Chapter 6: The Dark Moon's Tattoo

Nathan walked under the moonlight at an unfamiliar alley where only a few people passed by. Stray cats could be heard arguing, making the strange and weird sound of meowing that echoes throughout the alley. This made him goosebumps out of fright. Furthermore, an idea that he didn't want to admit since awhile ago seems true, "I'm not lost am I?" he thought. It's already evening, yet he still didn't reach his home.

After a few minutes of walking, he stopped his steps when he meets a fork alley: one path going to the east and the other one going to the west. Nathan has felt that this scene seems Deja Vu, more so at every time he faces a fork alley, there's something bad always happen to him. "I guess,... I'm totally lost."

Nathan searched his surroundings, only to notice that he was the only person left in this narrow path and cold night. Just then, the streetlights beside him suddenly flickered nonstop, adding to the fuel of fear for Nathan. Because of this, he hardly read the written words on two rectangular shapes of the iron pole showing the directions of the two alleys.

 East: Coquina Street, West: Serius Subdivision.

He rubbed his eyes and stared longer at the word 'Serius Subdivision'. Confirming what he read was right, the anxious feeling like a thousand needles was penetrated at his heart, vanished. He was on the right path.

All of a sudden, just after he sighed in relief. He felt a strange thing happening inside his body, "Oh no?! Right now? This can't be... Why?", a drop of sweat escape from his forehead. He looked around once again, searching for the right place for his situation but he can't find it. His eyes glued at a certain building with lights on the inside of it. The building beside it was already close and firmly locked and certainly soulless. 

"I'm definitely sure that convenient store has a toilet." 

Standing in front of the entrance door, Nathan hesitated to enter as this convenient store hung a 'close' sign. However, the strange sensation he felt inside made him swallow his shyness and be shameless for a moment. 

He can't clearly see what's happening inside because the transparent door that supposed to be clear became blurry, like someone purposely put something at the door so that no one could take a peek. 

Just then, Nathan jolted, when out of nowhere an eye stared at him through the small clean area of the door. This eye made him frightened. He even saw the vestige of the person smiling terrifyingly at him.

He touched his chest. He felt like his heart was about to jump over out of his rib. He slowly opened his eyes, bravely looked back at the eye staring at him. However, that menacing eye vanished. 

Nathan doubts himself if he was just hallucinating. Realizing this, he laughed awkwardly and straightened his body. "Haha, am I a kid? Why I'm scared of this creature only made up of my mind. But seriously, it's creepy." 

Nevertheless, he put all his courage to push the door and said, "Hello? Is anyone there? Please excuse me. I want to use your toilet."

His eyes widened when he saw the outlandish scenery inside. A young woman with a man on her embrace was covered in blood, people seated on the tiled floor trembling and looks so horrified, and the six persons that were only standing: Four people are in black-masked that only covered their eyes and a little girl hiding at the back of a young man; stop their arguing at the time Nathan come in. The bizarre situation was clearly seen by him and the eyes looking back are all in shock, except to the young man. This young man seems familiar to him.

"Idiot! Get out of here. RUN!" when he heard this cold monotonous voice, he confirmed it was his big bro Zitrey. 

He was about to ask, what happened. When a silencer gun aimed at him. Nathan shuddered, he wants to move his leg and run but it was petrified. Fear totally consumed him. 

Zitrey vociferated, "Run! Stay away from here!" because of this the Boss of the masked man got his attention and stared at her, at the same time Nathan breath a sighed of relief. In a split of seconds, he thought he was going to die but thankfully Zitrey shifted the Boss attention. 

Her eyes are intently looking at him, though saying, " You can't help here just run and find help." However, to Nathan, he felt like his newfound big brother was cursing him, saying, "You stupid idiot!"

Nonetheless, he looked back at Zitrey with eyes full of determination then nod. He already grasped the situation. "I will definitely find help!"

Hands firmly clutch, he closed the door quickly and ran. But not long when he felt once again the strange sensation. He jerked his movements in midway, then whined, "I just wanted to pee!"

On the other hand, Zitrey still firmly holds the wrist of X. But he still managed to kick Z in the face. Z kissed the hard tiled with bruises on his face. "Why the h*ll your so useless!!!" 

Customers and employees gasped at what happened. The Robbers are fighting each other. Z was laid on the ground trembling, he kneeled at his companion and apologized repeatedly towards them.

 "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm a featherhead. I panicked when I saw her (refer to Nathan) approaching. Please punish me!" he said still looking down at the floor. 

"What are you babbling?! Chase her before she can find help! Use your useless brain!!!" X was enraged and about to kick Z again but Y stops him. 

"Bro, cool your head. It's not Z's fault. He's just a newbie." he said shielding his body for Z. He was hiding awhile ago from Z's back but right now he bravely used his physical self for him. He knew his brother will never hurt him. X and Y are both fraternal twins. They are solid brothers and no one could break them apart. 

When Y meddle with them, X instantly hold his kicked and put it down. He can't do anything nor harm his brother, because of this he just let out a 'Tch' sound and looked away at them. When Y saw him cool a bit, he immediately faces their boss. "Boss, what now?"

Their Boss hides the silencer gun in his coat and look at Z's pitiful face. "Z, stand up."

After hearing this, he instantly stands up. Wiping his tears. "Chase the girl before he could find help." Their boss added. 

Z's eyes twinkled a bit, then vigorously nod his head. " I will definitely stop her boss!" he said, voice full of determination. 

Zitrey stares at scaredy-cat's back, she can't stop herself but to crash the wrist at his hand, out of anger. She saw a thing that reminds her of the dark past. 

X immediately felt the sudden force tightening at his wrist, at the same time severe pain. He quickly grabbed the sharp knife in his coat with his other hand and attack Zitrey, however as quick as lightning his opponent get a hold of his hand once again, without even blinking and taking away her gaze at Z. 

Since awhile ago, when X kicked this scaredy-cat's ass, her stare didn't leave at Z's nape as it shows a peculiar tattoo; a silver moon with a skull inside of it. The skull was penetrated by a dark blue bullet on its frontal lobe. Black clouds surround the skull and the silver moon as if it symbolizes 'death' or 'darkness'. Seeing this Zitrey cold expression became darker.

"X sort out your things immediately." their Boss commanded. He still wears that warm aura yet has a cool and freezing gaze. 

"How could I Boss?" X's hands were both captive by Zitrey and she didn't even plan to let go. As if she wants to interrogate this madman on how and when they met that scaredy-cat. But her train of thought cut when she heard a displeasing statement. 

"This young man won't let me go, he seemed into me~" X glared at her with eyes inflamed in anger yet with mixed of flirting. "Aren't you?" he added. 

Zitrey quickly let go of his wrist, showing abhorrent countenance, and said with a very serious tone. "Disgusting."

X laughed at her reaction. "Aiyoo~, that's hurt. A person who's acting cool could easily be disgusted," he said while tidying his wrinkled sleeves. If X wrists will stay longer at that monster like hands, his bone will probably be crashed. This madman surprisingly uses his brain also. 

"Stop act X, let's go!" Their Boss ordered. 

Y picked up the favorite knife of his twin brother on the floor, it was fallen from the moment of fighting awhile ago. He then gives it back to him and followed their boss going to the back exit. X gets his knife and hides it securely inside his coat with his newly obtain pistol. He picked up his bag full of valuable things and glared at Zitrey as he passed by. Zitrey also glared back still wearing his unchangeable cold expression.

Their Boss suddenly jerked his movements, making the two following him stop their steps too, he then looks back at Zitrey. "Young man, do you want to join us?" he still didn't let go of this idea if Zitrey would join them or not. Meeting such gems is rare, and he couldn't resist but to collect them. X and Y didn't argue about this idea because they know how scary their boss is when someone opposed him. 

The child at Zitrey's back clutched at his jean when she heard what he said. She was afraid if her brother Cede will leave her again and join the bad guys.

Without hesitation, Zitrey answered, "No."

"Well, I already expected it. Our job is not suited to you. Having such talent, this line of work was extremely boring for y-."

"Uncle, did you lose your screw? Why would Brother Cede joined bad guys?" the young girl said behind Zitrey, sticking out her tongue.

The Boss expression shows irritation. His statement was break off again by merely a child. Yet his voice was still gentle while saying this, "Little girl, you don't have a spark of decency. Don't speak when adults are talking." he was like lecturing his own niece. 

"Heh, it seems like her parents didn't teach her manners," X added to his Boss statement.

When Zitrey heard this, it was like a hot needle prick her cold heart and trigger her conscience. 

The child's round eyes were forming a tear, X nailed what hurt her more, 'she really doesn't have parents to teach her, cause they'd died'. It was then she wailed nonstop. Her grandmother that fainted awhile ago woke up as soon as she heard her granddaughter's cry. She instantly, get the child behind Zitrey who did nothing on her wail and just remain to stand. Her expression was scarier than before like she was about to kill a person. 

In the heat of the moment, the siren of police cars can be heard approaching.