___Jong ✦♥︎
My mind wasn't at ease as I watched them leave. The time was slowly ticking. The Pisces were out there, so I had to do something. "Kendra Umaro, now's not your time," I flagged down a cab and hurried into it. "44 Avenue," I said, and the driver sped off.
A call came in not long after; the caller's name was on my screen. I wondered who'd be calling with an unknown number, as I hesitated to pick. It couldn't be Hakeem, could it? I gave it a thought. Swiping my thumb on the screen, clearing my throat. "Hello," I said.
"I know where you are. Can see everything…" the voice came in.
It sounded familiar but I bet it wasn't Hakeem.
"Who is this?"
"44 Avenue, 3 O'clock,"
I swallowed hard. "Who are you?" I tapped the driver on his back so he'd stop, as the voice came in again.
"Do you want your precious Kendra?"
Hot sweat flooded my skin. I looked out the window, confused a bit, and then I relaxed and asked who Kendra was.
"Oh, don't play games with me. I know you've been keeping an eye on her…"
"I haven't!" I shot back. "I have no idea who this Kendra is…"
"But you lie,"
I kept shut.
Neither of us spoke, until I decided to speak, "What games are you playing here?" I got pissed. "Who are you anyway?" I asked in a deep voice.
The line went dead, and I asked the driver to drive to Kendra's house. "Just stop there. Yes, there." I directed. Why do I care so much?" I asked myself.
KENDRA 🙀•••
I was in the living room when a man barged in. He had company—ten of them—all masked.
I reached for my phone to call 911, but then I was instructed to stop. The man that was the first to come in, their leader I assumed, wore a different mask. His was red, with a hood atop his head, while his men wore black. Danger read that hot afternoon, as Penelope lay sleeping on the couch.
"What do you want from me?" The dining chair squeaked as I fought to stand.
"There, there little one. Don't wrestle now."
"Do you have any idea who I am?"
"Oh, yes," the man chuckled. "You have your mother's eyes," he came closer to me. "Kendra Umaro, daughter of the vice president." He said.
I was shocked to hear him say my name. "Who are you?"
"You don't know?" he cackled. He pulled out his phone from his sleeves and instructed the men to take me to the car.
"Wait. Where are you taking me? Where are you taking me, you bastards?" A hot slap landed on my cheek.
I was quickly untied, a𝓼 I made to run, 𝑤һ𝖊𝖓 a bullet shot through my shoulder.
***★★★***
The Pisces had taken Kendra away by the time Jong arrived. The living room was upside down. He saw a letter on the table, with a red stain atop it. Kendra's blood, he thought. His heart raced as he picked it up, You know where to find us, he read in his mind.
Kendra and Penelope were in the hideout, bound to a wall. The Pisces were in a different room. Penelope sobbed, asking Kendra where they were. The latter had lost a lot of blood and was on the brink of death.
"Kendra. Kendra." The voice of Penelope called her back. "Kendra, when are we going home? I don't like this place." She said in a sad tone.
Kendra looked weakly at the child, as a tear ran down her face. She groaned as the pain in her shoulder worsened. It wasn't doing her any good. Just hang in there, Kendra, she said to herself. "Penelope, we'll be fine," she passed out, not saying anything again.
Meanwhile, Jong sketched on a paper he had seen on the floor of Kendra's living room. He drew the Pisces' hideout on it. Being a storey, heavily guarded by armed men, he plotted out how he was going to enter the building without being seen. Anyone who went into the Pisces' hideout ended up dead. But the very few who were let to live got to last only for some days.
Are you sure you want to do this? Remember they are your men—Jong's mind roared to life.
Jong ignored it and took the sketch up from the table. A close look at it showed an X-marked area; an underground layout where Jong thought Kendra would be.
THE PISCES HIDEOUT
5:47 †°°°
Kon—the prison door pulled open. "You may go," it shut back.
Skeletons of previous prisoners were scattered on the floor, and the place stenched. It had all sorts of creeping things crawling on the floor. The rats were its special guests, and the prison cell was their abode. The boss sniffed, taking a look at them, then at the prisoners, noticing the child was asleep and the girl was dead. "No, it can't be," he said realizing. "It can't be—"
The bullet wound must have gotten infected, he rushed to check at the thought. He cringed at the sight of the blood. "Dry blood," he gulped. Then, he hardened his heart and carried the girl. "Open the door!" he ordered his men.
KENDRA 🙄
I opened my eyes to see the man that had invaded my home. He was clad in a red suit and had a serious look on his face. "You're up,"
I panicked at his voice. "Where am I? Where is Penelope?"
"Are you hungry?" he replied none of my questions but asked his.
I'm not hungry, you bastard! I stopped myself from saying, watching him stand.
"You should eat," his voice grew soft. He wasn't wearing his mask, and I could see his face perfectly.
"I'm not going to eat until you tell me who you are!" I said stubbornly.
𝕋𝕆 𝔹𝔼 ℂ𝕆ℕ𝕋✦𝔻