Chapter 9 Accept The Case

Celeste's POV:

"I presume you have figured out who this is, yes?"

No, this can't be related to her... My anger spikes like nothing before and without second thoughts my gun is out and pointed at him, favor owed or not I am not letting anyone come to this side of the world with a reason that doesn't belong to them.

Not even a second further that I pointed my gun that their guns pointed at me. This is gonna be interesting. Taking out my second gun I point toward the wannabe guards.

He doesn't look fazed, none at all. Instead, he points to one of the guards, "This will be a long conversation, bring out some refreshments."

"S-Sir-" he's cut off immediately, "Was I not audible? All of you can leave as well. No one is allowed to interrupt us. Leave the refreshments at the table at the front. Now, leave." The last two words are deadly cold and a challenge to the guards.

They all leave without second thoughts. My right arm pointing towards to those guards lowers to my side but my left is still pointed towards him, he raises one eyebrow, "That was an interesting reaction. You have not been rusty in the least. It's a surprise that the people you're here to deal with could injure you."

"A miscalculation. But make no mistakes I don't do them twice." I reply simply.

"Interesting. So, kids are your weakness. Make sure no one figures it out. It'd be an unnecessary hassle." I wish I could strangle him at this moment. But he's one of the only people I have never been able to defeat be it in mental capabilities or physical. He has my respect but one wrong word on the case he's asking me to deal and he's gonna regret it. He motions for me to take a seat but when I refuse to do so he simply sighs and gets up from his chair that he's been seated in and comes around and stands in front of me taking the picture in his hand, "This man is under the protection some of the worst enemies of mine. I can't bring him down on my own without alerting all those who have the desire to destroy me."

I look at him baffled, simply put. Taking off my mask as it's no use wearing it in front of him, our history goes way back. I place it on the desk that's behind me, "How could your enemies be alerted if you tried to kill him unless... No, that's not possible. You've not met her, have you?"

He reaches into the front pocket of his jeans and retrieves his phone and shows what I've been afraid of, Bloom. Of all the people he could've cared for it's her. "Why? More importantly how?"

Takes out a cigarette and lights it up and I look at him with contempt, I hate it when he smokes. To top it off he's only 17, "She showed me kindness exists even in the most unlikely of places."

God, I am going to have a headache by the end of the night, I head over to the couch aligned against the wall and crash on it since I know this is going to be a long night. Looking in front of I see the splendid view of all of the screens on display with footage of people coming in and going out.

Taking the cigarette from his hand I put it out on the ashtray. He looks at me unamused but doesn't comment. He knows for a fact that I hate when people as young as him smoke. I know the burden he carries. Anyone in his position would want to live a normal life. But we don't get to choose where we are born, however, we most definitely can change our future for the better or the worse.

He goes to take out another, "Do you think Bloom would be happy to know that you smoke so much?" His movement halts and then he sighs, looking at me emotionlessly, "I doubt she would ever want to be acquainted with a murderer like me."

That stings, "Don't decide for other people what is best for them. You can control your men but not the emotions of people. You may be surprised. But it's not like I disagree with your statement. Some things are better left to fate."

"Tell me, if someone fell in love with you, would you give into your heart's desire and love them back or stab your own heart till there's no blood left in it for it to feel and make them regret that they fell for you but it's the only way to protect them?" Zion says with coldness.

I am at a loss for words, "Zion, I am not here to discuss things that involve irrelevance to our concerns. I'll let you know what I can do. But for now, let's get this sh*t over with."

He nods, "You may wanna wear gloves. How much time before this blows up?" He referring to the feds disguised as police showing up.

I lightly smile, "Approx. 20 minutes from now."

Wearing the gloves, he handed out to me and making sure my mask was in place we make our swiftly but quietly to the area that is supposed a warehouse but once you step inside, the smell of blood is so strong that it can make vomit. Zion has his face covered as well with a mask. But unlike mine, it only covers the upper half of his face and somehow it gives you the dark version of batman's look. Although, I'd never point it out. The warehouse is lightly lit and, in the center, I easily spot the gang and the venom (hatred) seeps into my blood as if it never had diminished.

Their cries for help, and mercy is like a favorite song of mine playing on a broken record player. I step into their view and they look at me horrified as if their worst nightmare has come true and it as well have, "Having fun, I reckon?"

"You bit*h!!! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!" The woman says with hatred.

I look to my left and see Zion has already asked his men to bring one of my favorites a jagged knife. I pick it up and look at her and anger is still there but something else takes root as well, F.E.A.R. That is a look I enjoy when remembering what they've done. Stabbing the knife in both her hands, she screams so loud, I may have hearing problems soon. It's the only thing she can do as she is restrained to the chair with no option to fight back.

"P-Please show us m-mercy." The man says sobbing.

My eyes turn to him and the knife pierces from his shoulder to his lower arm with no restraint, "Why? Did you or that low life show any mercy when you tortured those innocent children? When you sold them with no hesitation? No regret? When you kidnapped women that had nothing to do with all of the sh*t you have going on and r****d them? Stole of them their innocence and as if that wasn't enough sold to other low lives? You're lucky that the government got involved and you will have peaceful deaths. But if it were me. You would wish to be caught dead than alive."

Making sure that elbow got a deadly blow making it unusable for the rest of his miserable life, I take out the knife and he screams like a banshee I signal to Zion who whispers in the ear of one of the guards and they gave him.

I hand the guard the knife, "The feds are gonna pop in within 10 minutes more or less remove the evidence and make sure to collect the information on the hostages."

Trusting the feds is like a double-edged sword. You don't know when it'll be your name on their wanted list to be removed. So, it's better not to be involved with them more than one may already be. I learned that lesson on my first and only mission. From then onwards, hmm, let's leave that for some other time.

Stepping outside another guard is already there to collect the gloves I used and burns them not even leaving the ashes behind. Going back to the building I get ready to leave when I spot a familiar person... No. That shouldn't be possible. If it's who I assume it is, how did he know that the Lord would be here?

I return to the office where Zion just got up to shake hands with him and again the mask is still there and he looks at me communicating to stand by his side. With no hesitation I step forward, taking a better look at him, and indeed it's Xavier Kingston. I walk over to Zion's side while subtly acknowledging his presence, I notice that his usual cold exterior has become even freezing. Looks like he wasn't expecting company. Ah well, not everything can go as we want.

"Lord, I was under the assumption that we'd have a private conversation. I wasn't expecting you'd invite your girlfriend." The way he spits out the last word is as though someone tried to give him poison.

Damn... Why do they all assume I'm this brat's girlfriend? That's the last title I want with him. He looks smugly at me telling me height makes a difference after all. It somehow does. It makes it no less complicated for me that he's already 6" and I am 5"4. Nothing wrong if considering he's younger than me but we look like opposites.

Well since he's already assumed it for us, "Honey, I wasn't expecting you had guests this late into the night. This is not good for the upcoming generations."

He looks at me as though I've lost it and assuming his stiffness it's taking all his patience not to punch me. He looks at his guest with anger, "Kingston, I will not tolerate you assuming what she is to me. However, to clarify she is no girlfriend of mine. Neither, would I ever want someone like her to be mine. I'd rather be dead than be hers. Also, this is my partner, Panther. The one you were so desperate to meet."

He looks thoroughly shocked, not that I would blame him, now it's coming altogether why Zion is here today and now. He could've easily let his right-hand man get the job done but he knew I wouldn't have stayed this long as I have if it weren't for him.

"The way you're shocked it seems that you were expecting a man as the person you were looking for," I state rather than ask and sit down on the arm of Lord's chair. Zion takes his original spot not one bit bothered with my antics not that he would be. Xavier takes a seat in front of us.

"I apologize for assuming your position but seeing you both like this, one thing is clear you two are close otherwise, I have never heard Lord letting anyone live even if they joked in front of him." He states as a matter of fact. No kidding, his remark is correct but he doesn't know the story behind it but it's not like we are going to disclose it.

"Anyways, I want your help, Panther. I know you are working with a lot of people and your connections run deeper and sharper than anyone else around here. Name your price and you will have it." The way he states it means it isn't something I would look forward to.

"What do you need?" I ask, straight to the point.

He pulls out a file and pushes it my way. I pick it up and look at the contents and damn it, now I understand why he'd shown me his picture earlier. He wanted my take on it before revealing what was going on. Unfortunately, for them, this is too risky even for me to take on. Considering that my identity may become dead away if one wrong move happens. The man who wants me to take on the case is no ordinary man if he was able to find a connection as powerful as the Lord and even then, he didn't request his services but rather mine who has a past with many unnamed people who are better known without their names rather actions speak for them.

"I apologize, but I have already retired from this. I won't be taking on this case. Give it to someone else. There are many capable people out there who'd love to take a crack at it." I simply state handing the file back to the man who gave it to me, Zion.

He should've known better than to ask me. I have washed my hands off of all this. I am not going back to all of this. The only reason I had even joined this side is due to the fact I had no other choice.

"Listen, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't caught in the crossfire that I need to end at all costs. Otherwise, my sister won't be able to live peacefully." I want to help them but this is dealing with people I vowed I would never work with again. They are the reason for many of the scars physically and internally. I don't reply and head for the door. But stop at Zion's next words. "Panther, if you don't accept this case, I will be forced to hand it over to the Campbells. That'd be better if you take it on."

"Hand it to them. I am out. Goodnight gentlemen." I go outside and see there's a light pour and see that the area is covered with police cars. That's interesting to see they've not as of yet not left.

Not really caring about them after I sit in my car, I remove the mask because that'd look more suspicious. I spot some familiar figures. I hope, I won't be talking with them but I have a bad feeling the fates are not on my side.