Chapter 82 Trap
Zhou-Lin
"Oh," I puffed out the smoke from the pipe, "Fancy seeing you here."
The young man walked towards me as I sat in the open rooftop bar.
"You were the one who called me here," He came over and sat down across from me. We had a Chinese-style hut over our heads and a clean view of the city around us.
"Murim," I called his name as I brought my pipe down from my mouth
"Why call me here Mister Zhou?" I watched him. He's certainly grown up to be a fine man. An eye-candy even. Makes sense that he went ahead and decided to be an actor.
That is, if he can keep himself out of his family's drama that might unfold soon.
"I've recently learned something new." I smiled, "I want to know more about it."
"Know what?"
"You had a classmate once, in high school." The corner of his lip twitched, "Clio,"
"How do you know that boy?" He maintained his poker face when he talked and I found that charming.
"He's working under Matthew."
"I still don't get why you know an employee?"
"So you didn't hear."
"You're a very annoying person, Mister Zhou," He didn't get angry but still stated his mind, "You live up to your reputation."
I let out a chuckle, "I do, don't I?"
"Your pretty face as well." He folded his arms, "So?"
"The other two of your friends just died recently."
He was unfazed, "I was not friends with anyone from high school."
"Ah" I puffed out some smoke, "No wonders you don't know," I crossed my legs, "I guess you won't mind the fact that I killed them then,"
"..." He didn't take off his poker face, "No,"
I let out a soft chuckle, "You won't ask me why either?"
"..." He stared at me for a moment. I'm sure he was curious since I already mentioned Clio, but will he ask me about it? "Is there something you're going to tell me? I have a shoot to be at,"
Hmmm
I guess not,
I can't tell him Clio is a girl. Matthew would rip my throat out regardless of his kinship with my mother.
"I'm just curious why Silas wanted that dead girl." I went straight to the point.
"I don't know how you got to know that-" He paused, "I'm guessing you had a meeting with that boy, Clio, otherwise you wouldn't know that," He finally passed me a smirk, "There is no grand reason for uncle to want that girl," He stood up, "But you wouldn't understand even if I told you." He began to walk away when I asked him a final question.
"I'm going to ask this hypothetically," He paused and looked at me as I presented a question, "How would you react if you found out the girl was alive?"
He knitted his eyebrows but his facial expressions didn't change much, "You already know the Somas hate liars," He turned around to leave as the wind blew past us, "It will not end well." He grabbed the door handle that was past the open bar, opened the door, and left the place.
After watching him leave, I turned the other way, at the setting sun. It was a splendid view. One could see the Sun setting in all its glory between two skyscrapers. The orange hue of the sky made the scene somewhat relaxing.
I puffed my pipe again.
The girl sure has a lot of trouble around her.
It would be very amusing to see how this plays out.
>>Clio
"Okay, tall frame, black eyes but you can't tell if he was masculine or not?" Harou tapped his finger on the table as I reported everything I saw the first time I came across the serial killer.
"Yes," I replied softly, "He wore clothes that didn't highlight his physique... I think... Or maybe I just didn't see right," I wasn't sure. How could I be sure? Just looking at the killer made me lose my shit.
"How tall do you think he was?" Harou asked
I shrugged, "I can't say," I replied, "I was too scared to focus on that but he was way taller than me."
He nodded, "Okay," He let out a sigh, "You can go now," He smiled, "That's pretty much it."
I nodded nervously.
"Okay," I came here pretty late and I still have to meet her. I hope I won't be too late. I stood up to leave when Harou spoke again.
"I read a report on you, you used to be anorexic?"
I paused right by the chair after standing up and looked back, "Ah yes," I replied, "Back when I was in school."
"Are you doing fine now?" I don't know why he was asking me that but maybe it was just out of the goodness of his heart.
I nodded, "I am," My heart hurt a little, "I started eating better when I moved cities," It was one of the good things about Nolan. When I fell for him, a lot of me got better, but of course, because of the injections that Dad gave, I still have some problems.
I looked down
But it's fine now. Or, I hope it will be,
"That's good," Harou stood up as well, "You have to eat lots to remain healthy and avoid bad situations."
I let out a soft chuckle thinking nothing much of his statement, "Bad situations?"
He came and patted my head, "You never know when you might get into a bad situation." He then walked away without looking at me and I felt like he purposely avoided meeting my gaze, "That's why you should remain healthy,"
...
I nodded, "Yeah," I turned to leave the room feeling a little weird but then decided not to pay much attention to it.
"Oh God..." The wind was heavy as night loomed over. And I knew it would start raining at any moment. I went to the police station after dark and it took a lot of time but I thought it would be fine since she wanted to meet late anyway.
I thought about telling Matthew I'd be late home but neither he nor Azef had been home for a while and they hadn't come home till the point I had left so there wasn't much point in telling him anything.
Besides, it's not like I won't be going back.
It's just going to be a short visit. Chris said she wanted to give me something in person and there was no way I could decline.
It started to drizzle and it was probably because of the weather that the usually bustling city wasn't there anymore. I get that it was late but people were hurrying home but the atmosphere just felt a little ominous.
Might just be me but there was an anxious feeling swirling inside of me.
I ran up the stairs which were in the less crowded part of the city, not far from Chris's house. There was a park there which was empty at the moment but there weren't many people coming here since it was at a secluded location. The way here was from narrow alleys but it was still a great place nonetheless.
"Hey!" I waved as soon as I spotted Chris.
A tall figure stood by a tree in all black. But I recognized her since her face was bare. She had a mask but it was down at the moment and I could see her face clearly.
Chris raised her hand and waved at me, "Hi,"
I went over to her as the wind howled around us. It made me shiver, "It's getting chilly," I folded my arms as I approached her, "And the rain is going to get heavier too." I stopped right in front of her, under the big tree, "Shouldn't we reloca...te..?" I noticed something odd.
"We will," She answered and I looked down at her hand trying to focus on what she was holding. That's when lightning struck, the sky flashed purple, illuminating the ground as well.
And I saw it clearly. It was just for a moment and the place went dark again but I was sure about what I saw.
"You brought your scythe?" I was a little confused. Doesn't she use this for gardening? Why bring it here?
"I brought it for you," She gave a smile. A weird smile, which in turn got me feeling even more confused. But that's when lightning struck again, immediately followed by the thunder rumbling
When I looked into her eyes, I noticed something weird.
Her eyes were black
"Wait, are you wearing lenses?" The ominous feeling I had been feeling intensified.
But that wasn't all. I had felt this right from the start, right from the first time I met her. There was a deranged look in her eyes but I couldn't recognize it.
"Yes," She replied, "I wear them on rainy days."
Not till the point.
Ah! Those eyes
Solely because the eye color was different. But now that she was wearing black lenses, I recognized that look in her eyes. I remembered what I was reminded of when I looked into her eyes
Those were the same eyes I saw when I was in the alleyway in City D when that convenience store girl, Lily was murdered.
The look of the serial killer.
The exact same look, I saw in the eyes of the Head Hunter.
There was no doubt there and it dawned upon me at that moment.
The lenses we found in Rameen's room were never hers. They belonged to Chris.
She was the Head Hunter.