"You're really going to let me go to Ick Creme?" I asked excitedly.

I can finally get out of here— finally see the outside world again! To my favorite ice cream place, too!

"Sure, you deserve it." Lawrence replied.

"Why? What'd I do?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

Deserve it?

"Well, it's been nearly a week since you've been with us, and you have been in your best behavior. Don't you think you deserve a reward?" He asked.

My forehead creased even more at the last sentence. Deserve a reward?

"I'm sorry, but am I a dog to you?" I asked, stopping in my tracks, "My best behavior? A reward? Oh, right, I'm sorry, I forgot that I was kidnapped."

"What? Why are you suddenly acting up, Dayana?" Leon asked.

He moved closer and tried to reach for me, but I avoided him.

"I guess the mention of Ick Creme just reminded me that I'm stuck here against my will, and just so you guys know, it's called kidnapping. Am I just another pet like Simba to the two of you? I should do what you guys like and I'll get a treat! Is that what I'm supposed to do?"

"Dayana, that's no what I meant—"

"Then let me go to Ick Creme by myself."

"What? Since when did it lead to that?"

I glared at the both of them, looking them straight in the eyes.

"You guys should trust me enough not to get lost, not to go to the police, and not to run away." I stated.

They looked at each other, then looked back at me with identical smirks. I felt a chill run down my spine from the looks they were giving me.

Let's go, Ana. It's my turn to play.

"Wh-what? Who's there?" I looked around.

The brothers' mischievous look was replaced with that of worry.

"Wait, Dayana, what's wrong?" They asked.

"I don't know, I'm—"

You've had two years to play already. Let me have a taste of the real world again, c'mon. I've been a good little girl, staying in my own place here in your, er, our mind. You're not even supposed to be the dominant one here!

"Leon, who is that?" I asked.

Suddenly, I felt another chill run up my spine.

"Oh my gosh! I'm really back! Lee, Rence, I missed the two of you so much!" I squealed, hugging the two of them.

"W-wait, Dayana?!" Lawrence asked in shock.

"The one and only! Well, I'm not really 'only' since I have Ana, but eh." I let out a giggle, letting go of them and sticking my tongue out like a cat.

"I-is it really you?" Leon asked incredulously while reaching a hand out.

"Chill, guys, I don't know how long we've been here, but I've been here the whole time." I rplied, "It's not like I disappeared."

"Wait, why does Ana have amnesia and you don't?" Lawrence asked.

"Ooh, a sensible question. Well, I don't know either." I giggled, "Is it because we're two different people in the same body? Probably. Then again, amnesia could resolve itself. I admit, though, there are some things I can't remember."

"Like what?"

"For starters, I have no idea what happened before I blacked out. All I remember is Roxxane, Kylie, and Ick Creme." I replied, "Speaking of which, what happened with Roxxane and Kylie?"

"How about Xander?" Leon asked, ignoring my question.

"Huh? Xander? The guy you assigned me to train?" I asked, "Yeah, what about him?"

"Wait, now that you mentioned it, where is Xander?" Lawrence asked, "I told him to come here twenty minutes ago."

"It's late. Does Xander finally have his room here in the building?" I asked excitedly.

"Yeah, he does. Uh, I don't think you're gonna wanna know this, but..." Lawrence scratched the back of his head, "You're not the ace anymore."

"What?!" I exclaimed, "Darn it! After all my hard work?"

I giggled, "Who's the lucky member who got to take my throne?"

"Xander." Leon replied.

My jaw dropped, "Woah. No way! That rookie can't even punch me!"

"I wish it stayed that way. He can now punch me." Lawrence grumbled.

I giggled, "Bring him over! I wanna see him."

Before Lawrence could reply, his phone suddenly rang.

"Excuse me for a moment." He said, stepping out of the room.

I looked at Leon and immediately gave him a big hug.

"Woah, what's this for?" He asked.

"Shut up, Lee. It's been a while since we had an encounter." I told him, letting him go.

He chuckled, "I know. I missed you a lot."

I stuck my tongue out like a cat.

"So... you really don't remember what happened before the accident?" He asked.

"Accident? An accident was the cause of the boop to my head?" I asked back, making a face.

"Yeah, but we— Lawrence, you, and me— recently found out that it isn't much of an accident like the police thought." He added.

"Ooh, a little mystery. I like it." I said with a giggle.

"You really don't remember what happened before it?"

"Why? Is there something important I should remember? Oh my gosh, did I do something wrong?" I asked.

He reluctantly opened his mouth before closing it and gave me an analytical look.

"No." He said after some time, "I just thought you knew something that could possibly help us find out who caused the accident."

I let out a sigh of relief and punched him playfully in the shoulder, "Don't scare me like that, Lee!"

He chuckled but was cut off when Lawrence suddenly came into the room.

He put the phone on speaker and gestured for us to keep quiet. I nodded and gestured zipping my lips while Leon just nodded.

"Killjoy," I mouthed to him.

He just gave me a flat look.

"Do we have a deal, Mr. Carter?" A familiar voice asked.

"Explain it to me again, Hades, and I'll think about it." Lawrence replied.

"I have your ace, Xander Bryer. Say hi, Xander."

A muffled voice that was clearly gagged could be heard.

"Now, I know that you know, and you know that I know it too, that Quasar is a very weak gang."

Leon leaned in and whispered to me, "They think we don't know that they control Armadillo, Dizblood, and Keens."

"So we're willing to make a deal. We know that you have the psycho within your grasp again. We know that she has amnesia. She's as good as nothing to you, so why keep her?"

I made a face at the phone while Leon squeezed my hand to reassure me that that wasn't true.

"So here's what we're thinking. Give us the psycho. Give us Dayana Autumn Enriquez."

I sucked in a sharp breath when he mentioned my last name. I knew this voice. I know who this man is, but I just can't put my finger on it.

"You need to choose who you'll give up. Xander or Dayana. We don't need Xander, we can just kill him if you don't give us Dayana." Muffled screams could be heard from the back, "What's that, Xander? You want to say something?"

I could hear the forceful removal of the gag and the heavy breathing of Xander.

"Lawrence, don't do it. I said I'll die for Dayana, and I meant it." Xander said with heavy breaths.

"Aw, how cute." The male said, "So what do say, Carter? I'll give you more time to think. Three days. Tuesday on 9:00 PM sharp. Gold Wing Park at the abandoned section where I know you took Dayana."

"Alright, Hades." Lawrence said.

At the mention of that, my eyes suddenly widened in realization.

I knew who this man is.

He was definitely closer than I thought.

Ooh, an update! Looks like quarantine kicked out my writer's block
a
WHO DO YOU GUYS THINK HADES IS?

Also, I realized that I've been writing this book for nearly 2 years o.O for real?!

♡~Yelly