Chapter 1 Bad Luck

Eden as a city is named after a smaller city within this city. You'd be surprised how confusing this place can get.

From what all the kids grew up hearing, the place is said to house all the notorious criminals and serial killers, a lawless territory where people were butchered and worse. From another parents it's a mafia territory, yeah, like the Italian mob thing. From another, it was an alien experiment center.

These fear grew in our hearts along with our age. Fear that made it hard to leave the city, afraid we'll be killed on our way.

Hence why I'm awake five in the morning, and the diner from opposite the road was already buzzing with customers, like loads of them and more were still going in. I shivered from the horrible winter cold as I waited for the traffic light to change. First class starts at nine, so I thought why not spend the time at the diner, you know, where the probability of me getting free tacos or cookies and milkshake—most importantly coffee— is a hundred percent. I'm as fucked up as hell, and coffee is my only hope of getting through the day which hasn't even started.

Once the light changed to green, I, as well as other humans crossed the road. I hurriedly walked into the vibrant, warm—oohh— retro-themed diner, the glowing neon ‘Ruby’s Diner’ sign in bright red and turquoise letter out illuminated the doorstep, Which, including the free foods are the only thing I love here.

Okay, Ruby is also my favorite, because no Ruby, no free food.

“Bitch is here?” Ruby called out the moment her hot olive eyes sighted me. She had this heart-melting smile on her face—

And I'm beginning to curse Joe for divorcing her and taking all her funds.

Joe is a dick-less asshole and that's not up for argument.

“Hey, Rube” I turned towards her direction, greeting the customers as I walked. It's not like I cared about them. The tip is all that mattered

White-haired ‘regular customer’ folds a dollar bill into my hand as I walk past him. I blew him an invisible kiss. “I love you muchacho”

He threw me a frown in reply. “No you don't. You don't even know my name”

Yeah...

That might be true.

But what can my super-sexy-hottish-dickrising smile not solve. And I gave him one.

He literally melted. Well... You know, not ‘Literally’ but he acted like it's the end of the world and he is ready to bet a grand because he knows he'll go to heaven.

“I’ll be here tomorrow, drop by if you want.” I winked at him.

Okay, that's enough flirting.

Ruby threw me a black apron and the uniform the moment I reached her.

“Whose son did you just decieve?” She asked, her Chicago black accent dripping off her tongue

“I did nothing” I quickly defended myself.

He handed me the money first didn't he?

“No classes?” She asked, filling a coffee cup for a blonde sitting on the vinyl stool.

“Starts by nine—”

“–or you want to ditch and go see you monkey face boyfriend” The familiar annoying voice of Molly interrupted me from under the counter.

Just so you know, I don't have a boyfriend.

Stole the last one gold accessories and he broke up with me.

Duh! Idiot cheated on me.

I faked a gasp, clutching my chest. “Oh My God, Molly, are you sucking the counter’s dick? Is it that big?”

Ruby ‘intentionally’ hit the cup of hot coffee a little to hard on the counter, before sliding it to the blonde who muttered a ‘thanks’ before sliding off the stool and walked away.

“Look! Both of you, please behave. It's a busy day today and the last thing I want is loosing a customer because of you two.” She muttered angrily, changed aprons, before walking out of the counter. “10 bucks off from your pay if you bring out your bitchy attitude today Molly”

I chuckled and took my position behind the counter, serving customer. Once, twice my phone buzzed in my back pocket and I try my best to ignore it.

Detective Noah was at his usual spot at the end of the counter, his black sedan still running outside, he seeks attention to a fault. “Large black roast, extra shot?”

“You have my order memorized. I’m flattered.” He chuckled, picking a free gum from the jar in the counter.

I put his cup in the to go bag to avoid spill and slid it to him. “Here.”

He nooded and handed me a ten. The coffee cost four-fifty. “Keep the change.”

I nodded, slipping the bill into the communal tip jar. “Have a good one, Detective.”

Immediately he left, Molly was instantly at my elbow. “Okay, spill. What’s his deal? Is he, like, secretly in love with you or just a really good tipper?”

“He’s a cop, Molly. He probably tips the vending machine at the precinct.” I started wiping down the already-clean counter.

“Well, this cop is the reason I can afford my Netflix subscription. But speaking of cops…” she lowered her voice, leaning in. “Did you catch the news this morning? It’s all over my feed.”

I shook my head, rearranging the pastries in the case.

“Some guy, an accountant, was murdered in Oakwood Park. They found him yesterday. And get this—the police report says the wounds are ‘inconsistent with local fauna.’ My friend Mark, who works dispatch, said they’re talking about it being a big cat, like a panther or something. Can you imagine? A Panther in Eden.”

I stopped, a chocolate croissant in my hand. “That’s… bizarre.”

The news really made a large wave yesterday after the body was found, and though I have no TV, I heard the last of it from my neighbors.

We have thin walls.

But I'd bet all my life savings that he wasn't just randomly attacked, seeing his gory pictures. Yes, obviously he was mauled, but panther isn't native to Eden, it's like illegal to own one, and the rich just fuck with leopards and other large cats instead.

Molly continued, “Right? They think it was staged. That someone killed him and made it look like an animal did it. What kind of psycho does that?” She shuddered dramatically.

They didn't kill him and made it look like an animal did. They had the animal kill him.

Whatever the poor man must've done.

My phone buzzed again, for the sixteen-ish time. I pulled it out, the screen illuminating a name I had been actively trying to forget.

Mom.

I scrolled past the other million texts I've made my mission not to reply and settled on the last one.

< I know you’re seeing these, Rebelle. It’s Charlotte’s birthday next weekend. She’s your sister too, whether you like it or not. Your stepfather and I would really— >

A cold, hard ball of resentment settled in my stomach. Charlotte. The replacement daughter. The one who got the birthday parties and the two-parent home in the suburbs while my real sister and I got chewed up by the system. My dad bailing to another country was one thing. Her abandoning us to start a new, shiny family in a nearby citywas a wound that never stopped festering.

Am I supposed to act like nothing fucking happened?

I slammed the phone down on the counter a little harder than necessary. Molly jumped. “You're disturbing the peace.”

The phone vibrated again as another text came in, I bit my lips and picked the phone, ready to block her number, but I see a new different message.

<< Mission at 9

~ B. >>