Chapter 39: One Step Closer; or was It?

Chad blinked, shocked by how blunt she was. “I know that everything that’s happening,” Nelly gestured at their surroundings, “is.. a lot. But, you can’t just give up.” “I didn’t,” Chad retorted calmly. Nelly shook her head. “Not on the situation or the people. That, I know you didn’t. In fact, you’ve done a great job. I would’ve crumbled under all the pressure,” she said.

Chad instinctively looked to his bottle, wanting to take a sip, only to realize that there’s nothing left. “What I wanted to say was, don’t give up on yourself. I know you care for the gang, for everything and everyone. That’s also why you took on this role, to be a leader, a candle that leads the way in the times of darkness,” Nelly continued, “but you have to know that you're not invincible. If you keep burning at this intensity, you will eventually burn yourself out.”

Chad laughed mockingly. “Easy for you to say. You’ll need this level of intensity to survive in this harsh world.” His eyes found Nelly’s, his expression turned serious. “You either burn out or die burning.”

She felt a shiver run down her spine. She almost forgot that she’s a part of this. As she looked at Chad, her mind worked overtime to figure out what she should say. He’s the man she looked up to ever since she came to this godforsaken place. He’s always composed and decisive. Most importantly, he’s not a jerk. A jerk as in.. the way those men who never interacted properly and equally with women acted.

To be fair, she hadn’t been spending a lot of time with the men in the gang. Her brother always protected her from unwanted trouble and interactions. For that, she’s grateful. However, he’s sometimes too protective for his own good. She felt suffocated at times but she understood that he did it to protect her. The less she’s exposed, the safer she would be. Theoretically.

Apart from Neil, there were other men who went into hiding with her. They almost never talked to her. Sometimes, they pretended she wasn’t there. She believed it’s for the best. She didn’t know how to interact with them. She would never understand how their minds worked.

Then, there’s the messengers, Jack and James. Jack’s the easiest person to interact with in the whole gang. He’s got a bubbly and playful personality. Apart from Neil, Jack’s the only one who didn’t act like he couldn’t stand being in the same room with her. He treated her equally and was willing to interact with her. James, however, was usually alright but a jerk when drunk.

Whereas Chad.. she had only worked with him during operations. She respected his dedication. He’s always level-headed and precise. He’s the formidable leader, the one she’d been admiring from afar. Now he’s in front of her, tired, and perhaps - drunk. She’s not sure about the latter.

While she’s still trying to figure out what she should say, a man barged in with great urgency. “They’ve found Hank!” His words were like a flick of switch to Chad. His whole being immediately went back into working mode. “Where’s he?” His steady tone carried the strength that showed the importance of the situation.

The man’s hasty actions slowed down to the same steadiness matching Chad’s. “In the basement.”

Without another word, Chad left the room. “What happened? Who’s Hank?” Nelly gushed out. The sudden change of atmosphere got her tensed up as well. She tried hard to think of the person discussed. She’s sure she knew who he was, but her mind wasn’t cooperating with her in that situation.

The man's eyes landed on her for only half a second. “Someone dangerous,” he didn’t even try to hide his boredom. Immediately after that, he left.

“What was that..” Nelly’s bothered by the man’s reaction. However, she couldn’t really put a finger to what the feeling was.

The creaking sound of wooden boards echoed in the dark, empty space. Slowly, they descended the stairs to the basement. As they walked through the cold hallway, Chad’s heart pounded in his chest. He had always wanted to capture this man. He’s too evil a being to be left out there.

He’s finally here, in the basement, locked up. He’s not sure what to feel about this situation. There were so many questions. The condition of the man in the cell was still unknown to him. Even the incidents around the Vipers in recent days were still a mystery. He was about to find out about it. At least, with Hank in their hands, they were one step closer to finding out the truth.

As he approached Hank’s cell, he saw the man sitting in one corner, his back against the wall. His eyes were closed as he rested his head on the concrete surface behind him. He looked much more fragile in this situation. Fatigue was written all over his face. There were wounds here and there on his body. The menacing leader of the most feared gang’s finally captured. However, the aura of a commander still surrounded him. He appeared older than the image in Chad’s memory.

“I know you are awake,” Chad said the moment he stood right in front of the cell. Hank remained motionless. “Your key men are all subdued,” Chad continued. No reaction. The space remained quiet for a few moments.

“Gus,” Chad finally broke the silence. Still, nothing.

When he thought that he wouldn’t be receiving any feedback, Hank opened his eyes slowly. Their eyes met.

“What’d you want?” His hoarse voice sounded.

Chad studied his expression. Still, the old snake revealed nothing. He couldn’t figure him out.

“What the hell are you planning?” Chad replied. His tone was almost neutral but there’s a hint of a thunderstorm roaring underneath the calm surface.

Hank smiled, revealing his teeth. He’s still as good looking, despite his age. The image of him reminded Chad of someone. He wasn’t sure who, but it seemed familiar. He tried to mask his expression, giving away nothing.

Hank laughed mockingly. “I’m already here. What do you think I’m planning?”