FIEND

Prologue - Blood

"You go get that," James said with deep and authoritative voice, while using his calliber gun to point the knife.

Nadine followed what he said despite how fool she thought it was to get the knife along with them because that thing doesn't belong to their plan. That's the rule. Always stick to the plan.

Her mind keeps opposing from what he's thinking right now. Tsk.

However, she refuses to complain because it will just start an argument. Thinking how fucking competitive James was. He never listens to other but himself.

As Nadine approaches to go back to the counter, she saw something through her left peripheral vission that there is something going to attack her but before some guy employee reaches a sharp thing on her side, she held it and use her strength to point it back on him.

"Ah!" The guy groaned as soon as he saw blood coming off his pulse and tried to ran away to hide himself somewhere. Right before the guy finally left Nadine's view, James hissed and point his gun to the guy.

"Aish-" her eyes went bigger.

Even when Nadine knows it will only took out of a second for James to pull the trigger, she mananged to go towards him and tried to stop him from pulling it. His cold eyes met hers before that.

He tilt his head, without saying, step aside.

"I'm fine," Nadine whispers without moving away.

James brows shut up, "I never asks."

She swolled a bit and laugh at herself. Well... yeah I mean, it's fine. Just don't make a fuss. She thought. Before she could roll her eyes at him, Dean signal them it's time to leave.

As they go outside the store, the people inside started to scream like crazy. They heard the crew staff's panicking voice that seems talking to the phone. Nadine tried to looked back again, she saw the store's one guard barely standing and approaching the door.

"Alright," Dean cheer as they finally get inside the car and he boldly drove it away.

Nadine sighed and remove her cap and her mask away from her face. James on front seat, also removed his mask and look at her at the back. He lazily extended his hands to her.

"The knife?" He asked.

Nadine nodded and handed it to him. James innerself is smiling because he knew that this knife will be useful for him. He remembered how this thing shimmers through his eyes inside the store. It seems pleading to him and saying... get me, James. I swear I'll be good. He laughed at himself.

While checking the knife back and forth, he realized that there's a blood on its handler. His brows shot up and check it thoroughly. It's a fresh blood like it was dripped not too long ago. And there his memories flashed and he realized whose blood this is.

They go off the car, Nicholas and Mateo approached them to help carrying the bags. As Riccana goes towards James' direction, James used that opportunity to ask her to get their team's first aid kit.

"O, my, did you get hurt?" Riccana loud voice echoed to their basement. The team looked worriedly at James and started to drop questions if he was okay, what happen, what's wrong- ah, what a shit. James thought.

James rolled his eyes at himself.

"No." He answered firmly.

Riccana cling to him and check his body. "But why would you ask for a first aid kit?"

"Just do what I'm asking, Shan," he sighed. Riccana nods and followed.

Dean look at him weirdly. Maybe because Dean thinks that nothing seriously happened that may injured them. In fact, it was their easiest task because it wast just a small store.

"You okay?" Dean asked.

James nodded to him and search where is Nadine. She was ordering some stuff to their men. This girl still doesn't recognize the pain. He smirked and tilt his head.

Dean stared at James weirdly. James stared back at him and shot his brows.

"Ah," Dean nods as he realized. "You hurt your head mentally?" He asked while gesturing to his head, and nodding like an idiot, strongly convinced that James really hurt his head mentally.

James glared at him so he go outside.

As soon as James got the first aid kit from Riccana, he called Nadine.

"Clean your wound," James hand her the first aid kit.

Nadine looked at James like she was not following what he meant. As she stretched her hand up and was about to get the kit, that's when she felt the pain in her palm.

"Ah!" She hissed.

James tsked and grabbed her to sit on the couch. He get the cotton and the ointment. For him, it is fine if he was the one to clean her wound because it wouldn't happen if he didn't ask her to get the knife.

That's okay. If we really wanna get something, we always have to lay a sacrifice. He nods at himself. Right. This is sacrifice. This blood, or even if it's my blood... everything can be a sacrifice.

"It's been couple of a months since you get in here, you can still withdraw the contract and back out." James said while standing in front and putting the ointment on her palm.

Nadine looked up to James. Yes, it's been exactly two months since she got in this dirty business.

"Tss... as if you can persuade our Boss," she mocked at him.

James stopped because of what she said. He wanted to burst his laugh out. But it will make him look uncool so nevermind.

"Ah- so you really wanna withdraw?" he asked, coz aside from mocking at him, that's what James think was the context of her answer.

"No. Just mocking at you." She answers carelessly.

"Ah..." James nodded and avoided her teasing.

He covered her hands tightly using the bandage and as he finished it, he sat beside Nadine.

"It's done. Get some antibiotics there or whatever you prefer. You can also give the kit back to Riccana. I'm just gonna inform them you're dismissed."