Dos finally had the chance to redo his mission—to infiltrate Shadestone without getting caught. Unlike the rest of us, he never played the role of a front-line soldier. He wasn't the type to charge into battle guns blazing. He was a ghost. A spy who slipped into enemy territory unnoticed, gathering information before vanishing like he was never there.
That was what made him dangerous.
And yet, there was one mission from his past that still haunted him. The mission he failed. The one that nearly cost him his life.
I had always known that something had gone terribly wrong during Dos's first mission, but the details remained a mystery. Even now, none of us truly knew what had happened that day—only that whatever it was, it had nearly broken him. And yet, somehow, he survived.
Now, I finally knew what that mission was.
And knowing the truth… I understood why it almost consumed him.
Shadestone wasn't just another criminal syndicate. It was an empire built in the shadows, a web of illegal operations stretching across the world. Tracking them had been nearly impossible—until now.
We had only one lead: Calyxander Lockhorst.
If the intel Uno gathered turned out to be true, if the evidence we were uncovering was real… then Calyx wasn't just connected to Shadestone.
He was their heir.
"When are you leaving?" I asked as I pulled on my coat, preparing myself for what I had to do next.
The past few hours had been spent in intense discussion, mapping out every detail of the plan to infiltrate Shadestone's base here in Melbourne. Every scenario was analyzed, every risk assessed. And, unsurprisingly, one thing remained non-negotiable: I wasn't allowed to be part of it.
They made their stance clear—it was too dangerous.
I was the main target. Not my brothers, Steven and Sebastian. Not even Kaiser or Dos. Me.
It didn't matter how much I argued. No matter how prepared I thought I was, they refused to let me step into the enemy's lair.
Fine.
If they weren't going to let me fight alongside them, then I'd do the next best thing—stay close to Calyx.
I had my own reasons for visiting him. But more than anything, if Shadestone wanted him, I needed to make sure no one got to him first.
Fifth had been the one monitoring Calyx up until now, but it was time for a switch. If I took over, he could join the team, ensuring they had all hands on deck.
It wasn't the role I wanted.
But for now, it would have to be enough.
Uno glanced up from his laptop, pausing mid-typing. "We leave in two hours," he said, his voice firm. "Dos wants one last run-through of the plan before we move."
Dos, who was leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, let out a short scoff. "If we don't, someone's going to mess it up, and I'd rather not die because one of you forgot the exit routes."
Kaiser rolled his eyes. "No one's going to mess it up. We've been over this a hundred times."
"Exactly," Dos countered. "And yet, we still have an idiot running headfirst into danger." His sharp gaze flickered to me.
I met his stare without flinching. "If you're referring to me, I already told you—I'm not going to sit around and do nothing."
"You think babysitting Calyx is doing something?" he shot back.
A flicker of irritation sparked inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Calyx is our only direct link to Shadestone. Whether you like it or not, he's involved in this mess, and if they come after him, we lose our lead. So yes, keeping him alive is doing something."
A tense silence settled over the room.
Dos exhaled through his nose, shaking his head as if he wanted to argue but knew I wasn't going to budge. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don't come crying to me when this backfires."
Kaiser cleared his throat, cutting in before things could escalate. "Fifth is still with Calyx right now. You sure you want to switch with him?"
I nodded. "He's more useful with you guys. If something goes wrong in that base, you'll need all the backup you can get."
"Alright," Kaiser conceded. "But Severa—watch your back."
I let out a slow breath. "I always do."
As I grabbed my keys and turned to leave, I could feel their eyes on me, filled with unspoken worry. They thought I was reckless. Maybe I was. But at least I wasn't running from this fight.
Even if it meant standing alone.
--
"Hey, you sure about this?" Fifth asked the moment we met in the Lockhorst Corporation parking lot.
His voice was steady, but I could hear the unease beneath it.
I glanced at him briefly before turning my eyes to the towering building in front of us. Calyx was inside. Still carrying on as CEO like nothing had happened, like the last few weeks hadn't completely turned our worlds upside down.
The security around him had doubled. Graham Security, handpicked by my brother Sebastian, now guarded every entrance and exit, forming an invisible barrier around him. I only found out about it yesterday—along with the fact that Kaiser had been watching over him too. Protecting him.
They were all protecting him.
And yet, here I was, taking over as if it was my responsibility. Maybe it was.
"They need you more than me, Fifth," I finally said, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. My voice was even, but the truth behind my words felt heavier than I cared to admit.
Fifth studied me, his brows furrowed as if he wasn't convinced. "That's not what I'm asking, Severa," he said, crossing his arms. "I'm asking if you are sure about this."
I inhaled deeply, holding my breath for a second before releasing it slowly. Was I sure?
No.
But what choice did I have?
I looked up at the Lockhorst Corporation building again, its sleek glass windows reflecting the afternoon sky. A fortress. A cage. A battleground.
Calyx was inside. Waiting. Unaware. Maybe even unbothered by the weight of everything that had come crashing down around us.
"I have to be," I answered quietly.
Fifth exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still feels wrong leaving you here," he muttered.
I forced a smirk, trying to lighten the air. "What, afraid I'll burn the place down?"
He snorted, shaking his head. "Something like that." Then, after a pause, his voice turned serious. "Just… watch your back. If Shadestone really is after you, this is the first place they'll look."
A cold shiver ran down my spine, but I refused to let it show. Instead, I tightened my grip on my bag strap and nodded. "I know."
Fifth lingered for a second, his hand resting on his car door as if he wanted to say something else. Maybe a warning. Maybe an apology.
But whatever it was, he swallowed it down.
Without another word, he got into the car, and I watched as he pulled out of the parking lot, disappearing into the traffic of Melbourne's busy streets.
The moment he was gone, silence settled around me, thick and suffocating.
I turned back to the Lockhorst Corporation building, squaring my shoulders as I took a deep breath.
Time to face Calyx.