The Black Sparrow

LP: Chapter 5

Georgina’s mind raced as she processed the information. Stanford was no small feat; it was one of the top universities in the world. She couldn’t help but wonder what a woman like Elena was doing in a clinic in Toronto. Was she here for business, or was she there for something else?

“Do you live nearby?” Elena’s voice broke through her thoughts, and Georgina turned to see her looking genuinely curious.

“Just a few blocks away,” Georgina replied, keeping her tone neutral. She didn’t want to give away too much. “I moved here a while ago.”

Elena nodded, her eyes sparkling with interest. “I love Toronto. It’s so vibrant. I came here for a short trip, but I might extend my stay. There’s something about this city that feels… alive.”

Georgina smiled politely. “Yes, it has its charm.” She glanced at the magazine again, trying to gauge if Elena was just a friendly stranger or if she had ulterior motives.

“Are you married?” Elena asked suddenly, her tone casual but with an edge of curiosity.

Georgina’s heart skipped a beat. “No, not yet,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “Just… in a relationship.”

“Ah, that’s nice. Do you think you’ll tie the knot soon?” Elena leaned in slightly, her interest piqued.

“Maybe one day,” Georgina said, feeling a slight tension in the air. She was acutely aware of how much she was revealing, even in her vague responses.

Elena smiled, but there was something in her eyes that made Georgina uneasy. “You know, I think weddings are beautiful. They symbolize a new beginning, a promise between two people.”

Georgina nodded, trying to keep the conversation light. “Yes, they are. But there’s a lot of planning involved.”

“True, but it’s worth it, right? I mean, who wouldn’t want a beautiful day to celebrate their love?” Elena’s gaze was intense, as if she were searching for something deeper in Georgina’s response.

“Absolutely,” Georgina replied, her instincts kicking in. She needed to be cautious. “But for now, I’m just focusing on my career.”

Elena tilted her head, studying Georgina. “What do you do?”

Georgina hesitated. “I work in advertising,” she said, opting for a safe answer. “It keeps me busy.”

“That sounds interesting! I’ve always admired creative people. They have a way of seeing the world differently.” Elena’s enthusiasm was palpable, but Georgina still felt a lingering suspicion.

Just then, the nurse called Elena’s name, breaking the tension. “Looks like it’s my turn,” she said, standing up. “It was nice meeting you, George. I hope we can chat more later.”

“Sure,” Georgina replied, watching as Elena walked away. The moment she disappeared behind the clinic door, Georgina’s mind raced. She quickly accessed the information she had gathered on Elena.

Elena was twenty-nine, an orphan from Madrid, and had a business degree from Stanford. But there was something else—something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. The woman seemed harmless, yet Georgina couldn’t shake the feeling that she was more than just a friendly stranger.

As she waited for her own appointment, Georgina considered her options. Should she dig deeper into Elena’s background? There was no harm in being cautious, especially given her line of work. The Vanguard Triad had taught her to trust her instincts, and right now, her instincts were screaming at her to keep an eye on this woman.

After her appointment, she decided to do some research on Elena. She pulled out her phone and began searching for any news articles or social media profiles that could give her more insight into the woman she had just met.

As her search continued, she found a few articles about a charity organization Elena had started in Madrid, focusing on helping orphans and underprivileged children. The articles painted her in a positive light, showcasing her dedication to making a difference in the world.

“Interesting,” Georgina muttered to herself. Maybe Elena was genuinely a good person. But then again, appearances could be deceiving.

With a sigh, she put her phone away and decided to focus on her health instead. She needed to see the doctor, get the medication she needed, and then she would figure out what to do about Elena.

As she sat in the clinic, waiting for her name to be called, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter was just the beginning of something unexpected.

And in her world, unexpected could mean trouble.

***

Lucian placed the bouquet of flowers on the hood and then walked towards where they were. He doesn’t want any bloodshed and hopes everything can be resolved through a proper conversation.

“Is there a problem here?” Lucian pulled the woman away from the grip of one man. It was only now that he noticed her lip was split and her right cheek was beginning to swell.

“What I would do is turn around and leave if I were you. No need to worry about this, fratello.” As he reached out, the woman stepped back and hid behind Lucian. She was trembling with fear.

“I don’t mean to interfere, but she’s hurt. I’d like to take her to the hospital so she can get proper care. You can talk to her then if you like. Please excuse us.”

Lucian was about to turn and leave with the woman when one of the men pulled out a knife. “Leave her here.”

It’s not just a regular knife. Lucian recognized it. The military adopted the stiletto knife as its primary combat blade. It resembled a dagger. It became standard equipment for the military and was used in battle. The knife looks like a dagger due to its long, thin blade. The blade’s point is where the action is, so to speak. Because of the blade’s sharp edge, it can cut very deeply, causing serious damage. It’s extremely lethal.

Lucian heaved a sigh and told the woman to step aside. He faced the man and said, “Don’t hurt yourself.” The man glared at Lucian.

He doesn’t carry a gun or a knife because he doesn’t need one. But he is not dying anytime soon and it’s definitely not today. The man with the knife looked at his friend.

“Give him a knife and let’s see what he’s capable of. I want to play.”

The man threw the same knife he was holding at Lucian. Big mistake. He picked it up and waited for the man to attack.

With a snarl, the man took a high guard and unleashed an overhand s***h at Lucian. Quickly and automatically, Lucian countered. The attacker came at Lucian from behind, and he blocked the blow once more. They continued to shimmy back and forth. Lucian realized that after so many years of living away from Italy, the past would always be his shadow.

The phone in his pocket began to vibrate, and Lucian didn’t want her to worry about him. He couldn’t see the caller, but he knew it was Georgina because he promised to be home early. Lucian said he’d make dinner that evening.

The attacker continued to throw overhand blows. Lucian didn’t want to kill anyone today. If this man yielded, he would let him go. He threw up his hands in a parry, pointing them upwards and away from the man’s face, as the man swung at him again.

When the man saw Lucian’s blade coming, he jumped backward and swatted it away in surprise. Lucian did not try to block the strike but instead turned the deflection and slashed at the man’s skull. Blood immediately flowed and ran down towards his neck.

Ah, hell. The man is not going to die from it but, will definitely need stitches.

The man counterattacked, cutting at Lucian. Missed. If he comes home with a wound, there will be hell to pay. And Georgina was not going to be happy about it. She might even blame him for interfering in a fight that wasn’t his.

Lucian swerved to the side and threw a skewed s***h at the man’s hands. The man’s hand was still around the grip of his knife, but he stared in disbelief at his pinky finger, which was lying on the ground. He dropped the knife in shock. He now had only nine fingers.

More blood. Damn.

Lucian didn’t waste any time staring, instead charging in with his blade pointed at the man’s throat to shorten the distance.

He didn’t get hit even once. The two companions of the leader were about to step forward, but the leader, who was being threatened by Lucian’s knife at his neck, signaled them not to approach. He stared Lucian in the eyes, and for a moment, something seemed to glimmer there, but he couldn’t quite grasp it. The man tapped, and Lucian let him go. He threw the knife far away and then ran with the woman, who still looked terrified.

Much to his surprise, the three men didn’t follow them to his car. Lucian didn’t know whether to take the woman home or to the hospital. He needed to get home so he could start cooking. In the end, he took her to the hospital and called Georgina. He told her what had happened.

“Why were those men with you? Do you owe them money?” Lucian asked the woman while waiting in the emergency department lobby.

The woman shook her head. “No.”

“Then why did they hurt you?” He didn’t want to pry, but surely the nurses at the hospital would ask questions, and a police report would need to be filed. He was involved whether he liked it or not.

“Hindi ka dapat nakialam." (You shouldn’t have gotten involved.) The woman didn’t seem pleased that he had helped her. How ungrateful.