Dragon's Kiss - 3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Haje stood by the terrace doors in the sunroom staring out the window. He’d barely slept, plagued by nightmares when he closed his eyes, fearing the dark when he was awake. Having Vincent in the same room hadn’t helped the situation. The man slept light and every time Haje had moved on his bed, Vincent had sat up watching him.

Always watching, he scowled.

“You have a visitor,” Christina said cheerfully interrupting his thoughts. He glanced at her shifting his right leg slightly to ease his discomfort. The walking stick was propped against an arm chair a few feet away. He was practicing moving around without it.

“I don’t want to talk to anyone today,” he said.

“I figured you’d say that.” Levin Cooper walked into the sunroom, handsome in a black leather jacket and blue jeans. His brown hair wind blow, hazel eyes filled with amusement. Urges Haje had forgotten for the past two weeks returned and he scowled at Levin.

“What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too, Haje,” Levin said giving Christina a small smile when she turned to leave. “You wouldn’t answer my calls or let me see you in hospital. I thought I should try to see you at home.”

“We’re over.” Haje walked back to the armchair and sunk into the comfortable cushions. He made sure not to limp, although it cost him a few mild jabs of pain. But there was no way he was taking pity from his ex.

“Who said we were over?” Levin asked walking to the breakfast tray in the center of the room. Haje watched him pick madeleines and fold them in a napkin. Levin took a bite out of one piece and slipped the rest into his pocket.

Being stood up a million times usually meant there was no relationship. Unless Levin still thought they were fuck buddies. Which wasn’t happening again, he thought.

Levin swallowed down the madeleine and wiped his hand against his thigh. He came to crouch down before Haje’s armchair and touched the cast on Haje’s left arm gently. “Look what they did to you, babe.”

“Oh cut the crap.” Haje moved his arm away glaring at Levin. “Why don’t you tell me what you want?”

“Since when did skipping dinner translate to a breakup?” Levin asked instead.

“Since you did it like fifty times,” Haje said suddenly remembering the state he’d left his kitchen in two weeks ago. The dishes, the food, all rotten by now, he grimaced. His scowl deepening, “what do you want, Levin?”

Lev sighed and got up. He pulled out his Colston PD badge and a notebook. “I’m here on official business, Haje.”

Levin walked to the terrace doors and looked out into the garden. “It’s the only way your mother would let me in to the house. And who the hell is the blonde guy who called the precinct?”

“That’s Vincent, my new bodyguard,” Haje said with a sigh.

Levin’s brow rose in surprise but he didn’t comment.

“What official business?” Haje asked.

“Homicide investigation, the two detectives on your case were found dead yesterday morning.”

“They were what?” Haje gaped. He’d met the two men the day before Shin’s funeral. Nice fellows, a bit abrasive but competent.

“Found dead-

“I heard you the first time,” Haje said thinking about the man choking him to death last night. “Do you know who did it? Why? Someone had to have seen something.”

“Whoa, slow down, babe.” Levin raised his hand. “I’m asking the questions here.”

“What questions?” Vincent asked appearing at the doorway. “Haje, are you alright?”

People were dropping dead around him like flies. His brother, Virgil, the driver, now two detectives, he’d barely escaped death the night before. How alright could he be? No wonder Vincent was hovering over him. Ever since he’d woken up screaming this morning caught in a terrible nightmare.

“I could use a coffee,” Haje replied to Vincent with a wicked smile just to see if he’d actually do it.

Vincent narrowed his gaze at him slightly, and walked to the breakfast cart. He poured coffee into a mug, added one teaspoon of sugar and a dash of milk. He brought the cup to Haje and perched on the table beside Haje’s armchair.

“Happy?” Vincent asked as he sipped his coffee.

“You forgot the madeleines,” Haje said sarcastically.

“You’ll live," Vincent said with a smirk before he turned to Levin. “You were asking questions. What do you want to know?”

Levin glared at Vincent, gave Haje a confused glance before he pulled out a white paper from his pocket. He held it out to Haje but Vincent grabbed it first. Unfolding it, he stared at the black and white picture for a moment.

Taking Haje’s coffee, he handed over the paper.

For the first time, Haje stared at the scene of the terrible accident. The black car he and Shin had been in was mangled and overturned. He couldn’t see how he’d managed to survive. The white semi truck was parked a few feet away, unharmed. He frowned when he noticed the dark figure standing a few feet away from the wrecked car. Holding out a,-he gaped looking closer-, a gun!

“Who is this?” Haje asked looking at Levin. “This person, he’s just standing there, not helping-

“I was hoping you’d remember,” Levin answered gently. “No witnesses saw him clearly. He’s standing right by the car, do you remember anything Haje?”

Haje stared at the picture in shock. “He’s just standing there watching.”

Vincent placed a hand on his arm and he jerked his head up. “I don’t remember a thing. I wish I could, this bastard would pay.”

“It’s okay.” Vincent took the paper from him and handed it back to Levin. “You’ll remember slowly.”

Levin sighed. “This was not an accident, Haje. If I were you, I’d be careful going out there.”

“He knows,” Vincent said his hand still over Haje’s.

“Haje,” Levin ignored Vincent and came to stand by his arm chair. “If you remember anything, I need you to give me a call.”

Haje nodded. “I’m sorry I don’t remember. That night is a blur. I remember pain, and the deafening noise.” The semi hitting them, their vehicle grinding against metal, overturning, he closed his eyes. “I can’t get the crash out of my head.”

Levin patted his shoulder. “You know how to reach me.”

Haje nodded and was surprised when Levin leaned to press a kiss on his forehead. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you that night.”

Haje felt his anger and irritation with Levin diffusing. Levin smiled at him, nodded to Vincent before he left.

“Are you going to forgive him?” Vincent asked quietly.

Haje swallowed hard and took back his coffee from Vincent. “Does it matter?”

“I guess not,” Vincent answered gruffly. He stood up and walked to the cart. “Shin’s lawyer is here.”

“Shin’s lawyer,” Haje gaped. He’d never known his brother to have a lawyer. Shin had always asked him to handle the legal stuff. Taxes, vehicle registration renewals, accounting, he frowned. When had Shin gotten a lawyer?

“Yes.” Vincent put coffee in a cup and sipped it black. “Your mother asked you meet them in the study when you’re done with Levin.”

Haje put his coffee cup on the table and stood. He was starting to feel as though he had no idea who his brother was. The lawyers, secret research projects, a bodyguard, he sighed.

“Haje,” Vincent said when he picked his walking stick.

“What?” Haje demanded glancing at Vincent.

“Shin loved you,” Vincent said quietly.

He stared at Vincent before he turned and headed out of the sunroom.

*****

Later, at five o'clock in the evening, Haje used his key to enter Shin’s loft. Memories of the day Shin had moved in filled his mind. He’d just started working at Strassen. Shin who’d been working on projects outside the country had just returned to Colston. Shin had been bristling with energy and excitement on completing research in some unknown country. He’d envied his brother those days.

Those days, Haje thought with an internal scoff. Three years wasn’t so long ago, it felt like yesterday.

He’d helped carry in the leather couches in Shin’s living room. Virgil had brought beer and they’d ended up watching television, their feet propped on the coffee table. Shin had given him a key the same day and told him the guest room was his.

‘Consider this your home, Haje,’ Shin had said with a slight smile.

Staring at the key on his palm, he sighed. It certainly was his now. Shin had left the loft to him.

The wooden coffee table was cluttered with pizza boxes and empty beer bottles. Shin must have left like he had his apartment, thinking to clear it later. There were patches of white on every surface.

“The police were the last in here,” Vincent said behind him. Vincent moved to pick up the boxes of pizza grimacing when he looked in the carton. “I think we should get someone to come and clean up.”

“No.” Haje dumped his walking stick on a chair, clumsily pulling up the sleeves of his sweater. “I’ll do it.”

“Haje,” Vincent started reaching for his cell phone.

“I’ll do it.” He insisted taking the pizza boxes. “I don’t want more strangers rifling through Shin’s stuff.”

Vincent sighed and left the living room. He came back later with a large trash bag that he held out for the pizza boxes. They moved through the living room, with Vincent picking up beer bottles and trashed papers. Haje helped by sorting the mail, the magazines, and wiping the dusty surfaces.

They didn’t talk, Haje liked that about Vincent. No matter what he said or did, Vincent took it in stride and continued like it was normal. When they were finally finished with the living room, Haje took the bills and followed Vincent to the kitchen.

There wasn’t much to do in the kitchen. Shin never cooked. He’d never taken the time to learn. There had always been more interesting projects than knowing how to sauté onions. The fridge was stocked though. Vincent checked the groceries, throwing out expired milk and left over take-out food.

Haje rinsed out coffee cups he found in the sink, cleaned the coffee pot and discarded old coffee grounds. He started a fresh pot using coffee found in the cupboard above the coffee maker. Dark roast Kona coffee, he’d given Shin the container a week before the accident. A gift from a school friend who’d moved to Hawaii for good and had come to visit for two weeks. Shin had used it a couple of times. He swallowed the huge lump in his throat and returned the container back to the cupboard.

Picking up the mail, he left Vincent in the kitchen and headed to the study room. Once again, a wave of nostalgia attacked as he entered the familiar room. He’d swung the same door open more times than he could count to find Shin working behind his massive desk. Writing notes, other times on his laptop, most times, the table would be cluttered with prototype plans for the latest gadget. Shin would always ask him unexpected questions.

How do you feel about prosthetics? Want a robot for Christmas, little Shin?

Although, the last time he’d walked into this study room, Shin had sat at his desk and stared at him blankly. No witty question, no outrageous suggestion. Shin had looked deep in thought, against a backdrop of wall to wall windows.

Picking up the photograph on the edge of the desk, his mother had taken it on a sunny afternoon. He remembered Shin wrapping an arm around his neck and ruffling his hair playfully. They’d been trying to fix the kitchen drainage pipes at his mother's house. He’d ended up soaked and Shin had been the hero who’d finally stopped the leak.

He walked around the desk and sat in Shin’s chair. Swinging it from side to side, he touched Shin’s smile on the photograph. His thoughts returned to Shin’s lawyer and his earlier visit at his mother’s house. The man had come to read Shin’s last will.

A will, he scoffed staring at his brother. Shin had written a will a month ago. His twin brother had left him the loft, a bank account number and a key. No other explanation of the items, the lawyer had left as fast as he’d walked in.

“What were you doing, Shin?” he asked quietly.

Dumping the mail on the desk, he placed the photograph on his lap and touched the laptop. The screen came on, nothing unusual, basic stuff. Nothing interesting, he doubted Shin did much with the laptop.

Staring at the desk for a moment, he pulled the chair closer and slid his palm on the surface of the desk. Running his fingers over the smooth wood, he let his fingers trail under the desk and smiled when he felt a button. Touching it for a moment, he pressed on the rectangular bump. When nothing happened, he tried moving it.

It slid with a quiet pressure release. He sat back when the chair moved, locked into place and swiveled around to the windows. The window glass turned black and into a full length screen with a clear console before him.

“You bastard,” Haje murmured when he touched the console.

He chuckled slightly at Shin’s galactic humor, the console made him feel like he was in a space ship. The cursor blinking on the security box in the middle of the screen made him pause. Shin had loved to play games with his passwords. He stared at the black screen for a moment before he reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope he’d stuck into his pocket.

When the lawyer had handed it to him, he’d thought it a bank account. But-, could it be so easy?

He pulled out the short sheet and stared at the numbers. Giving the picture on his lap one last skeptical glance, he typed in the numbers fast and pressed enter. The screen went dark; he frowned thinking he’d judged Shin wrong.

A pale blue screen appeared with several files. He chose the one that read ‘play me first’.

Shin filled the screen and he gasped. He’d missed his twin brother so much, that seeing Shin alive, looking into the camera, a slight frown creasing his forehead was more than he could take. Tears sprang to his eyes and for a moment, he couldn’t hear what Shin was saying.

“If you’re watching this, then I obviously didn’t make it. I broke our promise to let you leave first, Haje.” Shin smiled and Haje's heart broke. “You’ll forgive me, won’t you?”

Haje shook his head hating that soft cajoling tone Shin used on him when he wanted something. He’d never managed to tell Shin no after that tone.

“I’m sorry for not telling you about my latest project. Haje, I’ve thought long and hard about telling you. When I first started this project, the one thing I demanded was your safety. I made them give you a job so that you’d always be around me, and safe. After all that, it sickens me to involve you now. But I have no choice. I trust you the most in the world. You know that, right?. I’ve made hard decisions these past year. Lives have been lost in the name of progress, an old song, but nevertheless, I’ve been smack in the middle of it. And the consequences…”

Shin trailed off, shook his head and ran frustrated fingers through his hair. Shin moved slightly and Haje gasped as he realized that Shin was at Strassen Foundation. The logo was kind of hard to miss written on the wall behind Shin.

“Better to dwell on the facts now,” Shin said looking at him with a serious gaze. “The password I gave you gives you full access to my work with the Strassen main lab. The research I’ve been working on and the experiments.”

Haje sat frozen in his chair for the next thirty minutes reading through Shin’s research. There were a lot of projects but Shin had circled the very first project with a question mark. There was nothing big about it, but Shin seemed obsessed with it.

Shin, Virgil, and Henry had created advanced prosthetic tech that included directly fusing a type of metal to the stump bone. A chip embedded on the base of the spine worked as a conduit, fusing with the body’s nerve system and the prosthetic to restore full motion. He scrolled through the diagrams and the pictures. He had to give them credit, the prosthetic legs and arms looked like real limbs. Their field work included an obscure village in Cambodia. Shin and his team had helped countless of children in the village, using their work to show the viability of their program, the recipients of their work could even run after the first three months when the bone on the stump fully grew over the metal.

Filed beside the project data were details about the complete annihilation of the small village in six months after Shin’s team had left the country. Shin seemed obsessed with the incident. He'd compiled detailed reports of the families who’d lost their lives, an entire village gone without any survivors.

“I learned about this massacre by accident. I sent a friend of mine who’d gone with a relief organization with messages. Boxes of gifts the team and I got for the children and a few essentials. When she got there, she told me the village didn’t exist anymore. You can imagine my surprise. I’ve been trying to find out what happened, but no one seems to know anything. I started digging for more information and ended up finding worse things, Haje. It seems every project we’ve done as a team, all the recipients of our technology, have ended up dead six months after we leave the area. I’m worried the Strassen Foundation is not what I thought it would be. I have to find a way to get you out before it’s too late. Their agendas are unclear, and I can’t trust them with our projects any more.”

“The word 'Project Terra' keeps coming up every time I dug deeper. I suspect the massacres on the villages were ordered by the man heading this project. His name is Zavier-

A sharp sting at his neck made Haje jerk in surprise and he turned his head slightly to find Vincent injecting clear liquid in a syringe into his veins.

Haje closed his eyes, his heartbeat going wild, understanding the liquid wasn't for his well being. “I thought you were my bodyguard.”

“I am protecting you,” Vincent said quietly,

“Are you going to kill me?” Haje asked unable to move. The drug was working fast, his vision was blurred and he could barely think.

Vincent placed the syringe on the console and stopped the video. “You can't know about this, Haje.”

“Know what?” Haje asked trembling.

“Never mind that,” Vincent answered gently.

Haje stared at Vincent's eyes, unable to imagine that such kind blue eyes would belong to his killer.

****