Chapter 16 Brat
ADRIANA
Before he could react to my words, I grabbed the measuring tape and wrapped it around his neck, twisting him around.
He screamed as I sent him to his knees and pulled the tape tightly, almost choking the life out of his eyes.
He wheezed and coughed while twitching and trying to get out of the chokehold.
His eyes bulged out, and his skin paled as life slowly faded from his eyes.
“Are you ready to speak, or do you want your staff to find your dead body here instead?" I snapped as I pulled the tape, and his wheezing and rasping got worse.
He raised his hand and waved it, hinting at his submission.
I let go of him, and he dropped to the ground in a loud thud, almost going stiff.
“Start talking!" I snapped.
He coughed and slowly sat up.
I walked over to stand in front of him, my hand on my waist as I watched him rub his reddened neck.
He paused and raised his head to glare at me.
“You brat!" He spat.
I grabbed the tape again, and fear flashed across his eyes.
“You're still not ready to speak?" I asked, chuckling loudly.
“Do you need another session of…”
"I'll… I'll speak," he whispered in a quivering voice.
I grabbed the chair behind him and sat down, then pulled out the book and threw it at him.
“Tell me everything I need to know about this, everything," I ordered.
His shaking hand pulled the cover open and stared at the bold title written on the first page.
“Are you doing this because of that woman you worked with?" He asked, and I jerked up.
“So you know?” I asked.
The man's lips twitched into a smirk when he nodded.
"I know everything going on here and beyond. I've told you that before, haven't I?” He muttered, and my belly knotted.
I balled my fist and glared at him while he kept smirking at me.
“I'm not wrong, am I? You want to take revenge on them for murdering her, but I advise you to stop when you still have the chance. You won't survive this shit you're starting,” he muttered.
I scoffed loudly and began to shuffle slowly towards him with a tilted head.
“Suck up your advice and tell me everything I need to know about the Scorpio!" I growled.
Fear darted across his eyes, and he swung his head around, searching for someone who wasn't in the dress shop.
“Shhh!" He jerked his head in my direction and placed his short finger over his lips.
“You can't say the name that loud!" He cautioned
I chuckled nonchalantly and squatted before him.
“Tell me the truth now," I warned, waving the measuring tape at him.
He rubbed his neck again and nodded.
“Well…the leaders of the organization only gather once every month to discuss their project and next steps,” he muttered, and I straightened up.
"Why? What is their goal?” I asked.
He sighed and looked around the dress shop again.
"There is no one watching,” I muttered.
He scoffed and swung his head in my direction, his lips twitching up.
"Says who?” He snapped.
"Those bastards have ears and eyes every fucking place!” He growled, and my chest tightened.
I swallowed hard and didn't let the fear of his words get to me.
"Then tell me the truth before they catch you. Don't you want them dead and gone?” I asked in a nice voice that made him scoff.
"You think you can kill them?” He chuckled in a mocking tone, "You poor delusional thing. You'd better give up before it gets late. This isn't some superhero story,” he muttered.
“I don't care what story this is, I will bring them down…” I paused and leaned closer, grinning, "I'm a Nox anyway.”
Color drained from his face, and anger mixed with fear flashed across his eyes.
“Whatever! It's not like you'll last long anyway," he muttered and sighed again before dropping on his butt on the ground.
“The organization consists of multiple people. Ten in total," he muttered and gulped hard.
“Ten? I thought they were seven," I muttered.
“Well, three others joined them last month…” he paused and cursed loudly before continuing.
"The leadership is ranked from the lowest to the highest. The top three leaders make the decision and call when to take action or who to kill and leave alive. For your information, you're on their death list,” he muttered and grinned.
I maintained a blank face, not fazed by his words.
He stopped grinning when he realized that I was neither amused nor scared.
“They are after you. I guess that's why you're here," he mumbled, and I shrugged.
“Why do they kill young werewolf girls?" I asked, and his eyes darted around again.
“Well… they are running some experiment,” he muttered, and my brows raised.
"What experiment?”
"I have no idea what the ultimate goal is, but I know it has to do with creating powerful, unstoppable soldiers…” his lips slammed shut, and he turned around, staring at the mark.
"You were part of them. Why are you here?” I asked.
He faced me again with a flushed face.
"To carry out their orders. Many of the underbosses are sent to different places to build a home and keep watch. I've been told to watch you anyway,” he said and chuckled while my belly knotted.
"Why are they so interested in me?” I asked
He shrugged.
“Maybe you have something they want," he muttered, and I scoffed loudly, running my hand through my messy hair.
“Who are the last three members?" I asked.
“I don't have their picture, but I do have their names," he muttered and stood up.
He grabbed the pen and tore out a page from his book, then scribbled down three names.
“Here!" He snapped and threw it at me.
“Get the fuck out and never come back here!" He snapped.
"You said they gather every month. What day is it?” I asked as I stared at the names.
He huffed loudly in disbelief.
"Are you serious right now? You barely escaped them when they kidnapped you! You should be thankful to your brothers for saving you," he snapped.
I looked up and folded the paper, then grabbed the book.
“I am no longer the weak girl I was then. I can survive without my brothers now!" I spun around and headed to the bag on a chair.
His eyes watched me as I put the book and paper inside and zipped up the bag.
"They are powerful. They will destroy anything and anyone to get what they want. No one has succeeded in stopping them and destroying them!” He warned.
I swung the bag over my shoulders and turned to him with a smirk on my face.
"Until me,” I muttered.
I turned and began to walk to the door, but before I could reach it, I felt something sharp sink into my neck.
I groaned in pain and turned around, but a blow on my jaw sent me to the ground.
I spat out blood and touched my neck. My heart sank when I saw the blood that filled my palm after I withdrew my hand.
“You really think I will let you leave this place alive?" He said, pointing the bloodstained pen at me.
I slowly realized that it wasn't just a pen, it was a penknife.
I gripped the bag tightly and staggered up to my feet.
“You think I'll let you kill me?" I chuckled.
He cursed at me and rushed towards me with the knife. I tried to avoid it, but he was faster than me. The blade slashed my healed arm again, and I staggered, almost falling to the ground as pain shot through my arm.
I didn't let the pain get to me and swung my other arm at him, but he ducked the punch so smoothly to my disbelief.
He slammed his feet into my belly and I gasped in pain. The kick pushed me to the table, and I hit my side on the edge, causing pain to snap through my body.
I groaned and staggered back, while clutching my side.
“Give me the bag," he said, stretching his hand.
“Never!" I spat.
“You realize that your brothers won't come for you even if you're dead, right?" He asked.
"I wish they had killed your fat ass back then!” I snapped, and the smile on his face faded.
"Alright, I'll show you what this fat ass can do.”
Before I could grab a weapon or steady my balance, I swung the blade at me again.
Just like the last time, he didn't miss my other arm.
I gripped my bleeding arm and dropped to a knee, trying so hard to suppress the pain.
“You underestimated me, kid," he laughed, and before I could move, he grabbed me and wrapped his large hand around my neck.
My breath ceased, and my eyes bulged out as the warmth in my body got knocked out.
No matter how much I struggled, his hand didn't budge. Instead, he applied more pressure on my neck.
I sank my nails into his hand, but it did nothing.
“Just give it up, brat, give it up," he whispered.
After fighting for more than two minutes, I gave up.
My breath was fading away, and my vision blurred as my eyes threatened to shut. Even my heart had slowed its pace.
It felt like I was staring death in the face.
My trembling hands that had almost gone cold gripped the bag desperately.
I was ready to protect it even in my last breath.
Just when my eyes were about to shut forever, the door flew open and someone barged in.
“Freeze!"
That was all I heard before they closed.