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Chapter Text

"Check it." The Forger slid over the newspaper over to the Disguiser, who had cheerfully entered the building after stepping on the floor that the Janitor had recently mopped.

Prime minister Darrell Miller found dead in his residence, it read, in black and bold letters - of course, it was the headline, it had to be like that, made like that so the eye catches it. "And we did this?" She pressed her index finger on the headline and Charlotte nodded with a saccharine smile. "Well, I'll have to read it. But I'm sure my favourite editor has done her best, like always!" Hyuna wrapped her arms around Charlotte and kissed her cheek, the Framer sighing, as he was seated next to her. "Actually, I wrote the article about him dying, you know? I said over a week ago that I would handle that."

The Disguiser slowly unwrapped her arms from the Forger, looking over at the frowning Framer who glared at her. "Oh, we had discussed it before hand? Well, good work Alex. I'll be sure to write my comments in the paper, with my pink pen!" She strode over to him and patted his back gently, then walked off.

"Won't they actually suspect us? Each prime minister, after being elected, had a small lifespan." Alexander sighed out, putting his blue pen on the bridge of his nose and trying to balance it. "Us? They won't suspect us specifically, they'll just be warned, you know. Some underworld shit going down." Charlotte rearranged her papers and moved her keyboard, putting the papers in her drawer, some written with ugly scribbles about the plan of what she should write and some blank. "So, you're saying that they'll start thinking each politician has ties to the underworld or has done some stuff? Black market, buying guns... all the good stuff." He put his legs on his desk and he laid his head back. "I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this ever since the guy four months ago."

To the Forger and to everybody else in this group - 'organization', one of them preferred, the dead were long forgotten. But not to the Framer, it seemed. They should be forgotten, after all. Guilt settles in the young man's chest, immediately weighing down his ribcage, shooting a worried glance over to his coworker. "Charlotte, I'm really scared. I don't like this. Where did we get ourselves into..." He held back a sob, putting frail and pale hands on his eyes. Charlotte had to stand up and pat his back, trying to calm him down. "I don't want to die, I don't wanna!" He whined out, nearly tearing up. "I don't want to get my family into this too - if they die because of me, I don't know if I'll be able to forgive myself."

Alexander's family mattered a lot to him - even if adoptive. They helped him get back on his feet and grow up. To lose them, it'd hurt him a lot. "Oh now, sheesh. They won't get into this and most importantly, you'll live through this. We're all in this too and we're all doing risky business. Hell, my mom is a fucking judge, if she finds out, despite being her daughter, I'll be put in jail." It hurt her to say this - to know this, most importantly, but then, that would be her punishment. To rot in hell, to atone for whatever evil deed she had done in her life. "And you know what? I won't let myself die! I won't let anyone die. We'll get out of this alive, somehow." Somehow. The damned word rang in her mind, an awful repetition. She had slowly begun to doubt if she'd get out of this alive, she'd die before she was even married or had done anything important and notable in her meek life of hers. "Just don't think about the consequences anymore. Stop caring about them."

The sniffling stopped, moments after the Forger had fallen silent and a sharp and loud inhale of breath was heard through the eerie silence. "Thanks." Alexander said, as that was all he could muster to say in that moment. She slowly moved off him and gave him the most sincere smile she could ever give to a person - a selective few had seen that smile. She sat down on her seat, and none of them dared to look at eachother.

Loud clacking, the sound of heels against marble, was audible, as the Disguiser rushed to the Framer's desk, as it was the first one she saw and leaned over it. "Guess what information I got!" She seemed ecstatic, full of life even. Her face had a bright smile on it that could never reach her ears, blinking. "I hope it's not the elections. I'll need to get my mom to stay home or she'll vote some friend of a friend of hers that is running or a blank vote." Hyuna immediately grimaced, looking at Alexander in disbelief. "He just died, we can't have elections this soon! Anywho, guess whose birthday is soon."

"Mine is in July," Charlotte spoke up. "And mine's in April." Alexander added to the previous comment. Hyuna's facial expression was purely repulsive, resisting the urge to facepalm. "It's the Mafioso's birthday, in one week from now! I spoke to someone that knows and knows a lot."

"Let me guess- no. Don't." The Janitor joined the small conversation they had, only because of the mention of his older brother. 

"Blackmailer did!" As if she had completely ignored what he said, she pointed at him. Frederick's hold tightened on the broom he held in his right hand, Charlotte sneakily throwing her empty cup of coffee in the bag. He gave her a deathly glare, making her move slowly back to the position where she was before.

"I told you to not tell me, but whatever, I can't communicate with some high intelligence people like you." Sarcasm reeked in his venomous words as the Disguiser smiled at him, taking it more as a compliment and not as an offense. "Aw, why thank you. I'll have to say though that I can't really talk to dumbasses like you, I'm really trying hard." Alexander cackled, hitting his hand on his desk and immediately withdrawing. "The elevator's on your right." The Forger added, pointing to her right, where the elevator was. Frederick slammed his hand on her desk and she flinched, still laughing. "Shut it!"

After Alexander had stopped laughing, he began to speak again and interrupt the bickering between the Janitor and the Forger. "Alright but what about it, the birthday I mean?" The Disguiser looked at her white nails, pouting. It seemed like none of them had an idea on what they should do for it. Just let it go by or do something for their beloved vice president and sibling to some of them? After moments of silence that were solely thinking, the Disguiser pointed out.  "Maybe we can throw a party to celebrate, I don't know."

"That's actually pretty nice. Maybe we can get my mom to leave me the house for the night or something. What do you guys think?" Charlotte proposed, the Framer moving closer to her in excitement. "Oh, the Forger agrees, because whatever the source of idiocy, Disguiser will say, is absolutely correct!" Fingers nervously tapped against wood that was painted white, Charlotte almost seething and trembling. "Goddamn you idiots. I can't believe I'm in this office, with six other nutjobs including a couple consisting of two dykes that wants to suck each other's tits consistently!" 

"Actually I suck on her breasts weekly." The Forger ran out of the room, hitting with her spinning chair the Janitor's right hip, making him cry out in pain, just because of Disguiser over sharing a few things.

She'd find herself in the exit of the building, where the Consigliere was sitting on one of the stairs, exhaling puffs of smoke. Her hazel eyes were dull and she had eyebags under them, blonde hair messily tied, looking like she hadn't slept good or even, at all. "Hiya." Julie would greet her, Charlotte slowly taking a seat next to her, shivering. "It's kinda cold here." And to be fair, her light shirt that was of the sunset's orange, bright, with lace on the sleeves, didn't really help too. "That's why I have my jacket, you know. Besides it's the only place where I can smoke, so I've adapted to my ass being cold eachtime I get up." The other would chuckle, Julie getting out her cigarettes from her white jacket's breastpocket. "You want one?"

"I don't smoke." She'd respond, making the other put them back in the pocket. "You smoke a pipe though. That's no different."

"It is though." The Consigliere would snort, looking away from her to put the cigarette back in between her lips, then let out a cloud of smoke as she moved it away. "Whatever you say, I can't protest against that." Silence dawned on them once more. Silence made Julie anxious, her leg bouncing already as she stifled a yawn. "Did you know that Fulvio's birthday is soon? I've been here since I was sixteen and I didn't even know it."

Two years. She had been involved in this as a child in theory, as always - but then she can't really say anything about both Blackmailer and Janitor who were born to be involved in the Mafia as well as Mafioso, or the Disguiser who witnessed her family die at only fourteen years old. The Forger was only seventeen when they had tried to kill her mother, but naturally, because she was a witness, she had to be killed. Luckily, the chance for her to be spared was given by the Mafioso, but at the highest price imaginable. To join the Mafia.

"I wish I didn't, honestly. They're all arguing inside, probably." Julie got up to throw her cigarette or whatever had been left from the open window, bringing in a chilly breeze. "I didn't think of you as the type to back down from arguments. Your ego got hurt?" She'd lean on the light cyan walls with a smug grin, putting her hands on her reddish brown jeans' pockets.

"What I do behind closed doors with the Disguiser is what happened." 

"You finally lost your virginity and Blackmailer found out?"

"For fuck's sake no!" She'd shout, covering her flushed face with a trembling hand, dark brown hair falling on it. "Besides if he had done that, Carter would be no more. Trust me."

"I don't understand. Explain, Virgin Mary." She'd taunt the Forger, putting now her right foot on the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. She snarled at Julie, then sighed. "Basically Hyuna had the brightest idea of throwing a party for Fulvio's birthday. And because as usual, Frederick is a borderline vulgar piece of shit, he said that we're two dykes always sucking at each other's tits. And do you know what shit she spewed out?"

"What?" Julie barely could hold back from laughing, giving her a toothy smile and trembling.

"That we do that one time in the week. And because, let this stay between us though, it's true, I ran away!" The Forger kicked the floor as the Consigliere threw back her head and went into a laughing fit. Charlotte wished she had the ability to curl up and die. However, she couldn't. "I shouldn't have told you, you're as immature as the rest of them!" Julie put her hands on her knees and she snorted, then after calming down she wiped her eyes, as she had wept from laughing. "Aw, come on now Virgin Mary. There's no shame in that." She'd walk over to Charlotte and would tower over her, who had her arms crossed over her chest, refusing to look at her with a pout on her face. "Seriously, you're going to be like that now? You couldn't stay mad at me the first time we argued over how ugly your shoes were and now you will."

"You're unbelievable!" That was true and Charlotte hated the truth. Julie sat down next to her and put her head on her right hand. "I know, I'm a miracle. Anyway, what about the party? Where will it be hosted, if it happens?"

"My house. If I get my mom to lend it to me for one night."

"You still live with your mom?" Julie lived by herself and she was younger than Charlotte by seven years - she was eighteen, while Charlotte had turned twenty five. "I just need to prove myself to her. I've finished law school like she wanted me to, I don't know what else she wants from me." Her index finger would twiddle with her hair that fell to her shoulders and on her orange shirt. "Then, after that, she'll give me an apartment that belonged to one of my cousins. Luckily, it's furnished too. They hadn't really bothered with transporting the furniture."

"Lucky you. I still have to move out of my shitty apartment. Can you believe that the locks are so bad I actually got locked out from both my bathroom and the kitchen?"

"No, I seriously can't. I'm going inside, I want to see if they've beheaded eachother already. Do you wanna come as well?" She'd propose, getting up and walked up to the door, then Julie moved away. "No. I'll come later, you interrupted my smoking session." She'd get out the pack of cigarettes, her black lighter, and light up a smoke. "Smoking's bad for you, but whatever." She'd push the transparent door to open, going into the office which would be by now a bloody mess, she'd assume, blood spilled around and arms being cut off.

And she was wrong. All three of them stood infront of the Mafioso who probably scolded them while Charlotte was gone. Disguiser turned her head to meet the gaze of her fiancee, then Fulvio snapped his fingers to make her turn around. "She almost smashed her cup on the Janitor's head, so I had to make them be like that."

"To be fair she has a fair reason to do that, you know, your siblings are overly gross. I can't believe how different you two are." She'd kiss up to Fulvio, making him flush. For him, getting complimented by her was rare, he didn't even suspect that she was doing that. The Janitor stuck out his tongue at them. "You got to be the best sibling." She put her arm around his shoulders, making him feel as if his shirt clung to his back just a little bit. "And do you know why all of this happened, the entire argument and Disguiser almost smashing her cup on Frederick's head? Because of you."

"What? Why?" He'd wonder, looking at the Framer, who looked down at his feet, then the Disguiser and Janitor pair who glared at each other as if ready to lunge and kill each other. "Because someone that is unnamed now decided to ask the biggest idiot in this office about your birthday and proposed to throw you a birthday party." She'd move then to the Janitor, grabbing a hold of his curly hair and bringing him forwards. He groaned lightly, trying to move away from her, but her grasp was firm and strong. "And this dickhead over here, decided to insult both me and Hyuna and because we're all dumb, according to your brother, including you as well but excluding your dad." Fulvio glared back at the Forger, who released the Janitor and back to his sibling. "Is that true?"

"Well actually I-" He tried to defend himself, putting his hands up. "It's true." Both Framer and Disguiser chimed in and interrupted him, high fiving eachother. "Guilty as charged." Charlotte leaned down and whispered in his ear, then walked off. The Mafioso stood still in disbelief, despair crossed in his brother's face while the trio smuggly grinned. "But why all this, because I'm turning twenty three? You don't really have to."

"But we appreciate you, that's why! You're better than our actual boss anyway, you have this way to act to others..." Alexander would speak up, his speech filled with amazement and fascination. The Janitor rolled his eyes at the attempts of people kissing up to his brother. "And you're here more often than him." Hyuna added, shifting her weight from her right leg to her left one. "So there are reasons why we're doing this." The Forger completed what they were all saying with a small smile.

"I'm really flattered, but I can't really let you guys. That's a little bit too much."

"Well we don't think it is." Framer pointed out and falsified Mafioso's statement.

"Fine, if you really wish to, I don't mind. Just not something too big. A small celebration. I really need to get back to you all anyway." Disguiser waved her hand and covered her face with her hand. "But you don't need to, we are doing this for you and we don't really wait for anything in return."

"I'll have to agree. Just let them do their thing." The Consigliere stepped in, waving at all of them. "After all, in this hell we're stuck in... We need to stick together and be together at all times."

"I feel like I'll be cleaning the mess you'll do, just like I do now." The Janitor snarled, green eyes darting to the Consigliere who just nodded. "At the end of the party though."

"I've got the things ready for everything, if you want to listen." The Disguiser moved closer to the Forger, who just turned her head to the side. "Will it have to do with you ruining my house and wrecking down walls?"

"Be fully prepared for the consequences of what you've let them do, Fulvio." The Janitor bitterly said, pressing his index finger on his brother's chest as he walked away. 

And the bad feeling that plagued the Framer ever since he had joined the Mafia chewed at him and made him over worry about this entire celebration. He was no psychic, though.

Chapter Text

"Mom, come on now. You promised you'd go on that date with this one secretary from your office anyway." Charlotte adjusted the small and red hairpin that kept her fringe up, consistently looking from her mother to the mirror. "I did. But I don't feel like I can trust you with the house." She'd admit, as her daughter put a golden bracelet on her right hand, then groaned. "I'm twenty five! When will you trust me with the house, when I'll be fifty, like you?" She stood up and grabbed the black see-through stole and wrapped it around her bare shoulders. 

"So, what do you think?" She forced a smile, trying to balance herself on her black heels. She wasn't a fan of heels, after all, she could barely walk using them, but for the sake of the celebration, it had to be done. She wore a red dress that was puffy with a bow on it's back that almost reached her knees and stockings, her stole black with hints of dark blue and teal, topped with a pearly necklace. "I think you look great. Anywho, when will your friends be coming?"

Her friends. They were more than just friends she had met in law school - one of them was at least, the Disguiser - and in other places she used to go regularly. If she slipped up, she would be definitely dead. Her heart sunk and she gulped, having to calm down herself. "Pretty soon. The first one that will be coming is that Asian girl I had talked to you about, you know?"

"Wavy hair, really eccentric?" Her mother would ask, putting some of her own personal belongings in her black purse. "Yup. That's her. Pretty much my closest friend." And something else aside that. But she was scared, truthfully, of her actual reaction. "And the boy you're throwing the party for? Do you... like him?" She turned her head to her mother and she flushed red, having to cover her face. If anything, he was like a half-sibling to her. "Oh Gods no! Don't ask me about that. I don't like him, he's just my friend. Now go, you'll be late." She finished adjusting her dress for the billionth time it seemed, having to take deep breaths. "Alright, I'll figure what's going on with him, don't you worry..." She pushed back her glasses to the bridge of her nose as Charlotte guided her down the stairs, opening the door for her to go outside, but faced the Consort and the Disguiser.

"I was just about to ring the bell." The Consort pointed at the bell, her mother looking at the pair. The Consort had her ginger hair in a braid that fell to her right side, her dress reached her knees and was the color of the earth - dark green and the sleeves were white with small pearls. The Disguiser who was at her left side looked absolutely eecstatic, her grin reaching her ears. Dark brown hair were let loose, since she always put her hair in pigtails or buns, tied with a golden bow in the back, giving her a formal aura. She wore a white jacket over her teal dress, looking at her fiancée impatiently. "Did you go shopping together or is it just me... You look pretty similar in terms of clothing." She squinted, ocean blue eyes going back to the Consort and to the Disguiser. 

"Oh no, I just went to her house and we drove to your house." The Disguiser explained, stepping inside and bypassing Charlotte's mother. "Besides, if I went shopping with her, I would not be here. May I come inside?" The Forger, in cold sweat, nodded as the Consort bumped shoulders with her. "The... The lawyer and the waitress." She swallowed harshly, praying until she left. "They seem like they're good girls. Be good though, alright?" She kissed the top of her daughter's head and walked outside, waving at her.

After she had left, the Forger finally sighed out in relief, leaning her back on the closed door as her fiancée walked towards her. "Your mom?" She asked as she copied her position, her smile one that was love drunk, dark eyes meeting light ones. "Yes, my God she left! Finally. I was really worried that I'd fuck up." She embraced Hyuna, wrapping her arms around her thin waist. "Why? Were you worried about her knowing that we date?" She'd pat her back in return, cooing her. "No, that I'm actually using my occupation to cover up that I'm partaking in illegal activities!" The Disguiser sighs, thin fingers curling around brown hair locks. Their small moment, where they would hold each other and hear their heartbeats was interrupted by a harsh knock on the door, the hostess rolling her eyes as she opened the door.

"Lo and behold, the twins." She announced without any excitement in her voice, rubbing her eyes. "I can't believe you two were making out behind the door." The Janitor exclaims, as his twin brother, the Blackmailer, snorted. "Janitor, I can't believe you look like a bottle of bleach." His expression darkened as he stepped inside, his glare deadly even. He wore a white suit, the only thing that wasn't colored pristine white was the vest he wore. 

"My dearest Forger." The Blackmailer stepped forwards and held her hand, kissing the top of it. "It's such a joy that I was invited to this celebration." He murmured against her skin, as she held back from hitting him. In contrast to his brother, he wore a black suit and the small bow he had was a dark purple. He looked up to her, her right eye twitching as she met his glare. "If it weren't for your older brother you'd be at your home. What's this?" She pointed to the camera that hung around his neck, smiling brightly at her. "Oh, that's my camera, didn't you know? I like to bring it everywhere I go." She nodded, pursuing her lips. "But now you won't. It stays in my hall. If I see you hold it, however, I'll break your legs and the camera as well."

"Isn't this a little bit too much though?" The Disguiser asked, looking at Carter in concern. "Good. I'll break all of your bones and the camera together. Leave it here." The Blackmailer put down his camera on a table that was next to the door, then walked away slowly from her. "And it'll stay there!" She shouted, turning around and stomping her foot on the ground to emphasize she was serious, making him run away and go to his brother.

"That wasn't so nice of you." Hyuna frowned, putting her arms on her chest. "Do you want pictures of us kissing each other? I think not. He violates our privacy!" 

"He is the Blackmailer after all." She turned around to check if anybody was looking, then cupped Charlotte's face and pecked her lips, even though the Forger's hands went to her hips, the kiss suddenly becoming not so innocent. She'd let out a soft sigh against her lips, the Disguiser capturing the painted red lips again.

"I hope we aren't interrupting." The Mafioso knocked against the door which was open, both of them having to part away with a flush on their cheeks. "No, no, of course not!" The Forger squeaked, the Disguiser looking away from both her and the trio. "Honestly this is so extra." The Consigliere commented as she put her hand on her side. "You look extra." Julie's blonde hair were put up in a ponytail and she wore a sky blue dress, with black gloves and a tiara - which seemed absolutely ridiculous to the hostess, alongside black heels. "Excuse me?" She'd ask in disbelief, blinking. "Excused. Go inside now. You too!" She points at the Disguiser, her fiancée getting on her tiptoes to kiss her cheek, then both of them moved inside.

"Birthday boy. Looking good as ever. Though red and orange aren't a good combination." 

"Well, this isn't a fashion show. It's a celebration, and thus, clothing doesn't matter." To her, however, it did. When you wore absolutely white - matching your younger sibling! - and the tail of the coat was orange and split in two, and with a red rose in his breastpocket, it really mattered. "You look ridiculous though! The coat does, actually. You look like Dracula but he felt fiesty so he wore that." She wore an unamused facial expression, blinking. She patted his back, a gesture to invite him in her home and then faced the Framer. "And my dearest friend. How's you?" After the events that occured the past few days, she had to ask. It was really concerning, since both of them trusted eachother. He was clad in black and his tie was a silky and soft pink, tugging on it nervously. "I don't really know. I want to get drunk so I can forget about all this. I haven't slept in a while, too."

He was rolling on his bed and he clenched the sheets. If sleep came, it'd come with nightmares that horrified Alexander deep down to his very fragile soul. Him not sleeping had effect on his face too, he looked tired, dark circles underneath his eyes that weighed him down almost and his eyes were dull, not the lively blue she was familiar with and comforted her. She frowned and let him get inside, worry gnawing at her. What if he was right and somehow he knew that something would go wrong - to him, or to the Mafia? In a haze, she walked to the kitchen, ignoring the music that rang to her ears and the speech she heard was blurred out, it didn't matter.

"Do I want to know what you're doing?" The Disguiser had gotten a fork and had eaten the topping of the cake, making her tremble in anger. "You didn't see me and I didn't see you?" She shied away from the table, pushing the chair she was sitting on away from it. "Get out before I throw the cake at you." And with that, her fiancee walked outside, rubbing the back of her head as if she were a scolded child. With all the worry that clouded her mind, her left hand shakily held the knife that was next to the plates, the pieces that were cut were imperfect. She didn't really mind now. She gave the pieces out to the rest of them, two by two, then left hers behind - she had lost all of her appetite by now -, stepping outside to her balcony that was on the first floor.

"Life of the party? What are you doing here?" She'd move closer to the Mafioso, bringing the plate with the fork to him. "I'm just, you know- can't a man be by himself?" He'd look down to his glass of whiskey, shaking it around a little bit. "When a man is by himself that means he's doing something of indecent nature." He stared at her for a moment after she blurted out her as usual, suggestive and inappropiate comment, sighing at her behaviour. "What's on your mind? You're not the type to seperate himself from others." He placed down the glass he held on the glass table her mother had on the balcony alongside the plate. "Framer was acting up towards me when I picked him up from his house. He didn't want to leave, he seemed horrible. Did he say anything to you?"

Sky blue eyes drifted towards the road that both of them were facing, the bright lights of the road and the other flats that existed nearby, illuminating the dark city and the road was filled with cars, some were going to work and some were leaving for the night. "He wanted to drink so he can sleep. He's scared. Really scared and it's because of us."

"What did we do to him?" Fulvio looked at Charlotte, who returned his gaze. "Him being dragged into this is what we did to him. He had told me the day we proposed we do this, that he had a bad feeling. His family, himself, I don't remember. But he's afraid he's going to die and get his family into a lot of trouble. And honestly, he's not wrong... My mom practices the law! And she wanted me to do that too, she has a lot of power. She could get me into jail and I could rot in there." His arms wrapped around her shoulders as he brought her closer, shaking her almost. "Are you out of your mind? As if anything could go wrong! If it does, we can always change that fact. We have you, like you said, you practice the law. Don't you?"

"Only because my mom wanted me to follow her footsteps - which I didn't, what a shame. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have any other ability to serve to you and maybe, maybe I would be dead."

"You wouldn't be. It was fate for me to decide to spare you."

"Or maybe you did it because you simply liked me. And to be fair? His worries have begun to plague me, Fulvio. And I feel as if he's right. Gut feeling, you know?" He lowered his head, his lower lip trembling. He didn't even dare to face Charlotte, feeling sick, as if he was about to throw up. He slowly stepped away from her, the person that made him feel this guilty placing her forehead on her hand as she breathed out. He opened the window hurriedly, wanting to get out as soon as possible from the room, or even the house. 

"I feel like garbage!" The Disguiser would shout as she opened the door to the room that lead to the balcony, being pushed aside from the Mafioso that paced outside, looking at him strangely. "You are garbage!" The Janitor shouted in reply to her comment, making her burrow her eyebrows as she shut the door quietly, making the Forger turn her head to face her. The cold air hit her shoulders, wishing she had her jacket to cover her bare arms, her hands would have to do now. Charlotte didn't even budge. She placed her hand on her shoulder, in her almost drunken haze. "Did anything-"

"No. It doesn't matter. I'll tell you about it later." Her body stiffened as she turned to her, wrapping her arms around her waist and bringing her closer to her. The only sounds that were heard were just the sounds of the city - the cars, the people, the music. "Something really, really bad will happen." She whispered to her, and the Disguiser understood, silently nodding to her words.

After they had all left for the night, the Forger grabbed the Mafioso by the shoulder. "Can you take him home? He's beat." Alexander clung to her as he was throwing a laughing fit, his expression darkening. "Why don't you keep him for the night? I've got the Blackmailer after all." Who was clinging to the Janitor's arm, his face pale as he almost fell off, Frederick not even bothering to hold him up. "I have Hyuna. And she's horrible, she ate three plates and she got drunk! Just make sure he's home safe, please." She begged, pulling the face she usually did when persuading others - or the so called puppy eyes. Which were his biggest weakness. Fulvio sighed in defeat, taking the Framer by the hand and letting his head rest on the crook of his neck. "Sleep well you two. If you manage to get any sleep." He waved them off with a laugh, Charlotte's face flushing red in embarrassment, letting the door close as she towered over Hyuna, who had curled on her couch and had muffled her face with a pillow. "It's not that bad." She'd say, getting on her knees to pat her shoulders. "Make me a love potion so I can get better."

What a weird request, but then, she can't really question her, especially when not in a right state of mind, intoxicated. She'd return after a while, passing a glass of bitter coffee to her. "Here's the love potion." She lifted her head slowly and looked at it with a gaze that questioned what it really was. "It's not pink. Nor has the curvy straws couples have in the movies!" There she went again. She pushed the straw to her lips, sticking her tongue out. She couldn't even hold it properly, but she sipped some of it and spat it out immediately. "Are you trying to poison me?" She tried to get up and with one hand, Charlotte pushed her back, making her lay on her back. "Love is bitter at first. Or at the end. Who knows." Charlotte got up from the position she was in, brushing some hair strands to kiss her cheek. "You didn't act nice though. I'll need to give you a piece of mind!" Or a piece of something else, but she just smiled. "Oh no, I can't wait for my punishment. I just want to sleep though." Her fiancee immediately fell from the couch, wrapping her arms around her left leg. "I'll sleep with you too! You don't snore like my roommate does, you sleep soundlessly... Calmly." Her fingers would slither up just a little bit, but then went down. "I want to sleep though."

"Then get off me so I can go upstairs. But you'll need to leave early morning, my mom's going to be back early." She whined, getting up, needing the support to actually stand up, her hands on her fiancee's shoulders. Her legs were wobbly and she couldn't walk straight, getting up to head towards the staircase. "Should I wait for you?" She nodded with a meek smile, the Disguiser grinning in return as she ran up the stairs, barefoot.

And she wishes she could be as optimistic and even if naive, wanting to brush off the worrying feeling that gnawed at her and made her feel horrible.

Chapter Text

The beautiful yet empty night was filled with bloodcurling screams. A body falls limp on the bed, staining the sunset peach bedsheets with blood, the body being nearly unrecognizable by that point. The face was distorted - by both the lethal weapon's doing and the bloody mess - and an arm was missing. The other, luckily, was intact, but it was open from the wrist to the elbow, plenty of blood gushing from the open wound. But the biggest damage was dealt to the stomach. It was open and guts were out, creating a mirthful image to his killer. The killer's smile washed away the anger he had bubbled up because of his work. It was splendid and his eyes feasted on the red, there was so much of it, it filled his vision! Warm hands held a cold face, lulling it to the side. Maybe he should have ripped off his tongue. But his kill was good and he didn't need to do more or else, it'd be ruined. He aims for the right leg - just a final touch is all - and the blade dug in, dragging it down to his ankle.

And he smiles - a sickening smile, saccharine, disguisting.

The very next day was ordinary as usual. Nothing special had happened. Bickering, as usual.

"You owe me one hundred dollars." The Janitor slammed his hand on the Forger's desk, making her turn her attention to him. She scowled at him - he had barged in just to say that? Of course, knowing Frederick's nature, that was expected and casual behaviour. "And why do I owe you this big amount of money? I haven't broken anything nor altered your cleaning supplies this time." Her foot pressed against one of the many shelves, the other grounded. "Because I had the dipshit with me and he threw up on me! What's worse is that he immediately fell asleep on me and-"

"And it was your responsibility to carry him home." She interrupts him, sitting up and facing him. They had a slight height indifference - he was only two inches taller than her. "Your older brother had to get Framer back to his house, Janette had Julie who had passed out on my bed and I had my fiancee. So, I think it's only fair you had to get your sibling back to your home." She got her jacket, which was colored of the autumn leaves - the ground's color and the dirt's with orange blended in, then draped it on her shoulders. "I believe you should be only held responsible for him." She blinked twice, innocently looking at him, who was blazing. She was always right. 

The elevator opens with the Blackmailer grasping the Mafioso's arm, not even able to stand on his own two feet, whining. Silent mumurs of encouragement and support were heard, after the amount of trouble he had gone in to help Carter. A scolding glare was directed towards Frederick who flinched, terror evident in his expression. He walked closer to his younger sibling, who tried to step back, but collided with the hard wood of Charlotte's desk. "You were supposed to bring him here. Do I have to be held responsible for whatever you do?" The Mafioso surely had a lot of complaints - some were towards his brother's ignorance. "That's his problem! When I woke him up he started crying. I realized that he wouldn't do a single thing, so I left him alone." He tried to defend himself, even though the attempt wasn't good enough. Fulvio's index finger pressed against his forehead, inhaling. "That might be his problem but you should bring him to the workplace! I'll let this one go by, but I will not show any tolerance if it reoccurs." 

By the time he had finished speaking, Janette, Julie and hurriedly Hyuna who held a package in her hands walked in. "We got fanmail!" This made Carter's head perk up, looking at her who approached his desk. "No way! It's probably because of our skills combined, we are absolutely wonderful at our work." The Disguiser nodded in glee while the Janitor just snorted, making his twin sibling sigh. "It's also addressed at you! And to Janey, and to everyone." The package was suspicious looking, it seemed to not have passed by a post office and thus didn't have a stamp, and the names were hand written. Something wasn't right however, including their janitor and Janette who was supposed to be undercover? The Consigliere's face was full of worry, but she shrugged it off. "Where's the Framer, by the way?" 

Everybody was dumbfounded, silent. The Consort was silent, her hands covering her face, while the couple just looked at each other. "What happened? Why are you all like this?" In his naivety, Carter asked, not even expecting an answer, everybody seemed scared. "Open the box." Janette commanded. The Janitor went to chew at the skin of his nails but resisted, the Mafioso and Forger were whispering - more like arguing - to each other. He reached for a black pair of scissors and began to cut the strings that held the package together - the ropes.

And to their abysmal horror, they faced a pale and cold arm. The Consigliere's hand shot up to her mouth and the Blackmailer dropped the scissors on the desk's surface. Frederick was in a loss of words, his gaze meeting Fulvio's. "What... What is this?" The Disguiser pointed at the arm, Forger shaking underneath her jacket. "He was right, he was right, he was right." She'd repeat.

"What could it be, are you literally stupid? I knew that you were an idiot but not that big of a mindless piece of shit!" Frederick shouts at Hyuna who seemed to not know what she needed to do, almost crying. "Yeah, cry you whore!" He slammed his hand on the Forger's desk and she let out a yelp, then lowered his head to stare at Charlotte who was also crying, but had bitten the fabric of her jacket. "You too, you dyke! It's all your fault, you deserve to cry! Hell, cry me a river Charlotte and drown in it if you fancy, no wait. Just do us the favor and go f-" He was cut short by Fulvio's hand striking his cheek, a hand that shook in anger went up to touch his cheek.

"In these type of suitations, staying calm is required. And you needed to have some conscience instilled in you." He explained his own actions, the Janitor still shocked from his own brother hitting him. Julie moved closer to Fulvio and tugged on the sleeve of his shirt, looking at the mess that began to unfold. "That's good but we need to get everybody to calm down. Most of them are crying!" And she was right. The Blackmailer had been clutching his chair and had his back turned to everybody else, the Disguiser held the Forger who was holding her arm to support herself, almost falling from her chair. The Consort held her head on her hand as her fingers drummed on her desk and she still was in horror. She was mortified. The Janitor had left momentarily, then returned back to the room that was eerily silent. He and his brother didn't exchange a single word, they just stared at eachother. He sighed, looking down at Julie. And she gets the hint.

She kicked the Blackmailer's desk, her flats hitting the wood, making him turn around. His eyes were puffy and red, sniffling some. "Haven't you ever faced death? Weren't you prepared? Any of you? I know that your mother died, it's not the first time losing someone in your life." Neither is mine.

"And you too." She points at the Disguiser who looked down at her feet. She dared not to meet her gaze, Julie's or Charlotte's. "Look at me." Her command is simple, yet she disobeys to listen. "Hyuna, look at me." The Consigliere repeats, and she finally responds. "No." Was the reply. It was meek and silent, but she rejected her request simply. "Why? Are you afraid to face the truth, that we did kill your father and that you nearly died, hadn't it been for your lover?" She watched the Disguiser closely, her head rising as she glared at her. The glare was proved to be indeed as predatory as it seemed to be, like a predator killing its prey and feasting on it. 

And before Julie even knew, her fist met her nose and it sent her backing away. Hyuna trembled, her fist still on the air where it had collided with her face. "You shouldn't be talking, Julie. In comparison to me and what I've been through, you're a child." And with that, she sat on her fiancee's lap and Charlotte wrapped her arms around her waist, resting her head on the crook of her neck. "We need to - to start from the beginning. The day we decided to throw the celebration in honor to our vice president's twenty third birthday. He knows about what I'll talk." Julie, who was holding her nose since it bled, stared at him and he nodded. "What is she talking about?" She'd ask, inhaling sharply from her mouth. "Go and treat your injury. We'll fill you in." She sighed, taking the route to bathrooms. 

"Alexander knew he was dying. It's simple as that. He just knew." She shrugged, puffing her cheeks. "He had told me that something felt off and that he was afraid of his parents knowing he was apart of organized crime. Now, nothing will ever be known about what he was, just a simple editor."

"But how did he know? Surely he must've seen someone or something." The Consort spoke up, finally disregarding her silence. Julie, who had returned, stepped up to Janette's desk and looked at her. "What's going on?"

"The one is crazier than the other. Framer was a 'psychic' or some shit and everybody else, because you're all weak willed, you believed him!" Frederick turned his gaze to the Consigliere who seemed absolutely confused. "We work with idiots! That is what is simple! His time to die had come and he was just being paranoid. I don't know about your theories or whatever but that is what happened." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Like you're right, even as much as I love you. It should be something he had done! And it wasn't personal, we might all be in danger, why send the arm to us at the first place?" 

The Blackmailer was right. It all clicked in place! It wasn't something he had done, but it was something they all had done. But what was that they had done and paid it in the worst possible price? "Maybe it's one of his articles? That could be a factor on why he died." Long fingers curled around ginger hair, twiddling with them. "You're right... I'll go search the archive." The Forger stands up, pushing her chair aside to excuse herself. She brings a box with papers, labeled with letters that were bold and reeked of authority 'October of 2016'. The papers were many and disarranged, searching through this month's articles.

And she brought up a paper. The original copy of one of the pages. "Read the title out loud." She pushed the paper to the Mafioso. "Still no leads on the... Wait, that's it?"

"What?" Julie was twiddling with a pen, moving it in between her fingers. "Maybe he died because he wrote an article on the Serpent."

The city had been plagued with a murderer that was infamous because of his execution style - the body was always unharmed but the victim's guts would be always out. He is nicknamed as the Crimson Serpent - and the police has rolled with it.

"Wait, the one two weeks ago? I provided the images! Why wasn't I killed as well?" 

"You didn't write it, Carter. That's why. He had no real reason to kill you anyway. He got rid of someone who could potentially discover him." And then, shamefully, Frederick admits. "Maybe you're right and he'll hunt us down... But we don't know him either, unless..." He stared at his older sibling knowingly, making his eyes widen. "We can't!"

"So we're just going to blindly search a murderer? Father could perfectly help us! Connections to the underworld and all, surely he can figure something out." 

"And let him know what just happened? He's returning pretty soon so I suggest we don't let him know what exactly happened. Just say that Framer got into an incident." He looked at his younger siblings, then back to everybody else.

"And we'll just pretend this didn't happen and then try to kill him? It'll be nearly impossible to find someone by ourselves that we barely know."

And the Consort wasn't wrong - she knew what she was saying.

Chapter Text

The funeral was cold, unforgiving and loveless. Alexander's parents were crying as they held eachother for comfort, but the Mafia remained emotionless - save for the Blackmailer who was being held by his twin brother. They had to remain emotionless after all, but they all felt sorry or even saddened by the loss of the Framer.

The Mafia was a big and rather unofficial 'family'. To lose a member of it is like losing a family member, or something similar to that, as they've been told - as they had known.

The body - or whatever had remained of it - was clothed in the finest of silk that his parents could find. They had bandaged up the scars and with a lot of guilt in their chests - how couldn't they have reacted quicker? What was their purpose after all, they didn't save their child from ultimately dying - they washed the body. Water had turned into a scarlet liquid that they began to detest. Their son's body - the purest child of them all! - it had been marred and scarred so badly. It felt like looking at someone they barely knew. 

The Mafia had given the arm to them before the body was placed in the coffin. They placed it atop his chest and he had been laid down slowly, as if he was fragile, to not hurt him anymore. He didn't deserve to be even hurt at the first place. They all wished him to be happy - in Heaven? In Hell? Where would a man involved in the Mafia go? He had done nothing wrong, only was involved in something that he shouldn't be involved in - in the other plane of existance he'd go. Do angels ever feel anything? If he were one, of course. Ultimately, they all wanted him to rest and in his next life, perhaps, he would be freed of all worries, of all bad feelings.

"Was he involved in anything?" After the funeral, his mother had asked the Mafioso. "You and his girlfriend were his closest friends... Surely he had told you one thing, right?" His girlfriend - the Forger, who wasn't even remotely close to being his love interest - and he knew. However, they couldn't let them know. Lest they found out, their cover would be blown and God knows what would follow next. Maybe they would all die and maybe, maybe that was for the best of them all. "No, he really wasn't." He was. "Hadn't he told you anything?" His mother shook her head and covered her mouth with her black shawl. "No. He never shared any of his insecurities to me or his father... We always found out when it was too late." And this time, it won't be the same, the Mafioso wanted to add sardonically. But he wasn't a person of these words, so he bit them back. "He hadn't told us anything, I'm afraid. I'm very sorry for your loss."

He knew, he - they knew so many things, that lying felt so wrong, it burdened him. His mother gave him a look of doubt - She was so remiscent of his own mother as he looked at her, what was even happening? - as she walked away, her goodbye was full of bitterness as she walked away with her husband and they parted ways.

"And what are we supposed to do next? We only have one editor which, may I add, is useless as shit." The Janitor spoke up, putting his feet on the Blackmailer's desk as he laid against his chair. "What did you say?" Charlotte spun her chair to face Frederick, pulling up her fuzzy and violet shirt - the violet that would be on the sky once the sun rose and the moon awaited for the day to end - because it showed a little bit too much. "All I'm saying is you aren't giving it all. Or, you're useless. That's it." He shrugged nonchantly, looking away from her piercing gaze. 

The Disguiser rushed inside, panting as she rested her hand on the currently absent Consort's desk. "Hi guys! Sorry for being late but, my friend got in the hospital and-"

"You missed the entire funeral, what the fuck!" Frederick shouted at her, Hyuna still trying to catch her breath as she sat up on the desk and dangled her feet on it, softly banging them against it. "At least she had a reason why. Anyway, what happened?" The Mafioso got closer to her, or at least had a safe distance to not get hit by her.

"So my friend got almost killed! Because some dumbshit decided going wild and fire at him, but luckily he's alive. He just did his job and there comes this asshole with the guns! But he's well." She placed her hands on her knees as she looked down at her feet, frowning. "You've never told us about any friends you have, though. Where do you know him from?" Her fiancee, who merely grinned, placed her head on both of her hands as she leaned forwards with her chair and looked at her. "Are we getting jealous, Charlotte? I can't believe you won't let her have friends... What a bad future wife." Frederick's crude laugh filled the room, the only sounds that filled the mostly empty room who had only a few lights on, were his cackle and the rain lightly rapping against the windows. "Shut up, you asshole!" Was her reply, as she went to kick his chair.

"Well, since they won't calm down any time soon, who is he?" The Disguiser had stopped dangling her feet, allowing Fulvio to get closer to her without having to worry about getting a foot in the face. "I know him from the church! We often light up candles together." She let out a small chuckle, smiling at him. "You go to the church? I stopped going there since we started doing this type of work." He was rather amazed by that - most of them didn't even follow their religion anymore, not like it mattered by now - as he asked. "Yup! I never stopped going. My dad, me and the maidens went together when I was a little kid! I have a copy of the Bible if you need it. My dad knew verses of it and would often make me learn them too." He could see how she lightly frowned, how the brightness in her face slowly faded away, the sun being hidden by the gloomy and dark clouds. "Do you miss him?" What he asked was simple. It almost drowned out in the arguing on their back. "I do. I really do! At least you have your dad, but mine..." She covered her face with her hands, fingers tangled with wavy and dark brown hair, the two red pins she had in her fringe almost falling off, her lips trembling. He shouldn't have asked, as he was responsible for that.

"But aside that!" She instantly came back to her 'normal' self - the Disguiser was very prone to getting sad easily, especially if her father were to be mentioned, but then she could drown that sadness away so easily it was like that never even happened - and her grin revealed her teeth, that grin could even reach her ears. "I heard my friend is well but there's only one bad thing."

"Which is?"

"He has lost his memory and the doctors don't know if it-"

"Who lost his memory?" The voice that came from the elevator made the arguing pair stop, Janitor pushing Forger's forehead back lightly, victoriously grinning at her. The Disguiser had to turn her back away as she yelped, Fulvio staring directly at his father's eyes. "Welcome back." He'd manage to speak up, everybody else looking at him in horror, except for the Disguiser who held herself, as if she waited to get hit or punished. "You avoided my question, Fulvio. Who lost his memory?" He repeats again, his voice commanding and domineering. "It was me! Not me but a friend of mine and he-" Hyuna turned swiftly to look at him, almost crying as the Godfather interrupted her by just pointing at her, finally receiving the answer to his question. "She had to answer the question I directed at you. I have to say, this is slightly disappointing." Bright emerald irises darted around the room, as he found it to look oddly... empty. Eerily empty, as if nobody had stepped foot in this building in ages. "Where's everybody?"

"Carter is sick." Frederick bluntly responded, having to lie to him. He couldn't ever tell him that he had locked himself in his room after the funeral and refused to even let him - Frederick, who the Blackmailer found the most comfort in after his mother's death! - inside. "Julie and Janette won't be coming today. They told me a while ago, Janette fell from a flight of stairs and Julie's staying with her now." Another horrible excuse. This time, by Charlotte. The pair wouldn't be coming after Julie's apperantly breakdown during the priest's speech. So, the Consort couldn't let him see her bawling her eyes out. "And the Framer?"

The Godfather's question made everybody blink, trying to think of some excuse - anything, even! - to cover up the fact that Framer was no more. "Well- he-" The Disguiser sobbed next to him, as Fulvio really hadn't thought of what he should say. He should have arrived tomorrow from Beijing, not today! He found them all completely off guard. "Are you lying to me." It wasn't a question - no, far from that. It was a command. He demanded to know. "We could never lie to you!" The Forger was horrifically pale as she spoke up, as if she were dead, sheet white. "Don't lie to me! Do you know who you are even talking to! Tell me the truth, right this instant." He slammed his hand on the desk and she shot up, almost falling on the Janitor, who seemed to not even worry, he seemed perfectly fine, even though he was pretty afraid of his father's temper.

"The Framer has... he-"

"Framer's dead." The Disguiser interrupts him, standing up. Her head was low as she moved closer to him, her eyes puffy from crying as she took a deep breath. She raised her head slowly, her hair sticking to her forehead and her vest had a few visible teardrops on it. "He... he died a few days ago. The funeral was today. Blackmailer didn't come today because he was really depressed." The Janitor looked down at his nails, ignoring the 'responsibilities you should've taken' speech. "Consigliere broke down during the funeral and Consort left with her during it." The Forger's nails dug on her skin, the skin that was covered by gray fabric, her legs' skin.  "That's the truth."

"What? How?" Nobody dared to speak up, not even the Disguiser. "Snakes are horrible if you ask me." And as if this entire suitation had been forgotten completely, Charlotte spoke up. "It's only a theory though but we suspect that the Serpent got to him. His killer's execution style was very similar in some aspects to the Serpent's." The Mafioso followed up, explaining what had happened to him.

"And this is the reason why you were worked up? Just because of him dying?" Silence follows. Nobody speaks or moves. "Very well. Frankly, you should have reacted much better. As you all know, death is inevitable. For this or that reason, it doesn't matter. Especially if you are like us, you shouldn't be afraid of death. Instead, you should await him and with open arms! This was childish of all of you." He stared down at his oldest son before leaving them, not even saying anything.

"Well that sucked. I'll go clean your messes, because you all seem to be incapable of doing that." He storms out of the room, muttering curses that they couldn't pick up quite well.

"And what are we supposed to do now?" Hyuna's glare was on Fulvio, blinking as she stood there and watched him from the corner of her eye. 

"I don't know. Things are looking pretty grim though." And worrying days would come.

Chapter Text

"Okay, yeah, good. But this plan is dumb! How are you all convinced this shit will work?" The Janitor murmured against the white fabric of his jacket, covering his face. The weather was kind of cold and he was freezing.

The Disguiser, alongside with the assistance of the Mafioso, had tried to convince the Godfather in bribing the hospital where the Amnesiac was being hospitalized in. It wasn't this easy. He wouldn't even listen to her 'foolish and childish' plan, even though she had tried to backup her reason with the fact that he was in a vulnerable state of mind and they could be able to brainwash him. "You watch too much sci-fi." The Janitor had commented on her plan after being rejected, which seemed really impossible, but it could happen.

"He is a weak state of mind, so if we make him think he's Alex then we will have Framer back. See? It's not that hard." She winked at him, making him loudly sigh out in disappointment. He had to hate how idiotic she was - what was that, some kind of a comic book where everything, impossible or not, will work? - at times. "I'd like to see you try and get him out of that hospital." He taunts, puffing a breath of cold air. The weather had gotten colder, winter was coming after all, since it's early November. Only one month left until December, and then, another year with a pack of idiots... another year of being alive, surprisingly. Aside the loss of the Framer, this year wasn't really unfortunate. 

"Well, it's silly, but it can work!" The Disguiser shoved her hands in the pockets of her green hoodie, then turned to look forwards. "What kind of a person brainwashes their friend?" Carter paces over to Hyuna who just looked at him, as if she was trying to think how she could respond to that. Of course, she wasn't going to do any harm... just make him believe he was somebody else. That wasn't bad, was it? "We will be friends, but I want the Framer back! So do all of you." And she wasn't wrong in that one. They missed the Framer - even though he was useless in some sense, he had no real purpose to serve but they just missed him, which made this motion of hers to continue and maybe succeed.

"I don't." Frederick stops to look down on the pavement, obviously lying. He didn't want to admit certain things, sometimes. Maybe he did miss him - and even if he did, what did it matter? - or maybe he didn't. "Yeah, you obviously don't. Because I'm the better sibling," The Janitor snorted, making the Blackmailer to snap his gaze back to his twin brother. "And the better sibling doesn't lie, I miss him. That's the truth."

He had locked himself in his room and he had wept; the loss of the Framer had hurt him a lot. Even though he wasn't all that great towards Alexander, losing someone that was involved in all of this was disheartening. And to put simply? He was scared, if he or Frederick died. But most importantly his twin brother, who held him when his mother died - when she died, on their eleventh birthday, little children finding their mother in a pool of blood! - and who he knew better than himself. Even though after their mother dying, he changed and he changed for the worst, but so did Carter. People indeed change, he had realized, on his thirteenth birthday.

"Yeah, and because you're the better sibling, you're also a big pussy." His grin was sardonic, now walking closely to both Hyuna and Carter. "Well I-" The Janitor raises his hand and he immediately stops talking, frowning. "And I'm always right, as the better sibling."

"You both are actually garbage." The Disguiser blurts out. "I don't understand why you argue over who's the best. Obviously, I'm the best."

"You fucking narcissistic chink! This doesn't even involve you!" He grabbed Hyuna by the wrist and pulled her closer to him, making her wince in pain. His fingers dug on her skin and it hurt, it hurt, so she tried to move away from him, but his grip on her was firm and sturdy, so she couldn't do much. "Why do you think you're the best anyway? You can't do a single thing right!" He shouts, making a few people turn to them that were walking on the pavement, the Blackmailer cackling next to her. "Yeah, I'll have to agree with him."

"Well you can both go fuck yourselves!" With her free hand, she pressed her fingers on the Janitor's knuckles and he had to let go, looking at both of the twin siblings with a murderous glare. The glare that the animal of prey would be jealous of, the glare that was like daggers cutting your soul - and you felt the tip digging deeper, deeper, deeper. "We're going to the hospital to see where his room is. And if I hear any disagreements, I will leave you here." She threatens, even though they knew the way back and she didn't. Public transport would have to do then if that were the case.

The walk to the hospital is very silent. Nobody speaks, only hear their breaths. The Disguiser had to blink a few times, the cold made her eyes tear up. The winter here is at least better than it was in Seoul. But still, it's cold as hell, and she can't wait to get inside the hospital, where it's probably warm inside. Then the problem would be, how to get out after you're comfortable? Her dark eyes dart around, looking at the adverts on the buildings and the stores, the people, the lights, everything. She wasn't used to this place still, even though she has been living here since she was a child. She misses her hometown - and her country, obviously- sure, but this place was pretty too... If she wasn't considered dead back in Korea, she'd go there again. Just for good old times' sake.

Aside her temporary homesickness, the trio passes by a store. Plasma televisions were on the display, alongside stereos. It was decorated for Christmas - this early? - seeing as it had fake snow around it, the lights that were lit up and other jolly decorations, making her faintly smile. She liked holidays, especially around people she wanted to be. She remembers her last Christmas back in Korea, it was cold, the maids were inside and they were making the New Year's Eve food, being a little ahead of their time. She would sit under the tree and wait for her presents, curled up in a blanket. Unfortunately, Hyuna had fallen asleep on the marble floor of the living room, so she missed Santa. She was sad about that, but it didn't really matter next year.

She begins to tear up, sniffling some as she rubbed her eyes. Crying in front of the twin siblings was no good, considering they'd make fun of her. "Why'd you stop?" Carter turns back to the Disguiser who had stopped in her tracks to admire all the pretty lights. "Oh, what, this? Didn't know you were interested." He'd point at the display, kneeling next to her. Today was the day where the new president would be elected, and the televisions seemed to be tuned in. "Ah, yeah. I- Well I had voted for my friend's sister." Even though she didn't even exist. Luckily, he hadn't even noticed her puffy eyes from weeping, even if a little bit. "And you were curious? Let's see, then." 

"You fuckers, what are you doing? We're wasting time!" The Janitor chided in, looking at both of them who glared at the display in fascination. "It's the elections." The Disguiser responded, folding her hands over her chest.

A few people talked, even though they couldn't hear anything. It was a waste of time. However, she notices the woman that had a gun on her belt... She looked familiar. And pretty too! She had slanted eyes and curly black hair that reached her shoulders and fell on her suit. How pretty.

"You're going to stand there for a long time? Buy something or fuck off." The - as they assumed - manager of the store, a woman close to her 30s, with striking red hair that cascaded down her shoulders, shouted at them, as they really had no reason to stay there. So after stopping Frederick from arguing with the owner, they leave and reach the damned hospital. 

"Excuse me, miss!" She pushed aside the bodyguards that were in the entrance, making both of the twin siblings glare at her. "Do you know where River West is in?" She asked the receptionist, a man with blonde hair that were the color of wheat and dark blue eyes. "He's on the third floor, room E." After checking in the records, he replies, smiling kindly at her. "Okay, let's go." She dragged them both to the elevators.

"What are these people?" The Blackmailer asked, as the security was impossibly high. How was this even possible? "Which people?" Hyuna looks around, not even curious about all the bulky men with guns. "Don't even ask her, it's not worth it." The trio steps inside the elevator, Carter leaning his head on Hyuna's shoulder. Frederick exhales loudly at that sight, thankful that they would have to go only to the third floor.

And it was worse. More people! They shyly walk past them, sitting down on one of the chairs, except for the Janitor who leaned on the wall. 

Carter mouths to her 'what now?' and she's in a loss of words. She looked around, her eye catching bodyguards, plants on tables, the siblings and one very peculiar person.

"I'm sorry but do I know you?" Hyuna turns to the armed woman who stood in front of room A's door, curly black hair, dark red lips curved into a smile. "Oh no, I'm afraid not. Maybe you saw me in the TV or something?" She turned to her, Hyuna noticing the woman's features. Dark eyes, curved nose. Bags under her eyes.

"The girl that was just standing there in the elections?" Frederick asked, his foot resting against the white wall. "Not just any girl. I'm the president's personal assistant... and bodyguard."

"What are you doing here then?" Hyuna's foot lightly kicked the floor, nibbling on her lower lip. "I'm afraid I can't tell you. You needn't worry after all, you didn't come here for them."

"Wait what? Who?" 

"I really can't tell you. Apologies. Civilians aren't meant to know about this." The Bodyguard looked at the Janitor, who just frowned at her. Her walkie talkie beeped, revealing her name - Erika, if they weren't wrong - and she left in a hurry. Then, a nurse that headed to room A came, all of the bodyguards weren't looking either, so they could walk to the door and eavesdrop.

"Agent Maxwell, the FBI thanks you for your services."

Chapter Text

"I can't believe it, she's literally trying to kill us all, one by one!" The Janitor at this point would have probably pulled a few strands of curly hair, his hands pushing back his hair instead of trying to rip the strands off.

"And I can't believe that I'm still alive!" Sarcastically, the Forger responded, sitting down on her swivel chair, placing the papers she was given in front of her. "I don't know how, but since we got the elections and all, he seems more upset. I don't know why." She places one leg on the white desk of hers, stealing a few glances at the curvy and thin letters of the Godfather.

"Have you considered, maybe, his brother actually is the new president?" Forest green meets sky blue and the Forger scowls. Right, how could she have forgotten? That's why he controlled himself from killing his poor editor with his bare hands. "He's the only person that he hates more than... I don't know, everybody else in this hell we call 'Mafia' but is just a bunch of idiots fucking themselves." A vaguely feminine laugh - which both of them recognized as the Consigliere's bittersweet laugh - was heard from behind them, Julie's dainty hand placing itself on Frederick's shoulder. "Well, you're apart of this too, so you too fuck yourself."

"Yeah honestly-" Frederick glares at Charlotte, who just flinches away and looks nervously at the papers which had the topics she would write about, gulping - she didn't even dare to look at him at the eye. "And now that is solved, I suggest we kill the Disguiser before she kills us." He sagely grins at his own suggestion, making Charlotte sneer in anger, but didn't face him. "Why though? I don't think one of us would like that." Juliette knew who she was obviously talking about - the woman that would lunge at both of them and wrap her fair hands around their necks and see the life leave their bodies. "Because she's literally trying to get someone out of the hospital when some agent is being hospitalized there! Like it isn't definitely suspicious and wouldn't definitely cause a huge amount of damage to what we are, right?" The freckled woman raised her head and supported it on both of her hands, staring directly at the Janitor. "How about we don't kill off anybody that is in this organization and we figure out how to be sneaky and get that fucker out of the hospital? For Alexander's sake, you know?"

"Who fucking cares about him!" He raises his voice and the Consigliere took a seat next to Charlotte, who drummed her fingers on her desk. "We do. You certainly don't, since you're pretty much heartless. Also, it benefits us. I get to do half the work I'm doing currently and also, we have another member." She glares at the Consigliere, who just crossed her arms over her chest, the necklace which was donned by her father before he died - a symbol of faith, the Cross - resting neatly on her clothed arms. "I'll have to agree with her, you know? We don't know what's going on overseas. I mean, maybe the Mafioso does, but we are completely ignorant to what is happening with other people like us. So, it'd be better to have allies who we know than allies that are arbitary." Frederick sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "Alright, fine. I'll accept defeat. But how the fuck will we do it?"

This sentence caused silence - horrifying and eerie silence - in the small room and he could've sworn that they actually thought, for once. They just look at one another in doubt, sometimes at him or even lower their heads. They don't even notice the elevator's doors opening and the heels of boots clacking against marble floor. 

"Silent hours, isn't it?" The Disguiser whispers over the Janitor's head, making him swiftly turn around and disturb the silence that had occured. "You idiot!" He almost screamed, standing up from his chair that he had brought over to the desk and moving slowly towards her, giving her the space to back up in similar pace as his. "I don't know what you're talking about-"

"You full well do! You're so stupid that if you got killed by trying to get your boytoy out of that damned hospital, you'd forget to die!" Remarkably strong hands split the two from each other and create distance between them, the Consigliere intervening. "How about we send the Disguiser to the hospital as a nurse? She'll do what her title implies, after all." She smugly grins as hesitation is clearly shown in Hyuna's facial expression. "And she dies? Good. She can go."

"What!" Charlotte shouts, standing up as well to walk to the three of them. "Will you really send her alone? Are you that brainless?"

"We can send you as well. Even though I've got no idea how you could work in it... Maybe spying on the guards or something. Or just being there in case something happens, right?" The grin never fades off her face, she's so proud of herself, even. "So I'll just be backup." Julie nods, the Disguiser looking down at her feet. "I don't know how I'll do that though..."

"We'll find a way. We're pretty fucking smart."

***

"And for the last touch..." The Disguiser wrapped a strip of cloth which had fake and dried up blood on it around the Mafioso's left eye. "Here! I think you look great." She clasps her hands together, looking at her masterpiece in pride. Almost masterpiece. "Is that really necessary? I mean, all the fake injuries." The Disguiser put on her gloves and looked at him in question, furrowing her eyebrows. "Of course it is! That's how we'll get entry to the hospital. Besides, we have backup too, so if anything goes wrong, we'll be good." And as if he didn't even weight anything, she dragged him by the arm, bringing him outside of the janitor's supply closet. "I can't wait, honestly." Fulvio was plainly unimpressed - sure, Hyuna had come up with worse things in the future, but she went a little bit too far this time, as both of them paced down the stairs. "Who will be with us, though?" He looked at her and she just smiled.

"Everyone!" She hadn't replied until they got in the car, the Disguiser placing her legs on the Forger's lap and resting her head on the Blackmailer's shoulder, humming softly. "Great." To her - in all honesty, this sounded more of disappointment than just being plainly said. "Where are the rest of them?"

"Frederick's already there, alongside with Janette." Carter's fingers drummed against his legs, pushed to the door, as there was no space for the three of them in the backseats - but Hyuna had insisted she'd be at the back with her fiancee, Charlotte. "So, they're waiting for us?" The Blackmailer nodded, giving the signal to Julie to start the car, grinning at Fulvio. "Buckle up kids, because I've got no licence."

"You can't be serious to drive without a licence!"

"That's why I said buckle up, Fulvio." She winked at the Mafioso, her hands on the wheel. "And how are you guys back there doing?" She glanced back at the trio which was at the backseats. A sight for sore eyes, almost, almost.

"Move, goddammit!" Carter pushed Hyuna aside, hitting him with her right hand accidentally, so he could move his right hand and she whined. After he had buckled himself up, she dropped her head again on his shoulder, grinning smugly and making him huff in impatience. "Alright, nice, but what about me?" She still had her legs on Charlotte's lap. "You'll go fuck yourself." He snorted and the Disguiser glared at him, lifting her legs just a little bit and resting them on the window, allowing her to fasten her seatbelt. "And we're done!" She immediately lets her legs fall on Charlotte's, making her yelp in pain.

Turns out Julie was actually a good driver - she had learnt how to drive ever since she was 14, the first time she had ran away from home to go to a concert with some of her classmates - and there was no reason to worry. Aside from corny love songs and to horrible quality music coming from CDs that were played over twenty times, the arguing in the back - "You haven't even gotten laid, you fucking virgin!" - and Hyuna singing along, the ride was pleasant.

After they had reached the hospital, the Consigliere ran out of the car to embrace Janette, who seemed a little bit shaken up.

"He passed three red lights!" She raised three fingers to emphasize, Frederick snorting behind her. "I've passed twelve before." His grin was malicious and Janette took a deep breath. "Janey, next time you'll be with me, okay? He can have his twin sibling."

Blackmailer, in glee, looked at his taller brother and smiled. "Don't even think about it." The words were gritted out of his teeth as he glared at Carter.

"And now that we've planned our future visit, how about we go inside? We still have work to do." Fulvio held Hyuna's hand in his and she smiled as if she were a little child, running up the stairs, the rest following suit. The hospital inside was warm and bright, unlike outside which was chilly and insufferably cold.

"Third floor, right?" They both nodded and the Consigliere put her hands in her hoodie's pockets. "We'll be at the cafeteria, good luck." The five of them walked towards the lamp lit cafeteria which wasn't that empty, the lights making the room shine a bright orange. 

The elevator had only the two of them, Fulvio looking directly at the Disguiser. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes I am."

"And you don't want to go back?"

"No I don't. Now, let's go!" The door slid open and they walk out, hand in hand, Hyuna holding a black leather bag with her make-up that she'd require, if she were to disguise. She took a seat at the chairs which were at the door of the so called Agent's room, her bag on her lap. The Bodyguard wasn't there, thank the heavens.

And until she came back, gun strapped to her belt and wearing pitch black clothing, curly dark locks framing her face. "It's you." Erika exclaimed, walking close to the door. "Hi again!" She waved at her, sanguine grin on her face. Erika just helplessly smiled, out of kindness. "I feel like your visits here are intentional. Where are your friends?" She asked, arms at her sides, looking downwards and meeting Hyuna's glare. "Oh, they're sick. I've brought my other friend here, he is injured." She lifts Fulvio's arm and he nods at Erika, who seemed skeptical about all this. "Interesting. However, the third floor isn't about these type of injuries, it's where people with heavy injuries recover. The fifth floor is where you should be, miss." 

"Oh but I'm so tired, I walked all the way here and-" Hyuna notices a nurse come out from Maxwell's room, her face was soft and gentle, brown hair resting at her light blue shirt, which had a breast pocket, a pen and a name tag. Laika. "Oh nurse! Doctor please!" She stood up and forcefully dragged the Mafioso with her, making him wince, since he had dozed off. "I really need your help this is urgent-" The nurse was taken aback with her strange behavior, as the Disguiser pushed the young woman away from Erika's sight of view and the bodyguards' as well.

"Hey what are you-" She went to follow up but it was already too late, besides, she was being called downstairs.

"A young man has hit one of the cashiers-" Erika let out a long and exhausted sigh, holding her pistol in her grip as she stormed downstairs.

"Nurse, we really need your help, my son got a knife stuck on his eye and he-" The Disguiser didn't even know what she was saying at this point, she just rambled and the Mafioso just looked beyond horrified.

"We actually came here for the lady, she's a little bit delusional and she hasn't gotten her medicines yet-"

"I'm no psychologist, I'm just a nurse, sir, take her to the fourth floor." She hurried up to make them leave, pushing both Hyuna and Fulvio towards the hallway to make them leave.

"You're going to the fourth floor, you moron!" And with that, Hyuna swings her fist and it meets her nose, making Laika fall back and hold back a choked cry of pain, Fulvio immediately silencing the nurse with his own bare and cold hands.

"What did you do!"