CHAPTER 14: AM I ALREADY A TARGET?

Glancing through the thugs, she tried to think of how to take all of them down at once. She didn't just want to charge at them recklessly being unaware of their current strength. While she was contemplating, the thugs were dangerously approaching her. Irene understood that underestimating them in this condition could be life threatening. And staying put wasn't going to help in any way. Her eyes were keenly fixed on every little detail and movement the thugs made.

"It's the little birdie", The one in the middle announced

"Birdies who snoop around, get their wings plucked out", The one at the right edge threatened with a darkened look.

"The investigation?", Irene muttered to herself thinking for a second, realizing immediately. Just then, a loud thud, followed by a groan was heard. One of the thugs flew and slammed into a nearby tree. "Was there more?", Stunned, she thought then looked right back at the remaining members of the group. One by one, all the members were flung in different directions. In less than five minutes, he had already knocked out the entire group with ease. She heard the footsteps as he calmly approached her. Her guard was raised up as she watched him come towards her

"Ohh Aiden, it's you. I thought there were more"

Irene just crashed back to the ground with a sigh of relief.

"Mmhm. You're good right?", he smiled extending his hand to her. She took his hand with no hesitation, getting back on her feet

"They'll be here soon right?", Irene asked immediately as she dusted her clothes. Aiden had a sudden look of realization of what he was meant to do. Before Irene could question him against, he pulled her into a warm hug blocking her, sending the signal, then letting go of her afterwards.

"Yeahh, In no time", He said assuring her to make it as believable as possible. There was a slight falter in his tone, however he quickly noticed it, hoping Irene won't catch on. "I'm never gonna live down this if she finds out I just sent the signal", he faked a smile as his numerous thoughts bothered him.

For a brief moment Irene had a suspicious look on her face, but she simply nodded. Aiden had rushed here without thinking ever since he heard the loud bang over the phone. He hadn't stopped to think of calling them first. What mattered to him at the moment was her safety. Irene went over to the guy which Aiden had first thrown, dragging him to the center of the street. Irene signalled him to drag the rest too, so they could gather them in one place. He dragged the remaining thugs there immediately. At the corner of his eye, he saw there was still one more in the alley, since his upper body was slightly visible.

While they did this, Irene seemed to have forgotten about her injury. As she was dragging the last one, She suddenly felt a pang of dizziness. She let go of the thugs, trying to get herself together.

Her vision was too distorted, as everything appeared like it was spinning without a pause. She tripped falling down to the ground. Her eyes widened, her face pale, her entire body went cold when she saw the red liquid on the floor

"What!?", with a shaky anxious voice she managed to let out a sound. She let out a small cough to confirm. Her palm was instantly filled with what she feared the most.

"Blood!, But how?!"

Meanwhile, after dragging the remaining thugs there immediately. At the corner of his eye, Aiden could see there was still one more in the alley, since his body was slightly visible. He stepped carefully into the dark place, his guard raised

"So there was still one more", his voice came out more like a whisper. Aiden knew he clearly saw only four thugs and this one was clearly not among them. Suspicious of where this one came from, he hovered round his body. As if on cue, a twinkle of light flashed subtly, very close to the body. Even something as little that was just enough to go unnoticed, ended up capturing Aiden's gaze. He reached for it with no hesitation examining it

"A revolver?". Aiden had come to understand this was the source of the loud noise earlier. He looked through it trying to trust his intuition. Suddenly a loud bang, followed by a little cloud of smoke flowing away from the center of the wall. Aiden had shot at it and the high speed bullet had dented the wall, causing a small hole. The silver bullet that dropped to the ground, another object of study for Aiden. One glance at it, earned a darkened look of disbelief from Aiden

"He can't be--, he didn't want to believe it, he couldn't. What were the odds?, The chances that his speculation was right. Though, the evidence was right there pointing to it, Aiden hoped all this was just a silly coincidence. He rolled the body over, unhooding the figure that lay unconscious before him. However he was greeted with not just one but two shocking surprises.

Irene sat hugging her knees tightly, like her child who had just lost her mother. She didn't want to see anything to avoid being overwhelmed by the dizziness

"Those weird silver bullets from before", She remembered; It was the only possible source. Aiden had suddenly appeared by her side, seeing the blood on her palm and her injured shoulder, he understood.

"The more you tense up, the faster the poison spreads", he explained briefly. Luckily, Irene had already removed the poisonous bullet from her body. However the effect of the poison still remained, but at its barest minimum. He sighed in relief, wrapping his jacket back carefully on her arm.

"Don't worry you'll be fine, I promise", he reassured her with a small smile, attempting to calm her down to which she nodded in response. Though he could see she was clearly hiding how much she was hurting. However, Irene was definitely in pain, but this was nothing compared to her condition. She tried her best to relax and that made the spinning and dizziness reduce. They stayed together on the side of a deserted street under the beautiful moonlight, awaiting their arrival. He slowly patted her back softly, earning a casual side glance from her. Aiden chuckled as he translated it as "I'm older NOT the other way around". He tucked a strand of hair from her face, admiring her ocean like eyes

"Renei?"

"Hmm"

"You're the best you know that right?

Irene took a deep breath looking straight at him in the face

"And you're sure I'm gonna live pass today?", She managed to ask weakly. Gazing at the magnificent moon, nothing could stop this serene moment, except Aiden's intrusive thoughts. Dylan Crude, the first wanted man, Aiden ever laid eyes on. He had watched him shoot a target he was supposed to protect, almost ending his life. Hence, he knew about the bullet and how to handle it. What he didn't know was why he was here of all places, trying to murder Irene. The paranom he guessed; Aiden wondered if this mission would soon get out of hand. For a paranom to possess all these people, something big was coming, would she take care of everything herself ?, he feared for the worst. Aiden finally shrugged those thoughts from affecting his mind. Irene turned her head, Aiden hadn't realized that Irene had leaned on his shoulder until now. She was sleeping peacefully. His lips curved into a warm smile, she deserved the rest. However his smile faded almost immediately. Who knew what was going to happen in the future, the thoughts resurfaced once again

******

"So, IT was you, you did everything. You're the paranom!!", Irene accused the figure in front of her, with wide eyes. She couldn't believe her eyes, quite literally. Irene's glare was so intense that it could melt the formless figure. There was nothing before her, other than a vague distorted shadow. Words couldn't describe the confusion she felt. Despite this being a shadow to her sight, deep down in her subconscious mind, she was certain she knew, who she was talking to

"All these people, you stole THEIR life essence. For what?? Your amusement?. What's your mission exactly!!, Irene yelled

It chuckled lightly, with a smug smile,

"Typical human", it uttered softly

Then suddenly transferring its darkened eyes back to her

"You'll get your answers in due time. No need to rush your inevitable end, you and the others will all meet it" The voice was difficult to make out. Whatever her mind made her believe was useless, she knew the paranom and yet she didn't.

"Others?", Irene was troubled

The way it said "Others" didn't sound generic at all. The threat placed a tinge of unease in Irene.

The loud rumbling of broken rocks frightened Irene. She saw the floor beneath her was giving in. She tried to evade it but her attempts proved futile. Her eyes widened in horror as she failed to grab something to hold on to, falling into the void of the unknown.

"Noo!!", She screamed falling deeper and deeper till her saving light faded away in her view.

Her eyes opened and she shot up from the bed instantly, like she hadn't opened them in days. She was gasping dangerously for breathe. Beads of sweat flowed down her small face. She clenched her chest looking around anxiously

"It was just a dream", She let out a sigh of relief after she realized, trying to calm herself down

"People don't scream or shake violently in dreams", Irene sat up in a comfortable position , gazing at the beautiful gold plated Chandelier above her. She drew the duvet closer to her tilting her head to glance at Aiden. He was right beside her, how did she miss him the first time she searched around?

"Where are we", She tilted her head glancing at the room one more time , as if she had of this place but couldn't quite place it

"This is the penthouse", he revealed, but didn't say anything more. So this was the penthouse, Irene thought. "So I was right when I felt a sense of familiarity", Irene reached for the glass of water that was neatly kept on the lavish counter. She paused when the painful memory flashed before her eyes. Irene suddenly pulled up her sleeve and was satisfied at her almost healed shoulder. She sighed in relief, finally grabbing the glass of water.