I Bought you

Anne

I moved quickly through the airport, my breathing ragged as I tried to stay focused. If he caught me, I had to get rid of him.

Suddenly, the voice of one of my teammates came through my earpiece:

"He's close to you, Anne. Be careful."

I replied in a whisper:

"Approximately how far is he from me?"

"About one kilometer. Be careful."

I didn't answer him because I heard his footsteps in the airport. I could feel him getting closer.

Suddenly, he appeared in front of me and fired at me. I fired back at the same time. I hit him directly in the middle of his face, while his bullet struck my shoulder.

The pain was severe, almost unbearable, but I had done it. I had gotten rid of him.

Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me say:

"Anne, I warned you. Why don't you ever listen to me?"

I laughed despite the pain gnawing at my bones.

"That's just how I am, Dio. What can I do?"

Dio was a tall young man with short black hair and somewhat cold features, but he was my special partner. We had been working together for six years on the same team and on special missions.

Dio said as he helped me to my feet:

"Come on. We have Mazen. We'll take you to him to treat your wound."

I replied:

"How cold-hearted you are, boy! There's a beautiful woman injured right beside you, and you're talking about another mission."

He didn't answer me. Instead, he carried me to the car, placed the first-aid kit in front of me, then said as he prepared to drive:

"Hurry. From here, we're going to Mazen. The cleanup team will take care of the mess back there."

I answered as I painfully removed my black shirt:

"Fine. Just try to drive carefully."

───

Dio

My partner, Anne, had been strange from the very first day I met her. She laughed and said whatever she wanted, while I hated breaking the rules. She was the complete opposite of me; she did whatever she believed was right.

I used to wonder how I was going to work with her, until I saw her skills.

That's when I understood why they had given her the names "The Crazy One" and "The Beast."

Because she really was a beast.

Her speed, her ability to withstand injuries, and her concentration during combat... They were impossible to describe.

Even I, who had received military training, could never surpass her.

───

Anne

We finally arrived at Mazen's place.

It was a large Victorian-era mansion, as huge as a palace. I saw guards and mercenaries standing watch over the place.

Dio whispered to me:

"Try to behave yourself, please."

I put on my black heels and told him:

"Don't worry. Everything is under control."

He looked at me as if he doubted my words, but I answered:

"Come on, don't be like that."

He moved forward, and I followed behind him.

The mansion was incredibly beautiful. I wished that I could buy one like it someday.

We sat in our seats, and I asked Dio:

"Why are we here in the first place?"

He whispered:

"I knew you wouldn't listen to me. The general commander said we had to learn his face and find out what kinds of goods are being sold here."

Honestly, I hated that old man. Every day, he did nothing but ramble on about something that made no sense in the first place.

Mazen began displaying antiques, watches, and mansions that were being sold.

Then we reached a mummy.

Who would buy a mummy?

And ancient jewelry from the Middle Ages?

Until I saw that cage.

My heart clenched, and my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Inside the cage was a young man with long silver hair. Blood covered his thin body, and he looked as though he were on the verge of death... like a living mummy.

The auctioneer said:

"This boy is also a slave. He was captured from the Mamio tribe in the snowy mountains. He is the last remaining member of the tribe, and no one has raised their hand to take him."

I asked Dio, my eyes never leaving the boy:

"If no one takes him, will he be released?"

He calmly replied:

"No. He'll be killed because he's of no use to them."

Without hesitation, without even thinking, I quickly raised my hand and shouted:

"I want to buy this slave!"

Dio was shocked and tried to stop me, but I didn't listen to him.

After the auction, I took him.

He was exhausted and couldn't walk. My heart hurt terribly every time I looked at him. I knew that feeling all too well.

Dio said to me:

"Are you sick? Are you crazy? How could you spend all your money for this year on a slave?"

I answered as I placed the boy in the back of the car:

"That's none of your business. The money is mine, and this boy now belongs to me. Do you understand?"

I left him and drove away after he refused to come with us.

The boy sat quietly, staring out the window.

I felt happy that he hadn't died back there.

When I reached home, I brought him inside and quickly called a nurse I knew.

She answered:

"Hello, Anne. Today is my day off. What do you want?"

I replied:

"Good. Dio hasn't told you yet."

She responded in confusion:

"Told me what? What hasn't he told me?"

I said:

"I was shot today, and I think my wound has gotten worse than before."

She screamed:

"Don't move! I'll come to you right now."

Then she hung up.

I couldn't tell her about the boy.

I looked at him and found him sitting quietly on the sofa.

I asked him:

"Alright, boy, what's your name? Can you speak our language? How old are you?"

He didn't answer me. He simply continued staring at me.

I said:

"Fine. Since you don't have a name, I'll call you Marek."

He didn't answer me, as expected. It seemed that he didn't understand me.

I went to the room and brought a pair of scissors and a razor. When I approached him, he screamed and jumped backward as if he were a beast rather than a human.

He moved like a dog, or perhaps a wolf.

I tried to approach him while saying:

"Calm down. I haven't done anything to you. I haven't done anything bad to you. Please, calm down."

But he bit my hand so hard that he left a mark on it.

I was shocked by him and stared at him for a while before saying:

"I have to do something before you hurt yourself."

I brought a blanket and, with all my strength, wrapped him in it like a sandwich.

He looked funny as he screamed and writhed.

Poor thing. He had clearly been subjected to terrible torture.

I heard a knock on the door.

It was Yui.

She asked me:

"Do you have a dog or something?"

I let her in and said while pointing at the boy:

"No, just a slave I took from the black market today."

She froze as she stared at him and said in shock:

"Anne, is that even human? Look at him! He's screaming! And he has fangs!"

I answered while pushing her toward him:

"Don't be afraid. He's just a poor thing who has been tortured."

She screamed at me:

"Anne, don't scare me! How could you bring him here with you?"

I whispered calmly:

"If you're going to help me, then come on. If not, get out."

She looked at me for a while before saying:

"Fine. Don't get sensitive. But I'll treat your wound, and I'll also treat the bite from this human dog on your hand."

I hugged her happily.

Yui was a short girl with pale features. She loved medicine and everything related to it. Her nursing license had been revoked because she caused the death of a pediatric specialist and refused to treat him.

She was better than pessimistic Dio. At least she understood me.

After she finished treating me, she sat beside the boy and said:

"You're going to give him a sedative injection so he can sleep, as well as an IV and vitamins for three days. Do you understand?"

I replied:

"Yes, Captain."

She said as she left:

"Take better care of yourself, Anne."

I answered:

"I will. Don't worry."

And she left.

I looked at the boy, who was still writhing.

We have a long road ahead of us, boy.