The Plot Thickens

Moans fill the quiet night as I walked down the street. The normal days were over. Now, the city I called home was changed. Forever.

———

I sat bolt upright, panting hard. A soft hand grabbed my shoulder, and I leaned against it.

“Hey. Bad dream?” Rahmi’s soothing voice whispered.

“Yeah, sorry if I woke you.” I apologized. Rahmi slid her hand into mine.

“It’s no problem.” she assured me. And before you get all huffy about morals, I wasn’t dating Hazel anymore. It’s been a week since I saved Rahmi and Chloe from the Dyad, and in those days, Hazel had suddenly withdrawn, dumped me, and I couldn’t even get in contact with her. She just yelled at me to go away whenever I went to the lab. So I left.

Of course, I hadn’t gotten as lucky as getting to date Rahmi, or Chloe for that matter.

“Ugh, well, if you’re up, we may as well work.” Rahmi sighed, and we both stood up. Rahmi wore pink cotton short shorts and an oversized T-shirt that wasn’t mine, unfortunately.

We headed out into our impromptu war room, AKA my living room. Chloe was already working, as she seemed to not need sleep, which I found weird, but I couldn’t remember ever seeing her sleep.

“Anything new?” I asked Chloe while pouring Rahmi and I mugs of coffee. I handed Rahmi hers as I rejoined Chloe and she flashed me a grateful smile.

“Nope. No connections, that I can find.” Chloe threw up her hands. Chloe, Rahmi, and I were all investigating the Dyad. Nothing unusual from them, but we’d stumbled upon a sort of gang war. Certain members of the bigger crime gangs were turning up mutilated, but we couldn’t find any pattern as to why they were chosen to be cut up. The kills were slow and time-consuming, so there was definitely a reason that those eighteen men (and counting) had turned up dead.

“Damn.” Rahmi sighed. I walked to the window and stared down at the streets, and then I saw a sign, advertising the merger of two popular make up brands.

“What if they’re merging?” I whispered to myself. Then I turned back to the girls.

“What is the Dyad’s merging? I mean, they go silent, and other gangs start quieting down too. So what if the Dyad’s trying to gain more allies?” I suggested. Chloe reconsidered the notes.

“That could be it, actually. But what’s the connection with the dead guys?” she asked. I shrugged.

“I dunno.” I sighed, and sat down beside Rahmi.

“Oh my god! The people dying are all high ranking members of their various gangs, right? So... what if they were opposed to the merger? So my parents silenced them.” Chloe suggested.

“Interesting theory. But that’s all it is. Unless we go get some info.” Rahmi looked at me.

“Hell yeah.” I grinned.

———

Voltage and I were walking across a rooftop that night, and she took my hand as we walked, and I was stunned, honestly. But I didn’t pull back.

“Thank you for not telling my parents about... everything.” Rahmi shrugged.

“You mean telling them you’re alive?” I pushed.

“I know. I know. I’ve been free for a week, and they’re still mourning me.” Rahmi sighed.

“So... why don’t you go back?” I asked. Rahmi huffed.

“They’re going to put a crap ton of security all over me. No way I’m leaving the house again for a LONG while.” Rahmi shook her head. I squeezed her hand comfortingly, and then she turned and pulled her hand from mine, all business. I moved to stand on the edge with her, looking down at the van unloading armed guys. The van had two bold lines going straight down, the logo for the Dyad.

“That factory belongs to the Wolves. Very violent crime gang. Lots of firepower. What’s the Dyad thinking?” Rahmi mused.

“That you need to BEHAVE.” a voice said from behind us. We both whipped around.

“Jasmine, you need to BEHAVE and OBEY your master.” the owner of the voice crooned. I didn’t recognize him, but I knew with absolute certainty this was going to hurt. Rahmi had already turned to me, and lightning crackled around her, before she blasted me backwards. She stalked towards me like a huntress, and grabbed me by the collar.

“You are truly a fool, Thunderstrike. Forgetting we added cameras into your girlfriend’s eye. Tsk tsk.” the man chuckled, and walked off. Rahmi’s hands crackled with electricity as she neared me.