Elio Novan has it all-wealth, power, and the success of YUI, the world's leading tech giant. But beneath the surface, his life is anything but perfect. Haunted by a tragic past and a betrayal that left him shattered, Elio has built walls around his...
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"The last safehouse..." I muttered, feeling a bit sad that it'll all be over. This has been... entertaining, to say the least. "This was fun while it lasted."
"Fuck no..." Alex said to herself, too quiet for anyone to hear. But I heard it. And I couldn't resist giving that same sly smile I always do.
"Did you really not enjoy the trip?" I teased, my grin widening. "Well, at least I found it fun, having a new toy to play with." I glanced at her, that same grin still playing on my lips.
"Shut the fuck up."
"Make m—" Before I could finish, three other jeeps rolled up, tires crunching against gravel, the faint sound of engines cutting through the air like a knife. Well, there goes the fun.
Everyone piled out, and for a moment, it felt like we were all standing around like some twisted camping trip, waiting to roast marshmallows or some shit. But then I heard that voice.
"Operatives! Superiors!"
Oh, fuck... Earl was in his full-on leader mode. Ughhh, the fun just died right then and there.
"This is the last safehouse. We don't know what we're gonna find inside. Could be Enna, could be more machines that wanna tear us apart. Either way, we're sticking in the same pairs we're in—"
Before he could even finish, Alex shot her hand into the air, like we were on some TV show and she had the answer to win a million euros or some shit.
"Wouldn't it be better if we switched up the teams?" Her voice cut through. I smirked, "Already trying to get rid of me, huh?" I whispered into her ear.
"What do you propose we do, Ms. Lan?" Oh, fuck... now he's all formal using last names. Bring back the fun Earl!
"We split based on strengths. People who can handle themselves go solo. Those who can't? They group up." Alex answered Earl's question.
A pause. I could see the gears turning in his head. I almost hoped he'd say no just to keep things fun. Or maybe boring. Some would say boring, some would say annoying, but I'd say fun. But, no. Of course, he liked the idea.
"Not a bad idea, Lan. Alright, let's do it."
Great...
"I'll go alone. Oliver and Van Ams, you're also solo."
FOR FUCK'S SAKE... great... just great... nobody to play with. Ugh.
"Meyer and Schmidt, you two pair up."
Well... at least those two heartbroken birds stay together. Means not all of Earl's fun has vanished. I was happy with that, until...
...the kicker came, the icing on the whole goddamn cake.
"Lan, Fischer, and Zahn—you three are together."
Oh, this was good. This was really good. I glanced at Alex, and just for a second, I caught the flash of horror behind her eyes. Emma and Jenna? Stuck with her? Oh, this was gonna be fucking delicious. I could practically see the panic settling in, not just in Alex's eyes but Emma's and Jenna's too. They hated her. And she hated them. This was... this was perfect!
