Revenge, Inc. Part 8: A Short Story

Hello everyone and welcome back. I apologize if anyone of you were waiting for this, as I'm just making my own deadline. Each week, I'm finishing my installments later than the previous week, albeit before the end of Friday, before midnight.

I was once told by told by my Creative Writing professor in college that there is a distinction between what a writer writes and what a reader reads in accordance with the very same text. I think that the way in which I view my Revenge, Inc. series and the way you, my audience views it are two different viewpoints...I just hope that I can close the gap and answer all of the questions you may have about this story as a whole, so please feel free to leave any questions you may have in the comment box and as always, I encourage you to do so as it's always appreciated. Again, thank you for coming by and supporting my work as it is the impetus for me to finish!

Of course this story is ongoing week-to-week and there is much that preceded this installment so if you haven't already, please read up to Part 7 before going any further. Just click on the corresponding link to get redirected. Thank you.

-ODP

Revenge, Inc. Part 1

Revenge, Inc. Part 2

Revenge, Inc. Part 3

Revenge, Inc. Part 4

Revenge, Inc. Part 5

Revenge, Inc. Part 6

Revenge, Inc. Part 7

“So, what did you find?”

“No matches Captain. Nada…We searched all ‘Knowns’ and nothing comes up. The four hair follicles found inside her are all from the same guy and the sperm too, so the ‘gang-bang theory’s gone. We may have a new pedophile on our hands…”

“Not once did I believe that one, Harold. There’s much more to this than it seems. Whoever did this either owns a yacht or has access to one. Check for registered owners and employees of the yacht clubs. I need names and need to know where all these people were during the time of Cody’s daughter’s disappearance. They may have seen or heard something…What is it?”

“The boy, you know, the one Haley dated…Charlie, right? How was it that he saw her last and knows nothing? And what about the parents?”

“He walked her home and that was all. We’ve been through this already. He and his parents were questioned just as soon as she was pulled from the lake. All their stories match. They’re clean. Where Charlie left Haley was right in front of the house, right after giving her a kiss on the cheek.”

“And where was Cody?”

“He admitted that he’d fallen asleep on the couch in front of the tube while waiting for her and so didn't see anything that may have transpired in that void. His father—Father Frank—can attest to that, because at around 8:20 that evening, the two spoke on the phone.”

“So what happened to her from the time she arrived in front of her house to the time we found her at the lake, besides the fact that she was choked to death? Dammit! There are so many questions still unanswered. Each time we look, we come up empty.”

“That’s exactly what we’re trying to find out, Harold. So help me, I will find out what happened to her. I won’t let this case go unsolved, no matter how long it takes. There must be a motive in all this.  I just don't see this as a random act.”

“This doesn’t by any chance have anything to do with Cody, does it?”

“I’m keeping my word and carrying it out…Talk about tragic. You don’t go back on your word on a dead man. Something like that can haunt you the rest of your natural born life. Think about it, Harold. What would you do if it were your daughter?”

"I'm afraid to say."

I could feel myself getting stronger each and every day and felt that urgency growing inside me like a hungry animal. I gave myself into the want of fighting those who couldn’t fight back. All the time, Master Akira instilled in me my objective, which was the ‘Power to Act.’ In all his lessons he ignited that fire within me to dispel all doubts inside me that would otherwise create a barrier between me and my objective. The rainy days and sunny days on Jirai Island came and went. Just as long as there was light on the island, I was training and working towards an end that was beginning to materialize itself before my eyes. The chores on the island of course still needed tending to, but Master Akira did half of what I was doing and so cut my workload in half. He did after all had to do all this work himself before I got there, right? A new lesson was taught to me by him in each his sessions.

“You must be faster than opponent, Cody-san…But much better to be quicker. You know the difference?”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, not yet! But in time, you will.” I gave him a look and he slapped me. “Do you see? The power to act is not enough! A man can be defeated in blink of eye…Take quickness over speed always…” He then picked up the two rattan swords on the ground and threw one of them to me. “Now, let me see how you spar.”

I raised my rattan sword up to eye level and took my stance and Master Akira took his like stance but with his rattan sword pointing downward. Without blinking, I charged forward and swung from the side which he easily blocked which was pretty much was expected. But what I did not expect was his bringing up his elbow and hitting me square in the jaw. “Too close, Cody-san! You come in too close…Again!” I touched my lower lip and although I found no blood, I knew that pretty soon, I’d have a fat lip. So again, I came from the side again and this time from Master Akira’s right while being careful to not step in too close, just as he insisted. This time around we went a few strikes for six rounds and after each; Master Akira took a step back and nodded his head in approval. On the seventh, however, things went a bit different: I went overhand to strike at his head in which he countered then dropped to a knee and swiped at my ankle which landed and pretty damn hard may I add.

“Fuck!” I yelled out and fell to the ground. The guy didn’t even flinch. He got back into his stance and was ready immediately.

“Again, Cody-san. No time for pain. Must resist.” I got up and readied myself and heard some kind of crunch sound when I did. What the fuck was that? And in that space of a moment, I saw his rattan blade move at an impossible speed. I parried backwards just in time with my sword raised to counter it. “Focus! Stop holding back!” With this said, I gave him a nod. I took a step back for moment and set. I then stepped in and went on a flurry of sorts, doing my best to strike him down. He matched my speed with his quickness, just as he’d been trying so hard to teach me. While doing this I looked at him from each angle, blow for blow—I was digging for an opening.

“No more games, Cody-san!” He yelled, while inches from my face while our swords were crossed. “No more wait!” Again I took one step back and feigned to rest but then came in with an uppercut, which took Master Akira by surprise. I was overtaking him and he was losing ground…Finally, I saw it! I slashed once across and disarmed him, sending his sword airborne and placed my rattan sword an inch from his throat. He then set his feet and stood upright and bowed.

“Very good, Cody-san. I honor you.” Never before since stepping foot on this island was I so proud of myself. I had to force myself from smiling to hide my joy. Master Akira then walked away, towards the shore and invited me over to where he was. The sun was beginning to set and the cool breezes were welcoming. I saw that there was a smile on his face when I reached him.

“A lot of fire, Cody-san.…Lot of abuse from hammer to make katana: Fire, hammer, fold. Fire, hammer, fold…Katana bend but never break, because katana very strong." Master Akira then looked into my eyes and felt those eyes look into my very soul. He seemed to understand. "Be like katana, Cody-san. Be unbreakable.” He then smiled at me and walked back to the house at his leisure to start our supper.

That night, I stared out into the distance past the horizon. Other than the sounds of the waves breaking against the shores, there was nothing but my thoughts, which wandered off to that day yet again of finding my little girl lying there atop that black body bag with her eyes closed and head turned to one side with her golden blonde hair splashed over her shoulders. God, she looked so much like Adrianna, like her mother and so beautiful and at peace just like when she too had passed. And if there really is a heaven the two of them are there together, reunited. I felt around my neck and found them again and gripped tightly the two of them and never wanted to let go…

There, a mere one-hundred yards away from the stilted house, two rafts reached Jirai Island’s eastern shore. There was no mistaking it. I counted twelve figures in all, dressed entirely in black. They were like a multiplication of black ants all running while half-bent over and silently along the moonlit shore. I dreaded the thought, but it rang over and over again inside my mind like the tolling of a bell:

We were under attack.

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