sifting through the media to find traces of Serena. We need to know which club she’s fighting in.»
«Yes, sir.»
«Stay on comms and let us know when Cipher will get here.» Lindon slapped Wolfin’s shoulder and the men headed out.
Laneth nodded, knowing they were going to try and ask around the city in search for Serena – just to stay busy, so that their worry won’t become an issue if they’d be staying on board of the ship.
Chapter 5. Stalkers
«Do you see her?» Wolfin’s voice sounded in Lindon’s earpiece.
«She turned by Link’s Market, heading west.» the Veluthian walked far back, but trying to keep himself inconspicuous.
As he turned, he saw Serena purchasing something at one of the vendors, and continuing her path – her steps slow, as if she didn’t care at all if anyone was watching or possibly following her.
Lindon felt horrible seeing the woman slouched, and her head down. It was as if she didn’t even want to look up from the street. Still, he wanted to approach her, but allowed Wolfin to persuade him to fall back and watch her for a bit before doing that.
For two days they watched her, learning that she was fighting at the club and then simply returning to her home. And by the things she’s been buying every evening, Lindon could make the assumption that she either ate very little, or not at all. This made his heart ache for the woman even more.
On the third day, after watching her fight a bulky opponent in the cage, they finally decided to approach the woman. They split up just in case – Wolfin heading towards her apartment building ahead, while Lindon stayed back, waiting to follow her home.
He saw her usual slow walk back, her short stop at one of the grocery stores and her purchase – a couple of bottles of alcohol and something that resembled a pack of dried fruits.
Walking behind her Lindon thought if she was feeling any better in the life she found on Daruta. Deep inside he hoped she would be happy to see them. But he also feared that she would push them away.
Seeing Serena disappearing on the stairs that lead up, Lindon saw Wolfin glancing out from behind a corner and hurried to him.
«Fifth floor. Apartment 537.» the man reminded him.
«Did you see anyone else there?» Lindon looked up.
«No. So… do we approach now? Or do you want to wait a little more?»
Lindon pressed his lips together and gestured to him to follow, heading up the stairs. They ascended the stairs to the fifth floor and walked up to the door, marked 537, but for a few moments Lindon seemed to be hesitant if he should press the button that hailed the resident inside. Wolfin, however, sighed and pressed it, seeing the man deep in his thoughts.
It took a few long moments before the door slid open and they saw the woman. Her face was covered in bruises from the fight she had, she was dressed only in a tank top and panties and obviously drunk. Leaning over the wall next to the door, she grimaced, seeing them at her door. Taking a swig from a bottle in her hand, she turned without a word and went back inside, leaving the door open. Lindon shook off his shock first, stepping into the small, almost cramped apartment that was littered with empty alcohol bottles. The helper-bot that was supposed to be keeping the apartment clean lay in the corner – smashed to pieces.
Wolfin stepped in a moment later, pressing the door to close, and stood a bit at the entrance, feeling his heart aching for his named daughter.
Serena plopped down onto the couch and took a cigarette, lighting it. She didn’t look at the men, but her face – which was now as expressionless, as when they parted – was aimed at the only piece of evidence that the woman before them was really Serena.
She was looking at a photographic frame, where she and her crew were standing happy – with her kissing Hunter.
«Serena…» Lindon approached her and kneeled down next to the woman.
She shook her head:
«That’s not my name anymore.» she said quietly. «I’m Ghost.»
«Please don’t say that…»
«Why not, huh?» she suddenly grimaced in anger. «Why the fuck not? Why can’t I grieve in the way I can at least cope with the loss? I know you’re not grieving – you’re obviously happy he’s gone! Now you can pursue your dream to make me yours!»
«That’s not how it is, Serena…» Lindon felt hurt by her words, but knew that she was saying that only because she couldn’t let go of Hunter’s death.
«We all lost him, Scorpi.» Wolfin stepped up. «He was a good friend to all of us. So don’t…»
She emptied the bottle in a big sip and threw it aside, taking a deep breath of the aromatic smoke from her cigarette. Wolfin suddenly realised that the cigarettes she was smoking weren’t the plain type, carrying a slight tint of some herbs that were usually offered as sedatives when someone was hurt.
«Don’t what, Woofy?» Serena asked angrily. «Don’t what?»
She leaned with her elbows on her knees and grasped at her head, closing her eyes in an attempt to keep her tears from bursting.
«I tried.» she exhaled shakily. «I really did. I tried to cope and live on. And I can’t… I can’t… I didn’t even have anything left of him… You have no idea how much it hurts… and how many times I’ve climbed up to the last floor of this building, sitting on the edge and contemplating if I should just let myself fall…»
Lindon reached out and touched her leg, offering her a bit of comfort, but she seemed to have not noticed this.
«I can’t be there anymore. I can’t be on the ship and walk the corridors where he walked before… I can’t…» Serena finally let her tears flow down her cheeks. «Go. I’m not leaving. If you’re so eager to get me back, check in with me in a year. Maybe by that time, if I’m still alive, I’ll be somewhat ready to move on. But not now.»
Wolfin gritted his teeth:
«Serena, please don’t…»
«Serena, what about the bitch that killed him?» Lindon asked. «Don’t you want to kill her for what she did?»
He saw her grimacing from pain, and felt his heart stop for a couple of moments from the realisation he brought back the memory of what happened to Hunter that day.
«Leave!» Serena suddenly screamed, raising her eyes to the man. «Now!»
«Serena…» Lindon said, hoping to talk her out of this.
The woman darted up, grabbing his clothes and shoving away from her:
«Leave now, before I throw you out!»
Wolfin put his palm onto Lindon’s shoulder and sighed:
«Let’s go, Lindon.»
The
