Chapter Twenty-two

On the other side of the town, in a magnificent building lay two people on two different beds.  Their body were severely bruised. 

The door glide open and two women walked in.

“Please take good care of them.” One of them, Melissa pleaded with the other one, Alice.

“They’re severely bruised and will experience lots of pains when they regain consciousness. But I assure you that with constant medical treatment, they’ll be fine.” 

“ Thank you.”

“ I’ll dress their wounds now. “

Melissa left Alice with the two patients. Alice brought out her medical kit and began administering treatment on them. As she applied the treatment on the man, she could see him frown due to the pains he derived from the treatment. “He’s strong.” She thought. When she was done dressing the patients wounds, she left.

Albert heard all that was said and done in the room. He opened his eyes few moments after hearing the sounds of footsteps moving to a certain direction and then the door clicked. So it was that the nurse was out of the room.

He felt totally  different when he opened his eyes. He felt a white substance covering his eyes . “What is this?” He asked no one in particular. He tried to rise up to a sitting position but dropped back involuntarily due to the pains he derived from the incidences.

He blinked his eyes and raised his hands to his eyes rubbing it with full force, in an attempt to rub off the hazy mist that covered his eyes. It was after this that he got the clearer view of his surroundings. The strange environment got him really thinking of where he was and what he was doing there. Surely, he lived in a magnificent building with sophisticated rooms like where he was now and has gone into all the rooms in his father’s house but he hasn’t seen this before. His head throbbed in pains when he thought hard.

“Ahhhhhh”  He groaned in pains holding his head in frustration as the horrible incidences of the other night flashed through his memory. The pursuit, collision, explosion. Everything hit his memory.

He shifted the duvet that covered him to a corner and tried getting up. It was then that his eyes caught a figure at the other end of the room. He looked intently at the familiar face though covered with bruises. 

“Valerie.” He called out as recognition dawned on him. Coughing breathlessly, he went down from his bed but was too weak to stand, he resorted to crawling and slowly he moved towards Valerie till he was few inches away from her. He scanned her body and saw how deep her cuts were. It pained him so much to realize that he was partially at fault.

“Valerie please wake up.”  He said clapping her hand together. He bent his head in shame.

“Valerie” 

“Valerie.”

“Valerie “ He called her. Just in time, Valerie opened her eyes and quickly closed it. The pains struck her so hard.

She moved her hand as she groped for comfort.

Albert held her tight. “It’s Albert” He said to her.

“Albert.”  She repeated after him and shut her eyes loosing her grip on Albert’s  hands.

“Valerie, Valerie” He called out in frustration.

His heart thumped fast and he quickly searched for the door. Immediately his eyes caught the door, he crawled to it and began, knocking and banging it.

“Please help us.” He cried though his voice was low and squeaky. He  couldn’t shout as he had no strength.

Luckily for him, a maid was passing by the rooms when she saw the door being knocked on and banged. So she ran to inform her Mistress about it.

Melissa rushed to the room with Alice and opened the door. Albert was relieved as the door glide to one end.

“Please save her.”  He pointed at the lady who lay on the bed unconsciousness. 

Alice got to Valerie and checked her health.

“She’ll  be fine.” She assured them. Just that she needs some rest.”

‘That was a relief.’ 

Alice excused herself and left the room.

“How do you feel now?” Melissa asked him. Her face was filled with worries.

“ I feel pains all over me,” Albert replied.

“What’s your name?” She enquired.

“Albert” 

“You’ll need to freshen up and eat.”

Albert furrowed his eyebrows when he heard ‘freshen up.’

Melissa understood clearly why he did that. “He must be in pains.” She thought. “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine”

Albert smiled at her.

 After freshening up and eating, Melissa allowed Albert some time to rest before revisiting him. She sat with him in his room.

“How do you feel now?”

“I’m still in pains.” Albert honestly replied.

She gave him some comforting words and then proceed to ask him some questions. Albert was shocked to hear the next question.

“Fill me in with all that happened to you.” 

Albert took long deep breaths.

  FLASHBACK

Albert was able to escape the attack by the first set of attackers. He sped off leaving a great distance in-between them. Just as they were still in hot pursuit.

Another group of attackers crashed into them this time,one could say without doubts, that they are assassins.

The Collision made their car somersault while the assassins' car stood firm. Seems they came fully prepared.

Good thing, Valerie had unfastened her seatbelt, so she was thrown out, into the air unknown to the assassins. The only one that was in the car at that time was Albert, who was a little conscious. 

“We are done with the job.” One of them said. 

“We’re not so sure about this. We have to make a clean job.”

The second assassin took out a bomb from his bag and kept it in the car.

Unknown to the assassins, Albert heard what they said. But, 'He can’t die. He had a lot to achieve' and so he gathered the last strength in him as a guy and began crawling out.

“Three minutes” 

“Two minutes”

“One minute”

“30 seconds.”  Albert was already losing it. He had become weak. The timing of the bomb ticked hard and with that one strength, HE GOT OUT!  Crawling to a nearby bush and then, THE BOOM!

BACK TO THE PRESENT.

“That was all I could recall.” He told her.

“Well, I saw those men that night. And also when you crawled out weakly. I didn’t know exactly what occurred. But I wanted to save you and the young lady… “ She said looking at the unconscious lady.

“Valerie.”  He told her.

“Valerie” She repeated. Nice names.

“Please rest ok? I’ll be coming to check on you.”

Melissa left the room and Albert closed his eyes to sleep. Deep down, he wasn’t sleeping. A lot of things bothered him.

Smith was discharged from the hospital the next day. The Doctor was seriously warned not to reveal  anything to anybody.

They went through a private elevator and gate, to remain inconspicuous. 

But someone still recognized them, took a few pictures of them and posted it online.

A mini party was supposed to be done in celebration for Smith's recovery but Smith cancelled it on hearing the information. Because his Son and 'daughter-in-law as he called her was yet to return.

Meanwhile, it became news that Smith visited the hospital. Some said he was Ill, others said he went to visit a family member.

Gregory decided to use his schemes at the Corporation the next day.

CONFERENCE ROOM.

All the dirctors gathered to discuss the growth and development of the Corporation. Gregory all of a sudden brought the issue of the Vice president. 

“It thought it was suspended for now.”  A director said.

“The CEO is not stable at the moment, so we can choose for ourselves a new Vice President.”

“We weren’t told about the health condition of the CEO. So what are you talking about?”

“ That was because they disregarded us. Now, look at this.”  He began showing them some  pictures on his phone.

“We shouldn’t make decisions based on the judgement of the press.”

“Then where is your CEO?”

The door of the conference room opened and Smith stepped in.

Immediately, everyone stood up in respect as he made his way to the position of the CEO.

Smith expressed his unhappiness towards the actions of some members and decided at the same time to forgive them. He also pleaded with them to be patient for a while for the appointment of the Vice President.

The new turnout surprised Gregory a lot.

“How is this possible?”  He asked inwardly.

The meeting ended successfully and Smith returned home.

*************

Valerie woke up and for the very first time, she saw the most handsome and influential man shedding tears.

“Albert”

Albert buried his head on the bed and slowly cleaned his eyes. He didn’t want Valerie to be worried.

“I’m so sorry, Valerie. I caused  all of this.”

“It was no one’s fault,” Valerie replied. All thanks to Melissa we’re alive. Lest I forget, are we to tell her of our real identity?”

“Oh no,” Albert replied.

“Dad must be worried about us,” Valerie said feeling sad.

“That’s true. But we have to be hidden away from the eyes of our enemies.” Albert told her.

“We’ll soon leave.”

“Yes, we will.” Albert affirmed.

*****************