Black Equation - The Hunted Ones

FIVE

 "Nobody said that you were not right. Everybody's standpoint was just different."

FIVE

"If you don't let go of me right now, I'm gonna scratch your cheek deep enough it'll scar," Ophee threatened the moment Brandon safely reached the top of the cliff.

"You ungrateful, little brat."

"I'd like to hear you repeat that in front of the family," she chided like a naughty she-devil.

The man unceremoniously dumped her on the ground before swaggering towards a sturdy-looking tree. She never joked on things like these, and they both knew that his wife would scream bloody murder if he returns home with an unwarranted injury.

"I'll pay you back for this," she hissed.

She wobbly stood up, as if the pain wasn't eating her up. As only one of her ankles were ruined, she could afford to walk on flat ground. Even though it is painful, she preferred walking rather than being carried back home. That just asking for an unnecessary fuss in the family.

"Please," her young uncle rolled his eyes, "it's not like you're some fragile item that'll break due to gravity. Even if I throw you down that cliff head first, I bet you'll still survive."

She tilted her head to the side. "I heard plotting against a direct descendant is called treason."

"Can't blame me that your skull is as thick as a phone directory."

Ophee smiled endearingly. "Oh? I heard that treason calls for a punishment much worse than death."

"Ha ha, our pretty young miss must be hearing things." Brandon deftly disassembled the climbing gear on his body. For someone who just carried a hundred-pound person on his back, he looked pretty relaxed, as if he just strolled through a park. After hesitating a bit, he asked in a serious tone, "Who died?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"I have to . . . prepare for contingencies."

There was no change in his expression, but it was not because he was heartless. Ophee knew that he was one giant softie, despite his unfazed expression. After all, he was the Chief Instructor of the family. One death would mean that one of his students would never call him 'Sir' once again. 

"It's best we leave this business for later. Make sure that those guys heal well. They will be our future asset."

And one possibly my husband. 

Ophee shivered, but then recalling the white string between those two boys, she felt slightly relieved.

It can't be one of them.

"What did you see in those two boys that made you act, young miss? We can just abandon them here. We don't need to save them."

Ophee did not answer. After all, she had no obligation to answer that question. Looking around, she spotted men from their family inconspicuously hidden behind the cover of trees. If not for their Strings, she would not have noticed that she and Brandon were surrounded.

Were her guesses correct?

What sort of background could those two boys have that the family mobilized these many members? Surely, white strings would not have posed much threat.