Song of the chapter:  The belt of faith by Jung Jae II           II   20th of May, 2020                     Im Nayeon was black.    She was staring at the apartment from a building some distance away. She is making the biggest decision of her life.
  “Press the button” A voice coaxed behind her.   A gold button was placed in front of her.

  When did it come to this? Nayeon reflects on everything.
            (Shall we go a few hundred moments back?)

      C u e      f l a s h b a c k.



  Sounds of stilettos hitting the smooth floor were coming closer. Despite her poor state, her senses were awake.   The click clack sound brought her breath to a stop.   She tried to break from the chains around her wrists and ankles but it was no use. They were probably made of good quality criminal .




  “Look who we have here…”


  A familiar voice greeted her. Sounding so calm and almost sweet yet it forced a shiver down the girl’s spine.


  A scent of expensive perfume that emanates impending doom filled her nostrils as her blindfold were loosened by the new arrival. 
  Jeongyeon squinted her eyes against the harsh lighting.    Once her vision cleared, she remembered now. Why her head feels like it's about to blow any moment now.

  Jeongyeon was hanging upside down. Feet tied by a thick rope.
  The first thing she registered, Boo, the toy doll. That ing cursed doll! It was held by the devil in heels.   If this ain’t hell she doesn’t know what is.

  Then a chuckle was heard.    As if any of this was funny, the hanging girl spat in her thoughts. 

  Everything hurts. Her feet were tied and her body suspended on air.

  Lo and behold, her nightmare stands before her. Dangling a key and a smile to scar her numbered days.

  “Miss me?” The new arrival greeted as she steps closer.

  no! Jeongyeon screamed…


  in her head. Only in her head because dammit she doesn’t want to cross to the other life yet.



  “Momo, please. I was just the driver! I didn’t know it was you, they ing tricked me! I swear on my life and good looks!” Jeongyeon pleaded with her life.

  Then a roundhouse kick to the stomach thankfully knocked her lights out.


  “One down, a few more to go.”
  Momo tapped Boo's head and watch as Jeongyeon's unconcious body sway. 
Left then right.

































  A knock was heard.
     
  “Do you want to build a snowman?”   
Was soon heard being whisper-sang outside the door.
        It was their secret passcode. Well, that was when they were still a team.
  The sleeping girl's spidey senses were triggered. She slowly and silently rose from her bed. She checked her surveillance camera.
  “You gotta be kidding me.” Jihyo cursed under breath.


  She took her baby under her pillow. Her silver gloc loaded and ready was aimed at the door. Her bare foot was cold against the floor.


  “Why are you here?! You have no ing business being here” She demanded at her former teammate. She is not dumb enough to not wonder why she suddenly appeared out of thin air.   The girl outside her door knows that too, they all do. No seeing each other after a bust. Basic survival rule. No loose end. No trace. If one gets caught, its the end for them all.
  Silence.

  Then a whimper.
  The ? Jihyo thought while firmly holding her gun.

   
  Then someone was full blown crying outside her door at four in the morning!

  “Elsa, please let me in.”   The girl outside begged like a whiny child while raking her nails against the door. Like a shunned cat.


  Jihyo placed her gun in safety then forced open her door. Causing Jeongyeon to fall on the floor.
  It was great that Jihyo still recognised her in her pitiful and deformed state.

      “The hell happened to you?”    She dragged the disfigured visitor of hers inside. Scanned the outside surroundings before slamming her door shut.








  Jeongyeon caught the icepack that was thrown her way. She gently placed it on her left eye.    With the pain that she is in right now, she should be placed in a bathtub filled with ice. And strong alcohol. Anesthesia and morphine are for wussies.
  A zero-ice cold beer was also generously placed in front of her.
  Jeongyeon wanted to cry again in gratitude. But no, wussy time is over.
       
  “So? Who was the other guy?”
  Jihyo queried lacking the patience.


  “Remember failed heist of 2018?”
  Jihyo searched her memories. What happened back then...

    Oh. ing. Hell.
  “No. Please, tell me you killed her.” Jihyo knew that was only wishful thinking.

  “I’m just lucky to have an opening to escape. Or I would be just another friend of yours dumped in the ocean by now”

  Jihyo shivered at her advance thoughts, putting herself in Jeongyeon’s place.

  “I had nowhere to go.” The beaten up girl voiced out.

  Jihyo just sighed. 

  “We should warn the others, I mean Mina” Jihyo decided, mentally preparing herself to leave the peaceful life she have had for a while. She offers herself as security and assistance for social workers especially handling rescue missions on reported abused victims. People would be shocked at how rampant these cases are, it will make their blood boil and beliefs falter. Jihyo was not one to fear organized crimes so she answered the calling.


  Jeongyeon made a sign of the cross and said a short prayer. “May she rest in peace.”


  Jihyo sat in silence. 
  They heard it a year ago.    Sana, their ever so dumb but was supposed to be badass skillful mercenary teammate, had chased after those who took the diamond. They could not stop her and barely knew what had happened. It was a losing battle really, specially that she was alone. They tossed her body in the Pacific. Poor thing. Stupid as she was, she was still a good teamm- okay maybe not a good teammate (in reference to her losing the diamond in the first place) but she was a good friend. Just a little croo croo.

  She's among the fishes now. But she is missed, immensely.



















             

    “No,    whatever you guys are planning.   I’m ing out” 
  The third girl spoke with a finality.   Her hand as always was holding a glass of her favorite martini.




  The two recently united duo found Mina in her newfound life. A university professor in a peaceful town by the seaside. She utilizes her masters degree on Behavioral Science and Psychology as a course related professor. It was fun for her at times especiallyseeing students find growth in her words.   She was enjoying her downtime in her humble abode facing the sea when trouble came sneaking in two.

  Jeongyeon sighed.
  “You know where the door is” Mina continued. Waves crashing complemented the ambiance they were having the luxury to enjoy.




  “Look at Jeongyeon.” Jihyo began.    Jeongyeon frowned.    Mina took a glance. Then sputtered her drink.    With elegance still intact, she wiped the spilt fine martini.   Jeongyeon frowned deepened. 
  “Failed mission 2018?” She asked but she was already sure as she scanned Jeongyeon whose face was swollen and almost, almost unrecognizable. Left arm in a cast and from the looks even her torso is bandaged.
  “The devil caught her” Jihyo stated as she poured herself a glass.

  “How are you alive?” Mina asked as she checked her hidden armory behind her book shelf. Time to check if they were still good to use.

  “Don’t sound so disappointed.” Jeongyeon spat as she enjoyed the view.
  Her eyes scanned the shore. Pristine sands. Magnificent waves. Mina had chosen a beautiful paradise to hide away.
  “Sana would have loved this,” Jeongyeon expressed.
  Jihyo raised her glass in agreement before taking a swig. That girl was crazy for taking vacations in tropical islands.  


  “She would.” Mina agreed as she picked out her tools and gadgets for this mission. Sadly, she actually picked this beauty of a house with the girls in mind.   Whatever it is they are doing, it seems to be a final showdown.   Or that was just her dramatic side.

















  So knowing that it would just be a matter of time before they were tracked down and beaten to a pulp like what happened to Jeongyeon, the trio decided or tried to be the cat in these chasing game.
  They maximized old connections to gain ground on how their enemy is moving.    Momo has always been stealthy. It was one in a million luck that they were able to find where she was hiding the diamond back in 2018.    That Boo doll was very rare, it was one of the only three manually created by the original designer in the world. The first one was the one Sana destroyed. Second is the one Jeongyeon saw while hanged upside down. Momo probably killed someone over that . They have no idea who has the third Boo doll, bless them whoever they are. Hacking into the designer's database led them to its clients info. They dug some more and finally traced the delivery address then they started to trace from there leading them to the devil.   Momo’s obsession with dolls led them to where she was hiding her prized treasure. The red diamond.   Unfortunately, other crooks were also eyeing the diamond back then. And those crooks were able to get the diamond while the hardwork was done by Mina's team.


  So yeah, Momo has always been in the shadows but she still work with people that work also with other people. This is where the loopholes come in. Some of them talk when the price is right or if the knife is sharp enough against their throats.
  After threatening a girl named Wheein and bribing an informant nicknamed Moonsun, they finally had a lead.
  “Philippines? Really? I've wanted been wanting to go back there.” Jihyo was amused.

  Mina nodded. It made sense, the country has a lot of gray areas as much as it has paradise beaches.
  Jeongyeon just fell silent. She was beyond tired and her injuries are a .
  “Dumb squirrel, I miss her but its all her fault” She whined.
  Jihyo was quick to chastise her “Hey! May she rest in peace. Not that you're wrong but just…” But she could not continue and just left it at that.

  “ yes!” Mina exclaimed that Jihyo and Jeongyeon jumped up, almost ready to pull out their guns at the sudden outburst.



  “When did you even learn to scream?!” Jeongyeon asked. Calming herself down.
  The girl just rolled her eyes at the rude comment before showing them the content of her laptop’s screen.
  “Im Nayeon? Why does that sound familiar?” Jihyo read and thought aloud.   “She led the mission against us in our failed mission 2018” Mina clarified. Data being presented in  front of them pictures and surveillance that were sent by someone codename…   “Thanks solarmoo, whoever you are. I will take revenge for you too” Mina whispered.


  Jeongyeon mouth formed an O shaped. “She must be living the life now”
  “Wait- she is also here in Asia?” Jihyo traced the girl’s travel history or much of what they could scavenge. The girl was all over the place.

  “This , we need to find her and make her pay”

  “I mean what would we even do with Momo if we found her. It seems that she is not after us as of the moment.” Jeongyeon stated while hiding the fact that she was afraid to face Momo.
  While the two pretended to think about it before agreeing.   Let’s face it. They were all afraid of facing Momo. So finding Im it is.

  “Lets pay our fellow thief a visit” Jihyo smirked. 
  Jeongyeon rejoiced feeling the energy of old days thievery course through her.
  Mina was booking them a different flight and ordering a bottle martini in advance.    She double checked. To Bali, Indonesia it is.
















 
  Sun was out.   Weather was good. Their air was glorious. People are on and about. Stalls and restaurants alive and bustling. Smell of various dishes scattered on the wind.   Dahyun was enjoying her stroll with her fake tan, fake hair and fake Ray Bans. She was all swag as she strolled along the busy local market. 




  In the distance,
  “Who is she?” Jeongyeon asked as they caught a glimpse of the pale girl.
  “You would never guess…” Mina started as she took screenshots of Dahyun walking down the street.
  Then data and images pulled up showing her connection to none other than Im Nayeon.
  “She is pale cookie girl from failed mission 2018!?” Jihyo was shocked in her seat. 

  “Sana really, that girl” Jeongyeon commented. Then she and Mina did the sign of the cross.
  “May she rest in peace” Jihyo mumbled as well.



  “Let’s wait for Im. She is supposed to show her face some time now”
  So they waited as per Mina’s intel.
  After an half an hour, Jihyo choked on her soda.
  “Did you see that?!” She directed the two’s attention at the surveillance cam on Dahyun.   “What? What? What?” Jeongyeon asked she’s not seeing anything.
  Jihyo stared then sunk back on her chair. her poor eyesight.
  “I thought I saw someone familiar, but it wasn’t her” She explained a bit embarrassed.
  “Wait- its her” Mina spoke up.
  “Who?” Clueless Jeongyeon is getting on Mina's nerves.
  “Who else? Its Im Nayeon” 
  “Where?” Dumb , Mina thought.
  “Girl in green cardigan and black jeans. Brown short hair” Jihyo helped out before Mina socked the girl out.












  In one of the local diner where Dahyun got the hang of going,   “Unnie, I’m so glad to see you!” Dahyun greeted the new arrival as she took a seat.
  “Dahyun, stop with the bull. Why are you not showing yourself and answering calls?” Nayeon was direct to the point.

  “Unnie,   I’m sorry I just wanted to take a break”   Dahyun was explaining when a waitress came by to give them the menu.
  Nayeon’s lips formed a straight line. “Break's over then.”    Before Dahyun could reply,
  “Would you like some tea or coffee?” The purple haired waitress asked them.
  Dahyun stared at the good looking waitress. Distracted. Daebak, she thought.   “Coffee for me. Hot choco for this imbeci- child.” Nayeon shot the waitress a small smile and the waitress took her leave.


  “Her hair color was amazing” Dahyun commented out of nowhere.
  “Dye your hair too if you want but you have to report within a week. You hear me? Or I will have to force you.” Nayeon warned as she eyes the girl intently.

  Dahyun just sighed.

  “How are the two kiddos?” She asked.
  “You would know if you show yourself” Nayeon replied with all seriousness.


















  “Jeongyeon is doing well” Jihyo noted as she watches how Jeongyeon pretended to be a waitress. Purple hair and all. She carefully placed tracking devices on the Dahyun and Nayeon's stuff.   After a beat.

  “Who do you think killed Sana?” Mina addressed the issue.