Page 106 of Hunter's Revenge

But I can’t have that.

Going down that path is something else entirely outside the realms of this plan that I mustn’t entertain.

It’s something that will change me and I’ll lose myself in her.

This thing I feel for Gwen is the wildcard the Universe threw at me like a mystical curveball. She tempts me to want it—happiness.Life.

But I am still death. Not life, so that’s where I have to draw the line.

Just like when I had to follow my orders in the Navy, I’m following my own now on a mission that must succeed.

I might not be able to control this thing I feel for her, but I have to control myself.

It starts now. I get up with that reasoning, shuffling out of her arms. She stirs for a second and I think she might wake up. She doesn't.

Gwen rolls onto her side and stills, her chest rising and falling slowly until she drifts back to sleep.

There was somewhere important I was supposed to visit last night before I saw her.

Although it’s ridiculously early, it would help to go there now and renew my motivation.

I put on my clothes, take one last look at the beauty in my bed, then leave the room. When I get downstairs and go outside, I find Vladimir and Yuri smoking on the porch.

"You alright boss?" Yuri asks.

"Yeah. I'm just heading out."

“At this time?” Vladimir glances at the dark sky.

"Just checking in,” I answer and the two exchange looks of understanding, knowing exactly where I’m going.

“Do you want us to come with you?”

I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. See you at the wedding later. I'll send instructions for Gwen".

“All right, boss.”

I leave them, head to the garage and jump on my motorcycle. Moments later, I'm speeding down the road. The last time I took this journey was just before I left for Wilmington.

It was with a promise in my heart to get justice. Fifteen minutes later, I pull up at Mount Auburn Cemetery, the final resting place of Jim and Brian Davison.

The usual opening hours are eight a.m. to five p.m., but places like these are always open to people like me. It's more of a forest with a beautiful garden surrounding it than other cemeteries I’m used to.

When Brian died, Sheila, his mom, wanted him buried here with his grandparents. I wasn’t surprised to learn that they buried Jim right next to Brian. It would have been exactly what he wanted. They were close in life and I know they will be close in death too, probably sailing the seven seas.

I find their graves and I can tell Sheila has already been by in the last day or so because of the fresh dahlias laid out on the graves.

Jim had a running joke about dahlias. He said they were masculine flowers, so if he ever died, he never wanted roses or anything like that. To me, they were all flowers.

Seeing them on the graves hits me hard and my heart sinks the way it always does for observing the bitter truth that my friends are dead.

The awakening gives me what I came for and my motivation is renewed.

I nod and place my hand at my heart.

"I did it guys,” I say, my tone sounding like I'm already taking my vows. "Maybe we’ll all have some justice now. Maybe."

I sit on the bench nearby and wait for the sun to rise.

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