Chapter 163 - Wavering?

***At Falcon Cafe***

The next day, Elle came to Falcon Cafe looking so troubled. She was not in the mood to work so she went directly to the secret bas.e.m.e.nt of Cafe. She spent some time inside, lying on the leather couch.

She put her hand on her forehead as she closed her eyes. She was thinking about the conversation she had with Bryan and Erick yesterday. Their conversation stayed in her mind all day.

[ "Revenge... that is her true motive." she could not stop herself from telling them what's on her mind and what she truly felt at that time. ]

[ Erick and Bryan were silent for a moment after hearing her remarks. Then seconds later, Erick spoke up. ]

[ "Killing someone is not the answer. Why put the law in her hands if the police authorities can do it for her?" Erick said with a hint of frustration in his voice. ]

[ "Because that is her nature Chief. Catseye lives to kill. She is an assassin after all. So if she wanted to have revenge, she will just kill that person." Bryan shared his thought. ]

[ "If someone killed someone and that person is evil, do you think that person deserves to die as well? Maybe she just believes in the saying 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Elle said to them. ]

[ "Just like Catseye, she killed so many people, do you think she also deserves to die to atone all her sins and as punishment for her crime?" she asked them. ]

[ "I don't agree with that. One's life is precious, even if he or she is a criminal or not. As long as someone is alive, that person still has a chance to change his or her life for good." Erick said with seriousness in his voice. ] 

[ "Chief, you are really kind-hearted and too soft. You are still thinking like that despite the number of crimes Catseye has committed." Bryan shook his head with amus.e.m.e.nt. ]

[ "However, she still needs to be punished according to the law. I just don't agree with the idea of killing her or her being killed." Erick said as he smiled at them. ]

"Why am I thinking about this. Am I starting to waver now? No, I should not lose my focus now. I should not hesitate no matter what." Elle mumbled as she reminded herself.

Elle's thoughts were interrupted when Charles and Phantom entered the bas.e.m.e.nt.

"Are you okay? Why don't you go home if you are not feeling well?" Phantom said to her as he gave her a concerned look.

Elle sat up when she saw them. She greeted them with a nod and a smile.

"I am not sick. I am just thinking of something. I just came here to clear my mind." she replied to him with a reassuring smile.

"Is there something bothering you right now?" It was Charles who asked her.

Elle paused for a moment before she answered Charles.

"I think I lost my necklace when I had a fight with Reaper and Black Shadow had seen it at his apartment. There is a high possibility that he took it. Now I believe that necklace is in the possession of James." Elle said to them instead of talking about what's truly in her mind right now.

She was debating with herself whether what she was doing right now was the right thing or not. But she could not bring it up to them.

She agreed with Bryan, killing became her nature now and this was the only way she could think of on how to avenge her family's death.

"Do you think, you will be in trouble when James tried to track you using that necklace? Do you want to retrieve that necklace?" Phantom asked her.

Elle shook her head. "I don't think they have a clue. It looks like until now they have not gathered a piece of useful information that could help them locate me using that necklace."

Elle heaved a sigh of relief. "As long as James and Erick won't talk about that necklace, James will not be able to know the truth. Erick is the one who gave me that necklace. He already decided to forget about that missing necklace, yesterday." Elle explained to them

"If that is the case, then why are you still worrying about that?" Phantom asked her, still in doubt.

"Hmm, maybe I am just overthinking Master. You are right, I don't have to worry about that." Elle stood up and walked towards the computer. Phantom and Charles were just silently observing Elle.

"These are my next targets. I need your help. Two days from now I will execute my plan. Time to collect some debts." Elle flashed in the monitors the pictures of her next targets.

Elle started to brief them about the information of the three persons on the screen.

"Carlo Vello, 40 years old. He owns five famous spas. His business is continuously blooming because of prostitution and human trafficking."

"Diego de Dios, 43 years old. He owns a lending company with four different branches. He is very greedy. He is a loan shark."

"Diego has a partnership with Roland Bienvenido, 42 years old, the leader of Los Mollasses Gang. His gang was responsible for using threats and violence when they were collecting payments to the clients of De Dio's lending company." 

"They took advantage of poor people and they are mistreating and abusing them."

Elle turned to look at Phantom and Charles who were listening attentively to her.

"D*mn! A bad habit is hard to die. I can't wait to give these people a lesson." Charles said with his angry tone.

'These persons are responsible for Elle's misery. I want to punish them and make them feel the same pain they gave Elle.' Charles thought to himself. He ground his teeth as he looked at those three persons on the computer screen.

"What is your plan? Just tell us how we can help you." Phantom said to Elle as he gave her a meaningful glance.

The three of them spent their time at the secret bas.e.m.e.nt polishing the plan against those three persons. They had two goals in mind.

First, she needed to find out who was the mastermind and what was the reason that person ordered to kill her family. She wanted to know and uncover the truth behind her parents' death.

Second, she wanted to punish them for what they have done particularly to her nanny Marites.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

***At Skull Gang Headquarter***

Black Shadow was walking confidently inside the headquarters like it was his home. Members of Skull Gang were now accustomed to seeing Black Shadow going in and out of their territory.

He went straight to James's office. He got his message just this morning, asking for his presence. Black Shadow was busy for the past few weeks.

Since he did not have any information about Catseye's whereabout, he decided to accept a few missions in order to gain some income. He tried to vent his frustration by accepting those missions.

He did not want to admit but he was having a difficult time tracking down Catseye. She would suddenly appear and disappear without a trace.

Black Shadow arrived at the front door of James's office. He turned to one of the men who were guarding the door. "Is your boss inside?" he asked.

"Yes, he is waiting for you inside." The man said before he knocked on the door, informing James that Black Shadow had arrived. 

"Let him in." Upon hearing James's go signal, Black Shadow entered the room. 

"Next time if you will ask me to meet, can we do it in a luxurious restaurant? I am sick of going in and out of your headquarters, seeing the same environment. Can we change our meeting place? You are rich, I know you can afford to treat me a meal." Black Shadow said to James as he smiled to him mockingly.

James just shot him a cold stare. Sometimes Black Shadow's cheeky personality annoyed him the most.

"Before you ask me to treat you a meal, can you perform your duty first? Give me a positive result in catching Catseye, then I am willing to give you a restaurant. I am already paying you enough but still, you are incompetent. You can't even catch a girl." James's voice was filled with disappointment.

Black Shadow laughed after hearing James's statement however his laugh was short and humorless. James's words were harsh and added salt in his wound. Even he, himself, was unhappy for not catching Catseye until now.

"Did you ask for my presence here just to insult me?" A chilly glint flashed through Black Shadow's eyes.

This time James was the one who gave him a mocking grin. He picked up the small box inside his drawer and placed it on his desk. Black Shadow gave him a confused look.

"I am returning Catseye's necklace to you. I don't think this thing will be helpful in tracking her. I already asked my men to investigate this necklace but they failed to have useful information. You can keep it as your remembrance to her."

Black Shadow's gaze fell on the box as he took it on the desk.

"Alright, I think we should start from the bottom once again. She hides very well but I have a feeling that I will be able to see her again, very soon." there was a confidence in his voice.

"Well, if that chance will happen again, I hope you will not fail this time. Bring her to me Black Shadow and I will give you your rewards."