Granny's Wrath

Kaia broke the silence with a sigh. "That guy never bothered explaining his clothes, huh?"

"Who even cares?" Yona muttered, looking totally drained.

They stood there, arms crossed, the silence stretching awkwardly. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"Umm…" Yona started, then paused. "Actually, you—"

Before she could finish, someone bumped into Kaia from behind, sending a pile of things crashing to the ground. Kaia, irritated, spun around. "Watch where you're going, jerk!"

She knelt to pick up the scattered items, her eyes widening when she saw what they were: small pouches filled with something suspicious.

Salt?

Kaia's stomach dropped. That's definitely not salt.

Before she could react, the man snatched the pouches back with a speed that startled her, shoving her aside as he darted off.

A motorcycle revved in the distance, and in seconds, the man was on the back, speeding away with someone else.

Yona's calm voice broke through. "Those weren't just salt, were they?"

Kaia shot her a glance. "Yeah, not quite the seasoning you put on your fries."

Yona's eyes narrowed. "Let's catch them."

Kaia glanced around. No car nearby. The car was parked way too far to be of use right now. She started pacing, mentally calculating their options. But then her gaze locked on something — or rather, someone.

A little kid, oblivious to the chaos, was happily pedaling his tricycle down the street.

Yona froze. Please tell me she's not thinking what I think she's thinking.

Before Yona could stop her, Kaia was already over there. With zero hesitation, she yanked the kid off the tricycle, tossed him aside like he was a bag of groceries, and plopped herself down on it.

"What are you doing?!" Yona yelled, eyes wide in disbelief.

Kaia smirked, completely unbothered. "I'm chasing them, obviously."

Yona stared at her, incredulous. "You're going to chase them down on a tricycle?!"

Kaia didn't answer. She just grinned and began pedaling like her life depended on it.

The kid, now standing off to the side, began screaming at the top of his lungs. "Hey! You took my bike! Granny, help me!"

Kaia flipped him a playful, exaggerated wave, shooting a middle finger at him. "Jokes on you, Brat. Granny's too slow to catch me!"

She laughed as she sped down the street, looking far too pleased with herself for someone on a tiny tricycle.

Yona rubbed her temples, her brain trying to process what she was seeing. This is the same person who was just lecturing me about dignity?

She sighed, shaking her head. "Kaia, you're impossible."

Kaia, completely ignoring her, shouted back over her shoulder, "Try and keep up, slowpoke!"

Yona narrowed her eyes, her thoughts turning to how to actually catch up with Kaia, but for now, it seemed like the chase was on — even if it wasn't going according to plan.

Kaia's legs were practically on fire. This thing's harder to pedal than a bicycle! She gritted her teeth and pushed harder, but it didn't feel any easier.

Suddenly, a loud noise from behind caught her attention—definitely a vehicle. Was it Yona in a Jeep? Kaia smiled, turning her head, only to have that smile vanish in an instant.

"Wait—what?" Kaia blinked, her heart sinking. A truck was headed straight for her, and at the wheel? A granny. Wearing sunglasses. At night. And smoking a cigarette with one hand like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"You won't escape scumbag!" the granny yelled, voice full of rage. "I'll split you in half and feed you to the dogs!" The granny was shouting threats like she was on some kind of revenge mission while zooming forward way too fast for someone her age.

I didn't know that kid's granny was a secret agent, Kaia thought, a weird mix of fear and awe bubbling up in her. Tears started welling up in her eyes, but there was still a smile on her face. Okay, maybe this is the end...

"Kaia!" Yona's voice cut through her panic. The sound of a bike revving, and then Yona appeared out of nowhere, looking like she had just come from an action movie. With sunglasses on, Yona grabbed Kaia by the collar and dragged her onto the back of the bike.

"Hold on!" Yona shouted. With no time to think, Kaia clung to her, twisting backwards since Yona had grabbed her from behind.

Behind them, the granny was still speeding toward them, the truck smashing through the tricycle like it was made of paper.

The granny shot Kaia a death stare that could freeze water. "I am gonna cut your legs and limbs you fucking piece of shit!" she warned, and Kaia felt an icy chill down her spine.

"She's coming! She's coming!" Kaia cried out, shaking so hard her teeth were chattering. "We're gonna get run over!"Yona shot a quick glare over her shoulder. "That's what happens when you steal a kid's tricycle."

"Yona, not now! We're about to be flattened!" Kaia said, but Yona wasn't listening, weaving and swerving through the streets with insane speed.

Then, as if the situation could get any worse, Kaia saw it. The granny—pulling out a rifle.

"Where did she even—?" Kaia gasped, her mind racing. "Yona, we're toast!"

"Wait—what?" Yona barely had time to ask before the first shot rang out, narrowly missing them.

Kaia screamed, clinging tighter to Yona as she swerved again, her reflexes quick enough to dodge the next few shots. The bike's tyres screeched as Yona took a sharp turn into a narrow alley, too tight for the truck to follow.

Kaia watched in disbelief as the granny got out of her truck, fully armed like she was ready to storm a fortress.

"What is she, some kind of war veteran?" Kaia muttered, her eyes wide as Granny stalked the alley, eyes searching.

They took cover inside a nearby trash can, panting and barely able to catch their breath. The truck was now parked, and the granny was moving with a dangerous focus, scanning the area like a bloodhound on a mission.

Kaia narrowed her eyes, peeking out from behind the lid of the trash can. "Do you think she's gone?"

Yona joined her, lifting the lid slowly. "If she finds us, it's all your fault, Kaia. You let those guys get away with... stuff."

Kaia winced at the reminder. Not my proudest moment.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the alley.

"Is she back?" Kaia whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.

Yona closed the lid of the trash can slowly. Both of them held their breath, hoping that they wouldn't get discovered.