I leaned against the cold stone wall of the Vault, the dim light from the flickering bulbs overhead casting long shadows on the floor. The corridors were quieter at this hour, with most of the Vault's inhabitants either holed up in their stalls or out making moves in the streets. It was the perfect time for a meeting that couldn't afford
prying eyes.
Farrah slipped out of the shadows, moving as if she'd been born in them, her smirk already in place before she'd fully stepped into view. "You've got your work cut out for you, Lux," she said, keeping her voice low, but there was an edge of amusement in it. "Vigo's pissed off, alright. He'd like nothing more than to see Aspen get what's coming to her, but he's too scared to act alone."
I straightened, eyeing her carefully. "How do I get him on our side?"
Farrah shrugged. "Give him a reason. He's not going to move against Aspen unless he thinks there's a solid plan. The guy's been burned before. You need to convince him that when Aspen falls, he'll be taken care of." She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And maybe throw in a little incentive."
I nodded, already considering how I could sway Vigo. "Anything else?"
Farrah's smirk deepened, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Oh, plenty. Word on the street is Aspen's been tightening her grip on a few more people lately. She's pushing too hard, trying to shore up her power. That's how you'll get to her—you find the ones she's bleeding dry and offer them something better."
I met her gaze, my heart racing despite the calm facade I was trying to maintain. "And what about you, Farrah? What are you hoping to get out of this?"
She flashed me a grin, but it was sharp, calculated. "Oh, I'm just here for the ride. But we're in this together, for now. If things start going south… I'll make sure I'm on the winning side."
I couldn't help but smirk back. That was Farrah—always looking out for herself, always hedging her bets. It was both a strength and a risk for me. I just had to make sure she saw my side as the winning one.
The walk to Vigo's stall wasn't far, but with Farrah beside me, it felt like I was entering enemy territory. She had a way of blending into the shadows, slipping between the cracks of the Vault's chaos with an ease I could never quite replicate. It made sense—she'd been raised here. This place was in her blood.
She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, her usual smirk tugging at her lips. "So… you sure you're ready for this?"
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" I replied, keeping my voice low as we turned another corner. The air grew heavier with every step, thick with the scent of damp stone and stale smoke. "Aspen's already backed me into a corner. I need people who are just as desperate as I am."
"True enough." Farrah shrugged. "But Vigo's not like the others. He's got more to lose than most. That stall of his? It might be tucked in a shithole now, but he remembers when it was prime real estate. He doesn't forget slights easily."
"So, how do I approach him?"
Farrah paused for a moment, considering her answer. "Don't come at him with promises you can't keep. That's Aspen's game. She dangles the carrot and snatches it away when people get too close. Vigo's bitter, but he's not stupid. You need to show him you've got more to offer than just talk."
"And what if he doesn't want to talk at all?"
Farrah chuckled softly. "That's where I come in. I'll get you in the door, make him curious. But after that? You've
got to handle it. He's not going to move unless he thinks there's something in it for him."
I nodded, feeling the weight of the bags of Nebula tablets tucked into my bag. It wasn't a guarantee, but it was something—an incentive Vigo couldn't easily dismiss. "You think he'll listen?"
She smirked again. "Oh, he'll listen. Whether he trusts you, though… that's another story."
As we rounded the last corner, Vigo's stall came into view. It was tucked away in a narrow corridor, the walls pressing in like they were trying to squeeze out the last bit of life from this forgotten corner of the Vault. The air around it was heavy with the stench of disuse, the once-prime spot now reduced to a damp, dimly lit shadow.
Vigo himself sat hunched over a pile of goods, muttering under his breath as he picked through a stack of trinkets no one would ever buy. When he looked up and saw us approaching, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Farrah gave me a slight nudge with her elbow, leaning into whisper. "Remember—he's angry, but he's not going to move unless you make it worth his while."
I couldn't afford to screw this up. I had to make Vigo see that aligning with me wasn't just his best option—it was his only option.
"What do you want?" Vigo grumbled, his voice rough, as he glared at me from behind his stall. "I'm not in the mood for small talk."
I stopped just in front of him, keeping my voice steady, calm. "I'm not here for small talk. I'm here to talk about Aspen."
His gaze cast to Farrah, then back to me, his frown deepening. "I don't have anything to say about her."
"That's not what I've heard," I replied, stepping a little closer, lowering my voice so no one else could hear. "Word is, she's been squeezing you dry, forcing you to move your stall so she can bring in her own people. She's bleeding the Vault, Vigo. And you're not the only one who's fed up."
His jaw tightened, his hand flexing slightly over the stack of goods he was organizing. He didn't respond, but I could see the frustration in his eyes, the way his shoulders tensed.
"You don't have to stay under her thumb," I continued, leaning in just a bit more. "There are people—people like me—who want to see her taken down. People who want to see the Vault returned to something better. We could use someone like you."
He looked up at me then, his eyes flashing with something between anger and desperation. "And what do you expect me to do? Go up against Aspen? She'll have my head before I even blink."
I crossed my arms, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I'm not asking you to take her head-on, Vigo. I've been working with Oliver, and I've already started making moves. Aspen's guys? I've fired some of them myself. They're losing ground."
He snorted, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "You? Firing Aspen's men? Who the hell gave you the authority to pull a stunt like that?"
"Oliver did," I shot back, keeping my voice firm. "And if that's not enough for you, then consider this: I'm not here asking for your help because I think you'll cave to Aspen. I'm here because I know you want her gone as much as I do. You just need someone to show you it's possible. I'm not asking you to fight her," I said, shaking my head. "I'm asking you to survive. You're not alone in this. It's bigger than just you. It's bigger than me. There are cracks in her control—more than you think. All I need from you is information. Keep your ear to the ground. Find out who else is fed up, who else is ready to see Aspen fall. When the time comes, you'll have a place when she's gone. And I'll make sure you get what you deserve."
Vigo was silent for a long moment, his eyes searching mine as if he were trying to figure out how far I'd really go. He was angry, sure, but anger wasn't enough. He needed more than just promises—he needed real security. Something tangible, something he could rely on if things went sideways.
And things had a way of going sideways in the Vault.
"You really think you can pull this off?" Vigo's voice was low, skeptical. "You're telling me you're close to Oliver. Close enough to protect me if Aspen catches wind of this. But I'm not seeing it, girl. Aspen's had her grips in this place for years. She's got more power than you realize. And you? You're just… one of Olivers whores." He glanced at the bracelet that I'd long forgotten draped around my wrist.
The jab stung, but I didn't flinch. I couldn't. If I let him see any crack in my armor, this deal would be over before it even began. Instead, I met his gaze head-on, keeping my voice steady. "I'm more than just one of Oliver's girls. I'm close to him. Closer than anyone else right now, including Aspen."
He snorted, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. "Yeah? And what's that worth in a place like this? You think he's going to go to war with Aspen over you?"
I didn't blink. I reached into my jacket and pulled out a small bag of Nebula pills Marge had given me as leverage. The moment I tossed the bag onto his table, I saw his eyes widen, a brief flash of greed crossing his face before he quickly masked it.
Nebula was the most valuable drug currency in the Vault. Everyone wanted it, needed it. And I was offering him a way out—a way to buy security, favors, or simply a bit of peace.
His hand hovered over the bag for a moment before he picked it up, weighing it in his palm. "This… this is something," he muttered, his gaze shifting between the pills and me. "But it's not enough. Not for what you're asking."
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you want, then?"
"If I get you the information, if I stick my neck out and risk pissing off Aspen… I want more than just some pills. I want Oliver's protection. And I want a prime spot in the Vault, like I had before Aspen shoved me into this rat hole."
He was playing hardball, but I couldn't blame him. If I were in his position, I'd be asking for the same thing. Maybe more.
"Alright," I said, my voice firm. "If you get me what I need, I'll make sure you have Oliver's protection. And when Aspen's gone, I'll get your spot back. A better one, even."
Vigo studied me carefully, his eyes narrowing. "You better be telling the truth. Because if you screw me over, I'll find a way to make you regret it."
"I'm not screwing you over," I replied, leaning in slightly, letting him see the determination in my eyes. "We both want the same thing—Aspen gone. And trust me, I'm not doing this just for kicks. I have as much to lose as you do."
Vigo's eyes lingered with something—maybe recognition, maybe respect—but he didn't say anything more. Instead, he tucked the bag of Nebula into his pocket and gave a slow, reluctant nod.
"Alright. I'll get you your information. But if this goes south, you better be ready to back me up. I'm not getting caught in the crossfire of whatever power play you're running."
"I'll back you," I promised, even though I knew that making promises like this was dangerous. But I didn't have a choice. This was the only way to start unraveling Aspen's control.
Vigo exhaled heavily, leaning back in his chair again. "You better. For both our sakes."
I stepped away from Vigo's stall, feeling the weight of his demand settle over me like a lead blanket. The bag of Nebula had done its job—it had bought me another ally, or at least, a reluctant one. But I wasn't naive enough to think that Vigo's loyalty came without strings. He wanted protection, a way back to the top, and if I didn't deliver, he'd be the first to turn on me.
And that wasn't even the worst part.
I was making deals behind Oliver's back.
The thought gripped me tighter than I wanted to admit. If he found out—when he found out—how would he react? He already had his suspicions about Aspen, knew she was playing him in ways he didn't fully understand yet. But me? This was different. I wasn't supposed to be part of that game.
But here I was, cutting deals with Vigo, Marge, Farrah—everyone I could find in the shadows, people who weren't just loyal to Oliver, but to their own survival. Just like me. I was building something dangerous, something fragile, and I couldn't shake the sinking feeling that if it all fell apart, it wouldn't just be me who was screwed.
It'd be him too.
If I failed—if my plans didn't work, if Aspen caught wind of what I was doing—it wouldn't just be my head on the chopping block. Everyone would be caught in the fallout. The Vault would come crashing down, and Oliver… Oliver might not be able to claw his way out.
And he'd blame me. He'd have every reason to.
It didn't matter that I was doing this to save him—to save the Vault from Aspen's poison. Oliver had been burned too many times, and the one thing he demanded above all else was loyalty. And now I was gambling with his trust, playing a game he didn't even know I was in.
He wouldn't see it as strategy, as me trying to protect him. He'd see it as betrayal. My betrayal.
I could lose him.
That truth hit harder than I expected. This wasn't just about power, about control of the Vault—it was about Oliver, the man who had pulled me up from the depths, who'd seen something in me that no one else had. He'd given me a chance to prove myself, to be something more than just another forgotten face in the Isles.
If I lost him, it wouldn't just be the end of this alliance—it'd be the end of whatever we had. Whatever we were.
And that scared me more than Aspen ever could.
Farrah was leaning against the wall outside, her arms crossed as she watched me with a smirk. "You look like you just signed your soul away."
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't shake the tension coiling in my chest. "He's on board."
"For now," she said, pushing herself off the wall and falling into step beside me. "But you know how this works, Lux. You give him what he wants, or he'll find someone else who will."
"I know," I muttered, my thoughts already spinning ahead to the next steps. Vigo wasn't the only person I needed, and Farrah was right—none of these people were going to stick their necks out without something in return.
Farrah nudged me with her elbow, her grin sharp. "I gotta say, though, you've got a real knack for this. Playing the game. Just make sure you don't get played yourself."
Her words lingered in my mind as we made our way back through the winding corridors of the Vault. The air was thick with smoke and tension, and it felt like the walls were closing in just a little more with every step. I was pulling the strings, but I couldn't forget—someone else was pulling mine, too.
The Nebula tablets felt heavier in my pocket than they should've, as if they carried the weight of all the risks I was about to take. I kept my steps steady as I made my way back through the twisting corridors of the Vault, the shadows around me thicker now that I'd been playing in them for too long. Deals were being made in the dark corners, and I wasn't sure how long I could keep control before something snapped.
Vigo had taken his cut, but there were others. People who Aspen had squeezed dry, left with just enough to survive but never enough to thrive. Aspen bled them while padding her own nest, and they were bitter for it. But bitterness alone wouldn't make them turn on her.
I needed something more. That's where Farrah came in.
She was the kind of person who slipped through the cracks, unnoticed and unbothered. She knew how to get into places without being seen, how to hear things no one wanted her to hear. She'd always been good at surviving, and lately, she'd proven she was more than just a survivor. She was smart. She knew when to move and when to stay still. And right now, I needed someone who could move beneath Aspen's radar.
I got straight to the point. "I need another favor," I said, my tone steady despite the unease twisting in my gut. Farrah arched an eyebrow, leaning in with curiosity. "Go on, I'm all ears."
"I need you to talk to more people. Get them on our side."
I pulled the rest of the Nebula tablets from my jacket, holding the bag between us. Farrah's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't reach for it. She just stared at it, then at me, waiting.
"Use these," I said. "Make deals, offer them something better than what Aspen's giving them. Tell them there's a chance for change, and they won't be left with nothing when this is over."
Farrah's gaze glimmered with something I hadn't seen in her before—maybe it was respect, maybe it was something else. She reached out slowly, taking the bag of Nebula from my hand, but she didn't tuck it away immediately. She held it in her palm, weighing it like it was more than just a stash of drugs. It was power.
"You're really trusting me with all of this?" she asked quietly, her usual cocky edge softened by the seriousness of the moment.
"It's a risk," I admitted. "But I trust you, Farrah. You've already helped me more than you realize." She met my gaze, her expression hardening slightly. "Why me?"
The question caught me off guard. Why her? It wasn't just because she was useful, or because she had access to places I didn't. It was more than that.
I shrugged, the words coming easier than I expected. "You kinda feel like family to me."
Farrah's eyes widened, and for a second, I saw a flash of something raw in her expression. She quickly masked it with a smirk, but it was too late—I'd seen it.
"Family, huh?" she said, her voice lighter now, but I could tell she wasn't brushing it off. "That's new."
"I never really had family," I continued, the truth of it settling in my chest. "But between you and Marge… it's starting to feel like I do. You're all I've got down here… or anywhere, really. And if I can't trust you, then who can I trust?"
Farrah stared at me for a long moment, her fingers curling around the bag of Nebula. Then she let out a slow breath, the tension between us softening.
"Alright, I'll see if I can stir the pot a little."
"But," I said, my voice low but firm, "if this goes sideways, if anyone catches wind of what we're doing, you bail. Don't risk yourself for me."
Farrah rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. I'm not planning on getting myself killed for your little revolution."
But there was something in her eyes—something that told me she wasn't just doing this for the Nebula, or for her own gain. She was doing it because she trusted me too.
Maybe we weren't so different after all.
Before she left, Farrah surprised me by pulling me into a tight hug, her arms squeezing me in a way that felt both protective and reassuring. It caught me off guard, and for a moment, I froze before hugging her back.
"Please be careful," I whispered, my voice barely audible as guilt crept up on me again for dragging her into something so dangerous. I hated asking her to do this.
Farrah pulled back with a confident smirk, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Careful's my middle name," she teased, tucking the bag away and slipping back into the shadows to start her work.
I watched her go, the weight of what I was asking her to do settling heavily on my chest.
Family.
I'd never had that before, not really. The streets had been brutal, cold, and every alliance I'd ever made was built on necessity, not trust. But now, with Farrah at my side, I was starting to feel like I had something real. Something worth protecting.
But it was dangerous to let myself feel that way.
Because if this fell apart, if Aspen caught even a hint of what we were doing, it wouldn't just be me who paid the price. It would be all of us.
But I couldn't think about that now. I had to keep moving, keep pulling the strings. If I let the fear control me, if I hesitated for even a second, Aspen would win.