Chapter 08

The day had barely started when Naomi left the house in search of a phone booth, with only a small backpack on her back. The fear of being followed overwhelmed her, looking everywhere to avoid being caught.

After a short walk, she spotted a phone booth near the playground. And entering, she searched in her pockets for the ticket with the number on it and began to type in that numerical sequence.

And she waited until someone answered the call. Those mere seconds of waiting seemed like an eternity when a guttural voice answered:

"Naomi and you?" asked the voice.

Naomi was sure that was her partner and thought of several things she wanted to say, but it all came down to that:

"DF… YOU BASTARD! WHY DID YOU GET ME INTO THIS MESS?" Naomi shouted angrily.

"N-Naomi c-calm down! I'm sorry and I mean it! I didn't want to do it but there was no other way, I swear! " DF said nervously.

— "My ass, that you had no choice!!!!!" Naomi replied. "You stole the information from that company and cheated me!"

"I am sorry..."

"You only regret it now. They broke into my house and took me to their lair, luckily I managed to escape, but now I can't even sleep for fear of being killed. Do you have any idea what I'm going through?"

"I'm sorry... I didn't know I they would find you so quickly."

"Ah! I want to strangle you. Whew!" Naomi sighed in annoyance. "Why did you do that?"

"… I'm going to be honest with you Naomi." DF said seriously. "I really needed the money, my mother is in the hospital and her treatment is very expensive?" he paused and then continued. "Then a Chinese guy contacted me and offered me the amount I needed for a simple service."

"Let me guess, the simple service was to steal Avant Kaisha's data." Naomi said sternly. "Am I right?"

"Yes… I told him it was too risky, but he told me that if I needed help I could ask someone I trusted, but that only I would know the real reason."

"And that's when you thought of the idiot here, wasn't it?" Naomi said.

" Whew!!!" DF sighed depressedly."Yes... I'm so sorry!!!"

"If you keep apologizing, I will make you swallow this flash drive. Now finish telling me!" Naomi said angrily

"Well... I accepted. But a Russian came to my house and told me that his boss was interested in the same information, and that he would provide me with a larger amount and pay me half as a guarantee. So I accepted. And when they found out that I had made two deals at the same time, they got mad and came after me. I need you to keep this flash drive for me."

At that moment, Naomi collapsed and lost the ability to think or say anything.

"Naomi? Naomi? Can you hear me? Naomiiiii? Hello?" DF asked.

{...}

{...}

"I don't have a funeral plan… But will I need a coffin? Since my body might not be found, or I might be buried indigently. Hahaha hah…" A fit of nervous laughter had seized Naomi, who was frightened. "Mom and Dad I think I'll find you sooner than expected."

"Naomi, what happened?"

"DF, I've had enough of your frame-ups. My head will not be given to anyone because of you. I have made my decision."

"What? What have you decided?" DF asked nervously.

"Just as you didn't tell me the truth before, I have no obligation to tell you, and I don't care what happens to you." Naomi said.

"Naomi..."

And hang up the phone. Naomi wasn't sure if her idea would give her what she needed at that moment, but it was all or nothing, and she would turn to whoever could help.

☸☸☸〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰☯⚛☯〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰☸☸☸