15

Haula's POV:

My legs immediately feeling wobbly as I fall to the ground crying still looking at the picture on the TV, my nose red due to all the sniffing.

How could he?

I trusted him, he... He told me he worked for the government, he never said anything about being a soldier and worst of all I had to find out from the news.

Oh my God I'm so stupid, so dumb to think that someone like that would actually be honest with me. What did I expect?

A happy ending of course.

And what's killing me right now is the fact that upon seeing this I still love him, I love him so much and I don't think I can ever stop loving him.

I hate myself for this, I hate myself for letting him crawl into my heart and I let him, I didn't say anything instead I took him in, but he never once even had the urge to tell me he is a soldier.

I let him touch me, I let him kiss me, we did all kinds of things together all because I love him and I still do. If I knew he was a soldier would I have given him a chance? No I wouldn't have because of things like this, things like getting hurt.

My swollen eyes can be felt by the heaviness and lightheadedness I feel, as my whole environment begins to turn as I get up. I try to reach for my phone but fall down hitting my head on the wooden bed.

And then comes my world crashing down into darkness together with my love for Theo McCall.

***************

Theo's POV:

Lisa takes her phone away from my hand as my whole body stays numb. "Hello," She speaks on the phone.

"Yes no worries, it's okay. " Lisa says ending the call. "What did she say?" I ask her.

"She was just apologizing for thinking it was someone else, she said she didn't look at the caller ID before picking up and she hanged up," Lisa talks as she comes closer to me with a tear falling silently.

"Theo, talk to me," She asks. "What happened?"She rubs my back as we sit.

"It’s all my fault Lisa, it’s all my fault, maybe if I had been with her maybe this would never have happened, I don't even what to think about it, what if she's actually not breathing, what if she's dead Lisa, I don't know what I'll do."

I decided to call Haula's number today, knowing that I'm not fully concentrated without hearing her voice. After I called, she picked or at least I thought she was the one, and the person on the phone began to say all kinds of things about Haula being on the floor and not breathing anymore, before I found out that she actually thought she was talking with someone else and not a stranger.

"Hey, look at me, stop it, she's not dead and she's not going to be anytime soon.

I can't predict what will happen, but you having hope that she's going to be alright is enough to keep her alive, she may not be breathing now but she will, you need to have faith" Lisa encourages me.

I can't live without her, I can't live knowing she's no more. "What am I going to do now?" I look at Lisa asking her.

"You're going to go back," Lisa says making me look at her like she's gone crazy.

"They would never let me go, and you know it," I can never leave now not when things are upside down here, with Vladimir on the loose they will never let me go and as Captain, it's just insane.

"That's why you have me, don't worry about it. I'll process everything just get ready in three days okay?" Lisa said.

"How are you going to do that, I don't want you getting in trouble?" "I'll smack you head again if you don't shut up, have you forgotten I'm the General's daughter. I could pull some string and there you go. Just get ready,"

What would I have done if Lisa wasn't here?

Thinking about Haula, and how she's doing. Could she? No I won't let that thought cloud my mind. She going to live and I'm going to see her again.

"Thank you so much Lisa, I owe you" I tell her.

"Oh you've always owed me since the time I met you" We both laugh. As I said she knows how to lighten a mood.

"Captain, Captain!" Oscar comes running cutting into I and Lisa's conversation. "What is it? What happened?" I ask looking at him while I and Lisa get up. "It’s Drew," He talks as I glance down at his hands seeing blood on them.

No, no, no.

"What happened to him?" I growl with desperation. "He's been poisoned." My mouth falls open.

No not this, this is not happening. Not drew!

"Where is he?" I yell as Oscar leads the way and we run to him. We reach the infirmary as my gaze sights Drew lying on the hospital bed with blood all over his nose and mouth, as the whole room is crowded with my team and Serena.

"Oh my God, Drew what happened?" I move closer to him as my hands starts to tremble. He is almost covered in blood the more as he tries to talk but coughs out more blood.

"Shhh, don't talk, rest and we will have all the time in the world to talk, I will even take you to your favorite mall where you could see girls in bikini and I'll make sure you get one of them." I tell him as he laughs but only more blood comes out. Serena tries to treat him but he keeps pushing her back wanting to say something.

Who did this? Why?

"No... I.." Blood comes oozing out of his mouth as he speaks but he wouldn't stop. "I need...to...talk to...you...privately," he manages to say.

I take that as my cue and send everyone away from there leaving only I and Lisa.

"What is it Drew? you need to rest, let them treat you," Lisa speaks as she holds his hand.

"No...just...just listen to me.." Drew says as I and Lisa keep quiet to hear him.

"The Major... He is the cause...he" he coughs out blood again as Lisa goes to sit him up while he rests on her. "He was talking...talking to Vladimir…He is the...one who sold us out." Wait what?

"What are you saying drew? He can't be," I try to defend. "It's true," He manages to say again.

"You mean he's involved with Vladimir and he knows about everything" I ask seeing he couldn't form a complete sentence properly.

"Yes... And the... The compound inside...inside the test tube, they have rele...released it...and then...he saw me... When I went to take...out the recorder I kept in his office... I...escaped but..." He coughs out again.

"He got me... And injected me with something and... That's when I started coughing out... But he doesn't know I kept a...a recorder and he doesn't know I have it... Its everything you asked for...I'm...I'm sorry big bro...I...I failed you," Drew coughs and coughs as the blood pours out from his mouth as he takes my hand hurriedly placing the recorder on it.

What have I done? If I had never asked Drew to spy on the Major, this would never have happened, but I didn't know. it was just a hunch I had for the Major I never expected this.

Oh God.

"No, no," my voice hitches as I talk."Don't talk like that, it’s my fault I shouldn't have sent you to do that for me, Drew please don't leave me, please," I plead seeing how worse his condition is getting.

"No... I'm happy I did it for you, at least... I got to pay you back. Th...thank you very much Captain," Drew say as his eyes begins to close shut and I yell for Serena.

"No stay with me Drew! please! I promise to get you a date with all those models you stare at every day, I promise, just don't die on me. Stay with me drew, stay!" I beg.

Serena comes in immediately as she tries to touch him but he keeps pushing her away again.

"Drew please let her, we can talk later," I beg more but he keeps on pushing Serena's hands away.

"No,Captain...the...there's something else...Some...thing big but I don't know…what it is...It...it has something to deal... With you...you need to find out...its rea..." Drew coughs so loudly that his voice can be heard. He continues to cough as blood oozes out from his nose.

"No, no, drew stay with me please!" I beg as Serena tries to pull him down using a sedative, but everything becomes useless as he stops coughing but that is not the only thing that stops.

Everything stops, his breathing, his coughs and mostly his movements. Serena notices and turns to look at me with a pity look as the General came in.

No, no this can't happen.

"Drew come on, don't die on me. Wake up!" I shake him but he doesn't to get up. "Wake the hell up!" I yell as Lisa put a hand on my shoulder while I sob lightly.

"What is going on here?" My attention feigning back hearing the General's voice. I turn to the General saluting as I saw him, while Lisa Goes beside him and whispers something before they leave.

My attention back to Drew's lifeless body, as I hold my hand in his. "Come on man, you have to wake up. I'm not joking when I said I would get you a girl in bikini, I won't be your big bro anymore, Drew wake up... Please." I plead as more tears stroll out.

"I.. I know you're hearing me," I sniffle as Lisa comes back holding my hand.

"Come on drew, wake up. I need you to wake up, don't leave me here, I can't do this alone, I can't take down Vladimir on my own, Drew please," The tears still dropping down from my eyes.

No drew can't go, he's my brother I..I can't do this.. I cant. "He's gone Theo," Lisa's voice comes.

"No he can't go, he…" I sob as she hugs me.

"Shhh, it’s okay he's in a better place don't worry." She sniffs as I realize she's also been crying.

Drew is very close to I and Lisa we took him as our younger brother, as family. I hug her tight as Serena covers his body when I notice the General while he gives his sympathy alongside the man who is responsible for this.

The Major.

My body stiffen as Lisa notices, hugging me tighter not letting me go to do anything stupid.

"Shh we'll get him, but patience." She whispers in my ear as I hold her tight. "How did this happen?" The General ask coming closer as Lisa leaves me.

"He was poisoned," I say.

"What? How is that possible?" Major asks. My gaze on him strengthening every burning look I can at him. If looks could kill he'll be dead by now but as Lisa said. Patience. "By whom?" He asks again feigning empathy.

"We don't know yet but we'll find out," Lisa says as I tightened my grip on the recorder Drew gave me.

"Can this get any worse? This is a base for Christ sake not some war zone," General yells agitated. "I want this place on lockdown until we find out who did this, nobody leaves or enters unless given permission by me, am I clear?" General spat looking furious.

I can tell he is very saddened by Drew's death, everyone was a fan of drew. Who wouldn't?. He's the only free-spirited human being I've ever known in this place.

"Yes sir," Everyone there respond as he leaves with the Major. My gaze burned his back as he left. Oh how I am going to make him pay.

Lisa drags me out of there as we enter her room.

"Theo are you okay?" She asks and I keep silent. "Theo... " She calls again.

"How can I be huh? Drew is dead, he's dead Lisa and his killer is walking around freely," I spat.

"No that's where you're wrong, let him enjoy the time he has to walk as a free man, but we'll get him. You just wait," Lisa says.

"How? How would we?" I ask her.

"We're going to see my father and play what's on the recorder to him and when he hears it, I promise you give the Major two minutes and he's done. I promise you, I'll make Charles pay," Lisa assures me as I stare at the recorder.

"Okay, don't you think we should listen to it?" I ask. "Okay" she agrees as I play it.

As it plays my whole body trembles hearing what the Major said. He was talking to Vladimir about them releasing the disease in another country, and that Captain was going to go with them as their liability after he has been tortured.

So that was their plan, it was never here they had it planned all along and with the Major of the army. Oh God.

"I can't go anywhere yet Lisa, not now, not after hearing this, when Drew's killer is walking freely and they're planning on taking it to another country. I can't," As much as I want to see Haula so badly, but my mind will never be at peace knowing no one is safe. I will see her and I have my hope that nothing will happen to her because its only that hope that keeps me going.

I just have to hope she is okay, even if I was to go I wouldn't be the same person she fell in love with, my mind won't be there as much as I would try to. I really love her, but by doing this I'm also protecting her.

"Are you sure?" Lisa asks.

"I can never be okay over there knowing no one is safe, I have to stay, it’s not my wish but you know I have to. This place is on lockdown I can't go anywhere," I tell her.

"You know, but I could still get you out if you wanted, at the same time the more help we can get the better, now time to get our killer on the loose," Lisa smirks.

"Before that, there's something I need to do. Your phone please," I ask and she gives it to me.

'To my dear Haula, I have been such a jerk to which I know it, I haven't called, texted, or done anything rather left you hanging like the naive boy I am. I want you to know that it was never my intention and I only had the best interest for you that's why I did all that, but looking at it now I've seen how wrong I was to do that. You may be thinking all kinds of things like maybe I don't love you, but that's just a blatant lie of the mind.

Ever since I got here you've always been on my mind. I love you so much that I

can't spend a day without thinking about you, just thinking about your smile, your beautiful face and your kind heart is enough to keep me going where I am. Things are rough where I am right now but I promise to explain it all to you when I get back. I'll be coming back to you soon Haula, hang on for me as I will do the same. Stay alive please because you're the only thing that keeps me going. I love you.

Love,

Theo.

And with that I hit the send button and sent the message to Haula hopefully she'll be well enough to see it.

I used Lisa's phone because its more encrypted than the one I was using while in Nigeria and ever since I got back I haven't gotten a new one. As much as I would like to hear her voice I can't risk it.

Now, time to catch some terrorist.