Knife-By-Knife

Leo placed a tray with daggers. He stated they should start to the lowest grade of the weapons until they reached the highest. Leo picked up a slim, short-handle, and wide sharp-tipped dagger and rotated it around his thumb.

Zella got fascinated about how he did it. She interrupted him, asking, "How did you do that?"

Leo got confused. "What?"

"That rotate thing in your thumb." Zella couldn't be more patient. It's the first time she got to witness someone rolling the handle around his tip finger and thumb. A trick that is basic to pro but a master to a rookie.

"Oh, this?" Leo did it once again, and the excitement painted all over her eyes.

Zella stepped closer, observing his thumb doing the trick, and pressed on, "Can I learn to do that?"

It's enough to make Zella out of her curiousness about the room earlier. She had to take up the offer quickly, and it made Leo wanted to teach her every way to fight back, in case someone offended her. Right now, she's starting it secretly.

"I'll teach you every day. It's going to be exciting, Laina."

Zella clapped her hands quietly together, and couldn't contain the smile in her lips. She even laughed, and gave Leo an embrace.

It must be the first time she laughed after so many years of working on a Diner and dealing with her activist family. From what Leo heard, Zella has been pitiful since day one. And after the day she broke out, she resented every citizen that works under the Idris National Government.

It's somewhat the most devastating part of her life, and Leo was drifting her away from it. It's her time to try something new, out of the boundaries of the land she once called home, and laugh carelessly.

"I'm in it," Zella agreed.

…

Randall and Etienne stay tuned to the system, or even a slightest change can be possible. They had been investigating two runaways who hid at the mountains, and it's going to be 4-hour long trek towards the peak.

They had already known where to hide, and it's going to be difficult to chase someone down the mountains. Randall jotted down the codes in their Tempus Moneda, and was able to connect it with Jon Cho's plans.

Etienne brushed his fingers to the top of his pompadour stripes, asking, "How about Zella Albert? How come we couldn't see any code in her system?"

He pressed some files inside the Telamur closed-end system and flashed Zella's profile. It isn't the first time Randall have checked her files. They have corrected some details regularly, and just let Jeremy see that they're plotting a plan. Even though Zella Albert stayed in the mansion and got married to Leo, it isn't an excuse for them to capture her.

Leo even made a promise to Jeremy upon beheading her, so that's one reason.

What's worse is that: Sam Grobes is proceeding with the deactivated time chips' investigation. Leo would be placed on a tight situation sooner.

Randall stared at her name, and the charge she needed to repent.

"She deactivated it successfully. No runaway has done it before, Etienne, you know that. The mind who abetted them to form the code must be an intelligent one. It's Jaina Montenegro, right?"

Etienne switched on profiles and placed it on Jaina. She's already dead, as the Telamur had confirmed a few days ago. They found the body sunken on a river along with the prisoner who drove the ambulance and the inmate who supposed to bring down a hospital.

The only one missing in the penitentiary state was Zella.

Etienne spoke up, "I recently found out Jaina is the author of Mr. Speak, the bestselling novel last year. I haven't even read it, but based on the reviews, it has something to do with the injustice of the Idris' national government, that's why she got convicted."

Randall searched it up on an internet engine and saw a complete nerd. She has braces. Jaina even wore a round spectacles and a collar shirt to finish up the look. Randall has known Zella made a deal with an intelligent one, and it brought the inner cleverness in her.

He saw the book, and wondered, "Mr. Speak?"

Etienne adjusted on his seat, and prepared for the pep talk. It's the entire base of how he's a bookworm on one note and a killer on another. Etienne spoke up, "The book said to be propaganda to take the government out by turning the citizens to rebels. It was the entire note of it all, and it spoke volumes in every chapter."

Randall downloaded the e-book file of Jaina's book and let it settle while Etienne talked.

"Tina Yunis, our president, doesn't want any sparks of uprising in any corner of the country, so Jaina got convicted based on the book she wrote."

Randall turned to Etienne, understanding the whole context. It was a matter of fact before they notice how much knowledgeable the citizens were on the past several years since Yunis took over the throne.

"Yunis has been a dictator for 20 years. She practically got old serving the country. I was just dragged to this group to sustain my life and to survive. It's the only thing that matters now, aren't it?" Randall shrugged. He doesn't give a thought about the way the government worked, but looking at the bigger picture, every person in this country has become a victim of corruption.

"Idris has been a worse country ever since. Unfortunately, we live here, so we have to accept the deal of living while suffering or leaving this country while suffering for expenses. Plus, if you stayed quiet and let the country get starved, then you're not a citizen of Idris."

Etienne gave him that look. Randall has realized how someone can show off their activist side. He's a liberal, carefree about the words speaking up against the government. Even when he's alone, he's not afraid to stand up.

"Don't give me that look at all. I'm aware of what's happening in this country. We're tax payers, at least. It's not hard to make everyone miserable by pocketing those taxes away," Randall pointed out.

Etienne has gone back to his laptop, and typed something on a file.

"We didn't have any updates on Zella's profile. If any deviation happens, I'll let you know," Etienne concluded.

…

Zella has finally done the rotating trick and she had been performing it for quite a while. She leaned on the counter, showing it to Leo, and did the trick. He gasped, and smiled cheekily.

Zella must have met the happiness she's looking for the entire time.

"You're doing great. Where's my reward as a teacher?" Leo stood up, expecting for Zella to throw her arms around and give him a kiss. She didn't do it for a while, and stayed there, putting down the knife gently.

"Have you said any conditions?" Zella queried.

"No, but I want to make one right now," Leo challenged her. He took a step forward, clung his arms around her waist, and Zella instantly reacted. She took a moment before stepping up close and stared at his full lips.

"How about… one learn, one kiss policy?" Leo suggested. Zella raised her eyebrows, wondering if it was the way of him to make out with her. Because, if he do, that was smooth enough to make her heart overwhelmed.

"That's pretty great of you. How should we do that? You kiss me after---"

Leo didn't wait for her to finish the talk. He literally leaned down and cut off her words. Zella was too surprised, and even squeal out after he met her lips. Leo held onto the center of her waist, soothing it, turning her on. Zella closed her eyes, responded, and tiptoed.

They both opened their mouths in sync, devouring on each other.

As they found themselves immense with the kiss, Leo's cell phone rang.

It was a night call, probably from one of the Cassanos. Leo stopped and Zella had to break apart because of the sound. They recovered right away.

"Pick it up," Zella whispered, holding onto his chest.

Leo retrieved his cell phone and knew its Randall.