Chapter 2

"Raven you have to be very careful," there's a warning in Calliope's voice. Raven closed her eyes and she sighed before opening them again and her gazes fall upon the team. 

Everyone was there and they were all looking at her with hint of concern on their faces. The aura of the room was so tense and she can't help her hands from forming a fist. 

She's not just uneasy about the information she got from Calliope and Heinz, she's enraged. Her heartbeat was racing and it feels like it wants to get out of her chest. 

She may look calm from the outside but everyone in that room knew all damn well what's the truth. Raven's infuriated. 

They were all expecting Raven to burst in anger when she suddenly stood up but everyone was petrified when a lopsided smile played in her lips. 

Even Zarek who most of the time ignore Raven because he hates her guts, was frozen in his place. It was that kind of smile– a scary one. 

"Raven..." Calliope called her. "Just avoid him. Meeting him again will do you no good," she was trying to convince her but to her dismay, the girl in front of her is indeed a caliber to be reckoned with. Raven has already set her mind, and that only means her target is locked and no one can divert her attention to anything— not even her boss, Calliope. 

"Raven, just chill for the mean time." Van tried to lighten the mood so he tapped Raven's shoulder but she didn't even budge. "We're a team here, we move as  one. Your target is our target too." 

Logan who was just listening and was quite busy with his phone agreed. His eyes were still fixed on his device, "Yeah, you're fight is our fight kiddo." 

Raven's brow shot up. "And who are you calling kiddo? You fucktard." 

"You. You're like a child sulking, Raven" 

"Yeah, you're acting right now like you're not affected by that man. I'm pretty sure you found him attractive." Heinz added much to Raven's annoyance. 

She was slightly moved because the team was ready to back her up but she just can't help but to snap back to their banters. 

She wanted to talk back and deny Heinz's accusations but her mouth won't just let her. Her lips thinned. She just walked out after that, ignoring everyone who was calling her back. 

Damn that deep but sweet voice!

Damn that cedarwood scent!

Damn that handsome face! 

She just can't deny those facts because she can't lie to herself, she did find him captivating that moment. 

But all those thoughts were sent down the drain when Calliope told her the truth about that man. 

It feels like everything was coming back to her. All emotions that she buried long time ago was dug up again and they were out chasing her. She took a deep breath, she's a strong woman and she just can't fall like that. 

She's firm with her decision to take that man down. It doesn't matter if the team's with her or not, she'll definitely kill him more ways than one. 

'What's his motive for approaching me like that?' she asked herself. 'looks like he plans to kill me before I kill him.' 

She just chuckled in her thoughts. She feels like she's playing with death and she knows there are consequences to every decision. 

Raven sat up straight, she's still trying to calm herself down. 

"You're that mad?" 

She turned to see the one who spoke behind her. 

Actually, she didn't need to turn to know who that is– it's Zarek. She just wants to glare at him. 

They hate each other's gut so they basically detest each other, no other fatal reason. 

"You care?" She sarcastically retorted. 

Zarek gave her a dismissive glance. "I don't," he seriously answered. "But I care about that guy that you met. I heard the story from Calliope, it's not like he–" 

She snapped at him, "so you're siding with him?" Raven gave Zarek a piercing look as anger was slowly entering her gazes but Zarek didn't yield. 

"Kinda," he just shrugged. It's seems to Raven that the man in front of him has a death wish and what irritates her the most was that Zarek didn't care about her at all! It feels like he was invalidating her feelings and she was about to blow up when he suddenly closed their gap.

"But," he trailed. "You belong to the team. Your enemy is our enemy." 

Raven clicked her tounge when she heard that. She looked away because she's still under the spell of angst. She just can't shake off the loathe that were stuck up in her head. 

Everyone was taking it lightly because they don't know the whole story. Not even Calliope who knows everything and Heinz who can dug up anything knows what really happened that faithful night.

That bastard didn't do anything to her directly, but her hatred were stemming from one thing to another. 'Any apple that fell from that tree would be rotten to its core.'

"You just knew the tip of the iceberg. So you better shut up." She grimmed at him, her eyes were sharp. She stood up after that and left him hanging to her words.

'Kai Araveles Sage–target locked.'

Whatever his plan may be, Raven will never give in. She'll take him before he takes her out. 

She settled in her condo unit. She took a bath because she needs to freshen up. Truth to be told, she was expecting a peaceful night and she thought Calliope would avoid giving her mission for the time being because her boss knows she's still got something on her mind that's bothering her. 

"Raven, go to the attached address and get the object on the photo" 

She read the message from Heinz again and again. It was probably the fifth time when she realized she has to get up, dress up and go to that high-end bar ten blocks away from her condo unit.  

She did what she has to do, she dolled up and made sure she's a head turner for the night. 

She curled her long hair and she wore a black bodycon dress hugging her curves, and even though she hates heels–she wore a stiletto. 

Raven put the earpiece and tapped it. "I'm ready," she informed the team. 

"Great," Calliope answered. "Now, wait for Zarek. He's on the way, he'll be your escort."

Raven who still remember the conversation she left with Zarek earlier, grimaced. She's so annoyed that she has to see Zarek everyday in her daily life. 

Her blood just boils everytime he's near even though he's not doing anything. The latter was even ignoring her most of the time. 

She just complied to the instructions provided by Calliope. She can't even refuse Zarek's assistance because he's the fighter of the team. Heinz is the tech, Logan is the sniper, Van is the doctor, and her–the thief. 

Although all of them can fight, but Zarek is still the deadliest among all of them. 

Raven was the only one who dares to snap at Zarek. She even dares to hate him. 

Her thoughts were cut off when her phone rang. She didn't even get to answer it because it was ended within seconds. 

That's from Zarek, signaling her to come down. 

She sighed and went on with it. Gladly, she's the only one in the elevator so she can make faces on how fed up she is. When she reached the ground floor, almost everyone glanced at her. 

Being the type of a girl who enjoys attention, she didn't even feel embarassed by the stares. She stood even prouder and fixed her hair while walking with elegance towards the exit. 

There, a man was boredly leaning on his porsche was waiting for her. 

Raven's eyes narrowed at him. Zarek was dressed up as well. He's wearing a sleek white button-down shirt, and black jeans paired with black leather shoes. 

"I didn't know you can look quite decent," she said that without much thought and she went around and opened the door to passenger seat herself. 

Zarek just sighed. What would he expect, Raven waiting for him to open the door for her? Never gonna happen. 

He also did the same thing and he went inside the car. "And I didn't also know you have curves, I thought all you have were straight up bones," he snorted. 

Raven glared at him and Zarek did the same. There's really no way for them to live in peace together.