[MASQ]

The irony of the situation was that neither of us wanted to talk about what had happened between us that last night. It was so uncomfortable, we kind of just skipped it. Of course, I was still too annoyed to even think about it, and he left the room with a defeated look as soon as I ended the conversation. I was hoping more than anything for another dream about my family after this. Something to keep me tethered to my past. I'd have thought that by now, I would have lost sight of them and forgotten about everything I was looking for. But staying with Hodek for almost a month now did something strange to my head. I was becoming even more desperate for a way out; maybe because I wasn't used to living with someone in this close proximity. Or at all.

So this is love, I thought bitterly.

Another couple of days passed without him giving me an answer to my question. I assumed he did want to help me, but that he wasn't sure if this was the right way to do it. Appreciative as I was of that, I didn't care if there was a "right way" of doing anything anymore. In the mornings he'd just sip at cold coffee and look at me like I was some feral cat that would bite him if he got too close. I tried my best to ignore it, until one day when I decided that this was going on for too long. I poured myself a glass of water, noticed it was still contaminated, and poured it out with a sigh.

"Hodek, I'm angry at you. I think we should go out again."

He raised an eyebrow and set down his cup on the table. "Took you long enough. What, was it me looking at you all the time? No training?"

"It doesn't matter, I want to leave this place again for once. Last time we did was..." I searched for the word. "...it definitely wasn't fun. But I felt like I was growing. Like I was proving something to you, even though I wasn't really."

"You did."

I paused. "What?"

"You proved something. You were good at breaking in, you were light on your feet. You stole the guy's wallet without me even knowing. It's no wonder you were able to get around all these years. It wasn't great, but I could still see it." Hodek didn't seem to realize just how much that stuck with me, he just zoned out and scratched his neck.

"Why didn't you just say that before?"

He chuckled. "Uh, yeah. I can't just let you know how well you really did the second we get back. Then why would you bother to work? I mean...look at how well training you actually went, but still."

"Hodek, I'm not a slacker. It wouldn't have mattered that much if you told me that I had some things down. If you wanted me to do better, I would have tried to do better." I'd lied about that middle bit but meant everything else. I had never been raised to quit when I'm at the bare minimum, not even by the Ryongs. Hodek's eyes darted to the wall.

"Okay, well, I don't know how you do things. I barely know you, period." He looked to me again, curious. "You said you wanted to go out again?"

I nodded.

"Then we might as well. But as to who exactly we're going for, we might be at a crossroads."

"What do you mean? Don't you just go around and pick random houses?"

"Yeah, I used to do that. This is different. You want information, and I'm trying to...well, I guess you could say I make a clean sweep of all the shitty people I come across. So we have to be careful about this."

"You're turning around," I said, not even thinking about how he'd answer that. He shifted his arms, drawing them into himself like he was trying to become smaller.

"Don't say it like that. I've just been on this weird high for years now, killing anyone I see unless I really can't take it or I'm too lazy to. Did I tell you Angus was the one who drove me to start this whole mess in the first place?"

I shook my head. I wasn't as surprised as he probably thought I'd be, but it was still kind of jarring to think that at one point, Hodek had been normal. Normal and happy. He sighed and stood up.

"Get your stuff, and by that I mean whatever you can carry on you without being weighed down. You still have that asshole's credit card?"

"Yeah, what for?"

"Just in case. I have a feeling we'll be taking something more back tonight." With that, he stuck his hand under the table and wrenched at something. Before I could react he pulled a carving knife out from underneath and brushed a finger over the edge.

How many hiding places does he have for those?

I looked to the trapdoor and realized something.

How long has it been nighttime for?

—

Whoever was living here definitely didn't get the word that there might be murderers on the loose in town, because when Hodek and I arrived at their door we found that it was unlocked. Based on the number of things that unsettled me these days, I said nothing about it and neither did he. He decided to wait outside again and let me see what I could find. How many people lived here, if we had any night owls, etcetera. "Don't forget, you still work for me," he'd said, trying his best to seem like he didn't care about me. At this point, I was sure I knew better, so I dismissed his little act.

I was surprised that there were some lights on the first floor that had been left on, though based on what little food and furniture I could find, only one person was staying in the house. I ascended the stairs quietly, careful to stay near the wall on my left. A gentle draft coming from some window above my head made its way to me, and I paused.

Has someone broken in already?

I shook myself and continued. That was something we'd only have to worry about later. The notion eventually came to me that maybe whoever lived here had a death wish. Saddened, but calmed, I started humming a soft tune under my breath, trying to recall the words in my head.

Don't struggle, iffy kid, I'll be right there for you.

I opened a door to the right, and found an empty bed. The window in there was opened as well. Something was itching in my throat, and I tried to ignore it.

Don't smile if it hurts, you need some resting too.

This was usually the part of the job that I hated the most. It was always a gamble either way; if I ended up finding someone, they might not be able to answer to anything. Even if they are, I'd still have to kill them. And if I didn't find anyone, it would be a waste of both Hodek's and my time. It was getting to the point where I had no choice but to venture upstairs again. There was nothing on the second floor, not so much as a vacation photo on someone's night table.

As I made my way up, I noticed that even shifting my weight to the wood closest to the wall wouldn't do me any good. The stairway was so much louder than the rest of the house, I was scared that somebody might hear it from across the street. Anymore of tonight's luck and I wouldn't have to worry about waking any nonexistent resident of this house up. But at the final stair I saw a faint light emanating from underneath the crack of a door. And not normal ceiling light, either. Just the harsh, white kind that could only come from a few things.

Be braver than the guys who need their blue to stand.

I wiped a sweaty hand on the bottom of my shirt and opened the door just slightly enough to see what was happening inside. To my surprise, nobody jumped out at me or asked, "Who's there?" In fact, I was certain for a moment that nobody was in here at all. As per usual. Just as I was getting ready to abandon all hope for this house I spied a small figure slouched over what looked like an open laptop. It was difficult to make out what it actually was without blinding myself, but it seemed like a young woman had fallen asleep while doing something on there. What she could have possibly needed to do on a computer at midnight when her home was probably empty all day, I had no idea.

Maybe something else is hiding up here, too, I thought, pausing the song in my head. I couldn't remember the rest of the words, anyway.

A moment after I pulled my head back from the doorway, I heard Hodek's voice from downstairs.

"Hey. Mask-boy."

I didn't bother answering. Once there was absolutely nothing left to be found, I'd report back.

"Max," he hissed. He sounded almost worried. I knew that nobody was awake. Slowly, I climbed back down the stairs and prepared to tap him on the shoulder. But instead, I froze.

Wait.

He was scratching his arms underneath his sweater, carefully advancing forward like something might jump out at him. A sense of curiosity rose in me when he groaned and muttered, "I can't believe he's making me..."

So you do care, I found myself thinking. Hodek sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"...Masquerade?"

"Yeah."

He almost tripped over himself turning around, and I saw that his face had gone completely pale.

"Max, you little shit! Why in the world would you even—"

I held a finger to my lips and pointed up the stairs. He clenched his teeth and lightly flicked my mask.

"This is literally the worst time and place for whatever the hell you just pulled! When I come inside and call for you, you get back to me as soon as possible. Anything you can't find in five minutes obviously isn't worth looking for."

"Well, that's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard, but can we please do this later? I found some girl asleep on her computer up there and I'm sure she's the only one—"

"Hello?"

A voice that sounded like it had come from above our heads stopped us in our tracks. It was a miracle nothing shifted or creaked under our weight, otherwise everything about the plan would need to change. Hodek looked me in the eye, nodded and started upstairs, where it seemed like whoever had woken up assumed we were just the wind. I followed.