Bab 107: 27. Heaven Is A Place On Earth.
So I went out on missions all over America and I knew I had to go see that house in Atlanta one day. But not yet. It was a tight schedule, and I was always on the move, going from gig to gig. I knew I also had a trip to Lake Lanier coming up because losses happen now and then, and it was my job to remember these fallen fleas.
It was surprisingly fun doing gigs that someone else was doing. And when everyone did it their way, we were astonished, always getting ideas and tips. We did a lot of gigs, mainly blowing up things, and then had these new sabotage gigs to expose the pharmaceutical plants. You just had to get something always to betray them or come out so that the authorities would take notice.
It was quite an ordeal to find the angle from where to bust these establishments. The new laws ensured they would be shut down, making it worth the trouble. Understanding the regulations set by the state was crucial, as it often provided us with an opportunity to take them out of business. For instance, there were strict regulations on burning and cremation, including permits and emission tests to control pollution levels. As a civilian, my word held little value, but if I could get an authority figure to witness the situation firsthand, they would have to take action.
I had formed friendships with several regulators from these institutions. So, if I knew of a problematic facility nearby that they were unaware of, I would invite my friend from that office to have lunch with me. During these leisurely breaks, I would chauffeur them around in my luxurious cars. Coincidentally, my phone would ring near one of these facilities, and my friend would step out to investigate.
They were usually sharp enough to determine if there was unauthorized cremation or burning taking place. It didn't take long for them to confirm if the facility had the necessary permits, and if not, it would soon be shut down. The president credited those who exposed these evil facility networks, making it a win-win situation. My involvement in these operations remained discreet, ensuring the bad guys were taken out without putting my people at risk. It all seemed to happen by chance, even though it was not.
Of course, not every case was as straightforward. Sometimes, these facilities had the required permits, making it difficult to bust them from that angle. However, if we could gather evidence of civilian mistreatment through clever tactics, it opened up new opportunities. We would find satellites that could capture images of the victims, and my hacker division would ensure that these images accidentally appeared on authority displays, prompting further investigation. This way, I could stay out of the picture.
We had our work cut out for us, and with Damien's presence, things became even more interesting. He motivated me to go after other scumbags, and a part of our hacker team was dedicated to finding and eliminating that AI. They had already destroyed several backups of it, and the government was also on its trail.
Of course, the tip line helped a lot with that. I had Sark under my eye all the time, and he was now working in Europe. Well, one of these days, I'll see if there's any straw I can throw into Sark's wheel. I had then my new frontier too. And oh boy, did it get much satisfaction.
This was something that I did for myself and few of my people were involved in this. Since Magnum was out of the picture, there was no one strong enough to challenge me kind of. Dean and Sam were chasing demons, and I had put them in there. I was ready to indulge myself and I drove to a secret location, one old warehouse that only a handful of fleas knew. Even though it was old, it was top secure, my little prison, or interrogation site.
As I entered the chamber, the dimly lit cellar cast eerie shadows on the walls. The sound of my boots echoed through the room as I lazily walked inside, my black leather jacket and jeans adding to the air of menace. My expression was not friendly and there was equipment in this room. In the center, a man was tightly strapped to a chair. It was the same Indian researcher who had crushed my hands and tormented me with that artificial intelligence. We had a history.
I approached him, ready to interrogate him. I knew how to extract information and prolong suffering. This man, a disgrace to humanity, didn't deserve mercy. Few were aware of my secret interrogation chambers, where I had successfully gathered valuable intelligence over time. He had been part of the team that had created me and now it is time for him to see and experience what they actually created. I let my rage peek through. It was something that scared this guy and for real, too, not too much, though. I wanted my victim to be alive, not die of fear.
As our eyes met, he tried to speak, to beg for mercy, but my heart was hardened. His voice was pleading, urgent, and he really begged. I just coldly smiled at him.
I took a seat, crossed my legs, and taunted him, "Let's continue our little chat. Tell me about those facilities in France, their security. I have ways to verify your truthfulness. You've seen this crystal and these stones, but I also have a team of skilled individuals who can get answers. And trust me, I don't take kindly to lies or omissions."
Fear gripped him as he pleaded, "No, please, I'll tell you everything. Don't hurt me. I beg you..."
I scoffed, knowing that his pleas were futile, as I reached for my tools. Soon his screams echoed in this cellar.
Mariella was enjoying her time in the Azores, but the fact was that if the wedding didn't happen for a year, Mimi and Damon's marriage would be over. And Damon would do nothing about it. He was content that they were both now Mariella's spouses and Mariella wouldn't need Charles or Adam. Mimi could go. It wouldn't matter.
Mariella had been trying to work out what on earth was wrong with Damon but hadn't been able to get an answer. Fine, this should then be done another way and bring Mimi and Damon together somehow, but how? Mariella would have so wanted to enjoy her holiday and not think about such a thing, but the interests of the pack demanded it. Otherwise, Mimi, Adam, and Charles would soon be in danger of being in their pack. After all, Mimi had been like that for a long time with Adam and Samuel.
Damon cherished his paradise with Mariella, a serene haven that had transformed since their first visit. The island's landscape evolved as ancient stones of power accumulated, emanating a subtle energy that Mariella absorbed. With each passing year, nature sculpted the surroundings, leaving Damon pondering how much longer he could remember the cherished memories he shared with Mimi.
The once lush woodland now resembled a dense jungle, its foliage thriving, while the beach underwent a metamorphosis under the influence of the enigmatic power rocks. The entire island changed year after year and it was not the same as it had been when he had been here with Mimi. Though Mimi would forever hold a significant place within him, Damon believed it was best to part ways. Separation would bring clarity, sparing Mimi from further agony and heartbreak.
Despite spending four months in the Azores, Damon felt no urgency to return to his pack, content with the perfection of his current life. During their holiday, Mariella empathetically sensed Damon's anguish in letting Mimi go. Perplexed, she couldn't fathom why he would subject himself to such pain. Shouldn't profound emotions encourage perseverance?
However, Damon's age and deeply ingrained habits influenced his decision. A self-proclaimed gentleman, he desired to shield Mimi from his unpredictable nature. Mariella understood Damon recognized the anguish Mimi experienced, especially when he employed his charming tricks to win her back.
Mariella wanted to help, and she thought Mimi and Damon should be together; likewise, she wanted to marry Adam, Charles, and even Mimi. She wanted an enormous, white, gorgeous wedding.
But then Di, her clouded leopard, showed her a few things that Mimi had actually done on holiday and what she was going to do. Mimi had been on missions all four months, and now she was off again soon to stalk one boss of a naughty pharmaceutical company, intending to kidnap him and interrogate him. And then kill him eventually, but it would take a long time and that man would suffer.
And Mariella knew a bastard like that deserved Damon's treatment. Mariella looked into the past and saw that Mimi already had other prisoners. The fleas did. They'd been snapping them up for four months now, so apparently, she'd started it.
She watched with horror and awe as Mimi stepped into the chamber, where an Indian man was strapped and how she tortured that man, leaving him alive, but she had tortured him for 18 hours straight, not letting him faint or die. She enjoyed it when she paid that bastard back. She interrogated him about targets in France and she had crystals and stones that told her if the man was lying. She was right down scary.
Mariella's heart raced as she stumbled upon another piece of information. The room felt heavy with tension as she discovered that Mimi, the enigmatic woman with a dark past, possessed her own bank vaults. It was Reddington's final gift to her, bequeathed in his will. Di had shared some of Mimi's thoughts with Mariella, leaving her uncertain about how to proceed.
The memory of Mimi's chilling interrogation of a man lingered in Mariella's mind, their complex history was evident in every tense exchange. But now, she knew Damon had to be informed. Perhaps this revelation would jolt him back into action, reminding him of Mimi's need for discipline. Or, maybe it would fuel his desire to conquer her, viewing her as a challenge to be controlled.
However, Mariella couldn't fathom what Damon would do with those unfortunate captives, the ones Mimi had interrogated. Di had revealed that some were on the brink of death. Mimi, in her twisted way, enjoyed keeping them alive.
Gathering her courage, Mariella approached Damon, her voice wavering as she explained, "Damon, honey, Di showed me something you should know as the pack leader."
Her eyes locked onto his, searching for any flicker of understanding. Damon's curiosity piqued, breaking through the fog of losing Mimi or letting her go.
Taking a seat beside him, Mariella continued, "Mimi has been on missions for the past four months. Coincidentally, it's during this time that the pharmaceutical company men have been disappearing, captured by her. She interrogates them, Damon. I can't say for certain how many have perished, but I have a snippet that will show you just how terrifying she can be."
Mariella's voice trembled slightly, the weight of her words hanging in the air. She handed Damon the evidence, revealing that the Indian man involved with the AI was among Mimi's captives. The sight of the man in distress, a pawn in Mimi's dangerous game, sent shivers down her spine.
"She likes to keep them alive," Mariella added, her unease palpable. "And as you'll see, she has this man in quite the state. She's truly frightening, Damon."
Damon's eyes were fixed on the chilling clip, causing him to freeze in place. The sight of Mimi utilizing her substances to elicit agonizing screams from a man sent shivers down his spine. The faint scent of electricity lingered in the air, a reminder of how she carefully employed just enough to inflict pain. His gaze shifted to the crystals and stones she wielded, knowing they were key to extracting the truth from their captive. Those experiments, those unfortunate men, they belonged to him now.
His telepathic abilities allowed him to effortlessly acquire all the information needed, a skill he intended to showcase just as Salvatore would. The desire to torment and interrogate them surged within him, to subject them to sheer horror and fear until their very hearts gave out. Death by fear was what he sought, a spectacle for all to witness.
In his mind, a thought arose, "Perhaps I should put one wife in her rightful place and then proceed with wedding preparations."
At that moment, Damon resolved not to let Mimi slip away. Despite her terrifying nature, she possessed an undeniable allure, one that his vampire side perceived in a newfound light. She was no longer a victim, weak and wounded, but a formidable alpha female.
Damon realized the consequences of Mimi staying with him after that fateful year. She would have been abandoned once again, crushed by his conscience, and left a mere shell of her former self after Adam and Charles had nursed her back to health.
Mimi had understood this, which was why she had chosen to leave. But now, she had regained her strength, making it an opportune moment for him to seize control. It was time to apprehend those men and make them public examples. Mariella had conveyed this message to number two, who eagerly awaited the chance to join in the pursuit. Most importantly, Damon aimed to bring Mimi back under his influence, even if it meant rendering her unconscious during the interrogation.
Having served as an interrogator for the government, Damon was well-versed in the art. His telepathy was merely one of the many tools at his disposal. His alpha female, however, kept her plans hidden from him. But soon, all of that would change. He was planning to capture her when she was going to stalk her next victim and tell to her that this thing was going to end right now.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone