The woman before Ethan was hardly visible in the faint glow of the club’s flickering light. It seemed too familiar, her silhouette.
Ethan pushed closer, his voice dangerously low, his grip tightening on his revolver. "Claire, I never thought I’d see you again."
The name made Lily, concealed outside with her earphones, feel her gut knot. Claire. He was acquainted with her.
Claire, the woman, cocked her head, a little smile on her lips. "Ethan, I could say the same thing." However, you should already be aware that ghosts never remain buried.
Ethan tightened his jaw. "What are you looking for?"
Claire’s heels clicked on the dusty floor as she walked slowly closer. "You never hesitate to get right to the point. No chitchat?
Ethan snapped, "I don’t have time for games." "Do you collaborate with Damien?"
Claire laughed quietly. "Oh, Ethan, so suspicious all the time." She folded her arms. "Damien is not with me. However, I’m here to caution you about him.
Ethan’s gaze narrowed. "Warn me?"
Claire gave a nod. "He has a large project planned. Did you consider Moreau to be an issue? Damien is terrible. He is reorganizing Moreau’s kingdom rather than merely attempting to seize it. Strengthening it. More intelligent. Before anybody can confront him, he is removing his flaws.
Ethan looked at her intently. "And why are you stating this to me? You never accomplished anything without a cost, as far as I can tell.
Claire’s smile dimmed a bit. "You’re correct. In exchange, I want something.
Ethan let out a breath. You do, of course. What is it?
Claire’s eyes grew gloomy. "Protection."
Ethan’s forehead raised. "From Damien?"
Claire gave a nod. I spent some time working with him. I am aware of stuff. And I’m very much dead now that I’m useless to him. Do you want details? You’ll get it from me. However, I need your assurance that I will survive this.
Ethan paused. He had never met a better liar than Claire. It was impossible to ignore what she knew, but it was also impossible to trust her.
Lily said through the headset before he could reply.
She cautioned, "Ethan, don’t trust her." "She has something to conceal."
Claire’s gaze strayed to his ear. "Oh. You had backup.
Ethan grinned. "Always."
Claire let out a sigh. I don’t have time to persuade you, Ethan. You won’t have a chance to halt Damien’s next move if you don’t take action right now.
Ethan folded his arms. "Then begin speaking."
Claire inhaled deeply. "Tonight, Damien has a meeting. Huge security, huge stakes. Making sure they pledge allegiance to him, he is completing partnerships with the remaining members of Moreau’s group. That’s your chance if you want to defeat him.
Ethan scowled. "Where?"
Claire paused before responding. "The Hotel Blackwood." The penthouse suite
Lily’s voice was heard once again. "This smells like a setup, Ethan."
Lily was correct, and he knew it. However, this was their best lead.
He looked back to Claire. "I’ll find you if you’re lying."
Claire smiled again. "Anything less would be unacceptable to me."
She turned and vanished into the darkness without saying another word.
Before leaving the club, Ethan let out a quick exhale. Lily was already shaking her head when he got to her.
She firmly stated, "This is a trap."
Ethan gave a nod. "Probably."
Lily folded her arms. "So why are we approaching it?"
"Because this is our best chance to stop Damien, if there’s even a remote possibility that she’s telling the truth."
Lily let out a sigh. "Then a plan is required."
Ethan grinned. "I hoped you would say that."
The Strategy Develops
Ethan and Lily laid out their plan back at the penthouse.
Lily pulled up the hotel’s schematics and stated, "We can’t go in through the front." "Damien will have security personnel everywhere."
Ethan looked over the plans. Next, we enter from above. The penthouse may be accessed in an emergency from the rooftop. We can infiltrate while Damien is preoccupied if we time it well.
Lily gave a nod. "What if Claire was telling lies?"
Ethan’s face grew serious. "After that, we improvise."
Lily let out a sigh. "That isn’t comforting."
Ethan grinned. "I didn’t mean to be."
The Hotel Blackwood
The following evening, wearing all-black outfits, Ethan and Lily stood on the Blackwood Hotel’s rooftop. They were focused on the goal, even if the city lights were glowing below them.
Ethan quickly turned off the alarm system by crouching by the rooftop door. "We’re in."
With her revolver in hand, Lily nodded. "Let’s go."
Silently, they made their way down the stairway to the penthouse entrance. They could see Damien’s men, all highly armed, occupying the room through the little glass window.
Ethan glanced around the room before focusing on Damien, who was drinking whiskey while seated at the head of a large table. Claire was standing next to him.
Lily tensed. "That’s lying—"
Ethan tightened his jaw. "I ought to have known."
As if sensing them, Damien turned. He made a sarcastic toast with his glass.
Then—
The lights went off.
There was gunfire.
As bullets ripped through the door, Ethan grabbed Lily and pulled her undercover.
"We were duped by Claire," Lily growled.
Ethan’s thoughts were quick. "We must leave right away."
They were moving fast, shooting back as they ran for the door. But a group of Damien’s men blocked their way before they could get to the stairway.
One of them commanded them to down their weapons.
Lily and Ethan looked at each other. Then—
They were fired.
As they battled their way through, eliminating adversaries one by one, the hallway descended into anarchy. As Ethan walked, adrenaline pumped through his veins, and his only concern was making sure he and Lily survived.
When they finally arrived at the emergency escape, they blasted the door open and exploded onto the roof.
They were blinded by the brightness of a helicopter hovering overhead.
Through a speaker, Damien’s voice could be heard. "You really thought I wouldn’t let you go, did you?"
Ethan covered his gaze. "Damien, you ought to have killed me when you had the chance."
Damien laughed. Where is the enjoyment in that? I’d rather see you go through hardship first.
Lily took hold of Ethan’s arm. "We must jump."
Ethan took a quick look at the building’s edge and estimated how far it would be to the next rooftop. It was their only choice, but it was dangerous.
He took Lily’s hand in his. "On my count. Three, two, one!
They jumped and ran at full speed.
They narrowly avoided the bullets pelting down from the aircraft as they slid onto the next rooftop.
Lily glanced at Ethan, breathless. "What comes next?"
Ethan’s thoughts were racing as he gazed up at the aircraft.
Then he grinned.
"We’re going to fight him now."