"Damn… I did all this?"
Jack sat in Anna's private library, going through the reports she gave him to read in the hopes he would remember something about his past. But the reading through those reports only scared him… from himself.
The reports Angela showed him at the station were only the tip of the iceberg. The actual crimes he committed were far more than mere murder, kidnapping, and extortion.
There wasn't a single crime in the world that he hadn't committed, all apart from intimate abuse. That, too, was because Anna would have put a bullet in his head if he dared to look at another woman.
The more Jack learned about his past, the more he understood why he lived as a homeless bum. With all the crimes, he would be a permanent resident of a maximum security prison for multiple lifetimes.
Yet, Anna somehow got me pardoned by the president. I wonder if she has some dirt on them.
It wasn't a far-fetched thought. Anna was a capable woman, perhaps the most capable in the entire country. Thankfully, the DNA report came positive or else she would have offed him on the spot.
Anna was sitting across from him, sipping wine while scrutinizing his expressions. She wanted to ensure Jack wasn't playing the role of a demented man and had actually lost his memories.
While it was frustrating, she understood he wasn't lying. She wanted her old Jack back, as he was the only one allowed to get close to her, not the jack in front of her.
She sighed, remembering the joy she felt when someone ran Jack's fingerprints at a police station. He had been missing for four years and Anna wanted him back with her at all costs.
That's when she called the president, threatening her to leak all the evidence of her misdeeds to the world, if she didn't pardon Jack for his crimes. While the world could keep hunting Jack, she turned New Borealis into a safe place for him.
The president didn't want to spend a night in the prison and begrudgingly agreed, warning Anna, but she didn't care. All she wanted was for Jack to return home, no matter what, and that's what she did.
However, karma came to bite her in the butt. The Jack she had wanted to embrace no longer existed. He was gone, replaced by someone who claimed to have no memory of his past.
At first Anna didn't believe him, but soon she came to terms with it. However, she didn't give up. She would remind him who he was, no matter how long it took.
Until then, Jack would remain by her side.
"You can keep reading if you like," she said. "I have something to take care of."
"Alright."
Anna smiled hearing his voice before walking outside. Jack had barely let out a breath when she returned with two guards. One was the bald guy who had brought Anna the DNA report, and the other was a slim Asian guy rocking a ponytail.
"This is Barco," Anna said, pointing at the bald guy. "And this is Takeshi. They'll be your bodyguards from now and accompany you at all times."
"There's no need—"
Jack wanted to refuse, but Anna's cold glare made him stop mid sentence.
"Since no one knows about you, you can keep living your life like normal," she said. "But from now on, you will live in the mansion. There's also a curfew in place. Braco and Takeshi will ensure you abide by it."
Anna didn't give Jack any chance to refute her and walked out, leaving the three of them. Barco stood there with his hand behind his back, while Takeshi leaned against the wall, watching Jack intently.
"So... I guess you guys live here too?"
No answer.
"I'll be in your care, then."
Still nothing.
Jack scratched his head. They were supposed to be his bodyguards. Maybe that's why they didn't talk to him, or perhaps Anna had asked them not to indulge in idle chat.
In that case…
Jack cleared his throat, looking at Takeshi.
"Get me a cold coffee."
Takeshi nodded and left without saying a word. Jack got the message. While they won't talk to him, they will follow his orders, like those he met before. He then turned towards Barco.
"Don't keep standing," he said. "It bothers me."
Barco nodded and sat on the floor, right where he had been standing. Jack shook his head. These guys were like poorly made robots. They won't use their brain unless Jack's life depended on it.
Anyway… now that Anna isn't breathing down my neck, I can call Angela to check on Granny.
With that thought, Jack turned on his old phone. The one Anna gave him was the latest model of U-Phone. Jack had a hunch that it was bugged and didn't want to use it.
Surprisingly, he only had two messages.
Why am I surprised? I don't know many people here.
One was from Cindy, confirming their plans for the night, and the other was from Angela.
Jack opened Angela's message first. As expected, she had learned what happened from Granny and was worried, asking him to message if he was safe.
Anna didn't say he couldn't leave the mansion, so he thought why not meet them and clear the air?
Besides, all this tension isn't good for Granny's health.
With that thought, he quickly sent her a message.
>> I'm safe. Meet me at Granny's place when you can. I'll explain everything.
He did the same with Cindy, confirming their plans. Anna shouldn't react badly to the news, considering she had clarified that they weren't a thing till he regained his memories. But as a precaution, he would tell her he was going out with a friend.
Just as he was about to put the phone down, Mehra's message popped up. He wanted to know when Jack would arrive at the garage.
"Damn it, I completely forgot about it!"
Jack panicked, looking at the time. It was nine in the morning and had a meeting scheduled with Mira and the old man.
"How long will it take to reach this location?" Jack asked Barco, who raised one finger. "One hour?"
Barco nodded.
"Bring the car," he instructed Barco.
The burly man looked at him before shaking his hand as if asking which one.
"…how many cars do I have?"
Jack was shocked when Barco raised eight fingers. He had so many cars, and the cards Anna gave him, which had half-a-million dollars each. Why did he want to invest in Mira's garage when he had all that?
"Oh, right… the bike. I want it," Jack said. "As for the car… let's take the cheapest one."
Barco nodded, but didn't leave.
"You're waiting for Takeshi?"
He nodded.
"You can't leave me alone for a moment?"
He nodded again.
"What's next? You're going to shower with me, too?" Jack said, sighing.
Barco shook his head, pointing at Anna's photo.
"…great."