" Damn it ! The lights are out again ! "

Aletta cursed under her breath. The street lights in the city were out more frequently than usual.

People considered this more as an insecurity as the number of crimes in the news headlines increased.

She heard a faint footstep under the roof she stood. As far as her experience was considered the current target was a persistent one.

She swung down like a bat which brought a visible fear on her target's face.

He screamed running through the passage which indeed led to the narrowest alleyway near her territory. A smirk passed her face at the sight.

" Enough of hide and seek buddy? " Aletta slowly pulled her gun from the waistband and gave the tip of it a soft blow.

" P-Please spare me! I beg you for one last chance. P-Please...P-Please...I have a family. "

He kneeled down before her with his trembling hands folding together. Tears mixed with smears of blood on his face and clothes torn.

It was sure by the end that pretty face would be unidentical.

" Of course, honey! your family will gain from this sacrifice, don't they? Don't be shy...You knew this would happen."

The more she marched forward the more his staggered steps neared the wall. His petrified eyes searched for an escape but nonetheless the effort went in vain.

" N-No !! I-I won't die here....T-This can't be my end. "

" Yeah, and I've heard this line more than I can count. Let's end this game now....You get money I get peace. We are sorted.

Sayonara, mi amore."

Aletta pulled the trigger of her gun before he could continue and let a sigh

. All now she could hear was the birds flapping over the burst of sound with darkness falling down.

She picked a crimson rose from the pocket of her trench coat and placed it on the body which now laid dead.

She stood there staring at the dead which anyone would picture it as mourning.

𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 !! 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘫𝘰𝘣.

" Rough day Ms. Hudson? " She turned around with a smile to find her bestfriend leaning towards the wall with the smell of cigarettes surrounding him.

Weber Conner, titled as the gem of the syndicate along with Aletta and Nori Schwartz. The three had grew up together to be bestfriends ever since their memory.

" I thought you had quit smoking....for her? "

" It's a pity that you still remember her when I don't ,Hudson. " He spoke after another blow of smoke.

" You just did."

" That's not the point here! " Weber groaned in annoyance as the change in the conversation didn't seem to be beneficial.

" The point is he is taken, Al. " Nori appeared at once out of thin air leaving them surprised.

Both Weber and Aletta had a look of disbelief on his face as the word ' taken' spewed out of her mouth

. A moment of silence passed looking at each others face when Nori broke it.

" Taken for granted."

The ladies walked out of the alley controlling their laughter, let alone the grumpy Weber. He caught up to them running with all his might.

Night fell darker as they walked through the empty streets that used to bustle with people and wheels during the day.

Such was the city of Merstus. The prestigious city was nothing near to it now.

Screams filled with fear everywhere, may it be day or night. Nobody was to blame for it since it was greed which resulted in these.

They looked around to find ambulance and few police cruisers rushing past them. A heavy sigh exhaled them looking at the headlines displayed on tower screens.

" 𝘈 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴. "

" We aren't humans I suppose. " Nori's weary voice brought them back to reality.

" We were never to begin with. "

Aletta's comment left the two dejected. Weber smacked Nori's arm with his elbow indicating her to pause the depressed conversation.

" The leader is looking for ya, Al. Guess he missed you. " He spoke ruffling her hair.

Nori jumped from behind hugging both of them. " Ayy!! Got a date huh? "

" A date filled with the fragrance of bloodshed, how romantic ! "

She chuckled at their silly comment. Indeed the leader was always looking out for her since she made most of the profit.

What else could be expected from the leader of the biggest underworld organization?

" Those pensive eyes speak something else ,Señorita. " Weber winked walking ahead of them.

" Oh c'mon, who doesn't hate him? Even though he says we are freaking gems, we are treated nothing less than stones. "

Nori shrugged catching up with him.

It was true, Aletta was glad the outer world didn't know that they were the main people of the Seekers whom the entire city is searching for.

The sweet smiles that her neighbours pass would soon fade if truth was to be revealed. It scared her to think of the day she would have to face if her neighbour became one of her target.

Wealth was such a magnet. It wouldn't mind attracting anyone regardless of age or gender.

Soon she parted ways with dearest partners in crime and head towards the main office where the notorious leader of the organization 'Seekers' was awaiting her.

Passing through the dingy tunnels and burnt cottages where even bones had reduced to ashes.

She reached the front gate of the main office of the organization. Aletta neared the guards whispered their code names to enter.

A secret code name was assigned for the special apostles of the syndicate which would allow them to enter the leader's den.

" Spider "

The guards immediately made way hearing the name and lead her to the office. She entered the cabin to witness the leader swirling his glass of wine near the window.

" You requested my presence? "

" There, there.....my lioness..rawr. " A sly smile plastered over his face which only received a frown from her.

" I'm afraid the wine has taken over you, boss. "

Aletta sensed an off mood in the over all ambience surrounding her. This was probably her first time seeing the leader drunk to such an extent that she wouldn't mind being a paparazzi.

" You never fail to impress me Aletta. Indeed you've got your mother's skills. "

" Anything important for what you've called me here?"

She decided to ignore the off topics rather than an appreciating his drunk talk which he might have considered as a compliment.

" Hmm.... That side of yours makes my heart beat faster, you know? " He grinned which triggered her more.

" I wouldn't mind stopping it for you. "

He cracked into a series of chortle until he went breathless. " You are obsessed with killing, aren't you? "

" It would be my pleasure to show you a demo."

She said with sarcasm covering her smile.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘴.... 𝘯𝘢𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘫𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦.

𝘌𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘮𝘦?? 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦.

" Well well, you are just hilarious, Aletta. One of my best choice. Now let's start with the main topic. "

𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘬. 𝘏𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴. 𝘈𝘩! 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘪 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥'𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸?

The sudden change in the ambience shifted her attention. The drunk leader was now serious all of a sudden and all she could pray was no bloodshed.

" So...You are running out of missions, isn't it why you've been null on progress?"

He raised his eyebrows as of trying to get an answer from her but she chose to be silent rather than defending for herself.