it was Brunswick!

Bloody hell. I died before my death. I passed my gaze from Maya's lifeless body to Brun's face which had an arrogant smirk plastered on it, then to the very one I wished was not real - Roma. Her gun was pointed at me, yet for some reason she could not shoot.

Our eyes interlocked. And energies sparked.

I could see tears drop from her eyes. Yet, her gun would not lower. My heart became so heavy that I thought it would fall into my stomach. I could feel hot fluid smearing my cheeks.

"Please, Roma. My love. Don't do it..." I heard myself begging. It was like a groan from my spirit. I saw her face turn red with veins popping out on every side.

Yet...

"Why?" She cried, the sound of anguish lacing her voice. "Why did you come here?"

"Baby, I don't want to die..." My voice dried up, while her hands quivered uncontrollably. Brun just stood there staring at us. I could tell he was saying something, but for some reason I could not hear him since the moment had somehow drifted into slow motion in my eyes.

"Caesar!" I heard Roma shout just as her gun sparked. My vision suddenly became blurry and reddish. I glanced at my chest and felt nothing, although I saw blood gushing out and felt my legs weakening. That moment broke me. My heart shed tears.

I descended to my knees, lifting my gaze to look at my lover again. She was weeping bitterly and reaching out for me, but time was now too slow in my eyes. I felt like the weight of the entire world was dumped on me.

Then, against my will, my vision ceased and I went blank.