Dark Faïz (Book 2) [Completed]

Chapters 10-4

As Lexy finished her dinner, Asarys and I were in the hands of FBI. agents Malika, and Min, who helped us prepare.

"I couldn't swallow anything. How does she manage to have so much appetite?"

Asarys avoided moving her head as much as possible while an officer checked the sound state of our earbuds. Meanwhile, a woman covered my face with white cream, similar to paint, carefully following the tutorial sent by Kayla earlier today. The conference hall, where we were all gathered, had turned into a veritable war headquarters. Cards hung on the walls of the room. David, by videoconference, spoke directly with the FBI. My friend looked through a multitude of notes in his hands, which he quickly communicated to them.

"I feel like we're going to be sent into space," I managed to articulate while the woman in front of me was busy applying makeup to my eyes and eyebrows.

"In a way, this is not entirely false," replied Lexy, who had just joined us to put on her long and heavy tunic.

The same outfit that we'd had to deal with throughout the day.

"Did you have time to see him?" suddenly asked Asarys, who was now doing her makeup, too.

"No, not yet!"

No sooner had we arrived at the inn than all of us had to meet directly in this room. William and Dewei had briefed us on the posture to adopt and to hold throughout the ceremony which the Twilight Brotherhood would give in honor of Kushisake that night.

"Ask to see him before you leave the inn," Lexy insisted.

"What? Just like that?" I retorted, indicating the state of my face. "Imagine he wakes up when I'm leaning over him. It's an insured heart attack."

"Lexy is right. This may be the last time you will have the opportunity...to... You see?"

My thoughts were lost returning to that magic moment shared together the day before, before he passed out. The memory of the kiss exchanged during the magnificent song of Kimberose came back to me. I absolutely had to come back safe and sound, for my father... For Faïz. So that they could continue to live normally.

"I'll see him when we get back. We will come back. We have no choice!"

The girls smiled. They wanted to believe me despite the concern that crossed their faces at that moment.

"Do you hear me?" asked David.

It felt like my best friend was right there, very close to me.

"I can hear you," I said with a smile that cracked my face.

A feeling of well-being overcame me.

"Perfect, I'm happy to spend some time with you, Zoe, even if I would have preferred it in other circumstances."

"Don't worry. Your voice gives me a courage that you can't even imagine."

"I'm delighted to learn that. So, all three of you can listen to me. I should point out that we aren't in a conference. I'm the only one who can hear you, and you can't communicate with each other using the headset. I will be your interpreter this evening at this gathering organized by the Twilight Brotherhood."

"Okay, David," replied Asarys. "We will stay in touch!"

The three of us were with Barthey, Malika, Min, and William, positioned in a circle outside the inn and lit by a full moon that promised to guide us through that night. My friends and I were unrecognizable. Our pale complexions and our eyes made up with heavy white and black layers made us think that we were going on a pilgrimage to celebrate the Day of the Dead. We also wore contact lenses, dark in color. Although our hoods covered a good part of our faces, we didn't neglect any detail in case of problems that arose during our mission. The end of our mouths were split on each side by a long black and red line, which recalled the heavy scars imposed on Kushisake by her own partner. I hadn't had the opportunity to see them when she appeared to me during my drowning in the cave. Her mask, which covered her mouth and nose, hadn't allowed me to see, if only to glimpse, the extent of her injuries.

"Each of you has your own plan?" asked William, who was trying to hide his fear in his voice.

We nodded without saying anything.

"Ray and Min will accompany you as close as possible to the entrance to the cemetery. Afterwards, you will be alone with David as your only contact, who will be able to communicate the progress of the mission to us. Are you ready?"

"We are," said Lexy, shrugging. "It can't be worse than what we went through with Issei."

A vehicle approached us, then descended to the ground. William's hand suddenly grabbed my wrist before I followed my friends inside. He dragged me away so that he could speak to me for a few moments. Nervous, William seemed to be looking for his words. His coarse blond hair fell lightly on his face.

"I just need to hear it, Zoe. I need you to tell me that everything will be fine, without feeling the slightest hesitation in your words."

He was staring at me in desperation. Under his impeccable presence, which had destabilized me many times, his armor was now split into a thousand pieces.

"I'm here to achieve what I'm destined to accomplish. So I will come back."

My hands clung firmly to William's face. "I'm not afraid!"

Relieved, he sighed deeply, freed from the anxieties that had tortured him every minute that day. For my part, I held the growing ball at the back of my throat. It was the first time that I had managed to lie to someone so well while looking him straight in the eye.