Mourning Cloak - Part Four

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Ali wanted to spend some time alone with Charlie, and while he did I was being questioned by Howard

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Ali wanted to spend some time alone with Charlie, and while he did I was being questioned by Howard.

He was stalling his words, clearing tip-toeing around the questions he really wanted to ask as he kept clicking his pen to the same irritating rhythm. "Can you tell me anything else about the- uh- the Stalkers?"

I tilted my head as his eyes landed to mine, deep in thought. "Why don't you just ask me what you really wanna know?"

He laughed inwardly, placing his pen onto the table and leaning back in his chair. "Alright, why is Charlie here?"

"We brought her back." I stated.

"You know what I mean, Bella- why?" He pressed.

"They're kids, Howard." I sighed, tugging at my bottom lip before continuing. "Charlie is the first person Ali's met, in a long time, who's his age. He wants to do right by this place, but he also wants to save good lives- Charlie's a good kid—"

"You don't know her—"

"Does she have blood on her hands? Absolutely. I don't need to know her to be able to tell that." I cut him off, sensing where he was leading the conversation. "You can't live in this world an not have that stain on your soul. But she's clearly a decent person, and I think she's being honest with us."

"Well..." He snickered, clearly unimpressed with my response. "...I expected more from el Cuervo..."

My knuckles tightened, turning my skin white at the force, as my eyes widened at his words. "What did you just call me?"

"The crow- or- what was it... raven- the raven?" He fumbled on his words. "Somethin' Victor called you not long after you got here. Kinda suits." I felt at a loss for words, as though the past had come back to haunt me. How could this possibly be a coincidence. "But if you think she's telling the truth, then fine. She can stay the night, then I'll have her escorted out in the morning—"

"You're kicking her out?" I narrowed my brow. "In her condition?"

"She'll die if she stays, she'll die if she leaves- what difference is it to us?" Cold hearted bastard. "Look, it's a cruel world, you don't need me to tell you that. So we have to do everything in our power to protect what we've built an not let personal feelings cloud our judgements."

I leant back in my chair, knowing there was absolutely no point in trying to argue the matter with him. "Fine."

"Good, I'm glad you see it my way." Howard nodded before getting up from his chair and walking toward the elevator. "Good we got these back in action too."

El Cuervo...

The Spanish name ran cycles in my mind as I remembered its origin and primary use.

I revved the engine along the dirt track, passing through the open gates and bringing up a beige cloud behind me before bringing the bike to a dramatic stop. Kai jumped down in front of me as I unwrapped the scarf around my mouth and tucked it into my back pocket, noting the countless pairs of eyes becoming glued to my arrival.

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