Chapter 5
Love's POV

“It's time to pack and it's time to go,” Lust stated.

That was all I needed to hear. I didn't admit it out loud to the rest of the team yet but I had a few experiences with Envy and his team in the past. They were called “The Cleaners” for a reason. When they left shit was squeaky clean and by clean I mean people were dead and gone.

Craving didn't seem to get it. I knew it was because we were talking about leaving his best friend. I could tell why he was resistant. He loved Desire. They all cared about him. Except me. I didn't give a flying fuck about Desire honestly.

Craving was arguing over it, “Wait guys...we can't just be so scared...”

He was an idiot.

I stopped Craving, “Have you ever heard of Stephen King's Langoliers?”

“Um...Love...do you have a point here?”

“Well let me tell you about the Langoliers. Ten passengers on a plane land in an airport. The world is abandoned. OK. Everyone is gone. They are stuck in time. It's like time went on without them somehow while they were on the air. The air and the food are stale---yada, yada, yada. That's not the important part.”

“Is there an important part?” Craving asked.

“Don't get cute. Listen. What's important is that time has to be erased. Time gets eaten by these timekeepers. Their purpose it to clean up what is left of the past by eating it and the passengers realize that they themselves will be eaten. So guess who the timekeepers are? There are these big ass FUCKING monsters called Langoliers. I'm talkin' giant meat-ball lookin' motherfuckers.”

They all looked at me like I was crazy. Sometimes I did happen to get a little dramatic but I wanted to spell it out for them what the situation was.

Allure squinted at me, “Fuck are you talking about?”

She was being a smart ass too. Allure was fucking brilliant. She could figure it out. I guess being a little bit dramatic sometimes did go over their heads though. They could never have seen me in my performing days...

“I'm not waiting around for the Langoliers...A.K.A...the Cleaners...A.K.A...Envy and his group of maintenance men. I have heard about them and I would like to continue to hear about them; from a distance.”

I went upstairs and began to pack. I hadn't brought a lot luckily. Most of my things were back at the main base. This local base was just a random house and I just had few things. I went upstairs. A pistol here. A pistol there. I was ready to go. By the time I came down I realized that none of them had moved. None of them had even pivoted. They didn't move even a little bit. They were still sitting there pondering and discussing as if they had not heard Lust say that the Cleaners were here. When the Cleaners came the Assassins should not be around. What part of that didn't they understand?
“I'm not leaving,” Urge stated.

I dropped my bag. It would be him.

I knew why too. I think everyone knew why.

It hit me in my chest. It burned a little. I wanted Urge. I wanted Urge for me. His love for Desire was something like I had never seen before. This man was willing to stick around in an area that was about be cleansed for Desire? Desire was as good as dead. I had given him this false hope that maybe Desire would be able to survive the Cleaners but that was bullshit. There was no way in hell...

“Neither am I,” Craving added in.

There was no surprise there.

“Shit I'm staying too; I guess,” Allure replied.

I looked at her sideways. There in was the surprise. Allure was smart. What the fuck was she doing staying because of Desire? She was willing to piss off Tom because of Desire? I didn't get it. This was really shocking to me. I just didn't understand what the obsession was.

I couldn't even look at her, “Allure, seriously?”

She looked at me and shrugged, “Craving bought frozen pizza and then ordered pizza. Then almost burnt the house down because he was too busy having sex with the pizza boy in the bathroom. So yeah. Someone's got to look out for my boys...”

Lust shook her head, “I need to report back to the main base by tomorrow afternoon.”

Urge didn't seem to care not even a little bit, “Go report back then, but tell my father that you left us here to try to convince Desire to come home. Tell him that you left to give us more time to bring back Desire.”

“If you get in the way of the Cleaners it won't matter that you are Tom's son.”

“I understand.”

“Envy is one of the 7 deadly sins.”

“I understand.”

“Fine,” she stated and started walking out, “Love are you coming...Love...”

“No.”

I was an idiot. It wasn't because of Desire that I wasn't leaving. Fuck Desire. It was Urge. I hated the idea of him being with Desire. I had spent so long trying to get his attention and I finally got it. Desire was back in town and now I lost it all. I wasn't going to lose that easily.

I wanted Urge...

Lust turned over to Urge, “Urge there is something you need to do. Something that may get Desire to leave...”

“What is it?”

“Walk me out. I'll tell you in private.”

I watched as they walked out of the house. I wondered what it was that she was telling Urge to do. It honestly didn't make any sense that it had to be in private but it didn't make any difference. We were staying. We were here in Suburbia for a little while longer trying to save this fucking boy who didn't want to be saved.

The next day I was tasked to bring Desire to the house to talk. I don't know why the hell they would send me honestly. I was the only one who didn't have a relationship with Desire. Allure mentioned something about the fact that I was the best “talker”. I didn't even know what that meant. Urge was against it of course and once I realized he wanted to spend time along with Desire I made sure to step in.

I had found him at the local police station. I was in a cab.

I followed them from the police station back to their house. Desire got out of the car with his boyfriend. His boyfriend was crying. Desire knew better than to think the police would catch whoever killed Grayson's mother, but he was probably just going through the motions with his boyfriend. I had to admit his new boyfriend was cute. He didn't have that sexiness that Urge had but he was cute for a normal guy I guess. He looked like one of those All American guys or something. He looked like he cared about Desire.

Desire said something to him.

I read his lips. It was 'go in the house...I have to deal with something. I'll be right in.' Desire's boyfriend seemed to taken with grief that he didn't even notice me in the cab waiting down the street.

Desire noticed however. He walked over to the cab. Taking a good look at him I could see how someone could find him attractive. He had very sharp features. A real defined jawline and high cheek bones. His eyebrows were arched a little bit. I guess you would consider him a pretty boy. You would think by looking at his face like he was that sexy bad guy in a movie but once you got to know Desire it was the complete opposite. I constantly wondered why Urge just chose him and not me. I was attractive too. Maybe I had the innocent look and Desire had the more sexy look to him, but our personalities were the opposite. I was the sexy one and Desire was the innocent one.

He stood at the window for a minute. I was more annoyed then anything to slowly roll it down as Desire stood next to me.

“Is it your day to stalk me, Love?” Desire asked me.

“Yeah. Urge took off for the day. You broke his heard. I guess that counts as a grievance,” I replied sharply, “Looking at your boyfriends face it seems like there are a lot of grievances going around.”

Desire looked over at the house. He was trying to play the tough guy but deep inside I knew Desire was soft as tissue paper. He was worried about his boyfriend. He was upset at the fact that his boyfriend's mom was killed. He wanted to be there for his boyfriend, but he was torn. I could tell.

“What do you know about it?”

There it was. That curiosity was there.

“Oh your bubble any more? I guess that was popped.”

“Love...I don't have time for this...”

“If you know what's best for you, you'll get in the car. The others would like to meet with you...”

Desire hesitated but he got in the car. It seems that he was smarter than I gave him credit for. Seeing him in this car next to me was awkward. I hated the idea of it.

We started to go down the street but we didn't get far.

There were two trucks parked in the middle of the road. They blocked our path that lead out of Desire's Cul-de-sac. Shit. Things were a lot more interesting than I thought. I looked over at Desire. He was suspicious but he seemed to have no idea.

“What the hell is this?” the taxi driver asked.

“Shit...” Desire stated.

“Stay calm,” I whispered to Desire.

I reached below me. I had a little hand pistol that I kept strapped to the side of my shoe. I took it out and placed it on the space between Desire and I. Desire moved closer to conceal the weapon. It was smart of him. I watched as the taxi driver started to beep his horn at the two black trucks that were blocking the way out of cul-de-sac. Shit. It was no doubt that some shit was definitely about to go down.

A girl got out of the car. She looked like a business woman or something like that. She looked like a young business woman in wall street. She had the suitcase in her right hand and her purse on her left shoulder. She had on a regular dark blue pant suit. She seemed about my age. She had long black hair. I couldn't see her facial features. They were hidden underneath these over sized glasses. She had on all black.

The taxi driver was getting ignorant.

“Are you stupid? You just going to block the road? You hear me talking to you? Huh? Get the fuck out of the road you dumb cunt!” the taxi man was screaming, “Get the fuck out of ---”

She had pulled out a gun from her purse.

Two shots to his forehead and the taxi driver was gone.

She opened the back door of the taxi cab after she killed the taxi driver and said in a low voice, “He would like to talk...”

“Whose he?” I asked her.

“The cleaner, Envy.”

The cleaners were here I thought about pulling the gun at her but I didn't know how far we would get plus she didn't seem too concerned with me. She had taken gloves out of her side pocket. She wore the gloves. She then put on goggles. GOGGLES! She opened up her suitcase and took out an apron. She took out spray. She began to clean the scene.

She was scrubbing the gun powder residue off the open window and then spraying down back taxi. The chick then continued to drag the taxi driver into the trunk of the taxi and wipe off the entire taxi. It was almost as though I wasn't even there.

God knows what she was about to go do, but she definitely seemed extremely careful doing it.

An assassin that wanted to talk? That definitely was new. I hadn't heard that one too often. The chick however clearly wasn't threatening us. She hadn't even pointed her gun at us.

I had been so concerned watching her that I hadn't even noticed Desire hopping out of the car.

“Desire! Desire!”

Did this dude have some kind of death wish or something? Did he want to die? By the time I was out of the car he was already next to one of the black trucks. Desire ignored me when I called out to him. He was talking to someone from the black truck.

I walked over to the truck and joined him.

“And you must be Love...”

There was a man in one of the trucks. He had rolled down his window so I could only see the top of his head. He was talking to Desire already when I ran up with my gun tucked back at my ankle. I looked at the other truck. The windows were tinted. They were tinted so black that I couldn't see who was inside. It could have been a whole truck full of assassins for all I knew.

“You know me?” I smiled.

The man was tall dark and handsome. He was a black guy and even though he was sitting down I could tell he was extremely tall. He was bald. He had to be about 6 foot 5 or something crazy. I could tell by how high he got in this big ass truck. He grinned at me. He had a wide grin but there was something very menacing about it. He looked important. He looked like a hit-man. He had those dark, intriguing features that wouldn't have surprised you if you found out what he did for a living. He had this sexiness to him that reminded me a lot of Idris Elba, except taller and a little slimmer.

“Your reputation proceeds you,” he squinted at me and licked his lips a little bit.

I had to admit it was sexy when he did that. He had the whole Idris Elba thing down for real. He was constantly squinting as though there was smoke in his eyes or something. It was a sunny day.

“I was just explaining to your friend Desire here the situation we were in. I've set an example by killing his boyfriend's mother. I've been called to clean up this mess that Desire has made here.”

“There is no reason to kill anyone,” Desire stated and then quickly added, “Anyone else...”

Envy smiled. He was such an interesting looking guy. The tall Idris Elba look alike had almost piercing eyes. He squinted at Desire but then for some reason stared at me. Fuck this guy was sexy. I had to admit that he was extremely attractive. Why the fuck was he looking at me like that?

“Tom believes that you may have told people about who you really are,” Envy replied.

“You don't believe that,” Desire sighed, “This is stupid. OK? What sense would it make for me to tell people who I was? Do you think they would be comfortable with me around?'

Envy stared at me, “What do you think, Love?”

“What do I think about what?”

“Did Desire tell?”

It was almost as though he didn't care what was coming out of my mouth. He was just watching my lips move. I noticed when men did that. I noticed how men watched my lips move and then all of a sudden I wondered exactly what kind of reputation he thought I had.

I shook my head, “No.”

Yes. Envy was DEFINITELY studying my lips. He licked his lips again. It took a moment before he took his eyes off of me. There was such power behind him. There was such a strength. There was something about a man with a reputation. Envy had that reputation and he seemed to know it. Even among dangerous people as assassins he had earned his own name.

“Well its not up to me to decide those things,” Envy stated, “Other people make the mess. I just clean it up. You know who I am don't you? You know why they call me the cleaner?”

“No...” Desire replied.

“Because I clean up mistakes that have been made. I make sure everything is spotless after assassinations so it can't be traced back to Tom. You are Tom's biggest mistake Desire. You know why you are his biggest mistake?”

“Why?”
“Because you got away. And you know why else?”

“Why?”

“Because his only living son is in love with you. You know Urge is in love with you, don't you?”

“That was a long time ago,” I butt in.

All of a sudden the mere mention of Urge brought me out of looking at Envy the way I was looking at him. Urge being in love with Desire was something that had spread around the Assembly like wildfire. It must have been a huge embarrassment for Tom that both his dead son and his living son was in love with the same guy.

“That sounded hostile,” Envy smirked.

I spat back, “Well you sounded ignorant.”

Envy's smirk got wider, “You aren't afraid of me...are you? No. Actually, you know better. You are a little scared but I hit something personal. Didn't I? Huh?”

“I don't know what you are talking about...”

Envy was trying to read me and I didn't appreciate it. He was trying to really get into my head or some shit. I looked away from him. He was right about one thing though. I was nervous around him. His reputation for how he did his job did proceed him and people were afraid of him. People were very afraid of his entire team actually.

“Really? Oh. You don't huh? Damn. You look like a man who who knows what he's talking about, ” Envy stated squinting at me with a glimmer of sun reflecting off of his eyes.

“Maybe I do. Maybe sometimes I just act dumb. Maybe whatever comes out of my mouth you can't believe. Maybe my mouth is just talented.”

“What else does your mouth do?”

He had definitely heard about my reputation.

“Would the two of you like some time alone?” Desire asked.

Envy was still staring at me when he told Desire, “Maybe we can work something out where no one gets hurt. For a while.”

“What?” Desire asked.

“I feel like there is no need to rush this. I'll be in town for some time. Desire you can take some time to convince your people that you are going...on a trip or something. I'll give more time.”

“Why...what do you want?”

“A date...with Love.”

Envy reached out of the car and handed me a phone. I grabbed the phone. It was a prepaid phone. We called it an Assassin's phone in the Assembly because of the fact that it couldn't be traced.

I didn't know what to think about it.

“Fine,” I replied.

“You're free to go. You've already met Code name: Resent. She will take you guys anywhere you want to go.”

Desire and I got dropped off at the house by this Resent chick who was the new age cleaning lady. By the time we got into the house everyone seemed concerned.

I told them what happened with Envy hoping that Urge would notice. I literally stressed the fact that Envy had asked me out on a date. The only reason Envy was postponing what he was doing was because of me. I told them all this and Urge just stood there crossing his arms in the distance. He was staring at Desire from the Corner of his eyes while leaning up against the wall behind us, not engaged as usual.

“So what are you going to do?” Craving asked Desire.

He put his arm on Desire. Desire wasn't being a dickhead this time to Craving. He seemed to want the encouragement. I watched how he put his head down thinking.

Desire was one resistant motherfucker. I'd give him that.

Desire shrugged, “Run away. Luckily whatever the fuck Envy has with Love is causing him to postpone killing.”

“You can't just run away. What about your boyfriend?” Allure stated shaking her head.

“I'll take him with me...”

“If you run Envy will kill his family,” Allure stated, “Think Desire...”

That was when Urge spoke and I swear the heavens opened every time he spoke.

Urge got off the wall, “If you run, they'll find you. The only reason you got away for as long as you did was because they thought you were dead. Now that Tom knows you are alive he won't stop.”

They had surrounded him. It was the usual 'baby' Desire. They all looked so worried about him. The fucked up part is he had been around for half a minute and already Allure and Craving already coddled him. Didn't Craving remember he put a knife to his throat at one point. Then I noticed Urge. Urge was the worst of all really. Urge touched him. Urge was trying to comfort him. Urge didn't do comfort. Urge was actually standing there in front of everyone and rubbing Desire on the shoulder. I couldn't fucking believe this!

“He's not a wounded animal,” I told Urge, “If he wants to run, then fuck it.”

“Why are you guys even here still?” Desire asked, “It's obvious you weren't going to bring me in by force. Why are you still around?”

“We love you,” Craving replied.

Speak for yourself.

I crossed my arms and stood against the wall taking the stance that Urge had become legendary for. I didn't want to be here for this shit.

“There is no option,” I told them, “Either Desire runs and Envy kills his boyfriend's family or he stays and he's taken back to the Assembly. Period.”

“We can kill Envy,” Urge stated.

I got off the wall, “What the fuck?”

“OK...you lost me,” Craving stated, “I'm all with saving my best friend but you are talking about turning on the Assembly if we kill Envy.”

Urge was dead serious. He didn't talk much but when he talked it was something that was always extremely serious. Allure shook her head at that moment.

“We'll be public enemies,” Allure stated.

“What if we hide the boyfriend and his family,” Craving stated, “We can hide them in plain sight. Envy won't be able to find them and Desire can run away. He'll look for a while and he'll give up...”

I looked at Craving puzzled, “Wow there is a brain behind all those muscles after all.”

“There's a dick behind all these muscles too. Wanna see?”

“T.M.I...”

“Can we focus?” Desire asked, “Where would we hide them Craving? And what makes you think they would come willingly.”

“There is a shed...out back. Come on...I'll show you guys...”

“Why the fuck would we want to see the shed?”

“To see if there's enough space.

We followed Craving. It was actually a pretty good idea. If for some reason Envy believed that Desire was gone he'd want to do a Cleaning. He'd go looking for the family at the regular places. He may search around town for them. If he didn't find them however he wouldn't keep looking. He would go try to find Desire again at that point. He would move on. I was shocked that Craving had come up with the plan. By the silence of Allure I could tell she was skeptical of the plan. I could never tell with Urge though.

We had followed Craving to the back. It was a garden shed. It wasn't exactly small either. It seemed to be a nice size. Envy may have been suspicious and checked the house especially after his operative had dropped us off here but he wouldn't check the barn for them.

“How many family members does he have?” Allure asked.

Desire shrugged, “7 or 8. Plus if they are targeting everyone I would have told my teacher's assistant Christina would have to come too. Is this even big enough?”

We walked inside the shed. It looked big enough. It wasn't comfortable though. It was cold as hell. It was damp and muggy in the shed. They wouldn't be comfortable.

“How the hell would we convince all those people to hide out in a shed without telling them why?” Desire asked.

“We can drug them,” I suggested.

“It won't work,” Urge stated coldly.

He didn't even give a reason.

It was left to Desire to interpret what Urge meant by just saying that, “No. These people have lives. We need another idea. This shed thing is not going to work. These aren't horses.”

“Craving, it's a no go. Craving!”

I had noticed that Craving had shut us in the shed all of a sudden!

What the fuck!
Allure, Desire, Urge and I looked at the door all wondering the same thing. In the next moment I could hear a lock. What the fuck was really going on?

“Craving---you can stop fucking with us now,” Allure stated.

“Craving?” Desire asked through the cracks.

“Move baby,” Urge told him.

Baby. I had noticed Urge call him that and Desire seemed to notice it as well. I think the only person that didn't seem to notice it was Urge. He was trying to break the door down at that point and Desire had taken more than a few steps away from him. Desire was staring at the back of his head. I was staring at Desire stare at Urge. It was stupid to think about. For some reason Craving had locked us in a shed and the only thing I worried about was the fact that Urge called Desire his baby.

What the fuck was that even about though?

Allure didn't move out of Urge's way however, “Stop. Craving is just joking. You know he's never serious. Craving open the goddamn door. I'm going to punch you in your fucking face for this Craving you know I'm claustrophobic. I told you that in strict confidence.”

I rolled my eyes. It made sense. It was definitely something that Craving would do. He loved doing practical jokes. It was Allure's fault. No wonder she was a sharp shooter. It called for her to be in wide open spaces. Allure was clearly struggling with this claustrophobia and any moment now Craving would open the door thinking this was the funniest shit in the world.
“He's playing a joke on you?” Desire asked.

Urge crossed his arms and leaned on the side of the wall. He closed his eyes. I think it had become clear to everyone that this was Craving's idea of getting Allure to have a panic attack for fun.

“Why do you consider him your baby still?” I said.

Urge turned to me. He wasn't the only one. Desire had turned to me as well. I couldn't take this anymore. We were stuck in this fucking shed and I just couldn't take this shit anymore.

“This is not the time,” Urge stated.

“Yes it is the time, Urge. We are all here. Craving for some reason is getting his kicks at seeing Allure struggle with claustrophobia or whatever so yeah; I want to talk. Why do you call him your baby still?”

“He'll always be mine,” Urge looked across the room at Desire.

Desire looked at him. I wasn't sure what Desire was thinking but I didn't get it. Urge was sexy as shit. I wished he could look at me with those eyes the way he looked at Desire, but he didn't. He was so stuck on Desire. That was all he was concerned about. I hated it.

“He's engaged, Urge. You have to drop it.”

“Why do you care?” Desire asked me.

“Because I held him down!”

Desire raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“You heard me. I held him down for six fucking years,” I told them, “You were kids. No you were teenagers when you fell in love. I fell in love with Urge---the man. You aren't teenagers anymore.”

Urge butt in, “Love...wait...”

“No. I won't wait, he should here it.”

Desire rolled his eyes, “Really? This jealous shit? Save me with that nonsense.”

Urge tried to break it up, “Guys relax...”

“Who was there for him that entire time? I was. I held him down. You don't just come and take him away again Desire. That's not how that works...”

Urge's mouth was open. He didn't seem to know what to say. It was clear that he was stuck this time. He couldn't deny it though. Emotionally I was there for Urge. It was me. Not Desire. Desire was off washing Marsha Stewart and trying to be a housewife.

Allure was knocking on the door, “Craving. CRAVING! PLEASE LET ME OUT! OK, you win!”

A second had passed. It was an awkward second. I think it was getting to Desire the fact that Urge wasn't denying that I had been there for him. It must have been getting to him because all of a sudden he was coming towards me.

“Look, I don't know what fantasy you live in but this is reality,” Desire stated, “Urge doesn't want you. OK, Love. If he wanted you...you would have known it by now. Now why don't you go run away to the circus...again...”

“No you are the run away. That's why we are here in the first place, you little bitch.”

“Who the fuck you talking to?”

He took a few steps towards me. I cleared the area. There was a rake to the right of me. Before I knew it I had grabbed the rake and had it in my hand ready to smack it across Desire's face. I had wanted this for so long now.

“Space and opportunity bitch. Space and opportunity!”

Urge grabbed Desire by the shoulders, “Listen. Calm down.”

“He isn't worth it,” Desire stated.

He turned his back on me. For some reason at this point I was riled up. I knew it was wrong to keep going but I couldn't help it. All the anger that I had was building up. All the times that Urge had turned down my hand. All the times that Urge had pretended like he didn't see me because he was so stuck on his ex were coming back to me. My heart was actually in this.

“He ain't shit without his knives...” I replied.

It was the truth too. Desire had spent so much time mastering his knife skills that he was worthless in almost everything else. Maybe that is why he backed off. Maybe that is why Urge had grabbed him.

“Really?” Urge told me, “You are going to be that bitter person right now? You are better than this Love.”

Bitter. He was calling me bitter.

“CRAVING!” Allure was screaming.

“Why are you always defending him? Always!” I stated, “He doesn't need you, Urge. He still doesn't. He has a fucking fiance. He's getting married. Get that through your fucking head.”

Urge had snapped, “I DON'T FUCKING CARE!”

“Urge calm down,” Desire said.

Urge took steps towards me, “No. I need to let him know. Love. I do not love you. I never will. It has always been Desire. It will always be Desire. What part of that don't you get?”

I wasn't sure if Desire had meant to pull Urge back or if Desire had just meant to hold his hand. Either way at this point they were holding hands.

I guess it was the truth. I guess it burned so at this point the only thing that I felt was not giving a fuck. I felt shaded. I felt like Urge had played me to the left as soon as his ex got back in the picture. And I had become that bitter boy. It was no denying that. I was bitter as fuck at this point. There was an instance where we had been intimate. There was a point where he wanted me as much as I wanted him. In the middle east he he had taken me. We had made love.

“Well you could have told me that...before you fucked me,” I told Urge, “Or you must have forgotten that too.”

Desire stopped holding his hand all of a sudden, “You had sex with him?”

Urge tried to grab his hand back, “Desire...”

Desire was hurt. He tucked his arms in his pockets and walked away. I could tell he was. He tried to play it off by shrugging but I knew he was hurt. Now he knew what it felt like to be hurt by Urge.

“Guys...” Allure was saying.

Desire was ignoring her, “It doesn't matter. Love was right. It's not like I could possibly be upset. I have a fiance. Remember.”

Now everyone felt like I did. Now everyone was sick and everyone was fucking miserable. I was glad. I was happy that Urge go to know how misery felt. Misery is when you use somebody for your own personal needs and just toss their asses to the side like they didn't mean anything to you when your ex back in the picture. The only thing was his ex wasn't back in the picture or at least not in an available frame.

“Guys...” Allure stated, “There's a bomb in here...”

We all looked at her. She wasn't joking. She had found a bomb in there. I ran over there. There a huge explosive device attached to a timer right below where Allure was looking.

He locked us in a shed with a bomb that was set to go off in a two and a half minutes.

It clicked now. Craving was trying to kill us.

This wasn't some prank.

This was an assassination attempt.