Everybody was too afraid to speak, or even blink their eyes. All simply waited for Trace to start his speech.

"Well? It's rude to not greet our guest you know." Mia said without opening her eyes.

"Hi Trace." We all said in unison without an ounce of enthusiasm.

The ghastly creature smiled widely, more sinister this time, and I was sure someone sucked in air harshly, probably preventing himself from freaking out or crying.

"Now, explain," Mia said with such a command that Trace complied like an obedient puppy, then straightened his stance and began.

"I suggest everyone make themselves comfortable. I want to do this fast before my life source exhausts her energy and I'll be invisible again.

"Okay. First, I came as a pitiful soul, asking for help, because obviously I died for a reason, and all I want is to find where my body was dumped, or if my killer ever buried it, because it's heartbreaking to see my mother still waiting for me to come home, believing I'm still alive. Second, I am related to Mia, I'm her cousin from her mother's side of the family. She never met me, but I have been watching over her entire childhood in the shadows."

He turned her gaze towards the girl, "And yes, I met your bothersome mother, asking me to keep an eye on you when she found out I'm dead too. Such an insensitive being," he scornfully said as he rolled his eyes, "Yes, Mia, I've been following you eversince I stopped breathing. How and why? I don't really know..." then he got back to his audience.

"Now, the one you put behind bars, Crane, I knew him. We both worked for a supplier. And this supplier is like a grocery shop owner of everything illegal, from drugs to human organs sold in the black market, young girls for sex slavery, selling them to horny businessmen and government people. You name it, they have it all!" I held myself from laughing at his mocked enthusiasm like an ad man trying to persuade shoppers of good deals.

"Yeah, our whole family weren't really thriving financially, accused of being witches and marrying our own kin, so nobody wanted to associate themselves with us. Getting a white collar job was difficult, even being a dishwasher was an impossible dream. I did what I had to, to survive. I met a man called Mr. Hurst, who runs the business with his young brother. I've been studying how the trade works, when and where the shipments were done. I plucked up the courage to go ahead and offer my services, desperate for good money, but I had to do a task first.

"He gave me a three targets to kill. And after that, I can work for them and earn my keep. His very young brother T, that's what they call him, was there to guide me, and when he saw my potential, he vouched for me, and I was in.

"Those were the only number of my kills for the rest of my breathing days. I hated it, and T mainly did it, he was an expert on the craft. I was just a runner, a bag man, along with Crane. But Crane handled bigger deals, he sold drugs to highschool students, then eventually took part in kidnapping girls to sell to pedophiles. He was crafty, and he lured them easily. He was rewarded fairly, even letting him choose from the selection of young girls for him to take home and do whatever he wanted."

Mia struggled to sit straight as she tried to shake off the exhaustion, her eyes heavy. Trace knelt beside her, "Hey, I'm almost done. Just hang on a bit, okay? Uhm, can someone give her a glass of water, please?"

Taehyung hurriedly got a bottle from the fridge and helped her drink a gulp. After that, Trace stood up again.

"So what is it exactly that you want to accomplish? Aren't you putting Mia and Taehyung in danger because of your request?" I couldn't help myself, because clearly finding answers for him would have cost other people's lives.

"Yes, I know that. But I had to get her attention. To be honest, I accept the fact that I may never rest in peace because of what I did. But even if I did not show myself to Mia, she'd still be in danger."

The room stayed silent as before.

"Mia, is it okay?" Trace asked her softly.

She gave a weak nod.

"Okay. T and I became really good friends. He still attended school, and lived like any other normal teenager as a mask for what he really does. He offered to pay for my schooling, but I didn't want to. Then, one night, he came home, all bloody and dead tired. I was preparing to tend to his wounds, like I always do when his targets fight back. But he just smiled and said he just "claimed" his virgin girl."

I felt my heart drop. I looked thoughtfully at Mia, who sat there motionless. Trace went on.

"He asked me to prepare liquor instead, as he wanted to celebrate. When he got drunk and some more drugs in his system, he told me everything about the girl, how he loved her passionately, but she rejected him couple of times, so he said he did it to let her know who she belongs to. Then he showed me the picture of his girl."

He knelt again, this time, his bloody finger under Mia's chin, urging her to look at him. His eyes were pleading, tearful.

"I'm so sorry, baby cousin. I wish I knew about it sooner. All I know about was his obsession over a pretty girl. I didn't know it was you... But I tried to kill him, I tried so hard for you, I did. Believe me."

Mia's pale lips formed a thin line, giving her cousin a reassuring nod. Trace did not stand up this time as he looked at each of us in the face.

"The last thing I remember before he crushed my head was him shouting at the top of his lungs that he'll come for her, that no one can stop him from getting Mia, and he will kill anyone who will attempt to hinder his plans. And now, this is where it gets dangerous."

Someone finally spoke with a cracked voice. "What do you mean?" Jimin almost toppled over the edge of the bed to get closer to the ghost.

Trace brushed the hair away from Mia's forehead, who now has fallen unconscious. His features started to blur, causing him to speak faster.

"Now that one of their biggest assets is behind bars, it's only a matter of time before Mr. Hurst finds out and moves back to the city, either he releases Crane or kills him before he spills information to the FBI about the trade, to save himself. The worst part of it all is that T wants a very detailed information about the traitors in the company, digging every bones hidden in their closet, his method, his victims, his biggest failures... From there, he decides on how he deemed these traitors to die."

Dear God.

"He will find out where Mia is." I finally got the message.

"Bingo. And he will never rest until he gets her back."

And with that, Trace vanished in thin air.