"I'm here, I'm here—stop nagging me! What if it isn't him?" A man in his thirties who looked far too young to be graying so soon burst into the room. He froze when he saw Xerxes sitting on the couch, surrounded by an assortment of snacks—Nova's favorites, which he had painstakingly stocked. Xerxes was munching on the snacks, the bowl of peanuts now empty and repurposed as a stand for his smartphone, which was playing a video for him as he ate.
"Nevermind, it is him," the manager muttered into the phone before hanging up.
***
TING!
The elevator's door slid open, and the manager stepped inside, pressing the lonely button that stood above all the others. Xerxes, unfamiliar with the five-star hotel, had no idea where the manager was taking him, but he had mentioned wanting to see Nova. So he guessed they were heading to him.
Xerxes quietly followed the manager, who didn't say a word either. The silence between them felt thick and awkward, with nothing but the soft hum of the elevator filling the space.
"What's your relationship with Nova?" the manager suddenly asked, causing Xerxes' hair to stand on end.
"What?" Xerxes replied, his voice nervous.
"Nevermind," the manager muttered, his tone barely open. "I'm only taking you to Nova because he requested it."
The elevator reached the top floor, its doors sliding open to reveal a set of double doors—grand and unmistakably belonging to the penthouse.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, the double doors to the penthouse swung wide. Nova stood in the doorway, greeting them with a warm, heartening smile.
"Well done," he said, giving his manager a friendly pat on the shoulder as they entered.
"I got him, just like you asked," the manager replied, turning to leave. "I'm out. Call me if you need anything."
"Leaving already? You can stay for a bit longer," Nova said, his tone light and casual.
The manager shook his head. "I'm busy. Don't have time to waste," he replied curtly, stepping back into the hallway and closing the door behind him.
"Don't just stand there—come inside," Nova said, pulling Xerxes into the living room and guiding him to an L-shaped couch.
Though it had been a while since he last saw Nova, Xerxes couldn't shake the feeling that something about him felt different. He wanted to ask about the dungeon situation and why he'd been reported missing, but he needed a moment to gather his thoughts and feel comfortable enough to bring it up. Before he could, Nova reappeared with a glass of red wine and a bottle in hand.
"Drink?" Nova offered, pouring some wine into the glass.
"I don't drink," Xerxes replied.
After pausing, Nova shrugged and drank from the glass. He moved in the direction of the open kitchen that connected to the living area. He opened the refrigerator and set the bottle and glass of wine on the kitchen counter.
"Here," Nova said, returning with a bottle of 100% orange juice. He handed it to Xerxes. "I ordered food for us—it'll arrive soon. Let's wait until then."
"You told them something strange about me, didn't you?" Xerxes asked, unscrewing the cap of the juice bottle.
Nova smiled innocently, as if he had no idea what Xerxes was talking about. "What are you talking about?"
Xerxes took a slow sip of the juice, his gaze fixed on Nova's smiling face. "You must have seen the flash notification from the government—why am I missing, and why is there even a ransom being offered? The government wouldn't spend a penny on a random nobody like me."
He spoke nonchalantly, but there was a sharpness in his words as he watched Nova's reaction.
Before Nova could respond, the doorbell rang, interrupting the sudden interrogation.
"Must be the delivery guy," Nova said quickly, seizing the opportunity to make his escape.
Xerxes, still hungry and eager for his first proper meal in a long time, waited expectantly. But when Nova returned, it wasn't with food. Instead, he was flanked by five tall men, all dressed in dark blue long coats.
oh fuck me.
Xerxes gripped the juice bottle tightly, his knuckles white, as he ran toward the stairs, heading up to the bedrooms.
"Xerxes, wait!" Nova shouted after him, but Xerxes ignored him, rushing up the stairs without looking back. He reached a bedroom, slammed the door shut, and locked it, pressing his back against the door as he gasped for breath.
"It's not what it looks like, Xerxes." Nova's voice came from the other side of the door, calm and collected. "They're just here to ask you a few questions."
Xerxes' patience snapped. He whipped around, his anger flaring. "You fucker, you were in with the government, weren't you? Why the hell would five men come all this way just to ask me a few questions?"
"I didn't know you could use such foul language, Xerxes," Nova remarked, his tone smooth but not addressing any of Xerxes' questions.
Xerxes didn't flinch. "It's reserved for people like you," he shot back. "Especially you. I'm not coming out until you tell me why they're here." He took a slow sip of the juice, keeping his gaze fixed on the door, waiting for Nova's response.
Distant voices filtered through the door, muffled but clear enough to make out.
"Should we break the door down?"
"If he won't come out, we'll have to force our way in. We're not waiting for him to stop his tantrum and come out on his own."
It sounded like they were speaking directly to Nova.
"I'm telling the truth, Xerxes," Nova insisted, not giving up on trying to get him to come out. "They're here to ask you something."
Xerxes chuckled darkly. "You take me for a fool, don't you?" He paused, then added with a smirk, "Just let them break the door down. I'll come out then."
"He agreed," came the voice from outside the door. "Step aside, Mr. Nova. We don't want you getting hurt."
Nova's voice grew more forceful. "Wait, this is my house!"
"Or you can just sign the contract with us... without him," another voice suggested, cold and clinical.
The mention of a contract caught Xerxes' attention; his curiosity piqued despite the situation.