Code and Conduct

Evaporation and Madness

   It had been a week since Nikolai went missing. I finally snuck out to see if he was at his penthouse, which he was not. It was as if he had evaporated into thin air. He was just gone, no explanation, no phone call, no warning. I was going crazy with worry. I didn't want to get up in the mornings and go to school. I dreaded going to the meetings, having no clue what to tell Emmeline and Demitri. I was going absolutely mad. I was what you could call a control freak, and in this instance, I had no control. I hired the private investigator, and so far she had found not one trace of Nikolai anywhere. No credit card usage, nothing.

   This continued for only a couple days longer. I arrived home from the Elitist meeting in which I had to bring more news that I had no new information on Nikolai. I walked upstairs, feeling so defeated. However, when I turned on the light in my room, I squealed as if there were a rat on my face. "Shut up, idiot." Nikolai hissed. I sighed in relief and immediately engulfed him in a hug. He chuckled lightly. "Alethia? What was that scream for?" my mom asked from downstairs. "Nothing mom! Just thought I saw a spider!" I assured her. When I turned back around, Nikolai grabbed me and pulled me into a long, deep kiss. I pulled away after a minute, glaring at him. "You disappeared!" I said scornfully, slapping his chest. "Yes, let me explain." he said, looking thoroughly remorseful. I softened a bit, his expression melting me. "Listen, gorgeous. You, me, Demitri, and Emmeline, we have to leave New York."  he said, exhaling deeply and looking at me with heartbroken eyes. "Wh-what? Why?" I questioned. "Alethia, there's only one other gang in New York that can out rule us, but that's only due to age. They're called the Wolves, and they are extremely dangerous. They normally don't bother us. But Evelyn Alexander, she's the leader's daughter." I suppressed a gasp. "Yeah, Jaxson is a traitor." Nikolai said. "I pissed him off bad didn't I?" I asked, scared for my life. "Bad doesn't even begin to describe it. After I left the meeting, Andrew Alexander paid me a visit.." Nikolai rolled up his sleeves, revealing almost fresh cuts, that were deep but not deep enough to need stitches. Ironically, they formed two A's. I felt tears well up in my eyes and spill over. "He did that to you?" I asked, knowing the answer but attempting to keep my voice as steady as possible. Nikolai took his thumb and wiped away my tears, kissing my cheek. "I'm okay." he whispered. I took a ragged breath, calming myself. "Look, Alethia. We have to go, now. You cannot talk to your mom or dad or brothers and sister. They can know nothing, or Andrew will kill them. They will be just a pretense for you. You are his main target."