The Masked - Episode 25&26

 

THE TORMENTOR 2

THE MASKED 

The Masked - Episode 25&26

 ( Where•are•you, Ixora? )

Book 2 in the Mindf+ck Trilogy

by Naomi Cindy B.

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a written permission from the author.

Copyright © 2025 

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Warren smiled,—a sad one, then he sat back on the lab bed.

"You have to spend the remaining one week at the hospital at least. You need the peace and calm for your last days" the doctor said, but nothing is entering Warren's ears as he continued sitting there, staring into space.

He got cirrhosis when he was in prison. 

He's human, and of course the chemical he consumed didn't only damage his eyes and taste buds. It also damaged his system, leaving him with cirrhosis.

When he came out of jail last year, it was already past the operable stage, so his doctor had to start prescribing drugs for him just to prolong the time he has left.

He misses the drugs with his Ecstasy pills in the E bottle, and his friends think he takes Ecstasy everytime, but truth is...it's a mixture of both his cirrhosis medication and the E pills.

The E pills blocked his symptoms and strengthened him for real, and that's why his friends didn't know, but not all of them are oblivious though.

One of them knows, and Chicago is aware too.

Chicago has been mourning his death even before he left prison, so even if he dies today, she'd be tearless.

He smiled sadly again, rubbing his tummy.

"I said you'd have to spend the rest of the week here. Apparently, the medications already lost their potency on you, and your E pills will shorten the time you have left from one week to one day if you take them again" the doctor's words sounded again, and he nodded.

"I get it..."

"And I've contacted your father" the doctor said, and Warren looked up.

"The f+ck?"

"Yeah... you've kept it from him enough. Are you gonna continue keeping it till your deathday? He deserves to know he's losing his only child" the doctor said.

Warren stood, but he weakly fell back to the bed. The doctor was right, his limbs are already giving out.

"Preserve your energy, don't be stubborn. Don't cut the one week to one day, you're weak. I'll call the nurses to wheel you to your ward" the doctor held him, but he stood despite his shaking limbs.

"I have to pee" he said, dragging his feet out of the lab.

The doctor sighed pitifully, and a nurse came in.

"Elder Roger Creed is here" she said, and the doctor followed her out.

Elder Creed is on his wheelchair in front of the lab with Lydia behind him. Mykel is with her too.

"I got your call, please tell me it's not true" the old man said shakily. 

His hands are shaking on his laps.

"I'm so sorry, Elder" the doctor said, and Lydia covered her mouth with her palm.

"No hope at all?" Mykel signed, and the doctor nodded.

"I'm sorry" he repeated, and Mykel bit his own tongue painfully.

The buzzing of his phone made him step back, and when he checked the message, he blinked...

It's Ixora.

Ixora: Let's go out different paths. The engagement documents says I'm free to annul anytime I want, right? I don't regret meeting you at the mill, you'll forever be a part of my existence. Live well.

Mykel's palm wrapped on the phone, and he stood there for over two minutes, digesting it.

When he turned around, he met Elder Creed crying already, and Lydia is consoling him.

"I'll go check on him, he should be back from the restroom already" the doctor said and left, but on getting to the washroom, he met emptiness.

Warren isn't there.

The doctor came back to the elder, and Elder Creed wiped his eyes, looking up.

"He must have escaped the hospital again, I warned him to stay in but he never listens" he said.

"I'll find him" Mykel replied, rushing out of the hospital.

--

[Imperial Levels College, Off Limits Nest]

Capri opened the wall locker and brought out Hawke's three fingers and toes in the ice cube.

He emptied them on the table, then he poured gasoline on it and burnt the three.

He's not alone in the room though... he's with Chicago who's blank behind him as she watched the fingers burn.

"It's tonight, right?" She asked, and Capri faced her.

"I made friends with many of the inner prison guards before I was released, and it's cos of this day. We'll get in, get him, and come out" Chicago said.

Capri stayed silent, and then Ashton came in with Bronx and Monty, and everyone of them fell weakly on couches.

"Where the hell is Konstant? War?" Capri asked.

"Konstant is home with Fisa, and War? He's probably in the church again. Does he look like he wants to go on? Dude is hungry for death so just leave him be. We'll get things done tonight, and tomorrow... we'll force him to surgery" Ashton replied.

"Are we going to Tennessee?" Monty asked.

"Nope, he's in Cali presently" Bronx replied.

"Are you talking about the leader of the cult?" Chicago asked.

Ashton nodded.

--

[Satan's Heirs Hideaway]

Konstantin is inside Warren's scan room, scanning through the screens.

If it was before, the screens would have went off the moment he entered, but the systems got disorganized already, so the screens are still on.

He's running his fingers through the screen edges, and there are tears in his eyes...the tears didn't fall though.

He's the one who knows about Warren's condition. 

He told Anfisa though, so she's aware too.

He moved his eyes to the glass aquarium, watching the Betta fish swimming around.

He was still staring when Anfisa came in, and when she saw tears in his eyes, she rested on the door.

"Is it one month from now? His deathday?" She asked, sadness looming in her voice too.

Konstantin nodded once, and the sudden beeping of the system behind him made him turn.

There's a footage playing, and he blinked slowly before going closer to the screen.

Anfisa came in fully.

"What's this system connected to?" She asked.

"Falsus eyes, it always has cameras in it's eyes, then recorders and trackers under his wings" Konstantin replied.

"Falsus? I haven't seen that bird since like five days now" Anfisa said, concentrating on the screen too.

The more they watched, the more they got amazed.

It captured faces of some of the cult members, and then their discussions, and their location!

"You mean to tell me they were looking for birds to capture, and it had to be Falsus?" Anfisa scoffed.

"It's their lucky night" Konstantin replied, dialling Ashton.

"Hello, wifey" Ashton boomed despite the sadness roaming.

"Falsus's system just came on, and guess who's on screen?" Konstantin replied.

--

[Police Net]

Stonia is sitting on the only bed in the room, and her hair is crazily scattered on her head.

She's staring into space, completely spacing out.

Rafael is trying everything to make sure she doesn't go to court for killing Romeo, and she's hoping it works.

She needs to get outta here and beg her daughter on her knees.

A cop appeared by the door with a visitor, and she quickly spranged up when she saw it's Ixora.

"My love" she smiled, rubbing her hands together.

Ixora entered the net and hugged her, tightly. 

She wasn't expecting it, so she stood still for a while before hugging her back.

"I'm sure you must have heard the city people calling Stonia Martinez a bî+ch, and of course that's right...I am" she sniffled.

Ixora broke the hug, but she still held her hands though.

"Dad is making sure you won't have to appear in court. Romeo deserved the death" she said.

"Rafael is still running about? Does he not get tired of me?" Stonia replied.

Ixora stayed silent.

"I mean...I divorced him cos we both needed space to take care of our egos. That's how petty I can be, and he knows it. So why is he still running around cos of me? Shouldn't he just leave me here to rot?" She said.

"You don't mean that, I know you don't. You wanna get outta here more than anyone else" Ixora replied.

"I can't believe I slapped you, can't believe I did it thinking you were an ordinary maid...I just can't..." Stonia shook her head.

"I'm going crazy"

"You're not going crazy. You just need a deep breath, and you'd be fine" Ixora replied.

"Please take care of yourself" Stonia said, and Ixora nodded with a slight smile.

"Of course"

She eventually left after time got over, and she was led out of the station.

She got back into her car outside. Nadine is waiting for her inside it.

"How was it?" Nadine asked.

"Not as bad as I thought. Everyone probably has bad parents in this city" Ixora replied.

"My parents are the real bastards, not yours. You have a loving dad, and your mum is not bad... she's just... different" Nadine said.

"Different" Ixora replied, and Nadine nodded as they drove off.

"Are we going back home?" Nadine asked.

"Not yet, I'm making a detour" Ixora replied.

Nadine didn't understand till they got to Crescent Hospital.

Nadine stayed in the car again, and Ixora took out a briefcase from the car trunk.

"What's that?" Nadine asked.

"Complete payment to Dr. Fat, I'll be right back" Ixora replied, entering the hospital fast.

She wore face cap before entering his hallway, and she easily opened his door, entering his office.

She met him drinking water, but he spranged up the moment she entered.

"You didn't have to bring two black cards in a briefcase" he smiled.

"Wanted to make it special" Ixora smiled, dropping the bag on the table.

"You should go see Serena in the police net, but make sure to go with an handkerchief to your nose. I'm sure she's oozing badder than before. Soon, the rotting will spread to her body,. She'd die within some days, I'm certain" Dr. Fat laughed.

Ixora sat in front of him, mounting her legs as he opened the briefcase.

But instead of two black cards, he was surprised...

Something went off like a detonation, blowing pink powder on his face and causing him to cough, swatting the air with his hand.

"What...what the...hell"

Ixora remained seated, but a nose mask is over her nose right now to block herself from getting affected.

"When Warren Creed was in jail, Matron supplied Hawke with the chemicals he was injected with. Matron got the chemicals from this hospital, and precisely from you... Dr. Argent" she said from under her mask, still sitting.

"I told you I'd do anything for money, what part of that do you not understand!" Dr. Fat gasped, feeling instantaneous changes in his system already.

"He taught me that chloroform is poisonous, then arsenic and asbestos. I mixed the three and then added vervain, then I powdered them and left it to dry in the morning sun. You just inhaled the conjunction, Mr. Argent" Ixora said, and his eyes widened.

"What!" He held his neck as it's starting to redden with his ears.

"You're a doctor, but that doesn't mean you'd find the antidote. In fact..." 

She stood at this point, her eyes still indifferent.

"There's no antidote, and you won't be able to move from your spot till you die in two minutes." She smiled, carrying the suitcase and zipping it back before waving slightly.

"Goodbye, Dr. Argent. Nice working with you" she said, taking two steps back.

The sound of the doctor's gurgles and grunts and groans accompanied her out of the office, and she could head him falling on the ground as she stepped into the hallway.

She got back in the car with Nadine at the park, and the cutie was already sleeping.

She smiled, adjusting Nadine's head on the headrest before she drove the car out of the hospital.

Getting back home at Rafael's place, she carried Nadine inside like a mum, setting her in bed and covering her up before getting an injection from her table of judgement.

Thanks to her dad, she was able to get the needed chemicals.

She stepped out, then she proceeded to the backspace, to Evelyn's cage.

Evelyn is still in there, sitting powerlessly and barely even breathing with her half-burnt body and torn scalp.

Immediately she felt Ixora's presence, she tried to turn to her,but she couldn't even move her neck.

"Pl...ple..ase" she murmured, her lips heavy with pains.

Ixora squatted and pointed her hand inside, stabbing her neck with the injection and releasing all the shot into her body.

Evelyn went still for two minutes, but then she jerked up and began barking...

"Woof!"

"Woof! Woof!"

"Woof!!"

"Yeah... dog. Bark for me" Ixora smiled, nodded and enjoying the melody.

Nadine is behind the place, watching with wide eyes. She woke up immediately Ixora left the room actually, and she traced her here.

Evelyn deserves even more than this if possible, but she didn't expect Ixora to handle it herself.

She looks different, so different.

Ixora stood, turning back sharply. Their eyes met, and Nadine sighed as she walked to her.

"I killed a lady named Anastasia, I killed a man in Capetown, I killed Dr. Fat." She confessed.

Nadine stayed calm.

"Just thought I should tell you... we're besties after all" Ixora continued, and Nadine smiled.

"I don't care, I'll take any version of you"

Ixora was about to talk again when her phone buzzed.

It's a notification alert from a particular region.

--

[A Gravesite]

Aleksandr and Mariya finally gathered the courage to come to their child's grave today.

Beatrice brought them here, and she's standing behind them, watching as they sorrowed in front of their son's small grave.

Mariya broke down again, the grief unbearable as she tore from her husband's arms, going down on her knees and laying on the tombstone.

Aleksandr looked back with teary eyes, glancing at Beatrice.

"Leave...I might change my mind and kill you if you stay a minute longer" he told her.

With a brief bow, Beatrice left the gravesite, crying as she rushed to her car.

--

[Hello Hospital]

Mykel still hasn't come back.

Elder Creed and Lydia has been waiting since morning, but he still hasn't come back with Warren.

They're both still at the hallway, waiting.

"I didn't tell you why Maureen is so hell-bent on killing Warren, did I?" He asked.

"You didn't" Lydia replied, and the man adjusted on his wheelchair.

"Doreen and Maureen's late father was a businessman, and his dream was to handover his empire to Doreen after his death, but Doreen wasn't interested in managing the business, she was more interested in embroidery. Maureen is a careless greedy woman, and their father couldn't risk handing over to her, but when Doreen refused to take over, the father had no choice...he had to hand over to Maureen"

"But on one condition... Doreen must be beside her to guide her before he'd handover the company to Maureen. That was the will he wrote for the lawyer. Without Doreen, Maureen can't take over, and then Doreen died after birthing the twins. Of course Maureen got angry...she lost her father's lucrative business so she lost her senses too. To her, Warren didn't kill Doreen, Warren killed her chance to riches..." Elder Creed said.

Lydia left his wheelchair and sat, shutting her eyes as everything sank in, but then she remembered Warren hasn't returned, and her eyes snapped open.

"What if she got him already!" She quickly said.

"Got who?" Konstantin asked from behind, and Lydia looked up to see him and Anfisa.

Before they could talk, Mykel rushed back in, breathing hard and sweating.

"I can't find him" he breathlessly said.

Lydia's eyes widened.

--

[Core Prison, 7pm]

Disguised as prison guards, Capri and Chicago entered the prison yard, led by Chicago's ally among the guards.

The place is silent mostly because almost all inmates are asleep, and Hawke is in solitary.

The ally guard took them to the solitary gate and left them alone, then they pushed the gate open by themselves, entering the room where Hawke is seated alone like a slave.

His remaining fingers and toes are truly gone too... Chicago got rid of them before she left prison. He looks like he's suffering from leprosy.

He stood the moment he saw their faces, shock in his eyes.

"Of course, only one person scares you...the monster you created" Chicago chuckled, knowing he's definitely scared of Capri.

"Making you kill your mother was because she was threatening to divorce me, taking Carina with me to my murders was because I wanted to build her, and about Warren...I only did what I was told by Matron!" Hawke said in a rush.

"If I was here for talks, I'd have brought a chair with me to sit down on, it's hightime you leave" Capri shakily replied, getting out his gun.

The memory of how he was stabbing his own mother with the butter knife is still fresh in his memories, and it was slashing him the more he stared at Hawke.

Chicago pulled out her own gun too, and at once, they shot, releasing two bullets to his skull from the silent pistol.

"For mum" Capri said, shedding tears.

Then they shot at the same time again, hitting him in the chest this time.

"For War" Chicago added, and Hawke's body fell in the solitary prison with wide wordless mouth.

Capri lowered his gun and backed the wall, crying harder.

Chicago gave him a glance and patted him on the shoulder as Hawke's blood pooled.

"It's fine, you'll be fine" she assured, though she's aware he'd never be fine.

No one kills their mother—knowingly or unknowingly, and still remains fine.

He'd live with the guilt, for life.

--

[Cat Eye Brotherhood]

Tonight, it's the leader's turn to take the lady, and whenever the leader takes the lady, no one takes her again, so it's just him.

A married woman was captured for him, and the woman was splayed wide on the taking table.

The room is silent as the leader himself stood, bringing the dove cage up.

He opened it and took out the dove, ready to purify the woman, but the first thing he noticed was the dove eyes.

Definitely, it has cameras.

"Who brought this?" He muttered, and a member stood.

"I did" he said fearfully.

The leader got the sword, ready to throw his head away from his neck, but Falsus took the opportunity to fly away from his grasp.

The bird flapped it's wing on the his face, slapping him with it. The sword fell from him, and then it proceeded to using it's beak to pull off the leader's mask.

His face got bare to others, and the other members stood in shock.

His eyes are wide too, and he was about to tie back his mask when they received visitors...

Three people walked into the room... Bronx, Monty and Ashton.

Falsus quickly flew to Ashton, and the shock on the faces of the cult members doubled.

The three visitors are looking at the leader with deadly gazes, but the eyes of Bronx and Ashton are the most poisonous, cos the leader is none other than Mr. Smith...

Their father.

--

[A Hidden House]

The only thing Warren remembers is that he was in the hospital restroom when everything went blank, and he fell, then someone took him.

His eyes opened in a small room, and when he realized he has been tied to a mattress, he struggled with the small ropes, but his energy ain't even sufficient to break free 

He's weak as f+ck.

"Don't try too much" a voice spoke from the second wall, and he turned his head there slowly.

Maureen is sitting on a tall bench, holding a gun and smiling creepily.

"I'm guessing you're the tasteless twin of my mother" Warren muttered, and she smiled wider.

"Of course, there's no difference between me and her... facially." She said.

"What exactly do you want?" Warren mumbled, his lips chapped and dry, and his throat parched.

"What do I want?" Maureen jumped down from the bed.

"You have to die...you killed Doreen so you have to die. And I happen to hear that you're a twin, is that why Lydia said I was after the wrong person? Cos if she had birthed you alone, she'd have survived, but then she had to carry twins. I don't care who came out first or who came out last, but you'd die, and your brother follows. I'm poor cos of your birth, and you both can't just live fine...it's not done" Maureen said, strolling around his bed.

Warren blinked his one eye, then he snapped it shut.

"I've seen many bi+çhes in my 25 years of living, but your bî+chiness? Has to be the most bland...dude. You're boring like your face. You might share a face with mum, but at least you don't have the pink lips which she passed down to me. You don't have the thick brows and long lashes...you don't have the charm." he muttered powerlessly.

Maureen stopped walking, checking out her gun and blowing it.

"And if you're the villain Matron talked about, then I'm disappointed. Such an eyesore" Warren talked again, and that was the last straw.

Maureen cocked her gun, ready to shoot.

"Don't worry, I'll send your twin right after" she said, pulling the trigger on him, but before it could reach him, someone barged in and knocked into her from behind.

The bullet hit the wall instead, and the gun fell from Maureen, but she was quick to roll back, catching the person and bringing her to the ground.

It's Ixora.

"Oh... it's the little testimonial" Maureen muttered under her breath, landing punches on Ixora's face...

Hard, bloody ones on her vital areas of her mouth.

Ixora only allowed four, and she was already bleeding before she turned Maureen over, delivering her own punches too.

"If you're that bold, you shouldn't be sneaking around wearing that ninja outfit... biich!" She slammed.

The sound or her punches rhymed with the sound of her quick breaths as she blew Maureen repeatedly till the woman lost a tooth, then she luckily was able to kneel Ixora between her legs 

Ixora fell from her, then they both stood at once.

Ixora stretched her a kick, and Maureen fell back to the ground, luckily landing exactly where the gun fell.

She picked the gun and shot, but Ixora moved over. That wasn't enough though, cos the bullet hit her lower stomach.

She held that place with a sharp groan, then she moved again as Maureen kept shooting at her, and the shots kept hitting the wall.

Warren is restless in bed, trying to get his bottle of E pills to use.

Even if it'd shorten his time left to one day, at least he'd be able to fight Maureen off.

Maureen shot till her bullet finished in the gun, then she threw it down and picked a chair to slam on Warren in bed.

Ixora kicked it off, and then she kicked her again in the face.

Maureen staggered, and before she could stand straight, Ixora landed him another punch and a elbow.

Seems Maureen only relies on weapons cos without her gun, she's useless.

Ixora made sure to never stop the punches, and when Maureen later fell again, she sat on her, placed her knees on her hands and resumed the punches.

Five...ten... fifteen... twenty...

By now, Maureen is already bleeding from the nose and mouth, and the second tooth already flew out.

Ixora dropped her 21st punch, and she smiled...

"You just joined the register, third person I killed" she said, then her hand we to Maureen's neck.

She twisted it, cracking it off.

The sound reached Warren's ears, and he stopped the drug he was about to take.

The bottle fell from him, and Ixora looked up from Maureen's body, their eyes meeting genuinely for the first time in a year.

--

[Hello Hospital, 9pm]

When Ixora brought Warren back, Lydia and the rest were already out to look for him, so it's just Elder Creed left.

Warren was received by the doctors, and he was tucked in bed after he was given another hospital gown.

Elder Creed stayed behind on his wheelchair, but Ixora stood beside his bed after her shot belly got attended to.

"How did you find me?" He asked dryly, licking his lips. It's too fuckin dry, and it's peeling so much.

"That concert night when she was coming towards you, i didn't only cover you, but I also planted a sticker tracker on her since she seemed suspicious. I tracked her house, and I've been watching her since then. I decided to watch her today again when I get notified that she's making a move, and I was lucky to meet her there..." She explained.

"Thank you" he replied.

"No... I've always wanted to do it for you even if it's for once" she said, and he slightly smiled.

"Last stage cirrhosis? Seriously?" She said, and he sighed.

"A week left" he said.

She nodded.

"Cruel fate huh?"

"Find something better than cruel" he replied, smiling shortly again.

Ixora stayed neutral, and she was about to say goodbye before her phone rang in her pocket... it's Rafael calling.

"I have to go" she said.

Warren couldn't even reply.

He could only stare painfully as she left the ward.

IMMEDIATELY SHE LEFT, THE DOCTOR CAME BACK INSIDE, ALL SMILES.

"SURPRISE! WE MIRACULOUSLY FOUND OUT THAT WE CAN STILL OPERATE ON IT!" HE ANNOUNCED.

"REALLY?" ELDER CREED ASKED SHOCKINGLY FROM HIS WHEELCHAIR.

"TRUST ME, YOU'RE A BENEVOLENT MAN WHO HAS HELPED MANY IN THIS CITY. WE CAN'T JUST WATCH YOUR SON DIE...IN FACT, THE SURGERY TEAM ARE ON THEIR WAY" THE DOCTOR SAID.

"YES!!" ELDER CREED SHOUTED, AND IXORA CAME BACK INTO THE WARD.

"SERIOUSLY?" SHE SAID, EYES WIDE.

"SERIOUSLY" THE DOCTOR REPLIED, AND THEN SHE RUSHED TO WARREN'S BED, CLIMBING WITH HIM AND LEANING DOWN...

BEFORE SHE COULD CAPTURE HIS LIPS, WARREN SNAPPED OUT OF HIS IMAGINATION.

Yeah...the capital letters miracle were all his imagination.

He's dying in a week, nothing could stop it.

But why does he suddenly want to live? 

Why does he suddenly want to survive this?

Why is he suddenly holding on tight to breathing?

He felt his breaths turning shallow and shallow as his mouth opened.

"I wanna live" he muttered, tears riding off his eyes.

TBC.

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