"Police have identified Renzo Martinez as the organized head behind the child trafficking going in and out of his club called the Red Room," a news lady said while standing on the street in front of the club with police officers running around. "The police have found four deceased adults at the scene, which included Renzo Martinez."

I fidgeted with the red mask I stole from the server on our way out last night, throwing it up, then catching it. The television blasted at me while I sat like a toddler on the couch with Dieter operating on me. He yanked a bullet from my arm, mumbling in German.

A plump man with a badge on his chest walked behind the news lady, prompting her to wave him down. "Sir!" she yelled. "Sir, please give us a statement. Do you have any information?"

He broadened his shoulders while adjusting his belt, wiggling his fat belly around. "The only insight we have is a vigilante named Apple Red saved many young girls last night. The witnesses will not speak to us about the identity of the woman and her sidekick." He smiled at the camera. "If she-" he said, but Koa grabbed the officer's shoulder, interrupting him.

"The police will not be giving any statements to the press at this moment," Koa said with a breathtaking smile. "Thank you."

"Sidekick!" Dieter yelled, throwing the remote at the television.

"Looks like you are answering to me now," I laughed at him.

"Halt deinen Mund," he replied in German.

Dieter pulled a needle from his bag, then filled salmon-colored liquid into it. He stuck me near the bullet hole in my arm, then moved on to the next.

"No vore," he said.

"What?" I asked back. "How am I supposed to dodge bullets?"

He smiled wide, showing off the braces on his white teeth. Dieter's glasses were on top of his head, he moved them to his face while hoisting away from the spot next to me.

I stood from the couch, seeing the sun dipping below the city buildings. My date with Koa was questionable, but maybe being right under his nose would make it hard for him to know I am Apple Red.

"I'll see you later," I said to Dieter.

"Vhere are you going?" he protested my exit.

"On a date at the old café on the corner," I said with a smile.

Dieter scrunched up his face, pulling his glasses off. He pulled at his hair while eyeing me. "No."

I tensed my body. "You can't tell me no," I said. "Plus, my date is with that detective, so it's a brilliant idea to keep him liking me."

"Vi don't vike it," he responded like a child, forced to eat vegetables.

My shoulders shrugged, seeing he was overthinking as his eyes bobbed around. Dieter's chocolate eyes stopped on me, raising an eyebrow.

"Vure, go ahead," he said, pointing at the ceiling. "Vut, meet me around six-thirty outside the vafe."

"Okay?" I questioned, noticing my date would be very short.

"I know vhere Roy may ve tonight," he said, walking away.

I rounded the corner, dodging the rain as I raced to the café. A lady ducked under the canopy to the entry, shaking her umbrella and closing it before opening the door. She held it open as I shuffled past her, gazing around the musky building. Signed pictures of famous people hung on the walls with tan dome lights masking a sun-raised glow to the place.

Koa sat in a maroon booth with a baseball hat covering his hair. He scanned the menu, then glanced at the server, talking to her with a bright smile.

I tiptoed around a table, taking my coat off when I approached him. "Hey," I said, sitting across from him.

Koa's eyes left the server shining at me. "Hello, I wasn't sure if you were going to show up."

"Of course, I just had a date before this," I replied, causing his mouth to gape open. "I'm joking, Koa," I said with a laugh.

The server glanced at me. "And anything for you?"

"Yes, black coffee, please."

Koa tilted his head at my coffee order, but ignored his thoughts. His grey eyes scanned below my neck as he went expressionless. He bit his bottom lip into a smirk, leaning over the table. Koa's hand cupped mine while his thumb danced circles.

My heart stopped. I was dead. Okay, not dead. Wait, am I dead?

I looked down at his hands with mine, feeling his warmth. He lifted his palm, cupping under my chin. Koa tilted my head up to face him while he ogled my eyes.

"White eyes," he said, keeping his mouth open as his tongue played with the top of his mouth. "Beautiful."

Pulling my hands away, I tucked my hair behind my ears. "So, I saw you on the TV today."

He leaned back, getting comfortable. "Yes, a big mess at a strip club downtown."

"Yeah, I heard," I said while the server approached, setting our drinks on the table and leaving. "What do you think of this Apple Red person?"

Koa sipped his coffee slowly, then gave me a straight smile, telling me his drink was too hot. "I don't know." He scratched the back of his head. "She, if they are a she, is getting in the way."

I knew I was terrible at hiding facial expressions as he laughed at my unrelaxed eyebrows. Swallowing, I fixed my face.

"She saved a lot of children," I said, annoyed by his opinion.

Koa let a big sign out of his mouth. "Rory, yes, I know they did, but I am a detective, and finding bodies is the worst part of the job."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he raised his hands. "Even if the men are evil." He smirked at me. "Killing is still playing God."

I set my elbows on the table, resting my chin in my palms, smiling at him. "Sexy and good-hearted," I said, cheesy.

Koa tilted his head, letting me see his perfect teeth. "You have plans later?"

"Oh, Koa, you trying to seduce me?"

"I think I've been making that pretty obvious." His voice vibrated at my core, needing more of him.

"You are going to have to make it more obvious," I said, grabbing my coat and realizing the time had flown by. "Maybe I'll see you around," I added, standing up from the booth.

Grabbing the mug with my hot coffee, I downed it, turning my back to Koa. I zigzagged through the restaurant, leaving out the nearest door. As the cold air hit my face, I could smell the moisture. It wasn't raining anymore, but everything was wet.

I gazed around, seeing Dieter in the distance. Before stepping out from under the canopy, a hand gripped my wrist, spinning me around with Koa's face only inches from mine.

"Is this more obvious?" he whispered, sending shivers down my spine. His hands cupped my cheeks before pressing his lips to mine. Sucking in a breath, I leaned into his passion. My fingers stretched from the surprise as he pulled away, keeping his palms to my face.

"Have a nice evening, Rory," he said before scanning his eyes on my body.

Koa walked away, leaving me stocked and frozen. My emotions felt different from when I was with Roy. Everything was physical with Koa. My body wanted that drop-dead sexy man, but my heart wasn't there. Numb.

"Red, you veady to go?" Dieter's voice filled my ear.

My glazed-over vision focused on him.

"Vhat? Did his lips help you see the heavens? Vets go!" he yelled.

Dieter and I walked a few blocks until we hit the part of town littered with garbage and needles. Dieter tightened his backpack before rounding a corner. I followed him as he stopped to hand me the red mask I had stolen from the club.

I wrapped the ribbon around my head, tying it to my face. My eyes pierced through the holes as I glanced at Dieter, putting a black gas mask on.

Raindrops fell on the clear glass over his eyes. "Vollow me," he muffled from under the mask, walking away.

"Of course, I'm going to follow you, dumbass," I responded, causing him to stop and glance at me.

I stuck to Dieter into an alley. He grabbed a rock, smashing a lower window into an apartment. His hand reached into the broken glass, unlocking before opening it.

My hand gripped the edge as I crawled into the window, dropping into a basement. The dark walls brightened up quickly because someone clicked the lights on.

"Who the fuck are you?" a man yelled.

The angry man's eyes glanced from me to Dieter, jumping in from the street. He shuffled on his feet, uncertain of what to do, then ran up the stairs.

"After vim!" Dieter yelled, clicking me into motion.

I stomped up the stairs, hitting the door at the top. It swung around, banging into the wall, causing a girl on the couch to jump. She screamed while holding her naked chest.

"Demonio!" she yelled.

"Why do people keep calling me a demon?" I asked, while running past her.

The man barreled into a hallway, tripping over a rug and sliding into a china cabinet. He trembled with the drawer, pulling out a gun.

"I know who you are!" he yelled, aiming the gun at me. "Apple Red," he said.

I smirked, stalking my way toward him. "Perfect, this should be easy, then." I hovered over him, grabbing the gun. "Where is Royce Peterson?" I yanked his weapon from his hands.

The man shook his head. "I don't know."

I tilted my head, taking the safety off the gun. "Are you sure?" His eyes widened with fear as I placed the gun on his forehead. "He is not worth your life, so tell me."

His bottom lip trembled. "I don't know."

I shot the gun at the floor between his legs, inches from his manhood. His legs spread wider, scared of what to happen next.

"Where is Royce Peterson?"

"I- I- I saw him this morning," he stuttered. "He dropped off a-" he said, but stopped.

"Dropped off what?" I crouched, making myself eye level with him.

"Dear Lord. Most gracious heavenly Father. I am-" he said before I smacked him. His head fell to the side for me to see my reflection in the glass of the china cabinet.

My eyes were black as sin. My skin was white as death. I am the nightmare of your darkest secrets.

"A body," he said in fear.

"A body?" I asked. "What do you mean, a body?"

He looked over my shoulder, then back at me. "Yes, a woman's body." His face dropped as he clenched his jaw. "He brings them to me, and I-" He couldn't finish his sentence.

"You what?" I growled at him, feeling my anger boil. My voice deepened like an animal ready to kill.

"I get rid of them," he said in a high-pitched voice.

Dieter tapped my shoulder, asking for the gun. I placed it in his hand, standing next to him. He checked the weapon, loading the chamber.

"Vhere will Roy be next?" he said, pointing at the terrified man.

"I don't know, man," he replied. "He knows you two are after him."

Dieter glanced at me with the gun still on the man. The man sat up taller, scuffing like he didn't almost pee himself. He smirked, pulling his knees up to rest his arms on them.

I kicked his legs. "What you smirking at?"

"You two ain't gonna find him," he responded, adjusting his jacket around his neck.

A crash at the front door had Dieter jumping and pulling the trigger. The bullet knocked into the man's eye socket, rocking his head back before he slid flat onto the wood floor. The lady's scream from the other room sounded underwater from the loud gunshot.

My mouth gaped open, looking at Dieter. "Oopsies," he said, then pulled off the mask, awkwardly smiling at me.

Thank you for reading.

Please comment, vote, and share.