ENDS

Chapter 57- Black

This was Santiago's second day of following them and he feels now is the best time to bring in their daughter back to her parents but he wanted to stay a bit longer to know when they would be leaving the shop.

The noon sunlight was a bit harsh to his skin and it prickled at his hair follicles but he bore it in good fate because inside the café was always cool so the discomfort was only temporary.

Yesterday he wasn't sure if it was disguise or adjustment to suit the plan but he never understood why Hunter served at the restaurant. It confused him.

Hunter might not recognize who he was, after all he was recruited a year or two after Hunter had left... he wasn't so sure.

But he definitely knew who Hunter was, there wasn't a person on the team who didn't.

One of Soldo's favorite recruits that backstabbed him. That's what they were all told that suited his description.

They were all warned not to be like Hunter, unfortunately Hunter became the motivation for those who wanted to leave.

He doubts Hunter is aware of how many people he's inspired with his actions that depict a better life outside the camp.

Sometimes he wished that Soldo would let the matter go and allow the young man to have some rest, but he knew more than enough to also be certain that Soldo was going to have his pound of flesh whether they all wished it or not.

Santiago finally arrived at the café and pushed the doors opened.

He hated the way that chiming of the bell drew attention to him.

Wasn't the bell aware that he just wanted to spy and leave?

The deed had been done anyway, he just had to get to the counter with every eye on him, get his coffee and leave.

"Good morning, what can I help you with" the teenage girl who he always met behind the counter said with a smile.

"extra creamy with sugar." He requested and dropped his money on the table before turning back to have his seat.

He wasn't really the social type, at least people who knew him knew he wasn't.

A lot of other people got offended by his behavior sometimes.

Take Tai for instance, she could pass off for someone who hates him as a customer.

But he didn't know that and even if he did, I'm not sure he cared.

All he needed was his coffee anyway and not opinions.

He took his seat and waited for his target audience to arrive the restaurant, it took him a while before they showed up but the moment they did he felt relief that he was finally going to be able to finalize anything that had a correlation to he and Soldo and be gone for good.

For a better good.

Hunter showed up some minutes before Iris did and like yesterday put on an apron just the way he did yesterday that surprised Santiago slightly, but what could he do about it without blowing his cover.

He had already finished his cup of coffee and wanted to waste away a little more time so he waited till it was Hunter behind the counter and went to make another order.

"Do you have any croissants left?" he asked an already frowning Hunter.

He could guess why he was in a bad mood though; Iris was with her new friend again.

And he wasn't sure if he was frowning out of jealousy or a gut feeling that something was off with the new guy.

Because he felt his bad energy and he knew whoever that guy was would definitely be bad news but he had no idea how to tell them so he just minded his business.