First mission

     Two weeks after Julian and I collected new ammunitions from Mr Kim, my schedules still remain the same, going to work every morning and coming back just in time for dinner. Except for times when I have late nights delivery, then will I miss dinner.

The others were quite busy these past weeks as well so I rarely get to see them in the house, so technically, it's been just me and Julian in the house.

I looked at the time as I sat in the packaging area, it read 6:46pm, sixteen minutes after closing time. All the workers had gone home for the day except for those having the night shift.

Sigh, it's still too early for me to go home since there's nothing exciting waiting anyway. Maybe I should take a walk around town, then I can even get to know more places than I already have. Just then, I received a text on my cellphone.

Jules😣: can you pass by the store to get some bacon and fresh cabbages. We're having a full house tonight, thought I'd make something awesome

Me: sure

After pressing the send button, I put my phone in my pocket and chuckled.

'A full house huh' that means the guys will be home today. Sounds like fun, I thought to myself. I got down from where I was sitting and grabbed my things.

I left the warehouse after I made sure I had safely locked the packaging and storage rooms. The store was not too far from the warehouse so I decided to walk the distance.

About ten minutes later, I got to the supermarket. I waste no time in locating the fresh vegetables section.

I selected three cabbages from the rack, since Julian didn't specify how many I was to buy, and went in search of the fresh meat section.

After roaming the supermarket for almost five minutes with a little help from other customers, I finally found the meat section.

I took the size I wanted and went to the cash register to pay for what I bought. I was waiting in line when a familiar figure crossed my peripheral vision.

On reflex, I turned to get a good look at the figure. He had hair of chestnut color and was about 5' 8" tall with olive skin.

I had see him a couple of times but where? I couldn't seem to remember  but that aside. I saw he was so focused as he was looking at the tools section.

He faced scrunched and his eyes calculating as he searched for something. His faced suddenly brightened as a sign that he had found whatever it was he was looking for.

What caught my attention next was the tool he reached for. The tool was a sledge. I recognized it as one of the tools used at  the warehouse to split the titaniums.

Speaking of warehouses, I finally recognized the guy as one of the workers at the warehouse.

But why was he buying a sledge. There was more than enough at the warehouse.

I had been staring and the guy for too long to realize that I had stopped moving and the line in front of me had disappeared leaving me in the clear view of the counter.

I muttered an embarrassed 'sorry' to the people behind me and the cashier.

Then I placed the things I bought on the counter for evaluation before paying.

As I waited for the cashier for pack them in a plastic bag, I took a look at the guy only to find that he had left.

Taking a quick look around, I found him at the end of the line waiting to pay for whatever he bought.

He must have felt me staring because he looked up and met my eyes. I quickly turned my head praying that he probably does not recognize me.

Wait, what if he does recognize me. It's not like I did something bad, right?

The cashier finally gave me my things properly nyloned in a plastic bag. I thanked him then left the line.

All the way to the house, what kept repeating in my head was 'why would that guy need a sledge', from what I learned from Julian, the sledge made it easier to get the right size of titanium needed for processing.

As I got closer to the house, I pushed down any accusing thoughts I had concerning the guy and looked forward to the 'full house' Julian texted me about.

At the door I could hear the sound of laughter bustling round the house. Guess Julian wasn't kidding when he said we were having a full house. I recognized the laughter of my housemates but one strange laughter caught attention the most.

Could it be that Nico's here too?  No, I shook my head, it couldn't be.

I entered the living to find a pair of six eyes looking in my direction. I almost wet my pants there and then. We did have a full house! The guys, Julian and Nico!  All here!

There was a chorus of welcome as Julian walked up to me and collected the plastic bag containing what he had sent me into the kitchen.

I replied with a weak 'thank you' and was about to make way for the kitchen when Nico called up to me.

"Cole, why don't you sit with us while we wait for dinner to get ready "

"um...sure " I went and sat at the empty seat Nico reserved for me beside him.

'God! Why does it have to be beside him! ' I cried inside me in agony.

"so how was your day Cole? "

"it was fine "

"any problems? "

"uh, there's none "

"that's good, that's very good " he said then turned to face the boys who were having a discussion of their own while I sat still like a piece of rock.

After a while I relaxed my tense body, seeing that they were all in a world of their own, and listened in on their conversation.

"...and then I chased him down the alleyway till we got to a dead end. There was absolutely no way for him to escape " Mike was saying.

"he could have easily jumped the fence " Conny attacked.

"he could've never " Mike defended.

"yeah, keep telling yourself that " Conny countered.

"come on man, tell him " Mike turned to Jeff who was typing away on his phone.

"I don't know man, leave me out of this "

"Harry? " he pouted facing Harry.

"I'd hate to say it but Conny's right. He could have jumped the fence "

"you're so mean " Mike said defeated. He looked like he was about to cry.

"now now, that's enough. The most important thing is that Mike caught him " Nico chimed in.

"caught who? " I said wanting to know what they were talking about.

"the sick bastard that betrayed us " Jeff said with pure intent on murder written all over his face.

"after all the things we did for him....." Mike added.

"...I still don't understand why? " he asked no one in particular.

"it's simple. He's a good for nothing piece of tramp. All they know how to do is bite the hand that feeds them " Harry said with the same look of intended murder Jeff had.

What's going on here? Who's this guy that betrayed them? Is he perhaps a close friend of theirs?

All these I wanted to voice out but no words came out. My mouth kept opening and closing. Then the room fell into a deep silence.