"No way, no fucking way!" Hilde shouts angrily. "Let me go right now!"
"Miss. Jovanovski said to make you comfortable," he says calmly. "Come on now, don't fight it. Just lie down and relax."
Hilde shakes her head.
"Please just cooperate and lay down."
The man kneels and pulls a white pillow under Hilde's head. She pushes away his arms and pushes herself up, refusing to lie down again.
He stands up and places a gentle hand on her knee.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he warns.
"I'm hallucinating." her face is ashen as she scrutinizes the man before her.
"What is happening exactly?" she asks.
"I'll answer your questions after I explain your situation," he says, with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "But first, let me introduce myself properly."
"All right."
The man clears his throat and bows. "I am Elmo," he says.
"Elmo?" she repeats, confused. "As in the Elmo from Toy Story? As in Disney? Are you telling me that I'm actually dreaming right now because I don't think you have the capability to create such realistic dreams-"
"Okay, enough!" Elmo interrupts her. He looks annoyed. "I'm not 'tickle me, Elmo,' and FYI, he's not from Disney or Toy Story; he's from Sesame Street, you absolutely blasphemous woman."
Hilde rolls her eyes.
She continues staring at him, waiting for him to finish his story.
"So." Elmo begins again. "You have heard of a gang conflict that killed many people around these parts, right?"
"Yes... I'm here because I'm afraid Felix is being dragged into it, I~."
"Have you noticed how the deaths are... peculiar?" he asks.
"Yeah?" Hilde responds. "People start dying mysteriously every couple of days. There is also a guy who's been killed three years ago. I saw something similar happen a couple of months ago..."
"And you still can't explain it?" Elmo inquires.
"No. Why would I have to?"
"Aren't you cu-."
"It is none of my concern; the life of others is none of my concern! All I care about is that my friend is being led around!" she says, raising her voice.
Elmo looks surprised for a second but then recovers.
"Do you love Felix?" he asks.
"Of course I do. But he's my friend. He isn't some random guy!" Hilde replies.
Elmo smiles at her. "I see."
"See what? What are you smiling at?" she laughs, tripping over her tongue.
Elmo sighs. "Sorry... I was thinking about how nice it is to be able to talk with someone without having to pretend that I am someone I'm not..."
Hilde nods. "I guess..."
"If I am not mistaken, you are one of our members?" he asks her.
"Huh? No way." she stuffs her mouth with chips.
Elmo grabs the bowl from the side table.
"You're in a foreign place, yet you're still calm enough to eat chips." he chuckles.
"Hey!" she protests, hitting his arm playfully.
"You're a funny girl, aren't you?" Elmo says with a smile.
"Are you calling me silly? That's so mean! Hey! I didn't agree to any of this!"
"Calm down, Hilde."
"I'm definitely not one of your members," she says.
"Are you sure about that?"
Hilde thinks for a while before nodding slowly. "I am."
"Hmm..." he hums. He picks up a chip and takes a bite out of it.
"So... What the hell are you?" she asks.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Staying in the safehouse that's located... Somewhere, Hilde is lounging around on the couch watching TV, watching the people fuss around.
The air conditioner is running, but she can feel the sweat dripping down her neck.
The doorbell rings. She quickly gets up and walks towards the door. When she opens it, she sees two familiar faces standing there.
"Having fun with your stay?" Annie harrumphs.
"Annie, what are you doing here?" she asks.
"Why are you asking?" Annie crosses her arms, frowning.
"Didn't you see me arrive?"
"Why are you being like this?" Hilde sighs.
"You totally forgot about us! Now that you found a boyfriend." Annie sniffs.
"You can't even remember your old friends?"
"What? Where did that come from?"
"Well... Your new lover is currently cooking dinner for you, if you can call him that. I can smell it through the door."
"Wait a minute! He's making dinner?" Hilde gasps, looking inside.
Hilde struts into the house, leaving Annie and Horus to introduce themselves into the home.
She sees Elmo standing in front of the stove in the kitchen, preparing dinner.
"Captor, why are you making dinner?" she asks as she approaches him, stopping beside him, not giving him time to get rid of whatever he's doing.
He turns his head and looks at her.
"Aww, you're being cold, Hildie." he smiles. Horus and Annie stay silent.
"I knew it! you have a boyfriend already!" Annie grimaces, rolling her eyes.
"Who?" Hilde asks.
"I'm talking about you, dummy!" she scoffs.
"Is this true, Captor? You really are dating someone?" she asks, sidestepping.
"Yes, Hilde. I am."
"This is great news! I hope he makes you happy."
"Hilde! This isn't the time to celebrate!" Annie yells.
"I know! I was kidding!" Hilde defends.
"So, can we talk about something serious now?" Horus demands.
"Sure."
"Where the hell have you been? We were getting worried!" Horus asks.
"Horus, what's wrong with you?" Hilde raises an eyebrow.
"Nothing, nothing! Listen, I have been searching everywhere for you. I tried going to all of the places I think you've been to. You disappeared."
"You're... you sit down," she says. Annie sits down next to him. "What happened?"
Hilde sighs.
"Well, you see. A gang war started in one of the districts near the town we went to, and I thought," she pauses, "They might try attacking Felix."
"How could they attack a boy they haven't seen? You must know better than that."
"Shut up!" Hilde snaps. "They kidnapped him! They wanted to kill him!"
"What?"
"I know! It sounds crazy, I know, but it's true. They kidnapped him and tortured him. Then they are using him to further their goals!" she says. She's shaking, looking agitated.
"But, Hilde..."
"Listen, listen! Felix isn't the only one they have kidnapped! I bet they're doing it to a lot more people!"
Elmo puts a hand on her shoulder, calming her down. "Now, now; It's time to eat." he starts walking to the dining room. "We shouldn't waste any more time."
Hilde follows behind him, not wanting to argue with Elmo any longer.
"Felix..." she whispers to herself.
"You okay, Hilde?"
Her body jolts up. "Mmm?"
"Are you all right?" he asks again.
She turns to look at him. He has turned around as well, sitting in front of her. His expression softens when he sees her.
"Uh.. yeah, I'm okay," she mutters. "Sorry, I... Just remembered something," she explains.
"Oh, that reminds me." Elmo grabs a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to her. "It's your mission statement," he says.
"My mission statement?" Hilde takes the paper and looks at it. She frowns a little.
"I've never written a mission statement."
"You have had to write it at least once. Didn't you work for Schauplitz? What did you do there exactly?" he asks.
"I help ladies find their husband's mistresses." Hilde shrugs, laughing.
"...You don't sound very excited about that."
"I'm not. I hated it initially, but I grew used to it after a few weeks."
"I see... Well, here's my mission statement." he hands her another piece of paper.
"Wow. So many words..." she mumbles.
"Just copy mine. Jovanovski is very particular about it, so paraphrase it."
"Ok." Hilde stuffs it in her pocket and sits on a chair. Annie and Horus also sit around the dining table.
Elmo finishes preparing the meal, and everyone starts eating.
"Thank you, Captor."
"Your welcome, Hilde."
When Elmo leaves the table, he notices Annie and Horus' gaze fixated on him.
"Something wrong, guys?" he asks.
"You're a nice boyfriend," Annie says, hanging her head low and chewing on some fish.