[ON HOLD]
Carmen relished everyone's misfortune; better yet, she was the author of it.
After a childhood filled with hardships, conning people as a faux tarot card reader was the easy way out, and Carmen takes it. Being the bootstrapper that she is...
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The malevolent dance of snowflakes in the frigid air gradually descended, settling ominously upon Zane's tense shoulder. His unwavering gaze locked onto the sinister crimson dot that bore into him with relentless intent. With a swift, predatory movement, he reached for the concealed firearm in his pocket and, in a single decisive motion, extinguished the life of the malefactor within his dark narrative.
As the snowflakes landed on his eyes, he closed them, blinking in a frantic frenzy. When he dared to open his eyes once more, he found himself cruelly awakened from his dreamlike reverie. The ominous red dot persisted, an unyielding beacon of dread, and the venomous puppeteer who wielded it remained very much in control of his fate.
I need to talk to someone, he kept mumbling. To think that talking would be preposterous was insane, but Zane lived in insanity.
His unusual comradery with Carmen had come to an end. Neither did he feel comfortable around her, nor did she seem in the right state to respond. Rylen, who knew Bane relatively, hated him. In his mind, he made countless arguments to convince Rylen that he would try to protect all of them, not just himself. But that required speaking and Zane had lost his voice.
He caught Adara staring daggers at him, her focus waning from him as she glared at Carmen and vice-versa.
The chilly air tried to comfort him, caressing his face as the flakes calmed his bare feet. But every time something made close contact with him, he'd flinch as his mind drew an image of Bane's cold stare. He told himself that if he escaped the home theatre, he'd laugh at the irony. He who was once Bane's tormentor, became the tormented.
Similar to the rhythmic ticking of a clock, his eyes consistently shifted towards Bane's camera. His mouth seemed restless, as though it was struggling to find the right words to engage with his tormentor. After all, Bane was the sole person he had permission to communicate with. Glancing over at Rylen, who sat in a recliner with his posture slightly slouched and rhythmically tapping his knees, he recognized that Rylen was perhaps the only remaining member who maintained a level of clarity, albeit to a limited extent. If he could persuade Rylen to assist him, he might find a way to ensure everyone's safety.
"Bane," he said. His voice was not as commanding as he believed it was, "You know who caused all your troubles now. Adara and Rylen are innocent, you should let them go. That's what you promised, isn't it?"
See Rylen, I'm on your side! Zane exclaimed as he caught Rylen's eye.
Rylen let out a visible sigh when he received no response. He walked confidently towards Zane, relieved that Bane wasn't watching them. However, as soon as Zane caught on to what Rylen was doing he put his hand up, signalling for him to stop. Zane knew better than anyone that Bane was always present. Always watching.
"You can't ignore me, Bane!" Zane exclaimed.
"You said it yourself a long time ago. Or was it a long time ago? It appears we're both losing track of time," Bane said, chuckling, "But I can't let them go. They know who I am, don't they?"
