Never take a shortcut

A violent conflict had broken out between the Italians and the Russians, leaving behind dozens of dead, missing, traitors on both sides and countless collateral damage. After this massacre, New York had been cut like a cake, each side getting its share. Since then, an agreement had been sealed: no one would walk on the territory of the other.

But lately, the PAUK had heard persistent rumors. Foreigners sold on their territory. Unknown figures circulated merchandise that did not belong to them. Too much information, too much whispers. We had to act.

An operation had been carried out, quick, surgical. Tonight, the man they had captured was going to speak and die.

The Tsar was waiting in the shadows. Tall, and pale, his almost silver hair reflected the dim light. His blue, cold, and empty eyes did not betray any emotion. It was said of him that he had rare, almost unreal traits. A designated heir. Recently appointed successor of the PAUK, he had to prove that he deserved this title.

Dressed in black from head to toe, he wore his eternal gloves and this enigmatic mask that made him unidentifiable. The smell of leather floated around him, discreet, familiar. A nervous tic sometimes pushed him to adjust his fingers in the right glove, an imperceptible gesture, a habit that betrayed his concentration.

With his hands in his pockets, his eyes frozen, he observed the scene with a distant eye. He ordered. The others obeyed. That was his mantra.

And tonight would be no exception

— You thought you could come to my territory without consequences....with a lick on your lips - I will show you who is the king of New York .. Ev go ahead

It didn't take long for the so-called Ev to act. One blow then two and three, the classes were raining, the man who had his hands tied could not do anything to defend himself.

He could only cash in, he clenched his teeth praying that it would pass quickly. Ev had noticed his victim did not want to give him a single cry let alone supplication and it annoyed him.

— Tsar, I think this dog wants to play it hard. He said mockingly

The Tsar, who had been a spectator since the beginning, did not seem to shine through any emotion.

— It's cold tonight when do you think

He had asked this question by looking at their victim with an empty look.

This man was known to be a monster devoid of empathy, if you were his prey it was over for you.

The individual on his knees had a swollen face and blood coming out of his head and nose he was two fingers away from fainting. But for the Tsar and his men, it was not enough. They all wanted to see him beg for his life even if it would not change anything.

Ev had understood the message, from the chief

— I would have liked to play with you longer but my boss wants me to do it quickly

Ev checked if his weapon was loaded before pointing it in the direction of this bloody man

— I will count to two and you will be able to find Lucifer

At his joke, everyone had a little laugh before becoming serious again.

— 1 and

A hysterical cry is heard followed by music. Mechanically they all turned to the place of the screams, It was Damien who was holding a young girl, she was petrified.

A few minutes earlier

The small Burger Joint NYC restaurant was lively at this time of the evening, the glow of the colored neon lights filtering through the large windows illuminating the street.

At that time, she had one customer left before she finished her service, surrounded by the frenetic pace of orders and conversations that filled the air.

She had finally finished her service. This day had been long and exhausting. Between her classes and her job, she wondered how she managed to hold on.

It's 21:54, if I hurry, I'll be home in less than thirty minutes.

That's what she thought. At that time the bus was not passing. So she was going to walk, her phone in hand, her headphones in her ears, she was ready for her walk.

At the rhythm of the words, she was lost in her thoughts. A year was the time she had already spent here in New York. She had come for art students and she was beginning to doubt her choice.

I have always been fascinated by this city which made me want to be small and now I know more.

In just a few months, she already wanted to go home. Everything seemed foreign to her until the air she breathed. The city was teeming with life, but it felt more alone than ever.

I was drowned in this crowd of unknown faces.

Every detail of this new environment, whether it was language, agitation, streets or even sounds around her, reminded her that she was not at home.

The weight of uprooting increased day after day, transforming each moment into a reminder of his isolation.

He lacked familiarity, the comfort of being recognized and understood. She felt this sadness, this constant fatigue that tinged her days with a gray color like a fog, preventing her from adapting to this world that seemed inaccessible to her.

I am a foreigner in this country no matter my efforts I could never adapt.

But now she was trying to blend in and keep quiet about her emotions

The sooner I finish and I can go home

She had this thought from her friend and neighbor Amara who was also a foreign student.

Her help was very valuable to me thanks to her I got this job. He is rather well-paid.

—Just a few more meters and I could finally lie down on my bed

She had walked for a long time and now she was in front of two roads the first that was everything was long to get to her house would take her 20 minutes or more and the other was a shortcut on the left it was her friend Amara who had ridden her. But in all honesty, she never took it

—Left 15 right 20 what am I doing

She glances at the sky and breathes a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it's not raining today. I'm really lucky,

As soon as she had time to think that, a first drop fell, then another, before the rain suddenly fell in a storm.

—I spoke too fast, I whispered, walking towards the shortcut.

She rushed into the shortcut, hoping to escape the downpour before she was completely soaked.

Finally, I have the left it's the rain that decided

She was already refrigerated, she didn't see the point of running, especially since in any case, she would certainly be wet. She continues to walk by accelerating the bottom as she goes.

She continues to move forward and there she sees a black cat near a building. Their eyes met and he disappeared into the dark.

She didn't say she was superstitious, so she didn't intend to turn back, she was fearful but there were limits.

Finally, what could happen to me here? Is it just a shortcut? Having me kidnapped and having to marry a gangster.

She shivered slightly at this idea before continuing on her way

Arrived halfway, she heard screams

A frightening scream, the kind of scream that could only be heard in horror movies, often announcing that someone is being killed.

And then shit, curiosity is my ugliest flaw.

Zyphira, turn around, you're going to kill us, my conscience reprimands me, but I'm making the soda and continuing my way to the noise.

It delicately sticks to cold walls. Then she advanced one step after the other, she pulled her head trying to see what was going on. She assumed that it was a rogue group given the time most of the people were at home. She had bad eyesight from afar, she intended to trust her ears.

Two voices, not three, I think there are only three people.

Suddenly, her body froze instantly when she felt a presence behind her, before she could scream a firm hand fell on her mouth. In this alley, we only heard his breathing and the music emanating from his phone.

The man behind her spoke in an indescribable language. He pushed me towards his group. Was there an unhealthy tension? She could see a man bigger than the others even if he was all very tall, he stood out from the others. He looked into her eyes with an amused look. They all had terrifying masks

Oh lord, his eyes are like the vast and frightening ocean.

He approached her with a long and assured step

She closed her eyes and opened them. He is very close to her, too close for his taste.

—I didn't see or hear anything, please don't kill me, she said trying to control her voice, but it was impossible. She did her best not to burst into tears.

Her eyes detailed her, analyzing her carefully, while she was on the verge of discomfort.

She was sure they were going to kill her and she didn't want to die here, she had so much in my life.

I'm still a fucking virgin.

She wanted to urinate, so she put it on the stroke of fear

She closed her eyes, waiting for a reaction from her. She had her heart beating at a startling speed. She felt on her neck.

That's it, it's over, he's going to strangle me

— Thisavrós breathes, why are you so scared? She understood it

A deep voice mixed with a frightening accent. The eyes were he could see with fright that his face was a few centimeters from his, and his thumb touched his lips.

I have to be an omega who knows the surreal

She followed her hands that ran through her lips, her nose to her hair.

Ev was nervous that we cut his work, but what annoyed him the most was the unpredictable attitude of the tsar. But he did not want to take the risk of dying by displaying his dissatisfaction

I will close it until...

A voice is made understanding cutting ev in his thoughts

—Sir, I have seen absolutely nothing. Please let me go home. I beg you not to kill me.

The thing that the tsar hated the most was the weak it was sure for ev that the tsar was going to kill her

Never leave a witness

The tsar took out his weapon. Everyone was certain of the rest of the events but against all odds.