Chapter 23: The Night Before The Hunt.
(Jay Jay's POV)
Secrets are powerful.
But they're also fragile.
One wrong word.
One wrong person hearing the wrong conversation.
And everything falls apart.
That's why Keifer can never know about the Obsidian Circle.
Not now.
Not ever.
Because if he knew what we were planning for Yuri…
He would try to stop it.
Or worse.
Join it.
And I couldn't let him carry this darkness.
This one was mine.
The meeting ended quietly.
Savannah closed her laptop.
Amy pulled her knife from the table and spun it between her fingers.
Olivia collected the files.
Sophia folded the map of the docks carefully.
Mia erased the whiteboard.
No one spoke for a moment.
Because the decision had already been made.
Tomorrow night.
Sophia finally looked at me.
Sophia:
"So we're really doing this."
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Amy grinned.
Amy:
"Finally."
Savannah leaned back in her chair.
Savannah:
"I already hacked the security system at the warehouse."
Olivia raised an eyebrow.
Olivia:
"How long will the cameras be blind?"
Savannah shrugged casually.
Savannah:
"Thirty minutes."
Amy whistled.
Amy:
"That's more than enough."
I shook my head.
Jay Jay:
"No."
They all looked at me.
Jay Jay:
"We're not rushing."
Sophia nodded immediately.
Sophia:
"She's right."
She pointed to the map.
Sophia:
"If Yuri escapes, we lose everything."
Mia stepped forward.
Mia:
"He won't escape."
Everyone turned to her.
She slid a small file across the table.
Inside were photos.
Recent ones.
Yuri entering the warehouse.
Yuri talking to his guards.
Yuri laughing like he didn't have a death wish.
Mia:
"I've been watching him for three weeks."
Amy tilted her head.
Amy:
"You're scary."
Mia shrugged.
Mia:
"Observation is useful."
I studied the photos carefully.
My fingers tightened slightly.
Yuri.
The man who tried to kill Keifer.
The man who staged the accident.
The man who thought he could touch both of us and walk away.
He had no idea what was coming.
Savannah suddenly spoke again.
Savannah:
"There's another thing."
Jay Jay:
"What?"
Savannah tapped her keyboard and turned the screen toward me.
A file opened.
My stomach dropped.
Because I recognized the document instantly.
The same one I found five months ago.
The Hit List.
Sophia leaned closer.
Sophia:
"That's the same list you found in Sir Alvin's house."
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Amy frowned.
Amy:
"How did Yuri get access to Sir Alvin's information?"
Savannah sighed.
Savannah:
"That's the worst part."
She zoomed into the bottom of the file.
There was a small encrypted signature.
Savannah:
"He didn't get it himself."
Olivia crossed her arms.
Olivia:
"So someone gave it to him."
The room fell silent.
Because that meant something worse.
There was a leak.
Someone connected to Sir Alvin.
Someone dangerous.
But that was a problem for another day.
Right now…
We had Yuri.
Sophia turned toward me again.
Sophia:
"Jay."
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Sophia:
"You're leading this operation."
Amy snorted.
Amy:
"Obviously."
Olivia nodded once.
Olivia:
"She's the best assassin here."
Savannah added casually.
Savannah:
"And the best planner."
Mia looked directly at me.
Mia:
"And the only one Yuri fears."
I didn't smile.
Because fear wasn't enough.
I wanted regret.
Jay Jay:
"We capture him alive."
Amy groaned immediately.
Amy:
"Still no killing."
Jay Jay:
"No killing."
Olivia tilted her head.
Olivia:
"How long do we keep him?"
Jay Jay:
"Until he begs."
Savannah grinned slowly.
Savannah:
"I like this plan."
Sophia pointed to the map again.
Sophia:
"Entry points."
She circled three locations.
Sophia:
"Mia and Olivia take the east entrance."
Olivia nodded.
Olivia:
"Silent takedowns."
Sophia continued.
Sophia:
"Amy creates a distraction near the loading dock."
Amy's eyes lit up.
Amy:
"Finally something fun."
Sophia pointed to Savannah.
Sophia:
"You cut the power."
Savannah saluted sarcastically.
Savannah:
"Yes ma'am."
Then Sophia looked at me.
Sophia:
"And Jay…"
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Sophia's voice turned serious.
Sophia:
"You take Yuri."
I nodded once.
Jay Jay:
"I will."
Just then—
A knock sounded at the door.
Every girl froze.
Because no one was supposed to be here.
Savannah closed her laptop instantly.
Olivia slipped a knife into her sleeve.
Amy hid the map under a stack of books.
Mia erased the whiteboard in seconds.
Sophia folded the remaining documents.
And I walked toward the door.
Calm.
Normal.
Like nothing suspicious was happening.
I opened the door slightly.
And of course…
It was him.
Keifer.
Leaning against the doorway.
Looking sleepy.
But still annoyingly handsome.
Keifer:
"Jay Jay."
Jay Jay:
"What?"
Keifer frowned slightly.
Keifer:
"Why are you awake?"
Jay Jay:
"Could ask you the same thing."
Keifer rubbed his neck.
Keifer:
"Couldn't sleep."
Then he looked past my shoulder.
His eyes landed on the girls.
He blinked.
Keifer:
"Uh… who are they?"
For one second my brain went blank.
Then I answered calmly.
Jay Jay:
"My friends."
Behind me Amy waved awkwardly.
Savannah gave a small nod.
Sophia smiled politely.
Olivia leaned against the wall.
Mia just sat quietly.
They looked completely normal.
Like five girls casually hanging out.
Not five deadly members of a secret mafia circle.
Keifer stared at them for a moment.
Then back at me.
Keifer:
"You have friends?"
I glared at him.
Jay Jay:
"Asshole."
Before he could react—
I grabbed his collar and kissed him.
Hard.
Because that was the rule.
Every time I swore at him.
Keifer got a kiss.
When I pulled away he looked stunned.
Amy whispered loudly behind me.
Amy:
"Damn."
Savannah whispered back.
Savannah:
"Focus."
Keifer blinked slowly.
Keifer:
"I feel like I was insulted and rewarded at the same time."
Jay Jay:
"Go to sleep."
Keifer smirked slightly.
Keifer:
"You're suspicious."
Jay Jay:
"Goodnight."
He sighed dramatically.
Keifer:
"Fine."
He turned and walked down the hallway.
But before disappearing he looked back once more.
Keifer:
"Nice meeting your friends."
Amy waved again.
Amy:
"Bye."
When his footsteps finally faded away…
The room exploded into quiet laughter.
Amy fell back into her chair.
Amy:
"That was terrifying."
Savannah shook her head.
Savannah:
"He almost saw the map."
Sophia exhaled slowly.
Sophia:
"This is why the Circle stays secret."
Olivia nodded.
Olivia:
"Boys ask too many questions."
Mia looked at me.
Mia:
"Are you ready?"
I thought about Yuri.
About the hit list.
About the accident.
About Keifer lying in a hospital bed months ago.
And something cold settled inside my chest.
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Because tomorrow night…
Yuri would learn something very important.
You don't threaten the people I love.
And you definitely don't survive it.
And the Obsidian Circle…
Was already moving.