C4 Remorse

"I don't make up stories! That's the truth. That guy is out there. Liam Coltrane, he's out of his mind! You must help me to arrest him. He's a hitman, got it? He's hazardous. He said he wanted me. Really, I was kidnapped by a bunch of horrible strangers. They threatened to kill me if I didn't tell them about Liam and—"

Alessia was flustered on the interrogation table. She was breathing heavily. Her palms were damp with cold sweat. She fidgeted with her fingers and looked pale without blood.

Sitting here in a compartment-sized room with one-way glass. There was only one light. Ally didn't get it, why was she being treated like a criminal? Shouldn't she be a witness for questioning?

Alessia had told them the whole situation. However, the two officers before her didn't believe a word she said.

"This is ridiculous. I think you're heavily drunk, Miss Dawn." one of the officers named Dawson stated half-exasperatedly.

His female colleague with the name Inggrid shook her head weakly. A long, heavy sigh signaled that they objected to listening to Alessia's nonsensical complaints and grievances.

Ally's forehead wrinkled. She took a deep breath. It was hard to believe their reaction. "I mean it, officer! I really need your help. Help me. This is real! Can't you see my face is bruised like this? I was beaten up by those strangers!"

They took another deep breath, again.

Inggrid raised her hand. "Do you know who they are? You said they were in a group. Shouldn't they have names or any clues? You were held in Nottingham?"

Ally nodded quickly. Her eyes narrowed. "That's right! I have no idea the exact name of the bastard group. But they have tattoos on their necks. Some kind of scorpion or something."

Ingrid and Dawson gazed at each other this time, silently but there was aghast in their eyes. Dawson changed his sitting position, he moved to take out the notebook. He leaned forward. "They're after a man named Liam Coltrane?"

"Yes, as I told you before. They think I'm carrying something called VenomxGhost. What that is, it’s beyond me! They're after that. I have no idea what they were talking about, but they wouldn't listen. Then, another strike happened. Liam entered the place, shot them all and released me. But he's here. He wants to kidnap me too! You have to do something! Get him away from me no matter what I don't care! He's a hitman! He’s horrible and frightening!"

Inggrid laughs. "This is a ridiculous case. Miss Dawn, I think you just had an argument with your boyfriend — Liam Coltrane. All you have to do is make a report that your boyfriend is an abusive person. Why do you have to make up such a confusing story? The point is, Liam did all this to you, right?"

Ally's forehead furrowed. Her chest thumped with the flames of rage. "How can you say that? You don't know what I went through? I almost died there! You told me it was ridiculous?! It wasn't Liam who did it! But, that bastard group! It was Liam who came to save me!"

Alessia growled in despair. [Why is it like this? Do these people comprehend what she said or not, anyway?]

"Do you know what the consequences of making a false report are?" Inggrid asked, getting up from her chair.

Dawson closed his notes. Ingrid's conclusion was clear. "Sorry, Miss Dawn. I think you should join my partner now. You're about to undergo a urine test."

"What?! I didn't do anything! I'm just asking you to protect me and keep Liam away from me! Is that so hard to ask?! He's wandering around out there!" Alessia was inflamed. She did not accept being treated like this. "You're treating me like a criminal! I'm the victim!"

Before Inggrid could drag Alessia away, the door of the room opened. Two men wearing dark coats and crime division intel tags blocked their way. "You've done enough here, Mr. Dawson. Excellent job. Let me take care of Miss Dawn."

Dawson and Ingrid's foreheads wrinkled.

"Why did you have to intervene? What is so special about this woman?" Inggrid asked sarcastically.

One of the men leered sweetly. "This is a direct order from the chief of the force. Come, Miss Dawn. Come with me. I'm Austin, and my partner — Harley."

Alessia looked questioningly at Austin and Harley in turn. She had no idea what was going on. She only came here to ask for help. [Why is it so complicated?] "Where are you taking me? Come on. I just came here to ask for a favor. What's wrong with this?!"

Harley smiled broadly. "You take it easy, Miss Dawn. We're taking you to a safe place instead."

***

[What safe place?!]

Alessia was trapped inside the car of the two intel officers. There was a strange stuffy and damp in the cabin of the car. They didn't speak to each other, this long silence even felt tense.

Harley's cold eyes occasionally glanced at Alessia from the rearview mirror.

Alessia knew well that she was being watched at close range. Suddenly, she had a bad feeling about this.

"Where are you taking me, anyway?" Alessia asked irritably. She chuckled in bitterness. "What safe place?"

"To the crime scene where you were kept, Miss Dawn. As you reported, were you captive in an armory in Nottingham?" Austin answers. His tone sounded flat and expressionless. "We need a statement from you as well."

Alessia's forehead wrinkled. She added rather grumpily. "Do I have to go there? Isn't the information in the interrogation room enough? You can investigate by yourselves, right? Oh, but never mind. It's good that there's still someone who comprehends what I'm saying. Those two officers were so jerks; you know? That's enough, I'm a victim! Why are you treating me like a suspect?!"

Austin made a turn. He drove off the freeway. Unbeknownst to Alessia, they had entered an abandoned port district that had long since been closed and defunct, ever since a devastating fire had ravaged the place three years ago.

The place was only inhabited by old, rusting buildings devoid of life. Several shipwrecks that had partially sunk on the shores of the docks were still left to be eaten by a series of lichens.

Alessia choked up. "Wait a minute. This isn't—?"

Austin pulled the car over away from the eyes of other humans. Harley got out. Pulling out a gun, they held Alessia at gunpoint and ordered her to get down.

[Oh, not again!]

"What the hell are you doing, huh?! What did I do wrong?!! I did nothing!" Alessia snarled furiously. She raised her hands in surrender. Both knees went limp, and Alessia's entire body was shaken by unbelievable trembling.

"Get out of the car. Slowly and kneel here!" Harley ordered. Dragging Alessia. Roughly, forced her to kneel there.

Ally was sobbing. Terrified as Austin and Harley urged her on with the loaded gun. "Please, forgive me. I did nothing wrong!" Ally shrilled and burst into tears.

Austin smiled lopsidedly. "Sorry. But we're out of options. So, Miss Dawn. Where is it? Hand it over to us right now. If you obey. I assure, you can leave safely without getting hurt. If you refuse, tomorrow morning. You end up in the morgue!"

Alessia shook her head. Her breathing was labored. She could not control the onslaught of fright waves that hit her body as if her stomach liquefied. "Oh my! You too?! I don't get it! What problem? VenomxGhost?! Liam knows! I Dunno anything! What kind of law enforcement officers are you?!! How could you do this?! I'm innocent! I have no idea where it is! I've never even seen it! Are you nuts?!"

Harley pulled the trigger. "Shut the hell up! Liam must have given it to you! Hand it over quickly, or before I really shoot your head!"

Ally bowed deeply. She let out a long breath. Trying to think clearly. Her eyes blazed with temper. She was beginning to hate her life and her situation. "Fine! Go ahead! You can kill me; I think it's better to die!"

Austin snorted venomously. "Don't you think I'm a coward! Stop dodging! Where is the VenomxGhost, Miss Dawn?!"

They were beginning to lose patience. Ally remained adamant on her stance of silence. How could she talk? Alessia didn't even know about it! She never seen the VenomxGhost in her life.

Same question; [Why are there so many people fighting over it? What exactly is VenomxGhost?!]

"Hurry up and say it!" Harley roared with rage. He pressed the revolver casing against Alessia's forehead. "Hand that thing over right now! Or things will get worse!"

Liam's voice rang clear in Ally's mind, he had warned her about this.

[There's no one you can trust right now. Law enforcement officers can't be trusted. I'm the only one who can protect, guard and save you, Alessia Dawn.]

Ally felt a deep sense of regret in her heart. [Where did I know that things would turn out this way?! In fact, everyone was untrustworthy! Because of this, I got a lot of gruesome death threats from unexpected people. I even trusted the law enforcement officers over Liam. Now, see what happens to me now?]

[Bang!]

Ally screamed in terror as Austin fired his bullets in another direction to urge and intimidate her.

"Tell me right now, or I'll kill you! WHERE'S VENOMXGHOST!" Austin whispered barely audibly. However, it was a clear threat that Ally's life might be a matter of hours.

Ally hissed. A hateful look curdled in her eyes. It was useless to lament everything. There was nothing else she could do. Her fate and her life were on the verge of death. Alessia had to let go of what happened. "I'm not afraid of you! I didn't know about that. What do you want me to do then, as*s*hole?!!! I'm talking to you nicely and you still won't listen to me! Just kill me, death is easy!”

"You, sonovafu*ckingabit*ch!" Austin went berserk. Ready to blast Alessia's head off. "There's no point in this woman being alive either!"

Harley nodded, smiling wryly. "After disposing of her body. We'll search in her flat. It might be there."

"Yeah, finish her!"

Ally shut her eyes. She prepared for the worst. [I can't believe my life will end this tragically. Kayla. I'm sorry. I couldn't be a sister that you were proud of. I've made a lot of mistakes and done a lot of stupid things. But I'm ready to catch up with you now. Let's meet again.]

[Bang! Bang! Bang!]

***