Snakeskin (Tangerine) ✓

十

The Cobra

Tangerine watched me, a peaceful gleam in his eyes as he reminisced. It was a nice look as if he wasn't worried about the job or the lunatic waiting at the end of the line. He was just in the moment.

"Yeah," Lemon said from beside his brother. "I remember."

"It was in Seoul," I elaborated as Tangerine came back down to reality, a half smile on his face. "How long ago was that? Like-"

"Seven years," Tangerine answered quietly. I nodded in wonder. "It was seven years ago when we first met you."

"Wow," I breathed, not quite believing it had been that long. "It doesn't feel like that that many." I pressed my lips together in thought. "Mind you, we weren't together for four of them."

"Yeah." Lemon had an unreadable look on his face. "I really missed having you around." He side-eyed his brother who was looking down at his hands. "Tangerine here did as well."

Tangerine lifted his gaze to meet mine, looking at me through his lashes. I smiled slightly at him, nodding to let him know it was okay. "I missed you guys too." The two brothers glanced briefly at each other, nodding subtly, before turning back to me and leaning slightly forward over the table. I cocked my head in confusion at their odd behaviour. "What?"

"Nothing," Tangerine said quickly, furrowing his eyebrows. "It's just bloody weird, all three of us working together again." I nodded in agreement. "Do you think you'll stick around after it's done?"

I laughed, immediately stifling it at the serious look on Tangerine's face. "Based on the terms of our agreement," I began slowly. "We're not all getting out of this alive." Tangerine sighed. "But I plan to take a little break after this." I glanced out the dark window, but was just met with the reflection of the three of us sitting together. "Might find a nice small town to lay low for a few months."

"Sounds nice," Lemon mused, a small smile on his face. "Sucks that it won't happen." He turned to Tangerine, expecting him to reciprocate his humour but he didn't. He looked at me, a sad gleam in his eyes, as his eyebrows knitted together thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, my voice lowering to a near whisper. "Are you okay?"

Tangerine nodded, a long sigh escaping his lips as he leaned back against the headrest. "Who is your employer?" He asked suddenly, causing me to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Is it the White Death?"

I scrunched my nose in confusion. How did he know? I opened my mouth to respond but I didn't know what to say. Should I tell him the truth? I thought, conflicted. He could just be trying to get me to open up about my job so he could get the upper hand. "Why do you want to know?"

Tangerine shrugged. "Our employer is the White Death." Lemon shoved him hard in the ribs, a warning look in his eyes, but Tangerine waved him off. "I have a hunch that that geezer hired everyone on this bloody train."

I shook my head in confusion. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Tangerine shrugged indifferently. "But I can't think of any way all your handlers could know about us having the case." His jaw clenched in thought. "And why would we all be told to get off at Kyoto?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Well, I've been told the White Death employed me too."

"He wants us to compete for the case," Lemon realised, his eyes wide in shock. "He thinks this is a game."

"Maybe," I said darkly, realising just how fucked up this situation was. "If we deliver the case to the White Death, in Kyoto, as a team, will he still kill us?"

The Twins looked thoughtful, Tangerine's hand to his chin and Lemon looking down at the table. It was silent for a few moments as we all tried to think of a way to make it out of this alive.

"He wants the case," Lemon stated, still looking down at the table. "That's what he wants." He looked up at me. "I don't think he'll care who gets it to him. He'll punish whoever doesn't."

I nodded In agreement, a hopeful smile gracing my lips. "We could get through this," I realised. I looked over at Tangerine, whose expression matched mine. "We could make it out alive."

"You could move into that little town," Lemon said, nudging his brother. "Maybe we should take a break too. This has been a shit show."

Tangerine nodded. "Yeah, maybe."

I nodded in agreement. "What do you think you'll do?"

Tangerine shrugged. He didn't seem like he was really into the conversation, but Lemon answered quite enthusiastically.

"I want to ride in a steam locomotive," he explained excitedly. "Like Thomas and his friends. Not like this one." He gestured to the bullet train with a roll of his eyes. "One where you can see the British countryside and hear the whistle blow before each station."

A smile crept its way onto my face as Lemon fantasised about what he would do. "That sounds nice," I said, an unfamiliar feeling in my stomach. "I hope you get to do that." Lemon nodded appreciatively. "Hopefully there won't be a bunch of paid assassins on that train."

Lemon laughed at that. I turned to Tangerine. He just sat there, looking down at his hands in despair. He looked like he had given up and the thought made my stomach tighten in sympathy.

"Tang?" I tried to get his attention. He just made a grunt of acknowledgement, looking up at me through his lashes. "What will you do?" I asked him gently. "After all this is over?"

Tangerine just shrugged, tilting his head upwards ever so slightly. He locked eyes with me and I smiled back. He pressed his lips together in thought-something he did a lot-remaining silent for a few moments before he answered.

"I think I would do the same as you." I nodded in understanding, as he continued. "Just get a place in a quiet area and lay low for a while." A smile made its way onto his face as he thought about the quiet life he could have. "I love the thrill of these jobs, but I think I need a break."

"I feel you," I said, maintaining eye contact with him. He looked down for a second, but his gaze quickly returned to meet mine, where it stayed. "It's exhausting."

"Yeah."

We fell silent once more, all of us either looking at our hands or in my case, looking at Tangerine. He seemed so quiet—so defeated—compared to his usual snarky self. It was odd.

Suddenly, Lemon stood up, gesturing for Tangerine to move into the aisle. "We should probably start making the rounds—check that everything is all good."

I nodded in agreement, sliding out of my seat and into the aisle. Lemon started heading down the train, so I looked at Tangerine expectantly. "Are we going this way?"

He nodded without saying anything; just slipped past me, heading towards the gangway.

A/N: What do you think Tangerine is thinking about? I need something funny. Leave your wildest guesses!