Stephen said nothing, yet his shout hung in the room, holding all other movement at bay. Thick tension wrapped in the air like a noose. Michael's eyes flickered to his men; an order given in silence. His lips arced into a slow cold smile."Well, Stephen," he said with glass sharpness, "You have my attention.Stephen swallowed, but his voice came out steady. "We're not doing this. Not like this. You want to use us, fine, but killing us here won't get you anywhere."Michael leaned back in his chair, his smirk deepening. "Smart move. You always did know how to talk your way out of a mess.He glared at Stephen for one weighted moment, then his gaze shifted to Victor and Enoch, who still stood taut and ready to detonate. "Alright, here's the deal. Voss is expecting a major shipment down at the docks. Drugs. Enough to put him away for life. You're going to intercept it."Victor's eyebrows pulled down. "You want us to steal it?Michael chuckled, a low, sinister sound. "Not exactly. You're go
Voss's warehouse loomed before them, dark, but the panic running through Stephen's veins had little to do with the shadows. Everything to do with the fact that from every direction, they'd just become targets. Voss. Michael. And now, the cops.Two days," Victor growled, pacing like a caged animal. "Voss gave us two days to turn over something we don't even have. What are we supposed to do? Pull the drugs out of thin air?Stephen said nothing. His mind was racing in a circle, pinging from one idea to the next, trying to find some way out. He hadn't slept since the docks, and it was seeping into his bones. But there was no time for rest now.Enoch had sat hunched against the wall, knees pulled to his chest. His fingers tapped nervously against the concrete, eyes darting from Victor to Stephen, barely holding it together. "We should've never trusted Michael. He's playing us. Voss is going to kill us, and Michael—he'll watch it happen."Victor slammed his fist onto the nearest crate, the
Stephen leaned across the table, his fingers tracing invisible lines on the surface. "We need to pit Voss against Michael. Make Voss think Michael's setting him up and let them tear each other apart while we slip away."Victor tipped back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, his jaw clenched tight. "And how do we do that? You really think Voss will just take our word for it?Stephen shook his head. "No. We plant something. Evidence that Michael is gunning for Voss's operation. Voss is paranoid enough that he will react fast, and once they're at each other's throats, we can disappear."Enoch, still hunched against the wall, frowned. "This is insane. If we get caught trying to plant evidence, we're dead. Voss doesn't need proof, he'll just kill us to send a message.""We're already dead if we don't do something," Stephen replied sharply. "Michael's put us in a corner, and the cops are sniffing around. This is the only way we stand a chance."Victor rose to his feet, frustration ta
The days which followed were a vortex of tension, rumor, and waiting. Stephen scarcely slept, paced the small safehouse, his mind racing through every eventuality that could be forthcoming from their plan. Voss and Michael were bound to clash sooner or later. But when? And how badly?Across from him, Victor sat half-closed-eyed but way too alert to sleep. Enoch hunched in the corner, peering at his phone, no doubt praying for some sort of sign that they weren't totally screwed."Nothing out on the street yet?" Victor asked at last, breaking the silence.Enoch shook his head. "It's quiet. Too quiet."Stephen's stomach knotted. They were waiting for the spark to ignite the fuse. It was a good plan, to set Voss off against Michael, but the lull before the storm was unsettling. What if they'd miscalculated? What if either Voss or Michael saw through their setup.Suddenly, Enoch's phone purred, and he shot upright. He answered quickly, muttering a few words before hanging up. His face was
Days had gone by since Victor and Enoch vanished into thin air. Stephen called and sent texts, but nothing was received in return. He kept himself holed up in the safehouse, pacing up and down as his mind raced with each worst-case scenario possible. It simply couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that someone had made a move on them. But who?Stephen fished out his phone for the hundredth time. No messages, no news. Every passing beat made his heart race faster.A shrill ding cut through the silence. A message. Stephen's hand shook as he picked up the phone. "Come see me. I have Ariane. One wrong move, and you'll never see her again. – Michael."Stephen's blood ran cold. Michael had his daughter.Stephen's hand moved automatically to his jacket and grasped the door, but his hand stopped on the knob. What was Michael getting at? Evidently, he was baiting him into something big, and Stephen knew one thing-trapping himself in it meant only one thing: death.But he couldn't leave Aria
The warehouse felt colder now, darker. Stephen's heart was racing while he stood frozen, following every movement Michael made. Ariane was crying; her eyes were wide with terror, but her lips did not open. Stephen could feel her fear; it radiated across the room, tightening his chest."Why are you doing this, Michael?" Stephen asked in a hoarse voice. He must remain calm, must buy time.Michael smirked, circling Ariane like a predator playing with its prey. "You don't get it, do you? You've been a thorn in my side for years. You thought you could just move on after what you did, live your life like nothing happened?""What did I do?" Stephen's eyes narrowed, trying to keep his focus sharp.Michael's eyes flashed with anger. "You killed my brother."Stephen recoiled. There were faces from his past, but this… he couldn't let the past take Ariane from him. Whether she was his daughter or not, she was innocent in this."I didn't know," Stephen said, trying to even out his voice. "I didn't
Stephen's finger quivered on the trigger, its weight heavy in his hand. Michael lay on the cold warehouse floor, a trickle of blood oozing from his lip, his eyes ablaze with anger. Time seemed to freeze, the silence thick between them. "Go ahead," Michael goaded, his voice hoarse but defiant. "Pull the trigger, Stephen. End this. Or are you too weak? Stephen's heart pounded. Every fibre of his being screamed to shoot, to end the nightmare Michael had dragged them all into. But something held him back. He wasn't a killer. Not like this. Victor, now that Ariane was free, bounded to stand beside Stephen. "Don't," Victor whispered, his voice urgent. "He's not worth it. Stephen's hand closed tighter on the gun, his breathing shallow. He couldn't let Michael get his way, but he just couldn't cross that line. His hand moved down, inch by inch. "That's what I thought," Michael said to himself with a sneer, pushing himself up. "You're weak, Stephen. Have always been." Incensed, Step
Stephen stood by the door, his gaze fixed on Ju Won. "Stay here with Ariane," he said, tucking a handgun into his jacket. "I have to go."Ju Won frowned and shook his head. "It's too dangerous, Stephen. Going into the station like this? You'll get yourself killed.Stephen's eyes met his, his expression hard. "I know it's risky. But Clarke's the key to all of this. If I don't get answers, we're done."Ju Won was silent for a moment. "And if you don't come back?"Stephen exhaled, looking over at Ariane, still sleeping. "If I don't make it… you take care of her. Get her somewhere safe. Don't wait for me.There was a long pause before Ju Won finally nodded. "Fine. But be on your guard."Stephen said nothing. He grabbed his keys, slipped out of the motel room into the night. The streets were empty as he drove, silence weighing heavy. When he arrived at the station, he knew something was off. The parking lot was deserted. Not one policeman in sight."It's just evening," Stephen grumbled to