Sage of Darkness - Chapter Four

SAGE OF DARKNESS

CHAPTER FOUR

“He is on the ship, I know it, I can feel it.” Catelyn said. She was quiet almost all the way tracking this ship.

Both Michael and Prem turned to her with a surprised look on their face. “How can you be so sure, we don’t know if that is the ship he is in.” Michael voiced out. He knew. He knew Amar was on the ship, he just wanted to know why she was so sure, or maybe she had something to do with this? He just couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“There, there’s a landing spot there, but can we go unnoticed?” Prem cut them halfway. He was concerned if they will be able to get out of this alive and well. Definitely not well.

“Are you crazy mate?” Michael replied Prem. “Look around you, we’re surrounded by sea with one vessel in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. It’s either us or them!” He continued with a burning look in his eyes.

“We’re gonna die aren’t we?” Prem asked, looking both at Michael and Catelyn.

“Yes!” Michael answered with a laugh shaking his head at Prem’s paranoia.

He landed the helicopter on one of the containers but at the far end of the ship and the fog around the sea could conceal the helicopter. From afar he could see a few men rushing towards them, breaking into a run as they get closer. Michael and Prem got out of the helicopter first before letting Catelyn out.

Both of them checked their firearms and got into positions, laying low around the containers.

“Wait, why don’t I have one of those?” Catelyn asked pointing at their guns.

“Well, because you’re a lady,” Prem said with a hint of humor.

“Really? Really Prem? That wasn’t funny at all. What if I’m attacked? What am I suppose to use for defense?” She shot both Prem and Michael an annoyed look.

“Do you even know how to use a gun?” Michael asked.

“No,” she said, hesitating, “but I can learn!”

Michael and Prem exchanged looks and Michael handed over a gun, Glock 29, 10mm auto, easier to fire. “Lesson one, point, Lesson two, shoot!” Michael said handing over the gun to her. Catelyn looked at Michael in horror but there wasn’t any time for them to argue. so she just went with it.

The three of them headed down a path between container, avoiding the men looking for them. Michael had his eye on the bridge, heading straight for the captain. The tracker that he placed on Amar was pointing to the bridge, so that’s where he is headed.

“I’m heading up to the bridge, you guys cover me.” He said turning to Catelyn and Prem.

The three of them headed to the bridge, one after the other with Michael leading the way. They did their best to avoid the men who were looking for them, but they still had to immobilize some of the men, as Michael had politely put it.

Catelyn gripped her gun as hard as she could. Her hands were trembling and she was scared to death, but she put up a brave face for the sake of the two men with her, well at least for Prem, Michael looked like he was about to kill anyone and anything that was in his way.

She needed to know that Amar was safe, her heart was thundering in her chest. She wanted him safe especially if it was because of her that he was in this situation, she needed him safe. If something were to happen to him, she would not be able to forgive herself.

As much as she’d like to deny it, but she knew deep inside she was beginning to fall for the man. To go as far as this just to protect her, he was willing to give his life up just to protect her.

She knew from the minute she met him, something stirred in her. The first time she saw him at the cafe, her heart flipped. But when she knew he was her client, she had to stay away, it was unethical to date your own client well at least until before all this happened. Then there was the night that he drove her home. She hadn’t had a decent conversation like in a very long time. Everyone was busy with their own lives, her life seemed to be even smaller revolving just around work.

But she didn’t mind, she loves her work, being a lawyer gives her a rush, makes her feel alive, she wouldn’t know what else to do if she were to stop being a lawyer, she’d die, but right now Catelyn would rather be alive than dead. Amar made her feel like she is the most beautiful woman in the world, with the way he looks at her. He makes her feel special. She had always wanted someone to look at her the way Amar does, it kind of makes her feel wanted, special.

She was in the middle of both the men, Prem nudged her forward. She was lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Prem and Michael had taken a few guards down outside the bridge. Michael looked at his tracking device, the red light was still blinking which means Amar is still alive and they are right where he is, well just outside, to be exact.

Prem tapped Michael in the shoulder and whispered, “you kick down the door, we’ll go in guns blazing!”

Michael rolled his eyes and whispered, “God help us, we’re all gonna die!” Michael turned towards Prem, he continued, “You kick down the door, I will go in, the both of you stay out here and keep a lookout.”

Both Catelyn and Prem agreed, Prem agreed with a little protest though, he was a little disappointed. He wanted to go in with a bang!

The three of them got into position and Prem rammed himself against the steel door. It didn’t move even a little, Prem fell on the floor with a thud and was groaning in pain holding his shoulders. Michael shook his head and pulled Prem and Catelyn away from the door, he shot the door handle twice and kicked the door open. Both Catelyn and Prem exchanged looks. Prem whispered “he could have done that just now, you know,” rolling his eyes at Michael.

Michael stepped in the room with his gun pointed at the whatever that was standing in front of him, he was ready to fire, but when he focused, Amar was on a chair in front of him bleeding from the thighs and ankles. He was trying to tell him something, from the looks of it, he lost a lot of blood and he was turning pale. Looking at Amar, Michael leapt across the table and tried untying him. Michael concentrated on untying Amar, suddenly he felt a gun at the back of his head. His hand stopped working at the ropes. His heart thundering in his chest, Amar was struggling in his chair trying to get out of the ropes, Michael could hear Amar whispering “let him go…”

Michael dropped his weapon and held his hand up in surrender. “Let him go,” Michael said.

“Do you think me a fool, boy?” the man snarled at him.

Michael turned in a whirlwind and caught the man’s arm pressuring him to drop the gun, once he did he kneed him in the groin and punched him in the nose. The man was down writhing in pain, he struggled to get back up and was reaching for the gun that he dropped.

Michael hurried to Amar and untied him. He helped Amar up from the chair, before they could turn Michael heard a gunshot fired in the room. He turned and the man fell to lump in the floor. Catelyn was holding the gun and her hands were trembling from the shot.

Michael walked up to Catelyn and whispered, “thank you, I owe you one, and you did good.” He took the gun away from her hand and asked her to breathe. Prem walked in at the same time, “holy shit, what happened?” he asked.

He rushed over to Amar and examined the wounds he suffered. “He has a severed artery, if we don't get him to a hospital, he may bleed to death, he is already turning pale, Michael, we have to get him to a hospital, now.” Prem tore a piece of his shirt and tied around Amar thighs.

“We got him, now lets get out of here.” Michael said.

Catelyn and Prem helped Amar out of the chair and carried him out. Catelyn couldn’t be more grateful that they got Amar out but he was barely alive, now she was scared for his life. They had to hurry.

Michael had to immobilize a couple of guards on the way to their helicopter but they made it to the helicopter. There were two men at the helicopter, Michael whipped out his gun and aimed at them, Amar waved at him to stop. “Those two are with us” he said, his voice barely coming out, almost like a breath.  

Michael eyed them both suspiciously, he wondered if they could be trusted. Amar assured them that they could be trusted. They boarded the helicopter but Amar tried explaining to them about the girls that were held captive and where he brought them to hide until it was safe enough to bring them out.

Joey and Hanson told them where the both of them hid the girls. Hanson was already trembling from the cold and somehow Michael sensed that it wasn’t just the cold that bothered him.

“We’ll come back for the girls, Amar, we need to get you to a hospital.” Michael insisted.

“I promised the girls. I promised them I will get them out of here.” Amar said, his voice trembling and fading.

“I’ll stay.” Catelyn said.

The five of them looked at her.

“That’s a bad idea lady.” Joey said.

Catelyn turned towards Joey and the rest of them, “Take me to the girls. I will do my best to protect them until you guys get here with help.”

“No,” Amar protested, “it’s too dangerous.”

“We don’t have a choice Amar, we have to. You made a promise to them and I intend to help you keep it.” She said with a smile. Catelyn was determined to make sure the little girls are safe. She would never be able to forgive herself if she knew she could have done something to help them and she didn’t. She would not back down and she would not be a coward.

“Now, go, he needs to get to a hospital.” Catelyn headed down the narrow paths of the containers with Hanson and Joey.

Michael began to power up the helicopter. Amar could feel himself fading away but he couldn’t let them leave without Catelyn. It was too dangerous, not after what he had just found out before they rescued him from the captain of the ship. It’s not over, this doesn’t even begin to describe what kind of danger Catelyn would be in.

Amar looked out the helicopter that was now already taking flight. He could see Catelyn walking down in between the containers with Joey and Hanson. His heart was pounding. He tried to move but his body refused to listen. It seemed that his body had a mind of it’s own. The pain was excruciating and any attempts that he made to move sent ripples of pain through his body. Slowly, he began fading. Slowly, Catelyn was fading away from his eyes until it was all gone.

-END OF CHAPTER FOUR-