Keep Left

They turned off the ventilator and the stale sound of no life filled the room. The nurse silenced all the machine. I cried out as the doctor pronounced my son dead. Just as he did Emelia reached me with Yuri. They told her he couldn’t be in the unit, but would overlook it since she made it through the doors with him. She hugged me and kissed Yanis on his forehead. I looked at my lifeless son. He was gone. I turned to look at Yuri who was staring at me and looking back and forth at his mother.

“Yuri, this is auntie Chloe. This was your cousin, Yanis. He has passed away, like Noonie.”

“Hi auntie Chloe. I’m sorry my cousin left you.”

“Thank you, my sweet nephew. Thank you for coming Emelia but we have to get out of here. Phix has boarded a flight here. He could land at anytime.”

“No! You need support! You just lost your son at the hands of his father. I won’t run away. Raith find out where that plane is.”

“Dad, I need you to come and get Yuri. My sister is in no position to take on Phix right now. But he doesn’t know there’s two of us so I’ll fight in her place until she can again.”

“Emelia, no! He’s dangerous!”

“So am I!”

We all filed out of the room. Everyone gave their condolences. I had him sent back to the states. Lena was in the waiting area when we came out.

“Chloe, you sent my son to prison. He loved you so much. I told him to leave you alone! He was obsessed with you! How is Yanis doing?”

“He died an hour ago. Your son is alive in prison. Mine is dead.”

“N-n-n-no! He killed him?”

“He did. Because he called Jacob dad. Someone who was consistent in his life. He said he told you he wasn’t ready to come visit.”

“Chloe, I’m sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I only wanted him to see his son. A boy needs his father!”

“Chloe, Raith wants to speak to you when you get free.”

Emelia said through sunglassed eyes. She took her departure as I stood, waiting for Lena to regain herself. She apologized a million times I know. I noticed her body language didn’t match her dramatic outburst. I walked around her, taking my leave.

“Jacob was sobbing quietly to himself as he helped me in the car. I took Raith’s call.”

“Raith, what’s going on?”

“Phix is in Paris!”

“I don’t care! Let him come! Transfer everything to Emelia. Every single dime.”

Jacob peeled up at my request. He stared at my sad eyes. I know he wanted to say the right thing, but he also blamed himself.

“Jacob, it’s not your fault. Machen came with malice in his heart. I never thought he would hurt Yanis and he did it without caring. You were always good to him.”

“I didn’t protect you or Yanis. One punch took me out for hours! You were fighting for Yanis, while I was taking a nap on the floor.”

“Guys, maybe now isn’t the time for your kumbaya moment. My satellite feed says 3 black SUVs are headed your way, so maybe get out of there!”

“Drive Martyn.”

We drove around the city multiple times. We finally returned to the manor. Jacob carried me inside. He walked us to our room and laid us down in the bed. I didn’t fight my sleep. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare. I drifted off in his arms. I heard him silently crying. I even heard him say “Mom, I have failed. I don’t know what to do.”

My heart broke for him. I rolled over to wipe his tears. I kissed both his eyes.

“Jacob, thank you for being there with me. I appreciate you so much. I love you. For the past 18 months Yanis and I have enjoyed living here with you. He was happy to call you dad. So remember those memories, not the one where we both got our ass kicked and he died because we did.”

He cried harder and I joined him until we gave in to sleep. I felt him pull me closer and he held me tight.

Max POV

I had received an anonymous video of Jacob and Chloe. He was making love to her. She was unaware that someone was recording. She looked completely happy. At the end of the video was Yanis calling Jacob dad. I instantly became angry. Then a note appeared on the screen.

“See what happens when you leave for too long?”

The video ended and I sat seething at the brim. My dad had phoned and told me he had a job for me. I told him I’d rather die. He laughed and said it could be arranged. He heard I was a father of two kids now.

“Who in their right mind let you get them pregnant? Doesn’t matter! I did some digging and neither child is yours, so you’re quite the idiot! But the job I have for you will allow you to take revenge. The little boy, Yanis is it? There’s a bounty for him, kill him or your mother will die a painful slow death. I’ll be waiting. I’ll help with the police and everything”

I had a friend I could trust run the analysis and she came back with matching results to my father’s words. How could Chloe have lied to me. He looked just like me!

“I phoned my dad! How the hell did you know?”

“Just because I despise you don’t mean I don’t keep tabs on you. You really thought she’d give you a child? How is she going to give her mother’s killer a baby?”

“I was just a kid. I didn’t know you were setting me up to commit murder! I was only ten!”

“They wouldn’t try a kid like they would an adult. You served your purpose. You got close to her. I get it. Complete the bounty!”

I hated I allowed him to turn me into an assassin. I was going to ignore him, but mom came in and pushed me to go and see Yanis. I couldn’t tell her that he wasn’t mine. I got up and went to see him. I hated how close Jacob and Chloe had become. I hasn’t realized I had been away that long. The months moved quickly. She was still hiding from her father, Phix. I had arrived and he pulled her away. Yanis and I were drawing when they came back. He kissed her knowing we were watching them. I rolled my eyes.

He came to draw with Yanis and I got even more pissed. This was suppose to be my son. She told me out of her own mouth he was. He left us and when Yanis went to the bathroom, my anger rose and I took it out on Chloe. She looked so hurt by my words and I was happy seeing her look that way. She had lied to me. Jacob butted in and ruined my gloating. Yanis returned, eager to show off his art work. I looked at the family portrait. It was beautiful, breath taking even. There’s no way he should be this good as a kid. I didn’t say anything right away because I was stunned.

He started explaining the drawing and I’m blown away again. He has included everyone who means something to him. It was when he called Jacob dad that I lost all sense of a moral compass. I was enraged like never before. I thought back to what dad had said and it all boiled over. When I came too again, I had tossed Yanis to the floor like he was nothing, but trash. I couldn’t take back what I had done. Chloe was screaming and trying to feel for a pulse. He was purple blue. I left, not even sure how I made it home. I walked in and mom asked me what was wrong. I told her I had strangled Yanis until he was no longer breathing.

“What! Machen, tell me you’re lying! Why would you do that?”

“Dad! He told me he wasn’t even my son. I had the test ran and he’s not!”

“You idiot! Chloe altered his DNA scans so Phix couldn’t find them if he needed medical attention! Machen, what have you done!”

“S-she never told me that!”

“Yes she did! You’ve been so mad about her and Jacob you haven’t been thinking straight! Why would you kill your only son! Because you’re jealous? Machen, I’ve told you to stop doing business with your father. You didn’t listen!”

“No! He called Jacob dad!”

“And that was enough to kill him? His little life was worth losing for him calling a man he sees loving his mom everyday, dad? If I had chosen to love someone else, you would’ve called him dad. Machen!”

Just when I was about to respond, the doorbell rang. I answered the door and it was the police.

“Mr Wright?”

“Yes?”

“You’re under arrest for the attempted murder of your son, Yanis Wright.”

He wasn’t dead! I looked at mom who who was crying hysterically. She yelled for them not to take me. I willingly went. I deserved to be jailed for trying to kill my own son. Especially if what mom said was true! There’s no way Chloe would forgive me for this. I was arraigned and booked. Dad came to bail me out a few hours later. However, as I was making bail and being cleared to get out, they were literally taking the handcuffs off of me, another officer approached and said my charges had been upgraded to murder. I felt the life leave my body. I had murdered my son!

My dad tried to bribe the officers but they said they had strict orders from the consulate to detain me.

“On what grounds can you hold my son that my money can’t buy him out of?”

“Sir the President of the United States has intervened and he is asking for the maximum punishment for your son. The consulate has agreed to try him for murder as a favor. The doctors have just pronounced your son deceased. The mother, a Chloe Dunn, has asked for his body to be expedited back to the states.”

“I want my son free in an hour. That’s how long you will live if he is not out by then. I don’t care what you say happened, but you better, let him go. I’ll be outside. Good job, son! That bastard got what he deserved!”

“He’s my son dad! Mom confirmed his mother altered his DNA so her father couldn’t find them if he ever needed medical treatment. I killed my own son, your grandson. Your only grandson. He loved me. She fought me to save him and I murdered him with my bare hands. I’ll never forgive myself for hurting her this bad.”

“You did the right thing. According to our documents he is not your son. Who you going to believe?”

“My mom! She told me not to listen to you, but I just wanted my dad to be proud of me. Being a military man wasn’t enough nor was working as security for the President. I’ve ruined my whole life and the woman I love will forever hate me. I’ll never see my daughter again. I’ll hate you forever for lying to me dad.”

“He would stand to inherit your trust from my parents. I couldn’t have that happening. Kill him while he’s in here. Whoever pulls it off can have fifty million.”

“He’s property of the United States government, we can’t touch him!”

“What do you mean?”

The doors were shoved open as the presidential detail filed in. It was then her father’s voice filled the room.

“He means he’s mine! You killed my daughter’s son! She’s in shambles! She’ll find a way to blame me for this! I only wanted to talk to her. You’re guilty of rape and murder and you will be punished for both!”

“Mr Dunn, I’m sorry!”

“Save it! My daughter may love me a little if I’m the one to punish you. I’ll make sure I deprive you of oxygen the same way you did my grandson! Take him.”

I was forced into their SUV once outside. I didn’t say anything. I wanted to die. Whatever they were going to do to me, I deserved. We were driven to the tarmac. I boarded the president’s jet and we flew back to the States.

He didn’t say anything to me. He was handling political matters as we soared through the sky. When we landed in Washington DC, I was released from from my cuffs.

“I had to keep up the charades. The same reason your father wanted you to carry out the hit on my grandson is the same reason I would’ve found a reason to have him assassinated. Cole can’t transfer her assets to a dead child. I know it sounds cold, but my ex wife was supposed to leave all her assets to me. Because she left everything to Chloe, I couldn’t kill her or it would default her assets to a state of limbo and then I would have to file many appeals to get the money. I would have to drag this out for more years, that’s time I don’t have. You’re going to bring Chloe to me, by any means necessary or I’ll kill your mother.”

He had his men bring mom from another room. She had put up a great fight but she was still bruised.

“Machen, you leave Chloe alone! You’ve hurt her enough. Let them kill me.”

“I won’t hurt Chloe anymore, Phix. Do what you have to.”

“Very well!”

He executed my mom in front of me. I cried out, but I deserved the pain. I turned to look at him and he pointed the gun at my head. I anticipated him killing me too. Just as I was about to face my fate, I heard her voice.