Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 20 - THE ABANDONED HOUSE

In a dark forest of San Lorenzo which is part of their mountains, no one tried to enter because it was believed that once you enter, you couldn't get out alive. But that was just a myth, a story from the elders of San Lorenzo.

The sound of crickets, crows, and the rustling of various species found in the forest is often heard.

In the middle of the night in the dark forest, the dry leaves and branches create noise due to the feet stepping on it.

"Boss."

"Are you stupid?" The man called 'Boss' said angrily. "So simple but you didn't do it well and you even left evidence."

"I didn't know there was a guard inside. But I'm confused. Why is that Ferran guarding the b*tch?"

"That Ferran messed up with the wrong person." The Boss said who seems to have a dark plan. "Go ahead and leave."

When the man turned his back, the Boss took out the hidden pistol under his coat then pointed it to the man he was talking to earlier. He pulled the trigger and the sound of the gun became a noise in the middle of a silent forest.

+++

Tuesday morning when Simeon decided to cook his own breakfast because he doesn't want to rely on the breakfast that Blair always brings to his house every morning. He also told his niece not to bring him food because he was going to make his own.

He cracked the egg at the side of the pan and mixed it with the hot oil. The hot oil splashed a little on him that made him cursed. He is no longer good at cooking because Trestan often cooks for them.

Simeon put some salt and pepper on his egg then he turned it over to cook the other side. He was almost done with what he was doing when someone knocked on his door.

He thought it was Blair but he was wrong. A lady with her red hair and tan skin tone is the one at the front door. She doesn't look familiar to him.

"Yes? May I help---" he was interrupted when the lady put her arms on Simeon's shoulder. "Woah! What are you doing, miss?" He tried to remove those arms but he couldn't.

"You no longer go to the bar. I miss you." The lady said almost brushed her lips against Simeon's but of course, he avoided it until he got a chance to move away from the lady.

"Sorry, miss. I don't know you." He was about to close the door when the lady put her foot on the door to stop him.

"You approached me at the bar and got my number," She poked her finger on Simeon's chest. "Stop acting like you don't know me. After a few months I can no longer contact you?" The lady said with frustration in her eyes.

"W-What?" Simeon asked with bewilderment on his face. "Sorry but I really don't know you so, please leave."

"But you---"

"Maybe it's just for work and nothing else."

"Assh*le!" She showed him her middle finger before she left.

Simeon sighed before closing the door. "What is this mess, Ferran?" He asked himself.

Rather thinking about what happened, he just ate the breakfast he prepared but he spitted it out when he tasted the very salty egg. "What the heck!?"

He has no choice but to put it in the garbage bin and just eat the bread he bought last week and drink his coffee.

On his way to work, he noticed a tinted black car behind his pickup car as if he had been followed since he left his house.

Ferran parked his car on the side of the road and the black car behind passed but before it could get away, he looked at the license plate of the car but surprisingly, it did not have one.

He felt that the person inside the black car was up to something.

He told Sanchez about it and his partner concluded that the person behind it is one of those who hate him. Ferran didn't feel afraid, especially since he was used to his life... Always on the brink of death.

"About Georgia's incident. The police in charge found the killer but," Sanchez said to Ferran, busy arranging some reports that he'll pass later.

"But what?"

"He's dead."

He was stunned by the news. "How---Why?"

"His body was found at the side of the river with a gunshot at his back."

"You mean," Ferran clenched his fist.

"There is a possibility, he was just ordered to kill Georgia."

"What's wrong with Georgia? Did she do something erroneous so she was killed?" The confusion was so obvious in his eyes.

"That is what we'll never know unless," Sanchez looked at Ferran with his most serious eyes. "Someone else knows about this case." Ferran agreed to his partner's hunch.

Ferran arranged the files on his desk when suddenly, he saw an unfamiliar black folder. There's a label in front of it.

'Drug Case' (May 12, 2020)

"Hm? I thought you finished the cases last month?" Sanchez asked while sipping on his coffee.

"I thought so too." He checked the folder and his brows furrowed. "Maybe, I need to check it just to be sure."

"I'll go with you."

"Uh... No need. I'm just going to check it." He said as he scan the pages of the said drug case.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Alright." Sanchez didn't insist. "Call me if you need help." Sanchez said and Ferran tapped his shoulder before grabbing his jacket and car key.

"I'll be back."

+++

"Did you put it right?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. I'm sure he'll be there. Call your paid men. Make sure that his corpse will be buried later."

"Yes, sir!"

+++

The place was quiet and no one was seen around. He parked the car not so far from the old house he needed to check out. The wind blew slightly and the dry leaves scattered on the paved road flew away.

While gripping his gun, he entered the house and searched but nothing suspicious could be seen inside.

'There is nothing here. I'm sure this is the right location.'

Slowly, he walked to the kitchen which is full of dust and webs. He felt that someone was behind him and he wasn't mistaken. He almost got hit by the baseball bat if only he hadn't moved so quickly and avoided it.

'F*ck! Is this a trap!?'

He kicked the guy on its abdomen so it receded and groaned because of the pain he felt. Ferran put his gun on his side, and ready himself for a physical combat.

'Another whole body pain. Damn.'

The guy immediately recovered and threw some punches to Ferran but none of those punches hit Ferran seriously.

Another one appeared behind him, and almost hit him with a thick and hard rod but luckily he moved sideward and the second guy accidentally hit his accomplice that made the first guy unconscious. The second guy pulled out a pocket knife and waved it in the air then rushed to Ferran. He received a small cut on his arm, it bleeds a lot but it is nothing to him.

He tried his best to have another cut. His opponent was too strong so he had no other choice but to use his gun. He pointed it at the second guy and pulled the trigger. The guy screamed because of pain in his right thigh. He let go of the knife he was holding and held his bleeding thigh.

Ferran kicked the pocket knife away from the guy and he was about to remove its mask when a bullet hit him in the side near his stomach. Blood came out of his mouth and his body fell on the dusty floor.

'F*ck... Almost there...'

Before he lost consciousness, he saw the first guy helping his accomplice to escape.