Zaid and Zughaib pulled into the crowded grocery store lot, the SUV's engine rumbling to a stop as Zaid expertly maneuvered into a parking spot near the entrance. The afternoon sun beat down, glinting off the windshields of the nearby cars as shoppers went about their business, pushing carts loaded with groceries back to their vehicles.
Zaid stretched lazily as he got out of the car, popping the driver's door open with a groan. "Alright, let's get this done," he said with a grin, clearly in a better mood after their earlier conversation.
Zughaib followed him silently, his eyes scanning the parking lot, his mind still swirling with the recent revelations about Zaid's past involvement with the Cleaner. It gnawed at him, even though he knew Zaid had moved on from that life. But once you're involved with someone like the Cleaner, it's never really over.
They stepped into the air-conditioned grocery store, the cool air a welcome relief from the heat outside. Zaid grabbed a shopping cart and started down the aisles with an easygoing pace, whistling a soft tune as he picked out items. He was clearly in his element, relaxed and content in the mundanity of grocery shopping. Zughaib, on the other hand, felt like a fish out of water.
As Zaid grabbed things like bread, eggs, and a few packs of pasta, Zughaib wandered off, weaving through the aisles without much interest. Grocery shopping had never been his thing. His eyes flicked over the rows of canned goods, boxes of cereal, and cleaning supplies, none of it registering. Then something did catch his eye—an energy drink. A new raspberry flavor dropped in. Zughaib grabbed the can, scanning it idly before tossing it into the cart without a second thought. It was something, at least, to keep him occupied.
As he moved through the store, his attention was drawn to Zaid standing a few aisles away. Zaid was holding a rose bouquet, his expression thoughtful as he examined the delicate flowers. Zughaib frowned, wondering what his brother was up to. A rose bouquet wasn't exactly Zaid's usual purchase. It sparked a curiosity in Zughaib, though he didn't say anything.
After a few more minutes of wandering through the store, they both regrouped and headed to the checkout. Zaid was chatting cheerfully with the cashier, making small talk as he scanned their items. Zughaib kept his distance, his mind elsewhere, still processing the strange connection between Zaid and the Cleaner, the tangled mess that now seemed to involve them both.
Once they were back at the car, they started loading the groceries into the trunk. Zaid, ever the so-called optimist, hummed a tune as he neatly arranged the bags. Zughaib was tossing bags into the trunk without much care, his mind still preoccupied, when Zaid's phone rang.
Zaid reached into his pocket, glancing at the screen. His face lit up as he answered, clearly recognizing the caller. "Hey, Cleaner! Long time, man," he greeted, his voice friendly, almost cheerful.
Zughaib paused mid-movement, his body stiffening at the mention of the Cleaner. He turned to Zaid, watching his brother's face shift from friendly to confused in a matter of seconds. Zaid's smile faltered as the voice on the other end of the line grew harsher, more serious.
The Cleaner's tone had changed. Whatever pleasantries Zaid had expected were quickly cut short as the conversation took a darker turn. Zaid, now frowning, handed the phone to Zughaib without a word, his eyes wide with concern.
Zughaib took the phone, his jaw tightening as he brought it to his ear.
The voice on the other end was sharp, laced with anger. "Zughaib," the Cleaner growled, his words cutting through the line like a blade. "You've screwed me over. The police confiscated the morgue. They found the body of Scornhead—decapitated. They've linked the whole place to a crime scene, and now I've left this city."
Zughaib's brow furrowed in confusion. Scornhead had been alive when he'd left him, only knocked out. The Cleaner's words didn't make sense, but Zughaib stayed silent, trying to process the situation.
"I'm hiding at a new spot now, thanks to you," the Cleaner continued, his voice dripping with venom. "You're lucky I don't hold grudges... but you better clean up your mess... or else... don't contact any further!"
Before Zughaib could respond, the Cleaner hung up. The line went dead, leaving Zughaib standing there, staring at the phone in his hand. He exhaled deeply, handing the phone back to Zaid without a word.
Zaid chuckled, though there was a nervous edge to it. "He's always had a temper," he said, trying to lighten the mood as he finished loading the groceries into the SUV. "I remember the first time I messed up his errand. Thought he was going to kill me on the spot."
Zughaib didn't respond. His mind was racing, trying to piece together what had gone wrong. He hadn't decapitated Scornhead. Someone else had come after he left, and now the Cleaner was paying the price for it. The situation was spiraling out of control, and Zughaib couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot worse.
As Zaid hopped into the driver's seat, Zughaib moved toward the passenger side, but something made him stop. He felt a presence near him, something that brushed past him in the crowded lot. His eyes darted around, catching the movement of a stranger who passed by—nothing out of the ordinary, just a man in a well tailored formal suit walking toward the store.
Still, something about the way the man moved made Zughaib squint in suspicion. He entered the SUV but kept his eyes on the figure until he disappeared into the grocery store.
It wasn't until he sat down in the passenger seat that he noticed something unusual. Reaching into his jacket pocket, his fingers brushed against something unfamiliar—something that hadn't been there before.
He pulled out a folded piece of paper, his heart sinking as he opened it.
Painsbury Heights, Shale District was scrawled on the paper in quick, but elegant handwriting.
Zughaib stared at the address, feeling a sense of dread creeping over him. Someone had slipped the paper into his pocket, but who? And why? The address meant nothing to him, but it clearly pointed to something. Another message. Another step deeper into the unknown.
"Everything alright?" Zaid asked, glancing at Zughaib from the driver's seat as he started the engine.
Zughaib hesitated, then slipped the paper back into his pocket. Zughaib gave a small smile and a friendly nod.
As they drove away from the grocery store, heading toward downtown, Zughaib's mind was already elsewhere. The Cleaner's anger, the mysterious address, and the shadowy figure in the parking lot—it all felt connected somehow. And whatever was waiting for him at Painsbury Heights, he knew it wasn't going to be good.
Zaid, oblivious to the tension building inside Zughaib, continued to talk as they drove, telling stories about work and random thoughts about the day. But Zughaib could barely focus on the conversation. His mind was racing, turning over the possibilities, trying to piece together the puzzle that seemed to grow more complicated with each passing day.
He knew one thing for sure: whatever was coming next, it wasn't going to be easy. And with the Cleaner breathing down his neck, things were bound to get a whole lot worse before they got better.