One hour ago.
Amy was overwhelmed with shock when she saw the man standing in front of her. She has been staring at him unblinkingly, too afraid he'd disappear if she has much as blinked for a second. She couldn't believe she was standing in front of him right now.
Amy was yet to say something, as a matter of fact, she was too stunned to say anything at the moment. She was more than bewildered. Her brain had gone AWOL, she couldn't form any proper words in her head. All she knew was that she and her family have been looking for the man standing in front of her all to no avail, but here he was standing in front of her unscathed, looking very healthy. This was a miracle.
Micheal also looked overwhelmed with emotions as he stared at her. He let out a small smile and said, "You're still as beautiful as ever"
Amy opened her mouth to say something, but no sound could come out. She could only gaze at him.
"You're surprised right?" He asked and Amy slowly nodded her head. Surprise was an understatement. She was astonished, amazed, stupified and every other word that can be used to express how she felt at the moment.
She wasn't expecting to see him there of all places. Yes, she has been praying for him to be found, but seeing him make an appearance was something she wasn't prepared for. He looked the same but somehow different. Amy gave him a once over, and she absentmindedly took slow steps closer to where he was standing.
"Mi...cheal?" She called out in an almost inaudible and shaky voice.
"In flesh and blood, sweetheart," He said flashing her a sweet smile.
Another wave of shock hit Amy when he smiled at her like that. Slowly she raised her hand and gently touched his face and his warm cheek warmed her fingers.
It was truly him.
Amy felt her heart pounding once again. A tear rolled down her cheek as she abruptly pounced on him. She wrapped her hand against his waist as she hugged him tightly.
"It is truly you" More tears rolled down her cheek. Those were tears of relief. She couldn't believe he was here alive and well.
Her mind had thought about the worst of things. She had thought about him being dead, being incapacitated, sick or that something really bad might have happened to him, but here he was looking alive and well, and Amy couldn't be any more grateful.
This was too good to be true. Her family could finally be at peace now.
"This is such a relief," She said between sobs.
Micheal stiffened when she hugged him like that. She was hugging him so tightly and he didn't know what to do.
"Michael, I'm sorry this is all my fault. I'm sorry for all my family did to you" She sobbed as she hugged him even more tightly.
He clenched his fist when she apologized. Was apology going to change anything? Was it going to give him back what he had lost? Was it going to raise back the dead?
No, it was not! He had lost so many things thanks to her and her family, and her apology wasn't going to solve anything.
He reluctantly raised his hand and patted her back.
"It's okay. It's not your fault" He said in an attempt to comfort her when he really wanted to wring her neck at the moment.
Amy shook her head as she continued to sob against his chest, "No it's all my fault. If it wasn't for me, mother wouldn't have done what she did to you. I'm sorry, I know you can't easily forgive me, but I'm willing to do anything to correct my mother's wrongdoing to you"
Micheal placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her away from him. He looked at her face which was soiled with tears. He couldn't help but notice her eyes, they were looking at him with much sincerity, that he felt his heart waver at her plea.
'But was she truly innocent?' He asked himself. No, he didn't think so.
He looked at her face for a while,
and said, "Will you really do anything to make me forgive your family?" He asked.
"Yes," Amy hurried replied while she nodded her head.
"Then come with me"
"To where?" Amy inquisitively asked.
"Where I want to take you"
"And where is that?" Amy inquisitively inquired.
"You'll see," He said before covering her nose with a handkerchief. Amy tried to wriggle away from his hold when she perceived a foul smell from the handkerchief but she couldn't help herself as her body gave and slumped towards him.
.....
Present.
Lair has been watching Blake work on the system for the last half hour. His hands were moving so fast as he kept typing in several codes. He couldn't help but admire Blake's skills. He had remembered back in college days when he had hyped Blake's skillfulness among some guys who had self-proclaimed themselves as computer wizard, and he had made a bet with them that Blake was way better than they were. Only if they had been humble and had backed down at the time, but no they didn't. They had made the bet go viral and had invited people to come to watch the hack battle, if only they knew they were digging their pits.
He could still remember how embarrassed they were when Blake whopped their ass. They couldn't raise their heads till graduation day.
He had felt sad when that incident happened back then. He had regretted not being there's for Blake at the time. His studies had put a huge gap in their friendship at the time, and he still felt bad to date.
Lair was about to say something, when Blake chipped, "Bingo"
"What you got it?" Lair anxiously asked, he peered his eyes towards the screen that was now popping up series of documents.
"What do you think?" Blake smugly asked.
"You're the best" Lair said excitedly, making Blake smile, but the smile on his face wavered when something appeared on the screen.
"Why is there a death certificate?" He asked.