I snapped at the oranged-masked man but before I could say anything the White-masked man beside me replied, "You are nobody to rebuke at my hunter, Orange."
Wait a minute, I don't remember declaring myself to be your hunter and what was even that, hunting pigs and boars?
"She is my Tiger's slave, not your hunter." Orange sneered, and listening to him, I rolled my eyes behind my mask.
"Well, well, well... we are sitting on the Ghost Court to discuss whether the girl is supposed to be a slave or hunter, aren't we?" This time, a black-masked person spoke. It was surprising to discover that the voice behind the plain black mask belonged to a lady.
Although I had limited knowledge about the Ghost City hierarchy system, I was sure that these people held more power than individuals like Eagle and Tiger.
In Hazael, a monarchy nation with misogynistic people it was hard to believe a woman held a higher position in such a powerful illegal organisation. It was equivalent to a sparrow controlling a murder of crows.
The lady shifted her attention from orange and looked at Eagle before continuing, "Why don't you introduce us to your girl?"
"She is not my girl, Black Phantom," Eagle replied giving a quick glance at White-masked. Nevertheless, he said pointing towards the individuals, " This is White Phantom, our leader, this is Blue Phantom, this is Black Phantom."
And he intentionally ignored Orange Phantom. It was ironic to look at the emotionless masked face of him saying 'bastard' to Eagle.
"Are we summoned here to have a casual chit-chat?" The silent Blue Phantom spoke.
"I am sorry, but it seems Orange Phantom's dearest Ghost lack punctuality," Eagle said in the same tone he used in the car, he was mocking him. Was he intentionally mocking me before?
"No worry my friend, I am here." Tiger's voice came from the entrance door as he entered wearing the same tan brown dress as us.
"Greeting Phantoms'." He said before taking a seat next to Orange and looking straight into my face.
I could hear a dramatic scoff from Eagle beside me, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked straight at White Phantom.
Taking the signal, White chanted, "Let the good food go in and let the fair judgment come out."
If that was their slogan, I am dead.
I looked around in confusion but no one around me laughed, all they did was raise their champagne glass and hail, "Fair judgment!"
The glasses were clicked and the trial began.
"How did you come across this lady?" Black Phantom asked taking a small bite of steak through the tiny opening in her mask near the mouth.
The question was directed to Tiger, he dictated how I was caught spying on his smuggling activities at the port by his hunters.
"My hunters found her suspicious, so they drugged her and brought her to my den," Tiger concluded.
"Do you have any justification why she should be your slave?" Blue Phantom questioned.
"Yes; firstly, the workload in my den is increasing. Secondly, she seems suspicious, even executing her won't be a bad idea. Thirdly, I am bored with spending time with the same faces for years." This time he took out his tongue and licked his pierced lips.
Those were his justifications? I involuntarily brought my hand to my face with second-hand embarrassment.
"Do you have any argument?" The question was directed to Eagle by Orange.
"Yes, I do. If I didn't have any point of argument, why would I be sitting here?" Eagle snapped. "This lady is my childhood sweetheart,"
"So?" Tiger said uninterested.
"What I mean is that I know this lady. She isn't a spy but a curious cat, hence she meant no harm to us. Therefore I request the court to release her from Ghost City ground."
I looked astonished at Eagle, after the wait of fourteen years I was finally standing a step ahead but this bastard was eager to send me back again.
And seriously, I had no other childhood sweetheart other than Gale. Where did this guy fall into my life out of nowhere?
The court became a statue at Eagle's request. They seemed more shocked than me but at that moment a voice spoke.
"I accept," It was white.
"Are you crazy?"
"Fuck, is your screw alright?"
All the curses came at the same time. Thank god, it was reassuring enough that I was not going to be thrown out of here for being a good girl.
"I believe Eagle, and you all too. He won't request something without any reason." White reasoned.
"He is your Ghost, not ours. We can't trust him." Orange whizzed.
"Since it's impossible to comply with Eagle's request, we will lean in with Tiger's." Black declared.
Eagle slammed the table to grab everyone's attention and yelled before Phantom finalised their decision, "But she hasn't signed any Slave contract with Tiger!"
Subsequently, an argument broke out between Tiger and Eagle, which was dismissed by bringing the CCTV footage to the court.
I was glad with the bad camera quality as my face was haphazardly visible in the video but Tiger's nasty actions were visible.
Summing up the evidence, Black shook her head and said, "Indeed, it's evident you have not signed any contract."
"I can do it now, can't I? She's a criminal in our organisation, I caught her and I am choosing to punish her by making her my slave!"
I was not certain but Tiger making me his slave seemed like a challenge to Eagle. He was too much determined and...
"What do you wish to do?" Black asked Eagle, good, she was not convinced with Tiger. "Other than sending her back, do you have any other request?"
"What options do I have?"
"As, she was caught, which can legally be called spying, we are still suspicious of her.
We are not taking the risk of sending her out, nor she can idly move around the Ghost City premises as if it's her father-in-law's mansion. She can serve 5 years 'notice-period' in the cell or 1 year of slavery tenure under Tiger." Black listed out the possibilities which were not appealing to even about one per cent.
"Can't she become a hunter, or live with me?" Eagle questioned.
"She can, but we are already over-employed, and to live with you, you will have to marry her."
W.H.A.T!
"Huh! Why?" He asked looking offended.
"Ghost City allows only spouses to live with each other, no living-in couple allowed."
"But Tiger..?
"He binds slavery contract with girls, if you want to I can..."
"No, thank you. I will marry her."