hey everyone! As promised, here is a new update! I'll keep this short bc I don't want to interfere too much with this chapter, but I recommend you reread the last update since it's been a while to refresh your memory. Anyways, happy reading!

The sound of water hitting the bathroom tile of the shower is oddly therapeutic behind the closed door. Remi decided to freshen up after our talk, laughing about ruining her makeup and I'm sitting in front of the TV, flipping aimlessly through channels.

I'm still pretty shaky after everything and my stomach clenches when images of a smoldering taxi cut across the screen as reports fill in for the evening news. Remi emerges from the bathroom enveloped in steam, a soft sigh from her lips and I quickly change to a documentary before she can notice.

"I brought grub," I tell her and hold up a plastic bag filled with instant cup ramen that I had picked up while waiting for my turn in the shower. A wide grin splits her features.

"Oh my god, yes," she exclaims, "for once, I'm actually thankful that neither of us can cook."

I snort and flick her forehead as I walk past her into the bathroom. "Don't use this as an excuse to splurge on junk food."

--

The effects of hot water work wonders on my aching muscles, the aftermath of adrenaline leaving my entire body cramp and tense. I take advantage of our luxurious penthouse suite and spoil myself with all of the various products lining the shelves of the glass walled cubicle. Pampering myself with bottles and soaps labeled in French gibberish, lavender scents, suds and bubbles.

When I step back out into the main room wrapped in a fluffy white robe, Remi is sitting on the couch slurping her noodles.

The two of us eat in silence, the TV playing in the background. We throw out our trash and decide to turn in for the night, stomachs full and the toll of the day finally crashing down on us. I click off the lights as we each settle into our respective king sized beds. It's strange getting into such a large piece of furniture when I've been used to a cramped single for all of my college life.

"Lola?" her voice calls out in the darkness.

"Hmm?"

“Thanks. For a lot of things. For listening, too,” I hear quiet laughter in her voice, “for listening to my secrets.”

I smile softly. “That’s what I’m here for.”

Remi hums and silence follows. I hear the rustling of sheets before the exhaling of soft breaths, realizing she’s fallen off to sleep. I’m not sure how long I lay there. The ceiling starts to distort in front of my eyes the more I stare at it until I rub them and toss onto my side. My mind is buzzing with words, flickering like the city lights below us.

Sleep doesn’t come for a long time.

--

The bed next to mine is empty, spilled with hazy morning light. I find myself groping around the glass bedside table for my phone out of habit until my fingers come up empty and I snap out of my sleepy daze. I frown when I can’t remember the last time I had it. My feet find a pair of plush slippers, complimentary with the room, I’m guessing.

Okay, so I’m overly dependent on my phone. But honestly, who isn’t? An odd sense of panic grips my throat as I go through my bag, even dump out the contents onto the floor. Makeup, clothes, headphones, charger. No phone. I start to get antsy when I pack everything back up and go out into the main room.

It’s cloudy outside, the sky a cool, gunmetal grey, matching the cityscape perfectly. I can see the mark of where the diamond ring scratched the window. No ring either. Remi isn’t here and my stomach rolls in unease.

The door clicks open and she pauses in the doorway at seeing me pacing. She’s dressed for a workout with a sports bra and leggings, and judging by her appearance, she did just that. Sweat glistens off of her pale skin, chest rising and falling with the echoes of harsh breaths.

“You haven’t seen my phone, have you?” I ask her. I’m expecting a shake of her head, but the way she tenses up in silence makes me even more anxious.

“I, uh..” Remi bites her lip and hooks the headphones of her MP3 player around her neck and goes over to pick up the wastebasket next to the TV. She reaches in and withdraws a small plastic bag with what look to be several pieces destroyed electronic software mangled with plastic. “I had to get rid of them. Could be tracers.” she mumbles the last part with a nervous flick of her eyes to me and drops the bag back into the trash.

My heart sinks. We’re in so much deeper than I had thought. And that I have absolutely no concept of this world that Remi has grown up in.

“Oh. Right. That’s fine, do...whatever you have to do,” I say a bit timidly. She nods with a tight-lipped smile and brushes past me into the bathroom, the click of the lock behind her. I let out a breath and sink my head into my hands. Anxiety crushes my lungs.

--

It’s late. The kind of hour where nothing good is on TV, though it flickers aimlessly in the background in the dark suite. I’m sitting on the couch with my knees pulled up against my chest, staring down at the city below me, watching headlights flow like fluorescent, liquid fire. Scorching down the veins of Manhattan, my mind wandering.

Remi’s been out of the room ever since she finished her shower, pacing and rushing in and out to grab some things before leaving for several hours in a whirl, mumbling and fidgeting. She said something about picking up some grub from the local convenience store for dinner, getting sick of ramen, as anyone would. Hell, we’re college students after all. We all have a tolerance for instant noodles.

The sound of the room phone going off snaps me out of my daze and I stand up to go answer it. My stomach rumbles. Might as well order room service after this call. I’m surprised when I pick up and Remi’s voice fills the receiver as I answer casually.

“Lo. Oh my god, they found me,” she pants. My knees threaten to give out. Something is very very wrong. I struggle to answer, the words dying in my throat as all I can do is grip the cradle of the plastic phone against my ear, feeling the blood drain from my face. My tongue feels like sandpaper. There’s a choked whimper from the other end and the curse of several voices that seem to sound in the distance with a strange echo, almost as if she’s in an enclosed area.

“Lola? Are you there? I grabbed one of their phones before I ran, I-I don’t have much time,”

“Y-yeah, I’m here.” I gasp. Another whimper, louder this time as the voices continue to shout and reverberate.

“They’re going to kill me, oh god,” she’s crying now, her breath broken rasps.

“Where are you? Who’s after you?”

“Wonshik,” she sobs, “Taekwoon, all of them. VIXX.”

My stomach plummets all the way down to the ground floor. Hearing her whisper Wonshik’s name sends chills down my spine.

“Okay. Okay. You're fine, you’re not going to die, Remi, I promise you that,” I stammer out quickly and start to pace back and forth the same way I had seen her do numerous times before. I feel like I’m going to be sick. “You have to stay quiet, okay?” There’s a muffled sound and I picture her nodding feverishly, hand clasped over .  

“I’m scared,” Remi whispers.

“I know. Hang tight, I’m on my way.” I say and cut the line.

I realize about half a millisecond later after I put the phone down how utterly stupid that was. On my way? I don’t even know where she is. Sure, it sounded like she was underground, but New York’s spiderweb of subways literally network through the whole damn city, and here’s my best friend getting hunted down like a ing animal by a bloodthirsty gang and I just hung up on her.

My finger hovers over the redial button. No, I can’t do that. Remi herself said she had jumped one of them for a phone and is probably hiding now. Calling back for more information would only jeopardize her position. A tidal wave of heat crashes down on me as I hurl the whole damn receiver against the wall and hastily grab my bag and head down to the ground floor. I need a set of wheels. I need to leave now.

--

The man behind the front desk gives me wide eyes as I rush up to the counter. I can only imagine how much of a hot mess I look at the moment, tear streaked makeup and all.

“Car rentals,” I rasp. His mouth opens a fraction before his gaze flickers to the computer he's currently typing away on.

“Um..well, ma'am, we have a variety of options, would you care to look through our catalog-”

“No time,” I snap, “anything,” I can't exactly go outside and hail a taxi. Could you please take me to where my friend is currently being held against her will? Oh yeah, I don't know exactly where she is either. Just cruise around the warehouse district, or something. I promise I'll tip you.

The receptionist’s eyebrows disappear into his hairline, eyeing me suspiciously over his glasses. “Alright, miss. If you'll just fill out these forms, I can get you all set up,” he pushes me a small stack of papers and I literally groan.

“Please, just put it under my room tab, I'm in a hurry,”

He lets out a soft, irritated breath, probably thinking I’m some tycoon’s spoiled daughter but nods crisply and dangles a sleek keychain in front of my eyes.

“Enjoy,” he says and I practically rip it from his hand.

--

I'm running through the underground parking garage of the hotel, frantically pressing the button on the keys to find the car. I’m just about to call it quits and set off the car alarm because that would definitely be faster when the flashing of headlights catches my attention.

No way this is my ride.

A sleek Audi A8 chirps when I click the keys to double check. My mouth falls open. My entire body is shaking as I slip inside the leather clad interior, slipping the keys into ignition and the engine purrs to life. The adrenaline that comes with sitting behind the wheel of one of these things and the panic of finding Remi take over my body and I floor it.

I roar out of the underground complex, the sensitivity of the accelerator making me bite off a curse as the squealing of tires echoes through the garage. I break out into the street and merge with traffic and cut my way through evening traffic.

Possibilities of Remi's location cloud my thoughts and I honestly have no clue where to go. The sound of her terrified voice fills my ears and I picture a black body bag dumped in an alleyway. I shake my head and decide to head to the tunnels by East River as a starting point.

I will not let my best friend die.

The light has just turned green when I ease forward and an unmarked black sedan smashes into the side of my Audi. I feel myself being lifted, my seat belt tightening as my head slams against the window. Spinning, exploding glass.

I hear screaming. My head snaps back and my vision goes red. Darkness follows.