As Zuri helped Oleg to their campsite, she had to keep a steady breath to minimize her trembling. Indeed, she never eliminated the possibility of Azhir opposing or suspecting her.
In fact, whether it be heights, tests, or men in general, she was confident in her ability to adapt. Azhir's capabilities already terrified her, but his imposing presence enhanced the rumors. That's to be expected of The Demonic Trinity.
Despite knowing what many in the program and members of the Enlightened Agency referred to Azhir as, she didn't understand why.
"The fuck..." Oleg exasperated as he winced in pain.
"Bastard. He seems capable of killing anyone here." Oleg concluded. Zuri gave a slight nod to affirm.
"Why did he single you out?" Oleg inquired. Zuri shrugged her shoulders.
"It doesn't really matter. The fact is he tried to kill me."
Arriving at their tents, Zuri carefully placed Oleg down. Surely someone heard the commotion. There should be multiple pairs coming over to check on us. There's some footsteps. Shouldn't take them too long.
Zuri turned to Oleg. He may have an internal injury. Perhaps a bit of hurt pride if that but nothing serious. If he can do that to Oleg, how can we all fight him? A freaking dog pile?
~
Defeated, Sean strode through bushes and fallen tree limbs.
I didn't see a damn thing. Only Zuri cowering and Azhir injuring Oleg. Hopefully, Azhir can confirm something unusual but who the hell is going to believe him or me. It wouldn't take much brain power to connect me to Azhir's little confrontation with those two. Even if he did discover something, we definitely have a steep uphill fight ahead of us.
"Sean?"
Raising his head, Sean noticed that Kaitlyn and Lily were standing there stunned.
"You're... alright?" Lily sounded as if his positive well-being was a surprise.
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" Sean buried his guilt for the greenlit operation minutes ago and smiled. Kaitlyn's eyes darted to the left and right of Sean.
"Where's Azhir?"
Crap. Sean began to rack his brain for an excuse. Although he had formulated mock stories if they were found to be separated, the preparations refused to resurface.
"... I'm actually trying to find him." He mustered an effort not to stutter.
"You two pass by him or noticed anyone that look like him on your way?"
Lily shook her head and Kaitlyn's eyes were downcast indicating no sightings. If he isn't at the camp site, then I'll actually be worried. Sean shrugged.
"Well, I better find him quick." Sean didn't take two steps before Lily spoke up.
"Maybe you should stick with us." Lily suggested.
"That way you won't be alone. I'd rather not... find you tomorrow." Lily's voice grew quiet.
Appreciating the gesture, Sean planned to give a quick thank then noticed their own numbers. Weren't there three of them?
"Did Tim...?"
"No. No." Kaitlyn corrected.
"He... ran off on his own. Said that he needed to be more proactive or some mess like that. We haven't seen him since yesterday." Lily explained. Sean gave a comforting smile.
"I'll keep an eye out."
"Okay." Kaitlyn nodded her head. Lily seemed relieved as well.
"I'm sure you heard it to but... words spreading that Zuri and Oleg were attacked. We're going to check it out."
"Don't want him ending up the third victim." Sean reiterated his desire to locate Azhir.
"Tell him I hope he's doing alright." Lily's wish to pass on the message felt strange but Sean didn't object. After a silent acknowledgement from Lily and himself, the two parties went their separate ways.
An estimated five minutes passed once Sean's eyes widened.
Azhir leaned against a tree trunk, arms crossed. Before viewing his whole face, Sean barely caught a sheepish expression. Opening his mouth with a retort ready, Sean moved a little closer but paused. Is he blushing a little?
~
"That son of a bitch is agile."
Oleg rubbed his chin, still feeling the slight sting from the bones covered in flesh.
"Is... is Azhir really the killer?" A fair skinned blonde trembled. Zuri gave a knowing stare.
"Doesn't look like it's anyone else." Oleg replied pointedly.
"What else was he trying to do alone with Zuri? She already told me that she doesn't know him."
"Sounds intentional to me." Daniel concurred.
Beside him stood a girl with braids and purple highlights. Lily and Kaitlyn came into view.
"What's going on?" Lily asked to be informed on the situation.
"Azhir tried to kill Zuri, and he almost killed me." Oleg's tone was sharp. Despite the inference everyone seemed to be arriving at, Zuri noticed Kaitlyn and Lily weren't convinced.
"Any objections?" Zuri gave a chance to object.
Lily's mind formulated exactly what to say but Kaitlyn beat her to an explanation. "That can't be right. We ran into Sean on the way here."
"Wouldn't that support Azhir's attempt on my life?" Zuri grilled.
Kaitlyn didn't think of a counter argument.
"Why you?" Lily relaxed, constructing her hypothesis as she addressed Zuri.
"Let's say Azhir is the murderer. In that instance, why wouldn't he have killed Sean? Why go to you first? When we found Jason, none of us really had much of an alibi but when Mallory was killed, Azhir came with Sean."
"What are you suggesting?" Zuri challenged, annoyed.
"Even if he attacked you, I don't think it'd be to kill you. Most likely, it's something else." Most likely he suspects you and I want to know why.
Lily locked onto Zuri's glare.
"The fact remains that he still attacked us." Oleg exhaled.
"Sean being alive doesn't mean shit. For all we know, Azhir may kill him now to keep things hush hush, or Sean's working with that fucker. Either way, we won't know anything for sure unless ask them ourselves.
"Speaking of which, weren't there three of you?" Oleg pointed at the girls, highlighting Tim's absence.
Lily's eyebrows slumped slightly then she shook her head.
~
Scratching his head frantically, Sean glared at the soil and gritted his teeth feeling the full weight of failure. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! He grunted with exasperation.
Azhir stared at his crushed tent, reminiscing but placed his focus on Sean.
"Relax. It was a gambit worth taking." Azhir spoke casually.
"Did you see anything abnormal?" Sean asked, hoping.
Azhir gave a nervous laugh and rubbed his neck. "Call it a gut feeling."
"Will you give a single damn?! We're on the cusp of having the whole damn island after us! You could've acted with some subtlety. Charm her a little with that infuriating nonchalant attitude of yours."
"... she isn't my type anyway." Azhir's response made Sean raise his head slowly. Are you kidding me? If he weren't so frustrated right now, Sean might've inquired about Azhir's romantic interest.
"Actually, it seems like you and I have the same type..." Azhir grumbled as he avoided eye contact with Sean. A decibel lower and Sean wouldn't have heard a single syllable. What is that supposed to mean?
Ignoring the topic entirely, Sean gestured to their surroundings.
"How are we going to avoid at least a dozen people?" Sean asked to spark a solution.
"Well, I didn't kill anyone." Azhir said.
Sean recalled Oleg's unconscious body. "Oleg's alive?"
"Of course. What, you think he can talk all that shit without having to show some backbone?"
At least he isn't too arrogant.
Grasping Sean's shirt, Azhir pulled him to the ground and leapt backward. Flustered, Sean rolled on his chest and sprung to his feet.
"Hey, what are you...?!" Sean went silent.
In righteous fury, Tim presented himself as he sprung up from a combat roll. Though Sean wanted to defend himself, he had no idea if Tim just arrived or had been hiding the whole time.
"I thought he'd kill you by now, but it all makes sense now.
"Get away from that bastard, Sean." Tim demanded, squinting his eyes. Sean shook his head vehemently.
"Hold on! He's been in my sights since we found Jason's body!" Sean explained, stepping forward. Tim stepped forward, unwilling to believe the alibi.
Did Tim leave Lily and Kaitlyn because he wanted to privately investigate? We have nothing to... but what if he's a khata? Whether he'd risk exposing what he'd learn or not, Sean chose not to be reckless.
The corners of Azhir's mouth didn't exhibit that carefree nature from a moment ago. Rather, the discipline of an academic. The bias of a judge.
"Explains why you weren't with the others. Is there a particular reason you've decided to travel alone?" Azhir probed. He wasn't anywhere near me when I spoke with Lily and Kaitlyn. How the hell would he know? Sean was perplexed.
"We're settling this, here." Tim ignored his question.
"Two people are dead and neither of you were there when we all gathered."
"...And?" Azhir prompted.
"Seems to me that one of you killed Mallory. However, given Sean's revulsion to death and the fact that he's actually disturbed, you clearly have a lot to answer for." Tim's tone deepened.
"From where we came is quite a distance from where we found Mallory. I am fast but there's no need to exaggerate my speed." Azhir pointed out.
"Don't mock me!" Tim jerked his chin down to glare.
"Apparently you've been here for a while. What exactly did you hear?" Azhir betrayed no fear of discovery.
"Enough!" Tim's fists tightened.
"I thought I'd heard a scream. Guess that was because of you." Tim shifted his gaze toward Sean, already forming a verdict. Unknowingly, Sean retreated one step, keeping his focus fixated on Tim.
"Rest assured, we have our reasons for interrogating Zuri." Azhir's lips remained flat.
Propelling himself forward in two stomps, Sean stole Tim's attention.
"Keep your head and let me through. There are specific types of people on this island and Azhir is one of them. We just didn't know if Zuri was and... she's not." A flicker of relief crossed Sean's face as he saw the tension in Tim's body dissipate.
No doubt, Tim had questions, but the gesture at least displayed a willingness to unveil the truth.
"Zuri's discipline doesn't absolve her of suspicion." Azhir corrected.
"I thought you said you didn't find anything!" The color in Sean's face drained.
"Regardless, you two need to come with me to speak with the others." Tim's reasonably commanded. Before Sean affirmed, Azhir shook his head.
"I'd rather not paint a target on anyone else. You need to keep quiet about this. Sean can speak freely because I'm with him. You are alone, wandering without any proper defense." Azhir's observation caused Sean's consciousness to drum up questions, but Tim seemed impatient.
"You two are coming with me!" Tim's voice boomed. Azhir retracted his eyes to the ground for a moment, considering. His eyes sized Tim up. A cocky smirk.
"To be judged by everyone?" Azhir asked calmly. Tim stared into Azhir's eyes and Sean felt his aura shift. His analytical and calculating demeanor had shifted subtly to a primal, confrontational desire.
Somehow, Sean understood from Azhir's expression that his inherent goal involved forcing Tim to acknowledge his powerlessness.
"And who'll make me?" Azhir challenged.
Insulted, Tim launched at Azhir.
Effortlessly, Azhir pivoted then sent an elbow into Tim's jaw. Screaming, Tim collapsed on the ground, rolling uncontrollably. He rubbed his jaw, surprised that he hadn't lost any teeth, but he tasted a little iron.
"Stop!" Sean pleaded but he didn't dare interfere.
Wiping his mouth, Tim charged toward Azhir once more swinging wildly. Each miss, redirection, or parry forced Tim to exert himself harder. Azhir's devious smile seemed to further Tim's enraged state.
Entertained, Azhir swiftly struck Tim's abdomen then bare knuckles formed dents in his chest. Tim fell to one knee, gasping to fill his lungs with oxygen. He attempted to speed up his recover for another assault. Taking a stance, Azhir basically invited him to continue.
"You're bias and certainty pisses me off." Azhir laughed.
Tim roared and charged once more, determined to subdue this bastard and call for the others. I'm gonna knock this fucker out! And Lily will understand why I left. There's some things we all have to do alone. There's no mistaking that this is the motherfucker who has two bodies under his belt! Landing a hit, Tim gritted his teeth. Azhir merely smiled.
One. Two. Three. Constantly, Azhir's slammed knuckles into Tim's face as if truly releasing himself. Tim wheezed.
"Azhir, stop!"
By the time Sean called his name, Tim was limp. His wheezing had ceased. He wasn't breathing either.