Good friend.
Ewan wasn’t utterly satisfied with the term, now aware of his feelings for the amazing, gorgeous woman whose head rested on his shoulder, but he could take it because he knew that it was more than soone in his condition could ever hope for.
From friend to good friend. That was progress in his books.
Maybe if the universe would show him rcy as it had done today—in their capture of Morgan—he would be promoted, from good friend, to maybe, boyfriend?
He licked his lower lip, his eyes moving to the window, watching the houses they kept passing as they moved toward Connor’s residence; following steadily behind the black van where Morgan and his little crew of two had been kept.
"So, tell about Philemon... your history with him. I’ve heard of his gang, but talk to about the deeper things."
A pause, where Athena wetted her lips, yet didn’t move from her position—a position she was aware she enjoyed.
"Seeing as he knows your identity, where many do not, are you not at risk?"
"No, I’m not," Ewan replied, not taking his eyes away from the window. "He knows better than to spill the secret. No matter how tough he looks, he is wise enough to know that I have the upper hand against his gang... well, he thinks that I am still head of the Demon Vipers gang."
Athena frowned. "I’m not following. The handover wasn’t known even in the underworld? So if, let’s say, your successor were to let the cat out of the bag—maybe at a drinking party—your identity will be exposed and ruined?"
"Well, it makes sense, your statent, I an, but my successor is sworn to an oath to keep his mouth shut, seeing as my na moves the business more than his or my predecessors. The other gangs tremble when they hear my na."
Athena rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you really made your mark in the underworld. Parents used your na as a monster scare for their children when they misbehaved. I know because mine did..."
A pregnant pause.
"Do you miss that lifestyle? The thrill and all?" Athena knew how sotis she wished for the thrill that ca with going on missions—especially spy ones—so she would understand if Ewan answered in the affirmative.
But to her amazent, Ewan replied, "No."
"I joined the gang out of necessity. But business... that’s sothing I have a knack for, sothing I have always loved. Maybe because I was grood to take over from a young age. Yet, I have a knack with numbers."
Athena could understand too. Her children were enough proof, seeing as they had the business sense to run KN dia.
"About a previous statent of yours, where you talked about taking down your forr gang..."
"Spider tells of the recent atrocity they are indulging in, and the fact that they would have worked with the producers of the Grey disease—if Morgan hadn’t stepped in slyly and taken the contract," Ewan comnted, guessing where Athena’s statent was heading.
Athena furrowed her brows, rembering Philemon’s statent about Morgan, about the latter always touching a lion’s tail, and sighed. That was surely true.
But it was good it wasn’t Ewan’s gang she was dealing with at the mont. It might have been more complicated.
"So, seeing as your forr gang knows about this contract, does it an that your successor might know the person behind this madness?"
Ewan tsked. "Spider checked. But the ssage in the dark web, was from a private number he couldn’t track."
Athena was gobsmacked. This was the second case where Spider had failed to do his job, not because of incompetence, but because he was outmatched.
Her mind’s wheels started spinning again, at a wild rate.
"Ewan..."
"Yes," Ewan answered after a lengthy pause, where he had been waiting for Athena to continue speaking, and Athena was waiting for him to respond to her.
"What if... I’m just saying..." She paused again, licking her lip.
"What if the person behind your parents’ death is behind the Grey disease? What if the person is using the sa hacker—a hacker that Spider can’t seem to defeat?"
There was a tense silence that kicked up then, enveloping these two, making them unaware of their environnt to an extent—or the fact they were at Connor’s place already, with their accomplices in front waiting for their order.
"That’s... a strange... deduction," Ewan muttered, even as he contemplated the matter.
"Maybe you should ask Spider. Surely, there must be so patterns he can see between the two hacks—maybe he can notice so similarities..."
Even as Athena spoke, Ewan brought out his phone and typed out the ssage, forwarding it to Spider.
"Thanks, Athena... I hadn’t even thought about this. Athena, if this checks out..."
Hearing the sudden hoarseness in Ewan’s voice, Athena lifted her head.
"Let’s not get ahead of ourselves," She pleaded, gazing at him intensely. "We’ll take it step by step. I don’t want you to get too hopeful—and then bitter if it doesn’t check out."
Ewan fought the urge to drop a kiss on her dry yet enticing lips, to make them plump and wet like he loved. "Okay, good friend."
Athena chuckled, shaking her head. "Co on out, Ewan. We are here."
As they stepped out of the car, they stood side by side, watching as Ewan’s n pushed Morgan and his accomplices toward Connor’s porch, Connor who had stepped out to understand the commotion in his quiet, almost noiseless area.
"Wait," Athena called out, rembering sothing. She took out her phone and snapped so close-up pictures of Finn, sending them to Herbert.
’He is Heron, Morgan’s right-hand man. Don’t bla yourself, old man. We all fell for his tricks. By the way, I hope you’re getting better... let’s catch up over coffee soti."
"You can take him in," Athena gestured with her hand as she spoke, when she lifted her head and saw they were waiting for her.
Inside the sitting room, Connor was still battling with surprise at seeing the number-one criminal of the nation sitting dejected before him.
He had thought that he had fallen from Ewan’s favor forever—that the latter wouldn’t give him a job again.
"Deal with them ruthlessly. But we will be taking our pound of flesh first, before you do... more company is arriving." Ewan started, folding his arms across his chest, ignoring the pain that single movent triggered.
His command, however, sounded and tasted like honey to Connor. The male smiled deviously, enjoying Heron and Dax squirming beneath his gaze.
"Is Heronica here?" Morgan’s voice was soft; a man thoroughly humbled, since he slled of urine.
He was yet to understand why his body had betrayed him in such a manner. But didn’t he know why? He was about to be subjected to an intense torture he’d never experienced—rather, seen on others!
Was this karma? A ti to taste his own dicine? He cursed himself. When did he beco so philosophical?
Athena’s smug voice drew him out of his haze. "No, you’re lucky. She’s in the black cells. However, your Morgana is here. Do you want to see her? I’m sure you miss her."
Connor, not waiting for an order, rubbing his hands gleefully, shouted for Fiona. "Get down here in five seconds!"
The next sound would have been painful to Athena’s ears—and to anyone’s. But the people in that room weren’t just anyone.
They listened, all calm, except Morgan, who clenched his fists as the sound of Fiona falling down the stairs, in a hurry, reached his ears.
He saw red when she jumped through the remaining stairs, landing at the bottom with a cry and a broken leg—if the bone peeking out was any indication.
Fiona scread and scread, but no one ca to her. So involved was she in her pain that she didn’t notice Morgan—until Connor slapped her mouth shut.
"Any more screaming, and I will cut off another finger of yours! You don’t want to be fingerless, do you?"
It was then that Athena noticed Fiona’s two little fingers were missing, coated in black blood. Infected. She thought, maintaining a blank expression.
Good for her. She looked away, enjoying the expression of Morgan’s pain on his face. The monster really loved the witch. A good pair they were, after all.
She stepped closer to Morgan. "Seeing as you love her, don’t you think it would be fair to let her suffer what Scarlet went through?"
Ewan frowned. This was the second ti he was hearing that na. Who was Scarlet? His thoughts were scattered by Morgan’s screams of plea.
"No! Please! I will do anything, Athena! Don’t do that to her! She’s innocent! You can have instead!"
Athena laughed at the irony. "Innocent? How can she be innocent? Your Morgana is anything but innocent, and she must go through what my friend suffered at your hands!"
"Who is Scarlet, and what did Morgan do to her?" Ewan could no longer hold it in.
A tense silence followed, with Athena wondering how she could tell the story.
"I’ll tell you about it later... but until then..." She flashed her teeth at Morgan. "Why not tell Connor what to do with Fiona? Narrate it properly, unless I will make sure he gets more guys to help him treat her... well."
Reviews
All reviews (0)