"Oh God, I'm going to be destroyed," Teresa groaned as she paced back and forth in her room.

"Well you'd just die. Nothing would really happen to you," Karen teased.

Teresa shot her a quick glance of death, and Karen shut up. Teresa was worried that she didn't have many opportunities to inform the headquarters that there was going to be a heist. More like a heist that they should probably not stop because she might just die. Either from being shot by the police themselves or from Jordan giving her a painful death. The one he gave to Agent Richard Moore.

I'm going to die either way.

"It'll be alright. We will be doing the main job anyways. All you have to do is entice the Diamond Owner there. No one would even know," Ben comforted her without any sincerity. What he didn't know was that they would know. Because she'd make it known to be them.

Taking part in heists, far dangerous ones, wasn't what she had signed up for. Mr Bakshi owed her a good explanation and a promotion too. What mafia gang conducted goddamned heists for diamonds?! At least not here in California.

"Have you ever been threatened to death for failing some role in your heist by Jordan?" Teresa retorted.

"Uhm, fine. That's an upgrade," Ben surrendered.

Karen laid a hand on Ben's thigh and sat down on the bed with him. Even though Ben didn't blink an eye, you could see him stiffen up.

"Honey, don't worry. I would've done your part had I not been so good at lock picking. And Jordan just hates you. He won't hurt you if you don't do something right unless it's giving us away. If he does, I'll be here to protect you. Let. Him. Try," Karen's eyes glinted in the light, and she had a vicious determination behind them for a moment. Then it was gone, and she grinned widely at Ben and Teresa.

Teresa sighed.

It wasn't the threat for which she gnawed her nails on. She needed her hand on a phone and soon. She couldn't explain this by stealing in a laptop and emailing shit. It had to be a quick call to Bakshiji. Being shot by her friends wasn't what she had joined the police agency for. Her irritation pent up further when she realized that she wasn't allowed a smartphone yet. Jordan had promised her one after she successfully completed a year and a half with them. In other words, he still didn't trust her. The others would never leave her alone with a smartphone. She should've said she had a sick sister somewhere because she had no one to call logically. Ugh!

Teresa stopped pacing and took a deep breath in. Her stomach was queasy and being inside the house felt nauseous to her.

"I'm fine. It's okay. I just need to take a walk," she said, getting out of the room.

"Yeah no problem. Remember death isn't an issue!" Karen shouted.

"Exactly, we'll buy some expensive comfy coffin for you!" Ben joined in.

Teresa stuck out her tongue at them.

"Sometimes I wonder if you really are just siblings. You both have little difference," Teresa remarked.

Karen flung herself at Ben and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Ben laughed an awkward 'hehe'.

"WE ARREEEE!" she sang.

Ben's face grimaced slightly at that, but he said nothing. Teresa felt some pain for him. Then she walked off. Their complicated relationship was no business of hers. She had far more important matters in mind.

I have two days. Just the two.

She walked out of the place and took a deep breath in. The clean air along with the taste of an escape cleared her mind. She looked about. There weren't many guards about at this time of the evening. She found herself staring at the warehouse she used to train in during her first six months. By instinct or memory, her legs started to carry her to the place. The door, a heavy steel one with a small hatch from the outside, was unlocked. Giving it a gentle push, she entered the grey and forlorn place where she had trained.

It was all empty. Yet it didn't feel so. She could smell the heavy scent of sweat in the air. The punch bag at the far corner of the room of the warehouse was rocking ever so gently. It was a heavy one, one that a humble breeze couldn't blow from side to side.

Teresa's voice sang inside her head.

See from your ears and listen through your eyes.

So she listened. Very hard.

A slight huff of breath and a light tap of a footstep came from right behind her. Teresa reflexively but attentively ducked away just in time to see a fist hit the air where her head had been a moment ago. The sound of the punch whistled past her ears. She blocked the next attack with her forearms and kicked the person in the shins. Everything happened in such a rush, she barely saw the face of the man. Well, she couldn't anyways cause he had a black mask over his face. He had a huge build and was covered from head to toe.

Teresa danced behind her attacker on her toes as he caressed his shins. Without hesitating even once she wiped him off his feet swiftly with a smooth sweep kick. It was satisfying to see the huge man fall on his butt with a huger thud. Teresa crawled over him and pressed her knee on his Adam's apple. With a grunt, she tore the mask away from her assailant's face. She saw a bald man with brown eyes and olive skin grin up at her even though he was choking. He gasped for breath and yet managed a wink in her direction.

"Terry!" Teresa gasped as she quickly took her knee off him.

"You improved quite well," he complimented in a husky voice while massaging his throat.

"Asshole"

She had worked for more than five years with the Crime Branch Intelligence, and no one had ever tested her like this in an unprecedented manner. She'd suggest this to the team when she'd get back to them. If she did anyways.

"What are you looking for?" Terry asked after he found his voice.

"I don't know. Just to relax I guess," she muttered.

"You're scared about the heist, aren't you?"

Teresa sighed. It was useless to lie to him. He always knew what someone was going through. It's like her insides were transparent before him. More the reason why she didn't like him and still trusted him more than the others.

"Not really-" she began but Terry raised his eyebrows questioningly. "FINE. I'm a bit scared."

Terry quietly removed a burner phone from his jacket pocket and wrapped her palms around it. Teresa gaped at him while he produced a small chuckle. She wasn't sure what he was trying to do. Was it another test?

"Do what you must and hide it well," he instructed.

(You w-ee-l have a person watching over you all the time in case the mission gets out of control. A lookout. You're not totally alone so, don't be afraid. Just be cautious all the time. This mission is being revived again after about twenty years. Beware)

Was it him?

Teresa eyed Terry cautiously. She wasn't sure if it was some kind of a prank. It would be dangerous if that was the case.

"Who are you? What are you doing?"

Terry stared deeply into her eyes and smiled sadly.

"I'm just someone who is completing his promise to a friend"

"You're no friend of mine," Teresa retorted. She didn't care if it stung.

"Yours? No. But of someone who asked me to look out for you"

He didn't take his eyes off Teresa. Suddenly Teresa felt very naked before him. She couldn't process what was wrong but it felt like he knew parts of her that she didn't. He spoke like that at least.

"Whose side are you on?" Teresa whispered. She was ten seconds away from a panic attack.

Terry thought about it briefly.

"Me? I'm just a fighter. I have no side. Just a promise to keep. After that I am gone," he replied calmly.

"You know who I am," Teresa said. It wasn't a question.

Terry nodded softly with that sad smile yet again.

"Do you know anything about the mi-"

"- ask no more and speak no more girl. Do what you must and...," he trailed off.

"And what?" prompted Teresa. She was sick of his attitude anyways.

"Search for yourself. It's right here"

Teresa scoffed as rudely as she could.

"That makes batshit of a sense to me"

"Then change your perception. Starting tying strings to it and everything will slowly make sense. You have to start somewhere. This is the one where it starts and the end is what you decide to do"

What on Holy Trinity is he saying?

Frustrated, Teresa took a deep breath in. She suddenly started to hate how it seemed like he knew everything about the world and still decided to speak in puzzles. Like the Oracle. Why he couldn't be clear! Ugh. Nevertheless, she asked further no questions. His answers never made sense to her anyway. She had enough on her plate at the moment. She'll talk to him later when he was in jail and she on the investigating chair.

Now that made perfect sense to her head. All she had to do was do a good job of realizing it.

"Thanks for this," she pointed to the burner phone and walked away.

(Search for yourself. It's right here)

Yeah right.

*****

See? I kept on my promise! 

So here's another chapter for my weekly update hehe.

Also those who don't follow me but read this (I applaud you for that!) I have published another book called REFUGIUM. You can go and read that shit. 

And now, please vote and comment. Make it a ritual guys. Ciao!