Chapter 3

“You're the only one who keeps saying that, the only danger here is you, which is why Chance is dead!” The words of his only living child echo inside Thomas Cohen's head. "I'm free to do whatever the hell I want with my life, it's not yours!" The other countered in agreement, it's funny how they both agreed more in his head than in actual reality. Olivia and Chance Cohen have always been the opposite of each other, at least before Chance's death.

While Olivia's personality is more reserved, quiet occasionally, and shy in a sense. Her elder brother by ten years, Chance, was loud, social, and very serious all at the same time. Even in looks, they were opposite, Olivia favored Thomas with his once brunette hair, and brown eyes, but has her mother's small body structure and delicate oval-shaped face. While Chance favored his wife Victoria with light green eyes and dirty blond hair along with his father's tall and slightly muscular physique.

The two things the siblings did in fact share passionately are stubbornness and opinionated, elements Thomas wishes neither of them had.

Gingerly, Dave entered his boss's office, surely the man was going to terminate his contract.

“Dave, I thought paying you good money would make my daughter safer in your care compared to some regular bodyguard,” Thomas says, slowly turning around in his chair. “Now, explain to me how a simple-minded girl like Olivia got the better of you?” The man demand.

“Sir, she-” Dave started to explain himself but got interrupted.

“Enough of your excuses!” Thomas yells angry at the fact that Dave is even considering explaining such nonsense to him. “I'm more concerned about where you found her ?” He asked instead.

“Downtown, in a small community called Havana Gardens, the only thing I can tell you about the guy-”

“What guy?!” Thomas interjected with his question, interrupting Dave yet again.

“I'm not entirely sure sir, the only name I got was Jairus. He got the drop on me before I even had the chance of getting into the apartment properly.” Dave answered. “Regardless, sir, he knew you, because the second the name Cohen was mentioned he flipped and chased us out.” He added even though it perplexed him how the man disarmed him so quickly. It's not like him to be startled by anybody, he's an ex-mercenary for goodness sake.

It couldn't possibly be him! Thomas thought to himself. “This man, is he around six feet one inch give or take, around 150lbs, brown hair, and blue eyes with an accent?” He asks the brooding bodyguard praying to god it wasn't who he thought it was.

“You described him to a T sir, but he's now at least fifty pounds heavier with gray streaking through his hair,” Dave answered trying to put the pieces together as to how the two men knew each other. “Should I tighten security for Olivia, General?” He inquired, peering at a perplexed and rather pale-looking Thomas.

Clearing his throat which suddenly became dry, Thomas poured himself a glass of water, chugging down the cool liquid before his gaze went back to the awaiting bodyguard. “Yes, Dave, you do that, have a good night,” he responded sternly and harshly, a clear dismissal of Dave's services for the night.

The moment Dave stepped out of the office, Thomas picked up the phone, dialing a set of familiar numbers just like he did six years ago. “What?” The voice on the other end answered with some amount of bitterness and resentment.

“How could you let this happen!” Thomas yelled into the mouthpiece of the phone, clenching his hand around the device.

“I told you years ago, he's a good man and didn't deserve what we did to him,” the voice responded with a heavy sigh already knowing what Thomas meant and why he even called in the first place.

“Bullshit, he killed my son, goddammit!” Thomas continued to yell in anger.

“Jairus was a decorated Commander with not one, but two purple medals, along with the respect and loyalty of his former platoon even to this day. With all due respect Thomas, it was your son who got himself and his men killed! If not for the heroism of McQueen, the villagers would've been dead too! Get off your high horse, and don't ever call my number again!” The voice declared hanging up on the General.

“Ahhh!” Thomas yelled throwing the phone against the wall, startling his wife in the process as she shrieked in fright.

“What has gotten into you, Tom?” Victoria demanded with a hand on her hip as she tapped a foot in impatience.

“It's nothing,” Thomas grumbled taking his eyes off the woman who stood by him through everything since they were teenagers.

“Thomas Egan Cohen, don't you dare bullshit me and pretend what Olivia said didn't hurt!” Victoria declared. “She's still young and doesn't understand what it means to be a senator's daughter, give her some time,” his wife advises.

Even though she didn't know the truth about the phone call or what Olivia has gotten herself into and he preferred it that way.

The couple has been through many ups and downs during the course of their relationship but they both had a tremendous amount of trust and respect for each other. If it were to come out that a man of Thomas's pedigree, falsely imprisoned a highly decorated soldier with his power, it wouldn't just ruin his political career, it'll destroy what he has with his beautiful wife and daughter. Olivia loved her brother, worshipped him some might say, and it'll devastate her if she ever found out the truth.

“You're right my dear, I'm just feeling angry that I failed our children,” Thomas says, lying about the real reason he's royally pissed off.

“Oh, my love, you didn't. Let's just head to bed and call it a night,” Victoria replied embracing her husband in comfort hoping some rest will ease his mind. Only, she didn't know the man she's been married to for two decades held the one secret that could destroy the image of the man people saw him as.

**

Breakfast the next morning was quite awkward for the Cohen family, the only thing pleasant was the food they were served. Thomas did try talking to Olivia, but she had ignored both him and her mother the entire time they tried to conversate with her.

“Olivia, I hear Molly and Richard have finally set a date for their wedding, how lovely,” Victoria said trying to engage Olivia with some gossip, but she already knew that.

Molly was Olivia’s best friend and soul sister after all. And Richard was one of the guys from her brother's platoon who genuinely continued looking out for her well-being even after his death. That's how she and Molly even managed to give Dave the slip to go clubbing.

“That's enough of this childish behavior Olivia!” Thomas yelled losing his cool all over again.

“And to think people wonder why you've only got one child-” Olivia mumbled but didn't get to complete her sentence because of the unforeseen heavy force on her face, leaving a throbbing pain in its aftermath.

“THOMAS!” Victoria shouts, flabbergasted by what just happened.

“Listen up, you will not leave this house for anything other than school and any social events I have that requires your attendance. Now, stop acting like some spoiled brat, and interact with us.” Thomas said deadly calm, the burning tears behind Olivia's eyes couldn't even fall thanks to the state of shock she was in.

“If you don't mind, I'd like to be excused,” Olivia barely managed to say before scrambling out of the dining room, stumbling along the way.

“How dare you put your hands on our daughter, Thomas!” Victoria demanded but her husband didn't answer, he continued to cut into his fried egg, eating as if his action just now didn't matter to him at all.

Once she realized he'd never answer, Victoria left the table as well, throwing down her napkin and walking out fuming to herself.

The moment his wife was out of sight, Thomas let out a ragged breath as the fork in his hand shook from the tremble of his body. He had struck his own daughter, out of anger, just because whatever she was about to say was probably the truth he didn't want to hear. Guilt can be a powerful thing he has witnessed firsthand what that does to a person, but he wasn't guilty, not yet. Instead, Thomas was paranoid about Jairus McQueen.

Jairus McQueen wasn't some simple ex-military personnel. No, he was the youngest Commander of a platoon that the president himself held high respect for, they were called the Death Squad. When everyone else failed, they didn't. They were the ones you called when there was a national threat, terrorism, execution of those who plotted against the nation, rescue missions, and blackmail. To be the leader of such a task force took a certain set of skills, and Jairus possessed more than a set.

He was one of the country's perfect weapons, and the only sure thing Thomas knew about Jairus, he was loyal to his family and those he trusts. And severely ruthless to an enemy, it didn't matter who. And Thomas Cohen knew that he, is currently, Jairus's number one enemy and only god could provide a miracle for him and all who were involved in the man's false imprisonment mercy.

Because mercy was never something the Frenchman was known for.

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