Chapter 7

“Can you feel this?”

“Ouch, Yes”

“How about this?”

“I feel it everywhere, I hurt everywhere.” I said to the paramedic for the fourth time.

It’s been about an hour since the attack and every ambulance in the city looked like they were here checking on everyone. I finally getting looked at after trying to help any way I could. Felicia wouldn’t let me the end of it until I did. She had a pretty good argument that I was involved in the initial explosion. I still couldn’t believe it, this type of stuff doesn’t happen. Explosions, attacks, attempt kidnappings, death. Not everyone was lucky today. Adam…he was right there in front of me and a few of the other judges. It scared me to think about it, push it to the back, focus on now.

I remembered to text Emmalin, it was disturbing news but she ask I tell her regardless. Before you saw it on news. Tournament was attacked. Involved in explosion. Alive. Call you later.

Her response was simple. What!?!

Now I was sitting here having the paramedic constantly ask what hurts. My dad showed up but in full detective mode and was making sure I was okay, there was concern for internal bleeding from the explosions but so far I hadn’t showed any of the signs, but my dad wanted them to take me to the hospital just to make sure.

It was a media circus but way bigger than it was at the studio. It was John Ritz’s hotel and it was attacked. I could see him talking to the reporters ensuring everything was being taken care of. There were a lot of arrest but I was looking for Jessica. A couple of John ritz security detail took her shortly after it was over but since then I hadn’t seen her.

So yeah next thing I saw was the inside of a hospital room with my dad and sister. Apparently after saving Jessica and seeing the end of it all my body decided to shut down, landing me where I was now. Felecia had her head against the side of my bed while my dad stood next to the doorway. They didn’t notice I was awake, but I didn’t keep the suspense long because I had a strong urge for a drink and soon. 

“Hey hero.” My sister started when she saw me move. “Saving the damsel in distress and to top it off no other than John Ritz’s daughter.”

My dad grunted as he stood in the corner on his phone.

“I mean what were you thinking. You could have gotten hurt or worse killed. You should have worried about your own safety. You’re lucky to be alive.” She gave a small smile with a wink.

“She’s right” My dad pulled the phone from his ear. Ïn times like that you need to let us, take care of things.”

“I know dad. Next time I will be more cautious.”

“Good. I believe Leon is here, he wanted to see how you were doing.” He said as Leon walked into the doorway.

“Hello sir” I said positioning myself higher on the bed.

My dad looked at both of us. “We’ll give you some time. I’m trying to find out what is going on but everybody is trying to figure out what happened. Also Felicia is hungry so we will be in the cafeteria if you need anything.” At that he left with Felicia.

Leon didn’t say anything he looked me over as if checking himself on my condition. Ït’s more of a precaution than anything else sir. I feel fine just tired.” He nodded but he still had a look of concern on his face.

Leon eventually took a seat next to me and continued to let the silence sink in. It was awkward but I went along with it. It was a good couple minutes before anything was said. Ädam didn’t make it, as well as four others.”

The sight of Adam laying there in front of me life less was something I wont forget. What processed more was the thought what if I was standing on the side Adam had. Adam would have been laying where I was at and me…”I know”

I have a story to tell you. Which was weird but he like to give life lessons through saying and stories to help with dealing with certain situations like fear and understanding. He began to tell a story I never heard of but from then on my life had forever changed.   

He began telling it, at first I thought it was a life lesson, he told plenty of story during class, always interesting. This story was different, he's used examples of his life before so when he talked about himself I didnt think anything of it. When he dropped about the part of his mother not being in a car accident but instead an attack. I was beyond confused, but I listened and became shocked at what he told me with every passing word.

 

Eight Months ago….

“I’m going to be late.” I said to myself out loud. She had to call right before I needed to go to studio but what could I do, it’s my mother. I pulled into her housing complex, parking outside on the skirt of the street. She lived in a decent size house, too big in my opinion for just her and Cliff. I tried telling her that but she was adamant about staying put. I grew up in the house so I too had an attachment it to it but it was starting to get harder for her to move around. “I still think it’s something that could have waited to I see her tomorrow. Okay let’s get this done quick.”

I stepped out looking at my truck; the truck has been with me just as long as the house, being passed down from my father. It showed too, the years were apparent but it got the job done and it was going to get the one mom called me for.

I walked toward the door noticing the yard needed some work. It was the middle of the summer and the heat out here was treacherous to any living organism. The grass hadn’t been watered, weeds stood up from the cracks of the concrete, palm trees not trimmed, and just a number of things stood out that needed to be done. I need to make extra time tomorrow to do all of this.

I started going over my plans for the class. There was the little dragons class starting in a bit, today being Saturday, Vince, Dominque and Ricky will be there. Ricky…Love the little kid but he was quite a handful. I continued to go over the schedule until I saw the front door.

The door was slightly open as I walked up, she must have left it open for me, but she doesn’t usually do that. I was going to yell out her name to let her know I was here but the words were caught in my throat, I couldn’t get a word out even as I knelt next to my mom. It looked like she fell, her back was toward me and she wasn’t moving. I brought her around to see if she was breathing, her face was covered in blood and her clothes were tattered. “Was this because of a fall?” I listened for her breathing and sighed when I heard a very shallow one. “Where was my phone, I need to call…”

I heard a noise, small but loud enough to know it was inside the house. I focused my hearing realizing I was hearing voices. Something was wrong, really wrong. She didn’t say anything about company and someone would have checked on her by now…

Thousands of questions plagued my mind and I couldn’t get a straight answer for any one of them. I focused some more, my vision coming more clearly and seeing the house was trashed. I was in the entrance way so I didn’t see it at first but furniture was turned over, drawers were open with its contents spread around. Things my mother held dear to her heart left shattered on the granite floor. I didn’t think, I couldn’t think. Then I heard voices coming from the kitchen. I caught my breath because anything else would have led me to the kitchen. I checked on my mom one more time, she was breathing better this time and she was looking at me with a faint smile. It crushed me inside to see her like this.

Ï will be back “I whispered. She gave my hand a light squeeze before I made my way over to the dining room. I moved slowly and quietly in case there was someone else walking around but the voices were loud and by my estimation there were four voices. They didn’t seem to be in any rush or on any type of high alert. There was a lot laughing which made it even harder for me to keep it together. I stood next to the door leading into the kitchen verifying where the voices were coming from. Two were near the kitchen table, one by the fridge, and the last one was further out than the others toward the family room. I stood there waiting to see if they had intentions of moving but they continued to joke and laugh.

I heard a chair slide near the door and knew exactly where one of them was standing near the door. I took a deep breath lost it. I drove my foot into the door knocking it off its hinges straight into whoever was on the other side. Everything moved so fast, I was able to catch everyone by surprise and didn’t waste any of it. I went after the first one in the kitchen. I stopped his arm from coming up while throwing a right hook at his head into the fridge. I took the freezer door and followed it through his head. The other one was getting up from the table, he was making an attempt for his waist, I caught a glimpse of a gun. I threw my keys at him as a distraction as I kicked the table into him causing him to double over. I took his head and threw it into the table. The last one was standing in the family room, he had his knife out but the fear was evident in his eyes. I didn’t hesitate, I didn’t break stride as I stomped onto the door making sure the one underneath it wasn’t getting up. I didn’t wait for an attack as my fist shot forward and connected into his face. 

 

Äfterwards I called the cops. The group that attacked my mom that day were the acolytes.” I recoginized the name, it was the same group we dealt with at the school. “Since then I made it my personal goal to take them down but it seems I inadvertently dragged you into this. I put you in danger twice and you were almost killed for my incompetence.

He gave a little laugh Ï actually look back and think of the foolhardiness of my decision to barge in.”

My mouth was open and my eyes were wide. I remembered when Rosalyn was hurt but Leon told us it was a car accident. He called me to come in and cover the class. I continued to look at him but he didn’t look at me the entire time “Gabriel I am what has been dubbed as the unknown.” I couldn’t believe it ever after letting it sink in. “I felt it was necessary I tell you this.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to offer you something, you were pulled into this battle and now I feel the only way to help you get through this is train you to get you out.”

“You mean like you? the unknown you?” All the websites and news segments that were linked to the came to mind, his accomplishments, his victories, it almost sounded like it came from a movie and here he was offering me to train me like that.

Ï don’t know what it will bring but for now it will help, I’m not expecting for you to come up with an answer now.”

“Yes” I exclaimed, “I have so many questions to ask.”

“At least think about it and we will revisit this. Someone else is here to see you.” I looked around and caught Emmalin with her hands over her mouth as she stood at the doorway. Leon looked at me then Emmalin. “Ill leave you two alone. I need to talk to Jace.”He gave me a nod and left the room. I wanted to think more on what he said but I was happy to see Emmalin as she finally made her way in.

 “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

She stood in place for a couple of seconds before answering back.

“You look horrendous”

“Oh...Then it feels exactly how it looks…and thanks.” I gave her a smile, she calmed a bit when she saw my humor on it but she was still uneasy.

She pulled a chair next to me. “What happened?”

I relived the moments and saw her reaction to key parts of the story. She was sad to hear about Adam and worried about my condition. It was nice to have her there and tell her what happened. She did her best to try to make me feel better but with everything that happened and what Leon offered my head was everywhere. Hours had passed, I was finally released from the hospital and found myself laying in bed staring at my ceiling. I was surprised I was able to find sleep as my mind still continued to think and provide new dreams and memories to go through, but the overlaying thought that ran through my mind was the unknown.