CHAPTER FIFTEEN : Need a new plan

They gathered in the living room.

Ring-shaped, the flush mounts as illuminating as floodlights, made every archaic piece of the room visible. From the hanged framings of the family tree, their eyes seemed to stare right at you, as though trying to tell you a secret.

The wooden bookshelves were cornered, it gave the room a traditional design. Alina always thought it was creepy and gave her death vibes. It matched the aura scoping their conversation.

"If he wanted Alina dead in one week so we only need to watch over her for one week?" Eren spoke after feeling tired of waiting for Patrick to start the conversation.

"I don't agree to that, I don't want more creepy eyes flying over me" Her tone extended in the joking area.

They all had serious looks on their faces, they didn't look her in the eye since they thought she was more scared than they are. They were benighted, she wasn't a bit scared for her life.

"Alright, if she's trying to kill me then, wouldn't be better if we figure out how she will execute it?"

Mason stared at her, "I'm not sure why the other kids are here"

"They're staying, otherwise none of us will be here listening to your adult crap"

"Watch your mouth little angel"

Alina was so calm, to the point that it made what she spelled later sound like a threat rather than a statement, "First, what if I don't? You're gonna handcuff me and put me behind bars, huh?

And second, you're only calling me angel because all of you are hoping I could stay helpless so that you can protect me like a princess. The only thing you're succeeding at is making me feel more caged."

"She's right, let's first try to build a scenario. How she's gonna die" Patrick muttered, tired of his boss following him everywhere, he had to be done.

"Any plausible scenes in your minds ladies and gentlemen?"

"Any scenarios?" Her voice, placid. "How about she drugs me, just like Lindsey. Drags me to a forest kills me with a bullet and throws me in a river"

Every pair of eyes was now facing her.

"You got one sick imagination! Any more?" Eren asked with an opposite tone, an excited one.

"Sure. She uses my sister as bait, drags me to where she wants me to be and kidnaps me, asks for a ransom with a false proof of life for the police, she flies somewhere else and leaves my body shivering and I bleed to death"

"Maybe we can get to you before you're dead?" Asked Patrick.

"Nah, the police are always late. You probably won't make it" Her words cut like a razor in Selena's heart.

"Or maybe, she will hold me hostage and ..."

"Okay, enough! We get it! We can't save you no matter how hard we try, well you are right darling! Because if you don't give up your death wish and actually make an effort to survive, you will not make it" Selena wanted to bring her to her senses.

"No one survives without sacrifices" Her voice didn't pass a whisper. "It's either me or who knows what that psycho has for you too"

"Why do you think we are here? We're all here to save you, there is always a way to avoid an unnecessary loss"

"You don't understand, I'm tired of people dying because of me! The only way to stop this is to kill me!"

"There has to be another way!"

"Well, my sister thought the same, and look where she is now! Probably waiting for her end nearing her slowly, she did everything to keep me safe and now the only way to save her is to give my life away! And I'd gladly do that!"

She pursued, "She was so close to puzzling this whole insanity, she knew it would get her dead but she did it anyway! Just for some piece of junk like me, so I can live! And if anyone of you is trying to do that, I will stop you before it's too late"

She held her tears back, swallowed her gasp.

"What do you mean puzzling this whole insanity? She was investigating?"

Alina nodded and didn't bother to answer Mason's question. All she saw of him was a dickhead.

"Where? Can you get us there? Maybe if we get there we'll figure out what piece of information did she step on"

"Why on earth would I get you there?"

"Alina!" Patrick yelled at her, she was passing a line.

"Fine. I don't know exactly, but maybe I can figure it out"

"What do you mean?" Said Lydia, finally joining the conversation.

"She only left me clues, in case I needed to meet her. She was working anonymously"

"Why was she working anonymously?"

"That, I can't say" She replied knowing well they'll be aware of it once they find the place, she just hoped they wouldn't hurt her.

"Alina, this is not the best time to hold secrets," Said Patrick, almost losing his patience.

Selena tapped on his lap and grinned at him saying:

"Do you just expect people to open up that easily? If that was the case my job wouldn't exist!"

"Just tell me this then, dear Alina. Is your sister involved in some shady stuff?" Mason tried to sound less serious.

"Define shady"

"Something that could get her arrested"

"I'm not the cop here"

He had enough of her teenage drama, he didn't care of she was pissed or scared or anything.

Mason excused himself from the crowd and returned home. Lydia soon followed, Patrick gave her a lift home since it was a bit late for a teenage girl to go back home alone.

Eren was a bit shy to ask Alina it he could stay over, he didn't want to go back home.He had no home.

Selena noticed his odd movements and pacing around the room.

"Isn't it a bit late for you to go home now? Stay the night. You have school tomorrow"

Eren was unable to hide his excitement.

To Selena, he was an open book. She knew his body language and was able to interpret the best solution. She gave him a new blankets and had set clean sheets on the guest room's bed.

"Choose the comfiest pillow!" She prepared a mountain of pillows in front of him. It was nearly impossible to choose.

"I'm okay with anything, really"

She was nice to him in a way that his own mother has never been, even after she knew him for only a few hours.

That night was peaceful, but all of them layed their heads aware of what disaster the morning brings.