Hello my lovely people! Y'know, there's a certain genre of books that thrive online. Like millionaires, or supernaturals, or highschool love triangles.
I had to ask myself several times while planning this book if I was ready to risk so much effort because no one might read it.
Then I thought, screw that, and so here we are.

But since you're reading this, hope you like it!

"This is the person he ran into last night."

In his hand is a dark picture, stark in its resolution. Across Abel Escarra is a woman of average height, blond hair caught in a ponytail. It's too dark in the street that a picture without flash wouldn't illuminate the face.

"What's in her hand?" Cain looks up from the picture and at Rook

At first glance, the willowy boy looks easily intimated, but Cain knows better than to judge him on his appearance. The man has been tailing Salvador and his associates for the better part of the last year after all.

"I couldn't hear what they were talking about," Rook drums his fingers on the diner's table, brows furrowed "But it kinda looked like hair."

"A wig?" Cain raises his brows

"Could be a wig. Could be a decapitated head." Rook shudders dramatically "She tried to punch him without even looking who it was! And when they were leaving that chess café, she spoke to him so freely!"

Cain hmms in acknowledgment, staring at the picture. A trench coat that reached to the knees, a dark wig, average height...

"I couldn't really see her face, but her voice was super cold." Rook goes on "Like she was above Abel Escarra. I don't think she knew who he was."

Cain hears him, but doubts that might be the case. For a stranger to behave coldly towards someone who supposedly helped them made no sense.

"Do you know where she is now?"

Rook stops midway about some undercover FBI agent to blink owlishly at him.

"Sure, I followed her to the hotel she was at." Rook nods "Can't say if she'd be there now though. That was two hours ago."

It was 7 in the morning. A local fast food place close to the hospital had become their frequent meeting place when it came to morning reports, as there were no other customers. Rook had followed Abel and this woman from 2 am to 5 am, before calling Cain to report this 'interesting' event.

"Keep an eye on the hotel, and call me if you see her going out." Cain stands from his seat, placing a few bills in the menu "If you see a woman with short, dark hair and a similar build, do the same."

"I was gonna sleep now!" Rook groans "What do even need to meet this scary lady for?"

"Get yourself a cup of coffee." Cain says lightly, already turning away "Don't fall asleep on the job."

Rook voice reaches him as he walks out of the doors "That only happened once!"

...

It's around 11 am when Cain steps inside a chess café.

He'd gotten a message nearly twenty minutes ago.

'It's a dark haired lady, nearly the same height as the one last night. I'm following her rn.'

And that led to the same café he'd mentioned in his report of last night. Cain scans the place, eyes catching a few other customers, but no one that rang a bell.

At the booth near the window, he spots a familiar bob of dark hair.

For a moment, Cain stands still, expecting to see another familiar figure. But Abel Escarra is nowhere in sight. So this isn't a coordinated meet up.

He walks over to the booth, and the eyes that snap up to his face aren't dark and unblinking. Rather, he's met with a striking green. Half of her face is hidden under a mask, but the slight raise of her brows tells him she's recognized him.

Cain glances at the chess board on the table and back at her "Do you play?"

For three solid seconds, she keeps her unflinching stare on him. Cain raises a brow.

"A bit," She says finally, and he recognizes the voice, leaving no room for doubt "But I'd rather not play chess first thing in the morning."

"So, after stealing medical reports from a hospital?"

Her eyes widen almost comically. And if Cain even thought for a moment that she would be concerned, the cackling laughter that reaches him proved him wrong. A few heads turn towards them in question.

Her laughter dwindles to a chuckle quickly, and she drops her face into her palm, eyes crinkled with amusement.

"Playing detective, doc?" She asks, tone bright "Should I expect to see the cops coming in now?"

Cain settles down on the seat across from hers before they could garner any more attention.

"Nothing related to that. I want to ask a question."

"That's nice, but I don't do business before breakfast." She tells him nonchalantly, before calling for a waiter "I'd like one triple chocolate smoothie, with extra chocolate drizzle, please. And a slice of strawberry cake."

The waiter asks him if he'd like anything, but Cain shakes his head. It must be his professional knowledge, but he finds himself in awe that someone might have something so sweet as breakfast.

"Let's play a game until the food gets here." She says, as though they're old acquaintances and not strangers "Whoever wins gets to ask the loser a question."

I thought you don't play chess first thing in the morning, Cain thinks but doesn't say. Wordlessly, they start a round. The game is quick, passing in a blurr of moves.

"Checkmate."

She almost leans over the board, then sharply turns her gaze to him. He cant imagine what her whole expression might be like, because her eyes narrow scandalously.

"How?" She asks, almost accusing

He repeats the last three moves. A waitress drops off her breakfast.

"So you set me up from the start." She grumbles, taking her smoothie, the sight of which might trigger someone's diabetes "Go on, ask your question."

Cain doesn't beat around the bush.

"Do you know who you played with yesterday?"

The change in the air is dramatic. Tension seizes her frame, once, before it leaves. She sets her cup aside before she could even bring close to her covered face.

"So you're a stalker too," She muses calmly "Who were you following? Me or him?"

It's a valid attempt to steer the conversation in another direction "That's not an answer."

"I know who he is, but I don't know him." She says without pause, with a nonchalance that's almost exaggerated "If that's all, then I'd like to have my food in peace."

"I have an offer." Cain says instead

She arches a brow. He clears away the chess board. Then he arranges white pieces on the board.

A rook. A bishop. A knight. A king.

In the row ahead, he places three white pawns.

"I don't know what I'm looking at." A newly familiar voice reaches him

"A list," Cain leans back in his seat "Of all the people I have unfinished business with. There are only so few I can take care of on my own. I need my own pieces on the board."

Carefully disinterested eyes take him in "And Abel Escarra is one of these people?"

Cain nods. She drums her fingers on the table.

"If you've come so far, doc, tell me," She says finally "What's your unfinished business?"

A hundred memories unfurl in his head, more than a decade old. The scar around his neck pricks with the sensation of phantom ropes digging into his flesh. There's salt water in his mouth, in his lungs, permanently keeping a bitter taste on his tongue.

"It's very simple." Cain says, and there is so much anger in him that it no longer presents itself, turning into an unnatural calm, "I'm going to ruin them."

Silence settles over the table, taught like a stretched rubber band.

She huffs out a laugh, before it turns into a snicker, shoulders shaking. It takes Cain a moment to realize it for what it is. She's mocking him.

"Simple, is it?" She asks, and he can almost hear the sneer in her voice "Aren't you an optimist."

The words confirm everything he'd bet on while coming here. She does know who it was she ran into last night. And the anger tells him he's found the right person for the job.

"I like to think I'm very realistic," Cain says evenly "Will you take up the job?"

She stares at him, almost a glare, before letting loose a long, long sigh. Then she takes a tissue from the table, and pulls a pen from the pocket of her coat.

"Don't know about your employer, but mine's a pain in the ass," She hands over the tissue, a number scribbled on it "My time isn't exactly cheap, so best of luck negotiating."

Without waiting for a response, she calls for a waiter and asks if they could pack her untouched food as a to-go.

"Who am I supposed to ask for when I call?" Cain raises his brows at her

"Just tell them you want the best swindler in the world." She gets to her feet and out of the booth, her tone turns cheeky with her next words "Don't be too sad if you cant afford it though. I'll still root for your most realistic plans to succeed!"

Cain watches her pick up her food at the counter, having a quick word with the staff before leaving the café. He spots her outside from the window when someone clears their throat at the table.

Cain turns to find a bill extended in his direction.

"Excuse me, Sir, the lady who just left told us you'd pay?" The waitress inquires

Unbidden, Cain turns his eyes back to the window, where she's standing and Cain has the oddest feeling of knowing that she must be supporting a ridiculous grin. She gives him a cheeky wave, before disappearing into the streets.

"Sir?"

Cain shakes his head, turning his attention back inside "I'll get that."

Point made, He thought as he pulled out his card.

Her time was going to be expensive.

...

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