The Red Nights

The party was already over since a moment, there were still two to three drunk guys who were dancing and singing some happy song in the hallways while the others were spread in the edifice wondering about what should they do next. Jamal was outside with Volga and Sania the only two people who agreed to follow him in his journey, they were charging their stuffs in the cars and prepared to leave soon .

Earlier, during the end of the party he made his announcement.

While he was surrounded by many of people who were questioning him about his performances and starving to hear some of his adventures and he couldn't turn them down as they insisted very much, Volga was in her corner hidden from any curious sight flirting with her new lover, they were laughing touching each other and kissing like a couple of teenagers. She took a look at the clock [ it's almost time ] she thought. She stood up and walked toward Jamal , she stopped behind him and patted his shoulder and he turned his head.

" It's time " she simply said at his ear and the latter understood. He stood up too, went near the door where everyone could see him and raised his hands to calm the crowd .

" Excuse me to disturb the good ambiance, but I have to tell you that it's time for me to leave for the next city as I have told you before, so if any of you want to help me in this task just follow me and for the rest I will understand. Also no need to come to apologize or give me excuses to not join , it's not necessary " he gazed at Volga, she nodded at him, she stood up and together they walked toward the exit without a second sight aback.

Sania stared at the crowd around her as they were going further away . However no one moved even a finger she glanced at the members of her team still the same thing what shocked her very much [ I can't believe it ! You won't join ? ] she said in her heart . She stood at her turn , indignant, and ran toward Jamal and Volga but before reaching them she turned one last time to throw on them a look which was ill.u.s.trating all the shame and disappointment she was feeling. When he noticed her presence in his side Jamal was a little surprised, since earlier when Lina violently cropped her, she took her distance with him and stop trying to approach him anymore , so much that he even thought she would not talk to him anymore so he didn't expect her to be the only volunteer. He wondered what in the world would push her to do that , he obtained the answer just through her eyes [ she wants from the bottom of her heart to make justice and is all resolved to even dirt her hands for that goal ] .

As a result they were only the three of them in the garage almost ready to leave.

While they were finishing the last round Donald and his team appeared behind . Sania was the first to see them , she left on the back of the pickup what she was carrying and crossed her arms below her c.h.e.s.t while staring angrily at them, followed by Volga and finally Jamal. " What's up ? " he firstly said " came to say goodbye to your brief companion ? " while staring at them one by one .

Don coughed to clear his voice " Mr. Jamal I came... I mean we came to you to give you our reasons to not join your party before you leave, I would want firstly to say... "

" Cut it out " he stopped him by raising his hand " I have already told you, your excuses, I don't need them " he dropped it " let's not waste our time for such pointless subjects "

" no it's just... " Axel tried to resonate but she couldn't find the words, " I got it, you think that I will probably resent you because of the decision of yours, right ? " he figured out, " but such won't happen, it's your right to refuse when you don't want to continue, I understand so don't worry "

But it's didn't make any effect, they were still feeling culpable, Volga understood that they wouldn't feel better unless they expressed themselves, so she said to him " oh well maybe you don't want to hear what they have to say but I do " she turned to them " what are reasons to not join forces with us , especially you, honey " she pointed Don .

Everyone gazed at him surprised, their eyes went from Volga to him what made him blushing a little bit. He took one step forward and after a deep breath before he started " you may think that I'm a coward after I explain myself but that's true, that is what I am, I hate violence. I hate guns, warfare and all things related with it , I took the weapons here because there was no choice, beyond my hatred for armed conflict I couldn't stand watching many of innocents people getting hurt. But now it's over , I think I can rest " he paused " now the main reason is that I have to lead and take care of Daphne's treatment " he looked at Jamal " surely you don't know but I used to be a doctor in psychology and as she wishes to get rid of her drug addiction, I'm the most suitable person to help her to do so ".

" That's all ? " the woman before him asked and he nodded " if you think I'm too weakling to stay by your side and decide to break with me... I ... ", before he could come his words out from his mouth she jumped on him and took him in her arms " don't be silly there's no way I would leave you, never, even less for something like that . " she put her lips against his and slowly inserted her tongue inside his mouth. After the short kiss stepped back to her initial place and waited for the others to come back from their astonishment.

" So you're actually dating each other ? " Sania asked Volga, " as you can see " she only replied joyfully. " OK, great " she glanced at Jamal beside her and asked with a low voice , " you knew it? " , " somehow yes I knew it " . " I better look for a boyfriend as well, I think " she said, and Jamal's face started to change but she caught it and added " not you, I already... got it that you're no more available " .

" Well , so who's the next? " she shouted while he was shaking his head as he didn't understand their pressing needs to explain themselves. For him it was pointless but he let them do . Axel raised timidly her hand and all eyes were on her.

" Personally I need to stay by Morice's side as he is injured. You see , he tends to be a little agitated when I'm not around, so ... you may excuse me but I have to stay with him ".

They nodded, comprehensively. Brad grabbed Daphne's hand and the latter held it tighter " my case is similar to her " he started " I have to stay with Daphne in order to help her to get well. Don said that it would be faster and more effective if she is surrounded by someone close to encourage her along her treatment " he paused and looked at Jamal, he changed a little bit the tone of his voice " moreover even if it was settled for me to come I doubt any of you or the others would ever trust me again in the battlefield, am I wrong? " .

" No you're not " Volga replied instead of Jamal " even though your reason was justified as you wanted to protect the woman you love, however it didn't change the fact that you have sacrificed many of our comrades for this goal . We have effectively forgiven you but we didn't forget ".

" Thank you for your honesty " he replied " I will try my best to find a way to repent from all I have done ".

" Such a good idea " Jamal conceded.

" Now your turn Carl . Seems like love is main reason for everyone to draw back, so what is yours? Because I doubt you have any girl who is waiting for you to take care of her " Sania spouted what made him bowing his head shamefully.

" In fact I don't have valuable reasons to not join. It's just that earlier I was too scared to leave my seat , I was afraid of this mission because I got a strange feeling when I saw your bodies moving slowly further away "

Jamal stopped being disinterested, he had a serious face when he asked him " what was the feeling you get ? " . Carl lifted slowly his head up and stared at him with sorrowful eyes " the feeling that I would never get back ", he chuckled " It is a little ironic as I don't have any thing left in this earth yet I'm scared to leave it ".

" Bullshit " Sania spat " stop kidding with us, you're just a coward , if you wanna run away, just acknowledge it at least " .

But she didn't understand the meaning of that as Jamal did . " And what about now, how do you feel it ? "

He stroked his arm " the same, the only difference is that I'm less scared " he responded.

Volga lifted her eyebrow and asked " So you mean that... ? " , " I mean that I'm in. I come with you " he glanced at Sania " if you agree of course " Carl said while tightening his fists .

Volga turned her head, glanced at Jamal while querying him soundlessly, the latter shrugged to tell her that he didn't mind, then she turned back her attention to the young man who was waiting for her answer. " You have five minutes to load your stuffs in the car... " she pointed Sania's pickup "... after that will leave. So you better hurry up ". He nodded happily and ran toward the house to go collect his bag.

While he was going up the stairs, Jamal stepped forward and shouted loudly in the direction he was heading " it's the same for you all if you want to join , it's right now or never ". People around him stared at him confused as he had lost his mind then they looked at the entrance of the house and they beheld many of the soldiers coming out from their hideout carrying their backpacks and running down the stairs while bowing their heads down ashamed like little kids when they got caught by their parents after they had done something wrong.

During a moment they couldn't dare looking at him, but he reassured them by telling them " don't worry for that, just get in your cars and prepare yourself to leave soon , " Yes ! " they all shouted before spreading to find their vehicles. Meanwhile Carl came back and put all his baggage in the car, he quickly said goodbye to all his former teammates before getting in . Sania did the same even though she took more time as she wanted to properly apologize for having been to rude with them without considering their situations.

" See you soon, you will see Stainfall is a lovely place " Jamal said to Don while shaking his hand, " I hope so " he responded " thank you ". Then he moved toward Brad while Volga jumped on Don to him one last time before they [ her love is as explosive as Lina's ] he made the comparison. He gave Brad his hand and he grabbed it after a short moment of hesitation, " I don't whether I should start by apologizing or thanking you for having stopped me messing everything up " he said.

" None of them " he replied " I didn't do all that to receive any gratitude "

" But I'm still indebted to you , though " he said, " and I have to repay you back, even if I think it's quite impossible ".

" I don't especially ask you to repay me anything" he paused and thought " but instead I think you can help me with something... a bit complicated "

" Whatever you want, if it's in my capacities " he immediately responded. Jamal leaned toward him and whispered something at his ear .

" Go meet her , tell her it's me who sent you, she would give you all the details ".

" I promise you that I will do my best, even though it's quite an awkward situation " Brad said to him . " I'm counting on you " Jamal before before he moved, he went pulling off Volga from Don's arms and they got on their convertible to lead the mass of cars .