The warehouse district sprawled below like a maze of concrete and steel, moonlight glinting off metal rooftops. Esdeath settled into position, counting guards—twelve visible, probably more inside.
Four on the perimeter, rotating in thirty-minute shifts. Two at each entrance. The rest patrolled inside or monitored security feeds.
Lavecchia's compound occupied an unassuming building with fresh paint and reinforced doors. No obvious security cameras outside—smart move to avoid attracting attention. But thermal imaging revealed the truth: the place was a fortress disguised as a storage facility.
Esdeath checked her watch. Midnight. Perfect timing.
She closed her eyes, visualizing the interior layout based on blueprints she'd studied. Main floor for "legitimate" business. Second floor for Lavecchia's office and private quarters. Basement for... other activities. Emma would be kept somewhere isolated. Somewhere Lavecchia could control access.
A sharp pressure built behind her eyes, like the onset of a migraine. Esdeath flinched, instinctively raising mental barriers.
Stop. Now.
The voice cut through her thoughts—female, cultured, with a hint of Boston accent. Clear as a bell despite never passing through her ears.
You have no idea what you're walking into. Leave.
Esdeath smirked, testing the boundaries of the connection. She pushed a deliberate thought forward: Can you read me?
A pause. No. Just hear what you project. Interesting.
Emma Frost, I presume? Esdeath thought back.
Who are you? The mental voice was controlled, but Esdeath detected an undercurrent of surprise.
Someone who knows what you're capable of. Someone here to get you out.
Another pause, longer this time. They have power dampeners. Guards with abilities. And Lavecchia himself is... dangerous.
So am I.
Esdeath felt a probing sensation, like fingers testing the edge of her consciousness. The Lust Extract that fueled her powers created a natural shield—imperfect but effective. Emma could speak to her mind but couldn't read her thoughts or memories.
You're either very brave or very stupid, Emma projected. Probably both.
Stay ready. I'm coming to you.
The pressure in her mind eased as Emma withdrew. Esdeath stood, stretching muscles that hummed with anticipation. Despite Emma's warning—or perhaps because of it—her determination only grew stronger. The telepath's mental voice had been steady, composed even in captivity. Strength like that deserved freedom.
Esdeath dropped silently from the rooftop to a lower ledge, then to the alley below. Ice formed beneath her feet to cushion the landing. The night air felt electric against her skin as she approached the compound's perimeter.
A security camera swiveled toward the fence line. Esdeath raised her hand, sending a concentrated blast of cold. Frost formed over the lens, creating a cloudy film that would look like condensation on the monitors inside. Simple, subtle.
The first guard never saw her coming. One moment he was checking his watch, the next a hand clamped over his mouth while ice crystals formed in his bloodstream, slowing his heart rate and consciousness. Not enough to kill—just enough to ensure he'd wake up with a hell of a headache in a few hours.
She eased his body to the ground and moved on.
The second guard fell just as quietly. A whisper of cold air, a momentary widening of eyes, then darkness. Esdeath caught him before he hit the ground, dragging him behind a dumpster.
You're efficient, Emma's voice returned, stronger now. But they'll notice the missing guards soon.
Then I'll have to move faster.
Esdeath approached the side entrance, examining the electronic lock. Rather than freezing it—which might trigger an alarm—she pulled out a small device she'd purchased from one of her less reputable contacts. The lock disengaged with a soft click.
Inside, fluorescent lights hummed overhead, illuminating a corridor lined with metal doors. The air smelled of industrial cleaner and cigarettes. Two guards sat at a security station twenty feet ahead, backs to her as they watched monitors showing empty hallways.
Esdeath formed an ice dagger in each hand, calculating trajectories. With a flick of her wrists, the daggers flew silently across the room, striking both men at the base of the skull. They slumped forward, unconscious before they could sound an alarm.
She moved to the security station, scanning the monitors. Most showed storage areas and hallways. One displayed a luxurious office—Lavecchia's, presumably. Another showed a reinforced door guarded by a man with unnaturally broad shoulders.
Third floor, east wing, Emma confirmed in her mind. That's where they're keeping me.
Esdeath nodded, memorizing the layout. She disabled the alarm system, buying herself time before anyone noticed the breach.
The hallway stretched before her, sterile and quiet. Too quiet. She moved cautiously, listening for footsteps or voices. Nothing. Either security was lighter than expected, or—
It's a trap, Emma warned. They're waiting for you at the stairwell.
Esdeath paused, considering her options. How many?
Four. Armed. One has enhanced strength. Another can generate electricity.
Perfect. Esdeath felt her pulse quicken, the familiar rush of anticipation flooding her system. She'd been hoping for a challenge.
Rather than taking the stairwell, she approached an elevator shaft, prying open the doors with a crowbar of ice. The empty shaft yawned before her. She created ice handholds along the wall and began to climb, moving swiftly and silently toward the third floor.
Clever, Emma commented. But Lavecchia keeps his prize possessions close. You'll still have to get through his security detail.
Count on it.
Reaching the third floor, Esdeath forced the elevator doors open just enough to peek through. The corridor was empty. She slipped through the gap, closing the doors behind her.
Footsteps approached from around the corner. Esdeath pressed herself against the wall, waiting. A guard appeared, rifle slung over his shoulder, looking bored. She let him pass, then struck from behind, freezing his mouth shut before he could cry out. A sharp blow to the temple dropped him to the floor.
Three more ahead, Emma warned. They're in the break room. Armed.
Esdeath moved toward the room, forming a plan. The door stood ajar, voices drifting out—men complaining about shifts and pay. Nothing unusual. Just ordinary thugs doing a job.
She created a small ice sphere, infusing it with energy until it glowed faintly blue. With a precise throw, she sent it rolling into the room.
"What the—" A guard started to say.
The sphere exploded, filling the room with supercooled mist. Screams cut short as the temperature plummeted. By the time Esdeath entered, three men lay on the floor, shivering uncontrollably, their weapons frozen solid in their hands.
Impressive, Emma commented. But crude.
Esdeath smirked. Gets the job done.
She continued down the hallway, encountering minimal resistance. Most of the guards were standard muscle—no special abilities, just guns and attitude. They fell easily to her ice attacks, never getting close enough to pose a threat.
You haven't faced the real security yet, Emma cautioned. Lavecchia keeps his powered enforcers close.
As if on cue, a door at the end of the hall burst open. A man stepped through—six and a half feet tall, muscles bulging beneath a tight black t-shirt. His eyes glowed faintly yellow in the dim light.
"Well, well," he rumbled. "Looks like we got ourselves an intruder."
Electricity crackled between his fingers, arcing up his arms in blue-white patterns. Behind him, another figure emerged—slender, with metallic skin that reflected the overhead lights.
Esdeath felt her heartbeat accelerate, the Lust Extract responding to the threat. Power surged through her veins, cold and intoxicating.
"Last chance to walk away, little girl," the electric man said, grinning.
Esdeath tilted her head, studying them. "Funny. I was about to say the same to you."
The floor beneath them frosted over in an expanding circle, ice crystals climbing the walls. The temperature dropped twenty degrees in seconds.
The electric man laughed. "That supposed to scare us? Chill out, sweetheart."
He thrust his hand forward, sending a bolt of electricity straight at her chest. Esdeath didn't dodge. Instead, she raised her palm, creating a shield of dense ice that absorbed the blast, crackling but holding firm.
"My turn," she said softly.
The fight was brief but intense. The electric man discovered too late that water—even frozen—conducted his power back into his body when manipulated correctly. The metal-skinned enforcer proved more challenging until Esdeath realized she could super-cool his metallic form, making it brittle enough to crack with a well-placed kick.
Both men lay groaning on the floor as she stepped over them, continuing toward her goal.
You're close, Emma projected. Just past the next security door. But Lavecchia is with me. He has... abilities of his own.
What kind?
The kind that let him control people like me. Be careful.
Esdeath approached the final door—heavy steel with an electronic lock far more sophisticated than the others. Beyond it lay Emma Frost... and Vincent Lavecchia.
She placed her hand against the cool metal, feeling the mechanisms inside. With precise application of her power, she froze the lock from the inside out, the components contracting at different rates until something snapped with a metallic crack.
The door swung open.
Ready or not, Esdeath thought, stepping through the threshold.