It Ain't Over till It's Over

*Time: 2:30 pm, Day: Tuesday, Location: Sherley Street*

You were having a perfectly normal day. The sun was shining, there was not much traffic and your boss gave you a raise for your hard work.

‘Such a wonderful and peaceful day.’ You thought, sighing happily as you entered your apartment complex. Just as you had greeted your neighbour, who was about to go to walk his dog, you saw two burly men in gray suits coming towards you.

‘Or maybe they’re heading for the exit.’ But before you could finish your optimistic thought, one of the burly men caught you by your arm and the other handcuffed you.

‘’Come with us.’’ One of them said, as they finished handcuffing you. ‘’You know what you did.’’ But you had no clue what in God’s name they were talking about.

You tried to express your innocence to them but they ignored you and so did everyone who were in your surroundings.

‘Well, so much for a peaceful day.’ Was your last thought as you were pushed into a black van.

The black van passed the market, the Grand Movie Hall and also the Farmer’s Dream. Just as it was about to enter into a restricted area, where no one dared to enter, there was a body lying in their way. One of the men narrowed his eyes, in suspicion but his companion got down and was going near the body.

Just when he was within reach, the body suddenly jumped up and pulled a roundhouse kick to his face. The man fell, unconscious. The other man pulled out a gun but he was too late before he was hit with a bat.

The unknown person opened the back of the van and grabbed the body lying there. When the hints of their presence were covered, the person immediately broke into a run and disappeared. Never to be found again.

*Time: 10:00 pm, Day: Tuesday, Location: Penguin Building*

‘’WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN’T FIND HER?!’’ Kiki shouted, with rage in her eyes. Her subordinates quivered in fear before her.

‘’We a-are s-s-sorry, Lady Kiki. But- ‘’ the man was immediately cut off with a bullet to his head. Kiki turned her head to the others.

‘’If you don’t want to end up with the same fate as him, you better find her.’’ The cowards nodded frantically and ran out the door before they could anger her further. The red-haired woman pinched the bridge of her nose to stop an oncoming headache.

‘’Zero. You follow your trail and find her before the Seals do.’’ A man hidden in the shadows, smirked while licking his lips. This was going to be so easy.

*Time: 12:14 am, Day: Wednesday, Location: The Slums*

‘’Is she awake yet?’’ You heard a deep a voice from above. You tried not to groan but everything hurt so much. It felt like your body was not your own. You guessed they heard your groan as they were speaking to you but you couldn’t understand anything they were saying.

Finally, when the same person talked, you could understand.

‘’Hey kid, you okay?’’ You nodded and then immediately regretted it. You suddenly turned to the side and threw up. Someone placed a bucket in front of you and someone else was holding your hair so that you can throw up in peace. You threw up so many times that in the end you were throwing up nothing. When you collapsed back into bed, no one said anything, and for that you were glad.

*Time: 6:30 am, Day: Thursday, Location: The Park*

‘’Are you sure this is where the trail ends?’’ Kiki asked, her eyes thoughtful. Her subjects nodded wildly. Kiki surveyed the area while she waved the others away. She was losing her braincells while in the presence of such idiots.

Her eyes stopped on a piece of cloth stuck on a branch. She walked towards it and observed it.

The material was cotton. Judging by the cloth, it seems to have been torn when the person was in a hurry. And if she is right then-

‘’The person went in the South direction.’’ A voice spoke from behind her. She jumped and whirled around to fix the other with a glare.

‘’And what do you think you’re doing here, James?’’ ‘James’ smirked and said,

‘’I think I’m helping my best friend find her sister.’’ He narrowly dodged the bullet shot at him.

‘’She’s not my sister.’’ Kiki’s voice dripped with murderous intent. James held up his hands as a gesture of peace. Kiki stared at him for another minute before tucking her gun back in its place.

Kiki started to go south and James took this as an invitation to follow her. They reached a fork in a road. James, without hesitation, went right and Kiki rolled her eyes as she went left.

‘As if he’s my best friend.’ Kiki thought as she disappeared.

‘Seriously Kiki, you always need my help. Well... who doesn’t.’ James chuckled as he knew where he was going.

*Time: 12:00 pm, Day: Thursday, Location: The Slums*

You were being checked by a doctor for any kind of harm done to your body. You silently went through the procedure being done to you, not knowing what to say. The doctor was kind and didn’t force you to speak.

After your procedure, you were given something to eat. You scarfed down the food as if you hadn’t eaten anything in days. Which, in hindsight, might be true.

Following you freshening up and feeling comfortable in your skin, the man, from the beginning, made you sit in a chair opposite to him.

You felt very uncomfortable while being stared down by this man. You didn’t know why you were here. You didn’t know this man but you knew that he was dangerous.

The man cleared his throat and spoke,

‘’Miss, I don’t know your name and I won’t waste my time asking you for one. I brought you here because your life is in danger.’’ Your mouth dropped open and you just stared at him with utter disbelief. The man sighed.

‘’Okay. I know that it’s hard to believe but I’ll say this. You are being wanted by a very dangerous person: Kiki.’’ He paused, allowing you to absorb the information suddenly being forced into your head. You froze in fear. This was so strange.

‘’We don’t know why Kiki wants you but rest assured that we won’t allow Kiki to capture you.’’ He tried to comfort you. You nodded, though not exactly trusting him. He got up to leave and paused at the door. He turned to face you.

‘’You will be staying in this room until further notice. This is a very dangerous situation and I won’t allow you to come to harm. And for the sake of formality, I already know your name, I just didn’t want to freak you out by saying it in the beginning. You can call me James, Miss. It was a pleasure meeting you.’’ With that, he closed the door. Inside the room, unknown to all, there were two people. One of them smirked, as it was going according to their plan while the other furrowed their brows, not knowing what to make of this new situation.

*Time: 1:31 am, Day: Friday, Location: Unknown*

Kiki cursed as she travelled through an unknown place where there was no civilisation. She didn’t know where she was, she didn’t know how to get back and knowing her organisation no one would have bothered to send out a search party because they were scared to face her wrath. She wished she had not sent Zero on that solo mission, which she herself was doing now. But she was impatient damn it. Just as she was about to give up and collapse on the ground, a voice spoke from behind her.

‘’Oh! Kiki! What a pleasant surprise to see you here.’’ A mocking voice said.

Kiki knew that voice and, in her anger, she pulled out her gun and fired at that stupid friend of hers. James jumped out from the way dodging the bullets firing at him with practiced ease. After Kiki’s fit of rage was over, James walked over to her and said,

‘’Need help?’’ Kiki nodded, not in a mood to raise to the bit. James snickered and just as he and Kiki had taken a few steps, a gunshot was heard. James fell to the ground while Kiki gasped in horror. She slowly turned around and nearly breathed a sigh of relief. It was Zero. Zero, with no emotion on his face, placed the gun back in his holster and guided Kiki in the opposite direction from where James was about to take her.

‘’Lady Kiki, we have her. James was part of The Seals. He was about to kill you just now and let the wanted person get away.’’ Kiki blinked in shock. She knew that James was not to be trusted! But she allowed herself to trust him anyway since he was always there for her. She blinked back her tears. She would not cry over a person who backstabbed her!

She followed Zero who was taking her to where she was.

*Time: 8:23 am, Day: Saturday, Location: Sherley Apartments*

Kiki was exhausted by the time she and Zero reached their destination. Zero led her to an apartment room and unlocked the door. He opened the door and followed in after Kiki. He subtly locked the door while Kiki went inside.

Kiki stopped and stared at the middle of the room. More specifically, the person in the middle of the room. It was you. You looked at Kiki and gave a small smile to her. But Kiki couldn’t identify the emotion behind it. She didn’t ponder long but instead resorted to talking.

‘’You’re mute right? So, you don’t need to speak but I’ll tell you this. You are going to die in the next ten seconds. I won’t let a person who was behind the cause of so many atrocities roam around freely!’’ Kiki declared. You stared blankly at her but began to snicker. Which soon erupted into full blown laughter. After you calmed down you shocked Kiki by speaking,

‘’You believe you can beat me?’’ Your throat was sore from not talking for a long while. Kiki’s eyes flashed with outrage.

‘’Mary Watson! I will not let you live even if you begged me too! What you did is unforgivable!’’ Just as she was about to order Zero to be done with her, she felt the cold touch of a gun being placed on her head. She froze and gave a sideways glance only to see Zero place a gun to her forehead. She heard tutting from Mary.

‘’My dear Kiki, did you really think that I would be so stupid to be captured by the likes of you. I ordered my men to come and arrest me. But sadly, before I could reach my hideout, James captured me and brought me to the slums. I knew that he knew who I was but just didn’t bother to address it. Zero had found me and was worried whether this would complicate the plan. But, when James was about to take you to my hideout, where all my life long data was stored, I had Zero kill him.’’ She cooed at her with mock remorse,

‘’You actually believed that James was going to kill you? Such foolishness. No wonder you were never the top of your game.’’ Kiki’s eyes widened, in fear, when she heard the clock of the gun. She shakingly asked,

‘’Why are you doing this? This isn’t right!’’ Mary pretended to think.

‘’Oh Kiki. Such innocence! My dear, there is no such thing as wrong or right, there is only power. Whoever has it, has the right to judge others. Whoever prevails, in the end, is justice.’’ Those were the last words Kiki heard before her vision blackened.

Zero looked at Mary and asked only one question,

‘’What do we with your sister, My Lady?’’ Mary chuckled as she looked at the bedroom across from her. Behind those closed doors was Mary’s and Kiki’s triplet. It was you. Since Kiki was the only one who dyed her hair red, both you and Mary looked exactly alike. So, it was easy to knock you out and place herself in your position. For the first time Mary was glad, you were mute. Since impersonating your voice would have been difficult.

Mary turned to Zero and ordered,

‘’Make sure that Kiki’s and James’s bodies are not found. No one knows what I look like so my sister will pose no danger or be in danger, for that matter.’’ Zero nodded and bowed. There was a knock on the door. Mary nodded at Zero to open the door.

‘’That must be my men. Let them in and no traces should be found of this incident. None at all. And Zero,’’ Zero looked at his boss.

‘’You and everyone should be more careful from now on. I must not enter into the active field ever again, understood?’’ Zero nodded and vowed to make plans for the future to never let this happen again.

After all, he couldn’t let Lady Mary take such a risk for her empire ever again.