N109 Zone

Luke grabbed the steaming coffee off the bar, along with a neatly packed sandwich. Kana, often referred to as "the help," had been uncharacteristically hostile since they arrived. She had four more cups to make, and the café was packed. Her suspicious glance in their direction was brief before she turned on her heel.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kieran whispered, unwrapping the sandwich Luke handed him.

Luke checked his watch quickly. "She'll be off in 30 minutes. Just hang tight," he assured his brother, eyes fixed on Kana.

"Make sure she doesn't make a run for it."

Sure enough, 30 minutes later, they followed Kana as she left the café, struggling to close her backpack while walking down a damp alleyway. Frustrated by their persistence, she sat on an empty crate to face them.

"Look, guys, I don't have the money yet. Give me one more week," she pleaded, eyes darting nervously between them.

"This isn't about the money," Luke finally said, stepping closer. He knew she understood what they were really there for.

"Let me just pay the rent, and then I can pay you back, I promise!" she continued, trying to reason with them.

Luke leaned in, his voice low but firm. "This isn't about the money," he insisted.

Kana sighed, exasperated, and looked up at the sky, obscured by electrical lines.

"Is this about your boss, AGAIN?!"

Kieran shrugged. "It might be."

"It is," Luke confirmed, punching his brother's shoulder lightly.

Kana buried her face in her hands. "Look, ask me to do anything, just don't get me involved with your boss," she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.

"This is more of us asking a favor, Kana," Luke crouched to meet her eyes.

"Our boss needs someone to look after him. The guy has a mechanical crow for a pet; he must be very lonely." He raised a finger to stop her from interrupting. "He's rich, and you're broke and single," he added, cocking his head to the side to gauge her reaction.

"He's not single!" she sighed, standing up. "Set me up with some other rich man, please. It can't be Sylus."

"Debatable and you're the only person we trust to look after our boss," Luke said, standing beside her.

"All you need to do is make sure he's eating well, has no problems, and is 'satisfied,'" Kieran added, emphasizing the last word with a smirk.

"You're pimping me out!" Kana exclaimed, punching Kieran's chest. "I'm pretty sure he's eating well." She started walking away.

"He's also a man and has needs," Luke said, following her.

She stopped and turned to face them, "From experience?" she asked pointedly.

"We are younger than him, but yes, it's basically the same," Luke answered. "And he has a mechanical bird for a pet."

"That's your concern?" she laughed, noticing the absurdity of it all. "You're wearing a bird mask."

"There's more, but that's at the top of the list," Luke replied with a grin.


Backstory:

Luke and Keiran met Kana ten years ago just outside the N109 zone. She was homeless, and they were on the run from another group after a heated altercation. Kana had sheltered them in her makeshift tent, risking her own safety. When the group's leader couldn't find the twins, he took out his frustration on Kana, beating her before leaving. Despite the situation, Kana refused their offer of payment but borrowed money instead. After finding a job, she has been slowly paying them back in her own way. They've been visiting her regularly at the café where she now works.


Present:

It was almost midnight when the auction concluded. Sylus, the leader of Onychinus,the most influential, dominant figure in the N109 Zone, guided Mia out of the Solon Hotel.

He checked his phone, expecting a message from the twins, but there was nothing.

"Is everything okay?" Mia asked, concerned.

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and smiled. "Everything is perfect. Did you enjoy the auction?"

Mia pouted, "I didn't find anything that resonated with me."

"I could've gotten anything you fancied." he said, smiling.

Mia touched the brooch on her chest. "This is enough," she replied with a smile.

A black car pulled up, and Sylus immediately recognized it as one of his. He opened the door for Mia and then got in on the other side.

He raised an eyebrow at the sight of an unfamiliar driver.

"Good evening," Kana greeted them, her voice steady despite the tension.

Sylus's phone rang three times before Kieran picked up. "Where are you?" Sylus asked, his tone stern.

"Sorry, boss, we're in a bit of a bind. We had our friend Kana pick you up; she's from N109. She knows the city well and can get you home quickly," Kieran explained, his voice nervous.

"We'll talk tomorrow," Sylus said, hanging up before Kieran could respond.

Kana drove them out of N109 and into Linkon with ease, keeping her eyes on the road, avoiding the conversation behind her. She watched as Sylus escorted Mia into her apartment, partly worried about what might happen next.

"Those two are nothing but trouble," she muttered under her breath, regretting stepping into their scheme.

Later, as she fiddled with her phone, Sylus returned to the car, studying her reflection in the rearview mirror. "Would you like to stop anywhere before I take you to your hotel, sir?" Kana stammered, uncertain of how to address him.
"Hotel?" he repeated, eyebrows raised.

Kana cleared her throat, trying to compose herself. "There's a hotel just around the corner. I booked you a room for tonight," she said, tapping her finger nervously on the steering wheel.

Sylus sighed and looked out the window, pondering the situation. He quietly followed Kana into the hotel, where she checked him in. Sylus observed her: long silver hair tied in a ponytail, a dark coat that stopped above her knees, and a knee hight boots. She handed him the key, still avoiding his gaze.

"Where are you staying tonight?" he asked, noticing she only had one key.

"Oh, I'll book another room for myself. I just made sure they had the suite ready for you," she explained, glancing at the reception.

He nodded and left without another word.


The Next Morning:

Sylus sat in his study, observing the scene outside through the library window. He spotted the twins and Kana, barely hidden by a bush.

"You used my card to book the hotel?" Luke nearly shouted at Kana, who quickly covered his mouth.

"Keep it down! You're lucky I didn't book a room for myself! I had to sleep in the lobby!" she whispered furiously.

"You could've booked one for yourself," Kieran said, pulling her hand away from Luke's mouth.

"No, I didn't want a pay cut. That place is expensive as hell," Kana retorted, sitting on the edge of the fountain. "Also, you owe me extra for overtime. Night rate!"

"Why did you use my card?" Luke asked, exasperated.

"I only had 50 credits on mine, and I won't get paid until Wednesday next week. Just add it to my current debt," she explained, feeling guilty.

Their banter was interrupted by a call from Sylus.


He sat at his desk, Mephisto, his mechanical crow, perched on his shoulder, waiting for an explanation.

"You know you're putting us all at risk by involving a stranger in our business," Sylus admonished.

"Boss, Kana is our friend, and we didn't tell her anything specific about you," Luke replied. He wasn't lying; Kana had pieced together the situation on her own.

Sylus turned his attention to Kana.

"What's my name?"

"She doesn't know," "She knows it's Sylus," "Christian," they all answered at once.

Kana hesitated. "It's Christian."

Sylus raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

"Tell the boss the truth," Luke urged her.

"It's Sylus," she admitted, head down.

Sylus glanced at Mephisto before addressing Kana again.

"Is this the girl from the café?"

"Yes, boss," the twins confirmed.

Sylus knew their history but had never intervened. He trusted the twins but still had Mephisto keep tabs on them.

"And what did they hire you for?" he asked Kana.

"A… a hooker," she stammered, nervously.

The twins were stunned. "REALLY?!" Luke exclaimed.

"Oh, crap," Kieran muttered, bracing for punishment.

"You told me to be honest!" Kana yelled back at Luke, starting a scuffle with him.

"You could've said ANYTHING! ANYTHING AT ALL!"

"Nothing else came to mind!"

"We never said anything like that!"

"I was nervous!" she retorted.

Kieran quietly separated them. They were still catching their breath when Sylus spoke again, finally realizing this was another one of the twins' childish schemes to set him up.

"You need to see Phillip at 4 PM today. He has some errands for you," Sylus instructed, standing up to leave.

"Yes, boss," they replied, trying to regain their composure. "We'll send Kana home as soon as possible."

Sylus paused at the door. "She's not leaving the manor. She's seen too much."


Kieran stared blankly at the phone after his boss hung up.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked, concerned.

"He's not coming home tonight," Kieran replied, looking uneasy. They exchanged glances.

"Did it work?" Luke asked excitedly.

"I don't think so," Kieran admitted. "I don't feel good about this."

"Quick, turn your phone off before Kana calls us. She's going to be okay, right?" Luke lied, trying to sound reassuring.

Kieran nodded slightly and turned his phone off, still feeling uneasy about the situation.