I squeaked like a rat.
Arianna ran towards me. I stared at the lovely psychopaths around us. I glanced at Shah for help but remarkably, he didn't seem very pleased. Oh come on. It was like an ounce of poison. He didn't die!
"Ms. Seran," Nozava said in a nasal tone. Wow, he's an asthmatic rat.
"I uh..." I looked at Arianna for help. She looked at Elizaveta. Elizaveta looked at Kai who was looking at me. Great.
"Umm?"
"Kestrel, what happened in the courtyard today?" Kai prompted. He'd gone cold and professional.
"Tokyo tried to kill me," I said slowly.
"Tokyo?" Nozava frowned.
"Yeah, but I evaded him. Tokyo Drift style."
Elizaveta muttered something in Russian under her breath. Well, I think it was Russian because nobody should use such words in English.
A man with blonde hair and ice blue eyes similar to Elizaveta's looked at her. And sneered.
Dragomirov.
Now where did I keep my lighter again?
"Elizaveta, what are you doing here?!" He demanded.
She looked pale all of a sudden but Kai stepped in front of her. "We're not here to discuss her. If I wanted to watch a bad family reality TV show, I'd watch Keeping Up with the Car Dashing Cunts," he said coolly.
"It's Keeping Up with The Kardashians," Ryo muttered.
"You watch KUWTK?!" Julian asked and looked at Ryo like he had a halo glowing on his head.
"I like Kylie," Ryo muttered.
"Kendall is better," Julian said.
"Khloe is my personal favourite," Shah muttered.
The Circle turned to look at him. Well, point four percent of the Circle at least.
"You saw Tochio," Kai said, saving Shah from the embarassment.
"Yes. I saw him! He tried to kill me!" I cheered.
Nozava looks at Shah. "Tochio was here?!"
Shah nods gravely. "He was here when I was poisoned. I think he intended to kill me."
Shah's acting was remarkably convincing. Maybe he was an undercover Bollywood actor. If he was then maybe he can defy the laws of physics as well. It doesn't look like he cares much for laws anyway.
Dragomirov uttered a word which I guess was the Russian equivalent for 'fuck.'
"He killed Talaq! We knew it was someone in the Circle!"
I looked at Kai and tried to bite back a smile. Hello, Nikolai Kaito Nozava.
"But all fingers point to you, Kaito," Nozava said to the son he didn't know was alive.
Elizaveta stepped in. "Who told you it was Kai?!"
"Eliza, calm down," Ryo whispers.
"Who. Told. You. It. Was. Kai?!"
"Nakamura," Shah confessed.
"I think we have established by now that Nakamura is not to be trusted," Ryo days. "Tochio tried to kill Samir Shah."
"Nakamura was caught at Nathu La," Dragomirov sneered. "Surely he didn't rat himself out."
"Tochio ratted him out," I said.
Dead silence.
"He told me that he needed to get his father out of the way to take over the Circle," I continued.
"You are not to be trusted either, Ms. Seran. How do we know your word is true?" Nozava asked.
Good question.
Well, shit.
"Let me convince you some other way then," I said. "How did the police catch him?"
"They knew which creates they were looking for," Shah helped.
"And I don't have that information," I lied.
Julian smiled at me from the door. It was a signal to let me know that it was done.
"The FBI had that information," Julian said. "I have a contact there, thanks to my er...hacking activities. Ask anyone, they can tell you the hint came from Tochio's phone."
And he said that all without pissing his pants!
I looked at Nozava again. "I came here to warn Shah. Arianna warned him too. But we were attacked at the dam."
Kai surreptitiously rolled his eyes. Okay, I'm overdoing it.
Shah, Nozava and Dragomirov looked at each other. The decision was unanimous and I couldn't help it, I was scared.
Nozava looked at Kai and Ryo. "Your task is to terminate Nakamura before he can rat out."
I smiled.
To be honest, I didn't really expect it to work. I felt giddy with happiness.
"But I don't trust you at all."
My smile fell. What?!
He looked at Kai. "I can't suspect you of sabotaging the Circle."
"So let him take over Nakamura's position. There is no heir as it is and as Kaito killed Tochio, it's only fair that he takes the throne," Shah said.
"This....This is mad!" Dragomirov protested. "You can't be serious!"
"Half of Nakamura's men are Japanese," Shah growled. "You think they will let a Russian rule them?!"
"Then let Nozava do it!"
"No," Nozava said. "Let Kaito take over. He has done us a favour. But do not think I'll leave him unobserved."
Kai bowed and I'm sure I'm the only one who noticed a mocking smile on his lips.
"I want Elizaveta," Dragomirov said.
Kai looked at Shah and his father. "I need Elizaveta. She's the perfect spy. I'll take Julian and Ryo under my wing as well."
Nozava nodded once. "Very well. What about the two outsiders."
Arianna and me.
"I'll take Arianna," Shah said. "I'll keep her with me."
No.
"You can't do that!" I said.
"It's either this or death," Shah replied placidly. I know why he's doing this. He's using Arianna as leverage against me.
But somewhere deep inside, I knew he wouldn't hurt her.
"I'll take Kestrel," Dragomirov says.
I look at Kai. He can't help me without letting them know he cares about me. And then I'll be leverage.
Fuck.
"I'll take her," Kai said.
"No," Nozava says. "Kestrel will be with Viktor."
"I'll take her place," Elizaveta said. "Take me. Leave Kestrel alone."
"Don't," I told her. Anger was simmering in my veins. I wanted to kill him.
I looked at Kai.
Kai steped closer to me. His eyes were cold and emotionless. It scared me.
"Kai?"
"Shh," he whispered. His hand came near my neck and I flinched.
"Kai?!"
I ducked but he was too fast and too strong. He caught my neck and held me in place. Tears filled my eyes. "No."
Arianna was screaming. Elizaveta and Ryo gasped. The pressure on my neck increased. Kai's killing me. I felt a prick near my elbow and everything went black.
The last thing I heard was Arianna's piercing scream.
Don't worry, I wanted to say, It'll be okay.
Her face ghosted in front of me.
Don't worry, Mom said.
It'll be okay.
_____________________________________
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