25. New Quest

"This..." her uncle exclaimed with too much shock on his face. He took the phone from the counter top and zoomed in the photo to make sure he is seeing it right.

Years of investigation, chasing after this lead. Sacrificing his career and the opportunity to be a decent uncle just to end up on a dead end. Yet decades after, the very same lead popped up again out of nowhere. He turned his attention to his niece. "Th-this, h-how?"

He stared at the photo again, it was of a man in a morgue, it's cold naked body lying on an autopsy table. It was not the person that surprised him but the mark on his chest, which is located precisely on his sternum. It was not a tattoo but a human branding, a mark left by burning the surface of the skin using a piping hot iron. But it's no normal branding, it was on a shape of a skull.

"Is it the same one?" he only see this branding on a sketch, the best person to ask the authenticity of the marking is none other than Leona. She after all saw it in person, on the body of the culprit who killed her parents.

"I can never be wrong." Leona confirmed, clenching her jaw. How can she be wrong when she relives that life changing event for a thousand times in her dreams, she saw that mark the same number of times too.

After that incident, Brandon had attempted to trace the culprit with the only lead that they have, he left no stones unturned. He checked everywhere, even the cases that his friends worked on and yet nothing... Even with all the connections he has, He found nothing! He searched and searched that he almost went insane. It was until Leona turned 16 and talked him out of it, she convinced him that he did his part already, that his parents won't blame him for not finding the person that killed them and that he has to live his own life too. He shouldn't have listen, how can he resume his own life when apparently these people are still roaming freely somewhere while his family is cold, six feet under.

"It doesn't matter, I'll wipe them out eventually." Leona said, guessing what is running in her uncle's mind. "I didn't expect it to be easy either, they better put up a good fight for me to be satisfied when I destroy all of them. My parents deserve that atleast."

Brandon suppressed the urge to pat his niece's head, lest the people around get suspicious and instead gave her another hard liquor to comfort her. "I am sorry I wasn't enough, I should have been capable enough to put an end to this so you could move on with your life. Your parents would have wanted that for you."

She accepted the drink and chugged it down like water. "Uncle, you had done more than enough. I know how hard it was for you, They might be my parents but you've been with them longer than I did. You've been together through ups and downs growing up, How can I blame you when it must have been more painful for you. Also old man, you are near the end of your own life as well, how about considering marriage and giving me a cousin. My parents must be far more worried of you than me. Jeez you're about to turn to a fossil. I'm getting worried myself."

Brandon was on a verge of crying with how touching the first part of her speech was, but just like always this gal has a way of ruining emotional moments with her foul mouth and even cursed him and his bachelor life with her weird brain. 'What did she say? my end is near?'

"Wow, how can you curse your own uncle to death!" he blurted out of exasperation, slamming the bottle of alcohol on the counter top and placing his hands on his waist like a father reprimanding his daughter.

Leona just rolled her eyes at him. "Old man, how about I set you up on a blind date or give me your mobile phone I'll download a dating up for you."

"You, ungrateful brat you must have missed my beating." they somehow felt how absurd their topic had swerved to the wrong direction and laughed together.

"Uncle, let me end it for all of us." She stated seriously this time. "I know it's not my fight alone but I'm asking you to watch on the sideline this time, I promise not to disappoint you."

Her uncle gave her a gentle smile, "You will never be a disappointment Leona, you are my greatest pride. I was able to keep my sanity because your parents left you behind. I just want you to promise me that when it's too much to bear, you'll run to us for help." She knows a lot of people cares for her deeply and that is also why she holds on to her dear sanity as well despite the strong urge to just run amok.

"Of course." Leona answered, sliding her glass to his uncle, indicating that she wants another shot.

"So fill me in. How did you come across this picture?"

Leona could not provide the details since it's confidential and with the expression on her face, Brandon catched it right away.

forget about going in the lion's den to get the lion, she's marching towards the most dangerous jungle there is attracting all sorts of wild animals.

"No worries old man, I've been preparing for this my whole life."

Brandon can't help but let out another sigh again. He was young, reckless and stupid. He should have ran away with this kiddo when he had the opportunity, away from all these anger and revenge. Now the kid is emotionally dysfunctional, he has to let her appease all the demons in her head so she could move on with her life. And with that thought in mind, his brain is starting to search for ways to help help her on the sideline. He'll let her achieve her goal even if it will cost him his life in the end, It's the only way he could redeem himself for being a terrible guardian.