"Hello."

"Sorry for the light show."

"No problem."

"Right this way."

I followed Sam down a flight of stairs as darkness started to swallow the light. I swear this place was giving me the heebie-jeebies.  The metal walls were dull and impenetrable. There was an iciness totem infiltrating all around me making this place a hopeless nightmare. As I continued on, there were doors with built-in bars along with solid ones with numbers on the sides of the frames. Was this a jail or sort or maybe it was an insane asylum? I wondered if there were people behind them or worse...Shae. My curiosity was getting the best of me. Would it be polite to ask who or what was behind the solid doors but something deep down inside was telling me, I didn't want to know.

"Are you okay Sean?"

"What is this place?"

"It's just a property I own. It use to be an old military intelligence hub. It went up for auction a few years ago and I bought it."

"Oh, I see." This place was creepier than the scariest haunted house.

"Don't tell me you're afraid?"

"Of course not, why would I?"

"You seem a little nervous."

"I hate to admit this but you are a scary dude Sam."

He chuckled. Going down a short stairwell, he slid a huge metal door open.

Wow! I was impressed. A large mahogany desk was perfectly placed near the back of the room with a high-back executive chair behind it. Two modern styled chairs were placed perfectly in front. Priceless art adored the walls and a custom made bar with spotless glasses radiated the ominous secrets that were spoken in this room.

"Have a seat," he said waving his hand towards a chair in front of the desk. I sat and waited.

The silence was deafening. The horrific thoughts of my being here slowly began creeping up through my cortex invading both my white and grey matter of the brain. Was I man enough to continue on? Did I make a deal with the devil and was my soul to burn in a pit of agonizing torture of damnation forever? Maybe I needed to think positive thoughts, maybe I rushed into making this decision. Or maybe I was chicken shit, you know little shit trying to be big shit. Or was I a scared little boy hiding in a grown man's body? Damn, this place was already playing with my head. Focus Sean, relax, breath in, breath out, think of pretty little unicorns going around the carousel.

"Do you own other places like this one?" Did I just ask that question out loud? Shit!Shit!Shit!

"A couple. Would you like a drink... to take off the edge?"

"No, I'm fine. I try not to, you know... the season has started." I cleared my throat.

I watched as he got up, walked to the bar and reached for a fine curated bottle of Yamazaki, a 50 year old whiskey. I had seen a bottle go up for auction a few months ago and it went for well over a hundred thousand dollars.

As I watched him pour the golden brown liquid in a crystal old fashion glass, something didn't feel right.

"Okay Sean, you don't want to be here all day. I'm sure your executioner father-in-law is a busy man, plus this place gives me the creeps," my conscious repeated. "Speak man, speak!"

"I saw Arianna today and she basically welcomed Lizzy and I to the family, actually several families." Nice deflection Sean.

"How sweet of her." He smiled and sat back in his oversized leather chair taking a sip of his drink.

"I will explain it to you one day, but not today. We have more pressing issues to worry about." The tone of his voice was like a deadly earthquake ready to devour you whole.

"You're right, we do." Was that sweat I was starting to feel under my armpits?

"Did you see the video?"

"Yes...Lizzy did too. The whole situation looked believable on the video."

"With time constraints it was the best we could do. Normally an operation like this takes months to plan. Two days, it wasn't too bad. The actress is one of my employees."

"She looked just like Shae, from a distance."

"As long as Michael thinks she's run off, then things will come together."

"What about Kevin Lewis, the doctor?"

"Unfortunately for Kevin, he didn't make it back from his mission trip last week. They think a group of Jihad soldiers infiltrated a small village in Niger where he was working at the time. We were going to meet up with him this weekend in Benin but the rioting has gotten worse so we cancelled our trip."

"It wasn't on the news."

"Of course it wouldn't if you work on the wrong side. The information you found on Kevin was just one piece of the puzzle as there were many others. He had baby factories as they are called in different parts of the world. He made his money off celebrities and desperate souls   which enabled him to fund shell companies selling classified secrets to foreign nationalists and the baby factories. By signing those contracts that were given to you, you would have been funding his projects."

"I see."

"Kevin was using the mission trips with the Foundation to set these up. Tasha, who is Sasha Denson's twin sister runs it."

"I've heard Lizzy mention the Foundation before. Alanna was working on a spot for her."

"Really? It's very rewarding to see the work they are doing. Building schools, clinics and houses in other countries and trying to work with these idiotic U.S. government officials on children's healthcare and education in the United States can be tricky but we manage. Some places are not as safe as others so that's why we have security to make sure safety is a number one priority."

"Seems a little too dangerous to me. I'm not sure if Lizzy is aware of this. I can't have my wife in danger especially being in another country without me. We haven't even taken our official honeymoon yet. I can't approve of this."

"We plan these trips out months in advance. Every security measure is taken. We do background checks randomly when people join staff. It just so happened that Kevin had been on the team for many years, so we wouldn't have suspected this kind of behavior. He was also a friend with a dark side no one knew about. You can trust me, this won't happen again."

I nodded and swallowed hard. Something in his eyes and body language screamed that he knew exactly what happened to Kevin and the story he was telling was a half truth. Plus, I had a feeling no one was safe from interrogation now. Everyone would be scrutinized.

"Regardless, I won't put Lizzy in harms way. I love her too much and if I was too lose her, the world would be a fucked up place. Not happening."

"Lizzy can make her own choices. You can't stop her. Her will is strong."

"Is it true about what happened to her mother?"

"Yes." His eyes stared at mine defying me to reply. They were hard and his icy glare told me no further discussion would take place. Was he hiding something?

"I'm sure Lizzy will be pondering on this for a while. Maybe I or we...," I pointed between the both of us, "could at least see that she has a gravestone. There's a nice cemetery on Oak and Park. At least that way, she would have a place to visit even if no body is buried there." I asked waiting to see if he would spill the tea.

"She was cremated after I discovered the unmarked grave. I had to know for sure if it was her." He took a sip of his whiskey and in that moment his shoulders relaxed and a twinge of emotion disfigured his face for a brief second before disappearing.

"Look, I've known Lizzy all her life and she has a heart of gold with a true self purpose. She loves being a physician and she's good at it. I would never take away any opportunity she has to help people. I'm always looking to help others so with that being said, if there is a spot for her, I will be going too. I'm good with technology and being a goodwill ambassador. We go together as a team. If you can guarantee me that, you won't have issues out of me."

He nodded in agreement but I knew it wasn't really up to him but I think my message was received.

"On another topic as I know your time here is almost up, let's get straight to business. What would you like for me to do about your problem?"

I sat there as my palms started to sweat. I felt like I was in the principal's office ready to be punished.

"This was your idea Sean. I've learned that I can be, how can I say this...a devil in disguise. I am willing to do whatever it takes to protect my daughter and you. Believe me, I would have disposed of Shaunte along with Michael the moment I found out of their mischievious plan to destroy Lizzy, but you came to me for help."

I sat up in the chair. I did, I admit it! Shae and Michael had put a wedge between Lizzy and I. I never wanted Lizzy to hurt or get hurt but those two had made it inevitable.

His watch beeped. Looking down at it he turned and faced me. "Are you having doubts or are you ready?"

A pain shot through my stomach. I knew whatever was about to happen, I would probably never forgive myself. Is this what I really wanted? I've had time to think. Anger was one of those emotions that made your brain go into overdrive. Could I live with myself if I continued on? I didn't have a heart of a killer. I was just a guy who wanted to protect his wife. I wasn't a saint by any means, but I wanted justice.

I could feel his gaze literally scoping me as I sat there. He didn't have to say a word while I sat contemplating my next move and accumulating my own thoughts.

"There are things in this world that we can and can not control. I've made my peace a long time ago, my soul is no longer mine. Months ago, I had come to the realization that everything I've done in the past was justified but now thinking back, there was an undeniable part of me that needed to be released. I was trained to be a killer. I am one of the best, but I've let that side of me take over and when he does, I no longer have control. He is apart of me, always has been but in your case, you are made of something which is good. You are not a cold-blooded killer Sean and that's okay. It doesn't mean that you are weak, it means you are stronger. I could never fight it, I've accepted who I am. You are not like me but the one thing I can say is that my daughter loves you unconditionally and to have that, is worth everything in this world."

"That's why I have to protect her Sam. It's my job and duty. I would and will make sure I do what I have to do in order for her to be free of Shae and who ever else. I would give my own life for her."

"You're an honorable man. Any man willing to sacrifice their life for my daughter ranks high in my book. Who knows if I would have known earlier that I have a daughter what would have happened? I've learned that looking at the past can be hard but for your sake, you and Lizzy will be fine. I've lived my life and I'm looking forward to getting to know my daughter. The things I've done have turned into nightmares that lasted for long moments in time and then they dissolve into nothingness. The question is... will yours do the same?"

My eyes stared back at his. He didn't flinch or budge. He sat up in that chair like a true boss. He had no fear, he was the fear. My stomach was in knots. Could I do a quarter of the things he has done? Probably not even an eighth.

He stood up without saying a word. Walking to the door he opened it, and just stood there. My feet felt like heavy cinderblocks. My hands gripped the handles of the chair and I stood. Taking a deep breath I leaned on the desk. Taking that first step felt like a toddler taking their first step as being independent. My mind was going haywire with my conscious competing with my determination. I wasn't a sucker, I was a man on a mission. As I took each step, my heart began to weigh heavy in my chest. The air was dense with trepidation. As I got closer, doubt and reservations swirled in my head until Sam put his hand on my shoulder.

"You're not weak, let me handle this."

In that moment, relief and air that was literally sucked out of the room long ago was back. I nervously walked passed him and stood in front of him.

"My plane is waiting for you. I'll handle it. You need to be ready for your first game. Good luck." He held out his hand and I shook it. He nodded and a gentleman I never noticed was right upon me. Was he a shadow?

"Don will take you back to the plane."

"But..."

"I got this. Your responsibility and number one priority is taking care of my daughter, let me handle this minuscule matter that plagues you both."

He was giving me an out. Could I live with the blood on my own hands? Did I have a conscious to do it and still be the person I am today? This wasn't for the meek whatsoever. I don't think consciously I could live with myself.

"You can follow me, right this way," the burly black man said stretching his arm out leading me out the door. I looked back at Sam and he smiled.

"Have a safe flight and tell Lizzy I will see her soon." He walked back into his office.

Don closed the door behind him.

"Right this way Mr. Gipson." He waved his arm and panels of overhead lights turned on leading us through the corridor and down a flight of stairs. The moment I began my journey back to normalcy, darkness began swallowing my footsteps as if I was never here.