Chapter 45

"Hey," Trance called out to the man on the other side. She placed a bottle on the table. She lit up her cigar while staring at the small shelve. Calming down her tensed body, Trance leaned on the chair, causing her body to drive on the edge a bit.

"You know something circulating in the air, don't you?" She asked. She was breaking the ice between them. He reached out the bottle and open it. The beverage's scent took out its advantage in the air. He looked at Trance.

"I owe you for this." He said before drinking, "I'm amused at how you managed to sneak out a vodka here."

"Nine lend a hand."

"What's the exchange?" Haru leaned at the wall, "Knowing that two-faced zombie, she won't let it pass through without anything in exchange."

"Complicated thing to speak. She can hear you on the other side of the door."

"Let her in."

"Hell no. I am not born yesterday," Trance placed her cigar on the ashtray and tapped the cigar to get rid of ash, "Ahh! That reminds me, do you still have a NaK? I asked Hiro but said I should go directly to you."

"What are going to do with it?" Haru swirled the bottle in his hand slowly. Trance looked at the door and smirked, "School project."

"Aww, my little brother thinks I want something for him. I just happened to miss you so I asked Nine to go here with me." Trance offered a sweet smile to the white-haired man. Haru gave her his usual emotionless facade. Trance can truly tell this big difference between the twins.

"Kidding aside. I want to know something." She laughed. Haru did nothing but remained immovable as he was. He watched his sister to cracked out while he was drinking the liquor in his hand. Trance's joyous and buoyant expression immediately switched to her menacing one. The simple smile that crept upon her lips brings hostility to anyone.

"About what?"

"It's not what but who." Trance placed the cigar between her lips before puffing out the smoke, "I want to know something about someone."

"Say the name, perhaps I have a sliver of knowledge or could be a hefty one."

"About the Hwang group," Trance replied, "I'm just interested in their work of theirs. I yearned to be enlightened on their jobs." She added.

"Hwang group, huh?" Haru took the last sip, "So you bumped into one of them. Earning the boss' attraction is the one which you should pay attention to. That reminds me too, don't Niall and the other members gather information about this?"

"Artemis knew few things about the group. Nine and I got a plan." Trance crossed her legs, "Trusting the fact that I knew before is comparable to the grain of salt. I don't want to use someone like her for this intel. We won't push a plan without it."

"Of course, you won't but you don't go into rough situations without a plan. However, the prince." Haru placed the empty bottle beside Trance, "He's hiding on Priam Videlle. I know that Artemis once told you that."

"Yeah, they do."

"Very well, do you have a pen and paper?"

"I don't."

"Dude?" Haru looked at Trance in dismay.

"No sharp objects for you. You can tell me what you want to say." Trance shrugged. Haru narrowed his gaze at her like a whining child, making Trance grimace, "Bro, you're damn grown-ass man why like that?"

"Is it forbidden to have fun just for once?"

"Come on. Tell me what do want to say."

"Boomers." Haru murmurs, "About the prince.."

Trance listens carefully to her brother's words. Not letting any details slip out of her mind.

"Interesting."

"Yeah. But knowing that little piece of shit, he likes to play games too."

"I'll handle that," Trance stood up, and marched towards the door, "Thanks for the info." She stopped recording.

"Another thing, about Nine." Haru pointed his long and sharp nail to his eye, "This might help you."

"What about her?"

"Remember the nameless kid back then in our home?" Haru pulled his finger away, "The one who always sticks around you? She got here because of her younger sister. Excalibur got her. No choice for the nameless kid. In exchange for keeping her alive, she chooses to be here," Haru tapped the bottle on his table, "She can help or even protect you."

"Nine, why are you here?" Nine watched the three pairs of shoes in front of her before lifting her gaze to their owners. The woman in the middle waved in front of the taller one's face, confirming if she saw her, "Earth to Nial?" Nine frowned at Artemis and then put her hand away from her face in annoyance.

"Please, Ma'am, you have no respect." Nine turned her stare at the guard behind them.

"Trance is visiting her brother?"

"No, she's sleeping inside." She smiled. Artemis raised both of her thumbs and smiled in force. Hera and Demeter watched them while leaning on the wall. Nine nodded and Artemis replied with another nod before saying, "I send Kai and Aga out."

"I have a mission." Nine walked towards him, towering over his more petite physique. The heavy and threatening presence is enough to make him take a step backward, "Your mission is to stay here and guard properly the guy inside. If Kai enters, don't worry about him, just walk away, got it?" The door opened behind them, revealing Trance.

"And I forgot to mention, everything he touches can be a weapon." Connor snapped back into reality when Trance pulled Nine away from him. Nine looked at her and then laughed. Pure or not, Trance cannot figure it out. All she sensed at that moment was another hostility, "What? I didn't do anything wrong."

"Mr. Connor, Nine speaks that way. Don't dig everything deeper to make this conversation long." Demeter said, "You're not familiar with her since she barely shows up."

"Captain, I've gathered it." Trance placed a small recorder on the top of the coffee table. Artemis took it and connected it to the laptop.

"Thank you, Trance." They started to listen to the recording. They're all listening to the recording, wearing serious faces that some people couldn't bear.

"Ahh! That reminds me, do you still have a NaK? I asked Hiro but said I should go directly to you." Trance turned her attention to Nine full of curiosity. Artemis and the rest looked at her aside from Nine. Artemis paused the recording, giving her a meaningful look.

"Haru said he needs a school project." Nine shrugged.

"NaK? School project?" Kai grimaced not in disgust but in confusion, "What are you going to do with sodium chloride and potassium?"

"Trying something." Trance shrugged. Artemis gave her the longest stare before continuing to listen to the record.

"You're the one who gave him that you?" Trance asked Nine. The blonde beside Trance leaned over her whispering, "I'm bored sometimes. I didn't know that he'd use that to kill them. Ops."

"Apolaki rises at the east, the crow goes the search for the riches. The august watch."