30 Chapter 30: Free.
" Well, guess we meet again. " he smiled pulling her up.
" How do you find me in trouble all the time? " she sighed.
" I think that you're line should've been, ' I so thankful to you, thank you. ' So, welcome." he shrugged and chuckled at her baffled reaction.
" Umm.. thanks, but in my defense, I wouldn't have gotten into this situation if you wouldn't have scared me in the first place! " she snapped and left.
Suddenly, she jerked backward into someone's tight embrace. She could hear his heartbeat raise.
' Sh*t ', " Let me go! " She struggled.
" Until next time, princess," he whispered in her ear and turned her towards her group and left.
She stood there without a movement and snapped out of her daze,
' Who the hell does that? FU*KEN pervert!!! '
....
3 months after the Paris trip :
" Happy birthday, my baby, " Patrick Lambert said waking Melanie up from her slumber.
" Thank you, dad. Can I sleep for 5 more minutes please? " she groaned.
" I know your 5 minutes can even extend to 7 hours, young lady. So, you better get up and go to school," he said and left.
"Morning, Melanie. Happy birthday sweetie!!! " Sandra Lambert, Mel's mother said embracing her.
" Thanks, mom." Mel grinned.
" Well, get dressed and ready for school, now."
....
In the evening the entire family came over to a birthday dinner.
The elder Lamberts and the Scotts were invited.
Mel was happy that her grandparents and her cousins had come. Alex was joyed to see her baby cousin. Juliet was a bit distant from Mel, not that she cared but, they were still on good terms.
They had a good dinner and the night was filled with laughter and happiness.
....
The next day Patrick Lambert, chief detective, was tasked along with his team to a mission. It involved the ' Artim city ' The city of crimes.
His entire team of 4 members and himself set out to search for details and to gather information regarding the mythic city.
The team members, including himself, found that the case was getting complicated as it leads them everywhere except their goal.
Days passed and the search team increased as another team joined them in the mission. Even with two heads, the teams seemed to be lacking information.
....
Somewhere far away in a distinct office, underworld:
" There are some problems within detective teams, they seem to be a lot interested about our mythical city, all of a sudden." a man reported.
" So, how is that related to her? " the old lady asked.
" One of the chief detectives' her dad, Patrick Lambert, ma'am," he answered robotically.
" Get something done if he remains to be safe. I don't care about her life, if that's what it takes to keep the secret," she ordered ruthlessly.
" It will be done ma'am." the man bowed and left.
....
Mel had no idea that she had offended someone to a level where her life was at stake.
She was happy that her exams were over at school now and her holidays started for three months starting then. It included assignments, but who cares about holiday assignments? No one!
She was 16 years old now, she had to be more responsible! she told herself and went to eat her favorite ice cream.
' Wow, such a responsible child!!! ' * applause *
Her subconscious mocked her but she continued to eat her ice cream.
It had been 4 months since the Paris trip. She smiled as she remembered her new friends.
She missed her brother Lucas, and others, even Bryan and Scarlet.
If she recalled how idiotic and stupid she had acted, she would be embarrassed.
She continued to read her R-18 books, loved the same soda and ice cream, still had the same temper with more control in it, and still had the same crush- Brenden!!!
She wanted to meet him in a beautiful situation, all smiles and pink hearts, not that she was a pink-lover but, never mind!
She finished her ice cream and went home in the next lane.
....
Getting home, she saw her mom seemed lost and her actions were so confused, she blankly stared at the television screen.
" Mom, what's wrong? " she went to her mother and sat down beside her.
" You're... you're dad..." She sobbed and hugged Mel, who now stood confused and her intuision and gut feeling were wild with fear.
....
2 hours earlier:
" Sir, we have a lead." a man said as he looked up from his computer.
" Good, let's follow what we've got. " Patrick said and got into a van with the entire team.
Major Cliff joined their team for the lead.
" Good to go, comrades! "
" Yes, sir we will get to that fu*ken city today!!! "
Two vans with two teams left for the city of crimes, but little did they k it that they would never return...
....
DT syn. main base:
" Ok, you're free to go now. " a man handed Brenden's all his confiscated goods which included his laptop, mobile, car keys, dagger, a tiny electrocuter, his ' Nano-bytes. ' etc.
" Mn. " He replied curtly and got out of the base.
He got into his sleek black, camouflageable car and opened his laptop.
Messages rushed to his screen. Few were from Zack and the others were mostly news.
After reading Zack's report mainly about Mel and the White family he moved on to the news.
' The cops on the move! '
' Cops missioned to find the mystical city!!! '
' Cops disappeared mid-way??? '
' Is this mystical city really true??? '
' Are the cops alive??? '
' The van's bombed!!! Are the cops dead? '
Brenden read an article and found out that Mel's dad was also in the team, who were just bombed.
He fired his car engine and rushed to her address, which was present in Zack's report.
On the way, he called Zack to assign the entire team and ask permission from whomever.
Then, he accelerated the car.
....
Mel's instincts were telling her that they were in serious trouble, but it didn't matter to her.
The news which told them that her dad's team had been bombed was enough for her to lose the hope in her life.
She breathed harshly and went outside to contact the detective force for further details about it.
' No, my dad couldn't die. No, he wouldn't. They must be lying! Yes, they are lying! This happened for the last mission too... ' she consoled herself and called all the numbers that she had, which were given by Patrick, to be used in the case of emergencies.
All the calls would end up in a deadline or they would say that they would get back to her soon.
Suddenly a phone rang, inside the house. She turned to the house, when someone held her wrist and pulled her back into a tight embrace, almost covering her totally.
**** BAAM ****
The house exploded, Mel could see the fire and hear people scream. Then everything went blank, totally black.
The last thing that she heard before losing her consciousness was,
" I'm so sorry, princess. I'm sorry that I'm late. "
....
*** PRESENT ***
Mel finished her story of the Paris trip in brief that they were neighbors, became friends due to Hayden and Steph and that they were in the same team for the charity banquet.
The explanation was so in brief that the family couldn't quite connect the dots of both's relationships and how they had gotten close to each other.
But they never complained as they knew her situation and didn't bother to ask Brenden, as they knew that they could get nothing out of his mouth!!!
....
The days passed, in pretending to be alright and the nights, by soaking her pillow wet with tears, for Mel. She was all alone, scared out of her wits, for real now and free!
This new gained freedom scared her. She was out of all her obligations and expectations. Her only expectation in this house was to get adjusted to them and to come out of her grievance. But, it's always easier to say than to show it in an act!
Her entire life was mainly spent for fulfilling her family's expectation and now that it was not there, she didn't know what to do, what to feel and what to follow. No family or expectations!!!
Her days kept passing and she slowly adjusted herself to her fate. She slowly got close to the White family, they were not bad, just a little, ok, a lot clingy. Brenden mostly stayed with her, but she knew that it was not for ever so, she enjoyed it while she could.
She wanted to see her savior and give him a piece of her mind! But then again, he never appeared.
Months passed and she had gotten accustomed to living like this. School, Mansion, and back to school. Her tears dried up, she got bolder with her language and behavior. She had no one to fear now.
She respected all the White family members, but except that she got aloof, real aloof!!!
Her self-control increased and her social circle was very few or close to none. She would only talk and laugh with the White family boys.
Skylar would be the protective, elder brother. Spencer the friend, instead of brother type and Brenden, just Brenden!
Mel tried her best to be herself and contented with her life now.
She had thought that if she was in the elite circle she would experience a lavish lifestyle and use up her black cards. But, in reality, she refused her black card.
" No, I don't need it, grandpa Rick. " she refused and placed the card back on his table.
" Mel, listen dear, things are quite different now, go out, have some fun, enjoy your life now," he said sighing at her stubborn attitude.
" Ok but this is enough. " she waved her debit card and left.
' How great of you, Melanie!!! Proud of you for rejecting that.'
Now, let's go find something... something to keep you alive and going!!!
But before all that - She really wanted to give a piece of her mind to her 'savior'
