Chapter 53

"That was the last house. No one knows where he went." Nia says, walking over to Milette.

Sighing, Milette checks the time on her phone.

"It's already past 7. Guess we should be getting home now. Thank you so much for your help, Nia."

"You're very welcome, Milette." Nia replies, giving her a hug. "Anytime you need me, I'll be here to help."

Milette watches and waves as Nia gets into her car and drives off.

*RIIIINNNGGG!*

Quickly swiping the green "answer" button, the young woman frantically puts her phone up to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Yo, it's Pierre!"

Milette rolls her eyes as she gets into her car and starts the ignition.

"The only reason I won't hang up is because you might have a clue where Kazimir is."

"That's what I was calling you to ask about." Pierre says, braking at a stoplight. "I haven't gotten to talk to my Bon Bon in days."

"Who?" Milette asks.

Pierre sighs, taking a sip of soda.

"I'm guessing you don't have any clue where he is."

"Of course I don't! If anything, the two of you are best friends!" Milette angrily says.

"I wouldn't put it like that." Pierre replies with a chuckle.

The young woman shrugs.

"Where are you anyway?"

"Handling business." Pierre says. "Anyway, I'll try to force him for a call back. Talk to you later. Peace."

Milette sighs as Pierre hangs up, before making her way back to the department to clock out for the day.

"You look as if you've seen a ghost." Captain Uzini says, watching as Milette walked in and picked up her things from the table. "Something the matter?"

"I'm fine, Captain. I'm just—I just need some rest."

She quickly exits the room and runs out of the building before accidentally bumping into someone.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" the young woman says, looking up. "Wait, aren't you Kazimir's new temporary partner? Mr. Mondalle, right?"

The taller man nods.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Do you happen to know where he is?!" Milette asks, balling her fists out of adrenaline.

"He's in Monaco looking for the missing girl, Khristina."

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" Milette replies, hugging the man.

"Did you think he was being infidel?" Kenneth asks, looking down at his watch.

Removing her arms from around the man, Milette deeply blushes and shakes her head.

"Oh n-no, sir! We're not dating, we're only friends. Well, I consider him as a friend; I don't know if he feels the same way."

"Sounds like you like him a lot." Kenneth says.

The young woman sighs.

"Actually, I do have a small crush on him, but please don't say anything to him!"

"I won't, but eventually you should tell him how you feel." Kenneth replies.

"I know, but he doesn't feel the same way, I know he doesn't. He always seems so annoyed whenever I'm around." Milette says, rubbing her arm as she takes a seat on a bench. "I'd rather just keep this to myself than to hear him say he's not ready for a relationship and find out two months later that he's dating another woman."

"You sound as if you've been through this before." Kenneth replies. "Listen, if he does do something similar as to what you said, then he's not the one for you. That's what a lot of people fail to realize."

"But I feel like a hopeless romantic and I don't want that." Milette says, playing with her hair. "Do you have a wife, Mr. Mondalle?"

"I used to."

The young woman tilts her head out of curiosity and Kenneth sighs.

"2 years ago, my wife had a miscarriage and somehow that opened her eyes in wanting to help out. I told her not to join this damn department and find a new job, but she was so hellbent on helping the community. Then she and a couple of her friends went to that banquet about a month ago."

Milette frowns.

"Your wife was one of the 58 poisoned, wasn't she?"

Kenneth nods.

"I still don't find it fair how her friends survived, but not her. The only reason I even quit my other job for this one is to find out what really happened behind that food poisoning."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Milette softly says, rubbing the man's hand.

Kenneth looks down at her hand and she slightly gasps.

"O-oh, my apologies! I was just-

"I understand, you were just trying to comfort me." Kenneth replies. "You have a good heart, kid. Just be careful on who you share it with."

Milette smiles and nods.

"I will. Uh sir, exactly how old are you? You speak as if you're 60."

"I'm 35." Kenneth replies, standing up. "I better get going now, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, goodbye and have a good evening, too!" the young woman says, waving.

She looks down at her feet, slowly moving them back and forth.

"Tell him how I feel, huh?"

-------

Yawning, Kazimir pretends to scroll through his phone as he watches a couple order lunch. He had to be honest with himself, it was pretty boring, but since it was for Khristina's sake, he didn't mind.

Looking back down at his phone as the two walk by, the young man quickly changes seats to get a better view of them.

"One small pepperoni and olive, correct?"

Glancing up at the waitress, Kazimir nods and she sets the pizza on the table, before walking off.

He turns back to the couple and begins to snap a few pictures of them, an incoming phone call quickly interrupting.

Scowling, the young man answers it.

"Wha—Hello?"

"You finally answered! It's so good to hear your voice again!"

Confused, Kazimir takes the phone from his ear, before putting it back up.

"Uh, who are you?"

"It's Milette from work!"

"Oh, I knew you sounded kinda familiar. Can I help you with something, Milette?" Kazimir asks, watching as the couple shared a kiss.

The young woman smiles at the sound of Kazimir pronouncing her name.

"Uh, no. I was just calling to say that, uh, Pierre wants to speak with Bon Bon."

"Tell him I'm not near her right now." the young detective says, sighing.

"I will!"

"Now you tell me what you're actually calling about." Kazimir says, picking up a slice of pizza.

"What? I was only-

"The "uh" gave it away, Milette. Just tell me so I don't have this hanging over my head; I already have enough to deal with."

She hesitates for a bit, before talking again.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out for lunch one day. Or dinner. Or even just get a cup of coffee together."

"I'll have to come back to you later with an answer." Kazimir says.

"Of course!" Milette replies. "Oh, I mean if you have a girlfriend and she doesn't want you hanging around other girls, then you don't have to go with me."

Kazimir shakes his head.

"I don't even have time for a relationship. It's just that I'm kinda busy, so I'll genuinely have to check if I have time."

"I understand." Milette says, sadly smiling. "I'll talk to you later. Bye bye."

"Bye." Kazimir replies, before ending the call.

Quickly getting up, the young man asks for a takeout tray to put his unfinished pizza in, watching as the couple began to leave the restaurant.

Following them out of the door, he takes note of their car, before getting into his own.

Waiting for a few other cars to pull out of the parking lot, Kazimir subtly follows the couple on their way back to the meeting spot.

*POP!*

"Ah, fuck!"

Pulling over to the side of the road, the young detective steps out of his car and checks his front wheel near the driver's side.

"Dammit, a fucking flat."

Pulling out his phone, Kazimir dials Alexei's number, waiting for him to pick up.

Nothing.

"It's gotta be the damn service; I'm in the middle of-

*WHAM!*

-------

"Wakey, wakey!"

*WHIP!*

Slowly snapping back into consciousness, the young detective was greeted with a lash of a belt upon his bare back.

He tried to say something, but couldn't due to his mouth being covered in duct tape.

"Ah, good. You're finally awake!"

Kazimir's brows furrow as he comes face to face with Haruki, who currently held a belt in his hand.

"Don't fret, bastard. Look around, all of your other friends are here to join you!"

Looking forward, the young man's eyes subtly widen at the sight of everyone else excluding Laurenté, in a circle, tied up to a chair just like him.

"She's here, sir."

The six men turn toward the door and watch as a man leads Khristina in, who looks on in horror.

"You told me we were going to be filming a surprise movie!" the small girl says as Haruki hands her the belt. "Why're my brothers and my friends all tied up and look sad?!"

"'Cause there is no movie, little one." Haruki says, smiling. "Now we get to play the fun part; survive or die!"

He takes a machine gun from the wall, pointing it at her head, before hearing a muffled "HEY!" come from the circle.

Turning it to Alexei, Haruki shakes his head.

"Unless you wanna have your poor, adorable little sister traumatized, shut the fuck up and sit still."

He moves it back down towards Khristina.

"Go around the room and lash every single one of these bastards on their back. You fail to do as I say, and I'll make sure you don't see the light of day tomorrow."

Khristina begins to cry and Jai looks back at her, giving her a nod as to just do what Haruki told her.

"Start with this clown." Haruki says, repeatedly shoving the gun's barrel into the back of Jai's head.

The little girl turns away as she lashes everyone on the back, trembling in fear.

Stopping at Kazimir, Haruki snatches the belt from Khristina's hands.

"I'll take care of this one myself."

Yanking the chair back from the circle, Haruki happily lashes the young detective with the belt, before pushing him to the ground.

"Out of everyone here, YOU have caused me the most hell. I can't wait until you're finished."

Angrily sweeping his foot underneath Haruki's, Kazimir watches as the young man slightly loses his balance, before regaining it.

"Oh? Is this how you treat your elders? I don't think I'd let Milette date you at all; I find your attitude highly disrespectful, you fucking piece of shit."

*BANG!*

"Mr. Kazimir!" Khristina says, running over to the injured man as everyone's eyes widen.

Breathing heavily, Kazimir looks down at his leg, which now had a small gunshot wound.

"It's 8:00 P.M. right now." Haruki says, checking his phone. "You all better get as much rest as you can; tomorrow's gonna be an exciting day!"

Taking the girl's hand, Haruki leads her back upstairs and she manages to escape to give everyone a quick hug.

"Come here, you fucking brat!"

Roughly grabbing her hand, Haruki tightly holds it as the two make their way upstairs, the lights quickly shutting off on the six men.