Chapter -20

What's Going On?

Hunter waited patiently for the other guy to move. Neal fidgeted in his spot. All the courage he gathered to come here was slowly slipping away.

He had plenty of time to think about this meet after Ricky left that morning. He never felt so lonely in his life. He didn't even see Kaiden or Brad whole day.

Neal took a deep breath and moved forward, slowly. Hunter observed his every move. The doctor walked around the table and stopped beside Hunter. Hunter turned in his chair and stood up with raised brows. What the other did in the next moment really surprised him.

Neal took Hunter's right hand ever so slowly and placed it on his left cheek holding it there for a few moments.

It was warm.

Hunter's body stiffened. He thought Neal was ready to have a conversation with him. But he didn't expect this. He remembers how Neal backed away from his touch other day. Is this his way of apologizing?

They stared at each other without uttering a single word. Neal felt uncomfortable under Hunter's gaze. He let go of Hunter's hand and ran out of the room. He stopped at the door for a moment and without turning around he said;

"I... forgot to tell. It suits you. The hair..I mean." And he disappeared leaving a bewildered Hunter behind.

What was that?!

"Did you cut your hair just to impress him?" Kaiden asked as he entered the room. Hunter came out of his trance and glared at his right hand man.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

Kaiden shrugged, "Well, shouldn't I protect my boss if the guy do something stupid especially after seeing his friend like that?"

Hunter grunted and sat back in his chair. His mind running back to the guy who ran out of his study few minutes ago. "Ugh.., can you stop that stupid blush? For God's sake Hunter, you're a mafia boss, you can't blush like a school girl everytime after someone compliments you" Kaiden groaned throwing his hands up.

"I'm not" Hunter growled.

"Oh yeah? Then you should see your face." Kaiden bite back and sighed. "So? Any progress? Does he like you?"

Hunter shrugged.

"What's your plan? You know you can't keep him here right?" Kaiden asked.

"I know. Just for a while. I don't want to let him go now." Hunter said softly.

Kaiden smiled, "To be honest, I kind of like it when you're like this."

Hunter rolled his eyes when his friend started to laugh like a maniac.

"But seriously Hunter, you shou―" Kaiden's phone interrupted their conversation. He pick up the call.

Hunter doesn't know what his friend heard, because his now furious friend cursed and stuffed his phone inside his pocket.

"We have to go now. The house is on fire."

"What?!" Hunter's voice came out as a whisper. 'The house' was the place where they keep their all weapons and documents. He gritted his teeth before standing up and stomping out of there, followed by Kaiden.

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"Don't you have anything to say to me?" Arjun asked after his staring contest with his best friend.

After running out of Hunter's study, Neal ran into Brad. That's when he heard his friend is awake.

He rushed towards his friend and no one could tell how happy he felt at that moment. He was relieved. He ran towards Arjun hugging and crying in his arms like a baby.

But there was a huge frown on Arjun's face which made him confuse.

Shouldn't he happy that they are alive?

"You know how worried I was? I was dying out there and here you're living like a prince? I didn't even take Ma's call because I was so scared. Do you have any―" Arjun paused when he saw his friend's teary eyes. He sighed pulling the guy to his chest.

"I was scared Jay. I didn't even know you were alive. I..I thought they killed you. What happened exactly? The Rendells I know wouldn't spare a single fly in their way. What happened?" Arjun asked curiously.

Neal let out a heavy sigh and wiped his tears, then began to tell the events happened since Kaiden came to see him.

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Hunter couldn't believe his eyes. The whole place was on fire. All weapons and documents they kept there was being devoured by the flames.

"Thank God! I had transferred the important files the other day to mansion." Jeong breathed out, looking at the fire in front of them.

Kaiden and Jeong looked at their boss. They couldn't tell what's going on his head. The loss is not small. If there is an immediate attack, they will not be able to fight it alone. They need back up.

"What were you all doing when this happened?!"

They heard Drake shout at the guards who were running to put out the fire.

"We don't know sir. We heard an explosion," a new guard pointed towards the east side of the house, a densely wooded area. "When we went there, we couldn't find anything. By the time we got back here the fire had already spread." He managed to explain what happened.

Drake cursed before walking towards where his friends stood.

"Does anyone have injuries?" Kaiden asked to which Drake shook his head no.

Everyone waited for Hunter to speak. The air was so tense. They know the traitor is with them. But who?

"Gather everyone. Everyone."

Their boss ordered with a sour expression. The others shared a look. Whoever did this will not know they just woke up a beast from its sleep.

It only took forty-five seconds for everyone to gather in front of Hunter. They stood with their hands behind their back. The new recruits eyed their boss nervously while the old ones stood with respect and shame. They failed.

They knew how important that place was. The number of guards there was higher than the ones at the mansions. Still they failed.

Hunter looked at every single person gathered, even his friends was so tensed. "I think after your recruitment this is the first time we gathered." He started and pointed at the guy about same age as Neal who stood before him.

"You. What's your name again?"

The guy cleared his throat, "Wesley. Wesley Stone."

"Do you know why we took you in Wesley?" Hunter asked. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the guy to answer.

"Because I have no one." He said the first thing came to his mind.

"Right. Not only you. Every single person behind you was alone in half of their life. But I'm not running any foster home to take you all." Hunter spoke calmly. "I needed the fire in you, Wesley. The same fire when you stabbed your colleague when he touched you."

The guy clenched his teeth at the memory. He lowered his head, fixing his gaze on the ground.

"Every one of you have your own stories and reasons. And you know you don't belong to prison. That's why you're here." Hunter paused, "You're my people now. But the only thing I hate is betrayal. I trust you like you all trust me. But I don't appreciate if you backstab me."

"Whatever you're seeing now," he gestured towards the flames, "is the job of that bastard who ate my food but worked for someone else." He gritted out.

Silence filled the air. No one know what to say.

"Who did this?" Hunter finally asked the question his friends anticipated.

The crowd was silent.

"Fine. Do you suspect anyone? Or find anything suspicious?" He asked again.

Someone raised his hand, glancing at the guy who stood beside him.

"What's your name?" Hunter gestured for him to come forward. The guy nodded at the one beside him before stepping forward.

"Royal Winston." The guy introduced himself.

"Who do you think did this?" Kaiden asked.

"I don't know who did it but I think Mr. Cole have something to do with this." He answered confidently. Kaiden and Drake shared a look. Is he telling the truth?

"Why do you think so?" Hunter narrowed his eyes.

"This afternoon he was so restless. He asked my friend to change his shift today to old mansion," Royal pointed at his friend who was standing beside him earlier. "He refused. When he said he wouldn't do anything unless Oliver order him, Cole was furious. We didn't see him since then."

"Old mansion?" Hunter turned towards Kaiden. "What is he doing? I told him to meet Aaron yesterday. What is he still doing here?!" He shouted, startling everyone.

"Boss I think―" Hunter's phone interrupted Kaiden's words.

Hunter frowned before picking up the call, "Ricky?" It was silent for a few seconds. Hunter could only hear a pained breathing which worried him.

"Big bro....th–they took him. They took Leo." Ricky breathed out and the line went silent. Hunter heard someone calling Ricky to wake up. He froze. Someone attacked the old mansion!

"What happened? Was that Ricky?" Drake's worried voice came. Hunter wasn't listening anything. He could only think of his sister's last words. His promise!

"HUNTER!"

Kaiden's shout snapped Hunter out of his thoughts. The fear and shock on his face worried his friends as well as the guards.

"Someone attacked old mansion. They took Leo. Ricky is hurt, we need to go." Hunter breathed hard and walked towards his car.

"What?!" Drake growled.

Kaiden cursed silently,"That means their target wasn't exactly this. They just wanted to...."

"Distract us." Hunter completed Kaiden's words.

"We don't have time, come on. Jeong, call Ian and take care of this mess here." Hunter said before starting the vehicle. Jeong nodded and fish out his phone. Eveyone stared after the trio, wondering what is going to happen. Even if Hunter spare the person who took Leo, Drake wouldn't let go the one who hurt his little brother.

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