TRUST ME By Aeris->lucky.violet@mailcity.com Hiya, people! It's me again, Aeris. I hope you guys aren't mad at me or anything if I've been making up too many characters. But if you'd try, you'd understand why I had to. Just e-mail me if you are tired of it, OK? Thanks! ********************************************************************** EIGHT ********************************************************************** Serena was stunned. She could not believe it. She would NOT believe it. It's impossible! She turned to Seiya. "A-Are you sure of all these?" she choked. "Yes," Seiya replied. "Trust me." Serena collapsed into tears. "I-I can't believe it. This has not be true! I'm sure that my boyfriend would love me. Darien would, wouldn't he? Wouldn't he, Seiya?" The man remained silent. Serena burst into more tears. "O-Oh..." Seiya wrapped his arms around Serena's shoulders. Oh, Serena. I didn't mean to hurt you. I-I never should have told you." "No. It's okay. It's perfectly right that you told me. Because now, I'm not sure on whom to trust... Except you." "Oh, Serena," Seiya smiled and wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I'll never betray you, Serena. I love you." But deep down inside, Seiya felt that he already did. When Darien arrived at the hospital room, Serena and Teresa were both missing. They must be out for fresh air, Darien thought. And so he headed for the garden. But when he bumped into Teresa and found out that she left Serena in the room, Darien knew that something was wrong. The whole hospital was in search for Bunny Thompson/Serena Tsukino, and the press were also hounding Teresa Tsukino-Watson and the enigmatic Japanes man before them. Questions were flying everywhere. "Who are you?" "What is your relationship to Bunny Thompson?" "What is your relationship to Teresa Tsukino-Watson?" "Are you in any way related to Bunny Thompson's accident?" "Do you have any idea as to where Bunny Thompson has gone?" "Do you think she ran away? If she did, where would she be?" To all these questions, Darien's only response was: "Look, we're looking for Ser --- Bunny Thompson here. Now, if you care enough to want to see her again, leave us alone!" And slowly the mob of reporters diminished. Teresa grinned at him. "You sure gave them a scare. Just a piece of advice. If you have any plans on becoming an actor, forget it. All you'll get will be tons of turn-downs - despite your charm." To this Darien replied, "Don't worry. I'm planning to be a world tycoon instead so I can close down all forms of media." "On the other hand, go on being an actor. I would never let you close down my theater." "Darien! Tori!!!" The two turned around and readied themselves for another media attack. Fortunately, it was Mina. "Hey," Darien exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" "Na-uh! That's not the right question! The correct one is: What are YOU doing here? I was looking all over the place for you. And where's Serena?" "Well," Teresa replied. "THere's only one answer to all your questions. We're here looking for Serena because she suddenly disappeared." "Wanna care to join us?" Darien offered. "There's no need to ask." After hours of search, they stumbled into Serena and Seiya, with the two positioned as though they were Madonna and Child. Darien didn't think so, though. "What are you doing with Serena?" he demanded. Before Seiya was able to say anything, Serena spat, "What do you care?" Teresa gaped. "Serena?" "Oh, and you too? As far as I know, you're in it too!" Darien was definitely puzzled. "What are you talking about?" "Uh, puh-lease. Don't tell me you don't know a thing about it. You, in fact are the mastermind of this whole charade!" Now, it was Teresa's turn. "I demand an explanation, Serena." "What do you have to know when you know all about it? That you, Darien," she accusingly pointed a finger at him, "planned my so-called 'accident' just because you wanted to be with this bitch." She pointed at Mina. All three gaped at her in surprise. Serena continued. "And you, my dear cousin, was the key to all of it. You arranged everything that my little incident would be an accident, that no one was going to point a finger at you, or you," she turned to Darien, "or you," she turned to Mina. "H-How could you say this?" Mina exclaimed. "Because it's the truth," she said simply. "And it's a good thing that I found out, or else I would have been dead." "Serena!" Teresa raised her voice. "Don't you dare do that to me again, dear cousin. Because next time, you're going to regret it. And also, never come near me again, or I'll kill you with my bare hands." And she started to walk away, dragging the totally shocked Seiya with her. "Wait," Darien called. The sound of footsteps ceased. "If you can accuse us with all this, why can't you get the police?" "Because I don't have enough proof." "So you're telling me, and the rest of the people you've known all your life that you can accuse us of betraying you without proof?" The sound of footsteps resumed. In the darkness of one corner, a small, peircing eye saw everything, and heard every bit of word that passed through the place. It watched as Serena and Seiya left, saw the look in Seiya's eyes, and knew that it has won. Later that night, Teresa ran to the reception office. She had just gone from Serena's hospital room and found out it was locked, and that the lights in the room were off. "Excuse me, miss," she said, "but have you any idea as to what happened to my cousin who was previously occupying room no. 414?" "Just a sec," the nurse said as she flipped through her files. "Well, apparently, the patient has already been released." "RELEASED?! What do you mean RELEASED!?! She can't be released, for all I know!" "Well, I'm sorry, Miss, but there's nothing more I can do now. Or is there anything else I can do now to be of service?" "Nothing, I guess," Teresa gave up. Meanwhile, Serena and Seiya were in his car, headed for his flat. "Are you sure you wanna do this?" Seiya asked for the --- uh, sorry, I already lost count --- ____ time. "Yes, Seiya, I'm perfectly sure," Serena replied again for the same number of times. "Why do you keep asking anyway? When I say I wanna do it, I will." "Uh huh?" "Uh huh." She declared. "I don't know, Serena. I just have this feeling that we're doing something that was not meant to be." Serena laughed. "Now that's something." "Quit it, Serena. I'm serious. I really feel that - that what we're doing is wrong." "But what you said was true, wasn't it?" "Yes." "Then there's nothing to worry about. On our side, anyway, so stop being such a fussbudget." Seiya sighed. "Yeah, you're right." I hope, he silently prayed. Late that night, when Serena is comfortably settled in Seiya's luxurious bed while he is lying on his couch, he couldn't sleep. Perhaps it is due to his revelation to her --- to Serena --- and how she used those statements (he couldn't bring himself to use the word 'facts') against them: Tori, Mina and Darien. And however he tried to convince himself that he did the right thing to tell Serena of what happened... Or what he suspected had happened. That was it. That was where his problem lies. What he told Serena were only hypotheses based from what he heard and not what were really fully witnessed. And what did he perceive? 1. Darien & Mina going inside Teresa's office. 2. High security: closed windows, blinds down, and locked door. Except for their own voices. 3. Snatches of conversation such as: Darien - "It has to be soon."; Mina - "I know, a birthday concert on the 30th!"; Tori - "I'll take care of everything." And what was that 'everything'? What did they plan? Was it really Serena's murder? Or was it something else? Did they ever get to execute that plan? Hence, Seiya couldn't sleep. When he finally did, it lasted only an hour. In the middle of the night -- or was it morning already? -- the telephone rang off the hook. Sleepily, he got the cordless phone and said into the receiver, "Look, I'm trying to get sleep here, and it's in the middle of the sleeping hours, so would you mind?" The stranger --- who soon became not --- ignored this. "Listen to me. Whatever you did to Serena, you jerk, you'll regret it. You have turned things around. For all I know, you were the one who planned all this just to get her into your waiting claws. Well, worry no more. But remember this. She belongs to me, and she will return to me." And the guy hung up. Seiya's hands were shaking. Now, he has confirmed it. He has assumed incorrectly and was going to pay for it. He has to get Serena out of his hands, and soon. The queer man strolled into the building with confidence. His task is soon to be finished. And he was going to be rewarded handsomely for it. The job was a clean cut. There was no way she could refuse to give her the money. A guard stopped him on his way into the main lobby. "Where to?" he asked in a gruff voice. "Room 624," the man replied. "The resident expects me." "What's yer name?" He gave it. "Doncha dare move. Ye'll regret it." And the guard placed a phone call. A while later, he opened the gate. "Yer clear." "Thank you," he replied, and soon reached the room. Heidi Russell- Wells/Tiff Watson was in a rage. "Your assignment was Teresa Tsukino, not her damn cousin, you moron! What did you do?" Peter Bray remained silent and waited for her to finish her explosion. "Don't you just stand there like some statue! Well, say something." "Relax." "THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GONNA SAY? RELAX?!?" She paced around the room in a frenzy. "Damn it! I never should have hired you. You're nothing but a stupid irresponsible damn good-for-nothing son-of-a-bitch!" "Well, you did, so let me explain what has happened and why you should be glad you hired me. First of all, my plan is not yet finished. The Bunny Thompson accident was just the first phase. I've got it all under control. See, once Teresa Tsukino's cousin gets angry and runs away, or one way or the other gets harmed, Teresa gets hysterical --- as far as the public's concerned. She gets depressed and commits suicide, see?" Peter Bray's employer sat in a chair in a deep silence, slowly digesting every word. "You know, Bray, you're one heck of an assasin. You should have informed me however of your plans so that I may never again get hysterical over your 'failures'. Either way, you did a fine job. When you complete this mission, you'll get a bonus. A big one." "Thank you," Peter Bray said. "You are dismissed." Bray nodded. He turned around and left with a gruel smile on his face. ********************************************************************** So, how was it? Was that good enough for you? Tell me, and I'll send out the next part right after this one if you make me happy with your emails. Hehehe. Remember, it's lucky.violet@mailcity.com!