Kain kicked the door open with a limp and swagger that didn’t quite match the deep scrape across his face. The Jackal followed, limping harder, his arm bandaged and dried blood still on his sleeve.Valeria stood near the window, swirling a glass of red wine like it could calm the rage building in her chest.They didn’t even make it halfway into the room before she spoke.“You two look like chewed-up sausage and boiled disappointment.”Kain grunted. “It was a fortress.”“A fortress,” the Jackal added, defensive. “We didn’t know he had cameras inside the fucking walls. Who does that?”“Vulture,” Valeria hissed, turning toward them, her eyes sharp enough to cut through steel. “He does that. Because he’s insane and brilliant and paranoid. The worst kind of bastard.”She paced the floor like a storm dressed in black silk.“Did you at least see the boy?” she demanded.“No,” Kain said. “But we saw the baby.”“What baby?”“Her baby,” the Jackal said. “Cassie and Bain’s. Pink cheeks. Big lungs
Rain slicked the alleyway in Bucharest as the Widowmaker crouched on a rooftop, her rifle trained on a figure weaving through the crowds below. The man wore a gray coat, hood drawn tight—one of the Bone Circle’s outer messengers. The kind that didn’t speak unless they had to. The kind that disappeared into smoke if not handled just right.Below, Spider whispered through her comms, shadowing the figure from the street level, weaving between a fish vendor and a line of schoolchildren with the ease of someone who knew how to vanish in plain sight.“He’s twitchy,” Widowmaker said softly. “You see that limp? Trained injury pattern. Could be a decoy.”“No,” Spider replied. “He’s sweating. This one’s carrying something.”Sure enough, the man turned down a narrow, grimy corridor—the kind only desperate men or ghosts walked down.Widowmaker moved.She leapt down, boots silent on steel grating, and appeared at the far end of the alley just as the man realized he was being cornered. Spider emerg
They came in the dark.Five shadows slithered through the undergrowth just past the ancient stone ridge north of the Pyrenees stronghold—dressed in black, boots muffled, their accents foreign even in a whisper.One of them pointed toward a jagged outcrop where the trees thinned. “That’s it. The fortress is just over the ridge. No guards.”“No guards,” the second muttered. “Feels like a trap.”But they pressed forward anyway—silent, rehearsed. Trained killers sent by Valeria herself. She didn’t care if they survived. She only wanted information.They never made it to the ridge.In the trees behind them, a whisper passed. Then a click. A tiny blade sliced through air—one fell before the others even realized.Then another. And another.The fourth man was alive long enough to hear a voice—low, cold, amused.“Should’ve knocked first.”And then silence again.At the Fortress, the Next Morning…Vulture poured himself a cup of coffee and tossed a bloodied glove onto the table in the war room.
The Pyrenees fortress stood silent under a veil of mist, its stone walls blending seamlessly with the rugged mountainside. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, the air thick with anticipation.Vulture sat in the command room, eyes fixed on the surveillance monitors. A soft chime signaled an incoming encrypted transmission. He tapped the console, and Petrov’s stern face appeared.“We’re approaching the designated coordinates,” Petrov announced. “The Triad operatives are with me. Five, as discussed.”Vulture nodded. “Ensure they follow the safe passages. The mountain watches every step.”Petrov smirked. “They know the drill. No missteps.”Moments later, the fortress’s outer sensors detected movement. Vulture switched views, observing five figures navigating the treacherous terrain with practiced ease. Their movements were precise, almost choreographed—a testament to their training.Inside the fortress, Bain and Cassie stood by the entrance, awaiting their arrival. As the group entered, the
Cassiopeia Thompson’s life wasn't that of a princess, if anything it was more like a pauper's.But it was about to get worse.If only she knew..The evening began like every other charity gala she’d been dragged to; a parade of fake smiles, empty compliments, and overpriced champagne not to mention her nose gettingbombarded by the scents from hundreds of perfumes, it always made her dizzy.This time, she wasn't dizzy. If anything her hair was standing. She didn't know why but this particular evening had a different chill. Cassie couldn't quite point what it was but she was sure something was different.There was desperation in the air as socialites clung to their status with manicured nails and designer dresses that probably cost more than her college tuition.This was more than just a charity event. Something was happening, and at the back of her mind, she feared she was part of it.She’d only agreed to attend because Elijah, her stepfather, had insisted, and Ryder, her stepbrother, h
Cassie was at her wedding. It was a seaside wedding as she always wanted.Lilies and yellow hibiscus flowers adorned the walkway and the makeshift altar the silhouette of her husband and the priest stood on.She was in her mother's refurbished yellow wedding gown as opposed to the customary white gown.It had a slit up to her lower thigh with curls and curls of fabric flowing gracefully behind her.Her lone walk to the altar was one of bliss, fulfillment and pure joy. She was about to get married to the love of her life. She was the love of his life too.There would be laughter, tears of joy, and a promise of forever that meant something.As she walked to the altar, she heard someone call her name. She paused and looked behind; there was no one.She was about to continue her honorable walk to her groom when she heard her name again, this time she felt someone tapping her.Before she could make sense of it all, her eyes popped open.She was staring at the annoying hairdresser.Reality d
Life With BainCassie woke up every morning in a bed that was too big, too soft, and too cold.Alone.Bain was never there. She was grateful for it. She slept before he came to bed and by the time she woke up in the morning, he was gone.His sandalwood scent and rumpled bedside was proof that he had lain there.But every time she stepped into the dining hall, there he was, with a newspaper in his hand, almost as if he was waiting for her before he had breakfast.She was still at loss as to why they had to stay in the same room. They could pretend to be the perfect couple to outsiders, but why did they have to stay in the same room?It had been weeks since the wedding, and she was still adjusting to her new reality.Bain had laid down rules from the day of the wedding. He had strictly reminded her of her place in his world; his wife in name only, and his possession in every other sense of the word.Her existence had given "trophy wife" a new meaning, a perfect face for the public and a
Shadows of ThreatsDays turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, and Cassie began to see the Blackwood estate as home. She was never mistreated, never taken for granted or disrespected.She even began to have nice conversations with some of the staff. She became close to Mrs. Persephone the housekeeper and her personal maid, Tyler.Bane still maintained a different attitude with bouts of niceness once in a while.Though the Blackwood estate was a new development in her life, it was better than home.It was better than the torture, the insults, hunger and the abuse from Ryder and Elijah.Now she could move more freely within the house and even had the password to some areas.The Blackwood estate was beautiful, almost too perfect from the manicured lawns to the towering walls and iron gates designed to keep outsiders at bay.And yet, Ryder and Elijah could still get in.It started with calls. They came at least an hour after breakfast, almost as if whoever was at the other end of the
The Pyrenees fortress stood silent under a veil of mist, its stone walls blending seamlessly with the rugged mountainside. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, the air thick with anticipation.Vulture sat in the command room, eyes fixed on the surveillance monitors. A soft chime signaled an incoming encrypted transmission. He tapped the console, and Petrov’s stern face appeared.“We’re approaching the designated coordinates,” Petrov announced. “The Triad operatives are with me. Five, as discussed.”Vulture nodded. “Ensure they follow the safe passages. The mountain watches every step.”Petrov smirked. “They know the drill. No missteps.”Moments later, the fortress’s outer sensors detected movement. Vulture switched views, observing five figures navigating the treacherous terrain with practiced ease. Their movements were precise, almost choreographed—a testament to their training.Inside the fortress, Bain and Cassie stood by the entrance, awaiting their arrival. As the group entered, the
They came in the dark.Five shadows slithered through the undergrowth just past the ancient stone ridge north of the Pyrenees stronghold—dressed in black, boots muffled, their accents foreign even in a whisper.One of them pointed toward a jagged outcrop where the trees thinned. “That’s it. The fortress is just over the ridge. No guards.”“No guards,” the second muttered. “Feels like a trap.”But they pressed forward anyway—silent, rehearsed. Trained killers sent by Valeria herself. She didn’t care if they survived. She only wanted information.They never made it to the ridge.In the trees behind them, a whisper passed. Then a click. A tiny blade sliced through air—one fell before the others even realized.Then another. And another.The fourth man was alive long enough to hear a voice—low, cold, amused.“Should’ve knocked first.”And then silence again.At the Fortress, the Next Morning…Vulture poured himself a cup of coffee and tossed a bloodied glove onto the table in the war room.
Rain slicked the alleyway in Bucharest as the Widowmaker crouched on a rooftop, her rifle trained on a figure weaving through the crowds below. The man wore a gray coat, hood drawn tight—one of the Bone Circle’s outer messengers. The kind that didn’t speak unless they had to. The kind that disappeared into smoke if not handled just right.Below, Spider whispered through her comms, shadowing the figure from the street level, weaving between a fish vendor and a line of schoolchildren with the ease of someone who knew how to vanish in plain sight.“He’s twitchy,” Widowmaker said softly. “You see that limp? Trained injury pattern. Could be a decoy.”“No,” Spider replied. “He’s sweating. This one’s carrying something.”Sure enough, the man turned down a narrow, grimy corridor—the kind only desperate men or ghosts walked down.Widowmaker moved.She leapt down, boots silent on steel grating, and appeared at the far end of the alley just as the man realized he was being cornered. Spider emerg
Kain kicked the door open with a limp and swagger that didn’t quite match the deep scrape across his face. The Jackal followed, limping harder, his arm bandaged and dried blood still on his sleeve.Valeria stood near the window, swirling a glass of red wine like it could calm the rage building in her chest.They didn’t even make it halfway into the room before she spoke.“You two look like chewed-up sausage and boiled disappointment.”Kain grunted. “It was a fortress.”“A fortress,” the Jackal added, defensive. “We didn’t know he had cameras inside the fucking walls. Who does that?”“Vulture,” Valeria hissed, turning toward them, her eyes sharp enough to cut through steel. “He does that. Because he’s insane and brilliant and paranoid. The worst kind of bastard.”She paced the floor like a storm dressed in black silk.“Did you at least see the boy?” she demanded.“No,” Kain said. “But we saw the baby.”“What baby?”“Her baby,” the Jackal said. “Cassie and Bain’s. Pink cheeks. Big lungs
Some missions start with grace, precision, and professional silence.This was not one of those.Kain crouched behind a shipping container outside the northern edge of the power plant facility Valeria’s network was rumored to use. He wore all black, night goggles perched on his forehead, and a wireless mic taped to his jaw. Next to him, the Jackal—still limping from his last close encounter with a bullet—was trying to stretch his thigh muscle mid-crouch like a drunk flamingo.“This is stupid,” the Jackal whispered through gritted teeth. “You said this plan was clean.”“It is clean,” Kain muttered. “Tactically streamlined, minimum exposure, zero casualties.”“Except my kneecap.”“Your kneecap was already suicidal before we got here.”The Jackal groaned and adjusted the brace strapped to his leg. “Why are we doing recon again? We’re not exactly inconspicuous. I walk like a wounded rhino and you keep breathing like a bulldog having an asthma attack.”“Recon,” Kain said smugly, tapping his
Valeria stood by the frost-laced window, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The news of Cassie’s rescue had reached her, and the walls of her meticulously constructed world began to tremble. The Carpathian facility, once deemed impenetrable, had fallen.Her father, the King, entered the room, his presence as commanding as ever. “The facility is compromised. Cassie is gone,” he stated, his voice devoid of emotion.Valeria turned to face him, her eyes burning with a mix of anger and desperation. “I underestimated them,” she admitted.The King nodded slowly. “And Elias? Your son?”Valeria’s heart clenched. Elias, her eight-year-old son, whom she had left behind in pursuit of power. The boy’s father, a loyal operative, had perished on a covert mission to Petrov, a casualty of Valeria’s ambition.“I need to bring him back,” she whispered.The King raised an eyebrow. “You abandoned him. Why the sudden change of heart?”“Because he’s all I have left,” she replied, her voice trembling.De
The war room buzzed with the low hum of shifting gear, rustling maps, and sharpened tension.Spider stood near the table, lacing her boots with the calm precision of someone who’d been on too many missions to count. Luka and Ryder were arguing over who got the longer-range rifle, while Viktor pulled up a satellite grid of the Carpathian facility—remote, cold, and brutal in terrain.And then came the unmistakable click of heels.All eyes turned.The Widowmaker limped into the room, one arm still wrapped in gauze, a thin scar visible on her cheek. Her coat trailed behind her like war-torn silk. She moved like pain was a mere suggestion.“You shouldn’t be walking,” Spider said bluntly.“I shouldn’t have survived either,” the Widowmaker replied, voice like dry ice. “I’m coming.”Ryder raised a brow. “You were shot through the ribs.”“And now I shoot back.”There was a brief pause. Then Spider nodded. “Fine. You cover east. Luka takes the rear exit. Ryder with me on breach.”Viktor tapped
The war room inside Vulture’s domain smelled like espresso, gun oil, and something suspiciously like baby powder.Bain was seated near the wall of monitors, shirt sleeves rolled up, his healing hand still bandaged from the last operation. He rocked the baby’s carrier gently with one foot while Viktor connected the hard drive Spider had sent through a scrambled channel.The moment the files opened, Vulture stormed in like a drunk hurricane in silk.“I swear to all the gods—real, fake, or dead—I just saw two of my guards trying to sneak out with my last bottle of Scotch. And one of them was wearing lip balm. Cherry. What in all the flammable hells is going on with people these days?”He stopped mid-rant when he spotted Bain and the blinking screen.“What’s this?” Vulture sniffed, eyes narrowing. “If that’s another compilation of Luka’s ‘cool walk’ clips, I’m throwing this baby at the wall.”“It’s the intel,” Viktor said, ignoring the threat to the baby. “Spider, Ryder, and Luka hit pay
Somewhere between the coast of Palermo and the dusty roads of Varna, Ryder was ready to throw Luka out of a moving van.“This coffee tastes like cat piss that lost a bet,” Ryder grumbled, swishing the last sip in his mouth like it might taste better if he glared at it.“You think I like it?” Luka snapped, adjusting the cheap sunglasses sliding down his nose. “You know how many years I’ve been drinking espresso brewed by a guy named Rocco with chest hair that makes a rug jealous? And now I’m stuck with gas station sludge that tastes like depression.”Spider, seated cross-legged in the back of the van, bit back a laugh. “You two whine more than an orphanage of kittens on bath day.”“It’s not whining,” Ryder muttered. “It’s tactical disappointment.”“It’s weak is what it is,” she shot back, her dark braid swinging as she leaned over the map spread across the floor. “You’re tracking the most dangerous human trafficking queenpin in Europe, and your biggest concern is bean juice?”“She also