I take my seat beside Cale on the sofa, facing his direction to speak up.

"I went alongside my friends to a birthday party, I didn't exactly like how the receptionist was being sketchy, and she strictly instructed us not to stray from the event hall-"
"-You're a curious one Eleanor, you strayed. Didn't you?"
"Let me finish" I yell at him.
He shut himself up, upon hearing my bark.
"After partying for hours, I needed to use the comfort room, entirely forgetting the instructions laid out.
So, I went to that woman for directions to the washroom, when I approached her, she was openly flirting with a man across the room but was kind enough to offer directions to this elevator in a secluded area to a washroom which is located on another floor entirely, in summary, yes. I strayed."

It is unclear to me why but something in me warned not to tell him about the girl in the washroom which I heeded to.
I watch Cale zone out after my statement, first he looks worried then frustrated and delighted at the same time, it's making me feel terrified for being acquainted with a lunatic.
"What is wrong, Cale?" I request frankly.

He clears his throat to speak, "How should I put this well, Eleanor?"
Put what? except I didn't voice it.

"You're being hunted down by a dangerous syndicate" he deadpans out of the blues.
I instantly jump in my seat, what? I need to voice this.
"What?!"
"Look, I'm about to tell you something important, so you have to hang on every word I say."
I'm still tongue-tied to speak.
"When you suspected my report, the whole suicide thing. You were not wrong Eleanor, she didn't commit suicide, she was assassinated by this particular syndicate because...she trespassed and so did you."
I gasp, standing up to gather myself, but ended up pacing around the living room, drowning in my terrifying thoughts.

I've been in difficult situations as my dad's only child, there were multiple times when I've almost been kidnapped to be used as a threat to him by his rivals but whatever the situation was, I got in them because of him, so, by all means, he'll get me out. To dad, my safety mattered the most, that's why growing up, I was exposed to combat training and every escape tactics there is, yet I didn't use them because he got me out of every sticky situation.
Now the table has turned, I got myself in this one, with a dangerous syndicate!
I'm freaking out, I'm damn freaking out.
I knew something was wrong, I just knew it.

I wonder which, gun syndicates? Drug cartels? Human traffickers? Organ harvesters?
What the hell?
This is Tarleton for goodness sake, there haven't been talks of syndicates here, only majority in Brechfield and minute ones in Pearlbot. Why did I ever have to leave the damn hall?!
Eleanor a freaking syndicate is after you, for goodness sake they're about to assassinate you, the end of your life.
I shut my eyes to scream, I'm losing my mind here.

When I open them, Cale is standing in front of me, uncomfortably beyond close. His steady eyes hovering over mine, I look into their depths, trying to find comfort, but it's not there. His hands are slowly going to both my shoulders, finally holding me firm under his gaze.
I'm all of a sudden not bothered by our position right now because that's what I might need currently, distraction from this distress.
"Calm down Eleanor."
I take deep breaths, not without feeling my whole body shake in fear. If only I had listened to my dad and didn't settle in Tarleton, Lord knows I didn't want to go to Rosa's party.

"How do you know this?" I ask, my senses awakening.

"How I'm informed doesn't matter, only your safety does. Believe me, this makes me devastated because....well, I enjoy your company, I can't allow anything horrible happen to you."
He has a point there, the lesser I know about that syndicate after my life, the better, I couldn't help but murmur in reply to his last sentence "But you've made me your girlfriend's target."
He heard what I said and released a chuckle, "Louisa is not my girlfriend, Eleanor"
"Try convincing yourself" I scoff.

What's wrong with me, I'm forgetting for a second how I'm going to be ended soon?
"What are we going to do now?" I ask tensely "And can I tell my dad his daughter's safety is compromised? He can help me...well, he has no choice but to help me. I'll leave this city, relocate, start a new life—"
As I ramble better options, he releases himself from me, returning to the couch with a melancholic expression on.

"It doesn't work that way, El. When you're on a syndicate's list, they'll hunt you down to the end of the world, you'll only put your loved ones in danger when they get in their way".
The way he says it, I can't mistake how he speaks like someone who has had an experience. I take my place beside him, unfortunately I'm the one who has gotten closer.

I have confidence, but not as much as how I have enough to seize Cale's jaw and slowly turn his face towards my direction. Furthermore, I would have expected surprise as a reaction from him due to my action, but I didn't get any, it's like he's used to my touch, or used to the feminine touch so much, it doesn't bother him.

"Cale... I really don't know how to live my life everyday knowing fully well someone's out there to kill me, do you get what I mean? Imagine I'm walking to my car and I get stabbed from behind, and it's not even Sunday yet, I haven't spoken to my dad, or I'm at the bar drinking and my drink gets poisoned I convulse and choke to death or on my way home, the brakes of my car have been tampered with and the-" I get stopped from my speech on different ways to die by Cale's warmth from his hands that's presently on my right cheek, I squirm instantly from the thing tugging at my chest from within.

Eh! What's happening?
My subconscious is even worried.

Both his eyes move from the left to the right side of my face, it's like he's searching for something. The way he's staring, it's like he's looking deep within my soul, I don't like it but honestly, I can't summon the will to do anything about it.

Gladly, Cale breaks the awkward silence. "Eleanor, I won't allow anything bad happen to you, you just have to trust me on this." All that escapes my lips is air forming into "Like I have a choice."

That made him smile, he let his hands go of my face, no doubt I'm still mesmerized.

"For now, I know they haven't figured out who you are... Since, you aren't dead yet."
I grimace at his choice of words
"But there's so little time left, we need to discover who their leader is as soon as possible, that's our first plan."

"Their leader you say? why?"
"We'll use him to bring down the syndicate."
"Do we really need to bring down the syndicate ourselves? Can't we report this situation to the law enforcers?"

"Believe me, I have thought of doing so, but it's just an easier way for the syndicate to get you. They have moles in high places, you can't trust anybody and if we don't do anything about these people, they can just come for your friends next or your family, my family.

It's up to us, Eleanor."

"But how? How do we even get information on their leader, aren't these people meant to be extremely loyal?"
"We can find out using any means possible, any vulnerable point, someone who's willing to change sides. We're great journalists, Eleanor, there's nothing we can't hatch."

Something crosses my mind, this is a question I should really ask "Cale, I haven't been in the picture yet, but you talk like you've known this particular syndicate, if we actually get to bring them down, what's in it for you?"
He looks away for a minute then answers, "Nothing and everything, just to keep you and everyone safe."

Note to self, Cale was a bad liar, but he seems to be improving.
With the cockiness and rash confidence in his voice gone, I can tell he's lying, but I don't pressure him, actually I don't want to know why he's involved, but for whatever reason it is, he's on my side, to put an end to them, that's all.

We're allies.

"Today, at the HR's hotel, I was expecting to see and hopefully get to meet the new manager but whoever it is, they didn't show up, it was a huge flop."
"You believe whoever owns the hotel is connected to the syndicate that's why you published that false article, to lure them out?" My instincts gather.

He looks in shock but recovers
"You're a smart one, El. I might just fall in love with you."
I want to avoid hearing life-threatening attacks again tonight, none of it from Cale.
"If we are to work together, we are becoming effective allies, you need to stop talking to me like that."
He raises his eyebrows but didn't say a word.

===========

Thank you for reading this far.
Darasimiwrites.