Chapter 28 — Plan of Action
-Nickolas' POV-
It's been almost four weeks now since my sister's gone missing. It bothers me at every point of the day but that's not all. Planning for our encounter with the Scorpions gang has become a pain too.
I spent hours planning with my gang members from all over the world. Getting weapons from Texas, tracking from London, defence gear from Australia, and so on. The actual planning, I had done most of with the guys here but without that extra person we're won't have the advantage and the fight is harder. The Scorpions were a strategy-based gang whereas we were more weapons-based, it was a bad combo and we needed as much help as we could get. That's why I was so desperate to get The Mysterious Demon on our side. Although the Champ could work too, Xavier would never agree. Besides, I felt as if Dominic and I had better chemistry, so she would be perfect. Even so, if we can't find her then there's no point. Where could she be?
I was frustrated, sitting at my desk, hands on my head, and paper scattered all over my desk. I needed a break, I thought so I got up from the desk and walked towards the kitchen. I took a towel on the way and wiped the sweat off of my forehead while grabbing a drink. After that, I was going to walk into the living room but stopped when I heard a voice inside, so I stayed by the door frame instead.
"Hey, Dominic...it's Blake again. I know this is like my tenth voicemail but, I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. Xavier said it was his fault, but I know you left because of what I said. At this point I just want you to come back, please." Blake's voice trembled as he finished his message and the option to send the message played through the phone during his silence. He hesitated at first but then sent it. I knew Blake liked my sister. I don't know when they got close, but he cares for her just as much as I do and for that I'm grateful even if it meant that we were both upset and frustrated now.
I watched as Blake broke down softly after with a frown on my face. I was going to go comfort him when Jake appeared and did it before me, hugging his brother and telling him it was okay. This made me sigh in relief, but I was still bothered. The only place I could think of would be...no that would be ridiculous.
Suddenly the door to the apartment smashed open making us all jump. My head whipped around to see Zack and Jason running into the room panting as if they just ran a few miles. I walked up to them as was about to ask what the hell happened, but Zack put his hand up to stop me.
"We," he huffs a bit, "give me...a second, damn we ran so fast," I almost laugh at him, but he continues before I get the chance. "I know this'll sound bad, but we searched Dominic's house," he says which makes my eyes widen but before I could question him he hushed me again, "wait don't say anything because we found something."
Jason opened up a laptop and turned it, so I could see. On the page, there was a plane ticket receipt. "She's in London?!"
---
"Xavier you gotta listen to me," I tried, but he wouldn't take anything from me. He laid on a sofa with a book over his head, trying so hard to ignore me. Not seeing him work out or do something relevantly active was weird to me but he was just as affected as the rest of us, so I guess I couldn't blame him. Even so, I had to make him listen.
"I'm going to bring her back. Once I do, she's joining my gang."
"Good luck with that," he says in a monotone voice which makes me roll my eyes.
"I know where she is." I then state which makes him raise the book from his face and look at me with a new expression. He was going to ask me where, but I turned my back on him and got ready to leave. "Get ready for when she's back. She won't be the same."
That night I left for London. There was only one place Dominic could be staying. I was confident about getting her but being in London triggered something else in me. Something that I constantly try to forget. My adoptive parents.
No matter how hard I try, memories of them flow into my head which makes me freeze physically.
Being at home with them was a nightmare. They were abusive, alcoholics, unloving, and cruel. It's because of them that I'm as fucked up as I am now. As a child, I'd get glass bottles thrown at me. They wouldn't feed me for days on end. They'd beat me and shout at me.
The last memory I have of them was when I stole money from them in order to buy food for myself. I didn't think they'd be home by the time I was back, but I was wrong. They found out I stole, and they were enraged. I remember shaking as I heard their footsteps nearing me. I had closed my eyes before flying them back open when I felt my father's hands wrapped around my neck, strangling me. I kicked and struggled but was too weak and ended up seeing black spots and falling unconscious.
When I woke up I was at a hospital, wounds being treated and an officer waiting outside my door to tell me that my adoptive parents had been arrested because the shopkeeper who I had bought food from had noticed the signs of abuse and contacted the police. The shopkeeper was Zack's dad and ever since then I was taken care of by them.
I broke myself out of my thoughts when I found myself in a dark alleyway that was near my biological parents' home where some younger teens were standing around and talking about something interesting.
"I can't wait to get to the bar, the fights are awesome man, trust me!" the first guy exclaims.
"How do we get in though? We're all only 16."
"I know one of the street fighters and he gets me in and guess what? He's gone against The Mysterious Demon!" That was convenient for me. I walked a little closer to them to hear them better.
"Did he win?" the other guy asked and the first one answered a slow 'no..' which made his friends laugh and I smirked along with them.
"But just you watch! He'll beat her tonight!" and that was all I needed.
I was going to find her.