Chapter 26

— NOAH'S POV —

I stood there trembling as I realize what I've done. My insanity is on it's verge.

Anette...

I shot Anette...

My teary eyes twitching and my body goes numb as I couldn't look away from her bleeding wound. Though a commotion is happening around I don't hear anything besides the replaying sound of the gunshot.

People are gathering around her. Vilea is crying her heart out as she trembles in fear as she holds her tight, calling her name, praying she'll wake up. While other agents take Jennifer and Dave away. As I slowly walk towards her, I feel every ounce of my energy slowly fading as I see her lifeless as a doll. I fall on my knees beside Vilea and I looked at her.

"Vilea.." I say, reaching out for her shoulder, but as she saw me, she backed away. Her eyes full of fear and horror, as if she's already afraid of me. She remained speechless and quiet, only her subtle cries could be heard.

I.. hurt the one I swore my life to protect..

But I will save her! I can save her!

I set aside my emotions and carry Anette's lifeless body in my arms. I could feel her cold skin brushing through my arms. I walk outside the building with her still in my arms. The company car already waiting with Chris and Vilea inside. As I lay her down, I took the emergency first aid kit from the car and proceeded with treating her wounds some of the basics.

Awkward silence is covering the room, only the sounds of the medical aid being heard. I can't stop until I save her.. I hear Vilea and Chris talking about the cctv footage she extracted from the lab. I sigh in relief as I hear the evidences are secured.

I finished the medical performance and sat beside her. I look at her, the way I always do. Her face is more beautiful than a thousand autumn leaves falling from the trees. Looking at her makes me so happy. But looking at her wounded state, I couldn't resist the urge to cry. I hold her hand as I reminisce every moment we spend since the day I arrived.

When I saw her sleeping at the airport, when we sparred with each other at home, our one of a kind date, and our miraculous meeting. Every memory is just as important as any other.

Then I felt her gently squeeze my hand. I immediately look at her but she's still not conscious. I felt a small burden lifting up from me. I'm just glad she's alive. Just then, I sensed Vilea and Chris conversation stopped and I see them both looking at me. To my insecurity, I ask them.

"What?" Both of them look at each other and Vilea nods slightly to Chris. He breathes in as he scoots a seat closer to me.

"What happened there?" He asked, making me remember everything that happened, breaking my heart. But despite the pain I'm feeling right now, I have to focus on saving Anette.

I tell him everything, from when I caught Anette sneaking out to before they entered the place. Left no detail untold, I also explained what was in the drug that bastard used on Anette. The thought still makes my blood boil.

"So Dave only used one type of drug on Cherry? And Anette's was mixed with the same drug but added with another drug.." Chris made a conclusion and I nodded in response. "And didn't you say she didn't recognize you? But Vilea told me she recognized her."

"She did recognize me.." Vilea said. "But that was just a glimpse after her head starts to hurt"

"I hope the effects of the drugs aren't so strong." Chris said. "Both Anette and Cherry will be confined in the small infirmary in the agency for quite a time. We need to hire a trustworthy psychiatrist for them if there will be some problem with their mentality."

Just hearing what he said breaks my heart. Dave's words suddenly comes striking back. "You will never save her." "She'll hate you for the rest of her life." Those words keep on repeating and irritating me. As I feel life I balled my open hand into a fist, Chris touches my shoulder, reassuring me that we'll be doing everything in our power to save them. I smile to him as I gently squeeze Anette's warm hand.

Back to our conversation, we were talking about hiring a psychiatrist as early as possible. Vilea sighed.

"I can't believe that moron could actually help me with this" She said as she chuckled. Confused, Chris and I turn each other's gaze to each other. As we turn our gaze back to her, she speaks. "My husband is a psychiatrist. He can help."

"You're married?" I asked, surprised on what I heard.

"Yeah, been two years already" She says. "Anyway, I haven't told him what my real job is so I think it would cause a bit of argument, but I'll do my best to convince him"

"Are you sure you're willing to take the risk?" Chris asks her. Most people who engage with an underground agent is taking a high risk on their safety. But in Vilea's case, hearing that her home has a very strict security system it lessens those risks. She also keeps track of her husband with a tracking device in his favorite watch since he never forgets to where it. Vilea didn't have much problems regarding their safety since she said she could track anyone who could be going to put them in danger.

"I will. We will." She answered without hesitation.

The minute we arrive in the agency, Anette laid in a hospital cart bed, agents huddling as we pass by. I could hear sounds of disbelief and surprise in every corridor. As we reached the infirmary, I see Cherry was already laid in one of the beds. Anette was laid at the bed beside hers, still unconscious from the shock.

Then I was called by Chris. I turned around while the agency doctor goes in to check on them. I approach Chris, my expression never changed.

"We need to interrogate Dave and the woman he was with. We also need to file this case and browse the evidences we found on the scene of the house and the lab below the bar." She says. I turn my gaze back to Anette. I'm still worrying about her. But Chris pats my back gently and turns my way. "She'll be fine"

His reassuring words are enough to lighten the burden I'm carrying. Yeah. She'll be fine. I walk out the room and follow them to the Investigation Department.

As we enter, we see employees trying their best to solve cases and preserve evidences for trials in court. Though not every case is to be trialed in the court, but the cases with shallow law breaking. Cases that include illegal drugs, experimental monkeys, and other large cases are to be filed secretly to the highest rank of the law. Everyone is so busy that they didn't notice we just arrived. I feel slightly proud for working here, to have such competent employees.

One of them called Chris over and we approached him. On his table, photographs of the scenes from the housebreak and the chemical substances from the lab.

"From these materials, it isn't really clear if Dave was the one who abducted Agent Ruby. Even though you found her in his lab, there are no evidences that he broke into her house. There are fingerprints that are found but it's not his, it's of someone else." Chris and I looks at each other with a confused look on our faces.

If not Dave... then who..?

"Moreover, the girl that was working for him was actually an agent in our American Branch."

"I know that much." I say with my voice lower than usual. I told Chris and Vilea about Jennifer already, might as well tell the authorities. "I know her personally since I'm from the American Branch also"

In the middle of our conversation, a loud slam interrupted. As we turned to look to the direction of the sound, we see someone crouched as he holds his knees. He's panting heavily, anyone could tell he ran all the way here.

"Sir!" He called, looking at me. To my surprise, I point at myself to make sure. He nods.

"Chief Junniper's awake!!"