*PTAFF!!*

Rang the blast of hot, suppressed gases from the chamber of the pistol.

Amelie’s knee-jerk reaction was a rare misjudgment, perhaps from the emotions of it all. And aside from one critical miscalculation, it wasn’t near fast enough nor accurate as she attempted to drop to the ground to dodge what she expected to be a shot to her chest or head, taking the round to her right thigh. And before she could register the struck round as a tranquilizer compound, she had already reached for and threw her concealed knife she had at the ready all along.

Isaiah was mostly shocked at the fact he even pulled the trigger that instant, feeling a blow to the gut stronger than he could have ever anticipated, but if it wasn’t for his mother’s miscalculation just then, the knife that zinged by just after instinctively lowering his upper body in reaction could have struck him as well. That shock delivered a different blow as his face turned to disgust.

“Don’t mention my name in the same sentence as Vrey’s. I’ve already bested him, doing so long, long before I even left,” he spoke as calmly as he could despite his building rage.

“I was wrong,” Amelie forced out with a weak, ironic chuckle as she began buckling over. “You were as… prepared as I would have been.”

He slowly lowered his weapon as he began settling down, eventually placing it back on the table. “I tried to give you a chance to leave,” he spoke back with a heavy sigh mixed with both tension and some relief he didn’t see that all end worse, although the trembling of his hands only continued to grow stronger. He then approached her slowly as if to help her back up despite knowing she’d be out cold in seconds. “I never intended to hurt you, but I never, ever, intended to let you screw up my life twice. I learned a lot from you and your mistakes, and now maybe you can learn from them a little bit yourself.”

A door opened up at the end of the walkway as one of his crew members approached the scene with a jump back in reaction. “What the hell?! How’d someone get in- and who is she?!”

Isaiah paused as he remained crouched over her, now seeing her completely unconscious. “The Big One is ready to move, and since we were almost compromised just now, we need to relocate.” Continuing his effort to disguise his mental state, he stood back up and straightened his jacket, looking over her once more before returning his focus to his confused crewmate. “I don’t want any connections to this once I go live, so if you don’t mind, put her in a detainment room back at J-1 Block. Take any truck you need.”

“Ah,” the crewman responded once he somewhat understood the situation, hands over his hips as he studied how he would pick her up and carry her off. “You definitely can’t afford to have anything of her on you. Let me take care of her-”

“-Don’t let her get as much as a bruise on the way,” Isaiah stiffly interrupted to the crewman’s surprise. His next glare was even stronger. “And do NOT let Rex, not even Bishop- or any other Underground faction… find out about any of this.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied with a raised brow before nodding in extra affirmation. But once he reached down to get a good grip on Amelie’s body before lifting her up, he got a good look at her face as it was too dim to tell from farther away. “Hmm, looks a bit old for such a job.” Then, noticing something else familiar about her gave him pause, eventually speaking up with a hint of suspicion: “Hey, she looks like you.”

A knife went through the back of his neck that very next second after catching him completely off-guard.

Isaiah quickly released the handle and stepped back with a sudden release of his pent-up tension, breathing almost uncontrollably for a few moments. He had never taken a life with his own hands before, despite his history of wounding many. Taking a life from the seat of a cockpit was never the same connection, either. It brought up a nauseous sensation that would last a good moment, finding himself having to hold on to the desk behind him to remain upright.

He looked back at the knife once more, and then back at his mother still motionless on the floor underneath his former crewman, still convulsing from the fatal wound. It was her mother’s, the one that had missed just striking him moments ago.

The overwhelming trauma took several more minutes to pass enough to collect his sanity and his thoughts, never having moved from where he stood despite the fear another may walk in. But the more he caught his breath, the more he realized his quick decision without any hesitation was perhaps for the best, given the circumstances.

Mother… You saved me after all. He was about to be a threat to both of us just now. Now, you’ve also provided the perfect cover for me to get you where you can’t be a threat anymore, either.

.

“Bishop, do you read me?” He spoke into his headset once he had the encryption reset.

“Reaper. What is it?” Answered a digitally distorted voice.

“We had an intruder,” Isaiah began, still struggling but largely able to keep his composure. “Female, early to late forties, assassin outfit. She took down C Team Number Twelve. I subdued her, but I’m afraid she’s tied to Rex.”

“You’ve done well in that regard thus far, surviving a hefty bounty on your name ever since the Manila incidents.”

Isaiah patiently awaited a further response, expecting minimal input to be the best route.

“Very well. I’ll have it known you are keeping watch on this intruder. I expect they have valuable intel we can extract.”

“I highly suspect so.” Isaiah then looked back at his gloved hands, pondering the presence of any blood or other evidence on them before the thought he just killed a man started burning into his mind and stomach once more. “I will keep you informed as I move the captive,” he continued, powering through his once-more sickened state. “Everything is still going as planned.”

“Until tomorrow evening.” Bishop’s voice faded out quickly as the channel disconnected. And that next instant, Isaiah dropped weak-kneed to the ground, letting a painful series of pants.

“What the hell am I doing,” he mumbled to himself through a quivering, exasperated voice. Looking back over to his mother, who still lay in a motionless slumber, he tried desperately to gather his thoughts throughout the fear he chose the wrong out. Eventually, he succumbed to his inability to assess the situation fully and rationally, resorting to him reaching for the communication’s control panel once more as he pressed a button on his headset.

“Pick up, please,” he once again inadvertently mumbled to himself as he took a seat at the desk, head placed into the palms of his hands.

“Threat code?” Marian’s voice popped up with heightened concern, always assuming usual protocol when reached in such a manner.

“Zero,” Isaiah huffed, relieved to hear her voice as he leaned further into his hands propped up on the desk.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“What happened there? Are you hurt?” She hastily asked, seemingly expecting something terrible.

“No, I’m unhurt.”

“I was about to call you about my running into your father-”

Isaiah least expected to hear those words after hoping the call would bring him a rational way to fix his situation. “-My father?!”

“But that can wait. Listen, your mother might be closer than we think.”

Isaiah couldn’t help but let out a nasal chuckle mixed in with a troubled sigh.

Marian took in a long breath before replying. “You… this is why you’re calling, isn’t it?”

Isaiah responded in a similar tone: “I need help.”

“I just finished gathering what your father pointed me towards. Let me reroute your way as soon as I can get myself safe passage. Until then…” She trailed off, perhaps in her own attempt to assess his situation without speaking accidentally revealing details. “Is she alive?”

“Yes. Stunned and out cold.”

“Then…”

But it was almost as if just having her listening on the other side provided him the mental push he needed. “I got it, now. Thanks.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Thank you,” he calmly reiterated. “I can get it from here.”

“I’m still headed your way.”

He then stood up as he reached for the control panel one last time. “Follow my tracer- I’ll have it put up at the right time.” He then checked his watch. “They’re going to be here soon.”

Upon disconnecting the call, he went over to his mother once more, spending the next minute fighting back repressed memories from the years before he set off for Earth. Torn between the two interpretations of their inevitable confrontation, he eventually decided it’d be best to rethink it on a clearer mind.

He gently picked her up, slowly getting her over his shoulder as he carefully stood up. And after taking a few breaths to collect his thought-out lines, he noticed the approaching footsteps of those he expected. “This is a high prize catch here,” he spoke the second the two men entered the area before looking back over to the man slumped over on the floor. “Sorry Twelve didn’t get to say the same along with me.”

“Bishop explained,” one of the burlier men of the two responded as he reached over to him as if to take her off his shoulders. “Said Rex sent her.”

“Do you think he’d bargain for her back?” Isaiah asked as he passed her gently into his arms. “No way she found us and got in without some kind of major background or experience.”

“That’s the plan,” he replied as he turned for the exit. “I think she’s worth a lot more by the way Bishop explained things. I’ll definitely keep this one in good care.”

The other man finished overlooking the dead member’s body as he looked up at the others. “Hey, Reaper, Boss says J-1 Block. You think it’s safe enough for now? Or would they send more to retrieve her?”

“It’s our only choice if you ask me,” Isaiah answered through a sigh. “I do understand the uncertainty of it all- no one’s ever gotten this far in.” He then followed behind the other as the three headed out together. “I’ll see to it this room gets scuttled, and I’ll also help tend to her once I finish with my outing tomorrow.”

.

.

●　● New General Cerri District, Bahia Blanca, Argentina

Mom!?

Sam had a double take as she caught notice that her last message was from Amelie Delacroix. Hurrying to open it, she felt both dread and concern, unsure if it was another demand she return home or if it’d be a plea call for help.

The short and succinct message read: “Sam, I hope that ear of yours is still in one piece. Now would be your last chance to go home safely.”

The first line almost had her slouched spine shoot upright, and seconds later, a new, different kind of pit grew in her stomach as she huffed. How does she know that? I mean, what was that all supposed to mean!? Wait, no… that doesn’t mean she’s in Buenos Aires, does it?

“Mom, where are you?” She quickly texted back using the suggestive text swipe function on her watch.

“Sam?”

She jumped in her seat at the call of her name, forgetting for a second where she even was. Sebastian had brought her to meet Renzo, Dani, and Kaylen at a small diner not too far away. Although Kaylen hadn’t yet arrived, it wasn’t a problem for the others necessarily as the mood was more laid-back than it had been all week. The days went by without a single hint from Rex or his contacts, and it was as if the looming threat of Reaper’s next big move was out and beyond the horizon, lost somewhere in the Underground’s unknown.

“Ah, I’m sorry.” She attempted to laugh off what was going on in her mind, tapping her watch screen off as she looked back ahead at the others, realizing Sebastian was handing her a menu tablet which she quickly received. “Ah- hey, Renzo?”

[Yes?] He paused his rather loud humming to look back at her, having just put down his menu.

Sam needed more interaction now, especially after that enigmatic message from her mother. But unless a response came, there wouldn’t be much she could do. No… The last thing I need now is a bigger cause for concern or suspicion when it might just be me overanalyzing things again. “So, like, is that a Navarre thing to always hum some song?” She asked with a forced curious smile, albeit with some genuine interest.

[Why not?] He chuckled as he looked back at the menu. [It’s a good classic!] He continued in reference to the steady but upbeat reggaeton themed song played softly over the restaurant’s speakers.

Sam returned the chuckle as she too began looking back at where she left off. “Hmm… Lomito completo…” she mumbled as she spotted a sandwich that looked fairly appetizing. She realized she hadn’t had proper land-raised beef since landing back in June.

[Ah. Those are pretty good to start with here,] Dani commented from across the table, preparing to reach over and point at something before the ringing of the door chime prompted their attention.

[Well, okay! You are social after all!] Renzo joked as his siblings joined in on the subdued laughter as Kaylen rolled her eyes, joining them at the end of the table.

[Thanks for inviting me, though,] Kaylen responded in a manner least expected by the party. [I think life has been a bit less depressing when I have a consistent buddy base going.]

And the split second Renzo saw a smirk growing at the corner of her mouth, he immediately brought on an even louder prodding shout and a gesture: [You admit you need more of me in your life!]

Sam watched the others’ collective eye roll with some relief returning to her core as she joined in with a subdued chuckle. I kind of agree with Kaylen. After all the wondering of what circle I belong in, well, it’s like I feel more complete here than I have anywhere else.

And as Sebastian began punching in each of the requested orders on his tablet, Sam noticed the music suddenly cut off. And along with it, Renzo’s humming died right with it. Something in her gut had her throw the first punch without hesitation despite knowing it’d come off corny. “Aww, your awful pitch broke the speakers?”

[Yeah yeah, like you can sing yourself?] Renzo quipped before Sebastian began chuckling. [You can’t sing for shit, either.]

[But she can,] Sebastian joked back as he motioned towards Sam. [Hell of a lot better than you.]

And as the others joined in with the trading of jabs, Sam was reminded of how this helped Sebastian as well. For how wound up he had been, it was only as of late he started to unwind, closer to his older self.

.

.

Half an hour and empty plates later, a few rounds of beer approached the table. While Sam did well enough to eat what she could, she knew to pass on anything more as she was content to lean back and continue enjoying the peace. And as the exchange of old times and lame jokes made their waves, Renzo’s humming returned to the scene as a car had pulled up with its music playing loudly.

[Thank you,] Dani responded to the waitress as she took the four glasses to help pass to the others. [Do you think this whole thing washes away?]

[Hm? What thing?] Sebastian asked as he cleared his throat.

[You know, this whole mess we are in.]

“Kaylen, have you gotten any hints lately?” Sam thought to join in, also curious, but also knowing there’d be nothing specific to blurt out in public.

Kaylen shook her head as she finished her first sip. “No. Just as tired as you all. Everyone’s been real quiet lately and it really bothers me.”

♪[Que suene una canció~n más le~nta~]♪

Sam ignored Renzo’s sudden singing along to the noise outside, thinking about Kaylen’s response. Normally she’d be quick to share stuff, so I guess things really aren’t shaping up like promised. “Maybe it’s a good thing?”

♪[Que dure un poco más de la cue~nta~]♪

[Ay, would you shut up?] Kaylen grumbled with her focus now on Renzo. [We’re switching to a serious conversation here.]

[What?!] Renzo fussed, noting Sebastian had already joined in with his humming of the same gentle, upbeat reggaeton tune similar in fashion to what had been playing prior. [See?! It’s just a good ole’ classic we haven’t heard in a while!]

“Anyway!” Sam laughed as she looked back at Kaylen. “Is it possible someone’s overreacting to some flawed info?”

♪[Que suene una canció~n más le~nta~!] ♪

[Stop! We get it!] Dani fussed back with a prod of her elbow into his side, seemingly encouraging him to sing louder.

♪[Que dure más de dos con cincuenta~!] ♪

The sudden combination of both Renzo and Sebastian’s voice had Dani almost spitting her beer through her held back laughter while Kaylen began grumbling even louder, but something had Sam pause.

Dos con cincuenta… She shrugged at the initial thought, but once the words repeated in her head once more, the realization brought her hands to the table in a startling fashion.

“What?!” Sebastian asked as he jumped in his seat. “What is it?”

“That means Two fifty!” She stood up immediately, eyes darting around the windowed areas until she spotted the truck blaring that same song.

“Sam, wait!” Sebastian yelled as they all found themselves running after Sam. “What are you talking about?!”