Am I truly... safe? Is Sister... safe? I’m walking with these people—and yet they have no idea they are being followed by a murderer. These people, whose dreams and goals revolve around becoming heroes. Are they... safe? Safe from someone who lives in a completely different spectrum than they do?
Riley trailed behind the newly formed, though not yet official, Baby Crew. They were walking casually across the bustling city street, laughing and talking without a care for the crowd around them. He found it mildly perplexing that they’d already named their group despite barely knowing each other for a little over a week—and that didn’t even count Gary and Victoria, who had only joined yesterday.
The ability of people my age to make friends so instantly remains a mystery. But if it makes Sister happy... perhaps it is one of life’s better mysteries. Now, where was I? Ah yes—am I truly safe? It—
"Mr. Riley."
Right—there is one that knows who—what I am. And it makes sense that she is the only one walking beside me. But what does she want? Why is she talking to me while we are walking with the rest of these people, when the only conversation we have that is worth having should be kept from them?
"What is it, Tomoe?" Riley tilted his head.
"I... don’t think it’s safe to go ahead with our plans for now," she whispered, walking closer to him so that the rest of the Baby Crew wouldn’t be able to hear them, "With the police frequenting the Academy, and your sister’s connection to Steph... my parents’ deaths would be a catalyst for them to link the cases and start pointing it to you... or me."
"You don’t need to worry about being blamed, Tomoe," Riley shook his head. "Framing someone for murder is illegal. I do not want to do that." Searᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Tomoe blinked and stared at Riley for a moment as she heard that—her already expressionless face, turning even more blank. Her mild stupor, however, was broken as she heard Hannah and the others laughing about something.
She looked at them, her eyes showing a bit of emotion as they saw them laughing with each other.
"Let’s... talk more later," she muttered, quickening her pace. "We should stay close. We don’t want them to get suspicious."
"Okay." Riley shrugged, but he didn’t hasten his pace at all and just continued to follow behind them. Tomoe didn’t join the others’ conversation, but she looked and glanced at them as they talked.
Even—
"Bro, what the fuck...? Are you still monologuing inside that weird head of yours?"
Before Riley could slip back into his thoughts, Hannah turned to him with a scowl, waving for him to hurry.
"Stop walking at the back, people would start thinking I’m neglecting you or something."
Riley blinked a couple of times as she stared at her sister for a few moments, before finally joining the others and walking beside them. Victoria quickly moved closer to him, smiling at him before glancing at Tomoe.
"The... two of you seem close," she whispered.
"We were," Riley nodded, "And now I am closer to you, Victoria."
"I... didn’t mean—never mind," Victoria giggled, her teeth slightly showing as she glanced at him, "Why do you sometimes take things literally, but sometimes not?"
"Because sometimes I realize that I should not, Victoria," Riley shook his head, "But most of the credit should go to my therapist. She helps me understand a lot of things."
"Hmn... But—"
"I thought we were going to New York?! Why are we stopping in this building?! Where’s the cool jet?! We only rode the train!"
Before Victoria could finish her words, Gary’s voice suddenly exploded.
"...Can you be more annoying?" Hannah rolled her eyes, stepping inside the building they indeed stopped at and waving to the group to follow her. The others were a little hesitant at first since it looked like a private office building, but the security only smiled at Hannah before letting her in.
"My family owns the building," Hannah casually said, "The jet’s parked on the roof. No more questions."
And as soon as Victoria, Gary, and even Tomoe heard that, they all stared at Hannah like she was some sort of leprechaun. Hannah didn’t even actually need to tell them not to ask questions—they were too stunned to speak.
As for Bella and Pauline, they only sighed and followed Hannah.
"Benji’s gonna be so mad at me," Bella grinned while shaking her head.
"W-why didn’t you invite him?" Pauline asked.
"I did," Bella shrugged, "But he told me he’s also going to spend some time with his classmates. Well, I might have forgotten to tell him that we’re going to Hannah’s place to hang out and only told him we’re going out."
"Too bad we’re not in the same class," Hannah said.
"Meh, one twin’s enough," Bella waved her off. And while the three were casually having a conversation, the three were still too stunned—they didn’t even say anything as they hopped onto the elevator and reached the roof.
Their eyes only turned wide when they saw the jet.
"Well, then... shall we? And Gary, please don’t touch anything."
In the end, Hannah did not need to worry about that at all, as Gary and the others were too busy either trying their best not to puke or enjoying the sights in front of them.
It was really only when they landed in the Ross Family’s penthouse that they were finally able to open their mouths to speak.
"I-I knew you were rich..." Gary gulped as he stood at the edge of the roof, staring down at the city of New York in front of him, "...But this is crazy. Do... you own the building or just the penthouse?"
"Questions later. Let’s... bring Bella inside first," Hannah, Pauline, and Victoria were currently holding Bella, who was now lying unconscious in their arms. They rushed her inside, but as soon as she felt the controlled temperature of the penthouse, she quickly jumped up and looked around.
Only for the first thing to reflect in her eyes be the large chandelier hanging from the penthouse’s obnoxiously tall ceiling. Both she and Gary quickly rushed to the railing in front of them, their wide eyes widening even further.
"What the fuck..." Gary’s voice trembled. "This is the first time I’ve seen a living room that counts as part of the view. I mean... what the shit is this?"
He gawked at the grand room below, windows stretching from floor to ceiling with New York’s skyline on display.
Bella was also about to say something, but she saw Diana looking up at them from below.
"Oh...?" Diana smiled at them and waved before looking at Hannah, "Dear, why are you just letting your guests stand there? Come on down. I didn’t know what you children would like, so I just ordered pizza."
"T-that’s... your Mom?" Bella slowly turned to look at Hannah, "She... she’s a MILF."
"Don’t..." Hannah shook her head as she walked away, "...Just don’t."
"I mean... I expected this already, but.." Victoria scratched her chin as she looked at Riley, "You live in a completely different world than us."
"Yes, Victoria," Riley nodded without hesitation, "Metaphorically, we live in completely different worlds."
Extremely different.
***
[EMERGENCY NEWS ALERT]
This just in—a woman living in Hudson was found brutally murdered inside her apartment. According to our sources, the woman received several fatal wounds and was stabbed multiple times in her leg and her back. The police are saying it was a robbery gone wrong, and that there are multiple assailants involved.
They are using the most of their abilities to solve this horrific crime and make those responsible pay.
...
Before we move on to less horrifying news, I would first like to apologize for my sudden... outburst from our previous coverage. It was completely unprofessional, and unwarranted.
But I would also like to say that it was completely justified. The images that were shown to me were too graphic to be shown live and in public eyes.
For those of you who have long been patrons of our show know that I am not one to flinch on any news. But what I saw left me completely, and utterly disgusted.
What sort of man, or woman could do something so horrific? Something so appealing, and to someone so young and innocent?
The parents of the girl have reached out to me to tell this to all of you:
The girl who was murdered has a name, she is called Stephanie Evans, and I want you all to remember that. She was fourteen years old and had a brother, a mother, and a father who loved her dearly.
As a mother to a fourteen-year-old son as well, I can’t imagine a greater pain. And I can’t imagine what they are going through right now, and I am immensely afraid to even think of what Stephanie went through before she died.
Whoever did this, I am risking my journalistic credibility by saying this:
This is ABC-ZBN news, and my name is Lorraine Gray. And to whoever killed this sweet, innocent child, fuck—
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