Heart Stealer

Chapter five: Her assignment.

CASSANDRA

Being involved in this kind of situation is something far from my expectations. I never wanted to work with those filthy people. I may not be sure about who exactly they were, but one thing is for sure, they were merciless. The lives of children will never be safe in their hands. That’s why, despite the hesitation and doubt that I’m feeling right now, I know I gotta do what they asked me to.

The unknown man was still on the other side but he was silent for unknown reasons.

“I’m asking you, what’s the deal?” I repeated. I may be known as a woman with a high level of patience when it comes to the rest of the children, but with people like him, patience is not some kind of candy that I will just go and give to him as easily as that.

“Come on, dear. Don’t be so impatient.” He responded in between his short laughs which pissed me off. “You would never like me to get mad.” He added with such a soft voice that sounded overly sarcastic to me.

“Look,” I breathed. “I have no time for this. Just tell me what it is that you wanted me to get done with and I’ll do it right away.” I added.

I hope he will realize that it wasn’t my plan to talk to him for hours over something nonsense. I bet he wasn’t planning on talking to me either, because even if he had my weakness, I would still not act like a stupid person that would kiss his toe or something like that.

“Okay, since I’ve already felt the fire on you about this mission, then there’s no point in talking too much.” He responded, which made me thank his f*****g stupid mind for leaving him for a second. “Meet me at the parking area near the train station by five in the afternoon and I'll tell you about the details in person."

"What? Are you damn serious about that? You just waste my time over this nonsense talk. Why can't you just tell me now?" I almost shouted at him.

I thought my consistent way of talking to him would longer the conversation we were having, but then the man dropped the call right away after saying the words, "Don't be late or else your village will be filled with cold bodies."

I badly wanted to throw the phone away because at that time my heart was occupied by nothing but anger and sadness. I questioned myself countless times about why this damn thing had happened to me? Who are those people and why were they doing this to me? Above all of that, the question that bothers me the most is why do they need to involve those poor children in this kind of matter? They should have just taken me instead and threatened me.

I got inside my tent, looking for my bag and when I had already found it, I put all the things I thought I needed to bring before I left. Before I even got out of my tent, a sudden realization suddenly hit me. I'm starting to wonder why Grey disappeared after what just happened to us.

Thinking about him makes me look around the place and search for some kind of note that he happened to leave for me to see, but then there's none.

"Where are you, Grey? Why do you have to disappear now?" I breathed and, while gripping at the necklace I took earlier from the unfamiliar man, I decided to leave the place and go to where my feet would take me.

I have a few more hours though, right before I face the devil.

LUCAS

As I was sitting on a black couch, I couldn't help but to keep on reminiscing about the time I got in contact with that damn female snatcher. I can still clearly remember how she looked at me the way I never expected her to be. She had that kind of fearless and deep look in her eyes that seemed to be revealing a mysterious yet interesting side of her.

"Dude." Gunner greeted me as soon as he got inside my office and sat on a couch in front of me. He pulled his sleeves up, then he started pouring a drink into his glass. "So, what's the plan about your mysterious girl?" He asked me after drinking.

"She is not my girl," I coldly responded.

Despite the awkward sensation covering the whole room, Gunner still managed to let out a short laugh while staring at me. "She may not be your girl yet but I bet she will be…" He paused for a while and then he finished his sentence after having another quick drink. "Soon."

"Quit the nonsense, Gunner. The thing I asked you a while ago, how is it?" I asked him.

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at me, "I don't know. I left her place after telling her about your favor. I'm sure Search will be here in no time."

"Sounds good." I shortly responded, nodding my head.

It has been a long time since my mind was occupied with nothing but a picture of a woman whom I don't even know personally. Because aside from the woman I was meant to marry and the woman that I actually married, no one has ever drawn my attention again.

I was thinking about what it was about her that caught my attention? Was it really because of her? Or was it just about the fact that she got something that I needed to fulfill my promise to the man who saved me?

Maybe, if what she took from me was just a mere branded watch or other expensive thing, then I wouldn't mind thinking about her and wasting my precious time just looking for her. But then she was too unlucky to cross paths with me. I would give her the taste of my wrath.

CASSANDRA

I never knew how important having a connection was until the very moment that I realized how much I needed it. Given my cold attitude, some might think that a woman like me would never have any friends, but then they are wrong.

"Hello? Who's this?" I heard the familiar voice of a woman speaking on the other side. I'm currently here at the nearest phone booth, hoping to reach my friend who's also working on something dangerous.

"Hey, Bridgette. It's me, Cass." I uttered.

"Cass?" She sounded really surprised hearing my voice on the other line.

"Why do you seem so-"

"I thought you were dead?" She cut my words with that shocking response.

I wasn't expecting her to say that, so I was kind of having some kind of mixed emotions and thoughts about her response.

"Dead? What do you mean?" I asked her. Even before she got to answer my question, I shook my head and then I told her, "By the way, can we meet? I have something to tell you."

"Yeah, sure. You know my place, right? Just come here as soon as you can, okay? I will wait for you here." She quickly responded.

I dropped the call and rushed to her place. I had no time to waste now and I needed to fix things first before meeting that unknown person who took my people away.

I met Bridgette when I ran away from home. She was the one who took care of me and taught me how to fight. She lets me stay in her place too, even if she barely knows me. I didn't know anything about her or from what family she came from, but one thing is for sure, I seriously trust her.

Bridgette was the one who introduced me to Grey. We lost contact after I finally decided to move out and live on my own. I told her about my plan and she gave her full support to me. She simply reminds me of my older sister who died at the hands of those merciless people.

"I've recently heard about your village. Someone told me that you guys were slaughtered. I came to pay a visit and figure out if the news was real and when I got there, I saw nothing but a messy and bloody place." She explained. Her place was still the same except for the door which seemed to be leading its way into a new room.

"We weren't slaughtered, Bridgette. They took my kids away when I was out, looking for money." I responded to her.

"That's not good to hear either. Have you already found out who did this horrible thing?" She asked me, creasing her forehead.

I shook my head and responded, "Not yet, but soon."

"What do you mean?" She asked me.

"I need to meet them somewhere at five in the afternoon," I responded.

"And you're going just like that? What if you get into trouble? You didn't know those guys, Cass." Her tone kept on changing from mad to worried.

"That's why I need your help, Bridge," I responded.

She didn't ask me anything, she just looked at me, creasing both of her eyes and while furrowing her eyebrows.

"Lend me some weapons and things that I can use for defense. Also," I paused for a while and told her, "Please find Grey for me."

"Grey? Wasn't he taken as well?" She curiously responded.

"I bet no." I uttered. "I'm certain that he also wasn't there when those guys were taking all of the children."

"You mean-"

"I'm not sure about his reasons yet, but I do kind of have a feeling that Grey has something to do with this," I responded.

I left her place about thirty minutes before five. Since her place wasn't that far from where that unknown person wanted to meet me, there was no need to rush myself. I took all the weapons that I needed and I could possibly carry with me, then I quickly went to the underground locker place and hid some things inside of it.

I went out with a pistol tucked inside my pants which was covered with my black leather jacket. There is also a dagger hidden beside my ankle.

The parking lot was usually silent, as I thought it would be. I looked around and searched where they could possibly be but then a few seconds after that I saw two men, wearing black outfits, both heading towards my direction.

At first I thought they were here to lead my way to their boss, but then they suddenly approached me with their daggers and punches, which I quickly managed to dodge. I didn't know why they were attacking me all of a sudden, but one thing is for sure, I would be dead if I didn't fight back. That's why the moment they were about to hit me again or stab me again, I forcefully held the other man's left wrist and kicked his right hand which he was gripping the dagger at. I did the same to the other one, then I started kicking their manhood, not planning to stop until someone suddenly popped out of nowhere, clapping his hands together while smiling like a jerk.

"What a pleasant surprise, my dear." He joyfully uttered. The two men stood up again and I can see how they both glared at me as they slowly walked closer in my direction.

The man who just came out said, "That's enough for the two of you."

Both of them took a few steps back and stopped after reaching the side of the unknown man who seemed to be in his early thirties. He does sound like the man who I talked to over the phone earlier, but then I never expected him to look young and nice.

I stayed away from where I was standing in a defensive position, from where I could easily pull my handgun out of my side.

“Who are you?” I asked as I breathed heavily. “Where’s-” I stopped the moment I saw him smiling and walking towards my direction. It made me pull my gun out from my side, then I pointed it at him.

“I don’t have time for this f*cking conversation, so tell me, where’s your boss?” I urged strongly.

He chuckled and raised both of his hands. Look how he acts like such a different person who seemed to be nice despite the truth behind his rotten personality. He’s such a psycho.

“Take it easy,dear. I’m glad you’re not late. You just save those kids from being shot in their heads.” He chuckled.

“Don’t you dare touch them!” I exclaimed as I gripped the gun’s handle tighter.

“I’m afraid that it’s not for you to decide whether they should still live or not.” He chuckled. “Though I’m surprised how brave, strong and wise you’ve grown from being that stubborn child, there’s still no way I would be shaken by you.”

“What do you mean?” I wondered. Actually, I wasn’t planning on thinking and investigating about something else other than the things that are related to my people’s safety, but then his words simply drew my attention.

Stubborn child? I asked myself.

“Anyway.” He breathed deeply and then he continued, “I guarantee that your skills won’t be wasted in this mission.” The man started raising an envelope which I think was about the assignment he’s going to give me. “Inside this one is the information about who you are going to kill.”

Kill? I didn’t sign up for this. Killing never came up inside my mind, not even a single second, I mean, not even before I met this man in front of me. But then, I knew I had to do what he told me too, since he’s capable of killing those poor kids anytime he wants to.

“Don’t worry. It’s not like you can kill him right away.” He chuckled. “This man is not just an ordinary one, a mafia boss to be exact. So that means, killing him instantly is something that is too impossible for anyone to do, even you.”

“If that’s the case, then why are you letting me do this thing? If you’re not confident that I can do it?” I asked him, still pointing the gun in his head’s direction.

“I didn’t say that you couldn’t kill him. I’m saying that it’s impossible to kill that man quickly. So, I wanted you to lure him out, do everything that would make him suffer until he would no longer wish to live.” He responded.

When he was uttering those words, I could weirdly sense a kind of strong anger through his eyes. Maybe because this man that he wanted me to kill, did something horrible to him and that is not for me to think about. He dropped the envelope and kicked it towards me.

“Two months or just like what I have told you, you will be surrounded by their cold bodies.” Those were the last words he seriously uttered right before turning his back on me and leaving the place.