Umbrella.

Again and again... And again.

Chapter was originally posted : 01/10/2023 on AO3 by 0Creativity0 (me).

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To limit the costs of transportation and optimise profits made, the Zoldyck kids were sometimes sent on, what the family had named, a "killing spree". They'd be kept at a certain location and sent to accomplish one or multiple missions in their surroundings, if the number of requests was consequent enough for it to be profitable. And well, it seemed that a lot of people in York Shin were despicable, because Killua saw a rather important list being affected to him a few hours before he was supposed to head back home.

" - So I'm staying? He'd asked Illumi. "

He was left without an answer, as his brother assumed the task was clear enough.

" - How long do I have? He asked.

- I think you should be finished in less than a month, but technically, as long as you need, you can take. Illumi answered. The business rate is stable, not too high. We can handle without you for a good while.

- Are there any priorities or can I go ahead and plan however I want to? Killua started browsing through the file.

- Some clients paid more to be put ahead of the list, but they'll never know if we don't actually commit. His brother stated. Therefore I'll leave that up to you. The prices paid are in your file anyways. Organize yourself the way you think will be more efficient. "

With that information, Killua had set on a new target. The first client he'd be taking care of was a middle aged man, not even nearly as rich as the average Zoldyck clientele. He paid Killua to get rid of a woman named Lily, giving very little context. Making some researches about Lily, Milluki had found out the reason his client wanted her dead was because she, who used to be his girlfriend, had killed his eight year old daughter from a previous marriage and gotten away with it. Milluki added all of that information to the file, as it could be useful for blackmailing, threatening, and it also meant there was a larger risk of Killua being attacked by Lily if ever she found out he was to kill her, and therefore he should be extra careful.

Finding Lily had been harder than his average victims, but Killua wasn't against a little challenge. She was a short blondie in her early thirties, much older than the client. Her appearance was strange, her hair was messy and her clothes were dirty. Her face was marked with wounds that looked like sharp fingernails had cut across her skin, and the bags under her eyes were far too bug for anyone to miss them. He'd followed her to a convenience store after he first saw her. There she bought a bunch of random things: Killua couldn't quite think of what she was going to do with those, but he figured it was really unimportant anyways. He'd followed her on her way home, to where she went all alone and by foot. When she started taking alleyways and shortcuts instead of safe bigger routs, Killua decided to cut short to the walk. There was no need for him to wait further when the risk of getting caught here was about as low as can be." - Did you take them away from me? She screamed at him. "

All the while Killua walked her way and from the second she even saw him, the only thing she did was yell at him as if she'd lost her mind. She insulted him, cried and begged for him to give "it" back, whatever "it" was. Killua continued walking her way silently, at a quite pace but without any hurry.

" - Just fucking answer me! Lily pleaded.

- What is it? Killua asked out of mere curiosity as he raised his right hand out of his pocket. What did I take away from you?

- The notes! She shrieked. "

Killua did not flinch, his hand kept raising higher un-perceptibly. However, he took note of the woman's word. Instead of cutting through her body, his hand wrapped around her throat.

" - What notes? He asked, but it sounded like a command.

- Let me go! She demanded. His grip automatically grew firmer: just enough for her to feel like chocking but not actually die yet.

- Answer my question and I might consider. Killua responded.

- The notes. Lily answer as if it was obvious. They've been helping me! They told how to kill that demon and get rid of her. They did everything for me! "

Killua took notes of the fact. Without anymore hesitation, his right hand closed, crushing the woman's neck in a single movement. Her body fell to the floor. It was time for Killua to dispose of it.

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Two people at the verge of death, seemingly unrelated in any way. The two of them mentioned the notes, whatever they were, and Killua wondered if they were speaking of the same thing. Whatever was helping Terry Jackson seemed to have pushed Lily to commit murder, and Killua wondered if it wasn't the reason Jackson robbed his employer yet again. He wondered who was behind all of it, what their intentions were. Perhaps use people to commit felonies they couldn't commit themselves, then leave them to die. Or not really, because the letter told Jackson about Killua's venue. Only Lily had been abandoned.

And she seemed so desperate at the idea of loosing that support, as if it was some sort of addiction. Killua wondered if they were both crazy. How much of an incredible coincidence it would be: but Killua wasn't dumb. Nothing is coincidence, there is always something more. And therefore he had to be careful of it.

The following days were all the same. Again and again he did his job, there was no new mention of any notes. Even when he quickly searched around his victims' houses for clues, nothing new had appeared. Nothing was a coincidence. These two people, Terry Jackson and Lily, had to be connected in a way. However, it didn't mean Killua's business was connected with it.