The Fate Of A Single Father 4 A Web Of Deception

"Yes! He was a bodyguard, a shield for my mother." Abbe explained a smile plastered across his face.

"And when she gave birth to you, you were given to him for him to continue as a shield. Hence the fake name of Memo." Lilith further explained jumping up and hugging Abbe.

They stayed in happy silence for a long amount of moments clue to a quarter hour. Separating Lilith was the first speaker, "That man knew you. He was close to your mother."

"What if that crossed out photo wasn't my mother?"

"We can't know, there wasn't anyone that haad your features besides the girl named, Rose E...something I can't remember now."

"Rose is enough. We can do the same thing we did for my dad." Abbe responded taking out his phone. About to type into the search bar he was evidently stopped by Lilith.

"We can't do that. For lack of better words, if they are powerful enough to wipe Memo from existence they can do the same for her."

"What do we do then? We are currently with nothing. If that man comes again we can question him."

"Let's go over your childhood story again. We can't make any rash choices."

Near immediately Abbe's smirk was back, "Who are the most powerful people in the city?"

"The Evergre- That's it! Rose Evergreen!"

Abbe typed in her name and painstakingly waited for the slow college internet to log the search results. "Come on, load faster!" They exclaimed in annoyance.

When the load finished the top link was to the family website. After even more loading they saw the family tree of the Evergreens. At the body was a girl with blond hair and blue eyes and a facial structure striking similar to Abbe's. Tears were visible in his own blue eyes as he made the realization in this whole situation.

"Our three years haven't been in vain. We found my mother...we found her."

"What now? We can't go there and be like hi I'm your son why haven't you been part of my life for 22 years. We also need to learn of what happened to Memo three years ago."

"We've made the guess he went to my mother and under some kind of agreement for protecting me, he can't interact with us."

"We have to help him in some way."

"We can help him by finishing the pieces, by getting some form of leverage on them."

The fell into silence both in thought trying to find some kind of answer.

"A risk not taken is a journey lost," Abbe mumbled typing in a name to the search bar, no results appeared.

"Most kids learn after the first time." The voice from three years ago followed after the breaking of a door off its hinges.

Abbe stood strong looking the man directly in the eyes his voice unwavering, "Can't learn if there is no lesson."

The tension was tight as the man walked, his footsteps echoed off the tile floor, "Interesting take. Well, I'm a busy man so let's get right to business. Do you want answers or your father?"

"I want both," Abbe spoke confidently and without hesitation.

"Not allowed, you get one or the other. Don't think your father can provide both choices because you won't be meeting him, it is either his death or you get answers."

"So I'm the leverage."

"Smart, you're right your father confirmed your existence and for that, he has been allowed to continue living."

"I won't sacrifice my father's life to get answers to questions that won't matter."

"Won't matter? Won't matter! Hahaha! Kid, you should be a comedian. You think this a joke to us?"

For the first time since the man appeared Lilith spoke, "A joke is the wrong word. A game fits better, we are only p.a.w.ns but you are only a knight."

"Hahaha. Fitting, extremely fitting..." Following his hearty laugh, his face turned dark his eyes devoid of light.

"This isn't a game of chess. I'll ask again, your father or answers?"

Neither Lilith or Abbe replied both hesitant towards the repercussions of either choice they make.

Visibly annoyed at how long they were taking to answer him he continued, "If no answer is given within the next 15 seconds both opinions will be lost." Even with the threat, Abbe was still hesitant to make a choice. The room was deadly silent with the ticking seconds on the clock echoing in their heads.

15...I can't let the man who raised me for so many years die...12...I need to know the answers, the path backward is covered...7...I need to make a choice...3...2...

"Answers!" A voice echoed throughout the room, it wasn't Abbe's but Lilith's.

"Good choice." The man replied before taking a phone out of his pocket and saying a few words after dialing, "Kill him."

Abbe was unsure how to react his face showed his emotions of confusion and regret. He knew he couldn't make a choice and both would leave him in despair. He couldn't accept making the choice himself, "Thank you..." He lightly said looking over at Lilith with eyes filled with sadness.

"Let's start at the important point, Morte wasn't your father, but he wasn't a n.o.body. Morte was a boy who had nothing but at the request of Rose, he was given a second lease on life. He became her unofficial bodyguard and after five years developed feelings for her. She was unwilling to betray the orders of her family following his confession.

She married another man and within the next year gave birth to you. Rose gave you to him with the task of protecting you till you could look for the answers yourself. Morte was a man of honor and much like your mother wouldn't disagree with orders given to him.

You are expected to do what your mother couldn't." The man explained the backstory between Morte and Rose with few details.

After the information, all settled in their heads followed by a few needless questions Abbe wondered, "What am I expected to achieve that she couldn't?"

"Speak your heart to Roy."