"The keys are under the pillows. I am giving you a chance. It is your choice whether to stay in the room and wait for the real culprit to get captured or go out of the room and save that bitch as you always have-" Max's eyes were blank, completely devoid of emotions, but his voice was filled with hatred and pure anger, which made me gulp.

I stood up from the bed and took some steps towards the pillows. I picked up the pillow and there was the key, but the thing that really caught my attention was the key chain.

A wolf with a snake around its neck was engraved in the bronze metal of the key chain, and the sudden memories pinged in my mind.

"Th-That's_" I ran my fingers through the creases of the metal as my eyes started to water.

"Yes, Sweetpea, it is," Max replied in his usual motherly tone, which I hadn't realized I craved until then.

'No-no- Babe, it's not the time.' I shrugged the feeling away as I started to walk towards the door.

And immediately, I felt cold metal against my neck and my skin slightly shivered when Max grabbed me by my arm, still keeping the nuzzles of the gun against my neck.

"So you are still choosing to save him?" Max sneered and 'him' what? him who?

"No-" I answered, but Max still didn't free me.

"Then where are you going?"

"I just want to see what's going on out there." I scoffed, and he lowered his gun from my nape.

"As she thought-" he mumbled, and I raised my brows at him.

"What?"

"Pumpkin said you would never wait in the room." He stated, sighing, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"So?"

"So what?" He questioned.

"Can't I go?" I asked annoyingly, and he chuckled, which made me even more annoyed.

"I can't really stop you because Pumpkin asked me to let go beforehand-" he answered, and I was completely confused.

'Who does she think she is?' My conscience mocked me, and I shook my head.

"So I am going." I started to unlock the lock but stopped midway when I saw Max making his way to Sheshu's cage.

I watched him smile at Sheshu and he picked him up with ease.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he made his way towards me with Sheshu tangled up in his arms.

" Evacuating this place, Sweetpea-" he answered.

"Why???"

"You will know honey-" He said seriously and chuckled as Sheshu looked in his eyes and settled himself in a comfortable position in his arms.

There were many questions running wild in my head and I knew he would not tell me anything, so I just averted my gaze and unlocked the door.

As I was about to step out, Max called, "SweetPea-," The old nickname was bothering me even more than anyone could imagine. It was making my headache and my senses were blurring with nostalgia.

"What?" I asked, controlling my emotions, and I turned around to find Max was offering me his gun?

"Take it, hun-" he said, bringing the gun even closer to my reach.

"Huh?" was all I could say, as I was confused to my maximum limit.

"I am not trusting you but I don't want you to die either-" He replied smugly and placed the gun rather hastily in my hand.

I rolled my eyes at him and finally took some steps out of my room.

The hallway was emptied with not a single trace of either mine or Darkmoon's members, which was suspicious.

I turned around to find Max already out of the room too and walking in the direction of Grayson's room. Grayson was supposed to attack the Darkmoon's headquarters today, but I knew that was out of the question in the current situation.

Not thinking anything, I rushed towards my office and entered the passcode to unlock the door.

Placing the gun on the table, I looked around; there was several footages running across the led screens, showing every corner of the penthouse where we had been living for three months.

I shuffled through the rooms. Every room was empty, even the servant quarters. Then I found Max to pick up the man who came with the Zodiac girl in his arm and exit out of Grayson's room.

Yes, yes... The Zodiac girl, I switched the footage to the guestroom, and there-

My breath hitched by the scene in front of my eyes and I immediately picked up the gun which Max handed and ran out of the office towards the guest room.

I was panting while running and my mouth was becoming dryer and dryer. I just couldn't believe what I had just seen.

Finally, I reached the guestroom; the door was ajar, and I peeked in only to find Krystal's left shoulder was bleeding making beads of blood drops staining the flooring, but still, she was pointing a sniper rifle towards Jake?

And Jake was placing his katana against the neck of the Zodiac girl. His one arm was forcefully against his body by the window. She was struggling to put her weight on her injured leg, but still, her face was emotionless, just like the day when Jake brought her here.

'What is Krystal doing?' I thought many conclusions were pinging in my mind.

'I s-swear I didn't.' her voice ranged in my mind as my head was feeling as if it was going to explode.

'W-Wait - D-Don't leave me,'

'No- I-I- A-Am S-Sorry for w-whatever I did, but please don't leave me-'

'Krystal is innocent'

'Sometimes we see what we are made to see-'

'It is your choice whether to stay in the room and wait for the real culprit to get captured or go out of the room and save that bitch as you always have-'

I barged into the room and all three looked in my direction. Jake's eyes went wide, but there was some hope in them, and Krystal smirked, looking at me.

I raised my gun at her and she chuckled.

"Still feisty as ever, princess-" she said, grinning sheepishly, never dropping her posture.

I didn't reply, and just continued to point my gun at her and averted my gaze to look at Jake.

A sense of relief washed over his face, which was oddly strange.

"S-San- just shoot," he said with urgency in his voice, and my eyes again flickered to meet Krystal, who was smiling, but there was some sort of pain and longing in her eyes.

"San, what are you waiting for, just fucking-"

I immediately turned around and shot.

Blood spurted out of the hand where the bullet pierced the muscle of the arm and the katana dropped on the ground, making the sonorous nature of the metal show.

He was so taken aback by the attack that his hold on the Zodiac girl's neck freed, causing her to fall on the floor with a thud.

Jake's eyes were showing he was terrified, making me realize I did the right thing. I looked down at the Zodiac girl whose eyes were open but yet they seemed lifeless, clouded by the pain she must have felt at the impact, but I must say I should acknowledge that she was strong enough to never show the pain on her face.

I looked beside me to find Krystal was watching the girl on the floor with guilt on her face.

It was showing that she cares about her, but why?

My head had taken enough shit today, so I shook the weird questions away and again raised my gun towards Jake.

"Spill-" I commanded, and Jake gulped but stayed silent.

"Snake got your tongue, 'baby boy?" Krystal's voice was harsh, and I almost forgot to breathe when the word 'baby boy' came out of her mouth as if she was spitting venom with her tongue, which she was.

"S-San, she is lyi-" Jake tried to say something, but before he was able to complete his sentence, Krystal shot on the floor beside his feet, making him jump in surprise.

"Just tell what happened that day," Krystal demanded, and I looked at Jake, whose face was glowing paler and paler with each and every tick of the clock.

"I-" Jake started, but then I noticed how he was gliding his uninjured hand towards his back pocket.

Just as I was about to shoot his other hand too, he took out something and threw it towards the Zodiac girl, who was on the floor.

The Zodiac girl groaned when the star blade stabbed her other leg, which was free of bandages, making both mine and Krystal's focus divert from Jake.

He took advantage of the situation and jumped... he fucking jumped out of a three-story high building's window.

I ran towards the window and looked out to find there was no one, not a single trace of life on the bare road.

Everything happened so fast that it was hard to breathe for me and I was unable to comprehend what had happened. I was feeling dizzy and then I saw Max parking a jeep just below the building.

I looked beside me to find Krystal too, looking down the window with anger on her face.

She hastily took her phone out of her pocket and dialed someone.

"That bitch escaped.." was all she said, and she cut the call, and then she looked at me and then at the Zodiac girl who was lying in the pool of her blood, Krystal's expressions softened and she walked towards her and crouched down next to her.

"We need to get out of here."

"W-why?" My head was still hurting.

"We fucking do-" her voice was filled with urgency.

"Why????" She was angry, I can tell, but then she took a deep breath and started to explain.

"That bitch has called his allies before and they must be coming here anytime and we are not in the state to fight are we?" She questioned or more likely stated as she started to pick the zodiac girl up in her arms but she couldn't due to the slash on her shoulder.

"Wait-" I said and walked towards them, "Let me do this-" I crouched down and picked the zodiac girl with ease, Krystal nodded and stood up and started scrolling through her tab, The zodiac girl's eyes were barely opened but she smiled at me.

The smile was somehow soothing, which was giving my head some sort of stability.

"Shit- we need to run-" Krystal ran her fingers through her hair in anger.

"Oh-" I was still unable to comprehend what the fuck was happening, so I just nodded and followed Krystal out of the room and then out of the penthouse

The whole building's corridor was completely empty, and I was panting as I follow Krystal ran down the stairs with the Zodiac girl in my arms.

When we were finally out of the building, we stopped in front of the jeep in which Max was sitting in the driving seat with an unconscious zodiac assistant in the passenger seat, Krystal hastily opened the back door for me and I placed the zodiac girl inside the girl and then climbed up the car.

Krystal was in so much hurry that she almost squeezed the shit out of me when she climbed up and slammed the door behind her and immediately the car started. I was sitting in the middle of the two and the Zodiac girl's legs were over my thighs.

I heard a loud explosion, and then I looked out of the car's window only to see that the floor on which I was living was on fire, and alarms were ringing in the whole building.

Max sped up the jeep, and I looked at Krystal, who was watching the Zodiac girl's leg with almost tears in her eyes.

"Ahem-" I cleared my throat making Krystal's eyes meet mine and her posture broke, a single tear came out of her eye which shattered my heart, without thinking I leaned in her direction and hugged her, lacing my hands around her neck.

She momentarily stiffened in my touch but then she melted and I felt her arms around my waist tightening the hug, for some moments I let her hold me, enjoying the warmth and comfort radiating out of her body which still had faint coffee smell mixed with the smell of sweat, dirt, and blood.

Wait a minute, blood!

I freed and pushed her back. Krystal was confused by my sudden change, but then I grabbed her shoulder slowly, which was bleeding.

Krystal smiled, looking at my worried expression. "It's alright Princess-" she said and I lightly smacked her head. I heard Max's chuckle in the background and felt Zodiac girls stare at my back.

"You haven't given the evidence yet-" I scoffed, and Krystal grinned.

"Just a few more minutes Princess-"

*****************************************

~ Love - K.D ♡