20

Theo's POV:

"Derek,"I stare at him like I have just seen a ghost. How? What? How is he here?

"It’s good to see you again Theo," he smiles with a glass of drink in his hand as he drops it on the table.

"How have you been? How are you here...oh God where have you been man?" I jump into series of questions as Derek looks at me.

"I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but right now I just want us to enjoy the moment that I'm alive and well," He replies as I smile back.

At least today is not a complete disaster, I'm so happy Derek is here yet I'm also concerned, but as he said let's enjoy the moment, because I'm sure things are about to get spicier.

"Come here man," I tell him as we both go in for a hug. "So how have you been?" Derek asks.

"Well you know just hanging around the streets and news," I reply to him."You?" I ask.

"I've been better man. You know what why don't we go get a beer and catch up, I heard there's a bar nearby. What do you say?"

Um... We're supposed to be looking for Vladimir. Why do I feel as if they're are hiding something from me.

I look at Lisa noticing her smiling, giving me a go ahead and back to Derek again. Well I guess I do need it, one night wouldn't hurt.

"Why not," I say as he pats my backand we move on.

We get to the bar and it is packed with people drinking, some playing pool and other stuffs.

"Whiskey for me," Derek orders "You?" He asks.

"Same." I tell the bartender and within a minute our drinks surfaces.

"So you wanna tell me why you dragged me all the way here just for a drink?" Honestly I know Derek too well he wouldn't drag me out here for this.

"What! I can," Derek denies.

"Stop it Derek, last I knew you were with Vladimir, he kidnapped you and here you are or here we are pretending that nothing happened so spill," I ask already getting agitated.

"I'm serious, let's say I'm just here justto wish you congratulations on your being Captain,"

"Seriously Derek,you just ignored my question. You know what I'm leaving, drink alone Derek. I've had a lot of shits today and I'm not ready to add you to this."

Don't get me wrong I'm really happy Derek is back but we all know that we can't just pass the question of how?

"I don't even know why Lisa let you leave, you practically were kidnapped by

Vladimir and should be in on how you got out of Vladimir's hold, but nothing except there's something else, something that I'm not supposed to know I guess." I drop my glass of whiskey and walk past him.

"Wait Theo," Derek stops me. "You wanna talk?"

"Yeah sit." He says. I go back to sitting and order another whiskey.

"Vladimir didn't let me go, I escaped." He begins. "Lisa told me all about Major and...and drew. I'm really sorry Theo, he was a brother to all of us but most especially you," I nod thinking about Drew and the memories it brings which I don't want to remember now.

"So how did you escape?" I move to the most important question. It will be so hard to escape Vladimir, well except you're well trained and Derek is.

"I was able to get a phone and I called Lisa while you guys were still back at the country, fortunately for me you guys were coming to Nigeria, so all I had to do was pretend I was still there with Vladimir and when you guys got here, I escaped. He has all his guys looking for me now." Derek explains.

"What does he want with you? I'm sure you must have figured that out, since you two already know each other." Derek stares at me In surprise.

"You think I wouldn't find out. When he attacked Astec and he called you Derek, don't you think there was a little two and two to put together and there, you have your answer," I guess I did have some explaining to do too.

Derek sighs before running a hand through his hair. "Vladimir and I know each other long before I became a soldier, we practically grew up together and I was in his group once, but then I left when I saw all the evil he was trying to do.

I told him I wanted to leave but he never wanted me to, so I left without telling him, and the only way he wouldn't get me was if I joined the army." Why am I just hearing of this now?

"So you joined the army because of Vladimir?" I ask sounding a bit angered. "Yes," He accepts.

"So why are you just telling me this now huh? Ever since we started chasing Pravi't' Mirom you never told me, why now?" Upon all the time I and Captain have spent together he never told me he knew Vladimir or that he was even in his little gang.

But you did the same too Theo, you lied to Haula so you're in no position to judge. My conscience tells me.

"I wanted to Theo, but put yourself in my shoes, how would you have looked at me, no matter what I said or did you would still think I'm with them and how was I supposed to say that I knew them, you know what would happen if I did, it’s not something I'm proud of." He says keeping his glass on the table after drinking all of it."Another one," he turns to the bartender.

"Are you sure you want another one? You've had five already," I ask concerned. Derek hardly drinks and now that he does, something's really eating him up.

"I'm fine," He says. "So what happened next?"

"Well I joined the army with the help of the Major, before you go there I never

knew he was working for Vladimir I swear.

The Major knew about everything on my history with Vladimir and he saw that I wanted to get away from his hold, so he helped me to get into the military which I'll be forever grateful. it's just saddening that he was working for Vladimir, well you can't blame him, because when Vladimir wants something he gets it." Derek looks at me and back to his drink again, before gulping the whole thing down his throat.

"So what does Vladimir want now?" There has to be something Vladimir wants, he can't just be doing all these.

"He want to release the bacteria and get everyone sick, while he becomes the only one that has the cure therefore making him the richest gang\man In the world.

What he doesn't know is that you guys have already found the cure, because a cure like that can only be gotten from the bacteria itself, by synthesizing it and not even from the human body because it won't be seen." Derek tells me.

So I am the only one left out on all these, even Derek seems to know more than I do, probably because he's been Vladimir's hostage.

"But you have to believe me Theo, I never knew he was going to do something like this," Why is he seeking that I must believe him? I have nothing to do with this. He could just explain all to Lisa and Lisa would tell me.

"Why are you explaining all these to me?"

"Because Theo, after everything we've been through, loosing Luca, Drew, our relationship, I think you had the right to know." He says.

"Thank you, for telling me I mean." I'm grateful that Derek is telling me all these, but we have to find Vladimir or at least find where he is planning on releasing the bacteria.

"Do you know where he's planning on releasing it?" I ask.

"That is another touchy subject Captain," I feel like I don't know Derek anymore, why is he talking like this? Maybe staying with Vladimir does change a person.

"What do you mean?" I ask dropping the whiskey from my hand and sitting straight so I can face him.

"I know you might not want to hear this or not, but that is the sole purpose of bringing you here. And Lisa thought it would be better if you heard it from me considering I know it better."

"What are you talking about Derek?" My mood seem to change. "You're infected Theo."

Wait what?

I chuckle lightly looking at Derek as though he's grown horns. "Wow did Vladimir really mess with your head? Do I look infected to you? Do I look dysfunctional to you huh?" My voice starting to raise.

What the hell? He comes back from Vladimir or should I say escaped Vladimir and tells me I'm infected.

"You know what I'm out of here, suit yourself." I drop the drink wanting to leave. I should be there looking for Vladimir with Lisa, but here I am with this

crazy person.

"But Haula does." He says which catches my attention immediately. "What are you talking about?" I turn facing him.

"Hasn't she been sick lately, a little dysfunction, passing out and all?" Derek asks.

"Don't you bring Haula into this, you hear me? She has nothing to do with any of these," Are these people trying to kill me?

And he says Lisa knows, why will Lisa let me go out with him if any of these isn't true.

"But she is, and the faster you believe me the better," Derek replies.

"What do you want Derek?" I ask him banging my fist on the table getting me glares from everyone around there.

White guy probably is trouble to them.

"Easy there, I don't want anything only for you to hear me out." Derek replies.

I sigh staring at him before I sit back to which he continues. "Do you remember the thanksgiving event we held for coming back from a successful mission at Iraq, which happened to be during Thanksgiving?" Derek asks.

"Yes, what about that?"

"Good. We were all having fun, drinking, talking, laughing even with the Major. Did you happen to know that the Major slipped something into your drink?" Derek asks me and my gaze widens.

"I guess no, you were too busy enjoying the moment like the rest of us." My hands becoming stiff as my eyes darkens when Derek says that, but I decide to remain quiet if not I'll lose control.

"He slipped the bacteria into your drink and you took it without suspecting anything, because you're that guy Theo, you're that guy who trusts, forgives and the perfect kind of guy. But the main reason you didn't notice, was because it had no effect on you due to the anti-toxins we take every day, but that doesn't mean it left your system." Oh shit.

Matt did say something about the bacteria not capable of having an effect on us, due to our anti toxins.

"And how do you know all of this? How can I believe that what you're saying is the truth?" I ask with emotions running wild.

I heard it from Vladimir, when he was talking to the Major apparently it was part of their plan, and because I wouldn't look you in the eye now and tell you it isn't. So you listen to me and let me finish if you want to save your girlfriend." Derek stays serious.

I'm not the bad guy here Theo, I only know things I shouldn't have known which is putting me in a lot of trouble lately. I'm sorry if I'm acting this way, I'm a little tipsy but I have to tell you all you need to know," He shouldn't be apologizing for anything, it’s not his fault and again I'm acting like that forgiving person again, aren't I?

But Derek is innocent.

"I understand but why would I be part of a game for Vladimir's mischief?" I ask

keeping all this anger, frustration and pain that's building up inside me.

"That is what I don't know Theo. I guess Matt also told you about the bacteria being contactable. So you do the math, when you met Haula, you guys took off with it, lip locked and all, which is exchange of saliva with the bacteria still in your system equals..." Derek ask me.

"Infected." I answer lowly as my body runs cold.

Oh God I can't believe this. I'm... I'm the cause of Haula's illness. If I had never met her, she would never have been sick, she would never have to deal with this kind of pain I'm causing her.

"Yes. So which means you have to grab your girlfriend and bring her to the base for treatment before it spreads and kills her, because the more she has her breakout the more her immune system is weakening which the doctors will not be able to see it, because they'll think it's just a mere disease.

And not to talk about the fact that she could also infect other people." What have I done?

I shouldn't call this lovebecause if I did I won't let her go through all these, I can't let her. How will I tell her I'm the cause of her illness. How will I? When I didn't even know myself.

"I will get her here tomorrow, and we're going to do every possible thing we can to save her." It’s the least I can do for her after everything she has given me, and all I did was add fuel to her fire.

"well I guess there's something else you should know," Derek says becoming extremely serious.

"Could it be any worse?" I ask him.

What could be worse than seeing the person you love so much getting hurt all because of you.

"Oh it is, because Vladimir is planning on releasing the bacteria tomorrow at a mall." You gotta be kidding me.

"Where?” I ask with pure anger hopingit’s not where I think it is. "Ceddi Plaza." This just got to a whole new level of worse.