by Debbie Behan
‘Why did you bring me here Ricco? I hate them; they lied to me all my life. They cannot be trusted.’
‘Where’s this coming from? They are your parents, so what’s wrong?’ Ricco tugged at him to follow. He spotted Jake’s and Millie’s smiles drop to be replaced by a surprised expression, shocked even.
‘They are not my parents. Tell him!’ Jay snapped. ‘I’m adopted! They lie! Have done the entire time.’
‘Jay!’ Jake growled.
‘You never had patience with me. At least I understand now why. You were never my blood, my real family and I hated you.’ Jay glared at him with resentment. ‘I’m not going anywhere near them,’ he yelled and headed back towards the car.
Ricco held onto him. ‘Jay, they did something to you, so please give us a chance to work it out. This isn’t you. Please, at least trust me. I can protect you.’
‘I don’t need protecting. They are not my parents, they’re liars and I hate them.’
‘Jay,’ Ricco whispered, ‘if these are not your real parents, who are?’
Jay looked up with the love and loyalty he carried for them. ‘Kalam and Sharon.’
Ricco eyed Jay in shock. Tell me he didn’t say Kalam and Sharon are his real parents. What the hell did they do to him?
‘Jay, they lied to you!’ Ricco shook him. ‘He’s used your sweet nature and twisted and distorted all that you know. Please trust me, Jay, and let us help.’
‘You’re in with them; you don’t want me to have a real family either. You ask that woman if she gave birth to me. Go on, ask her. You can distinguish when someone is lying, so ask her.’
He turned to Millie. ‘Is it true? Was Jay adopted?’
Millie collapsed against her husband, sobbing. ‘We should have told him years ago Jake. Now he hates me.’ She sobbed harder into her husband’s shoulder.
Jay shook loose. ‘Alina is my sister, my sister!’ he yelled at a shocked Ricco, his eyes as wide as saucers. ‘I’m immortal too aren’t I?’ His eyes rolled to the back of his head. There was far too much information to process, and Jay collapsed into Ricco’s arms.
* * * *
The kid was spent. There was no more he could cope with as it flooded through him, as the truth. Or was it? Ricco wanted to run. Get as far away as he could. To learn he was the son of their sworn enemies now put a wall between them. He’d become a threat to Alina’s existence although he didn’t realise it yet. I no longer trust my boy, my friend, and I need to let him go. Break all ties to save Alina.
For better or worse, these two were his parents and must be capable of taking it from here. Detective Berry hated Alina and Jay was missing for a few weeks. This alone scared him. In this hypnotic state Jay might possibly kill her on sight and never get what he was doing, or remember what he had done.
His gaze flicked back to Jay’s adopted parents. He believed they were the only ones capable at this stage of caring for him and helping him through the misery of not being able to see Alina, ever again. Ricco’s focus rested on her. Worried he may not get back to Alina in time, he decided he must leave at once.
‘Why Jay?’ he growled at the heavens above. ‘This is going to destroy him, destroy her.’ He picked Jay up and carried him inside. ‘I can’t trust him around her anymore, I’m so sorry. I must choose.’
‘We understand.’ Jake tucked a pillow under Jay’s head.
‘Tell him to wait here for Kev. I’ll send him as soon as I get back. Please tell him I’m sorry. He’s bonded with Berry and I can never trust that pig cop not to do something sinister to Jay in an attempt to hurt Alina. He might even have brainwashed the kid into killing her.’ Shaking his head, he hated the thoughts that poured from his mouth. ‘I can’t risk it and I can’t kill the kid either so I have no other choice but to walk away.’
‘The bastard has done this deliberately to ruin your friendship. Well it’s worked.’ Millie sobbed out the words.
‘Berry knows how much Jay loves her. Now his own son is going to hurt as he has hurt all these years. He knows I will run with her. This has been his dirtiest trick yet. I’m so sorry to do this to you both.’ He patted Jake on the back and hugged Millie. ‘If it helps, tell the kid I love him and will try and find a way to work this out. However for now, for our safety, we must disappear. Maybe permanently.’
‘Take care, Ricco. We’ve got this and we won’t stop searching until we find out for sure he is their son. He may not be ours but I don’t believe such a precious little boy came from such evil,’ Millie said.
Ricco felt cowardly to be leaving his boy. Outside he threw up before he got to the car. Can I do this? It was killing him. He was hardly able to put one foot in front of the other as he walked around the driver’s side. He imagined as he did, Berry smiling at him with that sly, sadistic expression, waiting for the next chance to pounce.
No I must go, he’s won this round and unless I listen to my gut I may well lose mon chéri too.
~ Chapter Thirty Six ~
Breakthrough
Jay viewed the room, and blinked his eyes to focus. He was in a hospital ward. Kev sat in a chair beside his bed, a comic book up to his face, long legs sprawled out in front.
‘Hi,’ Jay whispered through a dry throat. His hand went to a head that ached.
The comic book flicked into the air as Kev stood and leaned over him. Trembling arms wrapped around him. ‘Jay!–Thank god you’re all right.’
‘I can’t breathe,’ Jay wheezed out. ‘I guess you missed me?’
Kev eased off and allowed him movement as he talked. ‘Jay–they left–they’re gone. They don’t trust anyone, not even us.’ He leaned his head back on Jay’s chest and sobbed. ‘I was so scared you’d die. You’ve barely even breathed at times.’
Jay struggled into a sitting position, trying to work out who Kev talked about. ‘Who, Ricco and Alina?’
Kev nodded as he wiped his eyes. ‘Ricco said you might be brainwashed. A trigger could prompt a response from you to kill Alina. She’s devastated. Cried the entire time they packed and put up so many arguments. But in the end he was too convincing that he had no choice. Her safety was at risk and he made her believe you’d understand. But I don’t Jay! This is crazy talk.’
Jay’s face dropped, his eyebrows furrowed together and his mood darkened. Kev continued and he strained to tune into him. He was beside himself that Ricco had done this to him, to them.
‘Did Berry do that to you? Do you remember? Ricco said he did this to deliberately ruin our relationship with them. The sick depraved fool wants you for himself. God–I can’t believe this is happening. Jay, say something.’
As much as Jay hated to admit it, Ricco was right. There were times when Jay slept far too many hours and it was not normal for him to do so. Neither did he question it. At the time he figured it was the sea air and he needed the break too, as Kalam did. His head throbbed, so whatever Kalam administered was wearing off. He was no longer under a cloud of delusion. With his head back in the game, Jay began to plan a little payback of his own for his so-called father who was ruining his life.
It was now he caught sight of his dad and mum who sat over the other side of the room. He remembered being angry at them when he arrived and was terribly ashamed at his behaviour. Mum had tears, yet stood shaking as she waited for his next outburst; the depth of fear of what might come next was clear in her terrified eyes. My own mother is scared of me. No wonder Ricco ran. I must have been a real basket case.
Kev leaned away. ‘It’s coming back isn’t it? I can see you rationalising it. Did he do what Ricco said?’
Jay shrugged. ‘I’m not sure Kev, but what I do know is we’re going after him. Father or not he’s not getting away with destroying my life because his own is such a mess. I’m so sick of him using me as a pawn to get to Alina. I’d not be surprised if this is a game to hurt her because he can’t kill her.’
‘He’s a freak, but you know him now Jay, so can you stop him?’ Kev said.
‘If he is my father, then I should have the same tracking powers. If I can tune into him I can work out his next move.’ Jay’s mind was in overdrive with ways to win Alina and Ricco’s trust. ‘He’s gone too far this time.’
‘Tune in?’ Kev repeated his comment and touched a hand to his forehead, worried he was still delusional.
‘That’s how Kalam keeps finding Alina. He uses immortal powers. I think I have it too. You see I found Alina when even the police couldn’t. I must have got that from him.’
‘This immortal stuff is just too confusing.’ Kev took a deep breath.
‘Kev, work with me here. I need you.’
Kev gave him one of his warm smiles. ‘What else am I going to do? It won’t change us–will it?’
‘No! It better not.’ Jay punched his arm. Kev laughed and pulled away. Jay caught sight of his mum again and decided it was time to mend their relationship. He held a hand out to her and she came over and hugged him.
‘I’m so sorry we never told you,’ she said. ‘I’m so ashamed. I wanted you to always be mine. I loved you so much that in time, I believed you were my son. Can you forgive an old woman’s dreams?’
Jay smiled. ‘Forgiven Mumsie, but no more secrets.’
His dad moved over to them and put an arm around them both. ‘You’re a good lad Jay and always were. That’s how we knew you’d been drugged. You’d never speak to your mother like that. Me–yes, your mum–not ever.’
‘Sorry Dad, we do have our moments but I doubt I’d be the man I am today without your tough love.’
‘No parent has loved their child more or been more proud of them than we are of you, son. Welcome home,’ Jake said.
‘So what’s the plan to get that manipulative son of a bitch?’ Kev wiggled in and forced the parents to stand back. He’d missed Jay and had no intentions of being left out.
‘I don’t have it fully worked out yet, but I want us two to go on an island holiday.’
‘To Berry’s island!’ Kev was in disbelief Jay would step foot there again.
‘Yes–but this time we’re going to catch us a big fish.’ Jay ruffled his hair. ‘Don’t worry, he won’t dare hurt you for fear I’ll turn on him again. If we do this we do it together, all of us.’ He turned to his dad.
‘Will you help us?’
‘We’ve been hiding out and stayed neutral until asked. We’ve waited for a long time to push Detective Berry into a corner and give him what he deserves.’ Jake said.
Jay eyed his dad with admiration. ‘It may have been his genetics that brought me into this world, but it’s you and Mum who nurtured and shaped my character. I’ll never let him take credit for that.’
Jake grinned for the first time. He had always been the stern one and Jay almost cracked up laughing as it looked so weird. ‘That’s my boy, let’s go get him tiger.’ He ducked and punched at his shoulder. This humour and rough teasing was more his dad.
Millie kissed his face. ‘Enough already Mum! Geeze–I forgive you!’ He wiped it away. It had been many years since he allowed her to show that sort of affection and suddenly he knew why. It didn’t quite feel right. Had I always known? In every other way though, she was his mum.
She chuckled, never having taken offence. ‘Boys! She rolled her eyes and turned to his dad. ‘Well Jake, let’s give these two some privacy.’
‘Sure,’ he agreed. ‘We’ve work to do in the lab. Need to finish testing the blood and tissue samples we took earlier this morning.’
Jay pulled up his shirt to view where they had taken it. ‘What tissue samples.’
Millie lifted up his arm and under it was a Band-Aid. ‘Hardly a scratch honey, it’ll heal over in no time.’
‘Cruel and unusual Mumsie.’
His dad smiled. ‘He’s back Mil.’
Millie laughed good-naturedly. ‘We’re testing to see if he did use a brainwashing substance. If he did, it will help us eradicate it from your body. Then it’s just a matter of removing his programing.’
‘But you’re sure you won’t find anything, right.’
‘Right,’ she agreed.
Before Millie left she gave Jay a couple of pain killers for the headache, but he didn’t need them. It worked out Kev knew just how to take his mind off it and boy was he the best medicine ever. After Jay showered and dressed he sat watching Kev get ready, admiring him. Wet red hair formed tight curls on his forehead and the heat of the shower gave his skin a glossy pink tone. As he watched him, large emerald green eyes squinted and white tipped lashes fell and spread on his cheeks.
‘I hate it when you do that.’ Kev screwed up his mouth.
‘What.’
‘Look right through me and sense what I’m feeling.’
‘Kev, get used to it, you’re my man and you know I’m a perve.’
He started to laugh and ran into Jay, tossing him on the bed. ‘Stop it or I’ll attack you again. Shit I missed you so much.’ Kev smiled at him.
He was just what Jay needed and he nearly took him up on his offer. Instead he threw him over and ruffled him up. ‘Come on stud, there’s work to do first.’
* * * *
His mum and dad grinned when they arrived at the underground laboratory. They knew what they’d been up to, but that was just it. So long as I was happy they never did interfere and I finally get it.
‘Question.’ Jay got their attention. ‘You both only ever put pressure on me when I was irritable and moody, right. It’s a parent thing isn’t it?’
‘Yes, but where are you going with this?’ Jake asked.
‘Well, Kalam would become noticeably grumpy if I was in a moody. Happy when I was happy. What if I showed him how angry I was that he had stuffed up my relationship with Alina? He became impossible to be around. Would Kalam try to fix it so I was contented and with me okay he would be too?’
‘You might be on to something son,’ his dad said. ‘It is the one thing a parent can’t stand and that’s to see their kid’s miserable. If he really does love you, it’s quite possible that may work.’
‘I have confidence that he does,’ Jay said, self-assured. ‘He sits close and when he does he sighs and relaxes as I do with Alina. I doubt that you can pretend that emotion.’
‘Do you get the same tug of the heartstrings from Berry as you do Alina?’ his mum asked.
‘Kind of, I liked being with him, but I miss Alina so I get mixed emotions.’ He ran a hand through his hair, trying to make sense of his own feelings. It was awkward divulging this to his parents and he saw it hurt them to see there was such a strong connection, so soon, with his biological father.
Millie rattled off thoughts as she continued working on the tests. ‘I wonder if he ever got near Alina…not that it could ever happen. But still, I wonder if he might instantly develop that same bond with her?’
Jay strode over and gave his mum a bear hug. ‘You’re brilliant.’ He let her go, her cheeks flushed from his sudden and unusual affection. His next outburst surprised them all. ‘I reckon we need to find a way to rectify this. Stick them in a room together but tied up so they don’t kill each other–and make them talk. He has to see that if at birth, he held his baby girl in his arms, allowed himself to feel that connection, he’d never let her out of his arms. She’d have taken part of that pain and loss of losing his wife away, instantly. Alina is stronger than me. She had an immortal mother. Mine was human and has weakened the link. If only we could get Ricco to agree …’
‘Ricco will never agree,’ Jake said. ‘Never!’
‘Then we steal her from him,’ Jay spat out passionately.
Jake frowned. ‘And what if this goes terribly wrong and she gets hurt or killed.’
‘She won’t, she can do this. She is more powerful than me. It’s not too late; they still have many centuries they can enjoy together. When Kalam does connect with her, it’s going to be like a drug. At that moment he’ll stop trying to kill her and love her instead. I fully believe this is how it’ll go down.’
Jake agreed. ‘You’re right Kev.’ He turned to Jay. ‘When he first met you, did he know you were his son?’
Jay shrugged and remembered the episode at the snow. ‘Well, come to think of it, Kalam seemed very strange the minute he looked into my eyes. When I asked if I could change out of my wet clothes his mood became even weirder when he grabbed me, steering me into my room.’
‘Then what?’ Jake asked.
‘Kalam sat or should I say slumped in the chair. He was sweating and not holding the gun on me anymore.’
‘If he linked to you he would have been in shock, unable to understand why he felt that way with you,’ Jake said.
‘That must be why he disappeared the day they interrogated me. I bet that’s when he tried to see Sharon. He had questions about me. Was she my mother?’
‘Go on?’ Jake said when Jay stopped with the realization and how it was fitting into place.
‘When he came back that night he was nervous and agitated. He rambled off an excuse why I should follow him. He busted me out of there and took me back to his place.’
‘What! Back to his own home and risking you knowing where he lived?’ Jake’s eyed widened with surprise.
‘He kept asking me weird questions and nothing at all to do with Ricco and Alina. He didn’t seem interested in them, not in the slightest.’
‘And then he cut him and inserted bugs in him before he let him go, to track him,’ Kev said, annoyed.
‘He didn’t want you to go Jay. Sounds as if he wanted to trace your movements, not Alina’s,’ Jake added, and sat to listen, intrigued.
‘And when he found the three of you on the bikes, did he get angry when he realised Alina had gotten away?’
‘Can’t remember, my focus was on Kev. They were going to shoot him. I was ready to jump towards him and protect him from the bullets. I was listening for them to squeeze the trigger, even a smidgen, and I would have pounced.’