The Atta-Rose || Season 1

CHAPTER 29 : Small Part of Duncan

The morning after the incident, the group gathered early, their usual banter replaced by a more focused energy. The weight of what Liza had witnessed hung in the air, a stark reminder of the stakes they were playing for.

"We can't stay here," Sye said, her voice firm. "Moretti's getting more unstable by the minute. It's only a matter of time before he starts looking for us more aggressively."

Nin nodded in agreement. "We need to move, find somewhere safer where we can regroup without being on his radar."

They packed up quickly, leaving no trace behind that could link them to the location. Liza took extra care to wipe their digital footprint, ensuring that no one could track their movements.

...

By mid-morning, they had checked into a new 'hotel' on the other side of Duncan, a much quieter side..
The group moved quickly to their respective rooms, each one exhausted from the tension and constant vigilance of the past few days. The adrenaline that had kept them on edge was wearing off, leaving them drained and in dire need of rest.

Nin was the first to collapse onto the bed, barely bothering to take off her shoes before drifting into a deep sleep. Sye, who usually found it hard to wind down, was out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow. Liza, still processing the events of the previous night, tried to stay awake a bit longer, but exhaustion overtook her as well.

Irr, who had been maintaining her calm state, finally let herself relax, sinking into the mattress with a sigh of relief. Che who is known for resisting sleep the longest, but even she eventually succumbed to the weariness that had been building up. Naz, who had been tending to everyone's needs, was the last to fall asleep, making sure everyone was settled before finally allowing herself to rest.

The rooms were silent except for the steady sound of their breathing as they all drifted into much-needed sleep, knowing that for now, at least, they were safe. The next steps would come later, but for now, they allowed themselves to rest, recharging for whatever lay ahead.

...

Liza stirred from her sleep, her senses gradually coming back to life as she heard a faint ping from her phone. Groggy and still half-asleep, she reached over to her bedside table, blinking against the light from the screen. The notification read, "Food has been delivered."

She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness. The exhaustion from the past days still weighed heavily on her, but the mention of food was enough to get her moving. They hadn't had a proper meal in what felt like forever, and the promise of something hot and filling was too tempting to ignore.

Quietly, so as not to disturb the others, Liza slipped out of bed and padded over to the door. She peeked through the peephole, confirming the presence of a delivery bag sitting just outside their room.

She carefully opened the door, bringing the food inside. The smell of warm, freshly-cooked dishes filled the room, making her stomach growl in anticipation. She smiled to herself, grateful for a small moment of silence amidst the chaos.

Liza set the food on the table, then sent a quick text to the others in the group chat: "Lunch is here. Come eat when you're up."

Satisfied, she sat down and started unpacking the food.

...

As the rest of the group slowly woke up and caught the scent of the food, they made their way to the living room, where Liza had set everything up. The table was spread with various dishes, enough to satisfy everyone's hunger after the exhausting past few days.

Che was the first to grab a plate, filling it with a little bit of everything..

"Alhamdulillah Ya Allah, nikmattt." Che gratefully said.

As they all sat down, the atmosphere began to lighten. The tension from before was replaced with the comfort of being together, sharing a meal like they often did.

Che, in her usual calm manner, suddenly cracked a joke about the food being so good that it might've been poisoned by their enemies. It was lame, as usual, but everyone chuckled, appreciating the attempt.

Liza then followed up with a dark joke about how if it was poisoned, at least they'd die with full stomachs.

Naz, between bites, pointed her fork at her. "If I had a dollar for every dark joke you made, we wouldn't need this next heist," she teased.

"That's the plan," Liza shot back with a smirk, earning another round of laughter.

Nin, grinning, shook her head at the banter, feeling a warmth that had been missing during their recent ordeals. Sye added her own chaotic twist to the conversation, tossing in playful jabs at everyone around the table, while Irr made a cryptic comment that left them all scratching their heads, but laughing nonetheless.

For a while, the living room was filled with nothing but laughter and light-hearted conversation, the kind of moments that made them feel like more than just a group of criminals. They were friends, a makeshift family, finding comfort in each other even when the world around them seemed dark.

Translation of the Day:
nikmat = delightful/enjoyable