"Y/N!"
I sighed, I shouldn't have shot that guy in front of Mira and Zack. Mira will be to afraid of me and Zack won't want to be near a psychopath and he really won't want Mira near me.
Strange, I don't really.... feel.. like, worried about it. How repetitive, 'Are you crazy?', 'how are you so calm? You shot someone?!', 'You're crazy! You should go to an insane asylum!'.
"Y/n!" Mira shouted, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes, she squeezed the young girl a little to hard.
"Careful Mira, you're squeezing her"
"Are you crazy?! You shot that man!"
"Well, yeah? Listen, Zack wouldn't be able to fend all of them off, would you have rather been sold at an underground auction?" I leaned my hip out, arms crossed while she looked at me in horror.
"Mira" Xan breathed, interrupting us, I watched him think out what he was going to say in his head "I get you're scared of what you don't understand. I was too, still am, but it's not my some terrible people like that have to be put down, and it's not as if they would have left if you asked, and they would've snatched Zack for selling too, wouldn't you rather have both you, Zack, and that baby be safe and have no one else be hurt by them?"
"There are better ways!"
"Name a few" He mused, he loved to debunk everything that someone says in defense. Ripping a knight of their shield and humiliating them.
"Calling the police" She crossed her arms, speaking firmly.
"It's a known gang, they all have money, everyone can be bought, even the law. What else?"
"You..... yo.... could.. have.." Her confident facade melted away and fear replaced. Her eyes zipping from me to Xan and so forth till she looked at my whole team.
"Xan, shut your god damn mouth. She's right." His eyes flicked to me, lingering. "I was scared, and you guys, I care about you guys" I whispered, my voice small, slowly changing my wide stance to a timid, straight one. "I've lost a friend before from people like that so I've never wanted to take that chance again" I said in an almost whimpery tone "I didn't think I'd even be able to keep a straight face like that, my heart raced so fast when I got their attention"
Mira's eyebrows were knitted together, her eyes working me out carefully before they gave in, showing that pitifully forgiving face.
"I can barely even aim, I'm surprised I even hit him, let alone his leg"
"Y/n, where did you even get a gun?" Zack prodded, taking the child from Mira
"It's Naroo's, he lives in a bad area, he has a license if you want to see it"
He looked up and pulled out his wallet "Need it Zack?" He spoke in a feathery tone, his fingers already pulling part of it out to be ready.
"No, I believe you, you look like someone who'd have gun's"
Naroo showed an approving smile. Slipping his wallet back in his back pocket.
Xan seemed bitter, malcontent for a better word. He didn't get to get his little victory. He'll get over it.
A large hand tapped at my shoulder, Daniel pointed with his eyes down the hallway to everyone else that we left this morning to save Zack and Mira.
Jace Sar, legs crossed with Vasco leaning on his arms that rested on the kitchen counter, seemingly they used to be on conversation but we interrupted.
"What happened? And be straight with me" Jace inquired. Ugh, I really dont want to indulge him in his little detective persona. I can deceive his naive self, he could eventually lead more problems then I'd like.
Bella would be mad, buuut as long as it's not you know who she won't be to anger, right?
Nah, I'll leave him, he's weak hearted, at our worst I'll have someone seduce him.
I see him as a friend I suppose, he's Vasco's best friend so I'd never hurt him.
A small knock on the door regained my attention, just before I could turn the door opened, everyone greeted Jay.
He nodded at them, specifically beaming a smile at me, Daniel, and Pan. Reciprocating I shifted my mind to Jace, "I'll tell you later, meanwhile we should find this babies parents"
"Where do you even find a kid?" Bella grumbled, as she pinched the brunette baby's cheek, pulling slightly at her face. Bella's face curled in distaste, "I hate babies"
"Maybe we feed her to Lucius" She added. I gasped, "Bella did you find a brain cell. that was genius!" I shouted, running to my room. Lucius had slept in there this morning due to Jay being scared of dogs.
"Lulu! Come!"
Lucius stood, padding over to follow where I dashed to. I grabbed the girl from Zack, holding her out to Lucius.
"Whoa! She was joking Y/n!" Xan exclaimed, reaching for her. Bella smacked his hand away, and elbowed him, slightly pointing up as to say watch.
"Hold on we need to go outside, come on"
I walked outside, whoever came with followed and got themselves settled and the sidewalk.
"Lucius, smell"
Lucius carefully sniffed at the small girl, his ears perking up barely as he began walking off on the sidewalk.
"Let's go"
I trustfully walked along with Lucius, letting him lead me around to find the girls father. "How long have you had this kid Mira?"
"Awhile, she kept wandering off so we ended up in that bad area, we were about to drop her off at a lost and found place incase her parents came looking"
"That was a good idea, to bad you couldn't stick with it" Xan sassed, taking out an earbud, putting it in, then scrolled on his phone.
Why's he such an ass today? Did he get a paper cut? Coffee made wrong? Hangover maybe.
Naroo smacked Xan harshly, grimacing, disappointed in him. "Naroo fuck off!"
"I thought you were done holding grudges, Mira didn't do anything so don't be a dick"
"hmph" he mumbled, brushing him off. We wandered around for awhile longer, checking random stores for the young babies parents.
Lucius stopped abruptly, sniffing intensely next to a corner of a building. He looked up and jolted forward.
"Shit go!"
I sped after him. Holding the child protectively in my arms as I dashed in the direction Lucius ran. I heard the others running behind me, not far off from where I am though they slowly faded in the distance as I ran.
I followed Lucius around the corner, disappearing out of sight of the group. Still following behind Lucius he led me in and out of alleyways, across the street, and even under a bridge. Slowly Lucius slowed down, breathing in deeply and he began trotting off again until he just stopped, looking around confused.
The baby had been whimpering a bit but now she started to lightly cry. I took off my sweater and wrapped her in it to keep her warm, "Shush, I'm sure we're close"
A low snarling came from Lucius as he looked at me. I took a step back, astonished at his behavior. "Lucius whats wrong?"
He barked, drool and saliva dripping from his mouth. Lucius got very low, taking threatening steps towards me until he darted at me.
I stepped to the side, barely keeping my arm from getting torn by his razor teeth. He flew past me, latching onto a taller man who had stood behind me.
"Shit! Lucius no! Off!"
Lucius released the man, landing on the ground behind him. The man seemed unbothered but turned to Lucius and advanced towards him.
"Lucius go home!"
Lucius focuses on me then ran off in the direction we came. Using the many pebbles around me I kicked one at the man, hitting him on the back of the head.
"Fuck face, don't ever get near my dog"
His face was in the darkness but I could see the whites in his eyes while he glared from the side of his eyes.
He turned, barely a moment later he tore past the rubble to get to me at full speed. His nail scratched my cheek as I dodged out of the way, his long arms reaching for me as he crashed his shoulder into the wall behind me.
I looked at the baby in my arms, I put her more securely in my sweater and tied it to me like an baby holder.
"Shit" I muttered, holding the girls head to my chest so she didn't see or hear anything. He rushed at me but stopped before he could get within range for me to kick him.
"Give me Yenna"
"W...What?"
"Give.. me Yenna" He spoke clearly, pointing at the baby I had on me.
"How do I know you're her father?"
He didn't move out of the shadows. His shoulders tensed up again. I unwrapped my sweater from around her. I turned her to face him. She seemed unsure until he stepped forward and grabbed her from me, hugging her close to him.
"Hey, I've seen you haven't I?"
He looked at me, slight anger gracing his features. "Hey, I didn't kidnap her I swear, my friends found her and they were gonna bring her to the lost and found place but got held up at a bad..... place.. don't be mad, not their fault"
His face didn't change, his arms was bleeding significantly from Lucius. He looked at his arm when I did and he quickly held it out away from .. Yenna.
"Do you want a new shirt? I can buy you one, after all my dog did ruin yours.... and your arm"
He brushed past me, Yenna looking back at me and smiling. "Hey!" I shouted running after him "Are you mad because I know you have a kid? What's the problem? I have a kid too"
He stopped and glared, "Your dog?" He mumbled, his eyebrow raised. "No! I have a son, Pan, he's a pretty big kid though"
"Where is he?"
"My house, why? You're not going to kidnap him for revenge are you?"
"Why would I need revenge if you didn't kidnap Yenna?"
"Well I don't know if you think I did or didn't"
He hummed and resumed walking, he looked very familiar, his light pink and purple hair definitely run a bell.
"Eli, your names Eli?" I asked, not entirely certain, I've listened to girls in the school bathroom giggle and talk about how cute and cool 'Eli' was.
"I won't tell, I pretty much keep secrets for a living"
I could see it in his eyes, thinking that over but he never stopped walking. He's more quiet then I thought, maybe he's tired, he must've been really worried about Yenna.
"I'll deliver shirts like the one you're wearing to your home, where do you live, I'll also keep this a secret"
His untrusted eyes glared at me, unwilling to spill anything to me..... I don't want to push him but I can't just leave. Well I can but that'd... that'd be what I'd have usually done, maybe not even a year ago I'd have left him without another word.
"Eli that was scary, usually guys aren't so willing to attack a random girl"
"Yenna was crying"
"Hmm, that sounds nice"
He whipped his head to me "What?", He held Yenna a little tighter in his arms.
"Oh I didn't mean it like that! I meant like, you're a good dad, nothing got in your way of your distressed daughter, thats the nice part"
I stopped walking and let him go, he walked up to ten feet away till he stopped and looked back. "I thought you wanted to get me a new shirt?" He gave a small, tiny smile.
"Heh, well if you kept walking I was just gonna go home, like one of those people that disappear behind trains and shit. Hmm." I poked at his side, barely retracting my hand before he swatted my hand away.
"What're you doing?"
"Well you seem to have a similar build to Xan, smaller waist, broad shoulders. I think I'll find the perfect shirt. If you grow your hair out a little it will look a little cuter, unless you like it short. Short hair is easier for fighting"
"...Fighting?"
"Well I've tried telling my friend Naroo about it before, he dies boxing and other stiff but he has medium length hair, he complains about it sometimes when it gets wet"
"Hmm"
"He's to much of a style guy to care to much though, he just ignores it"
A quick flash from behind me made me shiver, I turned and caught a glimpse of something speed back into the shadows.
"Eli" I whispered "We're in trouble" I pulled out my mask and put it on him. "You need to go, you could get hurt"
"If I'd get 'hurt' you'd die, what happened?"
"I know you noticed Eli, you know something feels weird"
He nodded. Blocking Yenna from the sprinkling rain. Shit, why didn't I look into this? The pictures, in that apartment, that man? Why am I so fucking useless, now I've wrapped Eli in this.
"Shit, Eli, I'll find where you live, just go, I'll be honest, I'm a bad person, you need to go" He seemed unfazed, expecting something else like for me to say its a lame joke "someone's been stalking some people I know and they could be dangerous"
He seemed conflicted, to go home and keep Yenna safe or to help. I walked off in the opposite direction from him, where the flash came from. I looked through the gap that it came from. I'm not sure if I can fit through there.
My heart rate picked up a little, I pushed down the adrenaline that tried to rush to my arms and legs. I squeezed through the gap, sliding on the wall slowly to get to the other side.
I looked to where I was sliding. Dark. My heart slowed, beating steadily but hard. "Hey"
I look back at the opening where I came in from, Eli stood, a confused look on his face, "I can't follow you back there I'm to.... wide"
"I told you to go home"
"I don't live far, I dropped Yenna off at home, we can't take to long, is there anyway around?"
I looked back at the void then to him. groaning I slide over to him, I put an earbud in "Give me your phone"
He handed it to me, watching while I typed in my number then calling myself. "Don't hang up, because I can't call you after, okay, I'll tell you what I see"
Sliding closer and closer, the darkness felt colder then the grey sky and rain on the other side. The gap slowly got tighter, bit by bit.
"What do you see?" He whispered. I shivered, a weird, eerie feeling draping over me, my throat feeling... heavy. "Nothing" I answered in a light tone, using a damp... wall to lead me around "I can't see shit" I mumbled.
"Can you feel anything? Any openings?"
I moved my other hand out, checking and poking at the wall, searching for a door or window. While I moved forward my foot kicked something a few feet in front of me, I knelt down an searched the ground for what I had kicked. My hands moved into a cold puddle, grimacing I searched further.
"Whats going on?"
I hummed, moving my hands around till something brushed my fingertips. I picked it up, twirling it in my hands, running my fingers along all sides to feel any writing.
"I found a small... thing, it feels like... a lens... a camera lens"
As I felt it I whip myself at a sound of fluttering behind me, small flutters of white stood out from the dark. I could feel my stare darken, holding a hard gaze while I eyed my almost non existent surroundings.
I rushed to the paper that had been tossed to the air as soon as I heard it glided to the wet concrete. Snatching it and shoving it in my pocket I kept feeling around till I felt another wall. My phone, it's light.
No! you could alarm someone if they're near
"Eli get in her-MRPH!"
Someone grabbed my mouth, their voice hashing me, barely above a whisper. I bit down on their hand I slammed my head back into them.
"Hey!" Eli's voice rung in my ears, piercing pain struck through my head.
I stumbled, falling backwards until I hit the wall again. A foot was placed on my throat, holding me to the wall, choking me.
I grasped at the person's ankle, digging my nails into them, drawing deep blood. A deep voice hissed at me and released me. I jolted up and sent a kick out, a pained grunt sounded in front of me.
Reaching out to grab the person I rushed forward with everything I had, grabbing the person's collar I raised my knee and crashed it into his nose. While I still had a grip on the person I slammed them into the wall, caving in some bricks that my eyes showed the feint outlines of.
"Heheh"
The man laughed, I listened to him squelch and spit our blood "She doesn't know?" he laughed hysterically, punching the wall woth the side of his hand "Heehhah. I... haaa"
"You....? You what?"
"Pictures? I have... pictures. I've watched you, and hum and him and him and her and her and all of em', such...p.. pretty people..... I want you on my wall, your eyes"
"Who else have you been taking pictures of?" I picked him up my his shirt, raising my arm incase he tried anything.
"I've been to his house"
"Who's?!" I shouted. I growled, punching him across the face.
"Daniel Park...."
"Who else?! You fuck!"
"Poppy O'Sullivan too, she looks so small, so... easy, I took her pictures the most, I almost grabbed her too, only that guy got her first, then that other guy, I have his picture, he killed him. She was left for me, and you were to, that's why he didn't acknowledge me"
"you sick fuck!" I punched him, again and again. Over and over and over. His laugh grew more violent and maniacal, and I couldn't hear anything else. I threw another punch, hitting him right in his temple "who else!?"
His face contorted into one of pure agony "D.... Daniel, a couple of his friends, you... you, you, you, you, you, you, you knew, you saw me, you liked knowing I was out here"
"Your so insignificant I forgot about you, you weren't even enough of a threat to alarm me, I'm more alarmed near my kid"
"hey" Eli's voice came from behind me, I didn't bother to look, he's here on his own doing. He flashed his phone light on me. My eyes were bloodshot, I stared at the floor, trying to make the red fade away though I knew it wouldn't.
My hair stuck to my face, flinging raindrops when I looked back at him "Now you have one of my secrets, think you can keep it?" I slowly added pressure to the man's neck, he flung his arms around trying to push me off. I maintained eye contact with Eli while I gradually suffocated the man beneath me.
"cckk....I..... haaaa-.... haf......... r"
I released him "What'd you say? Haa? Have?". He feebly nodded, gasping, swallowing all the air he could "hrrrr...... P... Pop..." He took in all the air he could.
Poppy, he has Poppy. I lifted him and shoved him into Eli.
"Take us"