Mystery of the Hart: Part IX

Is sixteen really that sweet? For Hazel Hart it was pretty average until a series of events led to a kidnapping, a revelation of her father's ruthlessness, and being chased through the warehousing district by a lady with a gun. All because of a guy that happened to look a little dreamy on his first day in class.

PART IX - MONSTER

Adagio has no idea where his daughter is and it scares him. He does not scare easily. He sits in his office, staring at a file in the SCIA database. Agent Jackal is present despite it being well past the working hour.

"I told you we should have taken care of the kid."

"Our orders were to take out Denhilov only," Adagio snaps coldly and reminds his former partner, "You didn't have to make any hard decisions that night, that's why you aren't the sitting director of the SCIA and I am."

Jackal looks mildly offended, "I know you are worried about your daughter, and we will get her back, but don't come after me for your mistake. This wouldn't be happening if you had made the right call eight years ago."

"Furthermore, are we sure she was kidnapped? How do we know she didn't just go with him willingly? She did sneak out of your house after all..."

Adagio doesn't want to believe that Hazel would run away with a dangerous, strange, boy she hardly knows. She was taught to be smarter than that. However, it is true she had seemed to have been more and more disillusioned with the rules he had in place to keep everyone safe.

He glances at the pictures on his desk of his family. He's tried to be so careful, not to drag them into his work. He has cherished every moment he has had to spend with them.

He would never forgive himself if Hazel was harmed because of him.

"I want you to look into any of Denhilov's living associates. He was a double agent, so he had them on both our side and the Ruskslavan underground. See if they know anything about the movement of his family since his death that wouldn't be in our records."

"We know he had a wife, a son, and a daughter. It looks like they emigrated recently under the surname 'Denholm' and the wife got work as a translator at the Scandalica city municipal building. His son was enrolled at the same school as Hazel, but I know that is not a coincidence."

Adagio rambles off facts as he looks at the face of an old colleague, one he thought he could trust. One no longer alive.

Because of him.

No one on the team wanted to pull the trigger on that mission. But the information that Denhilov had could have ruined them all and make the region vulnerable to foreign entities with malicious intent.

His sad recollection is interrupted by his cell phone ringing. It's an unknown number.

"Hazel?" he leaps up from his seat, ready to action.

"No."

The voice is a deep, muddled, sound, as if it's hidden behind a voice modulator.

"Who is this?"

"That is of no importance."

Like hells it is.

"How did you get this number?"

Adagio makes a jerking motion to Jackal to start tracing the incoming signal and triangulate where it's coming from.

They don't answer his question, so he changes it impatiently—time is precious—the longer he waits, the more danger Hazel is in.

"Well, What do you want?!"

"Agent Coda. You have something I want. I have something you want. If you want her alive, you will trade me for her. Come alone. Bring the missing doll. I know you are tracing this signal."

With that, the line goes silent.

"Fuck," Adagio swears as his heartbeat accelerates. He has to pull himself together after a moment. He can only imagine how scared Hazel is right now and wants nothing more than to wrap her up into a bear hug and tell her everything is going to be okay.

"Sir, we have a pin on the signal. It's in the warehouse district. Want me to call a squad?"

Adagio doesn't confirm just yet. It has to be dealt with carefully. He was told to come alone.

He brushes a nervous hand through his hair and reaches out to an unassuming decorative piece on one of his office's bookshelves, now knowing his mistake that night wasn't failing to take care of Denhilov's loose end of a son.

It was taking the doll that the double agent had tried to use as a bargaining chip for his life.

Erik's mother aims with purpose, her eyes widening with an unstable glare, staring daggers at her son.

"You betray me Erki. Just like a double-agent."

"Mia! It doesn't have to end like this!" they hear Adagio shout from behind them, but Erik seems to know there is no talking sense to her when she gets that deranged look in her eyes.

The alley is narrow, and Erik ends up shoving Hazel to the side, trying to get her out of incoming harm's way.

A deafening blast rings through the air, and everything happens so fast Hazel is unsure of what is going on. Erik collapses in front of her as she tumbles onto her rear end, ears ringing.

Ms. Denholm turns and flees. Adagio shouts for her to stop but she's around the corner before he can return the gunfire. Even then, the boy on the ground is more concerning.

Erik tries to stand but can't seem to balance himself. He gives out a cry of pain and hits the ground again.

Hazel screams his name and crawls forward, reaching toward him in a sudden bout of panic, not minding the cement scraping at her knees.

"Erik?" she touches his shoulder and tries to get him to respond. He is still and she fears the absolute worst and whispers, "No. Please, no."

She looks up at her father who is standing behind them, staring down at the fallen young man and seeming to try to make sense of the situation and how to proceed. Is Erik an enemy? Is he an ally? If anything, Hazel's concern over him convinces Adagio to consider the latter.

Why did it have to come to this? If her son would have just obeyed, they could have left with what they needed and not give another thought to this place. It was no surprise but still disappointing that he had betrayed her. He was just like his father.

"Fuck," Erik swears in a raspy voice as Hazel manages to roll him over. Thank the platinum diamond, he is alive, for the time being. She looks him over and he is paler than usual. His hand lands over his midsection and finds that it is wet. Her eyes widen in horror at the red stain spreading across his shirt.

He breathes heavily as lifts his hand up to her cheek with a concentrated effort, "Haschel...I'm...I'm...sorry."

"Hold on," she says, squeezing his arm, "We'll get you medical attention."

Erik's sight shifts to acknowledge the intimidating presence of Adagio Hart who has knelt down to Erik's eye level. He wonders if this view is what his father saw before he died?

Adagio doesn't seem too pleased but at least there's that hint of concern in his brow. He holds out his hand. Erik reluctantly grabs it and is easily hauled to his feet. But it's painful. He can't keep his scream in.

"I'll help walk you out of this alley. An Ambulance should be on it's way," Adagio says. Erik doesn't seem to trust that statement but who can blame him?

"What about his mother?" Hazel asks.

"She'll have to wait. Getting him to the hospital is the first priority. I still have what Mia wants, she won't be far."

"Mama is sick. Please, don't hurt her," Erik struggles to plead.

"That will be her decision," Adagio replies ominously.

Hazel turns her back on them and frowns. How does Erik still have no ill will toward the woman who obviously abused him, who shot him even, all in her grand scheme to gain wealth no matter the cost? Selfish, greedy, woman.

The world can be a cruel, cruel, place. There is no denying that fact. It warps people—those who may have had good hearts, and those who may think their actions are just.

It starts when a young woman is married off to a man she doesn't know or love. Of all the women in the world, why was she the one to be picked?

It's nothing but corruption and business deals in the Rusklavan underground. She knows she was just collateral, another bargaining chip for her father to try and secure protection with. A man who loved power and gambling more than his own family.

Left alone, dismissed, wanting and yearning for a better life. Knowing it's not possible with a husband who works in this industry of trading lies for power.

But, that is no way to live!

She remembers his clammy hands, forcing her to look at him, threatening her if she were to reveal his secret to the underground or the SCIA. She just wanted to leave, and he only understood leverage.

"WHY?" she hears the same voice that cried her son's name. Just another lie, for it's not his real name. She finds the girl staring her down. A girl that will never understand.

Why? Indeed.