Noctis entered his brother's office and instantly grimaced when he saw the damned cop. He let out an annoyed sigh, though he should probably count himself lucky—this time neither he nor his brother was half-naked.
"What do you want here this time?" Noctis asked without so much as a greeting.
Benedict leaned back in his chair and snorted derisively. "The feeling is entirely mutual."
"That's exactly what we need to talk about," Vincent interrupted dryly. "Close the door behind you."
Noctis shot Benedict another disapproving look before letting the door fall shut behind him. Then he stepped closer to the desk and turned his attention to his brother.
For what he wanted to discuss with him, it would be better if they were alone. So first, he had to get rid of the cop.
"Go on, then. Tell me what you got out of that incompetent killer."
Vincent folded his hands in front of him.
"The short version?"
Noctis nodded.
"Levi was the one who hired him this time as well," Vincent replied. "The guy didn't say much, no matter what I did to him. Even healing and destruction didn't rattle him nearly as much as I'd hoped."
Noctis twisted his mouth in displeasure.
"So that's yet another confirmation that it was that bastard. What now?"
Vincent didn't answer immediately. His gaze drifted to the cop, who was following the conversation closely. Then he looked back at Noctis.
"He attacked you, then Benedict, and just today Ashe. On top of that, three of our spies have been murdered, along with four of my informants," Vincent said in an ice-cold voice. "I've had enough, and Levi is going to pay for reaching for my people."
For a moment, something dark flashed in Vincent's eyes—something that reminded even Noctis why so many people feared his brother.
Noctis raised an eyebrow. Vincent raised a hand, then continued.
"Benedict will be staying with us until we've captured Levi. He's just become our number one priority."
The policeman's expression darkened immediately.
"Forget it, Vincent. I'm going back to my apartment tomorrow."
Noctis couldn't help but grin. "That's the best news I've heard all day. Please, don't let us stop you—just leave already. They'll come back, and they'll kill you."
Then his problem with the cop would finally be solved.
Vincent fixed Benedict with a cool stare.
"I still need you, so you'll stay here," he replied. "I don't have the resources to keep you under surveillance outside the safehouse."
The cop pressed his lips into a thin line.
"You can hardly keep me here against my will," he scoffed.
"I can't. But if you leave, Levi will kill you. That's a fact. If he hasn't already placed someone in your apartment, that is," Vincent countered. "Besides, I have a task for you."
The cop crossed his arms and studied Vincent.
"I'm a police officer, not your personal errand boy."
"It's less a favor for me," Vincent said, "and more a part of making amends to Isaac."
Noctis looked just as confused as the cop. Then again, it shouldn't have surprised him that his brother had already come up with a plan for the very thing Noctis had wanted to discuss with him.
"I have a mole among my people. I just don't know who the rat is yet. Your job will simply be to stay with Isaac whenever we're not here."
The cop looked as though he thoroughly disliked where this plan was headed.
"He won't tolerate me being anywhere near him."
Noctis snorted. "Probably for the best, before your incompetence gets him hurt again," he hissed.
"I don't particularly care what any of you want. Benedict will keep an eye on Isaac, and I want you to message me immediately if Ashe does anything she shouldn't. I'm going on a mission with Moz, and you'll be going with Lucy. If those two are clean, then that only leaves one person. Though I don't think she'll make a move anytime soon," Vincent explained. Then he rubbed a hand over his face in exhaustion. "I wish we could wipe out Levi and his men in one stroke."
Noctis shot his brother a startled look.
"You want to go out as well?"
Vincent nodded. "That's what you wanted to talk to me about, wasn't it? I've been thinking about it during the drive over, and no matter how I look at it, those three are the most likely suspects."
The cop no longer seemed able to follow the conversation at all.
"You... suspect your own people?"
Vincent nodded. "You know, Benedict, I never would have gotten this far if I trusted everyone blindly. I trust Noctis—and no one else."
The cop studied him for a moment before finally letting out a breath.
"I have no desire to get ambushed again, and I don't want Isaac falling into Levi's hands either. No matter where things currently stand between us."
Noctis rolled his eyes. "What a shame."
The cop shot him an irritated look but held back any comment. Instead, he turned back to Vincent.
"What about this Ashe?"
"She's very important to me," Vincent replied. "I'm not going to explain what she's capable of, but she's intelligent, and nobody fools her. So be careful what you tell her."
"Then what exactly am I supposed to watch out for if you won't tell me what she can do?" the cop asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
"She can't fight," Vincent said. "If she starts asking too many personal questions or tries to find out where we're staying, let me know immediately."
The cop nodded. "I can do that. What about Isaac?"
"Keep an eye on him, but don't get too close," Noctis said.
"Are you at least going to tell him that I'm supposed to be watching out for him?" he scoffed.
Vincent nodded. "Noctis will explain everything to him."
Noctis snorted. "Of course I will. What the hell else is a cop supposed to do here? In a safehouse full of assassins?"
The cop exhaled slowly.
"I can't believe I'm trapped in a damn assassin hideout," he muttered.
"You're not trapped," Vincent replied. "I'm not holding you here, and you're free to leave whenever you want. I'd simply prefer it if you didn't. Especially considering our future cooperation."
"Fine. I'll stay here and keep an eye on him. He'll probably just sit in his room painting all day anyway, right?" he sighed.
Noctis nodded. "In the best-case scenario."
Then he turned back to Vincent.
"When do we leave?"
Vincent sighed. "Tonight. The sooner, the better. We shouldn't give the rat any chance to get comfortable here."
"All right, then I'll go with Lucy—"
The office door suddenly flew open with such force that it slammed into the wall.
All three men spun around.
Ashe stood in the doorway.
"Vincent!" she called out, visibly distressed.
Vincent got to his feet immediately. "Ashe, you should be resting. You know I can't heal you right now."
She shook her head. "Not important! I know where Levi is!"
Noctis studied her carefully. Sweat glistened on her forehead, she looked completely exhausted, and the pain she was in was impossible to miss. Her left eye twitched from the strain, and her hands trembled slightly.
Ashe had dragged herself all the way to the office despite being on the verge of collapse.
He walked over to her and helped her onto the couch.
Either she was an exceptionally good actress, or she genuinely wanted to help. Unfortunately, even Noctis found it difficult to see through her facade.
"Sit down and take a deep breath. Then you can tell us what's going on."
She grabbed his forearm and dug her fingers into his skin.
"We don't have time for that, Noctis!" she snapped, her voice tight with stress.
Noctis narrowed his eyes at her.
"Calm down, doll," he growled.
He couldn't help but doubt her act, even if she didn't seem like she was trying to lure them into a trap.
Vincent knelt down beside her. The cop remained a short distance away, silently watching her.
"You found out where he is?" Vincent asked calmly.
Ashe nodded.
With trembling fingers, she wiped the sweat from her forehead, then pulled her laptop closer and flipped it open. For several seconds she typed rapidly, focused on the keyboard, before turning the device toward them.
A traffic camera feed appeared on the screen.
The footage showed a warehouse.
Although the camera was positioned some distance away, Noctis immediately recognized that the men entering the building were not ordinary workers.
The Viper Syndicate had a strict dress code. Every member was required to wear a suit. It wasn't difficult to identify the men in the video as members of the Viper Syndicate.
Vincent leaned forward.
"Where's Levi?"
Ashe clicked on another window, and a different camera angle appeared instantly. She zoomed in on one of the men, and sure enough, he had light-colored hair.
Noctis couldn't make out every detail, but he would recognize those features even in complete darkness.
She looked at Vincent seriously.
"This footage is from this morning. If you're going to make a move, you should do it quickly before they disappear."
"Which warehouse? How many men?" Vincent asked.
Ashe opened a map.
"Downtown. I don't know exactly how many, but I'd estimate at least fifty."
Vincent cursed under his breath.
"There are more of them now."
Noctis studied Ashe, then his brother. Surely he wasn't seriously planning to storm that warehouse when there was no way of knowing whether it was a trap. Several heartbeats passed before Vincent sighed and got to his feet.
"Noctis, call Lucy and Moz."
Noctis pulled out his phone and sent both of them a message.
"Are you really going?" Ashe asked. "I can guide you once I'm back in my room."
"We're going, but you're going to rest. I'm not relying on you when you're on the verge of passing out. No offense," Vincent replied.
Moz entered almost immediately. He arrived so quickly that Noctis briefly wondered whether he'd been waiting outside the door.
"Boss? What can I do?" he asked at once.
Vincent nodded toward Ashe.
"Take her to her room and come back afterward."
Moz stared at him in confusion for a moment, but then he walked over to Ashe and helped her to her feet.
The moment they left the office, Noctis finally blurted out what had been on his mind.
"I hope you realize this is a trap," he scoffed.
"We don't know that until we check," Vincent replied.
"What about the safehouse? What if they break in here while we're gone?"
Vincent nodded toward the cop.
"That's why he's here. If necessary, he can call in the police. There are no important documents here anymore—I had those moved elsewhere. Nobody can do anything with Isaac's art supplies, and everyone carries their weapons on them. Besides, not all of our people are in this safehouse. I've split our forces, and the reinforcements I requested are already in position."
For a moment, Noctis didn't know what to say. Then he laughed.
"There are enough people here to protect Isaac?"
Vincent nodded.
"No one is getting in here alive."
"You really intend to go through with this?"
"We're going to find out who the rat is tonight," Vincent replied.
A dark smile played across his lips.
"Be happy, little brother. Tonight is going to be an absolute bloodbath."
And perhaps, finally, some peace for Isaac as well.
If Noctis got his hands on Levi, he would tear him apart.
He didn't like the idea of leaving Isaac behind at the safehouse, but his brother was always exceptionally well prepared. With so many assassins guarding the place, nothing should go wrong.
"Okay," Noctis said. "Let's do this."
___
Isaac sat at his desk, working on something.
The thought of leaving him behind didn't sit well with Noctis. Then again, Isaac wasn't really in any condition to come with them. He was worried about his lover. Isaac kept insisting that he was fine, but Noctis didn't believe him for a second.
He was definitely getting sick and trying to downplay it so Noctis wouldn't worry.
The dark shadows beneath his eyes were obvious even in the dim light, and there was a sluggishness to his movements, as though every action required more effort than it should.
He was definitely getting sick.
"Darling?"
Isaac looked up.
"Hm?"
His features softened immediately. Noctis stepped behind him and draped his arms over his shoulders.
"Vincent has given new orders."
Isaac let out a slow breath.
"So you have to leave right away, barely after we've arrived?"
Noctis nodded.
"Unfortunately. But you're not alone here. The cop is here too, and this safehouse is crawling with killers just waiting for someone dumb enough to try breaking in."
"Benedict is here?" Isaac scoffed.
"He's supposed to keep an eye on Ashe."
And on you.
He didn't say the second part out loud.
Isaac ran his fingers over the bracelet. It grew warm for a moment before the pleasant sensation faded again.
"What did you—?"
"I recharged your talisman. You shouldn't have any problems with it now," Isaac replied tiredly. "Why are you leaving so suddenly? I thought nothing was happening today."
Noctis hesitated briefly.
Then he decided against making up an excuse.
"We found Levi," he answered. "We're moving out to wipe him and his entire little kindergarten off the map."
Isaac's body tensed instantly.
"I'm ending your nightmare tonight, darling," Noctis promised quietly. "And then we'll leave."
Isaac nodded and leaned his head against him. His hand brushed gently along Noctis's cheek.
"Please be careful, okay?"
Noctis kissed him.
"I will. I've got my talisman, don't I? It protects me from everything," he said with a grin.
"Don't rely on the talisman too much, okay?" Isaac pleaded. "Levi is... he'll find ways to kill you. You have to come back to me."
Noctis smiled at him.
"Go get some sleep, darling," he said softly, kissing his cheek. "When I get back, we'll plan our vacation, and I'll need you as awake as possible."
Isaac nestled closer against him.
"I wish I could help, but I'd only be a burden to all of you," he murmured quietly. "I love you, Noctis."
He kissed him on the lips, and for a moment Noctis was tempted to lose himself in the kiss.
"I love you too, Isaac," Noctis murmured against his lips. "And don't ever convince yourself you're a burden. I know exactly what you're capable of when you're at your best, and your abilities are enough to make even me nervous."
Isaac smiled faintly, then looked at him seriously.
"Kill him for me, okay?"
Noctis grinned.
"My pleasure."
I'll present you with his damned head when I'm finished with him.