|Siren for Luna|

|ii|

It was 10:10 PM when Aleks was starting to reach the border between Queens and Brooklyn. As Ximena was gathering her weapons, she felt a vibration in her back pocket. Hoping it wasn't Gabriel, she yanked out her burner phone, only to grin widely.

"Who is it?" Aleks looked nervously towards the woman, his eyes taking in every street, corner, and person he passed. Despite assuring her of the secrecy of this hidden route through Yakuza territory, the man was looking uncharacteristically wary. Ximena made a mental note to ask him what the hell was wrong, after talking on the phone.

"It's Leya." Then, she accepted the call. "Leya, is everything alright?" Ximena was the eldest Gutierrez child, with three younger sisters following. And like all sisters, there were more differences than similarities.

"Yeah, I was just checking up on you. Were you planning on coming home tonight?" Leya was the twenty-one year old golden daughter; she was currently attending NYU's nursing program. Unlike Ximena, her involvement with the mob was fairly minuscule at most, thus allowing a college career. Typically, the daughters of the Don would be used to create alliances with rival mobs, but at the moment, there was no need to create truces. It was speculated that the young woman would act as a medic for the family at some point, but it had been undecided.

"No, I've got some Mob business to check up on. I'll probably get back home real late tonight." A sigh of frustration and disappointment filled the line, and the older woman rolled her eyes.

"Mena, you haven't been home in a while. The others miss you. Just drop by at some point when Papi isn't around." Leya had been ten when her oldest sister began her initiation into the Mob, and sadly, the transition had been rough on her. Despite the physical distance however, Ximena made an effort to see them a few times a week. Unfortunately, in recent weeks, there had been too much Yakuza territory to allow for breaks, forcing her to isolate herself once more. "Well, I've got to go. I've got a study group to get to. I'll call you when I get home, okay? It'll be late."

"I'll wait for that call. You call me or Gabriel if someone gives you trouble, Leya. I don't give a flying fuck what time it is. No one fucks with my little sister." A musical laugh was heard, and Ximena smiled affectionately. For once, familial warmth overwhelmed her, and she was left with a strong urge to visit home. "Good night." The line cut, and she put the phone in her pocket.

"How long has it been?" Aleks happened to be extremely close to the Gutierrez family, having met Ximena in preschool. He had just emigrated from Belfast, Ireland, all while looking like a ghost and having a heavy accent. The woman remembered watching the peculiar boy enter the class for the first time and seeing the isolation he had to face. For some reason, she felt a sort of protectiveness over the newcomer. That led to her attacking some boy who had begun to bully Aleks, which in turn marked the beginning of a long friendship.

"I haven't visited them since...October, I think? All this gang movement's been crazy." He nodded softly, clearly thinking to himself. "Speaking of siblings, how's Declan?" Her voice had taken a cheery lift, and the man gave her a funny smirk, raising his eyebrow. "Hey, I haven't seen him in a while, and I miss-Nope, sorry can't do it." The two erupted in laughter at the thought.

"Declan's been...Declan. He's been in Ireland for the past couple of months with his best friend on business, and he's coming home tonight." Declan was Aleks' older brother and was a certified douche bag. Despite being on good terms with most of his family, Ximena and Declan never were able to get along. After Aleks took that five year trip to Ireland, she took pleasure in knowing the man and her would not speak to one another. It was, unfortunately, the only consolation she had during that separation from her best friend.

"So, where's this shortcut?" The tension suddenly returned to his body, and to the woman's shock, he turned onto a hidden road. The road seemed to take them further from the city and into the woods. The woman remained silent the entire time, feeling uneasy with the wilderness. It was when he stopped at the mouth of a bridge that the conversation continued.