~ C H A P T E R S E V E N ~
When Stephen left the headquarters, he drove his black car to go home, but his guts told him there is something crucial missing. It was his friend Nate Clarkwell.
"How can I forget something so important?!"
Stephen clutched his steering wheel. The thought that if the S.EU sent someone to kill him, then they must've sent someone to kill Nate as well. He swiftly navigated from neighborhood to neighborhood, as he fears his friend's death may be inevitable.
As soon as he reached Nate's house, he quickly went inside. The whole house was trashed, with shattered plates and fragments of glasses filled the floor like a speck of glittering dust illuminated by the light from the outside moonlight.
Tingles ran through Stephen's spine as to he might be late, and Nate might be already dead. He went to the living room where some chairs were broken - almost as if it was used for defense.
On one of the countertops, hangs a phone handle, signifying that Nate tried to call for help.
~~~
Upon navigation, Stephen heard panting and running noises from the backyard, he quickly hurried his way out when he suddenly bumped into someone. It was Nate, looking paler as ever did, the only color in his pale face was his blood greased cheeks that came from his bleeding forehead.
"Stephen! A crazy woman tried to-"
Without finishing Nate's intense explanation, Stephen ran outside as he saw a shadow move behind Nate - there he immediately saw the killer that resembled a tall and fit woman; has a black tied short hair with a matching full black outfit.
She appears to be holding a double-edged knife in both hands; it looked weird but has a dangerous shape, that could easily scathe their necks in one fell swoop.
However, the woman retracted the knives and tried to retreat as soon as she saw Stephen, but to Stephen's mastery, he was able to quickly apprehend her by forcefully pulling both of her arms. Nate quickly followed up by getting her knives.
Stephen firmly held the killer's hands, pulling it while applying force in her back using his right foot. After that, he asked Nate if he could get the gun in his holster, and point it at the killer.
"Try to resist, and the bullet is yours." Stephen whispered in her ears with a firm voice as he lets go of her, allowing her to fall to the ground. She eyes the two men that looms over her with disgust.
He reached down in his belt to get handcuffs and begins to cuff her hands.
"How did you know?" Nate asked while pointing the gun at the killer.
"I was attacked the other day." Nate looked at him with disbelief.
"It was a big case after all, just what have you gotten me into?" Nate tried to chuckle in response, but there was a clear hint of nervousness in his trembling voice.
"I'll tell you, but first let's get to the car." Stephen dragged the killer to his car, while Nate points the gun at her while gripping the double-edged knives he got earlier
Stephen sat in the backseat with the killer being held by him, once again eyes and mouth of the killer were bounded with a sheet of fabric, while Nate took the driver's seat.
Even though Nate was injured, they decided that it would be better for him to drive, because that way Stephen will be able to apprehend the killer if she tries to escape - since she looked to be more experience than the other killer; Hawk.
"Where are we headed to, Stephen?" Nate asked as he starts the engine.
"We'll bring her to the headquarters."
"You mean - the S.I.E.F?" Nate asked again looking through the dashboard.
"Yes, I brought the other suspect there. His name is Hawk. He told me that he works for the S.E.U, and the Mask..."
"Yeah? What about the Mask?"
"Well, it belongs to them. Stella just found the Mask and considered it as a rare artifact, and that's obviously the reason why they killed her." Stephen explained.
"So, we were right. The chandelier was all a set up. They killed her that way to make it appear like an accident." Nate summarized in a serious tone of voice.
"And the B.I.C.F Vastile City station - really considered it as an accident." Stephen said with a sarcastic smirk on his face.
"Yeah. I can't believe that they've been fooled by something so obvious." Nate agreed.
There was a silence for a moment, but Nate was curious enough and asked another question.
"So, why would they want to kill us?"
"Because we know too much. They probably listened through the operator."
Nate looked at Stephen with fear through the mirror, the probability of someone listening to their calls might have frightened him.
"There was no other way they could've known." Stephen said looking at the dashboard mirror, where he can see Nate's attempts to focus on the road.
"Right. That's the only way." Nate started to sweat as feared he participated in something he shouldn't have.
Stephen felt bad but he knows Nate would help him even in the dangerous times as they are brothers by choice.
~~~~~