009

Chrollo appears and asks what time are we leaving out.

I turned down the volume and stopped looking at the tv. Then looked at him.

'Let's see...' I glance down at my phone.

'In like 20 minutes. I already have my stuff packed up.'

"I don't actually have anything other than my pistol to aid me..."

I don't have spare exo suits lying around so I'll be the one having to do the fighting, probably.

'Well.. I have some more bullets in my cabinet but that's about it. I need to pick up more supplies soon.'

Great. Going against a supposedly invisible guy with an okay list of supplies. Ehhhh... I've gotten the job done with less.

"Oh well. We should be able to manage though."

Chrollo then goes and sits next to me on the couch.

'Apparently the cloak makes you turn invisible or something like that.. I doubt it but no one for sure knows what it actually does other than it being really valuable.'

'Hey.. once we get the cloak, I'll give you 29% of the cash earned from selling it. I think it's a good deal all things considered.'

Chrollo laughs a bit.

"I suppose you're still the Gemini I know."

I think that's a good thing? Whatever.

'We actually should leave out about now.. It's better to be early and catch him off guard than for him being the one to ambush us.'

I can tell it's getting dark outside and there is barely any sunshine now. The apartment is still warm at this time though.

"Agreed."

We get up then put our shoes on. It shouldn't be too cold outside so I doubt I'll need a jacket. I put my vest back on and Chrollo is still wearing his white shirt.

I never mentioned this until now but I have an alarm system set up in this complex. I just turn it on or off from the tap of my phone screen. Which I'll do right after locking the door. I can even turn on or off most of the lights from my phone as well which is neat.

I lock up everything and start walking out.

'Hey chrollo, did you grow up in a place like this?' I said while just arriving to 24th and walking around a bit. The sun was down but it was still a bit light outside. That nice hazel effect in the sky.

White stars, seemingly infinite in number, the luminous moon approaching, and the sun being lowered. There were clouds outside as well. I never say this but I love how the sky looks. I've always wanted to stargaze with someone.

"Not exactly. I grew up in Singapore and moved in the US when I was 18. The colleges here in this country are apparently quite nice."

He said while looking around at the scenery. People were outside but it was more quiet and less populated. I could tell the warm sky would quickly transform into a deep blue sky. With the crescent moon approaching and beaming though the grey clouds.

'You speak pretty fluently for moving here not that long ago. Did you already know english?' I ask him while looking at his eyes. He still didn't have any glasses on though.

"We studied english back home. The neighborhood we lived in back home was nice. Pretty average but it felt like home certainly. We moved also because my parents got a really good job opportunity here. My sister wasn't pleased about this though.." He told me while glancing at me.

'I'm sort of an only kid.. Did you enjoy your life before that?'

"Yes, i've been fortunate enough to not have any major setbacks or tragedies happen in my personal life."

'That's neat....'

We continued walking. I was in front and he was following me closely behind.

'Yeah this is the place. We'll have to use the horizontal stair thingies to get up there.' I check my phone to see the time.

The night was now starting and the sun was gone. It wasn't that dark since the moonlight shined on to the surrounding area and us.

It's 8:54PM right now.

I go first and Chrollo soon follows me.

*Crank*

I know they won't collapse over but that sound will never NOT make me anxious.

There was ten floors I guess until we reached the rooftop.

Decently large, definitely have some room to move around with. Although one fall and you're a goner...

The rooftop was the standard grey tiles, pipes, and a doorway to enter in from that was in the middle of the building. I caught a glimpse earlier but this building seems like it's just an apartment.

Although there are other buildings nearby. Different elevations so it's in theory possible to escape. Just mind the gap!

'I guess we just wait now. Don't go anywhere near the edge.'

"I figured, I doubt we could trap him unless we pounce on him first."

I looked at the sky then back to him.

'Alright, in case anything goes bad. I'll stick a number one on my finger. Just look for the finger that sticks out of place suddenly. Then you'll distract in some way.'

"Okay"

I begin to walk over to the door and lean on it sideways. I notice something on the ground behind the door path and walk over to it. It's probably garbage but it's bright red. Very easy to spot when everything else is some shade of blue-grey.

I suddenly feel something grab my neck and cover my mouth.

'MRmmmm'

Then it pokes my carotid sinus in a precise and stealthy way.

It... feels like... I'm...

My field of vision begins to blur and become darker. Objects begin to leave a hazy trail. My head feels lightheaded. I start to..... l....fall......

•••••••••••••••••

What happened? I look around and see that I have metal chains binding me to one of the big rectangular pipes. I'm sitting down with my head being completely lowered. I glance around and hear something.

*SMACK*

'Gah-'

*THUD*

I hear something large hitting the floor.

"This is what I hate about you kids. You have never made a hard decision in your life and you're still beaming with those goddam naïve eyes."

"I may.. be a murderer... But I don't support people like your clients..."

My head feels hazy and unclear.

"That's because you don't have to support your mom after her husband abandoned her and his children. My mother can't even function unless she's on the machine."

"..."

"See how you have nothing to say. You know i'm right. I don't give a fuck if i'm protecting psychopaths, sexual offenders, or mol-"

"It's... still wrong..."

Someone sounds like they're beaten bad.

"I need the money. You don't. That's the difference between the two of us. You murder people just like me. Don't come up with lousy justice so your WeE feelings are intact. We murder people for a living at the end of the day."

"..."

"Still nothing huh. Mommy and daddy need to beat the shit out of know so you know what a taste of the real world is. My mom did that every time I fucked up and I learned how to respond to discussions. Discussions like this in a normal way instead of being a fucking antisocial rich kid."

"..."

*drip*

*drip*

I don't want to make much sound in case this guy who I presumed was the one who beat up me as well as Chrollo. No idea how i'm getting out of this though.

"Where's your talk about supporting the right people and causes now huh. HUH!"

"I make hard decisions all the time instead of sitting there."

"..."

"Got nothing huh. You were interesting at first but you're just like all the others. But I'll let you live if you make a hard decision for once in your life."

I start to work my hand around so it can grab my phone. Then I unlock it. Then I put a alarm on it. It should go off now in ...two minutes.

"That your girlfriend or something? Alright how about this. You throw that girl off the rooftop and I'll allow you to live."

"...no..."

I start to get sweat dripping down.

I don't know if I still want to die. Fall off and just splatter all over the pavement. Falling is suppose to be a fast death so it shouldn't hurt much. The pain will finally be over. Since I can't do it myself...

"No? how about this. I'll drag you over to that girl and you'll look her right in the eyes and shoot her. That way she can't run off once I unchain her."

"Come on."

I still have my head down but I get the impression Chrollo is moving towards me.

I don't think pretending that I'm still unconscious will help in the slightest. Although this might buy some time.

I position my finger facing their direction up. I can't do much beyond this but it should be sudden.

Chrollo falls over. I think behind himself as well.

"Damn weak brat. Pick yourself back up."

Tilting my wrist, I slide my phone over along its case side. It goes directly behind the door path thingie. Grey square thing. You know what I mean right.....

Chrollo then says something.

"You're an asshole."

*SMACK*

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU FILTHY CHINESE IMMIGRANT."

Jeez....

The alarm should go off fifty seconds from now.

"Now I really am going to make you torture that girl.."

I hear two footsteps approaching me.

Grey shoes appear right in front me.

"Now kill her. You can speak to her but what's the point."

I hear directly next to me.

"I'm sorry Gemini. You're just too fat, ugly, breast-les, and foul mouth both mentally and the smell. Hate me all you want but I care about myself more than you do."

w... THIS BETTER BE PART OF THE ACT.. I then raise my head up and look forward.

'Well... I cheated on you with another man. You were always better at me at LITERALLY everything and that made me insecure. I knew I had to find a man that's equal to me and my failures. Also... Are you wearing the same underwear?'

I forgot that Chrollo didn't bring anything over so I don't know if he's still wearing the same underwear as yesterday. I also then look up at his face.

He's bruised and has blood seeping out. Along with his arms.

"Of course I am... I'm too perfect to generate body odor unlike you." He said smiling.

This is fun.

"Damn, you two both hate each other that much huh." I looked over to see a man who apparently is Erik. He looked as described.

Then the alarm goes off. He also has on a purple cloak that looks heavy.

"DAMN IT, THE COPS." He yells out while beginning to run off.

"THIS WON'T BE THE LAST OF ME."

Now for the fun part!

*TAP TAP TAP*

[The #1 hentai avatar creator in the market. {generic phone game sound effect} Think you can survive for five minutes and not ejaculate everywhere? Look behind you to-]

Erik was running then looked behind him. Unfortunately for him, this went even better than I expected.

"WHAT THE FUCK, YOU GODDAMN ANIME FANS RUINED THIS E-" He stepped back and... yup.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh-"

*SPLAT*

I can't believe I essentially killed him with a porn advertisement. Big talk for a guy who died like that huh.

"Was that all part of the plan?"

'The alarm part is. I genuinely didn't think he would die though...'

I'm just surprised at it.

"I forget that you're.. into stuff like that. Did you already have that ad saved into your phone?"

'Yeah sort of. I kind of found it funny and saved it to my alarms. Don't ask anything more about it.'

It's amazing how fast someone reacts to auditory stimuli, had he payed attention more. He would have immediately realized it was not coming below him and was coming from one point on the top of the building.

'I do hope no one miraculously comes up here. OH right. Let's grab the cloak once I get unchained somehow..' How did I even get chained up with metal chains in the first place.

"I should explain how you get in this position in the first place. Erik first knocked you out, then started to fight me but kept turning invisible so I couldn't do too much against that. He then knocks me out but for a shorter length than you apparently were out for.

'I can tell, you took quite the beating huh...'

"I couldn't tell how he chained you up though.. I think I know what to do about this." He said said while furrowing his eyebrows.

'Chrollo, don't go without me.. I honestly am scared what will happen if someone attacks me and I'm all alone, bond with chains. Plus I'm sure the cloak won't be going anywhere for a little bit.' I said lowering the tone of my voice. Chrollo walks next to me then behind me.

"Lower your head, Gemini."

*Snap*

*BOOM*

A small explosion happened right after Chrollo went behind me. Nearly hitting my delicate little skull.

The tube that I was attracted to breaks in half. Making it easy for me to stand up and have the chains naturally come off of me.

'You had a grenade this whole time?'

"Yeah, I couldn't figure out a way to use it while I was fighting and wanted to spare it so I can get you out of here."

'Thank you.' I stand up and let the chains fall off of my body, liberating my movements and making me fell less stiff.

'Now let's head down before someone actually comes up here inevitably.'

We start to walk over to where the stair ladder thingie is and traverse downwards

'Wait, where did it go?'

"I'm sure he fell here"

The dimly lit ground had blood but nothing else.

"The cloak was purple whenever he wasn't using it.. So it should be visible."

We look around the surrounding area, touching the ground. But nothing.

'I'm sorry, I'm pretty sure the cloak is gone now because you helped me out first.'

"It's alright. If you don't see anything as well, we should head back and continue the search some other time."

Forty minutes go by, asking around. Consistently hearing about a group of people walking around then grabbing something and leaving off in their truck. Which confirms my idea that it was grabbed by someone other than us. It actually might be a good thing Chrollo helped me out before grabbing it. Those group of people probably would have beaten Chrollo to death... We then start to walk back in the direction of my car

*SIGH*

'Yeah that confirms it, some people took it while we were still up there. No idea how they knew and got to it so fast. It almost sounds like they knew this would happen..'

"Well let's go back. I have to return to my dorm tonight in a few hours."

'Can't you just wait until tomorrow?' I said with a slightly irritated tone

"Can't. My classes start tomorrow before they let people back in again. My parents are very strict on me attending my classes on time."

'Fine. I'll drive you to your dorm first then head back to my apartment. Did you take public transportation to get to the auction?'

"No, my client provided transportation. Although you only have to drive me half way there before I can go on a bus to get to my college."

I mentally sigh again.

'How far is it? I don't want to drive around too late into the night.'

"Maybe 50 minutes from here?"

'...Okay...'

We get into the car and I start driving to where he said to go. I put on some music for the rest of the ride. I also grab some band aids and stuff to mask the fact that he was getting beat up earlier. Attempt to mask it.. He did stop bleeding a while ago.

"Thank you for the pleasure Gemini."

He gets out of the car. I turn down the music volume of the car.

'Hey, if you got any jobs than require two people and i'm not doing anything. Feel free to contact me.' I said while looking over to the door.

"Will do."

He then shuts the door and walks up to the bus stop. We wave then I start to pull off. Turn the volume back to normal and ride around the luminous sky.

I close the door to my apartment and get greeted with bright yellow lights. The coldness of the apartment gives me a little whiplash. It's somehow colder in here than it is outside...

I take off my shoes and toss my vest over on the couch. I then shower, wash my face, brush my teeth, turn off all the lights, then crash into the warm bed. I'm surrounded by my plushies with happy faces.

My mouth turns into a slight frown when I realize Chrollo isn't sleeping here anymore. The coldness catches up to me again. Even though i'm under the blankets.

*sigh*

I look next to one of my plushies and tuck him in. Sae Tae is tuckered next to me. But the coldness is still there. Even his plushie body felt cold and hollow. I close my eyes.

...

....Thank you Chrollo...

.....

.....

...

..

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