Paying The Price

"Sir, should we go after her? She'll be leaving for Titan city tomorrow." Oliver spoke up.

"Let her be. For now." Mr Black replied

"But sir, what if they strike first?"

"Then we'll strike back."

Mr Black brought out his wallet and opened it, a photo of him, a man and a baby girl was one he had cherished for years. The three people in the photo had the same features, their noses and eyes and full lips were all beautiful carved. The neutral faces they had on made their resemblance stand out.

Mr Black c.a.r.e.s.sed the baby's face with his wrinkled thumb then closed his eyes. Lost in his thoughts.

Martinez and Oliver exchange looks before leaving the old man stealthy, not wanting to disturb him.

......

The next day Wayne, Leon and Gabriel boarded the same plane with Diana and Pearl.

Both parties didn't communicate with each other. The guys didn't want to anger Diana further, so they resisted the urge to strike a conversation. They could only steal some glances from behind.

In Titan city. The men followed Diana quietly to the exit of the airport.

Reaching the exit, Wayne finally broke the silence "Diana wait."

Diana stopped in her tracks, she gently squeezed her daughter's hands as she felt a wave of emotions coming on, she turned to Wayne who had been tailing her like a man chasing after his love with a half smile and said "You know, if you had followed me like this four years ago non of this would have happened."

Wayne bit his lips in anguish. He just thought she needed a break back then. He felt going after her would entangled her. He knew he wasn't doing well as a family head and he didn't know how to improve, everything about his life had always been serious business. Diana added a soft touch to his life, something he never knew he was missing and something he actually longed for.

If only he had asked, if only he tried to learn. The past couldn't be changed but the present could. He looked at his wife with melancholic d.e.s.i.r.e then replied "If I don't follow you now, who knows what more would happen."

Diana was taken back by his words. If not chasing her four years ago made things this difficult, then not chasing her four years later could be worse. But that was for him not her.

She directed her eyes away from Wayne's and looked at the floor speechlessly.

"Zach." Pearl called out with her tiny voice, she broke free from her mother's grip and ran towards a man.

A light brown skinned man picked her up with one hand for he held a box on the other.

He wore jeans pants with a grey T-shirt his left hand had a silver wrist watch on it. He was tall, muscular and had a terrific smile. He didn't just look like a dream guy but also a hot dad.

From afar, Pearl's 'Zach' could be mistaken for 'Dad'.