SAIRO

xvii. allied enemy

Chapter 17 : Allied Enemy

Third Person's POV

Inside the ball held by Viola, the carriage stopped at the manor house surrounded by woods while the teenagers frowned watching them, except for Luis. The two men got off the carriage as they picked up Percy in their shoulder who was in Diana form before heading inside.

"We've been there," Celeste said under her breath.

"Why at your house?" asked Viola as she slowly looked at Luis with her eyebrows slightly pulled down together.

They all fell silent and just looked at him while he shook his head with a frown. "I-I don't know,"

"Is there something we should know, Luis?" Alistair evenly said reason for him not being able to answer.

Vince rushed to him and grabbed him by his collar. "You're such a liar. If anything happens to Percy, you'll be also in jail. Malabong wala kang kinalaman dito!"

"Stop it, Vince," Alistair kept Vince away as Luis step away without breaking their eye contact to each other.

"I don't know what you're saying."

"Yeah! Pretend you don't know and we'll be half-witted. Is that what you want? Then you're a spy on us to tell your companions about our next move-!"

"Enough." Viola rebuked reason for Vince go cut off. "Vince is right. We don't know if you're telling the truth. Better stay away and don't come if you really weren't involved in planning all of this. W-we're just, making sure," she added, looking down without showing any emotions as he just stared at her.

Celeste sighed. "Let's go."

They walked ahead while Viola followed them but before she could get away, Luis called her a reason for her to stop. "What about the deal?"

It took her a while to answer while she didn't mind turning to him. "Forget about it." she said almost a mutter and left him watching their backs.

He clenched his jaw as he brush-off his hair. "I have to stop Alice. This is all I can do to make up for my wrong decisions." he said in his mind, exiting the entrance of the alleyway as he walked in the opposite direction of where the teenagers were walking.

As Viola walked, she stopped and looked behind Luis who was walking away with clenched fists. "What was he up to? Where is he going?" she asked in her mind with a wrinkle on her forehead. Vince mentioned her name as she have no choice but follow her departing companions except for Vince who was waiting for her to come closer.

Vince separated from them to report to the police as they instructed to bring four of them instead two and he'll just follow them while they went ahead. While they were walking on the road surrounded by trees with scrabbling of lizards on tree bark, wind whistling around trunks, insects humming while birds sing, Viola turned her back when she felt someone's presence as Vince ran up behind them.

"G-guys," he stopped infront of them as they all turned to him.

"Did you do it?" Alistair asked.

He catch his breath. "Yeah. The police are coming."

"S-should we change the plan?" asked Celeste

"There's no time. We should stick to plan A. We sent four police instead of the two we talked about when he was there. As long as possible if necessary to fight, we will fight."

In the room where the rotting meat with fruity undertones was steaming, there were bodies wrapped in white sheets stained with blood lying on the floor, while a massive furnace stood in the corner. Through the tall window, light came in and there was Percy lying on the floor with his wrists tied behind his back. He slowly opened his eyes, looking at the floor as he looked around making his jaw dropped. He immediately got up with his nostrils flaring as he backed up until he was leaning against the door. "Shit. Shit. Shit. Fucking shit!"