"Who are you really?" I asked again, glaring at the stranger. He looked down and sighed.

"Look, there are some things I need to say and my identity is not the main concern," he said, taking one step towards me before I halted him with my hand.

"I can't tell you in the open like this," he pressed, glancing around.

"Last time I ran to someone for information, I got drugged and dragged here. You're practically telling me to act like that again," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Okay, I understand," he nodded and turned, continuing his path downstairs. "Let's talk in the lobby, at least you'll feel safe there."

I followed behind him, still maintaining a distance between us. We marched down the stairs to the lobby which was quite spacious. The sunlight hit through the glassdoors, lighting up the place and making the cream marble floor look more shiny and polished. People constantly moved around, going in and out. Even if he wanted to do something, he would not be able to.

He directed me past the reception area, where a man was seated. Near the twin doors that were the main entry, were placed some unoccupied red velvet armchairs that surrounded a tiny table. He gestured for me to sit down on the armchair across him.

I followed suit, sitting down. I squeezed my hands between my thighs out of habit and pursed my lips. I looked at the man anxiously, waiting for what he had to say.

"First of all," I started holding my finger up, "I need a name to your face."

"Luca."

"Luca?"

"Yes, Luca."

"Okay, continue. When did you first realise we were tailing you?"

"From the start," he shrugged.

I raised both eyebrows at him.

"When I got in my van with Boccaccio, I knew you saw us and were also aware of his identity. So it was a given that you'd follow us, not that the stupid one realised. Only I saw you guys."

"That does not explain why you didn't stop us at any point of the night despite being aware we were snooping around," I stated confused, with furrowed eyebrows.

"Because my personal goal is not to stop you. Rather, it is to bring you all to that place and see what is going on."

"Alright," I drawled with a blank mind. I tried to make sense of what he said. "So you were purposefully guiding us there."

"You must have realised by now, how this is a whole complex system of drug trade, not restricted only to Italy," he attested. I nodded frowning, wondering where he was going with it. "I want to bring it down," he finished.

I stared at him dead in the eyes, for a few more seconds, processing what he said. He seemed uncomfortable as he shuffled in his seat.

"Should I continue or you need more time?" he asked.

"More time," I muttered, focusing on my thoughts as I stared at the glass table in front of me.

"Okay," I said after a deep breath. "One question. On whose side are you?"

"My own."

"Eh?"

"I am not supporting any group from any side. I have always been inside the illegal system. But like I said, I have a personal goal, to be more precise, a vendetta against the people in control. That's why I want to break down the whole system."

"So you are on our side? Like the legal side?"

"Not necessarily. What I need is the ability to destroy the system and that is not in my capability but the law enforcement people."

"Then, how long have you had this supposed vendetta? And against whom? And who else knows about your goal?"

"it's been a while now, against those in command, like I said. Telling you the names would put yourself in danger. And for now, no one knows about what I've been trying to do."

"But what about the Ita-"

"I absolutely cannot trust the Italian police force," he cut me off. "I've been involved in this long enough to know the number of people from our side that have infiltrated the legal system. If I acted as an informant, the one who will end up being locked up is me only. That's why the justice system is so flawed and fucked up," he scoffed.

"Then, why the IOF? Why involve them?"

"Because they have already started being involved and had stopped some drug deals before. And they even came here, close to the foundation of the criminal organisation behind those drug trades."

"And the IOF has a more compact organisation, so less chance of being infiltrated by spies," I mused over it to myself as Luca nodded.

"So, after everything you said, how can I believe that it is all true?"

Luca let out a dry chuckle. "I knew you would not believe me. I am willing to talk it all over with the IOF, with the condition that I can continue what I am doing and they remain confidential about it."

"They are not the types to listen to a suspicious stranger's demands and accept silently but you are right in revealing everything to them. I cannot get involved since I'll be leaving-"

I looked down as I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, indicating a message. Thinking that it may be from Castiel, I took it out and checked.

Angelia 10:20

Hey, it's Angelia! Wanna meet up? I have to go abroad for another gallery expo soon and I don't know when you're leaving so I'd like meeting up before I go. :D

I mused over it. Since I was leaving tomorrow, today was the right time to visit her. I didn't have anything planned as well. I texted an 'OK' back to her, asking where to meet.

Luca looked at me questioningly. I slipped my phone back in my pocket and stood up.

"So, yes, what I was saying is that I am leaving tomorrow so it'd be best for you to speak to the IOF. Maybe they'll return soon. I have to go right now though. Talk to you later," I said, with a slight smile, turning towards the door.

"Wait!" he called out. I looked back with a puzzled look.

"Look, I've already told you before, but I'll repeat it again. Going anywhere alone is dangerous for you, especially when you have already been a target. Kidnapping and murder cases are always floating around. I don't want to find out about yet another one that I could have prevented," Luca said darkly.

"It's...okay. I'm just meeting with a friend and I will be near the crowded areas," I said slowly. He seemed a bit sensitive to that issue. Before I could say anything more, he shook his head and walked towards the stairs, towards his apartment. I shrugged and walked out, checking Angelia's second message about the location.

☆☆☆

I let out a heavy sigh. "I don't feel that good walking right after a meal. I can barely walk."

Angelia chuckled beside me, making small steps as she walked to match my pace. We had lunch after I arrived at the location she sent me, which was a very busy restaurant near a small lake. Due to many customers coming, we had to leave right after eating, and Angelia insisted that a walk by the Campelli lake was a must.

We walked on the smooth, polished, grey pebblestones, some feet away from the lake. I took a few photos of the lake, which glimmered and twinkled, under the blue, sunlit skies. I heard a paddling of ducks quacking as they disappeared behind the reedbeds before I could get a photo of them.

My attention returned to the blue sky, free of any wandering clouds. Some small birds and dragonflies roamed some metres above the mirrored image of the sky. The slight breeze beside the lake kept me cool, despite the midday sun beaming, high above.

I took a pause from the walk a bit, grabbing a flat pebble as I launched it across the lake. I always had to try this, each time I got the chance.

Plop!

It went down in one hit. Angelia muffled a laugh behind my back.

"Nevermind, I was never good at it anyway," I mumbled to myself.

We marched for a while longer and as I took a glance behind, the restaurant was already out of sight. We must have had a long walk. I didn't even notice time passing by. Maybe we should be heading back now.

As I was about to speak, I saw a group of three men approaching from some distance away. I thought that they were some random fishermen or locals passing by, but Angelia slowed in her steps beside me. Her eyes widened at the sight of those men and she stopped walking.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, glancing between the men and her. She remained silent and stared ahead, with a blank expression.

The men were now some feet away and paused in their steps. The men seemed to be in their fifties, with long grey beards. They had bandanas around their heads and wore sunglasses. They looked like a typical biker gang.

The man in the middle stood in front of Angelia. I felt his intimidating glare through the sunglasses. I heard him gruffly muttering something. I cocked my head at Angelia, gauging her reaction. Her eyes narrowed as she answered back, in a snappy voice.

I could not understand anything but there was a dangerous vibe around I placed one leg behind, almost turning back, ready to run.

"Should we go-?" I started but got cut off by the man yelling something as the two other men came forward, grabbing Angelia's hands, dragging her away.

I turned back, walking towards them and took hold of Angelia's arm, holding her back.

"Wait, wait! You cannot do this!" I breathed out, panicked.

The men looked at each other. They did not seem to have understood a word from what I said. They shrugged and continued dragging a struggling Angelia with them.

I huffed, looking around and took a deep breath, readying myself.

"HELP! HELP ME!" I yelled, turning back, ready to run.

As I took another breath to yell, one of the men ran from behind me, grabbed my shirt from behind, tugging me down on the ground. I flinched as my head hit the pebbles.

I tried to get up by throwing a punch to distract the man, who kept his sweaty hand on my mouth. He swiftly grabbed my hand as I heard some voices behind. I heard the voice of a young man as well. Did someone hear me and came to our rescue?

I tried lifting up my head, but the man slammed me back down, yelling something which sounded like an instruction. I couldn't hear anything as my heartbeats drummed against my ribcage.

Someone came into my line of sight, blocking the sun and forming a shadow over me as I squinted my eyes at him. Before I could speak, he handed a cloth to the old man, who took it and pressed over my face. I reached out to stop him, but I felt someone else holding back my hands.

Slowly, after a few seconds, I felt my struggling hands weakening. A heavy feeling consumed me as my eyes closed. Someone picked me up and starting walking. All voices faded in the background and only two words came into my mind.

Not. Again.

☆☆☆

My head had repeatedly hit the moving floor. Wait, why was the floor moving again? Oh, right! They had thrown my unconscious body at the back of a van. With each bump they ran on, I took a hit.

I couldn't even move because I couldn't risk more damage being done to me. And my eyes felt like they had been tightly shut against my will. I soon drifted back into a temporary slumber.

I regained consciousness when I felt myself getting dumped on some cold ground. As the footsteps faded away slowly, I sat up with a groan. That's what we get when we try to help people.

My gaze wandered around, surveying the bland room. It was very small, almost like a cage. Grey concrete walls surrounded me, with a brown panel door to the left of the room. I looked up at the small lighting I was getting from the window and realised that it was only a small hopper window.

Instinctively, I reached outside of the hopper with my hands and felt a soft texture in my hands. Was that grass? I jumped up a few times to catch a glimpse of where I was and realised that the room where I was held was below the ground level.

Crouching down, I let a deep breath as I again looked around the empty room. Where was Angelia and what did they do to her? And why did she get into trouble with them to start with?

The light that filled the room became dim, showing signs of the setting sun. Castiel and everyone else must have definitely returned back to their apartments. I wondered if they knew that I had gone missing. I reached down, patting my back pocket. There was no sign of my phone. I hit my head back against the wall in irritation. I must have either dropped it earlier or it was taken by those goons. I screeched in annoyance-

Wait...

I looked down at my wrist and gaped. That was it!

I breathed in relief as I took out my watch. Well not really 'my' watch. I borrowed Castiel's recording watch, just in case. Naples proved to be a city where all unexpected things happened. I held back a grin as I activated the GPS Tracker. The invention of technology was always a blessing.

I halted in my movements when I heard the sound of shoes clicking on the ground as someone approached. I stood up, alarmed. My gaze returned to the watch. They would definitely find out what it was if their eyes fell on this.

The jingling of keys echoed in the room as someone was unlocking the door. As quick as I could, I lightly jumped, throwing the watch out of the hopper and sat down. Just in time to see the door opening, with a man and a woman coming in.

I masked my startled face behind an aloof expression, hoping they didn't notice anything.

The woman looked too old to act gothic. I'd say she was in her late thirties but she was wearing a tight corset, with fishnet and leather gloves. Her hair was black, with a small streak of blue. She simply seemed like a wannabe gangster and did not intimidate me at all. The man was one of the three men I met earlier.

I glanced between both, wondering what they wanted. The woman approached me, crouching down to my level.

"What?" I snapped, frowning at her.

She did not look back at me and instead, searched around, patting my pockets. The man came forward, pulled me to a standing position by my arm. I pushed him away but he wouldn't move. The woman shook her head at him. I knew what they were searching for but I frowned even harder, hiding my relief. My phone must have fallen back where they took me.

Taking the opportunity, I grabbed the beard of the oldie and pulled hard. His grasp around my arm loosened as he groaned and I pushed him away.

I dashed to the open door. I hoped there would not be many people around that would be in my way. I needed to find Angelia first, hoping she was not harmed.

As I took a turn around the door, someone that was coming in took me by the arm and flung me back inside. My butts hit the ground with full force.

"Cosa stai facendo? Ti ho detto di legarla," the soft but cold voice stated. 

My words got stuck down my throat as I looked up with frozen eyes at the familiar face, stunned. I felt my breath knocked out of my lungs.

"Angelia?" I asked, my voice coming out as a whisper.

☆☆☆

A/N:
Translation below:

"Cosa stai facendo? Ti ho detto di legarla."  = "What are you doing? I told you to tie her up."