Chapter 6 Disapearance

"Where did you get these kids?" Nate asked after we arrived at my apartment. Dripping wet and cold.

"At the playground," I simply answered. He will just scold me if I told him that I kick someone's asses.

"Did you kidnap them?" I rolled my eyes and entered my room to get my towel, I dry the three kids and myself.

"What do you think, Nate?" I grin at him. I throw him my towel that he instantly catched without blinking. Nate is not just like anybody else, he's my cousin after all, blood is thicker than water.

Way back when I learned about the organization, Nate and I become partner and crimes. He's always ahead of me, a mystery perhaps.

"Do I look like a kidnapper to you, duh of course not, they approach me first. I have no choice at first because it raining and I heard a gunshot.".

"Seriously?" Nate look at me with disbelief, "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Uh-uh no, you willl preach me."

"So what are you gonna do now?" he asked.

"Throw them?" I smirk, " I'll bring them back to their parents tomorrow," I said.

The little girl starts crying, "No! please don't!" the girl cries. The youngest buried his face in Nate's neck while the other boy stay silent, but he looks frightened.

"Please don't bring us back! I'm begging," for a young age, the little girl started to beg.

"Why?" Nate didn't control himself and asked.

"Our dad is trying to sell us! he keeps hurting me and my brothers!" My eyes sharpen, so that's where they get their scars and bruise.

"I'll send you to the orphanage then," O said and smiled.

"No!" the little girl cried, "Please don't leave us."

"But--" Nate cut me.

"Just let them, I'll help you Lils."

After week, I decided to took them in. I was in the verge of deciding that it's way more better to send them to an orphanage than to stay with us. Adopting them was a 50/50 decision, Nate treat them like his own, but that was when Nate started to rarely visit us. I was aware that he's a busy person, but not until he did not come to my apartment for a months and It turned into year.

--

It was a clear and cozy Monday morning, the sun is up and busy people are already causing heavy traffic. I woke up late. I feel exhausted even though it's still 8 in the morning. Last night was pretty exhausting, I had to give four shifts just to make extra money to make sure we don't starve. Nate who told me that will help me provide for-- his adopted children was gone. It's already one year, our agreement not to send the kids to an orphanage was settled, but after a month he disappeared like a bubble.

I cursed when the scooter that I rented died, I started the engine repeatedly until it was back.

"Fucking Monday," I whispered to myself. It's only morning but the sweat forming in my forehead can't be stopped by wiping and that is starting to piss me off.

It's been always like this and I live with it ever since, but it's still making my head heat. Every morning, every day, it's always traffic! I'm lucky enough if I woke up at five in the morning and leave at six, but I was striving too much that I sleep at quarter three in the morning and woke up at six.

Good thing that death favors me more than anyone else. Staying late at night for my night shift and working in the morning. Death didn't even pay to visit me once.

I waited for the other car to move for almost 15 minutes-- telling myself that I should be more patient, but the reality is my patience ain't long, I might lose my patience and start driving in the narrow spaces even tho I know it's dangerous.

I took off my pink scooter helmet which is full of stickers.

I looked at the car beside me. My forehead wrinkled because of my reflection in the car's window, and my short brunette wig and face are both messed up.

I continue my studies but eventually before I graduated I dropped out and start taking jobs. It's not a wise decision, but a practical one for me. After Nate's disappearance, it become harder than before.

I was broke after dropping out. The man who asked me to let the kids be under my care disappeared. I would be happier if he did not leave them with me. Even the landlady of my apartment almost gets rid of us this morning, spitting harsh words at me.

I slammed my hand in the window of the car beside me. I do not care if I shattered the window into pieces or cause any trouble, I'm pissed, every second in my wristwatch was acting like a timer. If I'm not in the Diner anytime until my shift, I need to look for another job again.

It was torture. Back then I can just throw money whenever I wanted to. But right now I was struggling due to poverty. It was easy for me to gain money if I chose to look for a job in the underground, but in the last years, one of my new year's resolutions is to live normally and work legally.

Stupid decision, right?

I feel annoyed. I don't know if my monthly period visited me. I didn't check the calendar, but since morning, I feel irritated until now. I raised my hand to wipe the sweat on my face and neck when my phone rang.

"What?!" I hissed in the other line because of irritation, I didn't bother to look at the phone ID and just answered whoever it is.

"Hey, Lily--" When I heard his voice I was lost for words.

"Hey, are you still there?"

I shut my eyes. It's been year. I was eager to look after him when he disappeared, I tried to contact him several times, but he did not answer, not even once.

"Nate... What do you need?" I was sounds uninterested. But worries was still visible in my voice.

"He already know--" I heard gunshots in the other line. My eyes widened, I heard noises, screams and gunshots.

"Nate, what's happening?"

"He already know the you are alive!"

Even he did not spout a name, I know who is he talking about. I massage my temple, The car started to move.  The twelfth leader of Thanatos, the Phantom is now aware of my existence.