The Shadow Circle

Chapter-13

"So sad about that," she said to me.

I looked up at the television screen that was showing the news. 'Rouge Bis, a restaurant with three Michelin stars becomes victim of arson.' That was followed by a picture of a burning building surrounded by firefighters.

Uh oh.

'Witnesses have stated that they saw three males and one blonde female enter the restaurant before the unfortunate incident.'

Three males?!

What. The. Fuck?!

I touched my shoulder length black hair. Okay, I wasn't exactly feminine but THREE MALES?!

Elizaveta stiffled a laugh. I shot her a glare.

So that's why I was travelling with criminals who can't even legally drink yet. Because the police department was incompetent. Three males. The least those idiots could do was get my gender right!

I stomped back to the washrooms. Elizaveta burst out laughing the minute we were out. Annoying shit.

"So you saw," Kai said with barely contained amusement as he took in my expression.

Julian was howling in laughter. He caught the expression on my face and hurried into the stall. I seriously should have bought him a tutu. I threw the clothes at Kai and said nothing.

"Come on," Kai coaxed. "At least now they'll be looking for three guys and a girl. We'll be safe thanks to you."

I flipped him the finger and stomped out.

"She's adorable when she's mad," Julian said.

"She's batshit crazy half the time, what's your point here?" Kai laughed.

I had a sudden urge to torch the stall. No Kes, bad Kes. No torching innocent bathroom stalls. Save that for Naka-whatever.

I slammed the stall door shut and changed into the hideous pink dress as fast as I could. I had brought it from the kid's section because they didn't have my size. Eh, at least the designs were better.

I had to see what was in the papers that I stole. Not now, Elizaveta, Kai and gang will be back. Wow. But on the bright side, my criminal record started with me torching a criminal's restaurant like a badass and not something like petty shoplifting.

Though if I did get caught for petty shoplifting, I'd have to be a complete idiot.

Elizaveta, Kai and Julian were still in the stall. I opened one of the Nerds packet and finished half of it in one go. It was about three in the morning, but there was no such time for candy. I had to read the papers. The sooner the better. I didn't know when I was going to get time alone again. I took my backpack and walked back to the store.

If any of them came out of the stall, I would see them. They would go straight to the car instead of coming here.

I smiled at the cashier only to realize she was fast asleep. Good. I leaned against the wall and opened the papers that I had unceremoniously dumped in.

The Nozava Affair. Most of it was just the biodata for Nikolai Nozava, not enough to immediately recognize him if you walked past a five-eleven somewhat underweight man with a lean build. Apparently he'd gone to Dean for help, you know, the illegal kind. For a new identity to enter Saudi Arabia. That was around the time Arianna started acting skitterish.

Dean did get him a passport and a false identity under the name 'Tanaka Yoshida', an engineer specialised in oil refining. Apparently he didn't know about his intention to terminate Talaq until it was too late. Arianna Rebekah Seran was sent to clean up the mess so it wouldn't lead back to Cavilleri Enterprises.