Everything Has Its Own Price.

Corey opened her eyes and found herself lying on a bed in a hospital ward. The girl moved her hand and felt a pulling pain in her shoulder. But it was a trifle compared with the first seconds when she was wounded.

"Oh, Miss, are you awake?" She heard a cheerful voice from the side. Corey turned her head and saw Daniel's smiling face. The man got up from the chair and went to her bed, "How do you feel?"

"Hmmm, ok, I think," the girl replied because apart from the wound on her arm, nothing bothered her anymore.

"You are a good girl, Miss Williams. The doctor put a few stitches to heal the wound quickly. So, in a month or so there will not even be a trace of it left."

"I see," Corey replied in an even voice, sat down, leaning on her pillow, and looked thoughtfully at the window. There was no trace of her usual cheerfulness and spontaneity. "Where is Elena? Is she all right?"

"She is now with David and in complete safety," Daniel replied, but the girl did not even look at him and continued to look out the window. The young man sighed, dejected by the picture before his eyes. He walked over to a small table next to the chair, picked up the phone and handed it to Corey,

"Miss Williams, here's your phone. If you want to call anyone, you can do it. Also, the police delivered your belongings; they are now in the room of the nearest hotel, which I have booked for you."

"Police? Does the police know what happened?"

"Yes, they know, but not quite as it was. We entered one of the guards into hypnosis and found out that there was a warehouse with illegal weapons in the dungeon of the castle. They were selling these arms in secret. As soon as we left the castle, the guard, on our order, called the police. Then he himself told them everything. We also told the police that you were with us all evening so that they won't be asking you too many questions," Daniel explained.

"And Rick? Was he arrested too? It turns out that he was selling these weapons, wasn't he?" The more Corey heard, the more shocked she was by this situation. What kind of man was this Rick Stein really? It turns out that she entrusted her soul and body to a man whom she absolutely did not know. The girl's heart sank with pain as if in the blink of an eye she was thrown from the sky to the ground.

"Rick is now wanted, his location is still unknown," Daniel told her everything as it was. Hiding anything in such a situation did not make any sense. "Miss Williams, please excuse me, but yesterday I contacted your parents. I did not go into details, because I think that you yourself will decide what you want to tell and what you don't. Their plane will land at the airport in an hour, so I think in three hours they will be here."

"Mr. Anderson," Corey looked at the young man with a serious expression on her face, "Can you erase the memory?"

Daniel was a little dumbstruck from such an unexpected question but quickly realized what the girl had in mind, "Yes, I can do this. If necessary, I can completely erase the memory of a particular person or replace memory fragments with other events, leaving this person in them. But this is possible only with the full consent of the person who wants his memory to be replaced. Which option is best for you?"

"And how will this happen?"

"You will simply fall asleep, and when you wake up, you will no longer remember what has been erased," the young man pointed quickly and fell silent, waiting for the girl's response.

. . .

Rick opened the door of the ward and went inside. Corey was laying on a side, and he could see her back only, the girl's breathing was even and barely audible. She was sleeping soundly. A man approached her and looked into her face.

The girl's eyes were closed, but she didn't have that carefree smile on her face which he saw every time she fell asleep next to him.

Rick was standing and looking at the sleeping girl and tried to find the reason for such a spontaneous act in his head. Why did he even come here? That made no sense. He felt a slight confusion because he could not understand what motivated him at that moment when he decided to come here.

And only he wanted to take a step back to leave the room, as the girl's eyes suddenly opened. Their eyes met, and the man experienced something he had never experienced in his life.

His body was numb. It was fear.

He was afraid of her unexpected look. Afraid of what will follow. Rick was not ready for this, and could not even figure out what to do.

Corey sat up, not taking her eyes off him.

The young man swallowed a lump that came up to his throat, "Um ... I just wanted to check if everything was ok with you and...," he could not bring himself to say the word "child." As if it was physically impossible for him.

The girl tilted her head and asked, "Sorry, who are you?"

Rick felt something heavy hit him on the head, "What do you mean, who?"

"Sorry, young man, but I see you for the first time. I do not expect anyone but my parents. You probably entered the wrong ward, didn't you? You should go to the receptionist and clarify the number of the ward you need," Corey smiled sympathetically and pointed to the exit.

"Oh yes, sorry for the trouble," Rick did not notice how he backed away. He stopped at the door, glanced at the girl for the last time and went out.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, a wave of incomprehensible emotions swept through his body. Irritation, anger, rage? He wanted to recognize this feeling, but only felt something pressing in his chest.

"If you're done, I advise you to leave," a voice from the outside interrupted his stream of thoughts.

Rick turned his head and saw Daniel. The young man was leaning against the wall next to the ward door.

"Is it your handiwork?" Rick immediately made a serious expression on his face and cast a nasty look at Daniel.

"Yes, mine. Wonderful effect, isn't it?" the elder Anderson grinned wickedly.

"Who gave you permission to go into my business, Daniel? Aren't you afraid to get in trouble?" Rick felt the blood boil inside him.

"Huh, are you serious? Your business? You know, a similar question from your mouth sounds like a very flat joke," Daniel folded his arms across his chest. His intonation clearly gave a mockery.

Rick noticed an obvious attack and grinned back, "You irritated me from the very first meeting."

"Likewise," Daniel said with no additional comments.

"What do you think you somehow disturbed me with this act? You think I'll be sad, knowing that she no longer knows who I am? Not at all, I am even grateful to you. You helped me get rid of the annoying fly," the usual condition returned to Rick, and he felt unshakable confidence.

"Daniel, have you ever wondered how you have got such abilities? All your super-hypnosis, the ability to see the future? Ha, I bet all this time you believed that this is your innate ability, right?" Rick leaned over and whispered, "Such a naive boy," mocking smile slid across his face,

"Your brother had to experience so much pain in order to have similar strengths. And you got everything so easily. Well, is it not a miracle? Ahahaha," Rick laughed, seeing Daniel's serious face, "Everything in this world has its price. And your abilities are no exception. Get ready for the bitter truth when you find out how much they cost you."

"And what price did you pay?" Daniel asked in response.

"Who, me? None," Rick grinned and added, "Our main difference is that it all belonged to me from the very beginning. I just had a little fun with your brother and took what I needed from Elena. All the rest," the young man looked towards the room where Corey lay, "It was all just to kill time." Rick turned away and was about to leave.

"No price, you are saying? And here I disagree," Daniel grabbed Rick by the arm and pulled him closer.

"What the fuck?!" the young man exploded in surprise.

"Look! Here's your price!" Daniel hissed and closed Rick's eyes with his hand.