Well my plan for them to tell me everything after breakfast dwindled quite quickly. There was a pointless chatter at the table between us four, when Claud decided to join us and add his own kind of jabs to the mix.

At first it was irritating and then I slowly started to enjoy every comment he threw out. And with Nate smirking at the stupid things Claud was sharing, I began to appreciate this moment. Momentarily, I even envisioned that this was my family, that I was a part of this group of people and that I was longed for.

It felt good. Beyond good.

Andres was subtle in the gazes he shot my way but something tells me he wanted me to know that he was looking. A man of his calibre could easily make everything seem unnoticed. I wondered what kind of power he really had. Was he the same as my father? Was he trying to make it in this world. I needed to know.

A short ring of the phone ruined it all.

Andres perched up in his seat and dug inside his chest pocket. He glanced at the screen before he stood up quickly. "Excuse me." He muttered whilst he pivoted around and stalked out the room.

Everyone was silent at the table.

"Do you think it's another one?" Nate asked in a low voice.

"Most likely." Claud answered.

"What other one?" Asked even though I knew there was a high chance I wouldn't get an answer. I still wasn't one of them.

Nate turned his body slightly to me. "Dad sends out people to some area he needs intel on. For years they've managed to stay under radar. Now it's like they're dropping like flies." I was stunned to silence with how quick and easily Nate confided in me. There seemed to be no hint of regret and not a slightly reservation before revealing their biggest weakness to me right now. Not that I would ever go running and reveal everything to my dad. To him, I was an enemy to be hunted and killed right now.

I sucked in a breath. "Do you think it's my father's doing."

Claud let out an humorous chuckle. "Your dad is an evil bastard but the way our people are getting returned to us shows us there is someone else entirely at play."

"How so?" Did I really want to know the answer? This world seemed to be much darker than I anticipated. I knew I lived in a world filled with corruption and greed, and now murder was coming to the forefront much easier than I thought.

"They are carving letters on the dead bodies," Claud's voice carried a mix of dread and disbelief, his eyes reflecting the horrors he had witnessed.

A sickening sensation churned in the pit of my stomach, the mere thought of such cruelty causing bile to rise. How could anyone descend to such depths of depravity?

I felt like I was reading some script or some crime novel. Nothing of the sort can ever really happen in this world.

"And a lot of it tells us that they were alive when they did that," Claud's voice tightened, his words heavy with the weight of empathy. It was as if he could feel the anguish of those victims, their suffering becoming palpable even in his retelling. I saw him glance away, lost in his thoughts, perhaps imagining the faces of people he knew, their fates unknown.

My heart raced as I tried to comprehend the scope of the horror before us. "What are you guys doing to stop it?" My voice quivered with a mix of fear and horror. People were being tortured.

Nate's appetite seemed to disappear with the gravity of the conversation. He let go of whatever he was holding, the clatter against his plate a stark reminder of the seriousness of our situation. "My dad is bringing everyone back before the messenger shares his message," he explained, a sense of urgency underlying his words.

"Message?" I repeated, the word hanging in the air like an ominous cloud.

Nate hesitated, his gaze flickering between Claud and me. "He's trying to tell us something through the letters on the bodies," he revealed, his voice carrying a somber tone.

The sense of moral dilemma tugged at my conscience. "But it's not worth the lives of our friends," Claud's voice wavered, his eyes pleading for understanding.

"How many so far?" I inquired, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Six so far," Nate replied, his voice heavy with sorrow. "That would be seven if the call is true."

The enormity of the loss threatened to overwhelm me. "How many do you still have out there?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.

Claud's shoulders slumped as he revealed the daunting truth. "We've got twelve others out there," he confessed, the weight of responsibility evident in his expression.

"They need to be back as soon as possible! They're being hunted," I urged, my desperation fueling my words.

"It's not so easily," I sighed, my voice tinged with resignation. "Some people are deep in their missions. So deep that if they leave, they'll be dead on the spot."

The frustration of our helplessness hung in the air, a suffocating reminder of the dire circumstances. "It's either stay and die or leave and die. What the heck," I muttered, a mix of anger and helplessness lacing my words.

"Why aren't you guys helping them get out?" My voice was edged with frustration, unable to comprehend why more wasn't being done.

Claud's gaze bore the weight of exhaustion and defeat. "We've tried. We've sent reinforcements, attempted rescue missions. But this force they're up against, it's unlike anything we've ever seen," he explained, his voice tinged with a sense of hopelessness. "They're highly organized, relentless, and seem to know our every move. It's like they're always two steps ahead."

Nate's nod echoed Claud's sentiment, his frustration mirroring our own. "Believe me, we want to help them escape."

"But surely there must be something else you can do? Some other way to protect them?" I pressed, desperately seeking a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that threatened to consume us all.

Claud looked down, his voice wavering. "We're doing everything we can. We've increased security, brought in additional resources, but it feels like we're fighting a losing battle. We're stretched thin and the enemy seems to always have the upper hand."

Nate's fists clenched in frustration, his determination etching lines of resolve into every muscle of his body. "And it won't help if we get close; they'll know we're with them," he admitted, a hint of helplessness creeping into his voice.

My gaze narrowed at Nate, my eyes boring into his as I demand further explanation. "What do you mean?" Curiosity mixes with a growing sense of apprehension.

Nate met my stare, his eyes revealing a mixture of resolve and trepidation. It's as if he wants to convey something, but the words remain trapped, hanging on the edge of his lips.

Claud, seemingly unafraid of my reaction, interjected with a revelation that sends a chill down my spine. "Some of them have been in your father's inner circle," he stated matter-of-factly, his expression unwavering.

I sucked in a sharp breath, the implications of his words hitting me like a tidal wave. "For how long?" I managed to ask, my voice strained with disbelief.

Nate's hesitation was palpable, his struggle to share the truth evident in the way his lips press tightly together. The silence between us hung heavily, pregnant with unspoken secrets.

"Ten years," he finally conceded, his gaze locked onto mine, his eyes holding a mix of regret and resignation.

I did a double take, my mind racing to process the enormity of what I've just learned. "Who?" I demanded, my voice growing more firmer as a surge of determination coursed through me. I need to know, to understand if I've unknowingly interacted with those who've been working against us all this time.

"Best you don't know," Claud's whisper is a cautious reminder, his tone laced with concern.

My frustration flared, the desire for clarity burning within me. "Who's been working with you?" I repeated, my voice unwavering, a steely resolve underpinning my words.

A wry, almost amused smile tugged at Claud's lips. "You already know, princess," he said, his words laden with a cryptic meaning that sends shivers down my spine. "I can see the way your mind is ticking."

With a ghost of a chuckle, Claud reached across the table, his cold finger brushing against the side of my head. The sensation left a trail of tingling shockwaves in its wake, a tangible reminder of the mysteries that have woven their way through our lives, connecting us all in ways I've yet to know.

"Lorna." I breathed out in a small voice.

With the silence that came from both of the men at the sound of Lorna's name, I knew I was right.

I wanted to scream.

I felt like my whole life was being controlled by random people. And now Nate was more tangled in the ways of mg life. If there could be ever a hurt more worse than my father hurting me, it would be Nate hurting me.

I abruptly pushed myself off the chair and straightened my back. "Im going to rest for a bit." I said in a monotoned voice. Emotions, fuck all emotions. I'm just so freaking done with emotions and life and lies.

***

I sat with my knees gathered to my chest on the bed. It was dark in the room but I loved how alone I was right now. I could think and breathe. Lorna. A person who was like my second mum was all this time working with other people. Did she lead Nate to me? Did she spy on us at midnight. She knew. She knew.

A set of knocks rang from the door and I lifted my head up from my knee and stared at the door. It took me a few seconds to realise they were waiting for me to answer.

"Come in!" I said in a loud and clear voice. No more vulnerabilities. About time I took control of my life.

Emma came through the door, her whole vibe so loud and in my face. She plummeted on the bed and gave me a smile that resembled a constipated person.

"Nate is standing and listening." She said over her smile.

"You bitch." I heard him cuss and then followed by loud thumping of steps telling me he has left.

Emma dropped her fake smile and replaced it with a genuine one. Not that I cared but I'll see what she wanted.

"Everyone is heading out soon to go to this really fun maze. We do this once a month to make sure we have some normality in our lives. You coming with?"

I shook my head. "No thank you,"

Emma let out a sigh. "Nate doesn't allow no for an answer. He's really worried about you. "

"He should have said so himself."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Men. I really have no reason to back them up. Anyways, I got really fun disguises in my room so come through in like one hour then we can get ready together."

I smiled at Emma. "See you then." I said, waving her away as she sauntered out my room.

I didn't want to ask why we would need disguises and why we would be getting ready in her room. I had zero intentions to join her.

I lifted up the covers of the bed and buried myself under the covers.  I'll see them tomorrow if I could get out of bed. It was well before a good time to sleep but I genuinely didn't seem to care anymore. I just wanted the days to go ahead so I could figured out my own game plan.