AZARIAH SERENE:

"Esos hijos de puta!" (Those motherfuckers!)

Zemen roared so loud that I almost saw the monitor's screens, cracking.

Everyone looked either sad or angered while I sat there confused not knowing what Zemen was speaking about or what was going on.

Right now, we were all in the hacking room, looking at the confidential file that I had to go through trouble to achieve.

A moment ago Zemen read the file and then threw it, causing it to almost hit me but I caught it. And then he started speaking in Spanish looking hella angry.

I meekly opened the file to look at it's contents but all I saw were papers that looked like hospital reports.

My eyebrows furrowed and I looked up to see Zemen pacing back and forth.

"Where could he possibly find this?!"

He clutched his hair tight, messing it up, definitely looking disheveled.

I narrowed my eyes at the file in my hands, remembering that I have something that can help us.

I rushed out of the room to my room and ramaged through my drawer trying to find what I took from Charleston's safe the other day.

"Azariah!" Zemen's angry voice echoed in the house and I rushed back as fast as I could when I found what I was looking for.

"H-here, here you go." I handed the object to Zemen who looked at it with furrowed eyebrows while scanning the object left to right.

He threw it at Levi and asked him to play it.

It was a USB that was kept in Charleston's safe. Only a USB.

The video started playing, capturing everyone's attention, inside the room.

It looked a little dark and the camera was set up very low on the ground.

Suddenly I heard his voice. Alejandro.

"Take this file, it contains all the information about her."

"Are you sure this will bring Zemen to his knees? I want him to be in his worst state, I want to weaken him enough to make him drop down and hand his mafia to me."

My eyes widen when I realized that this convo was in between Charleston and Alejandro.

But something didn't look right to me. It looked as if this was planned.

A deep chuckle emitted from Alejandro as he patted Charleston's back.

"Oh, it will be enough."

The video ended and all eyes snapped to Zemen who had his fists balled as tight as he could. His neck had a vein prominent in it which looked ready to burst out, any second. But his face, oh I knew that face. His face looked very deadly, as if he was out for blood. His eyes were a deep dark shade as I am sure his mind is going wild right now.

Zemen pursed his lips together looking deep into thinking while none of us uttered a word.

He bit his lip and his eyes met mine making me gulp and look away.

It was all quiet for a bit when he spoke.

"Did anyone find something strange in that video?"

I nodded immediately making everyone's eyes snap to me.

Zemen nodded at me, raising his left eyebrow asking me to speak up.

"Well, I don't know if Iam correct or not... But,... The camera placement looked a little off. As if... As if it was-"

"-planned? Yes, yes it was." He stood up from his seat and sighed.

"And we fell into the trap right away."

Everyone's eyes held confusion and Zemen further explained.

"It was as if he knew we would end up catching up to him. He wanted us to find the file..... Noah, that day. Did you find any suspicious activity?"

"No boss. Nothing was caught on cameras, I even had the radar on."

Zemen hummed and nodded his head slowly taking the information in.

"The place was a little dark, something like an alleyway. I don't think it's Charleston who planted the camera." I said looking at Zemen and the other four people in the room.

"It's Alejandro. It has Alejandro written all over it. The thing that triggers me and fucks up my mind is how easily we fell into the trap." He tsked and combed his hand through his hair while keeping one hand on his hip.

Is this a bad time to say that he looked really hot?

"He wanted us to see the file and go through all that trouble. As if he's warning us about what he'll do next."

I was checking him out when his bubble burst and he threw the microphone on the screen causing it to shatter into a million pieces causing me to jump back and cover my ears.

"Who the fuck gave the information away?!"

"Dr. Rascal... Probably." All our heads turned, including Zemen's when we heard a female voice at the direction of the door.

There stood a female with dark black hair, looking really expensive with her designer bag and glasses on her face.

She took the glasses off and placed them on her head while flipping her hair off her shoulder.

"Hey big brotha',"

I gasped and looked back at Zemen who rolled his eyes and walked up to her.

She squealed and hugged him while he had an irk visible on his face. He pushed her away and straightened his suit.

"What are you doing here, Bernice?" She tsked and pushed his forehead back with her index finger.

"My lovely husband had work to do abroad and sent me here not wanting me to stay at home alone." She walked up to the chair and sat on it keeping her foot on the desk.

Zemen sighed and walked up to her.

"What do you mean by Dr. Rascal?"

"He's the rat..... He leaked mamá's info." She spoke while balling her fists and looking angry just like Zemen does.

Zemen slammed his fist on the desk and ducked his head between his hands.

"It's my fault. All my fault."

He thinks it's his fault. He shouldn't think like that.

I decided to walk up to him and comfort him but I stopped once he roared.

"It's my fault! I should have killed that fucker when I had time!"

Huh?

And here I thought he was- never mind.

He speed walked to the door and got out not before slamming the metal door shut causing me to once again cover my ears and flinch.

Iam extra jumpy with him around. That guy is a freaking destruction.

"Levi... Shouldn't we?"

He nodded and walked up to the door with me to go check up on Zemen, to make sure he doesn't lose his mind.

"Wait" I halted and turned back to look at Zemen's sister.

"Azariah right?" I nodded.

How does she know my name?

She instantly smiled at me and stood up from the seat.

"Nice to finally meet you, Iam Bernice. Bernice Acétta."

Levi smiled at her and scratched his neck looking almost guilty and I realized why she knew me.

"Can I ask for a favor?"

"Oh su-" before I could complete my sentence she started talking making my eyes widen and hands sweating.

~◌~✤✤~◌~

ZEMEN ACÉTTA:

As soon as the car came to a halt, I got off and walked into the hospital knowing very well where Rascal is.

"Boss!" I heard Jessie call behind me but I paid no heed and slammed open the door to his room only to see him making out with another nurse.

I tsked and slowly looked up at him.

At the sight of me, he immediately wore a shirt while the girl hid behind the curtain.

"H-hi K-king." I eyed him up and down with raised eyebrows.

"Why the stutter Rascal? Scared?" I walked up to him and grabbed his jaw tightly moving his face to the left and then to the right, harshly.

I smirked and pushed away his face, "you look like you're about to shit your pants."

I looked down and then looked at him, "If you're wearing any."

He gasped and wore his boxers while I rolled my eyes.

My eyebrows furrowed realizing that Azariah is behind me.

I swiftly turned around and looked at her hiding her face in Jessie's shoulder.

I scoffed while a smirk made it's way on my face. Pathetic.

"If you want to know about your mom-"

I raised my hand in front of him as an attempt to shut him up.

"Shut up." I glared at him, clenching my jaw.

He meekly nodded and looked down.

"You. Out." I pointed my gun at the girl who was biting her lip while looking at me with 'fuck me' eyes. As if I will.

I haven't touched a girl in the past five years, what makes her think she will be my deal breaker?

Rascal looked at my gun with his eyes widen. As soon as the girl saw it she ran out completely naked.

I looked at Jessie and she nodded before going out to finish the lose end.

Azariah just kept looking into nothing and blinking furiously.

I whistled and she looked at me. I threw my gun at her and she caught it with a shriek.

"Hand me yours." Her eye twitched and she opened her mouth to say something but then bit her lip, shutting herself off.

She gestured her finger for me to turn around and I shook my head.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"L-look away, it's under my shirt." At the mention, Rascal's eyes snapped up to her.

I harshly nodded at him, raising my eyebrows to which he shook his head. I gestured him to turn around and he did.

I heard a gun cock and confusion grew on my face. How does she know how to-

"H-here." She looked really shaken up as her voice was in a low pitch.

She's scared that she's about to witness another torture. Damn right she is.

I turned around and took the gun from her and winked at her making her eyes widen.

"W-why not use yours?" I made a face as if I was severely thinking.

"Hmm... My gun would end his life in a matter of time. Yours... Will give him pain and make him wither as his life will flash before his eyes."

Azariah's eyes go blank and she gulped hard and looked away with tears in her eyes.

I rolled my eyes. Dramatic ass.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I spoke to Rascal while looking at Azariah.

Azariah looked at me and her eyes widened looking behind me.

I turned around and as expected he was holding his gun with trembling hands.

"Tsk. You wanna shoot?" I asked him while pouting.

"I-I will. Leave. NOW!"

I bit the inside of my cheek.

Fuck ass! How stupid can one be?

I looked up into his eyes and kicked his ankle hard making him fall thud to the floor. I stomped his hand maybe breaking his wrist, and kicked the gun under the hospital bed.

"Let's play a game. Hmm?" He groaned and screamed while holding his wrist.

"You deserve it! You deserve to die! Fuck you and your fucking mom! Wait till I cut her life support-Ah!!"

He cried as I kicked his nose, breaking it too.

"C-can I leave?" Her soft voice filled my ears and I shook my head.

She has to see this. She has to come out of her pathetic trance which thinks that everyone will come save her whenever she'll cry for help.

"Please!" She started sobbing but I walked up to her and glared deep into her eyes making her take steps backwards.

I grabbed her jaw and tilted her chin towards me.

Her glossy eyes looked into my sinful ones. She held my wrist trying to pry it off of her bit I held her jaw more tight.

"Stop being a pussy." I pushed her away causing her to stumble back.

"You have to learn that not everyone will come and save you, being your knight in shining armor. Grow up and come out of your fantasy world which your head lives in."

She had tears after tears leaking from my her eyes.

I rolled my eyes and turned around and looked at Rascal who is still on the floor.

"I have one already in my basement, now you choose."

I shot the light bulbs in the room making Azariah scream and duck her head down covering her ears.

Can't believe Iam doing this for her.

"Let's play in the dark."

"Ple-"

Before he started his pathetic pleads and started begging, I shot him right into his abdomen.

I stretched this task way too much. I should have killed him right when I saw him.

He groaned and blood oozed out of his mouth while he coughed all over me.

Shooting him twice in his head, "Bitch" I muttered and walked out of the room.

I turned around and grabbed her hand and took her out of the room.

She was cold and was shaking badly.

"Why so pathetic?" I whispered to her and shook her.

"Why can't you handle a simple ta-"

"Done!" I looked back to see Jessie walking towards us with a big smile and a bloody gun in her hand. But that smile dropped as soon as she saw Azariah.

"What happened? Azariah?" She took her from my arms making me roll my eyes.

"Go sit in the car. I'll be out in a few." I ordered them pointing my thumb at the door.

"No. Bernice said I had to be with you. Make sure you don't fuck up." Azariah spoke standing up correctly.

"I think it's too late for that." I nodded at Jessie and she nodded and took Azariah while she kept protesting.

Remind me why I took this weak ass into my team.

I sighed and took a deep breath before walking to the actual reason I came here for.

~◌~✤✤~◌~

AZARIAH SERENE:

The way Zemen looked into my eyes was as if he was saying something else but his body was saying the other.

He held me and shook me but his eyes weren't like how they usually are. I could see that he was trying to glare at me but his eyes were softened.

He sent me to go sit in the car, but as much as I wanted to, I protested because I promised his sister I wouldn't leave him.

~Flashback~

"Can I ask for a favor?"

"Oh su-"

"Take care of Zemen. Last time when something happened to our mom he went bullshit crazy and killed everyone that came in his way. He might even blow up the hospital if someone got on his nerves. So please just.... Be there for him."

I scoffed and shook my head.

"What makes you think I'll be able to calm him down? He'll probably curse at me and threaten to kill me then and there."

"But he wouldn't.... Trust me, Azariah. Just... Be there, hmm?"

I nodded although I felt unsure.

"By the way... What happened to your mom? And why is she in the hospital? Why is Alejandro connected to it? What does he want?"

Her eyes widened at every question.

"Yes. Our mom is in the hospital."

"For what? Is she sick?"

She nodded and smiled sadly.

"My dad was very abusive to brother and mamá. He would beat them and starve them."

I blinked.

"He hit my mom very hard on her back and head causing her hemiplegia. And now, she's on a bed for nine years. As for Alejandro, he knows mom means a lot to Zemen and he's going to weaken Zemen by using our mom. As hard as we tried to keep her safe from him we couldn't and had to admit her to a hospital because of her critical situation. Her heart is very weak and.... She might d-die any day. Any second."

She looked down, still speaking and I just sat there awkwardly, while thinking,

'Zemen has daddy issues too. How relatable.'

~Flashback ends~

After Jessie convinced me he is harmless right now and controlled, she took me back to the car.

I sat down and opened my bag taking out my anxiety pills and chugging them down.

"If you don't mind may I ask why you take those?"

I smiled at her after chugging a water bottle down.

"Helps me be relaxed or I'll drop to a panic attack and go bonkers." I laughed lightly and she just awkwardly smiled at me.

I kept looking at the hospital door just praying Zemen is alright in there.

I hated him for making me see that, but I understood. I understood every single bit.

I want him to tell me about his mom himself but I know we will never grow enough close for him to share anything with me moreover something so personal like this.

~◌~✤✤~◌~

ZEMEN ACÉTTA:

I softly knocked on her door.

When I didn't hear a response I quietly opened the door, peeking in.

"Mamá?" I raised my eyebrows expecting a reply but I didn't get any.

My eyes snapped to her heart monitor and I sighed when I found it flowing and raising with ease.

I walked up to her and sat down in front of her, taking her hand into mine.

I took a deep breath and looked at her grey hair and wrinkled old face.

She used to be so beautiful but a monster brought her to this stage.

My eye twitched because of how hard I was clenching my jaw.

She was a great leader in her days, she used to make men and women bow down to her. Her punishments and tortures were much worse then mine. If I broke bones, she'd burn them.

She didn't show any mercy and punished all those who betrayed her or pointed fingers at her family.

I used to think of her as a monster but then I realized that in this world you have to treat people like how they treat you.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

When I was twenty one, that fucker abused her till she couldn't take it no more, causing her to fall paralyzed and be on this bed for nine years now.

I took over her mafia at the early age of twenty one. She wanted Bernice and I to have each of her businesses but Bernice wanted to be free from our world.

She ended up marrying her long time boyfriend and now lives with him.

As for me, I have been living like this and have been trying to get revenge on that fucker for what he did to my mom.

"Z-zeme-n?"

I shook my head and looked at her.

She smiled at me and I smiled back.

She's the only woman I ever smile for.

"Wh-at are y-you doing her-e? Wi-th t-t-that?" She pointed her tremoring finger to my clothes which had spots of blood on it from killing Rascal the rodent.

I shook my head and waved it off.

"Took care of Rascal." She frowned.

I knew what she was going to ask but I answered beforehand.

"Don't worry about it. I just finished him for crossing me."

She lifted her hand and patted my hand.

"Y-you s-still got it, son."

I chuckled and smiled at her.

"Of course. I took it from you." She laughed but her laugh turned into a cough causing my smile to drop making me get up abruptly.

"What happened?" She waved her hand and licked her lips.

"I- think m-my ti-me is near."

"Mamá!"

She laughed and asked me the one question that I was hoping she wouldn't.

"When a-are y-you show-wing me you-ur -wife?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head slowly, sitting back down.

"Never mamá. You're never seeing her."

Her eyebrows furrowed up.

"Ev-er s-since I-I fell i-ill you don't d-date."

"I got smart knowing that I have other priorities to take care of."

"Y-you ne-need a h-heir."

My jaw clenched instantly.

"Mama, you know I don't need those."

"T-time h-has chan-g-g-ed, -Zemen. Y-you are not li-ke that fu-fucker."

I chuckled.

"Don't curse, totally doesn't suit you."

"H-hush. I us-ed to be a s-sailor in my o-old d-d-days."

I smiled at her forgetting what she just said.

I spent my time with her for a few more hours, feeding her and talking to her.

I sent Jessie and Azariah home, asking Levi to come pick me up as it got late at night.

"So? What happened with mama hottie?"

"I told you to stop calling her that!" He chuckled causing the car to slam into one of the other cars.

"You fucker!" The guy came out of his car and looked at us.

Here we go. Another blood on my list.