When the sun's glare became unbearable, Neo slid on his sunglasses. With the other hand, he steered towards a grand mansion whose yard was manicured and hedges trimmed. He eased onto the brake before an entry gate, letting off when the butlers slid it apart.

Seconds later, he parked along a circular driveway that highlighted a statue composed of chiseled features and muscular forms.

Stepping onto cobblestone, he tugged his suit in place and rubbed a palm over his beard. Then he went.

Neo stood at the main entrance for mere seconds before two women greeted him. They were identical; even the studs on their right ears were exact.

"Welcome, Mr. Ruhl." One of the twins stepped aside.

Neo's movements inside the place were seamless; he'd done this many times.

As always, the first thing to catch his eye was the large art piece that hung on the wall. On that canvas, the letters G and E were scribbled as if by a preschooler, and then both distinctly crossed out by a large red X.

The twins kept their distance as Neo directed himself towards a wall of windows that touched both ceiling and floor. There were two seats facing the outdoors separated by a small table.

One seat was occupied by a woman. He knew her to be Celine. Just Celine.

The woman twisted her torso as he approached. Her voice had a hint of a Parisian accent. "I didn't expect to meet with you so soon after our last talk. I admire it. So what brings you here today, Neo?"

He made himself comfortable in the chair beside her. "The same as usual." He reached inside his jacket, and pulled out a card to drop on the table. It showed a picture of his most recent girlfriend.

"Oh. Another failed relationship?"

"I assume that you'll also make sure that no other policeman comes to my door. It's becoming annoying."

"Of course, that comes with the deal. I'll get rid of her, and handle any reports about you." She pressed the glass to her lips, and mumbled something about her brother.

"What was that?"

"Nothing to worry about." Celine took the card and handed it over her shoulder where the twins stood. "Rosalie, dear, calculate the price of this."

Her daughter took it before going elsewhere. Celine studied the look on Neo's face. "I can tell you have more to say."

"You're an attentive one."

"If I wasn't, I would've been dead a long time ago." She grinned. "Who's the target?"

"My nephew. I want him dead also." He retrieved a different card.

Her lips pulled as she scanned his picture, and a maniac gleam danced in her eyes. "How I waited for this day."

"What?"

Her short black dress rode up when she crossed her legs. "This is unexpected. May I ask why?"

Neo's eyebrow raised. She'd never asked him why; she wasn't supposed to. "Is that any of your concern?"

"The boy is young. Seventeen," she highlighted. "Why kill him when he is more valuable in... other markets?"

It took Neo a second to catch on. "Go on."

"I'd like to make an offer for the boy. There's no doubt that we will both profit much more from his trade. I know a wealthy man who'd like himself a young boy. The market is oversaturated with girls. If you consent, he will be delighted."

After a moment's wait, his lips parted. "What happens from there?"

Chuckling, Celine swirled the wine in circles. "This is the same boy you want to kill, no? You sound as though you care about his fate."

Neo's face contorted. How dare she imply that he cared about such a worthless human? To him, Evaughn deserved worse than a quick and easy end.

"Fuck no. How much are you offering?"

"Three thousand. It would be more if he were younger."

"Make it five."

She smirked. "Oh? Is he worth that much to you?"

"Watch yourself, Celine."

The comment amused her. "You remind me of my late husband." She used a delicate finger to tuck her hair behind her ear. In doing so, she revealed a tattoo of that familiar symbol: that is, the black letters 'GE' crossed with a red 'X'.

The twin still standing behind them shuffled closer. "Mother."

"Yes, darling?"

"Why don't we set up an auction for the boy?"

Celine beamed at her suggestion. "Why, that is an amazing idea, Coralie. I can't believe I..."

Neo couldn't understand why, but their voices gradually became muted. When he looked down, his legs were shaking. Quickly, he stopped himself. Shaking legs were a symptom of anxiety. What was he anxious about? Evaughn being auctioned on a black market?

He felt a headache begin to grow.

No. You hate him, Neo. I hate him. Hate him. I hate him.

He knew that more than anything. Was he forgetting?

***

When he reached his house, Neo couldn't seem to think straight, not with the pounding behind his temples.

Coincidentally, Evaughn arrived home at the same time. He dropped his bike on the ground and from his underarm, took out a wrapped up tray of... something. When Neo saw that it was food, he wasted no time to close in.

He grabbed his wrists and took the tray. "Where did you get this?"

"Ah!"

So his screams weren't heard, he dragged Evaughn inside and slammed the door shut, then holding the tray before him. "Who gave you this food?"

"The school."

Neo threw it aside. He grabbed Evaughn's hair and leaned towards the latter's ear.

He needed to remind himself that his transaction with Celine was not a regret.

"Know what, Eve?"

He didn't care for an answer.

"You'd be better off worse than dead. Better off sold to the nastiest guy who gets off on mangling you."

Evaughn's head was thrown to the other side. He held it with both hands and sobbed. In a moment too small to follow, Neo retrieved a pocketknife and held it on his neck.

He gasped. "Please... please don't kill me."

"Why not? Tell me why I shouldn't slice your neck right now."

Evaughn shut his eyes tightly. His words were small. "I haven't done anything wrong."

Neo became visibly angry. "That's not true, Eve. You've done a lot wrong. You're the reason why all my ex-girlfriends are dead. Don't tell me you forgot about Sarah."

At the name, his body became ice. Uncontrolled tears succumbed to gravity. "It wasn't me." He shook his head. "I didn't do anything—."

Another punch. Another yelp. Another wave of tears.

"Don't bullshit me." Neo spit. "If you hadn't started crying that day, she would've still been alive. If you hadn't made it so easy for me to find you,

you both could've escaped."

***

10 Years Ago

The weather deceived him that day.

Nowhere in the wind's calming nature did the weather prepare six-year-old Evaughn for the tragedy that loomed upon him.

It should have thundered instead.

Evaughn had been sleeping in his bedroom until a hand covered his mouth. When his eyes flew open, he saw a freckled someone with a finger held to her lips. He recognized her and quieted.

"Shh." Sarah slowly removed her palm from his face. Behind her, the only window in his room was wide open. It allowed soft winds to blow gently on the boy's face.

"What are you doing?" He whispered, his head following the older girl's movements. She had her ears flush with the opposite wall, and then on all fours listening for the lower floor.

"Making sure he's not awake." She spoke in an undertone. When she was sure that Neo was sleeping, she stood and tiptoed back to the young boy, avoiding the cracks as if she knew exactly where they were.

Because she did.

Sarah had planned this escape from the first time she witnessed Neo threaten to hit Evaughn. For the two years she was with Neo, she used every opportunity she had to map out the creaks in their house and learn the times that Neo went to sleep.

"Why?"

Sarah took his hands in hers and smiled. "We're going to run away, Evie. That way Neo won't ever hurt you again."

"Oh...," said the boy who then forced his lips to curve. "I-I'm okay. Really. Neo's my... my best friend."

Sarah scrunched her lips. "When we leave, you won't have to lie anymore." She made a three-sixty and squatted. "Hop on my back."

Evaughn was hesitant, so he looked to the sky for assurance. It was dark, but the sky was clear and the breeze felt nice. Deciding it was okay, he reached for a small photo on his nightstand—a picture of him and his dad. At last, he climbed onto Sarah's back.

Sarah stood. "Hold tight and be real quiet, Evie."

Nodding, he did as he was told, burying his head in her shoulder. From there, Sarah used a ladder she'd brought to reach the ground. She went slowly given how dark it was.

Right as the soles of her shoes met grass, she pushed the ladder down. At the same time, a deep voice from above them grated. Evaughn lowered his head even more.

Neo was leaning over the window sill from the bedroom. "Don't you fucking move, Sarah! Take one more step and I'll kill you!"

She wasted no time in her sprint. Neo punched the wall beside him before he turned, and Sarah took the straightest path to her car.

Sarah was winning the race. After all, she had the head start. She decelerated when she neared her vehicle, left unlocked for easy access.

They were close when Evaughn realized that his hands were empty. "Oh no. My photo."

Sarah scanned the ground for an instant. She slid Evaughn down and shook her head. "I don't see it. I'm sorry, Evie. We have to go right now."

He began to sniffle. And the sniffle became a cry. And the cry became a wail.

The picture was the only thing he had of his dad.

"Shh," Sarah urged. "It's okay, Evie. We'll come back for it. For now, let's just go—."

And just like that, Sarah learned that Evaughn was crying for a different reason. It wasn't the photo print anymore.

It was the knife in her stomach.

Neo pulled the knife out, initiating blood loss. Sarah started to foam at the mouth, hands trembling in fear. "Thanks for causing a scene, Eve."

Evaughn's cries were quickly muted by duct tape.

The young one was thrown inside the car along with she who could only produce croaks.

"Take off the duct tape and I'll stab you just like I did Sarah," his uncle threatened. A frightened Evaughn held his head up with his hands. He rocked back and forth, his breaths erratic.

Neo drove for a long time until the scenery consisted of just water. He got out and rounded the car, grabbed the still and silent Sarah, and heaved her over his shoulders. The night was his ally.

He stood at the edge of the bridge. An ocean sat meters underneath. Then he threw her body over. Wiping his hands on his shirt, he turned and was surprised to see Evaughn outside the car, attempting to run.

"Get back here, you little shit." Neo grabbed the child, pulling him against his leg. However, movement behind made him stop and turn.

In the near distance was a woman holding the hand of a boy the size of Evaughn.

"I saw you throw her in the ocean. I even got it on video." The woman nodded to a phone in her hand.

He sneered.

"Don't worry," she chuckled. "I won't say anything. I'll even delete the film. All I need is some money from you. Five grand."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

With the young boy, she closed their gap to hand Neo a small card.

For a while it was silent. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

She smirked. "Of course not. We've never met before. My name is Celine. I'm in this sort of business. I can get rid of any evidence for you. If you're still skeptical, come to this location and we can talk. I'll need the money in two weeks. Otherwise. . ." She raised her phone.

The boy by her side pointed at Evaughn. "Mommy, why does he have tape on his mouth?"

The one with duct tape over his mouth didn't blink. He made his eyes bulge, a silent and desperate plea.

"I don't know, honey. And don't point at people, it isn't nice." Celine then looked up to Neo. "So? Do we have a deal?"

"...Fine."

"Great. I look forward to doing business with you." Celine turned around.

Her son lingered. "Bye," he called with a wave.

Young Evaughn's hand returned the motion, although his was dirty with Sarah's blood.