Chapter 5: A Link?... A Thief?
"Yes, Big Sister, we finally found the ’Link’ after all this time."
A feminine voice echoed inside the moving car. The woman who kidnapped Leo sat in the front seat calmly, speaking into a phone, her tone confident yet tinged with excitement. Her eyes flicked toward the sack that was resting on the seat behind her, its fabric bulging slightly with movement.
"Details? Well..." she turned to glance over her shoulder at the squirming sack, "his name is Leo. He’s an orphan, currently working at some shady bar part-time, and full-time? He’s a thief. A clever little one, at that. That’s all we know for now."
The sack suddenly jerked violently, writhing in resistance.
"I am not a thief!!" a male voice shouted from within, muffled yet furious. The fabric strained as Leo thrashed around inside, attempting to force his way out.
The woman giggled as she talked to the phone, "Oh, come on now. I’m not making the same mistake I made last time. I’ve done my homework. This time... I know I’ve got the right one. You just need to come back to our base. That’s where it all begins—the ritual..." Her eyes lifted to the window as she noticed the moon above slowly shifting in hue, turning an ominous shade of crimson. Her voice dropped, becoming sharper, colder. "We’re running out of time."
She cut the call with a single tap and locked eyes with the guard in the driver’s seat.
The Guard nodded without a word and pressed down on the accelerator. The vehicle surged forward, roaring through the near-empty midnight roads with trained precision, weaving through turns without hesitation.
The woman leaned slightly toward the backseat and muttered under her breath, "I know this all seems insane to you, Leo. You must be terrified and confused. But we’ve been watching you closely. We know exactly who you are and what you’re capable of. You’re not just some bar boy—"
She trailed off, her eyes widening in confusion as she turned her head fully to the backseat—only to find it empty.
"Huh?"