The compound's familiar hum of technology surrounded Helena as she paced through the dim corridors the next morning, her mind racing with the determination that had settled in her heart the night before. Every step she took felt heavy with purpose, yet filled with uncertainty. Was it crazy? Asking Ryan to go after one of the most dangerous syndicates in the world? Helena didn't know, but she had to try.
Iris' words haunted her—about survival, about feeling trapped in this life. Helena couldn't ignore it. Iris didn't deserve to live in fear for the rest of her life, always wondering if the Black Phoenix Syndicate would find her. But more than that, Helena knew this was about Ryan too. He had become so absorbed in his empire, his power, his secrets, that she feared he'd forgotten what it meant to truly live. It was all survival now, for everyone under his protection.
Helena approached the control room, knowing full well that confronting her brother would not be easy. Ryan wasn't the boy she had grown up with, the boy who had always been there to comfort her. He had become something colder, something much darker. But he was still her brother, and somewhere beneath the layers of shadows, she believed there was a part of him that wanted more than this endless cycle of control and power.
She reached the door, pausing for a moment as her hand hovered over the handle. Would he listen? Would he even consider it?
With a deep breath, Helena pushed the door open and stepped inside.
A Brother and Sister Face Off
Ryan stood at the center of the room, his gaze locked on the wall of surveillance screens that flickered with constant streams of data, monitoring the movements of his enemies and allies alike. He didn't immediately acknowledge her presence, though Helena knew he had sensed her the moment she entered the room.
"Ryan," Helena called softly, her voice more hesitant than she had intended.
He didn't turn to face her, his eyes still fixed on the screens, but his voice was calm and controlled as always. "Helena. You should be resting."
Helena took a few steps closer, her heart pounding. "I needed to talk to you."
Ryan's posture remained unchanged, though there was a slight shift in the air—a subtle tension that Helena could feel as she approached. "What is it?" he asked, his tone neutral.
"It's about Iris," Helena began, her voice steadier now. "I spoke to her last night, and… Ryan, I don't think she's as okay as you think she is."
At this, Ryan's head tilted slightly, though he still didn't turn. His silence was answer enough for Helena to continue.
"She told me about the Black Phoenix Syndicate," Helena said, her words rushing out now. "About what happened to her family, about why she's been running for so long. And I get that you saved her, that you've given her a place here. But Ryan… she's still afraid. She's still hiding."
Ryan's jaw tightened, though he kept his expression controlled. "Iris knows what she's up against. She knows what's at stake. It's not something that can be fixed."
Helena's frustration rose, and she took a step closer, her voice hardening. "That's just it, Ryan. It can be fixed. You have the power, you have the resources. You could take down the syndicate—end this once and for all."
Ryan's shoulders tensed visibly, and he finally turned to face her. His eyes were cold, sharp as they locked onto hers. "You don't understand what you're asking."
Helena's heart raced as she met his gaze, refusing to back down. "No, Ryan, I think I do. I'm asking you to help her, to give her a chance at a real life—one where she's not constantly running and looking over her shoulder."
Ryan's expression darkened, and his voice dropped to a dangerous tone. "It's not that simple, Helena. The Black Phoenix Syndicate isn't just some criminal organization you can wipe out with a few hits. They're bigger than you realize, more powerful than even I've shown you."
"Then what's stopping you from trying?" Helena shot back, her voice trembling with frustration. "You're The Lord. You've built this empire, this web of control and power. You've taken down enemies far bigger than the syndicate. If anyone can do it, you can."
Ryan's gaze flickered, and for a brief moment, something softer flashed in his eyes—guilt, perhaps, or hesitation. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the cold mask he wore so well.
"I can't protect everyone, Helena," he said quietly, his voice low and measured. "No matter how much power I have, there are limits. The syndicate… they're more than just a threat to Iris. Taking them on would mean risking the entire network, the entire foundation I've built. And that's a risk I can't take."
Helena's breath caught in her throat. "But Ryan—"
"Iris is safe here," Ryan interrupted, his tone firm and final. "As long as she's under my protection, no one will touch her. That's all I can promise."
Helena's chest tightened, her heart aching at the coldness in Ryan's voice. "Is that really enough?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Is it enough for her to spend the rest of her life hiding in this compound, never knowing if the syndicate will find her? Is that the kind of life you think she deserves?"
Ryan's gaze hardened, his posture stiffening as he stepped closer to her, his presence overwhelming. "Do you think I haven't thought about that?" he hissed, his voice laced with frustration. "Do you think I don't know what Iris has been through, what she's lost? I saved her from the syndicate, and I've kept her alive since then. But this world… it doesn't care about what you deserve, Helena. It only cares about survival."
Helena's eyes stung with unshed tears as she stared at her brother, her heart breaking for both Iris and Ryan. "And what about you?" she asked softly, her voice barely audible. "Is this all you've been doing too? Surviving?"
Ryan's eyes flickered with something—regret, perhaps, or the weight of his own choices—but he quickly pushed it aside, turning back to the screens. "I've made my decisions. This is my life now."
Helena's frustration boiled over, and she took a step forward, grabbing his arm. "No, Ryan. This doesn't have to be your life. You don't have to stay in this world, dragging Iris and everyone else down with you. You could help her. You could take down the syndicate and give her a real chance."
Ryan looked at her, his eyes hardening again, and he gently but firmly pulled his arm away. "And risk everything I've built? For what, Helena? A dream that's already been shattered?"
Helena's breath hitched as his words sank in. She knew Ryan had sacrificed more than she could ever understand, but it still didn't make sense to her. How could he turn away from someone who needed his help, who needed a way out?
"Then what's the point of all this?" Helena asked, her voice trembling. "What's the point of your power if you can't use it to protect the people you care about? Isn't that why you built all of this in the first place?"
Ryan's gaze softened for the briefest moment, and Helena saw something in his eyes that she hadn't seen in years—pain. He sighed, turning away from her again, his voice quieter now. "This world… it takes everything from you. I'm trying to keep what's left. That's all."
Helena felt her heart ache as she watched her brother retreat back into the shadows, his walls firmly in place once again. She wanted to reach out to him, to tell him that he didn't have to carry the weight of the world alone. But she knew better than to push him any further. Ryan wasn't the kind of person who could be swayed easily, no matter how much she pleaded.
With a heavy heart, Helena turned and left the control room, her mind swirling with frustration, fear, and sadness. She had tried to get through to him, tried to make him see that there was a way out of this endless cycle of survival. But Ryan… he was too far gone, too consumed by his own darkness.
As Helena walked through the quiet halls of the compound, her footsteps echoing in the stillness, she couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that had settled in her chest. Iris was still trapped, still hiding from the world that had destroyed her family. And Ryan… Ryan was trapped too, though he would never admit it.
Iris' Perspective
Back in her room, Iris sat cross-legged on the floor, the dim glow of her tablet casting a soft light across her face. She had heard the argument between Ryan and Helena, though she hadn't meant to eavesdrop. The walls in the compound were thick, but not thick enough to block out raised voices.
A part of her felt guilty—she hadn't wanted to cause tension between them, but another part of her was touched by Helena's concern. No one had ever cared that much about her before, not since… not since her family had been killed.
But even as she felt a small warmth bloom in her chest, Iris knew that Helena's hope was misplaced. There was no "taking down" the Black Phoenix Syndicate. They were too powerful, too entrenched in every layer of society. And Ryan? He was right. Survival was the only thing that mattered now.
Still, as Iris sat there in the quiet, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like—what it would feel like—to truly be free. To live without looking over her shoulder, without worrying that one day, the syndicate would find her and finish what they had started.
But dreams like that were dangerous. They only led to disappointment.
With a sigh, Iris closed her tablet and lay back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. She had survived this long by keeping her expectations low, by accepting that this was the life she had been given. And yet, for the first time in years, she found herself wishing for something more.
Maybe Helena was right. Maybe there was a way out.
But for now, all Iris could do was wait and see what would happen next.
End of Chapter 28