Seeing Ashe like that shocked Isaac more than he was willing to admit. It was only a graze wound, and yet he had the awful feeling that it had been pure luck that she was still among them.
She was the third person Isaac knew who had been attacked. First Noctis, then Benedict, and now Ashe. This was no longer a coincidence, and with alarming certainty he realized that Levi was the one pulling the strings.
He hadn't heard from either Noctis or Vincent who had attacked Benedict, but that didn't matter. He knew who it had been. Levi had told him what would happen if Isaac didn't come to him willingly, and so far it had been sheer luck that none of the three had been killed.
The thought of Levi made him feel sick to his stomach.
Isaac crossed his arms and stared into space while his thoughts continued to spiral.
How had Levi even known that Ashe would leave the hideout today of all days?
The question wouldn't leave him alone.
Even less so the fact that Ashe had asked him earlier if he wanted to accompany her—an invitation Noctis had been anything but happy about. If it hadn't been for that nagging suspicion that Ashe was spying for Levi, Isaac probably would have agreed.
Instead, Lucy had gone with her, and Ashe likely owed it to Lucy that she hadn't been killed on the spot.
It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to hold on to his suspicion.
He didn't believe Ashe would deliberately put herself in danger and get injured just to make Isaac lower his guard. No one was that crazy.
Then again...
Isaac immediately dismissed the thought.
Wasn't that exactly the kind of thing Levi would do? He had already deceived him once, convincing him that he was Isaac's friend while secretly instructing the others to make his life a living hell... so why not use Ashe as well?
But why would Ashe go along with it?
"Can you check on her, Isaac?" Lucy asked worriedly, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I need to help the others, and I don't want to leave her alone with that injury."
Isaac nodded. "Don't worry. I'll stay with her."
Visible relief crossed Lucy's face.
"Thank you. If anything happens, please let us know."
"Go on, Lucy," Ashe said with a faint smile. "Isaac will look after me."
Lucy hesitated for a moment longer, then turned away and hurried back to the others. The hall was bustling with activity. Crates were being stacked, supplies loaded, and orders shouted back and forth.
Once Lucy was out of earshot, the silence between Isaac and Ashe returned. Isaac turned his attention back to her. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and she was pale. The pain was clearly written across her face. He wished he could see inside her mind. He wanted certainty that Ashe wasn't a bad person and that he had been worrying himself sick over nothing this whole time.
He held out his hand to her.
"Can you stand?"
But it wasn't as though he could simply ask Ashe about it directly. He decided to ignore his suspicions for now and focus on taking care of her. That was far more important than anything else.
She nodded.
"Can you help me to my room? I've got my medication in one of the boxes. I really need something for the pain."
Isaac helped her to her feet and staggered slightly. A wave of dizziness hit him immediately. For a moment, the world tilted sideways, and he had to grit his teeth to keep his balance. Black spots danced briefly before his eyes.
Over the past few days, the dizziness had become more frequent, and the exhaustion simply refused to go away. He blinked against the vertigo. Ashe was leaning on him for support, but fortunately she seemed not to notice anything was wrong.
Isaac knew exactly what was causing the symptoms.
He had poured too much magic into the talisman, and the talisman was constantly draining his strength. It was far from the smartest solution, but at least it ensured that Noctis was safe.
"Where are you two going?"
Noctis's voice suddenly sounded right beside him.
Isaac flinched. His heart skipped a beat before settling again when he realized who was standing there.
"She needs something for the pain," Isaac replied, ignoring the concerned look Noctis gave him.
Noctis, meanwhile, studied Ashe.
"Stay here. I'll get everything," he said. "With that injury, it'd probably be wiser if you headed straight to the car afterward."
"Can you handle all of that by yourself? The coffee machine is still in the kitchen," Isaac said.
Noctis flashed him a broad grin.
"I would never forget your beloved coffee machine," he replied with amusement.
He glanced around the room and shouted for Moz, who had just set down another crate.
"MOZ!"
The shout echoed throughout the entire hideout. Moz, who had just set down another crate, looked up with visible irritation.
"What?"
"Come with me. I need some help."
"I've got enough to do already." Moz closed his eyes briefly, as if gathering his patience. "Ask someone else."
"Nope. You're coming with me and helping carry the coffee machine into the truck. Especially if you ever want Isaac to make you a decent cup of coffee again."
Moz glanced over at Isaac and finally sighed.
"Fine," he replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Knew you'd see reason."
"I hate you."
Still bickering at each other, the two of them disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.
Isaac shook his head with an amused smile.
It was impressive how reliably Noctis managed to get under Moz's skin. Around everyone else, Moz seemed almost impossibly professional and composed. Noctis was the only person capable of making him drop that carefully maintained façade.
The number of crates was dwindling, and the move was slowly drawing to a close.
"Come on, I'll help you to the car," Isaac finally said to Ashe. "It won't be long before we leave."
"Mhm. A comfortable car seat sounds really tempting right now," she muttered wearily.
She really needed to sit down soon, Isaac thought with concern.
Together they made their way to the vehicle. Ashe was clutching her arm, and her breathing was strained. He hoped she wasn't about to collapse from the gunshot wound. He remembered all too well what being shot felt like.
Carefully, he helped her into the car, but the moment she sat down, she sucked in a sharp breath. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the seat.
"Damn it..."
Isaac immediately crouched down beside her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
For a moment, she didn't answer.
Ashe let out a shaky breath.
"Fuck, I never thought a gunshot wound could hurt this much."
Isaac grimaced.
"I wish I could tell you it gets better with the next one. It doesn't."
Ashe blinked in surprise.
"Wow."
"What?"
"That's the first time I've ever heard you say something sarcastic."
For a moment, Isaac stared at her as though he had to think about her words.
"Is it?"
"Definitely."
A faint smile flickered across her face before the pain immediately wiped it away again.
Isaac settled into the passenger seat and closed his eyes for a moment. The instant he sat down, it felt as though his body had finally decided to collect on every bit of strain from the past few days.
The exhaustion hit him full force.
His muscles ached. His head felt heavy. A dull pressure throbbed behind his eyes.
Damn it. I should have brought my coffee with me...
"Isaac?"
"Hm?"
He opened his eyes.
"You look tired," she said hesitantly. "Have you had a lot on your plate lately? If Vincent is overworking you, then—"
"I'm fine," Isaac interrupted. "Save your strength."
A moment of silence settled between them.
He could hear Ashe's strained breathing and found himself unable to stop the thoughts from earlier from resurfacing.
It had to have been Levi...
Isaac clenched his hand into a fist.
First Noctis, then Benedict, and now Ashe. With Noah dead, Kieran was the only one left who could still be targeted. However, Isaac hadn't had any contact with him since he had been shot by Nico and his men in the alley.
He hoped Kieran was okay, though as a member of the Leviathan Cartel, he probably hadn't gotten off easily.
His fingers tightened around the armrest.
Damn it.
If Levi really was behind all of this, what was his next move? Who would he target next?
Or was he truly trying to lure Isaac out this way?
Was he watching them? Did he know about the relocation? Would he strike while they were on the road?
Isaac discreetly glanced around.
Maybe he had just put himself in a vulnerable position?
No one was with him except Ashe.
The others were busy loading the last crates into the vehicles.
Then again, they were in an underground parking garage, and from what Noctis had told him, the cars would be taking different routes. Vincent had thought everything through.
Still, there were too many places where someone could hide.
Isaac couldn't fight off the paranoia creeping over him. Before long, he felt as though he could see Levi lurking around every corner.
His hand trembled.
What if Levi ambushed Vincent and his people? What would happen if he killed everyone here?
Maybe I should do something and face him myself...?
Restlessly, he shifted in his seat.
He didn't want anyone else getting hurt because of him. If only he knew what Levi was planning next, then maybe he could—
A quiet snort from Ashe pulled him from his thoughts.
"By the way, the new hideout isn't actually that far from here."
Her words sent an icy chill down his spine.
How does she know where the new hideout is?
As far as Isaac knew, Vincent had only told the people who would be driving, and Ashe definitely hadn't been part of the plan. Or had he missed something because he'd been so exhausted ever since making the talisman for Noctis?
"Is that so?" he asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Of course. It's only about a thirty-minute drive," she replied. "The hideout is farther downtown, actually pretty close to your old apartment."
It was unsettling how much she seemed to know.
"Maybe you should consider a career as a tour guide," Isaac said, trying to steer the conversation away from the subject.
He didn't know why, but that awful feeling had returned.
Then again, Ashe was intelligent, and she hacked into anything she could get her hands on. Nothing was safe from her—not even the most secure firewall in the world.
But wasn't that exactly the quality he had always admired about her?
"No, definitely not. After today, all I want to do is lock myself in my room," she sighed wearily. "Can I ask you something, Isaac?"
He no longer knew what was right and what was wrong. His thoughts seemed trapped in an endless cycle. More than anything, he wanted to get out of the car and go find Noctis.
The moment he thought of his lover, the car door opened.
Noctis slid into the driver's seat and handed Isaac his coffee mug. Isaac's hand trembled slightly as he took it, something that naturally did not escape Noctis's notice.
Isaac gave the slightest shake of his head.
"Thanks," he said.
It was probably the best timing he had experienced in a long while. Noctis's presence alone helped calm him down a little.
Then he remembered Ashe's question.
Turning toward her, he asked,
"What was it you wanted to ask?"
"Oh, nothing important," she replied.
After that, she fell silent and closed her eyes as they headed toward the new hideout.
Contrary to Isaac's fears, they were not attacked.
And to his surprise, they ended up nowhere near his old apartment.
___
"What happened in the car?" Noctis asked as soon as the door clicked shut behind them.
This hideout was smaller than the last one, but no less comfortable. They had even been given a room together, large enough for Isaac to set up his easel and paints if he had felt like it.
At the moment, however, the only thing that interested him was the wide double bed in the middle of the room. The dark gray blanket and neatly fluffed pillows looked incredibly inviting.
Exactly what he needed right now.
He was tired. Not the ordinary exhaustion that followed a long day, but a deep, crushing fatigue that had settled into his bones and seeped into his thoughts. Every muscle ached. His nerves were stretched thin.
And the thought of Levi only made it worse.
Slowly, he lifted his head and met Noctis's gaze.
"It... was Levi, wasn't it?" he finally asked, his voice rough. "He attacked you, Benedict, and now Ashe. It can't have been anyone else."
It had already been difficult to hide the trembling in his hands earlier. But now that he was alone with Noctis, he couldn't control it at all.
Noctis took his hands in his own.
"I... haven't had a chance to tell you with everything that's been going on," he said quietly. "But yes. It was him. Lucy caught the assassin who tried to kill the cop. Vincent only managed to get it out of him last night."
Isaac let out a slow breath.
"Shit," he muttered.
The word felt absurdly inadequate.
"Darling," Noctis said calmly, brushing his thumb across Isaac's knuckles. "He's not going to get you."
Isaac looked at him.
"We changed hideouts. Nobody followed us. And we're not even at the location we originally planned to use."
Confusion crossed Isaac's face.
"What?"
So Ashe had actually been wrong?
Noctis raised a hand and brushed a stray lock of hair from Isaac's forehead. His touch was gentle, almost tender.
"Someone is feeding Levi information," he explained. "Just like you suspected."
Isaac's heartbeat quickened.
"At the moment, there are only six people who know about our internal affairs: Vincent, Lucy, Moz, Ashe, you, and me."
He began counting the names off on his fingers.
"You would never give Levi information. I want to kill him, and to my brother he's basically an annoying thorn in his side. So that rules out the three of us right away."
A cold smile flickered across his face.
Isaac swallowed.
"Then that only leaves Lucy, Moz, and Ashe."
The words hung heavily between them.
Without thinking, Isaac stepped closer and rested his forehead against Noctis's shoulder. He felt his warmth, heard the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and tried to find something solid in it.
Lucy and Moz.
If he was being honest, the suspicion made sense.
Lucy and Moz were suspicious too. After all, they were Vincent's closest confidants. They knew everything about the clan. They knew who was assigned where and when the assassins were at their targets. They were the only ones who took over Vincent's responsibilities whenever he was unavailable.
And yet neither of them was close to him.
The only one who was close to him was Ashe.
Isaac shook his head. He didn't know what to think anymore. It was too much.
Slowly, he lifted his head.
"Ashe knew where the new hideout was supposed to be," he said thoughtfully. "Did Vincent tell her?"
Noctis's expression darkened.
"She knew because I haven't spoken to him about Ashe yet."
Isaac exhaled slowly.
"Do you think she'd let herself get injured on purpose so I'd stop suspecting her?"
"She... doesn't really seem like the type," Noctis considered. His gaze turned cold. "I could just kill her. Then we'd only have two suspects left."
"But we don't know for sure! We can't just kill her!" Isaac snapped, desperation creeping into his voice. "She's still a kid!"
Noctis snorted.
"She's twenty and almost as old as you are. Besides, she's the smartest woman I know. Losing her would be inconvenient, but not a serious obstacle," he replied. "And besides, you haven't been suspecting her since yesterday. So what is it? She's injured now—do you still suspect her?"
Isaac felt his stomach tighten.
He didn't answer.
The thought of Ashe and everything she knew frightened him. But was she really spying on him? Or was he reading too much into it? He was exhausted. He couldn't think clearly, and Levi had a way of throwing him off balance every single time.
He was afraid.
Afraid of the uncertainty. Afraid of whatever Levi was planning. Most of all, he was afraid of the traitor hiding among them.
No matter where he went, unless he was alone with Noctis, he wasn't safe.
"I don't know, Noctis!" he finally burst out.
Running a hand through his hair, he let out a frustrated breath.
There were too many people around him. He wanted his lonely, reclusive life back. Social interactions, constant contact with people who smiled at him while hiding a knife behind their backs—he couldn't do it anymore.
Why couldn't he just be left in peace?
"Darling..."
But he couldn't start killing everyone who seemed suspicious just because of his fears.
That wasn't self-defense. It was murder.
The very thing the Webster Clan's assassins did.
Isaac might be a criminal, but he wasn't like them.
There was only one person he believed truly deserved to die, and that was Levi.
Isaac forced his racing heart to calm down.
As long as Levi wasn't standing right in front of him, there was nothing he could do anyway. He needed to distract himself.
"Don't kill her," he said quietly. "Not until we know for sure."
Noctis studied him for several seconds before slowly nodding.
"Okay."
His thumb brushed across the back of Isaac's hand.
"I'm meeting Vincent in a little while. We were going to talk about exactly this. Do you want to come with me?"
Isaac shook his head.
The thought of dealing with even more people right now was exhausting.
He wanted to unpack their things and work on something before finally going to sleep.
"Will you tell me later what you talked about?" he asked instead. "I still have something I need to take care of."
Noctis leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
"Are you going to be okay on your own?" he asked softly. "You're still shaking."
The concern in his voice made Isaac smile faintly.
"What could possibly happen to me here? We only just arrived, and this entire hideout is packed with assassins. No one would be crazy enough to break in here," Isaac sighed.
His own words calmed him a little.
Whoever the traitor was, they would have to drag him out of here for Levi to get his hands on him.
"I'm... just tired."
Noctis studied him for another moment.
"Then lie down, darling. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Isaac took his hand and pressed his cheek into it.
"In a minute. I wanted to finish something before I get some sleep."
"Don't push yourself too hard. You've been pretty worn out lately. Are you getting sick?" Noctis asked, concern evident in his voice.
Isaac shook his head.
"It's probably just the stress."
His gaze drifted to the talisman.
And your protection, which I'd do anything for.
He pulled Noctis closer once more and kissed him gently.
"Don't worry, Noc."
Noctis sighed.
"I'm going to anyway." His lips brushed Isaac's one last time. "I always worry about you."
For a brief moment, his forehead rested against Isaac's. Then he reluctantly pulled away.
"I'll be quick, darling. See you soon."
A faint smile appeared on Isaac's lips. Noctis didn't return it. Instead, he gave him one last worried look before leaving the room.
The moment the door closed behind him, Isaac dragged a hand down his face in frustration. It was time to make preparations.And maybe he should try recreating the talisman from scratch. He couldn't maintain it in its current form indefinitely. What if Levi did manage to break in and Isaac had to defend himself? In his current condition, he wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight.
He looked at the mountain of crates and let out a sigh.