Façade: Within (ON HOLD)

Façade: Within - Chapter 13

Feeling the air tense at his comment, Dre inwardly smiled.

"Yeah, we'll go first." Chi subtly excused them.

"I'll tag along, Chi. Don't worry hime's completely off my hook. She's all yours." He whispered the last part as he slung his arm in Chi's shoulder.

He could only heave a sigh. Krista is not talking to him and he don't know if something is wrong or if it is just about the situation they are in or if it is about the unexpected treat she gave him last week. And mostly he isn't really up to Dre's childish remarks though he’s a bit relieved that the other man is not planning any advances towards Krista.

Krista suddenly stopped. They all looked in front to where she is looking. She met again the couple from the last time at the same place. Coincidence.

"Liam, Kim! Well, well, well. Where have you two been the last time?" The four exchange looks of greeting. Chi smiled at them. It suddenly struck him that they rarely see each other nowadays. "The ones who were present were Chi, Ry and me - of course. They didn't even really stayed, more like pass by. They begrudgingly arrived after a hundred of my messages and calls. But it was boring; really Chi was glum 'cuz-"

"Dang, that's why we didn't went yeah." Dre shook of the guy's hand which is covered in his face.

Chi could have kissed him there and then for stopping Dre's rant.

"What do you mean by that exactly?" He retorted.

"That means, we were busy with something." The girl replied, suggesting something in her statement, her hand latched on the guy's arm, before her gaze landed on the other girl in the group. "And who's this? Crypto's new gal?"

"Kim, Liam, this is Krista. Krista, two of my other friends aside from the talkative Dre, playboy Ry and serious Pete." She gave them both a nod, not caring if her actions offended them the least and the fact that she didn't know the last two names Chi mentioned.

"I'll go first. We'll meet at the gate later." Addressing them goodbye, she walked away.

-

The silence didn't last long as Dre cheerfully speak first.

"I'm free guys. So where are we off to?"

"What made you think we'd come with you, yeah?"

"Uh. Don't be the fun breaker, Li, yeah. A man's got to have some of his moments. That's just unfair that you always have yours." Sending Kim a jesting look. "Besides, what happened to our group? Are we splitting up? You guys always have something to do. It's like there's no end to it. I'm busy too with the tracking this and that stuff but I make time."

Dre was about to start again when Li interrupted.

"Tracking?"

Chi narrowed his eyes at his loud friend silently willing him to stop talking at all. What kind of agent disclose something as confidential as that?

"Yep, stuff. But that's beside the point, we'll eat, my treat."

Finality in his voice, when he noticed Chi's gaze. Panicked, he suggested food instead of going to a club.

He didn't get to take back his words as he was dragged out of the gate, each stating the food they want to eat.

-

"Report."

"No move from Lex and is monitored by Agent X. L and V, keeping track of the target. Captives detained till further instructions." Measured tone maintained in his voice as he spoke.