Chapter 33: I Think It Saw Me

"Boss.... What do we do? She’s refusing to eat anything"

Inside the master bedroom of the penthouse, Tessa was crouched up in one corner of the large mattress, her arms wrapped around her legs as she glared at Brad and the twins, ignoring the pile of snacks in front of her.

"Just leave her be; she’ll definitely come around when she realizes just how lucky she is to have someone like me."

"Hehe, you are right, boss."

"And Boss, those two are back, and they even brought extra provisions... should we collect those too?"

"No...leave them be for now. First we have to get rid of that damned cat... it has to pay for this" Brad intoned as he ran his hands against his face, where the large claw marks from Leo still lingered.

"You said they entered the first guest room, right ?"

"Yes, boss."

"Don’t engage them yet; you two should take the other guest room. We have a lot to do tomorrow.You can go now. Keep your eyes on the chat channels."

"Okay, boss, got it"

The twins chorused as they exited the master bedroom, leaving just Brad and angry but anxious Tessa inside.

Even as she tried to appear strong, she could not help but feel a sense of dread at what Brad might possibly do to her now that he was acting without restraint and showing his true colors.

"What are you planning to do to me, Brad?"

"You don’t have to be so afraid of me, Tessa; I will never harm you."

"Then let me go. I don’t want to be in the same space as a beast like you."

"Sorry... but I can’t do that."

Brad intoned, climbing into the mattress from his side. Since the mattress was so large, there was a lot of space between him and Tessa; still, she flinched the moment he climbed on, and she uttered in nervous helplessness, her voice shaky and her eyes tearing up, but still maintaining her angry glare at Brad.

"Why, Brad...why are you even keeping me here?"

"This is all for your protection, Tessa. By my side is the safest place you can be. And I can’t risk something bad happening to you now, can I?"

"Don’t worry, with time, you will come to share the same feelings I have for you."

Tessa was speechless. Brad had always been rash, but it had never been to this degree. She felt like bolting out of the room, but she was just going to end up being caught and dragged back inside. It had happened twice already.

"You think doing this will make me see you differently?. This just makes me resent you more, Brad."

"It can’t be helped, I guess. They say all good romance is built on an unstable foundation. You will come to love me, Tessa.....I promise." Brad said as he relaxed into the mattress, resting his head on his arms folded behind them.

"hmmm... what sort of mattress is this?. Guess it’s good to be rich, hehehe, that pathetic bastard."

"This is just the beginning, cousin.... Enjoy the little peace you’ve got," he murmured spitefully.

"Why do you hate your cousin so much?"

Tessa’s question seemed to take Brad by surprise. She had barely spoken since she was dragged into this room, but now that he had simply mentioned Damon in passing, she had questioned him with that same look on her face, one that caused a stir of rage to simmer within him.

"You don’t have to concern yourself with that. I have my reasons, and it’s not at all what you think," Brad muttered through gritted teeth.

Ignoring Tessa’s biting glares, Brad conjured up his Origin system, navigating straight into the private channel section as a conversation ensued—

[Private Chat]

Crazy Bitch: "Is it done ?"

"Not yet."

Crazy Bitch: "How can you be so incompetent about something so simple?"

"I am sorry."

Crazy Bitch: "Save your apologies and be useful at something for once in your life."

"But is this still really necessary?"

Crazy Bitch: "Don’t ask questions you are not qualified for and play your fucking part."

"Okay."

]

Brad gritted his teeth as veins popped on his forehead; he cast a side glance at Tessa, his expression noticeably calming, then he looked through the broken door of the master bedroom, murmuring—

"This much I can bear."

While there were thousands of people across the globe still running for their lives, still hiding, still fighting as they night deepened—

Inside the safety of the penthouse apartment of ’The Grand’, a temporary peace settled, Damon was having his much needed rest, with those in the living room either conversing, chatting with their friends or loved ones they’ve managed to connect with on private chats—

Or browsing the public chat channels, which were more heated with current news and happenings being delivered in real time as the night settled in.

None could sleep because of the current state the world was in; there was always this fear at the back of their mind’s that a mutant might just break through the door, or worse still, one of them might just even become one.

And this was true for every other place around the globe. The uncertainty, the fear, the gory of their once organized world plunged into this new hell was keeping everyone awake and vigilant.

The regional chat channel is a combination of all non-mutated humans, awakeners, and regulars alike in a state. In Damon’s case, they belong to the region of Newhaven, and they belong to the city of Redmont, the state capital, which borders the city of Dempture and other state cities.

As Mildred browsed the chat channel, suddenly, a disturbing conversation appeared on the regional channel, taking her by surprise and causing a flurry online. And for some reason, she had a bad feeling about it.

[Regional Chat (#058-34)

Liora Ashen: "Hey guys, i swear i just seen the weirdest mutant outside my window."

AllSeeingEyes: "@Liora Ashen, weird how? What did it do?"

Liora Ashen: "its more like what he isn’t doing. Fuck!. This is so creepy."

SlimShadi: "@Liora Ashen, fucking talk, damn it, Liora. What are you seeing ?"

SirCumAlot: "@Liora Ashen, are you still there?"

GrampsOtaku: "@SirCumAlot. maybe she’s just playing around."

Liora Ashen: "no guys, i am not playing, something is wrong. First it was just standing there in the middle of the street.... It wasn’t even going after the one or two people still scurrying around for safety— its just standing there "

CelestialGoddess92: "what?"

Liora Ashen: "FUCK!. It think it saw me!. I think it saw me guys, its looking this way.... Its looking straight into my aprtm......"

SirCumAlot: "@Liora Ashen, Liora?"

GrampsOtaku: "@Liora Ashen, are you there, Liora?."]