Tears were threatening to fall down Zara's face once again. She was angry. She felt bitter. Her chest was going to collapse and refuse to cooperate with her. But she was going to get out of New York. She was going to be on the run but she would not go back.

No matter what.

Zara removed the sim card on her phone that Adrian must have put in and used the one she had always wanted to surrender to the phone company but never did. She used it to call her aunt, who should have picked her call up. But the message went to her older voicemail and this time, Zara left a message.

"I know who I am now. And I'm not joking or referencing something. If you know anything about this, call me."

Zara had no idea where to go now. Her name was Zoya and she was the daughter of the leader of the Ferraras. A lot of things started to make sense. She didn't remember her parents and she never talked about them with Aunt Jean because she had wanted to concentrate on the future.

She laughed sarcastically.

What future could she have? She was the leader of the Ferrara gang. She was born into the mafia world and she had completed her master in Criminology. "Talk about irony." She wiped her hands on her thighs and continued to drive through the busy streets of New York.

Where could she go? She wouldn't go back to her apartment and she could not leave town with the car that she was driving. It would be easy to find her. But there was one place where she could be trusted.

Zara drove the car to the same mall that she and Adrian had gone to. If he was going to track her down, let him track her down to the place where they had bonded.

She walked out of the mall with her bag and started her way down the streets. She continued to call her aunt but this time, the voicemail was no longer there. She only heard static in return.

"What?" She stared at her phone.

She couldn't continue to be suspicious while being an open target to people. She made her way down the streets, ignoring how her ankles hurt, and walked through the doors of Shot Drop.

Mal turned around with Buddy in his hand. His jaw dropped after seeing Zara after months. "Zara! What are you-"

Zara continued to walk inside to the room in the back. Mal jumped out of his seat and followed her to the waiting area and saw her access the safe that they shared. "What are you doing? Zara!"

"I'm taking the money I have been saving all these years, Mal." 

She used the passcode that Mr. Chen had trusted her with all the while because the safe required a three-person code to open. Mal and Zara had practically grown up together and they trusted each other, which is why Shot Drop was the only place she could come to.

Mal saw her open her cargo bag and drop her savings inside it like she was on the run. "Hey, what's going on?" He asked, placing Buddy on the floor and walking up to her.

"I need to leave New York. I can't stay here anymore." She said as she took a few extra shirts from Mal's cupboard but he wasn't going to question it.

"But why? You are almost done with college. Is it a guy?" Zara closed her eyes when the image of meeting Adrian for the first time flashed. "Are you on the run or something?"

Zara dropped the bag and walked over to Mal. "How long have we known each for? Ten years? Fifteen? I'm asking you to trust me on this. I have to leave New York immediately. I can't....it's not what it was before."

Yeah, she was the daughter of a mafia leader who almost caused bloodshed upon New York.

"Let me help you." Mal said. "I can lock up. We can take the train and go anywhere you want. I've been wanting to leave anyway! You know how much I want to go to India. Tell me what's going on."

Zara wished she could. But how was she to tell him that she wasn't who he thought her to be? " I wish I could tell you. I trust you, Mal. I really do. So trust me now. Trust me that....that what I'm doing is what is for the best."

But did she have a plan? No.

Did she know any safe place to stay? No.

Did she know what was going on? I'll let you fill that one in.

"I can't let you leave without knowing that you are of sane mind."

She managed to smile, always grateful to Mal for making her mood better with the silliest jokes. "Shall we go for a few rounds then?" She took extra rounds of the bullets that she would need and dropped it into her bag.

"I trust you." Mal said. "Are you sure you will be safe?"

She nodded. "I will."

Mal pulled her into a bear hug and though Zara was sure that she would break all over again, she hugged him back. She did not know how much she needed family till he rested his head against hers and patted her hair.

"Come back soon. Finish what you need and come back. You hear me?"

Zara nodded. "I wouldn't let you be without trying to find you a boyfriend." She punched his arm playfully.

Mal walked her out of the shop and placed a key in her hand. "Take it." He eyed the jeep at the end of the parking lot.

Her eyes opened wide. "What!" Her voice squeaked. This was the grandest gesture that anyone could have done for her. "But that's Mr. Chen's car! It's what you have been fighting to rebuild! What I look towards buying! Mal-"

"You're not making any sense now." He laughed. "Only Buddy can hear you at this point."

She shut her mouth. "Thank you." She said. "I won't forget this and I promise to keep her safe."

He winked at her. "I trust you to do it. Don't make me regret it."

*****

"I trust you. So trust me."
Mine and Blue's favourite broship