{ Ch. 1 }

Tap... tap... tap...

The sound of the pen surrounds the interrogation room: the place they put me when they realized that I was Endgame. The infamous, unknown hacker. Not that they knew for sure but suspicion was growing in the NYPD. Too bad I was already spoken for by the FBI.

Tap... tap... tap...

I endure the silent room with a expressionless face. Eyes dull, my head held high. Ears ringing of sounds made long ago; namely the sound of them breaking down a motel door after tracking my location through a stupid fucking tracker that I never knew I had. I knew using their equipment would get me caught - ugh, rookie mistake.

Tap... tap... tap...

Lifeless and hopeless, I've accepted my fate, karma finally caught me - the lies lay on my tongue just waiting for an excuse to slip out but I keep quiet.

My excuses were there to let myself and the police department think I was regretting my decisions even though I everyone knew I wasn't sorry for anything. I was doing a favor for stupid Wilkins damnit, I wasn't supposed to end up in a freaking police station.

Tap... tap... tap...

"Ms Kade my patience is running out with you. There is no way to prove your innocence if you don't say anything. You know how much your bail costs." A police officer says tiredly.

I think he said he was Detective Jones.

I hold my tongue, thinking of ways to get revenge on the idiots I called backup.

Tap... tap... tap...

I do something I never thought I'd do - something I swore never to do, but that was useless now, i needed to get out of here immediately - before anyone starts asking questions about what I was doing. Luckily they caught me just as I erased the USB.

"I want my phone call." I say, my voice leaving them in a state of shock. It's not a question, like a girl my age would make - it's a demand. An order. And for the first time I've gotten into this godforsaken room - I stop tapping.

My eyes flash a violent silver. "Now."

The all too familiar officer, Wilkins, runs out of the door bringing back a cellphone in minutes - a hidden grin on her face. Still a record for donut eating police officers.

I dial the numbers with a purpose. A girl on a mission.

"What do you want."

The voice on the phone growls out. It's most probably one of his many assistants.

"It's Lilah." The person on the other end of the line scrambles. Ready to shit themselves as they give the phone to him.

"Delilah?" A familiar voice answers the phone. My lips involuntarily tug up. "Hello father."

"Are you alright? What happened?" Derek Sterling's voice comes through the phone frantic and anxious.

I can't blame him. This is the first time we've spoken since 8 years ago. I still can't believe I'm doing this.

"New York Police Department. One hour." I hang up sliding the phone across the table.

Jones and Wilkins leave the interrogation room soundlessly taking me with them. Locking me up in a holding cell. They know there is no way I'm staying or talking to them.

The pen clicks resuming it's previous activity.

Tap... tap... tap...

It's gonna be a long 60 minutes.

***

"It is advisable to keep her there for a while longer Mr Sterling." I recognise that voice anywhere. "Detective." I warn. Police Officer Detective Williams chuckles.

Detective Williams and I met when I was fifteen. He was still a newbie at being a cop.

I played him. Now I work with him... the irony.

"See Mr Sterling she even knows me." The detective says. My father looks at us uncomfortably. I raise a eyebrow at him.

"Delilah you look... " My dad trails off spotting blood on me. I look at him blankly. "Like shit. Don't worry it's not mine." I say nonchalantly. Williams laughs.

I have raven black hair. Eyes that are such a light grey that it looks almost white. My clothes are grime filled. There's blood all over my Native American skin.

The man looks determined and yet... hesitant. I'm beyond eager to find out what he wants from me. "Don't worry you'll get used to her sense of humor." The detective says stepping forward to unlock my cell. "He's not getting used to anything." I say, "He's just bailing me out."

My father clears his throat, somewhat nervously, stopping Williams from unlocking the cell. "I have conditions Delilah." Dad says. I narrow my eyes. "What do you want?" "If you want me to bail you out you have to sign this." He says handing me a piece of paper.

I scan through it with skeptical eyes. "I'm not moving in with you and your happy family." I snarl through the bars. My father looks taken aback by my sudden vicious streak. "Then you can rot in here. I don't see anyone else willing to pay $5000 to bail you out." I know he's right. He knows he's right. Hell even the detective knows it.

"How long?" "One year." He replies nervously.

One year of free housing, free food, free clothes and a free education.

I look Derek in the eye. "Where do I sign?"

***

I get into my father's car with a blank face. He drives away from the police station.

"Go to 34 Heathpine Street." Dad looks at me questioningly. "I have to get my stuff."

He pulls up at the house. It was home for me in the last 4 years. It looks sort of decent, I guess even with the peeling walls.

I jump out the car. "Stay here." I order and he surprisingly listens. Probably scared of the suspicious looking guys eyeing his car. I scoff. Obviously.

No one's home yet. One less explanation to do. One less goodbye to say.

It's better this way, I try to convince myself - but every inch of me knows that this was me taking the coward's way out.

I walk up the dirty steps slowly memorizing every inch of the place I call or called home. Spotting myself in the mirror. She will always look like that scared girl whose mother died. She will always look like me. The sadness in her eyes was crippling. Haunting. Lost.

I spot a glimpse of my mother's locket around the girl's neck. I never take it off.

I grab the rest of my stuff leaving the room bare.

Suddenly it's like the walls are closing in on me. The world was spinning.

I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

I fall to the floor in a disgruntled heap and screw my eyes closed; hyperventilating for the third time this month. Not again.

"Deep breaths Dels." Mom runs her hand down my back as my breathing evens out.

I regain control of my lungs and inhale deeply.

The rest of them will miss me.

I grab a piece of paper.

To Everyone

I have to leave. Be careful and please don't rile up Wolfe. Watch each other's backs. Don't do anything stupid. Kael and Jess is in charge. Wyatt and Henry don't take jobs from the gangs. I'll take care of it. I'll call.

Del

I sigh. It will have to do. I walk out of my stripped room and back into my dad's fancy looking car. I hope it can take grime - I'm not exactly the cleanest of people right now. I look to the front. Dad looking at me, worried. I strap on my seatbelt. My face blank once more.

Leaving behind my friends. My family. My home.

Into the unknown. To unfamiliarity. To the land of the more privileged. I can already tell I'm not going to like it.

"Drive." I say with a straight face and he speeds off.

Into the dark.