She knocked three times and heard the voice that it was not closed. She entered and casually walked. Observing, there’s a mini garden outside the room through the transparent slide window door, flowers hanged laden in the walks and extends leaving no space. Its aroma’s refreshing and relaxing. Inside, there’s a flat-screen T.V hung on the wall and a DVD player placed on a desk down from it. The walls were lined with a smooth paint job, its pale-yellow colored walled matched the soothing atmosphere.

Linda sat down on the comfortable sofa; her arms crossed over her maroon top and her legs crossed over the small table in front of her. The cold temperature from the aircon has seeped through her senses and her eyes felt heavy. She moaned under the relaxing atmosphere and forgot why she was there. Everything seemed to be peaceful, not until, she heard a gun cocked on her head. She was about to rise when someone’s palm was placed on her shoulder and forcefully pushed her down back to the seat.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t blow your head off?” A frightening voice crept in her back. Linda’s composure remained immovable.

“Because you would be branded as a traitor if you blow off my head.”

Linda sighed with relief as Cid uncocks the gun out of her head and puts it back to its keep.

“What makes you so desperate to come at me?”

“As I said, I need your help.”

“You sabotaged my cover and—”

“You mean you got cockblocked?” Linda scoffed.

“One of those women I’ve joined into is a big shot arms dealer and a smuggler.”

“So, you still haven’t identified your primary target?”

Cid pulled a chair and sat opposite her.

“As I’ve said, I don’t have an intention to share any sort of information with you.”

“Well, you have to reconsider it.” She gasped, “If we can’t bring them back, then this mission would be considered as failed.”

“Not my problem. If you don’t get paid find another job. Simple.”

“You don’t understand. This mission isn’t just enlisted as a request from the client. It was also labeled as code blue.”

“You don’t say.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t, this was kept as a secret among my teammates. Only I was told by Rod. Our main objective is to expose Theo's wrongdoings. If we can’t bring them back, this city will be under siege. Do you get what I’m saying?”

Cid took a long deep breath and exhaled, “And how do you intend to do it?”

“We assassinate him.”

“Assassinate him? Have you lost your damn mind?! There’s no way we can take him out.” He paused and glance with an utter disappointment written on his face, “I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think you can pull this off. Did you report this to Rod?”

“Of course not. He trusted us with this mission and I’m not gonna fail him. Look, I know it may be dim, but you need to help us.”

Cid rose from the seat and with a frantic remark – he walked back and forth. Linda grew tired of the charade and stand up, her smooth palm landed on his shoulder, “Are you gonna help us?”

“Obviously, yes.”

“Then, what’s bothering you? I mean, you have a lot of resources at your disposal.”

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about. If the enemies were able to identify you then there’s a possibility that they’re on my back and the contacts I’ve had, may turn against me. I should’ve argued with Rod about not helping your team.”

Linda’s hands firmly hold Cid’s shoulders, she looked into his eyes, reassuring him, “Whatever what’s on your mind right now, I will support you. Isn’t there anyone you can trust, someone who shares an interest with you?”

“There is someone and I think he can pull some strings.”

It was nine in the evening when they came here—in the bar that Linda did not know. Cid already filled her with the details. She learned about the Hoarder's illegal transactions and how close to being untouchable he is, though, it may sound preposterous, but given the fact that Hoarder managed to cover his operations is impressive and has a real talent in hiding his tracks.

Everything seems so strange right now, she never had thought they would go down this low so that they would even ask for help from an illegal smuggler and slave seller. Not to claim their job are lesser dirtier than this, but at least, their goal is worth enough to be considered heroic unlike people like Hoarder, who doesn’t regard human life.

Most of the countries claimed that the Glade is one of the worst terrorists recorded in history. They may not give the Glade merit of some heroic action they’ve made or maybe they just don’t know it, but some of the people considered them as a league of heroes, allied to the people, and perhaps selfless warriors who travel across the lands who helps people. The only thing that they’re wrong about is that they’re selfless, it may sound like it, but some missions they accept lead sometimes to saving countless lives, in which, you might consider the merits as extra baggage.

Because of the continuous success they made ever since the end of the previous War of Blights, they managed to gain some allies across the countries and other regions and nations from other continents, but that’s not only it, in every accomplishment, some people were put in disadvantage position, hence, they also create various enemies that want to put an end to them. They may not know, but they need to be careful about entering the territory of the poisonous snake such as the Hoarder – for he may be one of those enemies of Glade.

After presenting Cid’s VIP card, the door opens and the guard lets them in. Linda’s eyes didn’t let go – following the back of Cid as he enters the Cassa Hal. She pulled him back – getting close to him when she noticed that Cid is walking with an unease observant eye.

The place is nothing like before, the bustling crowd, the cherry wine, and the keg being passed by the familiar faces he had met before, any trace of those revelries couldn’t be found now. There are only a few people who had entered here, but those few are dangerous persons, they’re the people that are clearly shouldn’t be messing with.

“Why are you sweating?” Lina drops the question.

Cid finally realizes sweat that pouring down to his shirt, even the air conditioner couldn’t help to drop down his rising temperature.

“Something’s going on.”

The bar was filled with different kinds of people, businessmen in black suits, others wore casual attire, some of them were guarded by mercenaries who wore light armor. Someone blocked the way of Linda and Cid; they were met with a sullen face.

“Cole.”

“Hello, Cid.”

“What the hell is going on?”

“Oh, boy. We need a room.”

Cole leads them at the back, entering the hallway, and was led by a bouncer to a private room. They sat down on the couch, leaving Linda on her own.

“Tell me, what’s going here?” Cid asked.

“You don’t know? You’re supposed to be a spy.”

“If I know, then I wouldn’t bother to come here and asked you as my most trusted asset on what’s going on here.”

“Right. I know you’re busy.” He opens the door and peeks outside, checking if there are any unwanted residents. “Look, you remember the model of robots that were mobile as a gift to the police? ‘Turns out they’re gathering information and gathering identification of citizens under the impression of the new law that the mayor imposed about the resident rightful bill. ‘You already what this means?”

“What are you talking about?” Linda intercepted.

“A clean slate,” Cid said.

“What?”

“Theo is going to eliminate those people who don’t belong here in Kayon. In simple words, their target involves people who have dirty businesses and those people that might hurt his enterprise. That means us.”

“He’s beginning to take over the city, is that what’re you trying to say?”

Cid gave a slight nod. “Even I like it or not, I’m still going to be dragged into this mess.”

“You should pack up and leave this city soon before they finally take over.” Cole lifted the couch and open a small compartment, grabbing the bag. “I know a tunnel underground that they don’t know.”

“Not yet. I’m not going anywhere. I have still a mission.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Wait, I need your help. We have comrades that were kidnapped and we have no clue, wheresoever to find them.”

Linda picked out her phone and shows Cole the images of Alastor and Sherry.

“I know them.”

“Really?” Linda’s face vivified.

“They’re someone who you can’t easily forget, especially that guy.” He pointed at Alastor, “They were taken here by those canaries to the Hoarder.”

“Great, so do you know where they were being held?”

“Obviously, not here. The Hoarder already prepared if Theo would do something like this. They transferred them to another place last week or before that.”

“Did you hear where it is?”

“No, but I know a guy. He’s working on a gang that Theo gave power as a front cover of his operation.”

“Don Trifalgo.”

“That’s right.”

“In any case, he’s the only guy I knew who’s clever enough to pull some strings beneath Theo, so don’t do anything to turn against you guys.”

With that said, Linda and Cid didn’t waste anymore and started to devise a plan on how should they sneak back on the facility.