Agent M: Testament (The Agent M Series Book 2)

by L. M. Vila

  “So what would you recommend?”

  Every syllable she spoke sounded more defeated than the one before it. Death was staring her in the face and the son of a bitch was laughing.

  “At the very least I'd say you'd be restricted to bed rest. Definitely no work or travelling in the slightest. Just do what makes you comfortable.”

  “May I stay here doctor?” Nicole kindly asked.

  “Absolutely,” the doctor replied.

  His voice nearly broke at that response but he knew he had to stay strong for her sake.

  “We can accommodate you any way you'd like. Just let the nurses know and they'll take care of anything you need.”

  The doctor paused for a moment, knowing full well what he was about to say next wouldn’t be the most sympathetic but required nonetheless.

  “We'll also need to take care of some legal matters as well given the situation.”

  “I understand.”

  “Before I go…”

  Dr. Nayar stopped himself and gave Nicole a look that was so sweet and sympathetic it could make a weaker person burst into tears.

  “Is there anyone here you'd like me to contact? Any friends or family?”

  Nicole almost wanted to laugh but forced herself not to. It was a touchy subject with her. Facing one's mortality is something no one wishes to do alone. She had a whole list of people who may and should know about her condition. Her pride made her go another route.

  “No,” she started barely getting the words out of her mouth. “No friends. No family.”

  “I see,” nodded the doctor. “I'll go draw up your paperwork for our legal team and let the nurses know. Please call them whenever you'd like. You'll be their top priority for the rest of your stay here.”

  “Thank you doctor,” said Nicole.

  She watched him leave the room just as quickly as he entered. There was nowhere left to hide now. All of her options were exhausted. She knew this day would come for quite some time now but chose to constantly ignore it. Not just for her sake but for someone special as well. She would be leaving him soon; all alone in this crazy world. He was strong but there were still so many things she wanted to experience with him. So many things still left to say. Work always got in the way. It was the only time they could bond together. He'd grown up to be quite the young man but still, Nicole wanted to be there for him. She didn't want to leave him with so much left to do.

  Nicole couldn't fight it any longer. The tears started to come down in full force. Her eyes wandered back to the window where the sun rose earlier in the day and watched the orange sky begin to fade into darkness. For the first time in her life, Nicole prayed; prayed for enough time to take care of everything before she had to leave.

  March 25th, 2013 8:29AM (local time)

  Iwate Prefecture, Japan

  Davis sat calmly amongst the beautiful flora that surrounded the entire garden. Lush bushes and mighty green trees spanned as far as his vision would carry. Spring would soon be here and all of the little buds containing hundreds of unique shapes and colors were on the verge of exploding and sharing their glorious faces with the rest of the world.

  The tour was undeniably spectacular. This place was a truly wonderful blend of human ingenuity and Mother Nature’s natural beauty. These people were so warm and friendly which made the tour all the more delightful. If Michael had the opportunity to stay here for many years, there had to be a very good reason as to why he left. So many questions and more began to populate Davis' mind. He could hardly wait to dive right in. The only girl with the answers he sought was sitting right next to him.

  Shiori kept her eyes at a distance. Sometimes she caught herself staring far too long at some of his more intriguing details and didn't want her inquisitive nature to take over and start asking silly questions. She felt like she had to make a good impression for this man. She wanted to. If he was a friend of Michael's then he must be very important. Shiori wanted nothing more than to be a big part of Michael's world again.

  “So tell me Ms. Yamatera,” Davis spoke. “How did you and Michael meet?”

  The poor girl couldn't muster the resolve to stop her smile from showing. She remembered the day clearly. It was one of her most precious memories.

  “Father used to take us to Miyako in the summer. One of his friends had a house there on the beach. It was very private but fun. My sister and I loved going there to swim and play. I was about thirteen at the time and started to become a little rebellious. It's silly now that I think about it but I was still very immature back then. Anyways, if it weren't for my pouting that day, I never would have met him.”

  Davis took note of the strong emotions conveyed by the beauty known as Shiori. Her eyes seemed to glow brighter every time she thought of him. Given the data he's collected, the Michael Madison she knows versus today's incarnation seem like two different people. Shiori paused for a brief moment, obviously relishing in the thought of this memory and continued.

  “The sun was setting. It was time to go home but I wasn’t ready. I wanted to spend more time in the water. My parents tried to force me to leave but I ran off on my own back to the beach. I remember the sand looked very orange that particular day. I hid behind some rocks and before I knew it, waves started come in. I was so scared. I started crying for my parents. A big one was coming. I turned to face it and out of the corner of my eye I see a little boy stuck between two rocks nearby. I thought he was dead at first. Without even thinking about it I jumped down there to try and save him. Wave after wave came and hit us but I didn't let go. I desperately wanted to save him. I summoned all of my strength and was able to free him from the rocks. Using my last bit of energy, I dragged him a few feet on shore before I collapsed. I was so tired after that but I wanted to know if he was okay.”

  Tears began to well in the corner of her eyes. Shiori had remembered all too well the events of that day.

  “When I pulled him out of the water the first thing I noticed was his clothes were so dirty. He must have been swimming out there for hours. We found out later it was actually days. After I caught my breath, I tried to pump the water out of his stomach like I had heard about but I didn't know how to do it properly. Then my parents finally arrived. I ran up to my father with tears in my face begging him to save that boy. He tried so many things for what seemed like a very long time. When he stopped, I was afraid he was going to tell me he was already dead. I didn't want to believe it so I started to cry more. My mother hugged me and told me it would be alright.”

  The memories tugged at her heart in ways she had almost forgotten.

  “Father then picked him up and said we were leaving. I still didn't know if he was alive or dead. When I begged my dad for an answer all he said was, not yet. We put him in our van and drove straight back here without stopping. He just laid in the back seat not moving. Sometimes he would cough or do something to tell us he was still alive. I remember never taking my eyes off of him. I was still so worried. My big sister held me close and told me I did the right thing and everything would be alright. My father was normally a casual driver but on that day I never saw him drive so fast.”

  Shiori smiled brightly. Her father was stern in his resolve but the look on his face that day showed he was just as worried as anyone else.

  “After we arrived back home, there was a big discussions with all of the elders and instructors about what to do with the boy. They wanted to take him to a hospital but my father was stern with his decision to let him stay here. He told everyone how if it weren't for me, he would have died on those rocks and that since she wanted to save him so badly, we should at least give allow him to meet and thank his savior.”

  The girl paused for a moment and looked down upon her hands. Fingers danced around each other as they sat upon her lap.

  “He slept for three days. I would check on him as often as I could, sometimes sneaking away at night to do so. We were always taught that whenever you save a life, they become your responsibility. I n
ever really knew what it meant until then. I never wanted anything more in my entire life up until that point other than to see him wake up. However, when he did, let's just say it wasn't the fairy tale ending I had hoped for.”

  “Fairy tale ending?” Questioned Davis. “What do you mean?”

  Redness swelled within Shiori's cheeks.

  “It's not important,” she defended. “Anyways, when he woke up it caused more of a disaster than any of us could have imagined.”

  “A Stranger in a Strange Land...” Said Davis quietly to himself.

  That was one of his favorite books for the longest time. Fiction is sometimes closer to reality than most people realize.

  Shiori started to laugh to herself.

  “Madison-kun woke up in the middle of the third night. Everyone was already asleep. One of our instructors who had gotten up for a snack noticed activity in one of the gardens. He had no idea where he was and when the instructor came to help him, Michael attacked him. By the time most of us came to check out the commotion, the instructor was lying unconscious a few meters away from where Michael was standing.”

  “He defeated one of your instructors? But he was barely a teenager at that time?”

  Davis sold his surprise pretty well. He wasn't exactly sure how much Shiori really knew about Michael so he treaded carefully.

  The girl nodded and continued.

  “That wasn't the only one. Anyone who came close got attacked. By the time the Grand Master had made it outside, Michael had already taken out three of them. He looked so scared and angry but he held his ground. It wasn't until the Grand Master stepped that he calmed down a bit. He was the first one to approach Michael with his arms behind his back. Then he said,” Shiori stopped and did the best impersonation of her great grandfather that she could muster.

  “Did you have a nice swim?”

  Davis appreciated the sense of humor. Both from the old man and Shiori's delivery.

  “It was then we all heard him speak for the first time. He looked around and said: That was Japanese. Do you mean, is this Japan?!”

  Shiori laughed again.

  “Michael calmed down a lot after that. We brought him inside and gave him food. I'll never forget how much he ate that night. He must have had three pots of rice before he was content. My mother was so happy to give him all of that food because she knew it made me happy. Everyone wanted to pitch in.”

  “Was your entire village present?”

  “He caused quite a scene so everyone was worried at first. Even though it was late, everyone decided to stay up and hear his story. He told us he was from America but was very secretive at first. It took a while but we were able to make him feel comfortable enough to open up to us. We spent a few more hours listening to his stories. He wasn't even halfway finished before morning came.”

  “So, what happened after all of that?”

  “Things calmed down pretty quickly. The Grand Master was very interested with Michael's fighting prowess since he was able to best three of the Grand Master's finest students. He offered to train Michael and allow him to live here in the village but gave him an ultimatum. If he was going to live among them he was going to have to do exactly what they said. The first of which was that they wanted him to go to school with me. I was so excited to hear that.”

  “I heard about that. But wasn't that a bit of a step back for him.”

  Shiori nodded.

  “We didn't know at the time but Michael was already well educated. He spoke over twenty different languages and had graduate level education in biology, chemistry, and physics. Even with all of the education he received, Michael still went to school every day with me. When I asked him why he bothered he said that he was still learning something new every day here. Before he was taught classes in a small room all by himself with instructors coming in one at a time. This was the first time he got to interact with people and be a part of a community. He really liked coming to school every day.”

  “Very interesting Ms. Shiori. But I have another question if you don't mind me asking.”

  “What is it LeClair-san?” She smiled.

  Though their time was short, Shiori felt very comfortable sitting and talking with the young Paladin. She felt like she could tell him anything no matter how sacred or embarrassing.

  “What is your relationship like with Michael?”

  Well, except maybe that. Shiori felt herself turning red and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She steeled herself and pulled her memories out from that faithful day.

  “Every generation we hold a contest to determine who is going to be the heir of our clan. That means, eventually, they will become the new Grand Master. It's not something that happens right away. You just get placed in line. Currently my father is next in line for that title.”

  Her expression dimmed as she pulled some buried memories into the light.

  “We are very selective on who we allow to compete in this tournament. Usually only the top ten students in our class get chosen. It was a very difficult time. Everyone was very competitive and brash, but it was very understandable. This contest was held very rarely and few should be so lucky as to be born around the time we hold it. The winner of this tournament would not only get the highest honor of becoming our Grand Master someday but also they would be given the hand of one of our female heirs. This way, they will truly be a part of the Yamatera family.”

  “Are you saying what I think you're saying Ms. Shiori?” Davis asked.

  He had a hunch but didn't want to pressure this nice young lady into giving him the answer outright. She had to give it willingly or not at all.

  Shiori gave a soft nod.

  “Yes. The winner of that tournament would become my husband.”

  “And this is normal for you?”

  The sadness in Shiori's eyes gave Davis the answer he sought before she even spoke.

  “We've been doing it for hundreds of years. Who am I to fight tradition?”

  “I see. That must have been very hard for you Ms. Shiori,” Davis empathized.

  Arranged marriages were fairly commonplace with certain cultures but this goes beyond anything the Paladin has ever heard of.

  “And how does Michael fit in with this story?”

  “Because Michael was a foreigner, he wasn't allowed to compete. He had mentioned a few weeks earlier that after he turned eighteen he was going to go back to America to find someone important to him so that too worked against his favor. But I begged and begged and begged my grandfather for days on end to allow Michael to compete. It didn't take much for him to agree to it. Michael was the best student. Everybody already knew that. Some of the guys said they wouldn't take part either if he didn't. They said it would shame their honor to win without fighting the best.”

  “So Michael was going to fight for you?”

  Shiori shook her head.

  “Not at first. He was hesitant given his situation. But we had declared our love for each other not too long before that so I begged him to do it for me. I told him there was no other man I wanted to spend my life with. He was still reserved about it but agreed to do it for me. I was so happy. When the tournament finally arrived I felt so nervous but not Madison-kun. He was still so calm and cool. I think I feel even deeper in love with him after that day.”

  The young woman let out a soft laugh followed by a smile.

  “Naturally, he was crowned the winner at the end of the day. I don't remember feeling any happier. We embraced in front of the whole village. Some of them were shocked that we were so bold but I didn't care. I was allowed to marry the man I loved. Nothing could have brought me down. Or so I thought.”

  “Then Michael left back to America.”

  She nodded.

  “I pleaded with him to stay but I knew in my heart that he had to go. The day he left, Madison-kun gave me a gift. It was the crystal he brought back from the trails in Mountain of Judgment.”

  “What are the trials?”

&
nbsp; “It's something all of the heirs have to do. There are these caves inside of the mountain about a day's walk from here. They have to delve deep within and retrieve evidence that they made it all the way to the inner peak and return with it. Normally, there are a few crystals of various colors. We used these colors to determine what kind of fortune the heir will bring as the new Grand Master. Green would mean good with money, red good with family, the list goes on and on.”

  “What color did Michael bring back?”

  Shiori smiled. She pulled out the small black jewelry box she grabbed from earlier and began to play with it in her hands as she spoke.

  “Madison-kun was confused with the instructions and brought back a small black piece of coal. Those can be found anywhere in the cave so naturally it didn't prove that he completed the trail properly. Then he took the rock and crushed it within his hands to reveal a beautifully cut and shining clear crystal.”

  She opened the box and revealed the contents to which she spoke of. Davis was very impressed. Her detailed definition didn't do this rock justice. He was still so full of questions and the list continued to grow.

  “Clear? What does that represent?”

  “We don't know. None of the previous Grand Masters have ever returned with a clear crystal before. Great grandfather says that it may be the luckiest one because his future is unwritten. A lot of people became very excited and are now awaiting his ascension into the role of Grand Master with the highest of anticipation.”

  “And why did he give this crystal to you?”

  “Madison-kun was always very sweet. He knew how much it broke my heart when he left so he entrusted the crystal to me as a promise of our engagement. He said he'd be back for this and me when his work was done in America. He left that day and I trusted his words that he would be back. With his return now, even if it was so sudden, I'm still very happy.”