The Sweet Nothings || ✓

'THAT'S YOUR FATAL FLAW'

The search team, as said by Lana, moved out that very night. Kevin Davis, the gangs second in command and Lana's most trusted man, lead the group.

They were prepared for any casualty that might come their way but they were also prepared for utter failure.

The team had most of the inner gang- Castor, Cole, Paul, Kevin and of course Lizzie.

She had been wanting to strangle the Xavier guy ever since the day she got to know about everything.

"Kidnapping my girl! What does he think of himself?!" That is what got Lizzie on the team.

The determination.

However Hazel had been pretty unwell, so she didn't accompany them on the mission.

And Lana didn't question, she wanted the best on the team.

She had wanted to go herself but Nany had suggested that Stephen, Aidan, Henry and Lana Saturday back and manage things from here itself. And Lana had agreed.

She was sitting in the meeting hall with Aidan, Henry and Stephen when the phone rang. She quickly picked it up when she saw Kevin's name pop up.

" We have reached. Where to next?" He asked.

Lana rushed to the map of Italy sprawled over the world map on the table.

"He was spotted near the town of Jermia which is near a dense forest. That town is an hour's drive away from the airport. After reaching the town, call back up." She said. Kevin said a brisk 'yeah' and cut off the call.

She slid down to the floor.

Stephen, Henry and Aidan exchanged a look and then after nodding, Aidan and Henry moved out of the room and Stephen neared the slumped figure of Lana.

"Heya sis!" He whispered. Lana looked up at him and he saw how tired she was. But he had wanted to talk to her since a long time now.

"Come on, I will take you to your room for a while. We can talk there." And Lana didn't argue. They walked to her room in silence and reaching it, Lana entered and flopped down on the bed while Stephen dragged a chair right up beside the bed.

"I wanted to tell you something." He said, then shaking his head he added, "But it's okay it you are tired. I can le-"

"It's alright. What's wrong?" Lana asked.

"I want an advice." He said, Lana nodded, sensing that it was an important matter.

Stephen spoke up.

"Remember Aria?" Lana nodded, remembering their cousin. Stephen gulped.

"I know this will probably sound weird but yeah," he paused, as if still doubting if he should say it or not, but then he continued, "I love her."

Lana nodded again.

Of course he loved her, she was their cousi-

Her eyes widened.

Then that scene from the day of the ball came back into her head. The image of them being unnaturally close.

"You mean-"

Stephen cut her off. "Yes. I mean I am in love with her."

Lana sat up straight, forgetting all about resting.

"Stephen, you know how messed up that is, right?" She asked, not believing it herself.

He nodded.

"What about Aria? What does she feel? Does she feel the same way?" She asked desperately. She felt slightly dizzy at the situation.

"Yes. Both of us feel the same way about this. What do we do now? I know. I shouldn't be bothering you right now. But I thought that since I discovered an elder sister, I wanted to share this. With you. What do I do?" He asked, letting the question hang in the air only for it to add on to the 'already-filled' question bank of Lana.
Lana laid down again, thinking about it.

"Don't worry. I will come up with something." She assured Stephen. He looked her way, smiled sadly and then got up.

"Thanks sis. So, I guess I'll leave you to rest now. Sleep for sometime. You need it." Then he moved out.

Lana kept tossing and turning, thoughts running wild in her head.

Damien, Maia, Henry and Stephen consumed her head and in no time, Kevin's name popped up again on her phone. Lana looked at the watch. It had been more than an hour.

She picked up the call.
" What took you so long?" She asked him.

"We reached the town and asked around first. One of the residents had seen him coming out of the forest. So we moved in. We are outside this big old mansion right now. I wanted you to know that we are moving in. Switch on the camera."

Henry had suggested that we install a small camera in Kevin's shirt button so that they could see what was happening. Lana rushed to the meeting hall which had all the setup and wasn't surprised to see Nany, Henry, Aidan and Stephen there. She switched on the camera and the sight came on, on the computer screen.

"It's on. Move in now Kevin. And please," Lana paused, "Be careful." She said. He muttered a "will do," and Lana cuts the call.

They all watched as Kevin and the rest of them approached the mansion, ever so slowly. Lana was to anxious, all possibilities running in her head. Kevin opened the gate surrounding the mansion. Lana expected something to happen. Maybe an alarm or a guard. Anything. Even a buzzer.

But nothing happened.

Lizzie moved in first leading everyone else. They approached the front door. Lizzie turned the door knob and the door swung open. She turned around to frown at Kevin and then moved ahead. Everyone slowly pulled out their guns. Lana had told them to stay together. No matter what, no splitting. Everyone moved through the mansion, checking one room after another but nothing was found.

Here, in the mansion that Lana was sitting in, everyone seemed to have stopped breathing.

This was weird. It isn't supposed to be this easy. She thought to herself.

Kevin moved further ahead and into another section of the mansion. They all moved slowly, anticipating any attack at any instant. Reaching the section including more than five rooms, they searched up all of them.

Everything was empty and clean. Like the previous resident had just moved out.

Then they entered the last room.

On the bed was a piece of clothing neatly folded. Kevin moved closer to it and motioned Lizzie to pick it up. They stood in a semi-circle, muscles tense and Lizzie picked up the cloth.

A piece of paper fell down as the piece of clothing unfolded in the air. It was a black flimsy dress. Lizzie picked up the chit from the floor and handed it to Kevin. He first took out his phone, called Lana and then read it out to her on the call.

"Dear Lana,
You should learn not to trust so easily. That's your fatal flaw. Next time if you plan on catching me, do not send out a group of kids. Be there, wearing this dress and I'll be there for you.
Oh. And I know you will look gorgeous in it but it will be better off ;)

P. S Maia is O|< ^Y! "

Lana felt furious. But she also sensed something. She looked up to the people in the room, knowing that they had realised it too.

But she spoke it. Loud for everyone to hear even on the phone.

"We have a spy. In the gang."