CHAPTER IV

        Zane grumbled under his breath as he walked, his quiet rant taking the breath away and filling his lungs with more of the evening air. Looking up at the threateningly grey sky, he could tell it was going to rain. Right about now, Rowan would be at work. Zane figured he could use some time away from his taller, older brother for a change, considering the heavy subject that still did battle with his ideological nature of "not worrying about much". Aside from the lingering thought of him getting over whatever tore his stomach to shreds and girls, the thought of Lidya crossed his mind. It was true; he knew little about what had happened that night before Lidya disappeared. The only deference against Rowan's claim he had ever had was what he heard his entire life growing up; "Your father is an evil man and did something terrible to her."

        Father Hammond, the head of the orphanage Zane and Rowan grew up at, said that was the reason his mother left. He could still see that old, wide man smile. "It's better this way. You will learn about the love of God and His plans for you and your brother." That was to say, things were fine there. Regardless, it was not where Zane or Rowan wanted to stay, and at age 18, they packed their things and left as quickly as they could. What brought them to Kipher, Georgia, was anyone's guess; maybe the rustic coziness of the town or the cheap education they could afford. Either way, it was still unclear to Zane, at least, why Rowan held onto some fabrication of hope that, maybe, Lidya was still out there somewhere? Yeah, right. He felt his heart drop into his legs at the thought of her being dead, her blond hair matted in blood, her face unrecognizable, even a flash of a smile in the dark, someone sinister baiting the brothers into following, only to meet their own demise.

        Zane's thoughts rounded the bend from imagination to realism as he stopped, looking up at the town library; He really didn't need to stretch this out anymore than it was. Lidya was gone, and all he could do was help take care of Rowan. With any luck, Rowan would snap out of this funk and help him, too.

        He pushed into the massive building, one of the few buildings in Kipher that people could see from anywhere in town, really. Zane glanced into the parking lot and noticed it; the silver Versa. His eavesdropping on girl conversations was paying off, at least, and now he could get some answers. No sooner had the doors closed did he see long tables, tall bookshelves and the grey lights from outside filtering through translucent glass windows that looked more like arrowslits to a castle. If it weren't for the electrical lighting in the building, it may as well have been dark inside, but Zane remembered what she looked like.

        She was sitting in a corner seat of a faraway table, books opened, phone nearby, pen in her fingers, touching her lips as she read. As Zane approached, he watched her push her midnight hair from the side of her face, and with that, he knew she knew he was there. "Hey," he started, and took a seat next to her.

        "I'm sorry, do I know you? I'm very busy." The woman said, her eyes pouring over the page.

        "Oh, cool. You don't like beating around the bush. I wasn't really feeling it either." He waited for her response, and when she didn't give one, he nodded and continued, "so I wanna know what you were doing at the college today."

        She gave him a lazy eye before going back to her work. "What does it matter to you? I'm a student, and I was just around the area."

        "Ah, so you make it your mission to stop fights, then?" Zane asked.

        "I make it my business to ask people questions. The person I needed at the moment was Gaven, and he was dealing with your brother."

        Zane let it sit for a moment. "Yeah but, I never told you he was my brother. Not unless you were following us."

        She stopped again, hands falling on the book, and she turned to face him. There. That's what Zane was after; She knew he knew something was up. "A fair assessment. Though if I were to be honest, I'd imagine your brother figuring it out faster than you."

        He shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a ladies' man. And I know for a fact there aren't many ladies lining up to date my brother. Not without ulterior motives, at least. So spill them."

        Blue-steel eyes bore into his emerald ones as he shot her a stare just as determined. "Fortunately for you, I find your tenacity commendable. Unfortunately for you, I don't have to say anything to you. You're not local law enforcement, so you hold no power over me."

        "Doesn't stop serial killers from killing people," Zane's voice turned icy as he spoke. "Whatever you want, you leave me and my brother out of it. I don't trust you. The way you came in and saved the day, and now he wants to go back to Foster Lake, thanks to you, just stay away."

        He jammed a finger at her face as he spoke, and within seconds, he found himself on his knees, turned away from her, his finger mere inches from breaking under her weight and pressure. He smelled her aroma as she leaned in close, her hair tickling the side of his neck. "Listen to me... What I do, I do for the detriment of everyone around me. If you want me to leave you alone, don't give me a reason to find you. It's very simple." The pain flared up and Zane started slapping at her, only for his hand to be caught. He gritted his teeth to the point of them creaking in his jaw.

        "Fine!" He hissed. Then he tumbled on the floor, released from the hold. His finger, hand, and arms burned as he glared at her. "Glad to know we're on the same page, frump-a-lump." He muttered as he pushed up to his knees.

        Zane stiffened at the sting of pain racing up from the side of his ribs before he fell over. She was near him again. "Let's not resort to name calling, Mister Zane Chayse. I am nothing, if not fair. You can remember me as Sumire." The entire exchange, Zane stared daggers at her until she collected her things. "I'd be wary if I were you. And for your health, don't go back to the lake..." Sumire walked away, disappearing behind a bookshelf toward the exit.

        He hated to admit it, but Zane, as the kids would say, got served. It was a first, but nothing he couldn't usually bounce back from. Except, it was from someone that didn't put up much of a struggle, not that he knew anything about being a thug. But Sumire was cool the entire time. She struck and caught him at every weak point and controlled him like a puppet. Even his cute jab had no effect, and it was all pissing him off. "Fine," He grumbled to himself, "if Rowan wants to go back to the Lake, I'm game... But that Sumire better be there so I can kick her a*s!"

        "What are you doing on the floor, sir?" Zane looked behind him as he struggled back up to his knees and saw the librarian.

        "Honestly? I tripped over myself..." He said.