Page 301 of Nemesync
I nodded, then curiosity sparked within me.
“How did you escape them?”
She leaned back in her chair, a distant look in her eyes. I recognized that look — that traumatized emptiness, trying to forget, to never remember the feelings that came with the memories.
“I owe my life to Caleb. I was left for dead in the streets on his territory, and he found me. He nursed me back to health. Without him, I wouldn’t be here.”
Sympathy and admiration swelled within me. “Can you thank him for me, for saving you?” I asked, smiling and gently squeezing her hand.
She returned the smile. “I will.”
I couldn’t fathom the horrors she had endured, but the connection between us deepened while we shared our stories. We found comprehension in each other’s trauma, two strong women with a shared goal of dismantling the very organization that had scarred us.
Something we knew was that they targeted both women and men. But the men were killed, not humiliated, not raped, and not even the primary targets.
That fucking organization had a twisted affection for women. They even made it a point, when families, gangs, or dynasties needed their mercenaries to handle a vendetta, a vengeance, or a problem, to target women first before going after the men.
They had ruined us, but I believed that Brian and I would accomplish great things together, because if something is sure, the vengeance wasn’t over yet. Alonzo and Lukas may be gone, but there was still so much more to uncover about that killing machine.
My pursuit wasn’t just for me or Luna; I wanted to track down every member and watch the light fade from their eyes.
One by one.
“You’re stronger now, Zanae,” Brian affirmed, her gaze cold. “We’re going to tear down the pillars of this organization. Piece by fucking piece.”
The afternoon sun passed through the big windows, showing the city that shaped me.
Broken but healing in a way I never thought I could.
Elijah and Niko were back to the office. We glanced up from our laptops, momentarily diverting our attention from the screen showing surveillance footage and notes.
Green eyes locked onto mine and I smiled.
“Looks like the ladies are hard at work. Should I be jealous, Little Z?”
“You should, we’re way more productive than you are, Niko,” I replied, teasingly.
Elijah sat beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist, “You turn me on so much when you’re working like that,” he whispered to my ear.
Niko took a seat beside Brian, genuinely interested in our work. “What’s the plan, ladies? Anything I should be worried about?”
Brian motioned to the screen, where we had gathered so much data, “Zee had an idea, so we’re sifting through the surveillance footage and cross-referencing with known associates. She’s got an eye for detecting potential threats. We’re making a list of them to be more precise. Then we cross-reference the names with the data we’ve already collected.”
Elijah squeezed my waist, while Niko leaned closer to the screen, studying the information with a focused intensity, “Let’s get to work, then. Little Z, come and do your magic.”
Name after name, picture after picture. We went through them one by one. I taught them how to recognize suspicious behavior, connections, and relationships just by interpreting body language and facial expressions.
They listened attentively to what I was saying. And I felt so proud.
With the list growing, Brian gathered her belongings, ready to head home. “I’ve got to run. Caleb’s probably pacing around like a caged tiger by now, waiting for me. You guys take care, and Zee, keep me updated.”
I nodded, expressing my gratitude. “See you, Brian.”
It was just the three of us – Elijah, Niko, and me. I missed Ben; it had been a while since he had some free time. “Guys, when is Ben coming back?”
Elijah took my hand and gave it a small massage. “Soon, and when he’s back I’ll kidnap him so you can finish this ridiculous movie marathon.”
Niko and I shared a laugh. “You’ll watch them with us this time,” his best friend replied.
