Taken by the Mafia ✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 19

Est paced back and forth in the dimly lit hideout, his face twisted in frustration. The room was filled with an air of tension, the soft glow from the single lightbulb overhead casting long shadows across the faces of his allies—Fort and Boss. Both of them sat silently, watching Est, their expressions unreadable as they waited for him to speak. Job and Bas stood nervously near the door, fidgeting with their hands as they avoided making eye contact with Est.

Finally, unable to contain his anger any longer, Est stopped in his tracks and spun around to face them. His voice erupted with fury, echoing throughout the hideout.

"How come they know you were there?!" Est shouted, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Job and Bas.

Job stepped forward, wringing his hands, his face pale. "I... I don’t know, boss. Perth... Perth saw us at the mall. We were following him and Santa just like you said, but he—he figured it out somehow." Job’s voice wavered, and he glanced at Bas, seeking support.

Bas nodded quickly, his eyes wide with fear. "Yeah, boss, we didn’t mean for it to happen! Perth just… I don’t know how he noticed us. He’s sharper than we thought."

Est’s hands clenched into fists, and he took a menacing step towards them. "You guys are useless!" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. His frustration was palpable, the air in the room growing thick with tension as Job and Bas shrank back.

"I’m sorry, boss," Bas stammered, bowing his head, his voice barely above a whisper.

Est scoffed, shaking his head. "Enough! Get out!" His command was cold, final, and filled with disgust.

Job and Bas exchanged a brief, fearful glance before quickly exiting the room, their footsteps echoing down the narrow hallway as they left Est, Fort, and Boss alone in the hideout.

Once the door slammed shut, silence settled over the room like a heavy weight. Est’s shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched as he stared at the door where Job and Bas had just disappeared.

"So, what now?" Boss finally asked, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, but his eyes showed a hint of concern. He knew Est’s temper well enough to tread carefully.

Fort leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I think we need to plan this better, Est,” he said in a thoughtful tone. "We all know how sharp Perth is. He’s not someone we can just tail without him noticing. If we keep going at it like this, we’ll never get close enough to him or anyone."

Est scoffed, running a hand through his hair, clearly irritated by the situation. "Perth’s always been a problem. He’s got eyes everywhere just like Jeff,"he muttered under his breath, frustration lacing his words. He turned to Fort and Boss. "But we can’t back down now. Zee’s gone because of them."

Fort nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "Agreed. But we need to be smarter about this. If we rush things, we’ll get caught."

Boss leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Then we play the long game. We wait until they make a mistake, and when they do, we strike."

Est paused for a moment, considering their words. He knew they were right. Rushing in without a proper plan would only lead to more failure. But the thought of waiting, of being patient, gnawed at him. Every day that passed was another reminder that Zee was gone.

With a deep breath, Est finally nodded, though his eyes were still burning with the need for revenge. "Fine. We’ll wait. But we’re not letting them get away with this." He looked between Fort and Boss, his voice low and determined. "We’ll plan. And when the time comes, none of them won’t see us coming."

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The soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains of Santa’s room, casting a gentle glow over the space. He stirred, blinking against the early morning light as he sat up, stretching his arms with a yawn. Today felt different. The mansion was quieter than usual, the familiar sounds of Jeff or Perth moving around nowhere to be heard.