I waited for an hour until I got a second visitor that day, but one, I subconsciously prayed for. Grigori surged into my motel room, not even saying hello, attempting to search for anything on the ceiling. Probably cameras?

"What's the danger, Miss Sequiera?"
"I don't know, Joseph divulged something about a cult following me."
"Yeah, NATAS bitches...Why would you even trust a liar like Matteo in the first place?"

"Trusting DAI wouldn't be beneficial as well. You followed me into the woods and longed for unaliving me!"
Grigori clasped my shoulders, clenching his jaw.
"NATAS followed you into the woods, not DAI. NATAS hostaged three DAI workers, not EF."

So the cult were the multitude in red robes and occasionally bunny masks? Fuck, maybe I knew the origin of this nuisance.

"I might know why they want me."
Grigori surveyed me perplexed still not letting go of my shoulders.
"Why?"
I started explaining the story of the abandoned church and how Gabriel might have killed one of them with a brick.
To my surprise, he shook his head.
"The problem is rooted deeper. They were one of the main targets during the time when DAI and EF weren't separated. This cult is known for sacrificing little children, raping them and women, exploiting their members for labor, and genocides of specific minorities."

What kind of hell did I get into? I'd never heard of NATAS before the church incident. I can't imagine how much shit Gabriel must've gone through, because he surely knew more about these people than I did.

Grigori let go of my shoulders, scratching his head.
"You can stay at my place, while we sort things out."

I waved his suggestion off flicking my head.
"No, I can't do that. Matteo will locate me. He is a sick fuck. Probably you're next in line for even talking to me. You know he has murdered people, right?"

Grigori's face lit up with a mischievous sparkle.
"Don't teach me something, I've been known for years. Silly girl. Why do you think we are his enemies.", Grigori lurked through the room, grabbing my suitcase, "No buts. You will stay at my place. If you want I can even bring you to Mahit's or Ryan's in case you don't like my shit. But I need to get you out of here, now. Even if Matteo tries to pull up, he'll leave with a broken jaw."

He forced my empty suitcase into my hand. "Pack now. Don't forget that this is for your safety."

༘⋆.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊ ⊹⟡ 𐦍༘⋆.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊ ⊹⟡ 𐦍༘⋆.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊ ⊹⟡

We arrived at Mahit's place because Ryan and Grigori still sounded sketchy to me. It's strange to choose Mahit, although I've never met him. For my justification, he sounded the nicest.

Shortly after we arrived, it turned out that my intuition was right. Mahit was probably the nicest and most open-hearted person I've ever met.

He gave me a little tour of his apartment, trying to make me feel habitable.
"And here is the bathroom.", he pulled the "a" in "and", like chewing gum, switching the light switch on, "Feel free to use the shower whenever you want, and beneath the sink are menstruation products, because I can't predict when I have females at my place and they don't carry any products by themselves or an accident happens."

I smiled, which he returned until he panicked a little. "I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable with that, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to assume you need it right now and I don't want to step too clo-"

I started laughing, placing my hand on his shoulder: "Don't worry, Mahit. You didn't make me feel uncomfortable. It's very nice of you and thanks."

His nature distracted me more or less from Matteo who was lingering somewhat in my mind for the whole ride.

Grigori scoffed: "Mahit, stop having heart palpitations for offering a woman healthcare products, she probably didn't pack for after fleeing from her psychotic fiancé."

I had, but they were running out.

Mahit rubbed his earlobe between two fingers. "Gosha, you know how our boss acts like when someone is disrespecting her. Ask yourself where Ryan's finger is."

Grigori rolled his eyes, leaning against the door frame. "Calm your tits, he will be fine.", he fixated his eyes on me with more coldness than he gave Mahit. "Make yourself bed-ready, our boss will come soon, you need your sleep."

"Uhh,", I looked around the corner, "Where will I sleep?" I liked Mahit but the idea of sharing a bed with someone of the opposite gender felt strange.
Someone who isn't Matteo Díaz. Someone who didn't caress me to sleep for two years.

"Oh!", Mahit pointed the bedroom out, "You can have my bed, I'll take the couch." He scurried into the bedroom, equipping my bed.

"Will you stay over as well?"
Grigori shrugged. "I still have work to catch up with. The boss will come over instead."
My heartbeat accelerated. The mystery will be solved. He will reveal himself. I can ask him about anything and Matteo.

I inspected my promise ring, before taking it off and handing it to Grigori.
"Give it back to Matteo or sell it. I couldn't care less. I'm not with a murderer or stalker."

He stowed it into his pocket, nodding before leaving me on my own in the bathroom.

After I trawled through my suitcase just to find negligée and lacy, sexy sleepwear, because I'm the type of person who is obsessed with these types of nightwear. It's very unfitting right now, being in a stranger's house. That's why Mahit provided me with a pajama of his, completely understanding my worries.

While I tried staying up with a Masala Chai, waiting for DAI's boss, I eventually fell asleep after being awake for more than a day by now.

flashback, nine years ago

Sitting in a car with the other four idiots was abominable.
The driver, the gang's hacker, namely Grigori Cherny, a.k.a Gosha, with a light blond buzzcut and stone island jacket.

On the passenger seat, the brunette Mediterranean with a big flap, Leon Cafaro in a Ferrari jacket.

I was sitting in the backseat's middle. On my right, leaning against the window, the gang's doctor I guess, Carlos Avila. He had a subtle eyeliner, and lots of jewellery in contrast to his more restrained style.
From what I know his father pressured him to become a doctor, made him read several medicine books and let Carlos help him assist in the hospital. He went to a different school than the others.

On my left, Ren Xiang, who taught the others how to fight, because he's very skilled at combats. He has a pretty athletic style and dyed his hair snow white.

"So Adrián, did Gabriel tell you what this mission is about?", Grigori commenced the conversation, keeping his eyes on me through the rear-view mirror.

"Uhh, not much. Just that I'm getting to know you and we're searching for anything off. More like a patrol."
Leon turned the radio's volume up, blasting West Coast rap.

"Some people vanished during this month deep in the woods near Los Gatos, we are trying to investigate the cause. We suppose our local cult has their hands in the game."

I turned my head to Ren, who just spoke.
"Excuse me, cult?"
"Yeah some dipshits who think it's cool to set a goal of sacrificing a hundred thousand babies so their God will come back to life.", Leon explained laid back, as if shit like this happened daily, lighting his and Grigori's cigarette, who held his with his teeth, focused on the road.

"You smoke, Adi-Baby?", Leon offered me the Marlboro package.
"I'd rather do it rarely."
He grimaced. "Lame."

"Not everyone wants tobacco-flavored cancer.", Carlos intervened rolling his eyes.
"My aunt died because of cancer, last week.", Leon dropped after a long drag, hotboxing the car and zoning out.
"My condolences.", I said quietly, my hands folded awkwardly over my legs.

"That might be a sign to quit fuming.", Ren added softly.
"Good idea.", Leon extinguished the cigar in the ashtray, above the sat nav. A spark of hope glistened in everyone's eyes, that even Grigori turned his head. I bet it would've gotten Aken's attention as well and I had known Leon only for an hour.

As quick as the hope elicited, it died again, when he opened the glove compartment, pulling a bottle of vodka out. "That's why I stick to drinking and hardcore gambling. I don't want to grow old anyway." He kissed the bottle, offering the rest some pins, which were declined, before drinking them on his own.

Suddenly, Grigori slowed the car down, concerned at the object next to the road. "Look what we've fucking got here.", he cussed.

My eyes wandered to the side, seeing an abandoned stroller.

Before Grigori could explain the situation, Leon jumped out of the car, investigating the scene. Gosha let his head slam onto the steering wheel, hitting the honk and making Leon whirl around, whose soul left his body.

"FUCKING CUNT, STOP SCARING ME!", he shouted so loud, we could hear with no open window.
"He can't wait until I've given instructions. This bastard always needs to make things complicated."

Leon examined the stroller and surroundings with a flashlight.
Carlos started explaining why we stopped.
"We needa detect suspicious objects, like that one. It's sum niche kidnapping trick."

"Who do you think their target group is, by placing a stroller into the wild?"
I sighed.
"Mothers?"

"Women in general", Grigori said, "Mother instinct. Even a girl who doesn't have any children or is married, would jump out of her car and search for a baby who could possibly be in danger, just for someone to jump out of the bush and do God-Knows with her."

Leon stuffed the stroller into the trunk and ordered us to drive to the base. At the base, the bills got split for what kind of money we have received for a week. One thousand and five hundred dollars for each. After killing criminals we sell their organs to an organ trader, the black pearls, who only accept the organs of rapists or predators.

Gabriel explained that his father had already been in contact with them, that's why it was easier to find contacts in this branch.

With the money I received, my parents could rent us a motel and apply me for the college, Gabriel and the others went to.