Chapter 24 : a missing piece of the puzzle…a rude awakening

I burst into the condo, my eyes scanning the area. It seems the entire building is under their control. I snatch a pistol from one of the guards and make my way to the elevator. The doors slide open, and I step out into the penthouse. The scene before me is chaotic - Amin and Mariam are tied up, their faces etched with worry.

A group of heavily armed men stands between me and my friends. I charge towards them, taking down each one with precision and speed. I aim for their arms and legs, disabling them without killing them. I'm furious about what they've done to my friends.

After taking down the last guard, I approach Amin and Mariam. I quickly untie them, and they breathe a sigh of relief. But I'm not done yet. I grab one of the guards and drag him outside to the balcony. My heart is racing with anger as I hold him over the edge.

"Before you die," I growl, "I need to know what's happening here..." The guard trembles, fear in his eyes. "L-look... that film is something important…"

"That doesn't mean taking down my friends," I snarl, my grip on him tightening. The guard's eyes widen, and he starts to beg for mercy. I lean in closer, my voice cold and menacing. "Tell me everything.”

The guard's words are barely audible, "That picture... that's all I know about... it... orders... from... the... top..." He faints, his body going limp in my grasp, likely due to being choked from my tight grip.

I'm left wondering what's going on, and my inner voice, which sounds suspiciously like Darrel, shouts at me. "He ain't worth it, homie!!! Let it go!!!!" The voice echoes in my mind, trying to calm me down. "Take a knee, homie!!! That's an order!!”

I take a deep breath and set the unconscious man aside. The warnings from Soro come flooding back as I notice my two trusted friends staring at me with a mix of fear and apprehension. It's as if they see me for what I truly am - a monster.

Mariam manages to extract the film from the camera and develops it into a picture. Meanwhile, she calls the police, and Amin checks on the others to see if they're all alive - thankfully, I didn't take it too far.

As I look at the picture, my vision starts to narrow. There are pictures of me and Sylvia, but one image catches my attention - a clone with red hair, similar to the one I saw earlier. I notice a tattoo on one of the guards' arms - the emblem of the Brotherhood.

"Shinji..." I mutter to myself, sensing that he might not be involved in this. I turn to Mariam and ask her to stay with Amin. "Mar, for now, stay with Amin," I say.

But Mariam is stubborn. "But... no... I'm going, and my babe as well..." Amin tries to intervene, "Bro, please just listen to her..." But I have a bad feeling about this. The stakes are higher than before, and I'm not sure if I can protect them.

I glance at the mirror reflection on the wall, and my eyes widen as I see something sinister staring back at me. The yellowish color of my eyes seems to be glowing with an inner intensity, as if I'm already like Soro - a force to be reckoned with.

Suddenly, my phone rings. I answer it, and Shinji's voice is on the other end. "Hey... is that you?" he asks.

I raise an eyebrow, wondering how he got my number. "How did you get this number?" I ask, my voice firm.

There's a loud struggle in the background, and I hear Sylvia's voice. "ALEX!!!! THEY'RE TRYING TO GET YOU!!!!!" My heart races, and my blood boils with rage. I feel myself becoming enraged, just like when Natalie was in danger.

I try to keep my cool and respond to Shinji. "So, what's your point here?" I ask, my voice steady.

"Come with me... to this place," Shinji says, mentioning Sepanggar Harbour. "Got it," I reply, my mind already racing with possibilities.

As I listen to Shinji, my inner voice, Frederica, tries to calm me down. "Alex!!!! Please calm down!!!" she says, but I'm beyond reason. Darrel's voice echoes in my mind as well, "HOMIE!!!!! You've gotta calm down!!!!" But it's too late. I'm already past the point of no return.

Mariam looks at me with concern, "Tell me what's going on?" she asks, but I'm not sure if I can explain.

"Just wait for the police... if Uncle Faruq is here, tell him... Sepanggar Harbour..." I say, already turning to leave.

Mariam tries to hold my arm, "Hey!! Stop it... don't let us behind like this!!" But I shake her off, "They got her..." I say, and Mariam's grip loosens.

I head to my bike, with a gun on my side. The voice of Soro still lingers in my mind, "being normal... or blood..." His words fuel my anger and determination.

As I speed away on my bike, another phone call comes in, but I ignore it. Suddenly, a sleek American muscle car, a Mustang Cobra, pulls up beside me. It's Soro, and I can lip-read what he's saying. "I ain't going to help you... you have to decide... this is something that you need to settle it…"

I floor it, speeding towards Sepanggar Harbour, the darkness of the night mirroring my mood. The stakes are high, and I'm not sure what I'll find when I get there. But one thing's for sure - I'll do whatever it takes to rescue Sylvia.

Soro arrives, handing me his P90 submachine gun. "I think that kid... Shinji is going to see what it means to be used..." he says, his voice laced with a sinister tone.

He leans against the car, taking a smoke, and says, "They're all just amateurs with guns. You can handle this." I nod, feeling a surge of adrenaline as I take the gun.

I head towards the location, the submachine gun hidden from my back. The place is a maze of containers, and I navigate through it with caution. As I approach the area, I see a security guard in the distance. I walk past him, my eyes fixed on the office ahead.

As I enter the office, my blood boils with rage. Sylvia is unconscious, and a group of men are manhandling her. Shinji tries to intervene, but it's clear he's not in control. Her clothes are torn, and she has a slight bruise on her face. The men are already taking down their trousers, and I can tell some of them are armed, but I don't see the Brotherhood members.

Shinji walks towards me, blowing smoke at me.

"You know she's a pretty prize..." he says, his voice dripping with malice. But I'm focused on Sylvia. My fist clenches, and I side-punch Shinji, slamming him into the wall.

I approach the men, my eyes blazing with anger. I don't need to say a word. I punch the guy holding Sylvia, feeling his skull crack beneath my fist. He slams into the wall, unconscious.

There are about 20 of them, and it looks like they were planning an orgy. But they're in for a different kind of pleasure - pain. I lunge at another guy, carrying him with one hand and slamming him to the floor. He vomits blood, his eyes wide with fear.

I sense a gun aiming at me, and I see the bullet heading towards Sylvia. I block it with my arm, feeling the pain like hell. I kick the guy, and I realize this is a new group of people who don't know me yet.

The office erupts into chaos as I rampage through the men, furniture, papers, and everything else getting turned upside down. I'm like a whirlwind, unstoppable and furious.

The men are all knocked unconscious, their bodies battered and bruised. I glance at Shinji, but I still don't see anyone from the Brotherhood. Suddenly, an armed man bursts into the room, guns aimed at me.

Shinji awakens and protests, "Hey!!! That's not part of the deal!!!" But the armed man silences him, aiming his gun at Shinji. I lunge at Shinji, protecting him, and a bullet hits my shoulder. I don't feel anything except a surge of adrenaline. I'm not going down without a fight.

The armed men try to shoot us down, but I take out my submachine gun and return fire, aiming to disable them without killing. A fierce gun battle erupts, and I take down the men one by one, knocking them out cold.

Finally, I reach the last guy. But before I can take him down, someone stabs him from behind. A black-haired girl, a clone, emerges from the shadows. Shinji looks terrified, as if he's seen something horrific.

I confront her, and she lunges at me with a ninja sword. I block it with my gun, lucky that it can withstand the blow. I kick her in the gut, and she slams into the wall. She retaliates with a flashbang, and I close my eyes just in time. When I open them, she's punching me in the gut.

I kick her, and she says, "You're an important asset..." I aim my gun at her, but she dodges the bullet. I sweep kick her, and she falls to the ground. I kick her sword away, but she pulls out a knife and stabs me in the shoulder, where the bullet hit me. It hurts like hell.

I kick her down and start punching her face multiple times. She still doesn't knock out until I carry her and slam her into the wall. I'm still breathing heavily, and she stands up.

"I'll see you again," she says, before running away. I hear police sirens in the distance.

My target is Shinji, and I head towards him. He's looking at me like he's already dead. He's whispering to himself, "Impossible... that's not a human being... I'm the great Shinji..."

That pisses me off. I squat down, still bleeding from the damage. I see real fear in his eyes, and he's even wet himself.

"Why... you tried to save me?" he asks me.

I don't respond to his question. Instead, I could only say, "I... hate... a guy... like... you..." while holding my gun to his head. "Especially... when... they... think... they're... god..."

I can feel my eyes glowing yellow, and I see my own reflection in his eyes. Suddenly, someone holds my arm - it's Frederica and Darrel, my inner voices.

"Not worth it... let it go..." Darrel says.

"Please... stop... you're not a monster..." Frederica pleads. But I can't control myself.

Just as I'm about to pull the trigger, Soro intervenes, throwing me off. "Looks like the job's done... see, I told you you could handle it…"

I don't say anything, still looking at Shinji with a mix of anger and contempt. Soro carries Sylvia, and I carry the clone. He punches Shinji, and we both carry them, avoiding the police who have arrived.

We manage to escape the commotion, but my anger and hatred towards Shinji still linger.

We arrive at Soro's safehouse, a condo situated in the hills of KK. Sylvia is still unconscious, while Shinji is knocked out cold. Soro looks at me with an intense gaze.

"Well, what's going on? Is it because of the picture that the boy took?" he asks, his knowledge of the situation unnerving. How does he know all of this?

My phone rings, and it's Mariam. "Answer it," Soro says, his voice calm.

I answer the call, and Mariam's loud voice pierces through the phone. "ASSHOLEEE!!!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!!!!!!!!!!? WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU!!!!!!" Soro can't help but chuckle at Mariam's outburst.

"Noisy... asshole," I mutter under my breath.

Mariam demands to know my location, and Soro gives me the address. "Tell her it's a safehouse," he says. I relay the information to Mariam, and she says she's on her way with Amin.

I hang up the phone, and Soro comments, "Still sloppy..." He's still doubting my abilities.

I ask him, "So, what am I going to do here?" Soro's expression turns serious.

"First, this kid... make sure he's not going to have this kind of conversation again... ever again... or else it's my turn to see him... and second and last... you better get your head straight. You said yourself that you wanted to have a normal school life... not like I care about it..." His words are laced with a mix of concern and warning.

I sense a hint of genuine interest in my well-being, like a big brother trying to help his little brother. But I know better than to trust Soro's motives.

Soro throws me a med kit and a new set of clothes. "Patch up... you're bleeding on my floor," he says, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance. I hadn't even realized I was bleeding that badly.

I take a glance at the mirror, and to my surprise, my eyes have returned to normal. It's as if the intense rage I felt earlier was just a temporary aberration.

Just then, Soro's phone rings. He answers it, and Maya's voice comes through the loudspeaker. "All done, big brother... she was an easy target. Anything else?" she says, her voice confident and carefree. I'm impressed by how efficiently she's handled the task, considering she's only 8 years old.

Soro's expression turns serious. "Did you check anything from her body?" he asks, his voice firm.

Maya's response is immediate. "Ummm... nothing." Soro facepalms himself, looking exasperated.

"Don't tell me..." he mutters, his eyes rolling in frustration.

Maya's voice pipes up again, "Ooops. She is just mush..." I raise an eyebrow, wondering if she's serious or just joking around. Soro's expression suggests he's not amused.

Soro's eyes light up with interest. "Anything?" he asks, his voice filled with anticipation.

Maya's voice comes through the loudspeaker again. "Umm, let me check again... ummm... there is a chip here..." Soro's expression changes to one of intrigue.

"Fine, just keep it and give it to me. Over and out," he says, his voice firm.

"Roger!!" Maya's voice is followed by the sound of the call ending.

Soro turns to me. "Looks like the job's done..." I nod, already aware of that.

As I patch myself up, I hear a knock at the door. Soro approaches it cautiously, gun in hand. He opens the door to reveal Faruq, Mariam, and Amin standing there.

"Oh, Soro!" Faruq says, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Sargeant," Soro replies, saluting Faruq. Faruq returns the salute.

Soro explains the situation, and Faruq shares more information about the picture. "Well, a picture of a red-haired clone and one of them from the Brotherhood, including Sylvia's mom, is there again... with another pastor, seems like Vatican level…"

"So, the Brotherhood again..." Mariam and Amin's eyes widen as they take in the information.

When they see me, Mariam and Amin rush over, hugging me tightly. "Asshole!!!" Mariam says, her voice filled with relief and anger.

"Bro, babe cried, you know, when you just walked off," Amin adds, his voice teasing.

I feel a bit embarrassed, looking down at them. "Sorry..." I mumble, knowing they're afraid of me.

Mariam knocks my head. “Dumbass!!!!"

Amin looks serious. "Bro, I heard Sylvia got kidnapped?”

I explain the situation, and Mariam's expression turns cold when she sees Sylvia. She pats Sylvia's head gently and asks, "What happened to the guys who hurt her?"

"Like the usual," I reply, a hint of pride in my voice.

Mariam nods, a small smile on her face. "Good... if I was there, I'm not sure what would happen to them…"

Faruq explains further, "Shinji is playing with fire... seems like the former student had connections with a gangster in Kuala Lumpur, which they were interested in taking it... Shinji is using his dad's money to pay for them... they all confessed, and plus, it seems like Alex is off the hook again because they all red-listed him from Bukit Aman for being a dangerous individual…"

Why the hell am I involved with some strange things again? I feel like I'm stuck in a never-ending cycle of chaos.

Shinji wakes up, and his face turns white as he sees Soro's intense gaze. Soro's eyes seem to bore into his soul, and anyone would be intimidated by his eerie yellowish eyes.

"So... what about it...?" Soro's voice is low and menacing, making Shinji tremble with fear.

"Ahh!!! Monster!!!!!" Shinji's voice is shaking, and he looks at me like he's seen something horrific. I know I won't forgive him anytime soon.

Just then, Uncle Faruq calls out to someone outside. It's Mr. Akira, Shinji's father. He rushes in and grovels at my feet.

"Forgive me!!! For my son's insolence!!!" Mr. Akira's voice is filled with desperation.

"As long as he's safe, that's fine... He's playing with fire that could get him killed..." Shinji's expression changes suddenly, and he bows down to me.

"Forgive me..." I look at him coldly, and Soro realizes that I won't forgive him easily.

Soro tries to change the subject. "Sargeant, seems like this kid is involved with a crime that could lead him to prison, right?”

"Yep... but since he's young..." Mr. Akira starts to say, but I interrupt him.

"Give him a chance!!!! I know he can change!!!" I take a deep breath and say, trying to sound convincing.

"Yeah... just let him... he's still young..." I remember my own past, and I know how hard it is to change.

Mariam smiles at me and suddenly smacks my back really hard, making me wince in pain. The wound still hurts!

"What happened!?" Mariam asks, looking at her arm.

Mr. Faruq asks me, "So, the gunfight... is it your doing?" I look away and try to lie my way out of it.

"Uh... I had an accident from the bike, that's all," I say, trying to sound nonchalant.

Amin pulls my shirt, and I realize I haven't patched up the wound yet. There's a knife wound and a bullet hole, and Soro suddenly takes out a knife from his side and tries to extract the bullet.

"Fuck!!! What the hell is that for!!!?" I shout in pain as the bullet pops out.

Soro examines the bullet and says to Faruq, "This is a 5.57 bullet from a Belgium pistol... They must be European, right?”

Mr. Faruq nods. "Yes... they're mercenaries hired from an unknown individual... They haven't told us everything about it…"

Mariam looks at me with concern. "You asshole... if Nat sees this, she'll cry, you know..."

Amin teases me. "Bro... is that what we call a side job?" I glare at him, knowing he's just trying to get a rise out of me.

Sylvia is still unconscious, but I know she's stable now. I turn my attention to Shinji, trying to ask him what he did to her. But before I can start questioning him, Mariam intervenes, her anger boiling over.

Mariam grabs Shinji's shirt, her eyes blazing with fury. "Based on your answer, junior, you'd better not be hiding the truth..." Shinji looks intimidated, realizing he's in trouble.

Shinji hesitates, his gaze darting away from Mariam's intense stare. "She's feisty... and really strong," he begins, his voice shaking slightly. "But since one of the guards managed to knock her down even before we could try to beat her... she beat..." Shinji's voice trails off, and Mariam's glare only intensifies.

"What?" Mariam growls, her voice low and menacing.

Shinji takes a deep breath and forces out the words. "Yeah... she beat us all down easily..."

Mariam's expression suddenly changes, and she bursts out laughing.

"Yep, just like Alex!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!" 😂 she exclaims, her laughter echoing through the room. I feel a bit bad for Shinji, who's looking embarrassed and humiliated.

Mr. Akira bows down to Mariam, asking for forgiveness. Mariam pulls him up and says, "Sure... but I need your permission..."

Mr. Akira looks curious but nods in agreement. "Let me shape him to my standards, then... a full-on training by me…" 😈 Mariam's eyes gleam with a mischievous light, and I know she's planning something.

Mr. Akira bows down again, his voice filled with gratitude. "That is beyond what I wanted. Thank you!!!!" I notice Shinji bowing down to Mariam as well, his expression resigned.

He doesn't say anything, but I can sense his unease. Mariam's training is not going to be easy on him.

Mariam's eyes gleam with a mischievous light as she says to Shinji, "Shinji, you're going to be part of the student council, whether you like it or not. Got it, junior?" I wonder if this is her plan or just another way to get a slave worker to do her bidding. Damn, Shinji's in for a wild ride.

Mr. Akira's eyes well up with tears as he looks at his son. "This is the chance for you, son!! You're going to be an important asset!!" Shinji, however, looks unconvinced.

"I'm not worthy of that kind of work..." he says, his voice barely above a whisper. Mariam's expression turns stern.

"No excuses, starting today, you're my new member. Got it, babe?" she says, looking at Amin. Amin gives her a thumbs-up, and Mariam's smile grows wider.

"Since our Alex here is not someone I can control, he can do unexpected things. But for you, it's a good start. I see something in you... since you have what I want... kukukuku..." That sinister laugh sends shivers down my spine.

Soro interrupts the conversation, "So, all said and done, eh?" He looks at us, and we realize we've forgotten we're all in his safehouse.

Uncle Faruq asks Soro, "So, about the clone?" Soro's response is curt. "Done... Maya found something... that chip.”

"That's quick coming from you," Uncle Faruq says, raising an eyebrow. Soro's expression turns serious.

"Tell Habeeb that this case is closed... plus, after this, I need to meet one of them... because I need to find out something…"

Uncle Faruq nods, and Soro's phone rings. He looks annoyed and walks towards the balcony. "Damn bitch..." Uncle Faruq seems to know something, but I'm not sure what.

I hear Soro's conversation from outside, and it sounds intense. "Hard to believe he has someone he holds dear as well..." I wonder who he's talking about, but I don't care about it right now.

Soro returns and says, "Well, all well and done. Now scram..." We leave, and Mariam says goodbye with a friendly gesture. I carry Sylvia, and Mariam calls out to me.

"Wait up..." She and Amin return to the house, but I'm more worried about Sylvia.

As I reach my bike, Sylvia regains consciousness. "Ummm... ugh... Alex?" she says, looking confused.

She hugs me tightly and apologizes. "Sorry..." I try to reassure her. "It's cool…"

I explain what happened while piggybacking her to the bike. She still holds me tight, her grip warm and comforting.

"I hate it..." she says, blaming herself again. Not like she's at fault here.

"Hey, that's enough... as long as you're safe, I'm glad..." I try to calm her down, but I know it'll take time.

As I start the bike, Sylvia asks me, "Is Mother, Father, Hana, Sam, and Tama safe?" I wonder if Shinji's actions are the reason for her concern. But I look away, knowing it's actually my own fault that this happened.

Sylvia's voice is laced with worry, and I can sense her anxiety. Before I can respond, she leans in and kisses me intimately. "Dumbass..." she whispers, her voice husky.

Just as I'm about to start the bike, I sense someone's presence. It's Mariam, and she's grinning mischievously. "Kukukuku..." She takes a shot with me and Sylvia, and I'm caught off guard.

Sylvia hides behind my back, her eyes wide with surprise. "What the...?" I mutter, trying to process what's happening.

Mariam's laughter echoes through the air. "Gotta keep this... kukukuku..." She's being her usual annoying self, and I'm tempted to roll my eyes.

Just then, my phone rings. It's Mom. "Hey!!! Ya Allah... finally got you in contact. Is Sylvia safe!!?" I can hear the worry in her voice.

"Yeah, all good. Uncle Faruq came to pick us up," I reply, trying to reassure her. The loud commotion from the phone tells me that everyone is relieved.

Priscilla's voice pipes up. "Hey!!! Sil!!! You good, mate!!?" Siti's voice follows. "Hey Sil!!! Thank Allah, you're safe!!!" And then Hana's excited voice. "WAAAA BIG SIS SLYVIA IS SAFE THANKS BIG BROTHER!!!”

Mom's voice comes back on. "Well, then head home okay..." I nod, even though she can't see me.

As we discuss plans, Uncle Faruq intervenes. "Amin, follow Mariam okay? It's the duty of the husband to protect his wife..." Amin's face turns bright red, and I try not to laugh.

"Dad!!!! Okay!! Okay!!! I'll follow her!!" Amin's response is hesitant, but I can sense his underlying excitement. Mariam's grin only grows wider, and I wonder what she's planning.

We all decide to head back to my place, which I believe is safer for us to be together. As we ride, the tension is palpable, but I'm relieved that Sylvia is safe.

When we arrive home, Priscilla, Hana, and Siti rush to hug Sylvia in relief, while Mom and Dad envelop me in a warm hug. "Mashallah, I'm glad you're safe and managed to save her!!" Mom's voice is filled with emotion.

As we settle in, Mom explains what happened after I left to find Soro. Everyone is tired, and soon, Sylvia, Mariam, Priscilla, Hana, and Siti are all sleeping together, exhausted.

Amin and I step outside to the backyard, where he lights up a smoke. "What a day, eh?" he says, exhaling a plume of smoke.

I nod in agreement, my mind still reeling from the events of the day. I realize that I managed to beat all those guys, but I'm not sure how. Suddenly, I feel a heavy weight on my head, and my vision starts to blur.

"Hey!!! Bro!!! Shit!!!!!" Amin's panicked voice is the last thing I hear before everything goes dark. I try to reassure him that I'm fine, but my body betrays me, and I collapse.