Chapter 34: Master Manipulation

Stacy felt her whole body turning cold. She stood rooted on the spot, unable to utter a word. The woman rolled her eyes and waved dismissively. “Now get out of here while I’m still feeling kind,” she uttered proudly.

Stacy blinked a few times. She tried moving her fingers and toes to make sure that she could still feel them. “You said the other women were killed?” She wanted to confirm if what she heard was true. Seeing that her face paled, the woman sighed. “Look at how frightened you are. Hurry up and leave. I won’t be able to help you if any of the men find you here,” the woman’s attitude softened. She ushered Stacy to the stairs.

“Why?” She uttered the word in her daze. “They might kill you, of course! Get out of here if you cherish your life,” the woman’s tone sounded more urgent this time. “Why did he have to kill them?” Her pitch fell an octave lower. “Are you dumb? Don’t ask stupid questions. Now, go!” The woman lost her patience. Her words were hissed through her teeth.

Just then, both of them were alerted to the voices of men coming up the stairs. The woman’s brows knitted together. “You’re on your own. I’ve never seen you here,” she uttered quickly as she zoomed into the room where she came from and closed the door.

A few men came up the stairs, chatting loudly. “Any news?” One of them questioned. “Tom sent the twins to look into it. They should be back soon,” another voice answered. “Those kids? Are they reliable?” Someone in the group asked. “Is it really important?” The former speaker retaliated. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s say they come back with news,” he paused for a beat before continuing, “then we’ll have something to hand in tomorrow morning.” Voices of disapproval sounded among the group. “We’re not dumb. Of course we know that!” “What if they find nothing?” “Then we die because of some incompetent kids?”

“Of course not,” the man answered. “Remember who provided the location of that girl?” Another man answered immediately, “it’s them but it might be mere luck. We can’t guarantee their ability.”

The space was suddenly quiet. Stacy listened attentively. Have they left? There was no sound of movement. Or has someone spotted her?

Her unease dispersed as the man continued talking. “Let’s not think so low of them. They might be very intelligent, smarter than you think,” the man said. “Stop talking in riddles, Gus. What’s your plan?”

“Doesn’t that Mike kid want to inherit the gang very badly?” Gus proposed with a grin. “What does that have to do with his ability?” Another man retorted. “Yeah, Tim’s right. Even if he wants to take over the gang so badly, it’s still a fact that he doesn’t have the ability,” someone else added.

“When someone wants something very badly, it’s normal for them to do whatever they need to in order to reach that goal. Who knows what they would do when backed into a corner?” Gus hinted with a smile. It could be heard in the tone of his voice. Stacy felt goosebumps spreading to every inch of her skin.

The statement hinted at something big. Gus was a name she hadn't heard in a long time. If she could, she would like to forget this man and never have any contact with him for the rest of her life. He’s Hank’s right-hand man. Hank was known as a cruel man and a very dangerous figure of the gang. Gus, however, stayed low and blended in with the rest of the members. Many take him lightly but only those who worked closely with him know the real side of him. He’s really smart and cunning, making him a very dangerous man. He could easily steer things to the route he wants. Concisely, he’s a master puppeteer.

Confused noises were heard among the group. Gus chuckled. “I’m happy today. A few rounds of cards?” His cheerful tone continued sending goosebumps down Stacy’s spine as she stayed hidden. Only after they disappeared behind the door that she let out slowly the breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

The adrenaline effect dulled and she felt a wave of dizziness. She stayed in her position like a statue. Reality dawned on her. Her mother was gone. That woman said Hank killed all his other women. No, that’s not true. She must be wrong. Her mother must still be lying somewhere in a warehouse or in a dungeon somewhere else. Yes, that must be it! Either that or that woman wasn’t telling the truth. She wanted to scare a newbie and to exert her authority. That’s why she made up the story. She might even be an insignificant individual. What does she know? Stacy kept on convincing herself, trying hard to hold onto the thin piece of thread she saw as a lifeline. She refused to believe that the reason that kept her alive for years, her only wish and goal vanished in a blink of an eye.

The more she thought of it, the angrier she became. Her fists balled so tight, her whole body started trembling.

Die! Die! Die! Kill them all! DIE! The voice in her head was persistent.

The twins arrived at the clubhouse. The mood surrounding them stayed the same despite the long journey. The moment they reach the back of the clubhouse, they’ve already put on their hoods. “You go ahead. There’s something I need to discuss with Em,” Mike said before disappearing to the front of the clubhouse.

Left alone at the back, Cecilia sighed. It wasn’t the first time it happened but she still couldn’t get used to it. She used to ask to tag along but they said that their discussion was important. “What’s so important that I shouldn’t know? Am I not a part of the gang?” Her question back then repeated itself in her mind. “Just because I’m born female.. is that it?” She mumbled self-deprecatingly. ‘It’s not my fault I’m born this way,’ she thought to herself and the thought rang loud in her mind.

With a heavy heart, she forced her legs to move forward. Just as she entered through the backdoor, she saw a black figure climbing out through the broken window of the store room. Her movements were precise and fast, almost soundless.

In just a breath, the figure zoomed past her to the door.

The moment they crossed paths, their eyes met for a very brief moment.