Til Ends Meet | Ongoing

Chapter 1: The Nefarious Five

Melody Corrine

I climb down from the window and scan those of The Nefarious Sisterhood. The five most wicked, villainous, and most despicable women than any other females in the world. They continue with chatter waiting for the signal. I look at Sadie, hands gliding over her signature pistol that rests at her hip, like a child holding onto their stuffed animal. Esmeray and Delaney have their own conversation. Evie leans against the brick wall, having no weapon in her hands to soothe her. Though I'm sure she has all 12 knives strapped to her body somehow.

The alleyway we're in is dark, the dew creating a soft gleam over the pavement. I am not nervous; I've done this many times before. Each time only becomes more natural than the first. A cool breeze settles in coming from the north, the hood over my head stays in place though. I lean against the brick wall, staring up at the clouded murky sky. The streetlight is the only thing illuminating the alley. I can only make out the faces of my friends because of the shadows. Sometimes I think they tend to swallow us whole.

Ray and Delaney's voices have long since quieted down. I find the most silent we ever are is before a mission. It became a thing since Evie never really spoke before them. I found quite the comfort in it. I like quiet. The calm before the storm. For me, it's a moment to breathe. I suppose for others it's a moment to become what they need to for the situation at hand. The window I climbed down is on the 2nd story of the club. We're waiting for Braz to come over our earpieces and give us the all clear.

One of the guys in the club is a capos for the Russian mafia. Sebastian. They've been messing with shipments and putting us in more debt than ever before. The leader behind it all- Nickolai. If we can get to Sebastian, he will lead us straight to Nickolai. Which is who we've been searching for all this time. Rocco, our leader, has long had enough with his tricks. I hear Braz come over my earpiece, "Move in girls."

Evie straightens from the cement as well as the others. Esmeray and Delaney take off their hoods, dresses shimmering from the little light that shines. They throw them in the nearest dumpster. They slowly walk back towards us. And for a moment I just stare at the girls before me. I can't find one hint of emotion in their eyes as I hope they can't in mine either. We stand in a circle, arms barely grazing each other. Suddenly I see what others claim about us. It is not disheartening; it just shows how much truth others' words hold when it comes to describing us. Without speaking a word, we all send a nod. It was a promise.

We'll be back.

Finally, Esmeray and Delaney walk hastily to the opening of the alley, going in straight through the front entrance of the club. Evie starts her smart watch, and we begin sneaking to the back entrance. The only sound is the patter of our boots hitting the ground. Evie is always wearing her watch during missions. None of us ever understood the reason for it because she never told us. But it never failed, before a mission she would start it and after she would stop it.

We meet up with Braz at the back, he holds the door open for us as we walk in.

"Esmeray and Delaney should be already in with him, no one else suspects anything, we're good to go," he speaks hushedly.

He stays at the end of the hallway as we continue our way down it. The lining of the halls is red with velvet embroidery over them. Our hoods cover our faces, the only light being the ones keeping the hallway aglow. We continue our walk down to room 102. Evie stops in front of the door, putting her ear to it. We hear Delaney and Esmeray's voices whispering sweetly. Evie slowly opens the door. Sebastian's back is to us as he sits on the couch in the room. To the left there is a bed. Delaney is on top of him as she kisses him, and Esmeray is behind him touching his neck and running her fingers through his hair.

She looks at us, and motions with two fingers.

Cmon.

I get the rope ready, and we start moving slowly. Delaney sees us out of the corner of her eye. Evie gives me a nod and I quickly put the rope around Sebastian's neck, choking him as Delaney moves off of him.

Evie whips a blade out and comes around the couch with a smirk on her face, "Hello Sebastian."

"I-Im not Seb-Sebastian," he chokes out. Sadie pulls out a flashlight and shines it in the man's face.

And well his words hold truth, because it is not him. He doesn't have a handprint with a skull tattoo on his neck. Unfortunately, that is the only way to identify Sebastian. He's good at keeping his face a secret but clearly not good at covering his tracks or else we wouldn't be here.

"That son of a bitch!"

"Please don't kill me," the man begs.

"Well to bad sugar but you've already seen our faces," Delaney pulls out a gun and shoots him in the head. We walk out of the room and march heavily down the hallway to the exit.

"Get someone to clean the mess up Braz," Evie mutters curtly. 

He doesn't respond already knowing the bearing news.

No one says a word, we leave the alley and start to our black van that is parked down the street.

Everyone loads up and Evie starts to drive us back to where we started. Home and also square one.

As we get to the mansion, we walk to Rocco's office to tell him what happened. Evie tells him and he just stares at all of us. He dismisses the failure and tells us he has some news for us soon and that we should get some sleep.

I head up to my room and get in the shower. I wonder how long it will be until we find Nic.

Another dead end. How much longer must we search. I understand wanting Nickolai dead, I do. But I also know something else.

Throughout my life I've always been an observer. Even when being on the streets of Brooklyn, I read into many other peoples' lives. I see the understanding Rocco looks at Evie with when we tell him of our failure to find Nic. I also notice how Evie is practically seething when our lead never paves the way. I've never seen her more desperate to find someone. The only thing I can't fathom is why?

Why is it so important to her? Why does it seem it matters most to her? It's something I plan on finding an answer to. Evie is quite the person and if there's anything I've learned while being her friend, it's that there is most certainly always a reason for her actions.

The Nefarious Five have never taken this long to find someone. We do everything with ease. But this might be our greatest challenge yet. One that may take more time to overcome. However, I do know one thing. We do not plan on giving up.

A/N - This is a short first chapter but it's just to get the book started. I know you guys are probably so tired of me republishing this chapter lol but I just truly want it to be the best I can make it. I do hope you enjoy it though and please don't forget to vote and comment!