Zinnia
The buzz of the hangar’s lights was the only sound filling the space, aside from the occasional clang of metal tools from the maintenance area. It was strange, standing here, surrounded by luxury. Reed’s private jet loomed just a few feet away, sleek and polished, when only hours ago, we had barely escaped with our lives. Seriously, how rich was he and is he always prepared for break outs and casualties?
I sat on the edge of a cot in one of the furnished rooms, pressing my fingers against my temples. My head throbbed like a heartbeat inside my skull, pulsing with the weight of everything I had just endured and witnessed. Alex must’ve noticed, because she sighed and sat beside me, dipping a cloth into a bowl of cold water before pressing it gently to my forehead.
“Here,” she murmured. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”
I closed my eyes, exhaling sharply. “I feel like I might.”
Alex gave a quiet chuckle, but the tension in her posture never eased. She just lost her father and no matter how much of an evil person he was, it didn’t help that she watched him die right before her eyes. Matter of fact, none of ours had. Because despite the temporary refuge this hangar provided, the air was thick with something restless.
Or maybe that was just Reed.
He stood near the entrance of the room, his shoulder covered in deep crimson, the gun wound from earlier still bleeding through his torn shirt. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his breathing heavy, his eyes darting around the room like a caged animal looking for an escape. I had never seen him like this before. He look so raw and so out of control.
Reed always had a plan. He was always steps ahead. Until tonight. I watched him lose everything. And now, he was unraveling.
“We need to move,” Reed said suddenly, breaking the silence. His voice was rough, edged with barely contained rage. “Hermine, get to work on Lucas’s phone. We track Roman down now.”
Hermine was seated at a desk in the corner, arms crossed, her face unreadable. She didn’t move, didn’t even blink. “Now isn’t the time,” she said, her tone firm. “We just lost everything. We need to regroup before we make a move.”
Reed’s head snapped toward her, eyes flashing dangerously. “Are you defying me?”
Alex and I exchanged a look, despite the way my head pounded with every breath. This was about to get ugly.
“I’m not defying you,” Hermine said slowly, standing up now, her posture sharp. “I’m using common sense. You want me to crack Lucas’s phone and trace Roman tonight? We’re battered, you are bleeding, Zinnia and Alex are both hurt and we have nothing. What the hell do you think is going to happen if we go in blind?”
Reed stepped forward, shoulders tense, jaw clenched. “What’s going to happen? We win,” he growled. “We don’t sit here licking our wounds while Roman celebrates his victory. We take him out.”
Hermine scoffed. “And what, get ambushed again? Because that’s exactly what’s gonna happen if we go after him now.”
Reed’s fist slammed against the wall, the sound echoing through the room. “We don’t wait. We don’t stop. That’s how we lost in the first place because we hesitated.”
“Are you hearing yourself right now?” Hermine fired back, stepping closer. “You’re pissed off, and you should be. But you’re not thinking, Reed. You’re reacting. And if you don’t stop and get your head straight, Roman’s going to take even more from you. From us.”
The air between them crackled with tension, thick with heat. I should’ve been worried. Maybe I was. But mostly? I was watching in bemusement, despite the way my head throbbed. So was Alex.
This was different. Reed and Hermine had always been in sync, a lethal team, a perfect storm of strategy and action. But now, they were spiraling in opposite directions. And someone needed to pull them back before they ripped each other apart.
“Enough.” My voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the argument like a knife. Both of them turned to me, still bristling with frustration.
I sat up straighter, pulling the cloth off my forehead. The headache was still there, but I pushed past it. This wasn’t about me.
“Reed, I get it. I really do.” I met his gaze, holding it steady. “You want blood. You want Roman to suffer. Trust me, I want that too. I want to be the one to end his miserable existence.” My fingers curled into fists, just thinking about it. “But we need to be smart about this.”
Reed’s breathing was uneven, his hands still trembling with rage, but he didn’t interrupt.
I stood up, ignoring the way the room tilted slightly. “You thought you were ahead of him before. And look where that got us.” I gestured around the room, my voice calm but pointed. “Roman took everything from you because he was closer than you realized. Because he had a plan. And if we want to go up against him again, we need to be better. We need to be meticulous. We can’t afford to let emotions get the better of us, or we’ll end up exactly where he wants us.”
Reed exhaled sharply, turning away, hands bracing against the wall. His muscles tensed, his shoulders rising and falling, but he wasn’t arguing anymore.
Hermine crossed her arms, her expression still tight, but there was understanding in her eyes. “She’s right,” she said, her voice quieter now. “We’ll get him, Reed. But not tonight. Not like this.”
The room was silent for a long moment. Reed stayed where he was, unmoving, the tension still thrumming through him. Then, finally, he let out a low, bitter laugh.
“Fine.” His voice was rough, drained. “We plan. We do it your way.” He turned back to us, but there was something darker in his expression now. Something unshakable. “But when the time comes… I want his death to be slow. I want him to suffer.”
A chill ran through me, but I nodded. “We’ll make sure of it.”
Hermine sighed, muttering something under her breath before slumping back into her chair. Alex ran a hand through his hair, exhaling like he had just witnessed a hurricane pass.
I took a step back toward the cot, feeling exhaustion creep in. My headache had dulled, but my body ached in ways I couldn’t even describe. I needed rest. We all did. But just as I sank back down, something beeped.
Loud. Sharp. Distinct.
Hermine shot up, her face paling. “That’s Lucas’s phone.”
Reed’s posture went rigid. “What?”
Hermine grabbed the device, her fingers moving rapidly. “Someone just pinged it. Someone’s trying to access it.”
Silence hung in the air, heavy, suffocating. Then, the screen flashed. A single message. One that sent a cold chill down my spine.
“You think you’re hunting me, Reed? I’m already watching you.”
My breath caught. Alex cursed under his breath. Hermine’s grip tightened on the phone.
And Reed?
His expression turned to stone.
Roman was closer than we thought. Again.
_________