Wicked Games

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Kent's POV...

I take deep breath. I can't believe I'm about to have conversation that's ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.

Hope sits next to me irritated and panicked all at once. Her left leg shakes so bad vibration spreads through the floor and shakes table too. This place is already familiar to her and it makes her feel like she's in narrow space, she cannot breathe.

"Two other corpses!" I hear woman hit her fist to the table.

"It's nice to see you too Catherine." I smile at her.

"One hasn't his insides, he's clean as fish." Hope sucks sharp breath. "Other is drowned. Both died almost the same time!" Catherine makes effort to moderate her voice. "Eight people are disappeared after explosion, eleven dead, others are injured.

"People are dying one by one every day. I'm covering news, paying to their families for silence but today it happened again!" She steadies herself. "Your little partner denied my offer where I was even paying you."

"I have my reasons Catherine. It's your business not mine." Hope insists.

"I brought you here—again—because I need you. This will lead us to catastrophe. People are slaughtered." Even Catherine's neck veins are tensed.

"Seven of them are still disappeared and we assume they'll share Marco's fate as well." Martin adds from his boss's office table. "We need to stop whoever is behind this because normal criminal don't explode building to kidnap people."

"We need solution or we'll become next Marcos." She breathes. "Kent are you going to help me or not?"

I don't want to glance at Hope but she looks at me, waits for me to say something that'll be against her will. "You are right, we're partners. And we should respect each other's decisions," Hope won't look away, "if my partner doesn't want to cooperate with you, you must know that I'm by her side." She smiles at me.

Catherine tries to laugh but fails. Her face drops in pure confusion. "Alright. What if lockdown starts?" I bite back chuckle. "And what if my police get your crime photos." Martin hands her some papers. "In café Negrita and middle of street." There's two pictures of us in crime centers. "Maybe you managed to delete hotel camera recordings but..."

"You can't threaten us like that."

"Why not? What is holding me back if my business is about to fail this season?" Elder one returns to her.

"You do it again, it's actually hilarious already. We survived many other Catherines, you know we will save ourselves this time too. There's no need to try." Hope says self-esteemed.

I smirk as I dare to peer at her. Catherine's eye starts twitching as she decides to use last trump card. "Martin, call police. There are criminals in my house, I need help." Two guards shield glass doors and Martin's phone is ready to ring. Hope is on her feet but I don't even shift. My legs are still crossed and I wait patiently when this spectacle ends while looking down at my watch.

"As much as I enjoy this conversation, you all waste my time." I say, far too bored.

"We need your help, please." We hear familiar voice.

"Ash?" My partner's eyes go wide.

"Hope, it's not about business already, it's about people's safety." Ashton approaches her and holds her hands.

"How do you know my name?" Hope asks speechless.

"I'm really sorry, I lied to you. I've known who you are from the very beginning. Catherine asked me to spy on you personally." He looks straight in her eyes. "I'm sorry for this huge lie but now we need you. Find person who caused this everything."