Secoiya analysed the final message from the dead phone with analytical eyes. It was early enough in the morning that the sun hadn't made its first appearance yet but the city was alive with the sound of cars and traffic all the same. Secoiya paced back and forth in front of the kitchen island where she'd laid out several matters of import to her at the most current moment. The sound of the coffee pot spluttered on in the background as she pulled her pyjamas closer to her.
The first item of interest was the pager she'd kept on Alvarsson island, meant specifically for her and Zayn to communicate with one another to ensure Adriel's safety. Of that matter, she'd received an unexpected final message before the device appeared to be destroyed. The message would be easy enough to decipher but she wasn't sure whether to do so now or after she'd finished contesting with the other item.
The second item of interest was a postcard she had received from one of Zayn McKay's family members two years before they started their last mission. Secoiya had very little knowledge of where Zayn hailed from or who he treasured most before his passing. She was vaguely sure he'd been married once and the only postcard she'd ever received regarding him was from his mother, a retired Irishwoman who had settled herself in Dublin.
Secoiya let a sigh escape her as she settled on one of the island's tall chairs, taking the pager into her hand and opening the final message. She was decidedly not caffeinated enough for whatever nonsense she was soon to uncover. She registered immediately that it was from Zayn, though she had already been relatively certain of that before. The next bit of information was also unsurprising: he was dead. When her eyes traced the first word coded into the message though, she paused. Her hands grew sweaty and her brows furrowed in a very obvious sort of confusion.
Mel. She racked her brain for any other possible explanation. Perhaps Mel was a location, the last spot where Zayn knew himself to be… Maybe it was the name of the poison which had taken him. She pondered a great many alternatives to what she was already sure of before she let the matter sink in.
Secoiya gritted her teeth roughly. There was no other reasonable thing which he could have been conveying by this code. There was no other reasonable explanation or excuse or anything of the sort.
Melkior Alvarsson had killed Zayn.
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Adriel paced back and forth at the island beside Secoiya as he tried helplessly to understand what was going on. He had been so unsettled by the information that he'd sprung from bed without a shirt and moved immediately to the area where Secoiya was working. By now, the two of them had gathered warm mugs of black coffee and were deliberating over the matter like a piece of legislature on the congress floor.
"So we know that Melkior killed Zayn."
Secoiya nodded, gesturing lazily at the message.
"But why? Why would he do it?"
Secoiya shrugged, pulling her thick, tight curls at the back of her head so that they were out of her line of vision. At this point, she wasn't sure if she knew why Melkior did any of the things that he did. Afterall, he was getting old. Perhaps in his old age he was growing more demented than he had been already.
"He's your father, why do you think he did it?"
Yanire mixed some cream and sugar into her own mug, turning to her two companions with uncertain eyes. She was well aware they were working but what manner of work it was, she was entirely unsure of. Moreover she wasn't sure if it was the kind of work they wanted her to overhear. She tapped her forefinger against the mug several times as she debated the matter inside of her own head, leaning back against the counter a little away from where the others were.
Eventually Adriel's eyes fell onto her and he found himself vaguely distracted. He found it odd that a person could look so beautiful without even combing their hair and the look of intense concentration on her face intrigued him.
"You alright, Yanire?"
At his words, Secoiya turned too, glancing in the younger woman's direction. The woman blinked back at them, brown eyes wide like a deer's as she tried to figure how to answer his question.
"Yes, I'm well."
Her tone was awkward and unconvincing. Secoiya raised a brow in doubt as she pointed the pencil in her hand at Yanire, her other hand firm on her hip.
"That didn't sound 'well' at all, dear."
The motherly way in which the older woman had spoken prompted a light blush to Yanire's cheeks as she internally accepted defeat.
"Would you two prefer if I stayed out of the room while you chat? It seems to be very important and I'm not sure if- well…"
Secoiya and Adriel exchanged a glance, neither seeming particularly affected by the matter. When they'd come to the silent conclusion, Adriel spoke up.
"No, you're fine. We could probably use the help."
Relief flushed the red colour from her peanut toned skin and she nodded. With the matter settled, she had gained enough confidence to join them at the kitchen island and attempt to understand what they were going on about.
"Well frankly, my father is a weirdo. Oftentimes the actions he takes don't make sense to anyone else."
Secoiya nodded in complete agreement, drawing a slow sip from her cup.
"Unless it wasn't your father who paid to have you killed."
The two of them turned to Yanire quickly, eyes scanning her with surprise. The point she had made was a very excellent one and Adriel was a bit proud of her for developing it. She averted her own to the mug in her hand as she awaited a response of any kind.
"You see- that would make more sense. But that's what we're confused about."
"How?"
Secoiya shuffled around in the less relevant stack of papers on the counter until she found the particular document she was looking for.
"There's a paper trail proving the Alvarsson organisation paid Zayn."
Yanire eyed the document curiously, her brows furrowing in a very similar confusion to their own.
"Then why-"
Secoiya chuckled a little, waving her hands at the document dismissively.
"Melkior Alvarsson is completely mad."
Yanire swallowed thickly as her worried eyes met Adriel's composed blue ones. She was completely unsure of what was going on exactly or why, but she was sure that it couldn't be good for any of them.
"Disregarding that we can't figure out that bit- there's more."
Adriel eyed Secoiya curiously as he waited on her next declaration.
"Zayn said that he plans to kill you next."
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