"How's the phone? Have you found it?"
A man's voice, heavy and sounding unfriendly. The young man who had just finished his call turned to look at another young man calling out to him. Rei chuckled briefly and nodded, his black eyes locking onto the other young man with the same hair and eye color as his own.
"What?" Zen inquired, furrowing his brows. He felt quite suspicious when he saw the mischievous grin on his coworker's face. Rei laughed again, slowly rising from his seat and lightly patting Zen's chest.
"It was a girl who found it, a sweet and kind girl. Do you want to meet her? If you want to, I can lend you my phone," Rei offered with a teasing smile. Rei knew perfectly well that his friend had issues with women. Zen shivered at Rei's words, unconsciously taking a step back.
"Why... why would I want to meet her? The most important thing is... is her phone, found. And why do you want me to meet the girl who found it?" Zen grumbled, stuttering slightly. He averted his gaze from Rei; Zen really disliked it when his good friend's mischievous nature surfaced. He knew he would be teased relentlessly until he showed some emotion.
Rei chuckled at Zen's reaction, then approached him and whispered.
"No reason, but there's no harm, right? After talking to her a bit, I felt comfortable and happy, you know? This girl seems like a fairy godmother, her voice is sweet, and she's not like most girls. She even offered to deliver her phone, and she didn't hesitate to give us her home address! Isn't that naive?"
Zen furrowed his brows even more upon hearing Rei's explanation about the new girl. Which girl willingly gives her home address to strangers she hasn't even met yet, Zen wondered.
"Weird, that girl is weird. How can she trust you so easily? I've been with you for a long time and I still find it hard to believe, is it because she doesn't know your nature?" Zen asked mockingly, and Rei playfully hit Zen's shoulder in annoyance.
"I felt offended, she trusts because she's kind-hearted and... naive? When I asked her why she trusted, you know what she said? She mentioned having an instinct that told her I'm not a bad person. I was really touched hearing her words. I don't know how it'll go from here, but I also sense that she's not a malicious girl or someone just after money. If she wanted money, she would've asked for compensation upfront," Rei explained, adding a dash of pepper to his words. He smiled again, this time with a more genuine smile, devoid of teasing intentions. Zen put on his thoughtful expression, the young man standing nearly 190 centimeters tall nodded in agreement with his coworker's statement.
"True, but don't be too trusting. What if she's one of the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) agents? Or a member of some other syndicate deliberately luring you into a meeting?" Zen's gaze turned more serious as he discussed their enemies. They, Zen and Rei, were part of a syndicate that wasn't widely known among the public. One of the illegal syndicates that operated in the heart of Allegra City.
Allegra City, the city dubbed as the underworld hub. In other words, it was teeming with various groups and major syndicates engaging in illegal activities and flouting government and international laws. Allegra was known for having lax regulations but generating the highest revenue. Skyscrapers and advanced companies dotted the landscape. Beyond high income, Allegra had a high purchasing power and a pool of human resources. The people of Allegra were highly intelligent and skilled, able to compete on a global scale. Even the city's education was considered top-notch within the nation. Despite being labeled a criminal city; Allegra couldn't be underestimated by more successful cities.
Rei fell silent as he blinked at Zen's words. He thought his friend always had an elevated sense of suspicion and an excess of worry. Rei let out a slow exhale and lightly patted Zen's shoulder.
"In that case, there's no other way. You have to come with me to meet her. I've already arranged to meet Chairey. If Chairey is indeed connected to the enemy, you can easily handle her. Right?" Rei asked, half forcing the issue. Zen stayed silent, not answering immediately. The nineteen-year-old pondered again. Should he join Rei or should he go alone to meet the girl?
"You want to go alone? Are you sure?" Rei repeated with a widening smile. Zen flinched as Rei managed to read his mind.
"No, you're the one who made the appointment. Why should I be the one to go? I'll accompany you. When's the meeting time? Have you decided where to meet?" Zen averted his gaze, trying to hide his embarrassment. He didn't want to admit that Rei's guess was correct and risk being teased by Rei all night.
"Alright, alright. I haven't decided where to meet yet. It seems she was on the move when I contacted her. I don't want any danger by making her talk on the phone while she's on the road. I told her we can talk again once she arrives. Oh, her name's Chairey. Just pick up if Chairey calls, don't be shy. If she's an enemy, it's your chance to question her. I haven't slept since yesterday, so I'm heading to bed now." Rei waved his hand towards Zen, yawned softly, and began ascending the stairs. They both lived in a large house far from the crowds.
The large house was referred to as the headquarters, a place where ten people lived together, each with their own tasks and roles. From the leader to the doctor, everything was covered. Unfortunately, the doctor was currently on the run due to some trouble they got into. This situation left the headquarters somewhat vulnerable when members got injured.
The syndicate Zen and Rei were part of was called The Wall, symbolizing a sturdy barrier protecting the body from external attacks. As The Wall's members came from diverse backgrounds and origins, their leader always emphasized that those who stepped foot in this house were siblings to one another. Supporting, cooperating, and looking out for each other were the core responsibilities of every member.
They were trained according to their designated roles, whether as fighters or informants. The leader of The Wall never hesitated to provide the most comprehensive training for the members.
Zen gazed at Rei who had already ascended the stairs and left him alone. On the table lay his phone. Zen let out a sigh, he picked up the phone with an anxious expression.
Zen was the kind of young man who would become nervous and somewhat foolish when faced with a woman, especially if she wasn't an enemy. Initially, he'd start sweating, then his mind would go blank and he'd freeze up due to anxiety. This was the reason Zen had never dated since he hit his teenage years. He deemed it unnecessary. Zen had never been close to any girl except for the leader of The Wall, who he no longer saw as a woman.
Still in a heightened state of anxiety, Zen's grip on the phone suddenly felt a vibration, indicating an incoming call. Nervously, he glanced at the name on the phone's screen.
Chairey Fairy Godmother
Zen rubbed his forehead, he wasn't ready to take the call. His mind started to debate, he could simply not answer and pretend he didn't know, but he'd miss the chance to question Chairey and ascertain whether she was an enemy or not. Zen took a slow breath, the young man with no history of interactions with the girl had already decided to answer the call.
"Hello?"
"Hello! Uh? This isn't Rei, is it?"
Zen started getting even more nervous.