A Store Behind the Street

At a street, there's a single person walking down with a hood covering it's head. The sounds of it's walk echoing through the street, gently walk to the place that seems to be the destination. The street that this person walked on are dead silent, there's no car or pedestrian that use this road can be seen even though the street itself can be used to make a two ways road. The person with the hood was walking, keep walking as far as it's feet bring. When the person reach the corner, it's saw a kind of bar at the end of the street. Without hesitation, the person goes through the door and head inside.

The inside was big and clean, with a few chandelier on top. There's a few seating and a counter, with a big windows along the wall that facing the road. Not all the seat was occupied even the counter was quiet. The place are clean and elegant, and most of it's guest is a middle aged man eating or drinking at the day.

Walking to the counter, the person with a hood take a seat in front of middle aged man. His appearance are very neat with his mustache, wearing a uniform that only white and black for the combined color.

"What do you want to order, miss?"

The bartender said, even with his eye's half closed, he still recognize the costumer. Addressing with it's supposed gender correctly while wiping a glass.

She take a seat and removing her hood at ease. Her stature was not that tall, her blonde hair with plait linear hairstyle and a glasses on make a good combination to her appearance. With a little peek, the bartender said once again, "May I help you, miss?"

"Yes, can I order some drink?" She said with a smile on her face.

"Sure, what kind of drink do you want?"

"A special drink with a sea dishes as a side dish, please,"

The bartender become silent, he assessing the situation because he knew the meaning behind those order. Without changing his attitude, he said," I see, do you want something as your main dish?"

"Then, I will take your recommendation, master,"

"Then, enjoy this special drink while you wait the dish done, miss,"

After placing the glass down, the old man then walk away to the back of the store.

While waiting, the girl that had a talk with the bartender looking at the glass in front of her. She don't know what this 'special drink' mean, but she need to say that to get what she wants. With a resolve, she's gently reaching the glass with her hand. And then take a sip.

"....A ....Milk...?"

Her eyes widened, she didn't know what expression that she need to show right now. The only thing that she think was a question as why the special drink that she's ordered is a full glass of milk in a big cup. Even if she's still wondering why, she's still drink her cup of milk with enjoyment.

Slowly, the air began to change. The inside of this place become a bit chill than before, unbeknown by her, the rain began pouring gently. The noises reverberate inside the store, making a calm and melancholy atmosphere.

"Haah....."

A long sigh escaped her tiny mouth. While resting her cheek on top of her hand, she looking at the window next to her. Watching the trace of the rain on the window, and slowly looking at her reflection. She's remember the incident as if it's was just yesterday. The gun shoot, a groaning voice, and even the smell of gunpowder still lingering inside her head. It's not her first time saw a dead person, even if she didn't certain that the ambassador are alive, she's still saw a him as a dead man. The tragedy of her life, the trauma, she will not forget that as long as she still breathing.

"It seems you have your own concern, young miss," said the bartender.

He walked from the back of the store with a tray full of meal.

"Ah,..."

She look up, lifting her head from the top of her arm.

"...Yes, It seems so,..." Said her.

Taking down the tray and then place the meal in front of her with ease. After that, she begin to eat the meal casually.

In the middle of enjoying her meal, the bartender began to hold a conversation again. But this time, the words that come out from that old man mouth are make her surprised.

".....Then, Princess, what kind of 'special drink' do you want to drink?"

Her hand halt, she stopping her eating and then said, "How did you-,..."

Aware about what she want to said next, she's then stopped. Cutting her sentence in the middle and make switch it to another topic. She's at the information dealer that Beatrice mentioned, if she make a blunder here then the one that will suffer is her.

".....I thought, that milk was the special drink,....."

"Hahaha, It's just a courtesy,...."

"Then,..... I want to drink that 'best to drink it' at cold night,"

The bartender, that wiping the glass closing his eyes.

"I see, may I know the reason why you want to try..."

Lowering his voices, the old man continue, "Take a glance to the abyss,.....?"

'Abyss,'

Hearing that word, Alice just keep her silence. She's know, there's a deep meaning in his word. She know there's a side in this world that she's never imagine to know that. But, because what happened before, when she realize that she was standing alone in this cold war. She's already make her choice to bear the truth. Choosing to walk into a different path.

"....What...abyss that you mean, master....?"

The old man closing his eyes, and then said, ".... so that's your answer,...."

"Do you know the member, Princess?"

Alice tilting her head, she's didn't know what the old man mean by the member.

"The member? You mean, your regular guest, master?"

"Hahaha, that's not it, Princess,"

"The agent that the government have, they've been called, The member," add master.

"You mean something like, the one that do the dirty job for them?"

"Yes, you can say it like that,"

"Then, why you bring them up?"

"It seems, they are investigating something," said the old man.

"The slum, there's has been many activities there, and some of the regular said that they saw someone wandering there through the night often," add him.

Her hand stopped, she's began to pondering something. There's only a little reason why the government sent someone to investigate the slum.

"Are they searching someone?" Said Alice.

Her intention was only asking for herself, but the old man that hear that didn't left it alone.

"Young miss,..... since you know the code,"

".....Then you also know the surface right?" Add him.

".....Yes, just a little," said Alice.

"Then, you should be know about the night organisation too,"

Alice kept her silent, it's not like she was hiding her knowledge but. The silence that she took was the answer itself. The old man know this, and then continue his talk, "The incident a week ago seems to be the reason."

"The ambassador shooting incident,..." add him.

"How you get this information?" Ask Alice.

"... we just happen to know, Princess,"

The information about that was kept locked by the higher up in government, the one that supposed to know about it are only a few person with her as exception because she was at that place that time. She's then convinced that's there's nothing that can be completely hidden in this world.

"This is a special service, Princess,"

"The government suspecting a third party in this cold war, they're searching a potential threat to their reign in here and want to keep them under control," said him.

"May I know who's this potential threat is?"

"There's too many for it, the underworld itself already full of malice and threat from beginning, but there's three major organisation that can be threat for them in society,"

"The nightingale, The Sisterhood, and The Serpent," add him.

"Can you fill me the detail?"

"That will cost you extra, Princess,"

"No problem," said her.

Hearing that, the old man began fill the detail that she's asking for. Started with The nightingale, the organization that researching any kind of medicine. They were involved in kidnapping, human trafficking, and narcotics.

"The nice thing about them is, hmmm,..... maybe theirs ignorant's about the things happen at surface, they are just a bunch of mad scientist, if they can do their research then they're fine with it even if the whole world was at crisis," said him.

"Then The Sisterhood, they are the weird's one so far, a bunch of serial killer with delusional ideals,..."

The old man explained that The Sisterhood was a strange group of people, they are killers but with religion as theirs justification. Hard to touch, and even considered as a non-aggressive organization in the underworld. Despise slavery but killing people without batting an eyes.

"...a bunch of hypocrites," said Alice with low voice.

Again, the old man closes his eyes, letting out a sigh and then said, "You can say that, but..."

"They are the real deal, don't get involved with them if you can, that's my advice for a new comer like you, Princess," add him.

"And the third, The Serpent,...."

"You can call them mafia because they are dealing with various stuff like human trafficking, and stuff. Theirs focus was on business, all kind of business, even killing's was in theirs line of business as well,"

"Like a hitman?"

"Yes, a hitman,...."

Alice been pondering about this for a while, and then asked, "I can get the idea why The Serpent was the potential threat but, what the other two do for them to become a threat?"

"It's simple, if The Sisterhood grow bigger, theirs believers can make an uproar and their reign will be busy to keep them while the opposite faction can use this chance to depose them,"

"For Nightingale, theirs invention can caused their demise, in secret, the current regime and Nightingale are in cahoot. Their medication was the hidden weapon that the government have, even if the side effect was unknown they are still ordering them,"

"If somehow The Nightingale was betrayed them, then their regime will be in danger as well," add him.

They went silent, Alice keep pondering, her head was facing down, staring her empty plate with a fierce eyes. She need to sort out, who can become her companion and who is the potential enemy. While she's been pondering for a while, the old man open his mouth again.

"....There's a rumors,...."

Hearing that, she's lift her face and staring at him.

"Rumors about a certain organization that lurking deep inside the shadow,"

"Keeping an eye to the underworld and the surface, destroyed the thing that they think unnecessary, the one that controlling the flow of story,...."

"We called them, Abyssal,..."