Chapter 22: Unable To Remember

"What? Do you not remember?" Angus scrunched his eyebrows together. This entire day has been very confusing and chaotic for him. First, his little brother went into pain out of nowhere and fainted. And once he woke up, he somehow ran away while under the watch of many of his bodyguards and men who were guarding around the perimeter of the mansion. He went on a wild goose chase after him, filled with worry and fear that something might happen to Ian. When he finally found him and encircled him once again in his protection, another bout of pain found Ian and Ian forgot everything that had happened today after the study incident.

'What in the world is going on?! Is it due to that poison he drank?' Angus wondered to himself, trying to think of a reason for the events of the day.

"Haa…" Angus sighed, exhausted. He felt his head throb from overthinking. 

"Brother?" Ian asked, confused. He was unable to understand why his brother looked so spent, why they were in the car rather than the study he remembered being in, and why the sky outside the tinted windows appeared as black as ink.

How come the day was over before it even started?

Ian felt that something out of his control had happened without his knowledge. A faint murderous look appeared in his eyes, the light purple deepened into the same dark purple color he had in one eye before. Just like the phenomenon that happens when he uses his powers.

A dark, venomous feeling took root in his heart prompted by his unease. He didn't like not being in control of himself and the people around him. That feeling of inevitability and loss of control made Ian feel insecure. It reminds him of the day his brother died, his gang brothers and uncles died, and everyone who mattered to him gone forever. It reminded him of the day Levi died, protecting the immature and undeserving him.

Something wanted to contaminate him entirely and completely.

Something wanted to pull him down. Deeper and deeper into the ocean of darkness, of hatred and pain, of suffering and loss. Ian felt suffocated as he gasped for air.

This feeling, this insecurity, drove Ian to a wall as the twisted feelings of revenge and obsession wrapped around his darkness-enshrouded heart like vines. His determined and crazy desire swallowed his darkness infiltrated heart like mad. His light purple eyes reacted to his emotions and deepened on and off for a few beats before they returned to their normal look and color.

Ian's soul was back in his body. Everything he just experienced happened in a flash, Angus did not notice anything abnormal with Ian, he was merely worried if Ian was still in pain or suffering some kind of after effects. 

Angus ordered the driver to quickly bring them home. He personally called for Doctor Isaac to be ready to check on Ian immediately upon their return. 

A fleet of fortified cars zoomed past the streets and houses, protecting their commander and his little brother as they headed for their destination. 

Upon their arrival, Angus immediately had Isaac give Ian a comprehensive, full-body checkup, focusing especially on his brain and heart. 

Looking at all the compiled data and screen images, Isaac informed Angus that he can see nothing wrong with Ian. All Ian's stats were very standard and everything appeared healthy on the surface.

Angus, however, wasn't very happy to hear this. For how healthy can Ian be when he was mysteriously in pain for no reason, two times at that?!

This must mean that whatever was hurting Ian was either something inside Ian or so hidden it can't be found unless it activates.

The finding frustrated Angus very much yet there was nothing he could do. He could only hope that Ian will never suffer from it again and it will never appear again to torment both Ian and him.

On the side, while Doctor Isaac was explaining the situation he found to Angus, Ian was also thinking about what the matter was with him. Especially his lost piece of memory. He didn't remember anything, not a single thing, between the hours of being in his brother's study to being inside the black car. 

However much he thought about it and tried to bring up the memory, everything came up blank. As if that piece of memory did not belong to him at all. As though he were not the one who experienced it so his mind neglected to register it.

Besides that missing part of his memories, Ian analyzed through all the small details he gathered that nothing daunting to his plans should have happened during that period. So in the end, Ian gave up his search for answers temporarily.

Not all details mattered in the face of the overall landscape. He can only consider today as one of those irrelevant and insignificant details that matter not to the grand scheme of things. 

Sling and his family should be moving into his brother's territory any day now. The most urgent and immediate matter he had to deal with was them. 

Now that he thought of Sling, he remembered his first very own subordinate that he obtained in this second chance at life—Shade. He hadn't seen him since this morning.

"Brother, where's Shade?" 

"Shade? You mean the one who's always next to you? He also went out to search for you by himself and hasn't come back yet."

"So he's still out there. Okay, thank you for telling me, brother. Can I go back to my bedroom now?" Ian wanted to get his phone and call Shade to come back.

"Yes, you may leave. Rest well. This experience must have been tiring for you as well."

Actually, Ian didn't feel much from this excursion. He still felt just as wide-awake and energetic as in the morning, though he didn't think his brother would believe him. Looking at his brother's face, Ian could tell that this day had a much bigger impact on his brother than him. 

"You should get some rest, too, brother. You look horrible." Ian joked as he got off the bed he was sitting on for the examination. 

Angus chuckled hearing this. "Haha, right. I will after I call and inform Levi of your safe return."

'Right! Levi! He stayed the night so he must also have heard about me going missing and went to search for me with my brother.' Ian felt guilty for making both his brother and Levi, who was another brother-figure to him, worry so much about him and pushing their own things to the side for him.

"Sorry." Ian looked down, depressed, and apologized weakly.

Angus showed surprise and he understood but he didn't feel that Ian needed to apologize for it since it was not like he wanted or intended for this to happen. It just happened. Force majeure; no one could have seen it coming and prevented it.

More than that, Ian is safe and that's all that matters.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Angus said sternly. "Levi definitely thinks the same as me. Go rest."

"Yes. Good night, brother. Tell Levi I said good night." Ian obediently agreed and left.

"I will."

Ian returned to his bedroom. He found his phone, with the phone case of a gradient purple color, similar to his hair, that he left on his pillow and dialed Shade's number. He never leaves the contact information of anyone he knows in his phone, in precaution of others snooping around his phone. Since young and even in his first life, he possessed a photographic-level memory and he merely remembered all the numbers and contact information of the people he knew. Finding it easier than scrolling through a long list of contacts.

The phone dialed and the call was picked up almost immediately by Shade.

"Master?!" His urgent and anxious voice carried through the receiver and into Ian's ears pressed against the screen of his phone. 

"You can return now. I'm back."

"! Yes!" Shade complied and changed his direction, heading back.

Ian hung up.

Getting ready for bed, Ian organized his thoughts and future plans. Tomorrow, he will have to continue the talk he had with his brother this morning before they were interrupted.

Laying down in bed and covering himself with a blanket, Ian gradually felt sleepy. The night was quiet and peaceful. All the chaos and darkness of the world seemed so far away. As far away as tomorrow is from today.

Ian could not recall when he fell asleep, by the time he opened his eyes, morning had arrived.

Today was going to be a busy one. Besides his talk with his brother, he has to go to school today to put up his middle school graduation certificate. There was no graduation ceremony for elementary and middle school graduations. Only high schools and universities hold those.

Ian changed clothes and went downstairs for breakfast. Midway, Shade joined him. He had returned late at night after receiving the news of Ian's return from Ian. Following behind Ian, Shade saw to Ian's every need with precision and accurate prediction.

Heading to his usual seat, Ian noticed his brother was already there, using his iPad to work on some documents he was supposed to have read yesterday.

Shade pulled the chair out. Ian sat down. Shade pushed the chair in and then stepped to the side.

Breakfast was soon served.

Distrustful now of their house staff, Angus ordered his men to conduct an inspection on their food before they eat, testing for poison and other harms possibly placed into the meal.

They found nothing laced in this morning's meal, thankfully.

Ian gently and elegantly ate his breakfast, excellently displaying all the manners he was taught by their family's hired tutors when he was younger.

Similarly, Angus's every move held dignity and grace. 

They looked like a family of nobles rather than a powerful mafia family.

"Brother," Ian spoke out.

"Yes?" Angus looked up towards Ian.

"I think we should hire some new staff. You do too, don't you?"

Angus nodded in express agreement. Yes, indeed they need to take in some new faces. All these old ones are getting worse and worse, some were even bought out by other organizations and this didn't sit well with Angus. However, he had been so busy preparing for his business trip and dealing with his corporation and group that he didn't have the time to think about handling the staffing matter.

Knowing that his brother was extremely busy with no time to spare, Ian offered, "How about you leave this matter to me? I will absolutely handle it well!" Ian swore with great confidence.

Hm. Angus considered it and quickly came to the conclusion that this arrangement might work. Although Ian had never done this kind of thing before, Angus had confidence that Ian would do well with this task. He had a good eye for people after all, the prime example being Shade. 

And if need be, he can always find time to scan them again.

Most importantly, all potential staff candidates will have their backgrounds gathered and checked beforehand, so the main part is to make sure the person and their background match, that they were not false backgrounds meant to squeeze spies in. Moreover, their actual personalities and natures will be ascertained to see how suitable they are for this job. 

Serving the Everett family was by no means an easy task. 

They are given strict rules to follow to the T.

None were allowed to spread out anything that happens in the Everett Household. 

None were to question the orders of their superiors.

Carry all orders out perfectly as instructed.

Curiosity was forbidden. 

No speaking unless spoken to.

Everyone was required to do their jobs right and proper and ignore everything else.

And many, many other rules they are to adhere to.

Before starting their jobs here, they must go through a strict, demanding, and uncompromising training program to ready them for the job. Those who can't take it were free to quit to assure the highest quality of service for the Everett siblings. While those who persevered and got through the training program obtained a high salary per year and became thoroughly 'trained'.

That's why, even though the servants and maids in the dining room obviously heard their masters' conversation loud and clear, not one tried to cut in and protest or even tremble at the possibility that they might get fired and replaced. As if they hadn't heard at all, no one moved as though they were marionettes who can't move on their own without orders from their master.

"Okay. I'll leave this task to you, then, Ian. It'll be your first official mission as a member of the Everett Mafia Group. Do me proud, Ian." Angus winked.

Ian laughed. Finding his brother's face to look weird when winking playfully on a naturally cold-looking face.

Ian clenched his fist. Resolve shone in his eyes.

"Leave it to me, brother. I won't let you down."

'After all, this is of utmost importance to our safety and comfort. I'll be sure to root out all of the disloyal people and any of the spies planted in our home.'