How They Pursue

    Diana Sandoval stared at the glass walls that reflected the inside of the cell in front of her. It was a small, square room. There was nothing wrong with it, except that there was a dead man in the middle of it, with big pipes of the system dug on the flesh of his back, up to her neck. The man's head hung, his body lifeless and puppet-like. It hung down, the moving pipes are the ono thing that made his corpse stand. From what Diana was standing, everything was clear. The man's back looked like it was ran with gigantic blades, up and down, back and forth, got eh point where his yellowish bone peeked through his pale flesh. His skull is cracked, as much as Diana knew. At the back of his head, it was parted harshly, the insides of iy gushing down his neck.

     She turned to the man beside her, who held a big and proud smile on his face. "What, exactly, is this?"

     The man turned to her this time, his face bright, his eyes wide and glowing with the color of charcoal. It reflectei the little lights around them and the kughi that kit up the glass cell in front of them. "You mean, who?" The man corrected. "Believe it or not, I find it hard that I actually caught him. He's lifeless, but I can still hold an examination on him."

     "I don't understand." Diana said. Seeing a dead man is not new for her, hell, it was normal for her. Almost every day she sees dead people and rotting corpses everyday... "I don't why should this corpse concern me, or you. I also don't recognize him. He looks like a normal Arcane citizen to me."

     The man looked at Diana, disappointed. "Every extra ordinary hides behind normalcy, Diana, we both know that." The man said, then looked back at the hanging and mangled corpse in front of them. Diana had always known that the Brylle Carlon has a knack for corpses and studying them. If not for the help that he has for Diana, she would have never been here in the first place. "I never really said this to anyone but I'm curious about the rumors about the Zero."

     "Rumors and myths are different, Brylle. And Zero is a  myth." Diana stated. Also, the man has shown strange interest and curiosity towards the legend of NEXUS, these  stories that the old guards and staffs talked about when they have nothing better to do. "Don't tell me you believe that nonsense?"

     "I am curious about that nonsense. Think about it, if it was true, don't you find yourself wondering what has been to him? What experiment or whatever?" Byrlle replied, putting both his hands on the deck of controls in front of the two of them. Brylle sighed, pleased. "If I was back in that old public labaratory,  I won't even have the  chance to study about it."

     Diana fought back a groan. "Studying about a legend that's been created out of the bored minds of the old staffs of NEXUS or whatever is just a waste of time," Diana said, stepping away from Brylle. She propped herself on the swiveling chair behind her. "And what even is the connection of this corpse to Zero? I don't see it. If you didn't have the CORS protection, you'd be behind bars  right now because of this."

     "First of all, I didn't kill him, okay?" Brylle cleared. "You know he willingly took this risk in exchange of money.

     "I'm certain I did not know that," Diana replied. She focused her gray eyes towards the familiar machines around her. Brylle's personal lab reminded her of NEXUS and the experiments that Neill Tanner has held with her assisting him. Rememberingt this, she said, "What is it that you two want to tell me, Brylle? Surely, you didn't ask for my presence just to show this corpse that's hanging with the wires and weird pipes you have in this place."

     "Well..." Brylle ran his hand on his long, shaggy hair. It looked untidy against the white lab coat he wore, but it matched his roguish look he has. "I don't really know if you'll even take time to listen to me, given that you don't  believe that Neill Tanner had Zero—"

     "That's because he doesn't. I worked with him long enough to tell you that." Diana interrupted. She really does not get why Brylle Carlon was so interested with this, and it even was the reason why he approached her in the first place. He learned that she's working with Neill Tanner. "You actually need to drop this, you act like a theorist."

     "What is science without theories, Diana?"

     "Theories and probability that makes sense, that is what it is," She found herself saying.

     Brylle just grinned at her. "Well, I guess that makes my research about this valid. I'm not going to tell you why, but I found a valuable piece of information about the first experimentation that was held in NEXUS. It goes way back before NEXUS was even recognized around the globe," Brylle let his voice to trail off, almost for the sake of thrill as he study the look that he hoped that will form on Diana's face. Unfortunately, Diana seemed unfazed, just gazing at the man in front of him. "And the rumors mostly matched the data. A man in his thirties, has been assisting whoever that's behind this crazy experiments for years. He was from Tritos, it said. A normal citizen that happened to be more progressive than the others.  It has been so long since this happened, the last wall still in construction."

     Diana's eyebrows furrowed now. Brylle said that the experiment goes way back, even before the last wall—the walls of Antes, was built. None of the three of them, NEXUS' asset, her, Neill Tanner and Vincent Chase was even alive back then. She did not even know that NEXUS existed back then, for Neill Tanner always told everyone that he was the one who founded and nourished it. Diana did not care, actually.  She wanted to gain knowledge and experience, not give a flying damn about whatever Neill Tanner sprouts from his mouth.

     Diana thought this over, considering the things that Brylle was saying. There might be a chance that the  rumors are true, but it is all based with little little proof that Brylle has. NEXUS has dealt with hundreds of experiments, who says that whatever Brylle has, the data, and the little knowledge people know about subject Zero. For Diana, it was nothing but an idiotic story that  happened to escape the walls of NEXUS and spread through the whole city of Arcane.

     "What do you think? This makes sense, right?" Brylle decided to interrupt Diana's thoughts. He peered through his thick and messy hair that strayed between and over his luminous, blue eyes, checking Diana. "Gods curse me if you don't think it does. Everything's connected. And this man, Pablo Dela Cruz, claimed that he's a relative of subject Zero, that's why he's here. Unfortunately, his body didn't last the harsh examinations I have for him. I did warn him, though."

     "It may do, but I still don't want myself to get involved with this, Brylle. I have better things to do than to think if these rumors about NEXUS and Subject Zero is actually true," Diana finally stated, her mind made up. What she  said was true, enough to make the man in front of him frown in disappointment but nod. "What I want to know is what do you plan to do with this corpse in front of us. It will taint CORS' name to know that one of their council advisers has a dead man's body mangled and hung in his labaratory."

     Brylle shrugged, obviously unbothered with this fact. "It is not a man anymore, he has no life. And I told you, he knows the risks, and he signed our contract. What I will do, in the other hand, is to study the structure of his cells and his DNA to see if it matches the ones that the old data says. In that way, I can prove... Whatever I want to prove."

     Diana stated at Brylle, her dark, stormy eyes unreadable. After what seemed like a moment, she closed her eyes briefly and nodded. She fixed the identical white coat that Brylle had given her when she arrived in his lab then started to take it off slowly as she walk towards the tinted glass doors that will serve as an exit.

     "Hmm," Diana hummed, careful not to say anything. Brylle just stared at Diana, an upset look on his face. "Do be careful with your actions, though, doctor Carlon."

     "I really actually thought that you'd be interested with this." Brylle said before Diana could step out of his space.

     Diana raised an eyebrow.

     "You know, with all the work you did in NEXUS, I thout that you'd be intrigued with this," Brylle supported, a small smile erasing the disappointed look he wore slightly. "But I guess, I assumed wrong."

     Diana took a moment to think of what to reply. "You have captured my interest, all right," she said. "Just not all of it."

     "I'll still update you about this, though, if I have the chance," Brylle pushed, making Diana tilt her chin, confusion on her face as her eyebrows furrowed. "You can't blame me but to hope for your assistance, Diana. You're  the only one I know from NEXUS, and the one that worked with Neill Tanner."

     "You're hoping for informations?"

     Brylle grinned lightly. "Isn't that why we're all here in the first place?"

     Diana blinked, thinking of the consequences and the benefits in a short moment if she did agree and help Brylle Carlon. There was nothing wrong with a little curiosity, isn't it? Diana wore her impassive mask, and as she turn around to leave, she said, "I suppose."

     The moment she left Brylle's lab, Diana heaved a sigh, not sure if she wants to get caught up in whatever the man wanted to do, but that's what they do in CORS, to assist everyone's wishes, in exchange of their own, underneath all the reputation of being the most largest group of scientists in the whole world. But they're independent, hidden and unknown. As far as Diana can remember, there are also branches of CORS in other havens left on Earth. Say, in the south-east branch of Aegis. Aegis having other branches around the world is not common knowledge amongst the people of Arcane, that is what she knows. Diana wondered what world is like outside, what names and places are out there. The only image that she saw was the old photograph from the Old World of the outside that happened to be saved in Aegis' Database.

     In it was the picture of a city ruins. The buildings are crumbled to the ground, and the others who are standing became a parasites' nest, like a replacement for the towers of Babel that stood everywhere like a haven for every monstrous creatures. Everything that the world has known of became nothing in just a mtter of days. Everything that they worked for, sacrificed their life for, came back to dust, crumbled and ruined. Other places—countries and continents—has been stuck in an endless snowstorm. Others became a dead dessert. The cities drowned, flooded by the oceans, while the rest either became a temporary havens for humans or a place where the gods roamed roamed freely.

     The only people who got out of the walls are the Soldiers and the Defender, the Watchers. They're the only ones who got to see the world outside, everyday of their lives. They said that it was horrible, a living hell. Stories from the retired Defenders came out a little too exaggerated for Diana, but then again, they saw what it is like outside the gigantic walls of Aegis.

     Diana blinked, shaking off the thoughts that was forming in her head. Whatever it was like outside, the people of Arcane is going to see it, someday, somehow. She cannot say she is interested with how things looked like outside, but instead, what is out there. It has been hundreds of years since humanity encountered the gods and feared them, and it would be impossible if nothing changed out there. Nothing evolved. With all those years, Diana can say that the gods now might be different from what humans know. Things constantly changed, and the gods, the aliens—the Parasites and the Skywalkers—is not an exception.

     She continued to trudge along the hallway, lights flickering just above her when she pass them. CORS is a small organization—at least physically. Located deep under the ground, like a modern Illuminati when they were chased off by the church. Here, people like Diana are promised of safety and knowledge, an ear for their thoughts and make their ideas brought to life. Diana liked to think of CORS as a circular place, with countless of layers working its way down to Earth. And it is. Even one of CORS valued member once suggested to connect CORS' Eastern branch to the Northern branch—making it much easier for the CORS' members around the world communicate.

     It was a great idea, but also kind of ridiculous.

     When Diana reached the Fourth layer of CORS, she was immediately greeted by a person who had a small smirk on her face. She was leaning on the wall, with her arms crossed and her head tossed back like she has been bored to death. Diana did not recognize her blue eyes, ones that looked like pools of blue ocean, deep in color, or the foxy appearance she wore. Diana thought that the woman must have been a new CORS recruit, or someone who seeks or some kind of assistance, so she continued on her tracks, keeping her gaze at the end of the hall where the center of the Fourth Layer can be found.

     "That's a little rude, isn't it?" A sultry voice, and its clearly from the woman that Diana just passed. "I waited for you in here, and all you did was to rake your eyes at me and leave."

     Diana stopped on her tracks, but did not turn around. "I don't know you."

     "Of course you don't, but I know you. Diana Sandoval, am I right? Neill Tanner's colleague? But, nevermind your connection with Tanner. What I'm interested about is your name. Sandoval." The woman said, her voice having the hint of playfulness, but still dangerous. This time, Diana turned to her, and she's aware of the hard look on her face. The woman smirked. "That caught your attention."

     "Who are you?"

     "And now you're interested. You can address me as the person that was delivered by the higher-ups to come and pick you up from this place." The woman answered as she push herself from the wall and put both of her hands on the pocket of her black, skinny jeans, under her brown trench coat. Her sleeveless,,  black turtleneck top clung to her body like it was a part of her skin, highlighting her breast, down to her abdomen and toned stomach.

     "Pick me up?" Diana voiced. Now, she's just confused. And kind of irritated. Both of it, actually. Diana's dark gaze pierced at the woman, silently demanding for her to explain what she just said.

     The woman's smirk did not leave her lips as she ran her hands to her sleek and glossy black hair, leaving some of its strands at the side of her face. "Oh, you know. When your clan leaders give an order to pick up a member that... How do you put this, that happened to be the heir of their family?"

     Diana's eyes slightly widened at this, followed by a glare, of course. "Father sent you here." It was supposed to be question, but it came out as a statement. The suck feeling of anger boiled inside of her as she take it all in  and watch the woman smirk at her as an answer. Theeasg thing she wants to do is to come back to their mansion—back under her family's wing. As she turn away, she seethes, "Leave me alone."

     For a moment, she thought that the woman will actually let her be, but then, she heard footsteps following behind her.

     "Trust me when I say I badly want to do that," The woman started behind her. At least, Diana can feel that the woman was keeping her distance. "But an order is an order, is it not?" The woman purred. Low and sultry.

     "Well, I order you to leave me alone."

     The woman followed Diana until they reached the very exit of CORS. She followed her everywhere she go. To the elevators, corridors, hallways. At first, Diana did not care that much, telling herself that that woman will grow tired eventually, but she did not. With the last ounce of Diana's  patience draining out of her, she stopped on her tracks and turned to the woman, a scowl on her face.

     "You can't follow me forever." Diana seethed, glaring daggers at the woman in front of her, who just watched her with an amused glint in her azure eyes, her lips slightly quirked.

     "You might want to rephrase that. I am ordered to bring you back home. It's either that or I will follow you until the end of the world just to make you agree. Unless you do otherwise, I will not leave," The woman said, tilting her head in a teasing manner. "Now, we don't want that, do we?"

     Diana tried to keep her composure. "I'll be leaving this place soon."

     "Lovely. And?"

     "You can't follow me everywhere."

     "Can't I?" The woman repeated, clearly playing and twisting the words around. Diana dislikes these kind people. They tend to manipulate and lie, a sly fox. If anything, she despises them. A thin smile etched itself on the woman's lips, like it was challenging. "I will very much cherish the look on your face the moment you learn that I can do anything that I want. With you, at least."

     Diana clenched her jaw, trying to ignore what the woman meant. "Tell father I will never come back."

     "Oh, a better idea. You come with me, spare us the time we are wasting, and you tell  him that yourself." The woman retorted, purposely lighting up her features, making herself to look like it was really a good idea.

     Then it dimmed, everything about her seemed to turn darker the moment she wiped away the smirk on her face. There was only this glaze in her eyes, fringed with thick and long eyelashes. She immediately lost the sly appearance she had at will, like she's simply taking off and wearing different masks easily. She has encountered countless of people like the woman in front of her. A professional liar. Diana saw her lips part, like she was about to say something.

     But, before the woman can, Diana walked away, refusing to waste another second talking to the woman and entertaining her. Her father just have been so desperate to actually deliver someone to come and pick her up, like she's a child that he controls with his fingers. She huffed, willing for the thoughts of her father—of her family—to leave her mind. Instead, she focused of how she can dispose the woman behind her. How did she even get in CORS in the first place? It is well-hidden, with strict and careful security. Perhaps, she charmed her way in? Or rather, did something to bypass the security system? Either way, she wants her gone.

     At the very building of CORS, on the surface, was where she found herself after some minutes of changi g her routes to lose the woman, and it worked. After all, CORS is a big place. It will take for the woman hours, days, even, to find her way out. What she needs to do is to talk to Ibrahin Mounberg. If not because of that woman, she's back in her house right now, continuing her research.

     Once she got off the capsule elevator, she found herself just behind the large pillars of the lobby of the official building of CORS, but of course, in a different name. The Chimera. With the Mounbergs as the owners and the leader, The Chimera—or so to say, CORS—maintained a legal place in Arcane. With ease, she greeted some of the members of the CORS, and some people that did is not aware of the existence of CORS. After all, to have the perfect cover up, The Chimera needs to be a proper company.

     Diana glanced around her, discreetly checking if the woman she lost back in there happened to catch up on her, after all, it is not impossible. Gods, she managed to get past the security system of the CORS, and the chances of her trailing behind Diana in any minute now is not that thin. When she did not see any dazzling azure eyes, a sensual and luscious face, Diana almost let out a sigh of relief. It's not the first time her father ordered someone to pick her up and follow her. That's just how it is with her father. Instead of contacting her personally, he would rather resort in his usual antics.

     "Hey, Sandoval!"

     Diana snapped from her thoughts and stopped from her tracks. She didn't recognize the voice that just called her, but the moment she turned around, a familiar face greeted her. Light brown eyes, the color of the woods, of a dead forest, and his hair has the color of autumn. His curls tumbled playfully on the other side of his forehead. His whole appearance told Diana that he's friendly and warm, she didn't really know what to think about that. Even without a smile, or anything that can lighten up one's feature, the man looks pleasing, his eyes has this natural twinkle in them, like they have a smile of their own. The man is a member of the Council, although she could not remember the man's name.

     "Greetings," Diana muttered, unable to focus. Having three encounters in one day was exhausting her enough, especially when the last two is enough to give everyone a headache.

     "So, um, I was thinking. About the last Council meeting? When you said that..." The man trailed off, staring at Diana, his eyes squinting jokingly at Diana. He shifted on his feet to distance his self and tilt his head. "You don't know me, do you?"

     Diana pursed her lips, but kept her piercing eyes straight at the man. "Yes, I do not. But fear not, I'm familiar with your face."

     The man let out a breathy laugh, "Don't they all?" He muttered with a small smile, a faint dimple appearing on the side of her left cheek. "Name's James Tolentino. But, I am not surprised that you don't know me, actually, given that I'm just a new Council recruit. So... As I was saying, about the previous Council meeting...can we talk? I have some few questions."

     "I'm afraid you caught me in a bad time, Mr. Tolentino," Diana said, fighting the urge to turn away on her heels and don't mind the man in front of him. "I'm actually on my way to Mr. Mounberg."

     "Oh. Oh, I am so sorry."

     "It's all right."

     "But...do you have time to spare after that? I'm hoping that, well..." James trailed off, shifting uncomfortably on his feet and glancing around the whole lobby. "I'm really hoping that I could talk to you."

     "You already are, though, aren't you?"

     "Um, I mean...  Nevermind," James tumbled awkwardly on his words, losing the confidence he kind of had earlier. "Do you have time after?"

     "No. I'm afraid not. But do approach the other members of the Head Council, if you may. I believe they can help you in the matters that you want to talk about just as much as I can." The words came out a little snappish for Diana, and that would explain the faint color of shame that appeared on the man's face, but he nodded anyway.

     "Yeah, that's... I actually haven't thought of that. I was so caught up in the thought of talking these matters with you." James mumbled meekly, but then gave Diana a soft and genuine smile, one that Diana considered rare rheset days. "Okay, um, I'm really sorry for bothering you."

     Diana visibly sized the man in front of him up, keeping her gray eyes on the man's brown one. In these act, Diana tilted her chin slightly, then returned the smile James gave her. "It's quite alright."

     James' smile turned into a grin, but did not say anything. Diana waited.

     "Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, leaving, right?" James' face tinted with color again.

     "You should apologize less," Diana said as the man in front of him nodded. He was about to part his lips, and Diana can tell that he's about to say sorry again, but was glad when he did not and clamped his mouth. "This really has been a delightful talk, Mr. Tolentino. Now, if I may excuse myself..."

     "Yes," James mumbled. "See you again."

     —4559, month of Febrari, 10th day: Sequi, CORS—

     It should have been just a normal day in the Core, and it was the day where she was supposed to join The Blood, proving that she is still worthy of being a member of ERYTROS again by beating Rikke's ass off in a duel, a match. Just another one of Fernando Dachili's way of fun. And she was glad to have that opportunity, she would very much love to show Rikke who's the boss. And these three appeared. A scowl appeared on Lilliane's usual poker yet delicate face. An inconvenience that she cannot help.

     She immediately recognized their faces, the faces that she hate. Questions floated inside her mind as she stare at their faces, filled with different emotions that Lilliane did not  care about. What she cared about, however, is the appearance of someone she had met once in Theios, a woman that god under her skin the first time they met, was somehow acquinated with the twe failed trainees of being a Defender. Lilliane remembered her pretty well, with her eyes that is the palest green Lilliane had ever seen. It was disorienting, the color, yet anyone will still stare, fascinated. Also, it was the same woman that almost took her chance of being in the Blood's presence in the first place. A scowl threatened to appear on Lilliane's usual poker and delicate face. She never even learned the stern lady's name in front of her, and yet she already hates her presence.

     The woman seemed the share the same feelings Lilliane has. Her pale, green eyes gazed at Lilliane coldly, like a piercing stare that is made purely of ice. She has her smooth and slightly wavy dark raven hair adding to that stern and cold vibes for some reason that Lillian could not understand. And the way she held herself, poised, regal, intimidating. Lilliane hated her. It felt like she was looking down on Lilliane. And she was, in a way, for she's slightly taller than her.

     Lilliane's smoldering amber eyes shifted from the stern-looking lady back to ones she was familiar with. Rion Sedra. Whoever thought that Lilliane would meet him again? She and Rion has been acquinated with each other, with all the chances and the times she was delivered to the Defenders camp to bring them weapons and other goods. She never liked Rion, never hated him either. The man has something in him, a deep in his dark eyes that held the color of the darkest wood. She always just thought that Rion always looked so bitter and helpless. Angry and sad.

     From beside Rion was the man that Lillian remembered very clearly. From his messy hair that had that red glaze against the sunlight, the cheeky, annoying and smug smile. In a way, Leo Abrazak reminds Lilliane of Rikke Payawal. She hated them both. Lilliane remembered the times that Leo Abrazak looked at her with hate every time he tries to outwit Lilliane. Leo even once tried to taunt  Lilliane to accept another match to restore his camp honor. She's pretty sure that the man hates her.

     "Wilde," Rion breathed, glancing around the hidden place. They were standing behind the constructing facility that has the fair amount of distance between the others for minutes now. Rion stepped forward, like that simple gesture will do anything. "We need your help."

     "Oh, wow, surprising. Tell me something I know for a change." Lilliane snapped. Fighting back a sigh, Lilliane combed her hair upwards in irritation.  "What are you even doing here? Whatever it is you need, I don't have it. If you're here for Dachili to buy some of the weapons you and your Lion friend last time, you're talking to the wrong person."

     "I'm pretty sure we came here to look for a girl who has issues," Leo chided. "And it's Leo, goddamit."

     Lilliane decided to ignore his whole existance. "What do you guys want?" she asked, then glanced the green-eyed lady that was looking at her blankly now. "And who the heck is that? I don't do interrogations."

     "Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" The lady said,  intervening whatever pointless conversation was bout to happen between Rion and Lilliane. She did not even mind introducing herself. "This is wasting all of our times. We came here to seek for your assistance. We need you to show us where we can find the god wielders—"

     "Or, we can just explain our situation to Wilde and stop being so hasty, right?" Rion interrupted, earning a slight glare from the green-eyed girl. Lilliane cared less either way. She knows she does not have anything to offer to the three, but despite that, she didn't stop Rion from explaining. "We hate to bother you like this, Wilde, really, but you're the only person that I know from here. You're the only one who can help us, or just tell us where we can find the god wielders and how to, well... How to bypass the security of the central facility of Aegis."

     Lilliane blinked at the man, taken by surprise, but she kept it well hidden under her emotionless mask. Neither of these things she has done, she did not even dare. She does not care about the God Wielders or whatever those things that's involved with them. It was just even a stroke of luck that she arrived in Theios without getting herself killed. And this man, in front of her, is assuming that she had once bypassed the Aegis' central? How ridiculous is that? Her amber eyes shifted from Rion to the other two. They share the same look on Rion's face. They, too, believe, whatever Rion has expected of her.

     It was just another thing that's laced about being a criminal. People's expectancy of who you are, of what you might have done. There is nothing she should be surprised about. How many times has this happened? Countless of times, as she can remember. Lilliane wanted to laugh because of the man's foolishness, but instead, Lilliane shook her head, a thin smile fighting to etch of her lips. "You're talking to the wrong person, if there even is a right person."

     "Left's offended," Leo chided again.

     Rion's face contorted in confusion as she look at Lilliane. "What do you mean?"

     "Look, if there's this one bit of a chance that I'm stupid enough to travel a hundred miles away from here to Aegis' central just to bypass their security, I would have been dead. Anyone in their right mind, even people like me, won't act that stupid." Lilliane said, now slowly studying the look on the three's faces.

     Rion looked shocked for a moment before looking disappointed. He doesn't even have the right to be  disappointed, really. On the other hand, the Sedrak guy looked confused, his eyebrows furrowed together. Whatever the three wants, whatever they need to do, Lilliane didn't care. She has many things on her plate right now, and that brings her to her match with Rikke.

     A beat, and none of the three spoke, their eyes casted downwards—except for the green-eyed lady—their faces filled with hopelessness and frustration. Especially Rion, and that made it obvious that it was him who thought about all this, gods, maybe he's the one who has something to do in the Center of Aegis Corporation in the first place. One the other hand, the green-eyed companion of the two losers—Rion and Leo—was just gazing at her with an unreadable look on her face. Seeing her gazing at Lilliane intensely yet so cold, Lilliane confirmed that it was indeed the girl that chased her down the streets of Theios when she caught Lilliane with a bag full of the Risse Family's riches. She decided to ignore this fact as she ripped her amber eyes away from the girl, shaking off the feeling of irritation and allure that the green-eyed whoever had caused her.

     "Seeing those despaired look on your faces, I'm gonna assume this conversation is over and you three will get back from whatever hell you came from, and so will I." Without batting another eyelash, turned away from the three, raising her hand lazily to the air and waved them good bye while walking away. "I hope we never see each other again!"

     "Hold it, rogue," said a woman's voice behind her. Firm and sharp. Offensive to the point that Lilliane actually stopped on her tracks.

     "Excuse me?" Lilliane snarled as she turned back to the three. "What did you just call me?"

     "Rogue," she repeated, like it was nothing. "Aren't you one?"

     Lilliane gritted her teeth, her amber eyes flashing dangerously. Thought-out the years, people had called her names. Thief, a murderer, a bottom-feeder. There was nothing wrong with what the woman had called her, but for some reason, it sounds so offensive and irritating rolling out of her tongue. Biting the insides of her mouth, Lilliane tried to calm herself down. Nothing good will happen if she lets her temper go wild. It's all about deception, the mask you wear, that's what Dachili has always told her.

     She unfolded her fist, shifting herself into a more comfortable position, making her look like nothing bothered her at all. But she's aware of her own eyes, the hate it radiates right at that moment. Loosening herself while running a hand on to her auburn hair, she inhaled  deeply before saying another word.

     "I suppose," Lilliane's voice came out as a gruff. "What in the six hells do you want, whoever you are?"

     The green-eyed woman played more carefully than she did earlier. "Reina Dominique," the woman said, taking a step forward, making their distance between each other shorter. "As much as this amuses me, I should tell you that you have no choice but to help us, Wilde."

     Lilliane's lips quirked as she fight a small laugh to come out. She looked beside her, holding up her hands, then back at Reina Dominique, an amused, quizzical look on her face. "I'm sorry, repeat that again? You must have been spitting nonsensical garbage that even a rogue and a low-life like me can't understand you."

     Reina's pale, green eyes remained unfazed, wearing a mask of their own. "You heard me. You will have no choice but to help us get to the central," Reina said, and as Lilliane parted her lips to say something again, Reina cut her off. "Unless you forgot that night?"

     Anger boiled in Lilliane. "Are you blackmailing me?"

     "Okay, sorry. What night?" Leo interrupted as he step forward Reina and Lilliane. He eyes them both quizzically. "What in the hell? You two know each other."

     "We don't," Lilliane answered just as Reina said, "Oh, we do."

     Leo's lips parted, his forehead scrunched up together. He was clearly about to say something when Rion pulled him back harshly with his jacket. Leo made a little yelp before complaining in a loud manner. "What the heck are you doing?" Rion whispered. "Shut up, Reina's saving our asses here."

     Lilliane continued to glare at woman in front of her, ignoring the two in the background, fighting the urge to grab the dagger that's resting on the handle wrapped on her thighs and stab Reina with it. She has never thought once that this is going to happen, gods, she did not even think that she will meet this Reina person again after she escaped her that night. Lilliane is no fool, and she knows what the stern-looking woman was suggesting.

     "You don't want to do this," Lilliane glowered.

     "Certainly. The least I want to do is to deal with any of this and waste my time even talking to you," Reina replied with ease, clearly aware that she has the upper hand.

     Lilliane could see that she was fighting a smirk herself. Reina looked down at her, her eyes turning into this weird yet fascinating and disorienting color of brown and green, with specs of blue and gray against the sunlight. Her hair that's slightly passing the length of her shoulders turning to a soft color of brown because of the light behind her. Her face held that whole regal look, intimidating and unfriendly, cold but still pleasing to look at. If not because of her attitude, or how she got under Lilliane's skin, she would have thought that the green-eyed stranger is alluring, gorgeous, even. But it's not. Lilliane wanted to hit her face with a rock or something.

     Reina's eyes changed almost completely, making Lilliane's eyebrows furrow. The blank, stern look she held was replaced with an amused one, her pale, green eyes matched her amusement. It was clear that Reina was enjoying the whole intimation bussiness. Lilliane clicked her tongue, her finger curling against her palms. She wanted to punch Reina so badly.

     "Now, think about it carefully before turning your back again, won't you? Or, say, why don't we imagine the headline first? 'A thief caught robbing from one of the most powerful clan in Arcane.'" Reina whispered lowly, her voice menacing. "Then your name, in bold letters, with little cover you have to hide your identity, leading to what your boss' punishment for you. Death, perhaps?"

     Lilliane was left speechless and Reina leaned back, poised under her black and refined military coat. She didn't even notice that the woman has been closing their distance. Then, in a snap, the stern look that Reina held was back. Intensely cold, sharp and piercing. "Agreeing was not that hard, was it not?"