Property of the Mafia

[33] King's Mouth

"You came for me!" Alyssa beamed, throwing her arms around my neck as she bobbed up in excitement. I hugged her back, giggling, equally happy to see her again.

After a few more squeaks and shrills, Alyssa stepped to the left, and glared at Leon incredulously, (after he had managed to revert back to normal from stone), and shook her head back and forth, looking absolutely disgusted.

"You made an absolute fool of me." Alyssa hissed, seething with her fists clenched at her sides. She was a ticking time bomb ready to wreak havoc.

"Uh, I'm sorry? But I---" Leon began, at a loss of what to do.

Alyssa's rage suddenly subsided and a sweet, serene smile replaced her furious expression.

"But since you're my best friend's other half---I can let it pass... this time." She smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder haughtily. "Though you owe me big time." She stuck her nose up in the air, smirking.

Leon smiled in respond, glad that Alyssa was so understanding. I could sympathize with her---Alyssa and I had both been scared out of our minds.

"We'll get back at the two of them eventually, won't we?" Alyssa whispered under her breath in my ear. I chuckled, nodding enthusiastically in reply, just as intent to get back at them.

After exchanging a few more plans of mischief, much to Marcel and Leon's concern, we parted ways, and Marcel promised to meet up again with us, after sending Alyssa off to relocate Tarra and possibly tell him of Frey's deception, and if possible, perhaps gain a new ally.

And though I had asked just exactly how Marcel was planning on contacting us without any sort of communication device, he insisted that he would have some sort of signal and that 'we'd know when to act'... whatever that meant.

Meanwhile, Leon and I, alone again together, were trying to find a way to continue through the building and find Rei. Considering if anyone found out that Alyssa and I had essentially 'escaped' would not end prettily. For now, Leon had brought me another uniform and I was to disguise myself as a Tyrian worker... or so called 'Noel's' apprentice of sorts.

After I had changed alone---to Leon's grief, entertainingly enough---we were strolling down the hallways completely freely. The ominous atmosphere that I had felt previously seemed to dwindle for now that I knew exactly what was going on, and it was easier to breathe and concentrate on the task at hand. We had to work fast if we wanted to get back to the Viridian estate in time to save both Ares, and Arc... wherever he was.

"You okay?" Leon asked anxiously, whispering under his breath as he noticed how bizarrely silent it had become between us. "If you want, you can sit this part out and I can try and handle Rei."

I shook my head, gazing up at him. "I'm fine. I swear." I insisted, just as stubborn to get to the bottom of this as his was. I tried to stifle a giggle when I could see Leon's gaze pass down to my lips for a moment, and he quickly glanced away to avoid embarrassing himself.  

"So... do you have any idea where he could be?" I asked, trying to change the topic. Leon turned back towards me, and though his face was slightly flushed, I could tell he was trying to return to that cold, void of a man as we walked further from Alyssa's cell.

"Rei... he's a bit of a mystery. Apparently he's also a newcomer here, though certainly more experienced than I am---he's pretty peculiar, if you ask me. He showed up out of nowhere, with absolutely no background, just skills and expertise that attracted some of the Tyrian higher-ups." Leon explained, sighing.

"Sounds like you." I chuckled, shoving my hands into my pockets. "And all I know about him is that he's a tracker..." I responded, averting his gaze. After me... or was after me, more specifically.