“No!!!” Lu yelled immediately as he walked back to Gio “No fucking way!!!” He yelled “Please ignore my language,” he said awkwardly.
He stared deeply into the small boy’s moist eyes and sighed. Suddenly, he pulled the boy into a hug and pressed him like Gio would get missing if he let go. After a while, he pulled back to see Gio’s face red and wet.
“You failed to protect Alita as you promised” Gio sniffed as he moved away from Lu angrily “Please don’t tell me you sold her out as she always says” fresh tears began to flow freely from his hazel green eyes, he moved towards the door and attempt to pull it open but it refused “Let me out! I WANT TO GO OUT!!!” He pounds the door.
Gio pulled the handle with both hands and began to cry more, he kept screaming Alita’s name and would not let anyone console him.
From where Amara stood, she glared at her father than the rest men in the room who had a similar sad face. At first, she had wanted to ignore her father as she walked past him to Gio but she stopped in front of him.
“Have you sold Alita?” She asked.
Lu’s fist clenched as he went low to meet his daughter’s face, he tried to touch her hair but she moved her face away with a deep frown. He sigh, placed both hands on his laps, and stared at the floor not knowing what to answer.
“Daddy?” Amara became impatient “Alita is a good big sister” Tears began to flow from her blue eyes “Although I have never seen her in person except for pictures and I believe she is a good person daddy” She left her father’s side and walked to Gio “If truly you sold her out, you have to buy her back!”
That sounds more like an order from the little girl who had no idea what she was talking about. She went to Gio and Hughes him from behind then joined him in crying.
“She promised she will never leave me after mom and dad died” Gio mumbled as he turned to hug Amara back “Alita had always been there for me even if she would get herself in trouble, she will always make a way for me and now you sold her out” Gio broke down and began to sob uncontrollably.
Lu on the other hand could not say a word, he just stood up and walked into the restroom. No matter what happens, he can not break down in front of his daughter and Gio, of all people they need his help most.
He stared at his face in the mirror and yelled. He doesn’t look good, not in a bit, his hair looked rough, his eyes dark, his eyes turning red and he was flaming up.
He put on the tap, let the water flow for some whole before he began to wash his face. He hoped the water would calm his nerves but nothing happened and out of frustration he punched the mirror and yelled more then began to cry.
Of all the things he cares for why do they have to take Alita! How come did he fall so much for her that he felt like his other half had been taken away from him, all this while since yesterday.
Meanwhile, in his room, everyone could hear his wailing. They could hear him perfectly well but they all kept quiet watching each other.
Seeing that no one was ready to check up on her father, Amara made attempt to go and check what was happening to her father but Jordan rushed to her front.
“Daddy is having a very strong poo” Jordan smiled weirdly “You won’t want to see him poo, right?” He tilted his head towards the couches, the girl sigh then walk away with a cute frown on her face “He will soon be out” he added.
After waiting another long moment of silence, Gio moved away from the door side to join Amara on the couch. Immediately he sat beside her, she opened her arms and he fell Into her open arms crying afresh.
He just couldn’t get why he had to be such a child with bad luck. First, his parents died on the day he was born, then Alita lost one of her jobs because she celebrated his birthday with him and now, she had been sold out because she offered herself for him.
“It’s all my fault” He whimpered “If I was never been born she would not have lost Mom and Dad much more getting into such trouble” He cried more in Amara’s little shoulder.
“It’s okay Gio” Amara pat his head “I have a very expensive necklace, if dad can not buy her back, we can sell it and buy her back,” She said innocently.
For a little boy like Gio, he knows more than he should have known, and at that point, he knew Amara would never understand what Selling Alita means. He moved back, stared at the girl’s face then sighed deeply. Many things began to rush through his small mind but he doesn’t know which one to believe or follow.
Something strong kept telling him that either Alita is dead or Sold out. The wound or Lu’s face might be either caused in a fight and they might have killed her at the instant by mistake or on purpose. The problem is that the Lu he knows is not a bad person, at least not a bad person to him and Amara.
Even when Alita would tell him to be careful about Lu, he still felt that she hated him because he always hit her as she claimed, he never knew Lu is actually not the person he assumed. He looked straight into Davidson’s eyes and blinked, he didn’t notice him earlier and he looked so much like Lu.
“Lu is your brother” Gio stated directly at Davidson who nodded “Do you know what it feels like to lose the only family you have and that loves you?”
Davidson sigh, he looked away from Gio and moved his finger through his hair.
“Tell me the truth” Gio’s voice came out as a rough whisper “Is she dead?” He asked.
That startled Davidson, he looked at Gio in surprise for a while before looking away. He couldn’t withstand the amount of pain in the boy’s heart that kept pouring down his red cheeks.
“She is alive, Gio” Davidson forced himself to say “But she has not been sold either” he do not want to tell Gio that his sister had been kidnapped just yesterday evening so he fakes a smile and looked at the boy “We will try our best to bring her back”
Even Amara could sense the uncertainty in his voice and face so she scoffed. She moved closer to him and stared deeply into his eyes.
“Why do you look like daddy with his blue eyes” Amara whispered “Who are you?” She snapped.
“He is Daddy’s brother” Lu interrupted, he noticed the pleased look on Davidson’s face and scoffed “Half brother I mean” he rolled his eyes.
Amara just shrugged, she looked from Davidson then to her father before bringing out her small hand for a handshake.
“I am Amara,” she said “What’s yours?”
“Davidson” was the short reply from Davidson as he accepted the handshake feeling odd.
“Has there been any sign or something from Alita” Gio suddenly said.
The men in the room stared at themselves before looking at the boy in confusion.
“I am sorry boy, Alita is not in a position to send signs or something, ” Davidson said, he looked at Lu who had a worried expression on his face them sigh “You know she can’t” he shook his head.
“Yes she can” Gio interrupted in a shaking voice “I know Alita and she has never given up on anything she does” He walked to Lu and held his bandaged palm with both hands then looked up to his face “She is my sister and I know her, she can even try to send a message”
A message!
Jordan quickly brought out his phone from his pocket and show the screen to Gio after taking it to a particular place.
Gio stared at the message been shown to him in silence for a while before he looked at the rest people in the room. They all had the same expression, waiting patiently as if they were expecting something from him.
“This is not from Alita but it’s for her,” Gio said, he looked back at the phone and strain his eyes “I can see H-E-L-P-A-L-I-T-A” he twisted his lips as he looked away from the phone to Jordan.
“Help Alita?” Lu intoned “What is that supposed to mean?”