She was lurking in the alley, walking past the dimly lit corners. She rummaged through the dumpsters, upturning cartons and checking underneathe discarded styrofoam boxes.

 

She found not one morsel to satisfy her 3-day hunger.

 

Life was hard for a Street-dweller. No one would go near you, let alone help you. The dirtiest, most degrading jobs were given to them, but even then, the wages weren't enough to live by for one day. They slept on the streets, under the bridges or in dark alleys. Even cheap hotels wouldn't accept them for a night. They scavenge for food, or feed on the scraps thrown at them.

 

 

She sighed and leaned her tired, frail body against a dumpster. Her limbs felt like lead from walking around the city, looking for jobs. Her body smelled like asphalt and dirty sewers because she hadn't had a decent bath in over 6 months.

 

She stiffled a sob, thinking about her sorry state. Life hadn't been this...sad before. She always made it through, together with her family. But a fire 2 years ago changed all that.

 

 

A sound in the alley made her scramble to her feet. She saw two cloaked people making their way towards her dumpster, so she hid behind it. Street-dweller or not, it wasn't safe for anyone to be alone in this alley. Most especially when there were conspicuous people lurking about.

 

She was looking for something, some weapon of some sort so she could protect herself when the situation called for it. But the two just made their way through the dumpster she was hiding behind, making her relax her tense shoulders and lower the broken glass bottle.

 

She was about to sneak out of the alley, when she heard one of the two speaking frantically.

 

 

"I know that too. But the Black Dragon has a great hold of the law. We will be protected!"

 

 

Law? Protected? I know those words.

 

 

She may be a Street-dweller, but she knew a fair amount of things. They weren't allowed to go to school, you know. But she had a natural thirst for knowledge, so she often scavenged for old, thrown books to read. Also, her father taught her how to read and write, as well as to protect herself.

 

She craned her neck to the side, looking for a clear view of the conversing people. She saw that their hoods were down and their faces were partially covered by the shadows. But she could see the half of their faces well. The other had striking brown eyes and a slightly angular jawline, with a faint scar across it; the other one was more rounded, with blue eyes underneathe blonde, curly hair and stubby fingers clutching at his cloak securely.

 

She knew she had to turn away. Her mother taught her never to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. But what she heard next rooted her to the spot.

 

 

"We'll just have to do a flawless job in killing the Prime Leader then."

 

 

It was the shorter man who had spoken. She could detect a tense aura around the two, also suffocating her from where she was hiding.

 

 

Kill the Prime Leader? Surely they are just joking! She thought.

 

It is against the law to defy the Government and downright wrong! But the two men didn't seem to stop talking. So she decided that she didn't want to be involved in anyway in this discussion.

 

Just as she was about to make a silent escape, a tall man wearing a black mask had appeared near the entrance, so she was forced to stay put.

 

"Dorian and Janus?" The tall man asked, his voice deep and threatening.

 

 

Dorian? Janus?

 

 

She said in her mind. She didn't hear these names very often. But then, EXO is a mix of a hundred of old cultures, so it's no surprise that some people have very unusual names.

 

 

"The Black Dragon also sent me to give a message to you two."

 

 

Then there was that name again. Black Dragon. It sent shivers down her back, but she couldn't shut all the information out. She was that naturally curious.

 

 

"When we succeed," The shorter man interrupted, narrowing his eyes at his masked-companion. "How will we be assured that you will keep to your end?"

 

 

So it's a bargain, then?

 

 

She didn't dare give any sound. She controlled her breathing as well. It wouldn't be good to get caught in the middle of a secret meeting. And a deadly one at that. She was intent of keeping quiet until it was all over and the men have gone. Damn her and her curiousness! She couldn't help it if she soaks things up like water.

 

Then, the stranger, the most intimidating of the group, sauntered off towards another alley. The two who were left behind held somber faces beneath the masks they wore. The shorter one was holding an envelope that somehow turned up during their conversation. She could see, from the faint lighting the lamps give out, that is was a dirty white, rectangular-shaped envelope with a black seal.

 

"We'd better get this right." The taller one said, eyeing his friend carefully.

 

Without another word, they disappeared once again into the shadows, each deep within their thoughts.