In Love with the Dragon - Chapter 13

Spike stayed with Qila the whole day. He took a nap on the daybed when he became drowsy. But he could not properly. He was too concerned with Qila.

True to his word, Dr. Peralta monitored Qila's progress every hour. He scribbled his findings on the record tablet. Every four hours, he injected antibiotic through the pipeline of the dextrose.

"Did she wake up once or twice, sir?"

"No. Is that normal?"

"Her body is recuperating, sir. Let's just wait and hope for the best," the doctor replied serenely. "I will be back tomorrow. Goodnight, sir."

"Goodnight, Doc." Spike was getting impatient. He was like a lion in a cage.

There was a light knock on the half-opened door. It was Soledad. She used a crutch to go to Qila.

"Soledad! How are you feeling?" Spike offered a chair for the older woman. "You should be resting!"

"I'm fine now, sir," Soledad replied kindly. "I'm sorry I screamed earlier. I hate the sight of blood, especially if it's mine." She tried joking but she glanced at Qila. Her eyes moistened and she stopped talking.

"She is stable, the doctor said. But she is still unconscious," Spike told her.

"Miss Qila saved you, sir. I saw how she shielded her body to receive the bullet!" Soledad sniffed while she wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

"Yes, I know, Soledad. Stop crying, okay. Qila might wake up any moment," he comforted her with words.

"Y-yes, sir. I'm sorry." Soledad blew her nose to the mutilated handkerchief.

Spike nodded his understanding. "Can I leave you here for a while? I have some calls to make."

"Okay, sir."

"Text me if she moved or showed signs of waking up." Spike left a celfone beside Soledad.

He received messages from Detective Finner that the reports were faxed. He sent the payments to him but was reluctant to leave Qila to get the reports from his fax machine in his office.

At the moment, Qila dominated his mind. He was perplexed. He had suspicion that she was sent here to assassinate him. He believed the stranger to be Qila.

'Where did the real Qila came from?' She moved like lightning. Shielding him first from the fatal bullet bravely and fiercely fighting with the assassin.

Only Qila could answer the many questions that keep popping inside his mind!

Spike focused his attention to what he had been reading. He had been interested with the No One organization. Its founder was coined the 'Nightmare King.' Nobody knew his true identity.

'Who is Nightmare King?' he texted Detective Finner.

He continued reading. They were details of their activities but mainly they concentrated on one thing: assassination of leaders of emerging companies and gangs.

'Sometimes, he is called Nightmare King Abigore or Nightmare King Limerick. But that's all we can find,' Detective Finner texted back.

'Got it!' he typed before he pressed the send button.

Abigor Limrick had bad intentions ever since he came to the company! He used the resources of Pendragon Company to further his experiment!

Spike followed his gut feeling. He called Turner.

"Turner, what are your new discoveries in Qila's apartment?"

"None anymore, sir! We checked the other lower floors because we thought the plants are invasive. Thankfully, the plant retained on the attic. We are demolishing everything."

"Okay. Leave the works to whoever you deemed responsible. Pay for the damages. I discovered Limrick is head of an organization. I want a clean-up within the company starting now! The same that you did in Qila's apartment Tell HR that I want to the replace people beneath Limrick. Pay each one a fat paycheck. Report to me tomorrow!" While speaking, Spike scribbled the orders. He would send it to Turner after their conversation.

"Yes, sir!"

'Now, who fathered Qila?' Spike asked himself. He started reading the report. Of course, Spike Pendragon was mentioned as one of the men in Wendy's life but he wanted to make her his wife. Thus, he respected her.

Due Seawolf was another story. He was earthy and virile. He spent months with Wendy.

"Months!" Spike could not help but feel jealousy. Wendy was just sixteen at that time.

There were other men but they spent weeks or days as Wendy's beau.

Spike did a rapid computation. If there was no other man but Due in Wendy's life then, Due would be the father of Qila.

Spike remembered the high cheekbones and strong chin. It seemed familiar...

He did not think anymore. He just dialed the number of Due.

After several ringing, it was answered. "Hello? It better be good, Spike!"

"Due, I have your daughter." Spike felt the old excitement of speaking with his closest friend. Somehow, all the petty bombings of his offices were pushed aside.

There was laughter at the other end. "Daughter? I have no daughter, stupid!"

"I'm not joking, Due. Qila is more beautiful than Lala."

There was no answer.

Spike ended the call deliberately. A minute later, his celfone rang. He counted the ringing. He was smiling when he answered. "Hello? Is it good or better?"

"I want to see her!" Due barked at the device.

"Not so fast," Spike replied calmly. "We need a DNA test first."

"What for? You said she looks like Lala!"

"We need it to be sure you are the father, Due."

"How?"

"You will send your specimen here."

"No! I don't trust you, Spike!"

"Me, too!"

Due sighed. "Spike, I'm sorry for all the petty sins I've done to you all these years..."

"You're admitting that you are being petty, Due?"

"Yes, I'm being petty."

"Good. You admit it but I'm not letting Qila out of my sight, Due!"

"I want to see her, please!"

"Once I have the proof, we can arrange it," Spike replied unrevealingly.

Due growled but he could not do anything about it. "Okay! I'll send my specimen. Hair, nail, and saliva!"

Only one would do but Spike let him. "Do that. When can I get them?"

"Tomorrow!"

"Alarick Seawolf," Spike used his full name.

"Yes, Brantley Pendragon?" Due replied flippantly.

"Do not do what you are thinking to do. Just follow what you said," he told Due slowly and ended the line.

Spike was frowning, then he smiled and shook his head. He crossed the bridge now. What would be the next? He hoped the issue with Lala/Celine was moving on. Their 'love triangle' happened many years ago. There was Qila now.

He checked his wristwatch. He was gone for an hour.

Soledad was reading a small book when Spike entered the room.

"I'm sorry I was gone for long. How is Qila?"

"Still sleeping, sir."

"May I take a bath while you are here? I don't want to leave Qila alone."

"Okay, sir," Soledad smiled and nodded benignly.

Spike peeled off the shirt and the pants. He had changed his clothes earlier. He bundled the expensive office attire and put them in the trash can. They were bloodied and creased beyond repair.

"Sir, your dinner. The lunch chef told me that you didn't ask for lunch!" Soledad was preparing the table when he came out of the dressing room.

"I forgot to eat. Join me, Soledad," Spike invited casually. "Let's compare everything we saw this morning."

Soledad was persuaded. She sat down again. "Thank you, sir." Spike gave her a plateful of pasta, salad, and roasted chicken.

"Let's start from the beginning. You did not find Qila in her room. The guards roamed the ground and found the fake Qila." Spike had interrogated the guards earlier. He called them outside the bedroom while Dr. Peralta and his assistant did a check-up of Qila.

They found the fake Qila trying to scale the outer wall unsuccessfully. But after the frustrated murder of Spike, they reversed the impression. The stranger wanted to be taken to the chief.

The guards learned a bitter lesson that day. Always take an intruder inside the new fortress.

"You're forgiven. You thought she was Qila." Spike was understanding.

"When I knocked on her bedroom, Qila did not answer. I entered the room and looked for her in the bathroom and the dressing room. She was not there so I went out to tell you," Soledad recounted seriously.

"You haven't looked outside the balcony," Spike reminded her.

"Yes. I did not. I'm sorry. I over-reacted."

"Do not worry much, Soledad. All's well now."

"Except Miss Qila."

"Qila is strong and resilient. She will be okay." Spike hoped for the best.

"Miss Qila is an independent woman. She told me she lived alone in an attic."

"Qila will live here from now on. The attic was demolished."

"What? Miss Qila will get sad. She took pride on everything she bought."

"They will be provided," Spike promised. Almost everything would be duplicated. He had shoppers combed the market for the exact replica of every item in the attic flat. They would be stored inside the would-be apartment of Qila.

But would he let her live separately from him?

Qila was dangerous and enigmatic but very addictive. Spike wanted to know her despite the menace surrounding her.

'I want a report about Qila Arrow.' Spike send the text message to Detective Finner.