XIV - Sacrifice

Third Person's Point of View

“Oh, I see... Don't tell me you have a new girlfriend again? Tss, you're too fast. We haven't killed Mariella in front of you yet, but don't worry, I'll make sure you see your new one die! ” he roared as his voice echoed all over the place.  About five people were lying on the floor due to gunshot wounds aimed at their hearts. 

The group of armed men turned to Louis. Elaine remained behind him, trembling with fear. She was still holding the pistol he gave her but she does not know how to use it. She only experienced handling guns when she went to a newly opened firearm training center that teaches how to hold a gun with Venice and Elena but they only went there because Elena wanted to see his handsome instructor. The guy's soul would almost escape from his body every time Xypen approached him. 

It's just that they haven't spent much time in training when they saw him with a woman making Elena jealous to the core. So he told them to enroll again somewhere but she already refused and so was Venice. 

“Don't be angry, Montemayor, but I have eyes behind you. So choose who you can trust well,” the man said. Slowly, he approached Louis who now had a pistol out. He then brazenly touched Elaine's chin making Louis repulse aggressively. 

"Don't fucking touch her!" Louis growled as his eyes blazed with anger. 

“Chill, Montemayor. I have no intention of kidnapping your girlfriend,” he said and raised both hands to stop Louis. Louis has his pistol pointed at the man while he was holding Elaine's arm as if he's eagerly protecting her. 

“Lest go. Look here, Elaine. By the way, I am Serverus. Remember my face well because this is your chance to see who will kill you and Montemayor," Serverus said. His eyes were filled with anger and hatred for Louis for what he did to his parents. He promised himself to avenge them. 

Elaine slowly looked up to see Serverus. She saw his eyes filled with anger. He also looks extremely stressed because of the dark circles under his eyes and dry, cracked lips. He seemed to focus too much on how to get revenge on Louis than on his health. 

"It looks like you've got someone better today than Mariella," Serverus said. His colleague murmured because of what their boss had said. 

“Do you think bossing is crazy? That woman is ugly. The one before was sexier and taller,” insulted the man who's next to Elaine, enough for her to hear it. 

"Silly, don't think smart with me!" Serverus shouted and shot his companion who spoke badly about Elaine. What he doesn’t like at all is when someone's interfering with his opinion. He didn't kill him because of the girl because he doesn't feel anything about her at all. 

“Why did you kill Felix? He was right about that woman!” shouted the one next to the man Severus shot. He pointed his gun at Serverus who only smiled at him. He's too noisy. 

"Why? Do you want to follow your brother?" he asked. Felix's brother's lips quivered with anger. 

“What he said was true. Don't tell me you like that woman already!” another one shouted, making Severus close his eyes in sheer irritation. If he hit them, his comrades will be outnumbered. 

"Shut up, be quiet!" he shouted and fired a gun to the ceiling to get his comrades' attention. "Louis is our enemy here so if you have nothing good to say, just don't talk, or else you'll end up the same way how Felix did," he warned lethally. They all nodded in response. 

Louis immediately spoke to get their attention. "Then shoot me, but if you ever try touch, her I'll kill all of you," he threatened, making Serverus laugh. 

“We are not your men, Louis. Not your servants at most. I will kill you with the woman you are trying to protect so don't worry!” he shouted and Serverus' men rushed towards Louis. 

The first ones to rush were only knives so before they could get close, Louis has shot them. Elaine, on the other hand, covered her ears because of the loud gunshot sound. She seemed to return to the time when she was always abducted years ago. Fortunately, her father always saved her. They even moved from house to house because of the attempts on them. One time, she asked her father why they were trying to hold her hostage but he will only say she'll find out soon.

“It's just weird, Louis. Why do you defend that woman so much even before yourself? Aren't you afraid of death? ” asked Serverus. 

Louis was sweating from shooting anyone who tried to get near them. But every time he remembers what Elaine's father requested him to protect her for the rest of his life, he wonders why. Especially now that he found out that she is the daughter of his former nanny. She has a connection to everything he needs to put together. 

"Aim for the woman with Louis!" Serverus cried that his companions heeded. They pointed guns at Elaine and started firing at her but Louis lifted her, dodging the bullets that would hit them. When Elaine opened her eyes, she saw Louis already sweating. It's already three rounds of ammunition, but with Serverus' large crew, it seemed that the ammunition Louis has will run out sooner than the other side. 

Elaine's eyes widen when Serverus suddenly fired the gun in a direction that would hit her. She was rotten on the place and gradually remembered what happened to her mother. 

***

"Elaine, get out of here!" her mother cried as they ran through the grassy forest. She does not know why armed men were after chasing them but her mother was already hit right on her side so she is running out of breath. 

Elaine had no idea what was going on. She thought they will just visit her uncle her mother talks about. 

“Child, get out of here before they get you. I plead you... W-When you see your father, tell him how much I love him,” she said weakly. 

She was completely out of breath. She couldn't run anymore and the men chasing after them were getting close. She knew that any minute, her brother would track them down and he would not hesitate to kill Elaine. She thought he had changed and planned to join her, but she was wrong. 

Young Elaine was startled when she heard some footsteps coming closer to the two of them. Her tears were already dripping. Serena just kissed her on the forehead. 

“Shhh. Y-You always have to be brave," she stammered before her mother finally pushed her to run. Her tears could not be stopped as she crossed the road out of the forest. Her chest throbbed even harder when she heard the sound of gunshots that indicated they already found her mother.

She just held on tightly to the bracelet her mother gave her. She was still young, but it was this event that gave her trauma. She could not speak for several months because of this so they went with her father to the psychologist to check her condition. 

***

“Fuck, wife. Get down!” Louis shouted. It ran towards him which was hit by a gunshot wound in the back of the young man. He was shocked at what it did when they finally fell to the floor. He touched pure blood from behind it which made him cry. 

This thing is happening again because of him. Her tears began to flow, but Louis immediately put her to sleep. 

"Shhh," he hushed her. Elaine was shaking. She didn't know what to do, but she tried to utter a word while sobbing.

“I ... I-It's my fault, sorry. You shouldn't have done that. The bullet was for me, not for you,” Elaine whispered, blaming herself for what happened. The young man just smiled at her. 

“It’s my duty to protect you, so don’t feel guilty about it. Besides, I'm happy that you're fine. I can't forgive myself if something happens to you,” he assured her. Serverus immediately spoke from behind them, clapping. 

“Wow, it's very romantic. I thought I was watching a drama. Allow me to send you off with Louis,” he said. He pointed the tip of the gun at Elaine. Louis slowly turned around while holding his back hit by the bullet and also pointed the gun at Serverus. 

"As if I will let you do that," Louis said. He was already weak from the gunshot but he wouldn't let him hurt Elaine.

“Tss, don't you want to be with your girlfriend in hell? You should thank me instead because you will never be apart,” Serverus asked. To their surprise, the door aggressively opened, exposing Volstrige and the others.  

"Damn, you're all late," Louis said softly to them. They apologized and finally rushed to Serverus' companions. 

“You better give up, Serverus. We are already surrounding you,” Brennon shouted. Severus' eyes widen even more and aimed the gun at Louis again. 

"If you come close, I will kill your boss first!" he cried. There was anger in his eyes because he had not been able to get revenge on Louis. The newcomers couldn't get close to Serverus who laughed out loud. 

“You are all obedient! Let me, I will end of your boss the fastest way possible,” he said. Louis' eyes were dimming. 

“What’s the matter, Louis? You seem to be getting weaker,” Severus teased Louis could no longer stand. Thankfully Elaine backs him up but still blaming herself. 

"Fuck!" Louis sighed because his vision is getting blurry. This doesn't happen every time a bullet hits him. Actually, it looks like his body is used to this, but now it's different. 

"What's the problem, huh? Poor you. In a few moments, you will die because of the cyanide I put in the bullet you're hit with. Do you think you can handle me, Louis?” he asked, laughing. Elaine's eyes widen upon hearing him. 

They have to take Louis to the hospital immediately. Otherwise, he will die with Serverus. His knee's getting weaker and weaker. 

Severus pointed the gun at Elaine to her surprise. 

"W... W-Wife, go away," Louis stammered. Elaine was just crying. She would not leave him who sacrificed himself for her. 

"Shoot me, but not Louis!" she screamed, her cheeks were soaked with tears. Serverus just looked at her and pulled the trigger but even before it finally hit them, Elaine hugged Louis and rolled on the floor. Serverus suddenly fell to the floor when a bullet hit him.

"Tss, I didn't know you could hold a gun," Serverus said and was about to fire another bullet at them when she shot him again, hitting his hand. 

"Damn you, woman!" Serverus screamed. Before he could approach Elaine, a bullet from Alex hit him.  He fell right to the floor.

"W-Why are you betr—" Serverus' words were cut short because Alex fired a bullet at him so that he could no longer speak. Elaine let go of the gun she was holding and fainted next to Louis. 

Their lives are on the line but everything is hoped to be fine.