Reborn Heart of Steel

The interior of the General Hospital was a distant contrast to what was going on outside the doors. Here, the air pulsated with a more desperate energy the silent work of doctors and nurses who were fighting for the lives of their patients.

Chase, Zoe, and I walked to Alessandro’s room and I felt like I was sleepwalking as if the inside of me was different from a few hours ago when we were inside The Raven’s hideout fighting for the future of the city. Now, we were moving through empty corridors with bald fluorescent lights above our heads, with our shoes screeching on the linoleum floor far too loudly outside the hardened walls.

He became silent for some time and then asked in a very soft tone: ”Are you fine?”

I simply nodded my head while not being capable to reply as I waited to finally see him. What was true is that I couldn’t tell whether I was in the right state of mind or not. The high intake that had been with me through the fight with Chase was now wearing off and in its place I was feeling pain and confusion as to what was next.

We went into Alessandro’s room and I stopped by the door, waiting for him to look up so that I could talk to him and find out how he was really doing. I was unsure what I would say to him. How could I begin to encompass all the occurrences that had taken place before, during and after he had gone into Coma? How will I apologize for everything? Because I still feel the weight on my shoulder that it was my fault he had to go through all this.

” Calm down”, Zoe added, supporting my hand on my shoulder. Looking back, they could do nothing against the boy and his absolutes: “We’re right here with you. ” I said softly: “Take all the time you need. ”

Taking the last triumphant breath, I turned the doorknob and forced the door wide.

With a pallor indicative of exhaustion but his eyes opened, Alessandro sat more upright in bed. On having a glance at me, his eyes glittered, and I could easily notice the affection, or better still, the love in his eyes.

“Brianne,” he spoke softly, and there was a rawness in the sound that comes when years of not using a voice comes to the forefront coupled with the sheer happiness that shone through in his voice. “You’re here. ”

I ran towards his bed, and I almost felt my tears welling up in my eyes. “Alessandro, I. ..

I can’t believe that you are awake. I tried my best…” ”

He puts a rather small smile on his face

“Shhhss,” he placed his hands on his lips ” I am alive thanks to you”.

Like any other time when his hand encompassed mine, a torrent of emotions came over me and I narrated to him the entire saga of the investigation, the existence of The Raven, the assault on the city and all the other incidents that had occurred. I guess Chase and Zoe saw my confusion so they joined in and provided other details that I cannot remember well.

Silently, Alessandro listened to the words that were shared with him and the more we spoke, the more his mouth became a thin line on his face. After that, he sat for some time in silence. He looked at me and said no more.

He swore and said a few words: “I remember. .. Fragments. ” “The night the men attacked me. They wanted to catch someone, but I stood in the wrong place. I saw a meeting, I think, but the rest of the details are rather blurry. ”

Zoe moved in her chair. “Every detail you can recall might be significant, Alessandro. We have managed to arrest The Raven, but he has supporters’. ”

Alessandro shut his eyes tight; a deep line creased between his eyebrows. ‘There was a symbol,’ I told him, and pointing at the briefcase one of them was carrying, ‘A raven, but. .. Different. Mechanical, almost. ‘

That look made Chase and I exchange looks with her, Zoe. As for me, we have not experienced such behavior.

“And a name, ” Alessandro carried on his vocalizations, adding the last bit of oomph he had in him. “They mentioned a person named: … The Architect. ”

I shivered, involuntarily. “The Architect? Who’s that?”

“No sir,” Alessandro shook his head and couldn’t help but look annoyed. “I don’t know but the way they spoke to him. . Or her. . It was as if they worshiped the person. ”

The implications were staggering. And so what if The Raven was not the one at the top of the hierarchy, if there was someone else who was the puppet master. . .

Just as I began to think about the events. A disturbance from the hallway intruded on my meditation. Shouting, footsteps, The next couple of minutes are filled with noise. Chase got up slowly and excused himself, walking over to stand by the door with his eyes half open.

‘We have news,’ he said, and the tone of the voice was full of stress. “There are many staff members working here and there. It seems to be serious. ”

Zoe was already on her feet, ready to make a move. “There will be some free time. ” “Like hell I will. ” I will take a look. ” “You two stay here with Alessandro. ”

When she went out, I turned back to Alessandro, trying to quell the sensation that was rising from the pit of my stomach like a suffocating black cloud. “Have you maybe forgotten something? Do you remember anything else at all?”

He just shook his head, and could see the frustration clearly written on his face. “Oh, it has to do with everything; one thing is related to another. You know, I would be more useful if I could. ”

“Hi,” I whispered and then holding his hand tightly. “You have done so much that I do not even know about it, You will find the solution, that I assure you. ”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Growling low in his throat, Chase, still by the door, leaned slightly forward. “Guys, we’ve got company. ”

We all shifted our gaze towards the door and were spellbound by what we found.