#hidden identities

Yet here he was in Okhema’s Marmoreal Market, pausing amid stalls glittering with trinkets, books, and broken philosophies, freshly displaced from the wreckage of the train attack, feeling like a derailed thought in a half-written theory.

He should’ve noticed the child sooner.

They weren’t loud. Weren’t crying. Just staring.

At him.

From behind a stack of secondhand tomes, their gaze locked on his—eyes wide with that raw, inquisitive intensity only possessed by the terribly young and the terrifyingly perceptive.

“…You’re not supposed to be alone,” he said, kneeling.

The child blinked. Then smiled.

“You still smell like old books and fire,” they said softly, tugging his hand with unearned familiarity. “Did you finish your big truth-thing yet?”

He froze.

“…What?”

But they only giggled and twirled the crimson ends of his jacket between their fingers. “Renny says you never sleep because you’re afraid you’ll miss the right question. But you don’t need to find it now. It’s okay. You’ll get there. I remember.”

I remember.

Anaxa's tongue turned to ash. He stood, but the child had already scampered off, tugged by the hand of an unfamiliar guardian. His breath faltered.

Later that night, after the temple’s first healing circle, you found him sitting alone, half-drunk on clarity and silence.

“I saw something strange,” he murmured without looking at you.

You sat beside him. “The market child?”

He gave a tight, humorless smile.

“They quoted my unfinished thesis... one I haven’t even written yet.” A pause. “They looked like you. The eyes were mine. The defiance? That was all you.”

You squeezed his hand. No more words needed.

Truth always arrived late in Anaxagoras’s world—but for once, it came wearing small shoes and boundless affection.

The market was noisy—of course it was—but Mydei moved through it like the war-forged ghost he was, unnoticed unless he wished otherwise.

He only stopped when a familiar stall caught his eye—pomegranates and goat cheese. His favorite (but he'll never admit it anyone out loud).

He was about to walk past when a voice piped up:

“You’re going to buy two, right? Renny says you always buy two.”

A small hand tugged on the hem of his cape.

He turned.

A child, barely to his thigh in height, stared up at him with unnerving certainty. Their eyes sparkled. The markings on their arm mimicked the style of the Kremnoan dynasty, though subtly softened. Almost playful.

“What did you say?”

“You always buy two. One for you. One for Renny. And you always pretend not to like the cheese part infront of Renny.”

The weight in his chest threatened to collapse him. “I… do I know you?”

The child tilted their head, thoughtful. “Not yet.”

A soft laugh. Not mocking. Just honest.

They pointed toward the temple ruins, to where you waited among the crowd, oblivious.

“I’m not s’posed to talk long. You told me that. Said it would mess stuff up.” Then, more quietly: “But you looked tired. I wanted you to smile today.”

And like a memory from a battle he couldn’t place, they vanished into the market crowd.

Later, after Nikador’s second assault was narrowly held back (or finished, I don't remember, sorry), he returned to you, bloodied but alive. He told you nothing.

Just held you a little longer that night. Just listened to you a little more.

And when the next market run came, he bought two.

He even ate the cheese, without pretending to not liking it.

Phainon loved markets. Not for the goods, but for the laughter. The noise. The people who still believed in something.

He had just finished helping a merchant unload broken refugee crates when a small voice called out.

“Khaslana.”

The name hit like a spear through dream-fog.

He turned.

A child waved at him from atop a barrel, legs swinging. “That’s your secret name, right? You used it in the sad world. But you’re not sad here. Not yet.”

Phainon blinked. His first instinct was to dismiss it—children say strange things.

But this one had your smile. Your exact smile.

He approached slowly.

“You know that name?”

They nodded. “You let me borrow your coat sometimes when it storms. It smells like sun and fighting. And Renny says you still snore when you nap, even if you try to deny it.”

A pause.

“I wanted to see you again… before the world wakes up. Before you go.”

He crouched to meet their eyes. “I’m… going somewhere?”

They looked guilty. “Oops. You always say spoilers are bad.”

Their little hands patted his armored gauntlet as if it were a bandage.

“Don’t worry. You come back. You always come back.”

Then, just like a blink in a failing simulation, they were gone.

Phainon stood frozen until your voice brought him back. You'd found a trinket—and were beaming as you showed it to him.

Later, after your group reached the Marmoreal Palace and Phainon stood beneath a sky trembling with prophecy, he touched the gauntlet on his arm and whispered:

“Even if I fall a million times…”

He smiled.

“…They’ll still remember my snore.”

Bilbo and Gandalf crested the ridge, stopping to stare down at the Mannish city spread out below them. The city of Dale, and beyond that…Erebor. Bilbo had read about it, made a study of it, but to see the legendary kingdom of the Longbeards actually there before him. A mere day and a half’s ride away had Bilbo’s heart about to beat out of his chest. He reached down into his pocket to pull out the ring Gandalf had given to him back when he summoned the wizard to Bag End months ago. 

“Are you sure about this, my friend?” Gandalf asked him.

Bilbo took a deep breath, remembering why he was doing this. He was more than ready.

***

Bilbo puttered around his sitting room making sure everything was ready for his appointment when there was a chime of the front door’s bell. Bilbo nearly jumped, his heart beating in excitement. This was it! He made sure all his papers were stacked nicely before going to answer the door. The wizard greeted him fondly, forgetting to duck and hitting his head on the chandelier as Bilbo took his hat and staff for him, leading him to the parlor. 

He pulled out the biggest chair he had for Gandalf, which was still a bit small for the wizard, but if he had any complaints, he did not voice them. Bilbo asked after Gandalf’s travels, and told him of the going-ons of the Shire. His leg bounced a quick rhythm as he poured them both tea. Bilbo was quite certain his nerves were not hidden from the wizard, and his next comment made that clear.

“While I’m not opposed to merely taking tea for the sake of it, your letter indicated that you had something important to ask me.” Gandalf mused with a small smile.

Bilbo froze for a moment before completing his task of adding biscuits to Gandalf’s plate, wiping the crumbs off on his napkin.

“Apologies, Gandalf. You know how easy it is to fall back on Shire pleasantries when I’m nervous.”

“And what do you have to be nervous about, my dear friend?”

Bilbo took a long sip from his cup, rehearsing his speech in his head before giving Gandalf his full and undivided attention.

“Well, as you know, I’ve been doing my best to piece together a comprehensive study of the dwarves.”

“Aye.” Gandalf agreed happily. “I would say that you are easily their top historian outside of their own people. You are actually well-known inside certain circles because of it.”

Bilbo felt his ears wiggle, wanting desperately to find out more about his supposed fame, but he had a big ask that he needed to make first.

“Gandalf, you are the Grey Wizard. You are welcome inside any settlement that would count themselves amongst the Free People. You are, in fact, the only non-dwarf who has seen the city of Erebor in centuries. My research and correspondence will only carry me so far unless I see the kingdom of the Longbeards for myself.”

Gandalf did not make a move to stop him, and Bilbo allowed himself to continue on as he grabbed his papers.

“The dwarven law says ‘only dwarves and dwarf-friends may enter their sacred city’. I know you can’t make me a dwarf-friend, and despite all my attempts to befriend the scholars I talk to, they cannot grant me that title either. I had thought…perhaps, if I was your ‘assistant’ even for a little while, that might be a loophole to allow me entrance.”

Bilbo held Gandalf’s stare for as long as he was able. Hoping the wizard could see his desire, his yearning for this adventure. After his mother’s passing, he did not allow this side of himself to show often. He had thought he would be perfectly content with his books and his histories, and that had worked splendidly all up until he read about the friendship between Celebrimbor and Narvi. His studies quickly switched from Lothlorien to Khazad-dum only to find there had been little to learn there. As most of the dwarves' histories were either lost or closely guarded. A mystery that nagged at him relentlessly until he got to this point. 

“My dear Bilbo,” Gandalf began sucking out any hope that Bilbo had with that tone. “Dwarves do not take kindly to loopholes. You must be a dwarf or dwarf-friend to enter.”

Bilbo did his best to disguise his disappointment.

“I-I understand. Truly I do. It was a longshot anyways. I just thought…”

“So if we cannot make you one.” Gandalf interrupted, causing Bilbo’s head to fly up. “We shall simply make you the other.”

***

Bilbo looked back down at the ring in his hand. The ring that would apparently transform him into a dwarf. He looked up at Gandalf with a wry smile.

“Well…here goes nothing.”

He placed the ring on his finger and closed his eyes tightly only to feel…nothing. He didn’t feel any different at all. Bilbo frowned before looking up at the wizard.

“Gandalf, are you sure…?”

Bilbo gasped lightly feeling something moving on his face. He carefully prodded around his mouth, only to laugh in delight. He had a beard and mustache! Well that was quite odd indeed. Bilbo swung his head around to get used to the feeling, and long curls and braids hit him in the face. He quickly grabbed onto the end of the braids, knowing the beads attached would have symbols that implied the meaning behind such braids. He traced his finger over the cirth, wishing he knew what it said. And then suddenly, it changed before his eyes to where he could read it. ‘Historian’ and ‘adventurer’ swinging on twin braids on either side of his head. Bilbo looked up at Gandalf who was smiling down at him.

“I may have added a little something to make your time easier.” Gandalf explained. “You will not be able to read or speak Khuzdul as I would not betray my friends in that regard, but if someone speaks to you in the language or something is written before you, it will change into Westron for you to understand.”

“I wish I had a looking glass on me.” Bilbo chuckled as he flexed his arms.

He was by no means muscular, but there was definitely some dwarven heft there.

“There will be plenty of time to explore your disguise later, I dare say.” Gandalf teased.

Bilbo beamed up at him. “Thank you, Gandalf. Truly.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You are still entering the Longbeards stronghold illegally after all. Just make sure you keep that ring on, and you should be fine.”

Bilbo nodded solemnly, or at least as much as he could. The excitement of it all was a little too much to overcome. He looked to Erebor again, this time in a new light. At last, his journey well and truly began.

“Yeah.”

“So, it is them.”

“Looks like it,” Jeremiah said and tapped the side of the vial. “Also, it looks like there were only 5 of these samples made. This one is listed as 2 of 5.”

I rubbed my chin. “So, our missing seller has more of these to go around?”

“Yeah, that’s not all, though,” Jeremiah said, beckoning us toward his room. The lights were off, with only the glow of his computer monitors illuminating the area. He sat at the desk and brought up the footage from the club the night before, showing the buyer fleeing from the back room. He paused the video.

“I finally got some facial recognition results,” he said. “And I found a match with a researcher employed by Philo.”

Xavier leaned over to look more closely at the image. “He’s not someone I recognize, so he must be new.”

Jeremiah nodded. “He’s only been employed for the last six months. My guess is he was looking to make a quick buck.”

“So, wait…he’s not a Praedator then?” I asked.

Jeremiah shook his head. “As far as I’m aware, no.”

Xavier hummed in contemplation. “Presumably he’s hiding out in the Southern District now.”

“And if he has more of these vials, he might do another sale within the next few days.” I turned to Jeremiah. “Jeremiah, is there any way you can hack into Philo and see how many of the prototypes were stolen?”

He grinned and started typing away. “Oh, definitely. Just give me a moment.”

I nodded. “We’ll leave you to it then. We need to get back to the office.”

“I’ll let you know what I find out.”

Xavier and I headed back to the car.

“So, we need to track this guy down, preferably before he sells any more of the enhancers,” I said. “We just need to figure out where to find him, and how to pretend we don’t know about him already.”

Xavier grinned. “Should I have Hermit send you another tip once Jeremiah finds more information?”

I smack his ribs. “I think Hermit would be better off lying low for now.”

He frowned. “The Enforcers won’t get anywhere asking around the Southern District. You should know that.”

I shrugged. “Maybe, but with Rachel and the others looking for possible buyers among the known Praedator dealers, we might be able to parse out the next target for our rogue researcher.” I got into the car and waited for Xavier to follow before turning it on. “Then we can decide if having the culprit show up on LCBI’s doorstep in the middle of the night will be the best option.”

Xavier smiled with a nod. “And if we can’t find a good lead?”

“Then you and I will continue our investigation after hours.”

***

By the time we got back to the office, Rachael and her team had found some decent leads from our files that I took to the briefing with the other division captains.

After agreeing on how we would share the work load, and getting the okay from the chief, I headed back to the bullpen, finding that Grant and Levi were back, eating lunch at their desk with everyone else.

“Anything to report from the club?” I asked.

“Nothing really, Captain,” Grant said. “We talked to the owner but he said he had no prior knowledge of Caliban’s intended deal last night, and when he showed us the footage from the CCTV cameras, it had been corrupted.”

I hummed, glancing briefly at Xavier eating his instant noodles as I went over to the kitchenette to boil water. “Maybe it really was Hermit then.”

“Whether it was or wasn’t, there was no sign of our mystery man, alive or dead,” Levi added. “So we can only assume he’s on the run.”

“Are we sure that the club owner wasn’t working with Hermit to orchestrate the set-up?” I asked to keep a little heat on the club.

“It’s something to consider,” Grant shrugged. “But we’re not going to get more out of that owner unless you want us to bring him in officially.”

I pressed my lips together as I sat down at my desk to wait for my noodles to finish cooking. “Put a pin in that for now. We have other leads to follow. I trust your gut, Grant. If you don’t think there’s any more to find at the club, then we’ll put our efforts elsewhere.” It was pointless worrying about them looking into something else until Jeremiah had solid leads for uus.

The man saluted with half a sandwich. “Sounds good, Captain.”

As I ate, I began to send messages to all of my informants, seeing if they could give us any more information. Jeremiah might be a good insight into Philo and our missing man, but I needed people on the ground in the Southern District who might know where he was hiding. He was an outsider, and would definitely be easy to spot.

The afternoon crawled by with mostly a lot of phone calls as we tried to narrow down the best candidates. Grant and Levi went out again to look into a few of the promising leads and I drank cold coffee as I poured over the information my informants sent in, sightings and hearsay both, trying to put a location on our missing man.

Xavier sat at his adjoining desk, and I glanced up as his phone rang, the loud vibration rattling the desk. He snatched it up and answered, tucking it between his shoulder and chin as he continued to type on the computer.

“Yes? What did you find?”

I figured it was Jeremiah and continued working, waiting for Xavier to finish. I watched as his eyes narrowed, his fingers pausing on his keyboard.

“I see. You’re sure?” He pressed his lips together. “Send over the information.”

He ended the call and I glanced around, seeing that no one else was within earshot before I leaned toward him. “Well?”

“I’m forwarding you the email. Jeremiah found some new info.”

A ping sounded from my phone and I snatched it up, opening the email from Jeremiah. I tapped on the attached files and frowned, trying to make sense of what I was looking at until it clicked.

“His bank statements…”

“Yeah,” Xavier nodded. “With several substantial payments from—”

“Ever,” I finished grimly.

I sat back in my chair, rubbing my forehead. “So is he working for Ever or Philo…?”

“I would guess that Ever either turned him or planted him in Philo with the intent of him stealing information for them. While Philo has a large branch related to the pharmaceutical business Ever has ties to the military. A frenzy enhancer like this would be gold to them.”

Xavier was right and I didn’t love the implications of that. However…

“So why is he hiding out in the Southern District then? You think he got cold feet?”

“I don’t know, but I think I know who the buyer is most likely to be.”

“Who?” I demanded. “Is it someone on the list?”

Xavier gave a small smile and tapped one of the files. “Commodus—more aptly named than you might think.”

I frowned as I pulled the file on the Praedator out of the pile. “I thought we already discarded him. Grant and Levi looked into him and he checked out.”

Xavier shook his head. “He would to those who don’t know what he really trades in.”

“And what is that?”

“Blood.”

Xavier stood up, glancing at his watch. “Are you up for another after hours investigation, Captain?”

I sighed but gave him a fond look. “Always.”

***

We parked five blocks away from the location Xavier was taking me to and I huffed at the long walk.

“This is going to make a quick getaway difficult,” I said.

“It will be fine,” Xavier assured me as he tugged on my hand. “Hopefully, we won’t have to make a quick getaway.”

“One of these days you’re going to have to take me out on a date that isn’t doubling as an undercover mission,” I grumbled.

Xavier chuckled and tugged me closer to put his arm around my waist as we fell in line with several other Praedator couples making their way into the nondescript club. “When this is over, I promise I’ll take you out on a proper date. Fancy dinner, real dancing, and a relaxing walk under the stars that doesn’t involve running away from something.”

I softened as I looked up at him. “Alright, sweet-talker. I’ll hold you to that.”

As we approached the bouncers, Xavier flashed his phone, showing some kind of ticket. We were waved inside.

I wasn’t sure what to expect but as we entered the industrial looking building, I was hit with a wave of hard, pounding music, and the scent of sweat and blood. The crowds were gathered around a central area where a huge cage sat in the center of the room on a raised section. Scantily clad servers wove through the crowds, taking bets and offering drinks and unknown pills.

“This is…an underground fight ring?” I realized.

Xavier leaned down to speak into my ear. “Yeah. Commodus runs cage fights every Friday night. Some are champion matches, some are just Praedators from the crowd who want to go at each other. Like I said, he deals in blood.”

One of the servers came up to us, but Xavier waved her away, pulling me toward the fringe of the crowd so we were standing against one wall in a good observation point.

“Stable frenzy enhancers are exactly the kind of thing he would want,” Xavier added. “He’s also a known info broker, he would definitely have heard about them, especially after Caliban failed to buy them last night.”

I furrowed my brow. “How can we be sure the seller is going to show up tonight though?”

“He’s not going to want to wait,” Xavier said. “He has both Ever and Philo after him as well as the LCBI now. He can’t hide in the Southern District forever. The only thing currently keeping him alive is the fact that he has something that powerful Praedators want.”

He was right. I nodded, already scanning the crowds for our missing man when a door at the back corner nearest to us opened and a huge Praedator stepped out. The crowd cheering in greeting.

“Commodus,” Xavier breathed.

Before I could ask another question, he was shoving me into the shadows. My back hit the wall and there was only a breath of hesitation before his mouth was on mine.

“X-Xavier!” I protested, pushing at him. “Now is not—”

His only reply was to shove me more firmly back, one hand on my waist, the other pinning my wrist up beside my head. “Wait,” he murmured “I don’t want Commodus to see me yet.”

“He knows you?” I sputtered, trying not to fully succumb to the heat rushing through my body at his sudden show of dominance.

Xavier hummed and started kissing me unashamedly again, pressing his body against mine. The studded leather and chains of his outfit dug into me and I finally allowed myself to savor the moment, taking hold of the straps around his hips and tugging him closer. Xavier exhaled into my mouth, ducking down further as Commodus and two guards passed us, paying us no attention. My heart pounded and I closed my eyes, briefly savoring Xavier’s heat and the taste of his mouth.

When he finally pulled away, he blinked a little, wiping a thumb over his lip. “Sorry, I got a little carried away.”

I rolled my eyes and reached out to more thoroughly wipe the stain of my dark lipstick from his mouth. “No need to apologize. It worked.” My cheeks were flushed with heat despite my pretending indifference and I could see Xavier’s little smirk out of the corner of my eye as he shifted further away again.

Before we could say anything else, a spotlight came on over the cage and the crowd instantly started cheering wildly as the Praedator Commodus stepped inside, holding his arms wide.

“Ladies and gents—I hope you have your bets in because we have an all-star lineup for tonight’s entertainment!”

Xavier tugged me closer to the cage, mingling on the edges of the crowd. Everyone was jostling, getting in last minute bets as the two Praedators who would take the ring first climbed into the cage, posturing at each other. The referee—or as much a one as these kinds of fights usually had—stepped forward, offering them a tray with syringes that I assumed contained frenzy enhancer. I winced as I watched them take them and inject themselves.

“They don’t care if they lose their minds?”

“They consider it entertainment,” Xavier replied blandly. “The winners’ purses are always really good too. Most think it’s worth the risk.”

I watched as Commodus with his men took a seat in a booth on one side of the room, overlooking proceedings. In his blood red suit and leather accents, he did resemble the Roman emperor of his namesake.

As the bell announced the start of the fight, the two Praedators in the cage went at each other like rabid animals, the crowd screaming encouragement and abuse as their favorites got the upper hand or faltered.

Movement caught the corner of my eye and I glanced over to see a figure slinking in the shadows. He looked completely out of place, far too plain with his nondescript Northern style leather jacket and a hat pulled low over his head. But I would have recognized him instantly, even without the case clutched tightly in his hand.

“Xavier.”

“I see him.”

We started to make our way through the crowd as the man lingered briefly before heading in the direction of Commodus’s booth.

Xavier and I tailed him, going completely unnoticed in the chaotic atmosphere and as we passed by some kind of side room, Xavier reached out to grab the man as I opened the door, the two of us ushering him inside with a muffled cry.

“W-who are—mmph!”

“Quiet,” Xavier snapped, pressing his hand over the man’s mouth. “We just want to talk.”

“Oh god, it’s you two again from the club! You’re with Ever—or—or Philo?!”

“Neither,” I stated, playing good cop as I affected a more open look. “Let’s just say we’re an interested third party.”

The man trembled and Xavier took him by the front of the coat and shoved him over to sit on a box.

“Start talking,” he said. “Who exactly are you working for?”

“No one!” the man protested.

“It doesn’t matter to us either way, we just want to know the truth,” I told him.

“And we want to take those samples off your hands,” Xavier added.

The man’s hand shook where it was clenched so tightly around the handle of the case that his knuckles were white. I stepped forward. “Who told you to take them?”

He let out a shuddering breath and slumped. “I-I was only working at Philo for a few weeks—got hired out of University. Someone from Ever approached me and offered me a deal. I was broke, barely able to pay rent, and he said I would be guaranteed a job with them if I pulled it off so I did what they asked and stole the samples. But when I realized what Ever could do with something like this I-I got cold feet and I did the only thing I could think of and tried to sell it off. Then at least whoever bought it would just use it and be done. But it hasn’t been easy. Getting word out to find a buyer has put Ever and Philo on my trail now and…I just want it to be over!”

“If you want it to be over, then do what we say,” I told him. “We’ll help you get out of this.”

“What do you want?” he asked shakily.

“Tell Commodus that you found another buyer who wants to offer him a deal for the enhancers,” Xavier told him.

The man balked, shaking his head. “No! No way in hell! I’m not going to cross him! I already almost got killed last night when the deal with Caliban went bad! That was your fault too!”

I looked at Xavier, and finally sighed and reached into the secret pocket of my leather vest to pull out my credentials. “I’m from the LCBI. I can promise you that if you go through with this and give your testimony on record we’ll make sure neither Ever nor Philo will be able to touch you.” I wasn’t really sure I had the authority to promise that, but we would cross that bridge when we got to it.

“You’re Enforcers?” he asked, eyes widening, still seeming to be slightly suspicious, but looking more trusting as he stared at my credentials.

“Do we have a deal?” Xavier asked curtly.

The man swallowed hard, fiddling with the case, before he finally nodded. “What do you want me to do?”

Xavier gave him some instructions and we sent the man on his way, stepping back outside to stand at the fringe of the crowd. The fight was winding down and the two Praedators were taking wild swings, both bloody and beaten.

The man made his way over to Commodus as confidently as possible, trying to appear as if he had just arrived. I watched as he seemed to explain everything to the Praedator. I couldn’t hear what was said from this distance, but from his expression he seemed more amused than upset. He waved to one of his guards who started to weave through the crowd before stopping in front of Xavier.

“The Emperor wants to speak with you,” he said simply.

Xavier nodded, tossing me an encouraging look as I followed a pace behind him.

As we were led to the box, Commodus lounged in his chair, chin propped casually in his hand as he eyed Xavier with a knowing look and then me with brief curiosity.

“Hello, Hermit.

“Commodus; it’s been a while.”

“Indeed, it has,” the Praedator said, raising his head as he picked up a glass of wine. “I hear you’re trying to scalp my goods.”

“I merely put in a better offer. I thought I would be generous and give you the opportunity to put in a counter.”

Commodus chuckled darkly. “Is that so? How about a deal instead?”

“What did you have in mind?” Xavier asked.

Commodus flicked a lazy finger at the cage. “Fight in my next round. My current champion is up next and he’s been unbeatable for too long. If you lose, I’ll match your current offer to the seller.”

A bad feeling began to well in my stomach.

“And if I win?” Xavier asked before I could caution him.

Commodus smiled. “Then you can have the enhancers and I’ll settle for making a ton of money on odds tonight.”

Xavier nodded. “Fine. It’s a deal.”

I opened my mouth to protest but Commodus grinned, reaching out to shake Xavier’s hand.

“A pleasure doing business again, Hermit. My man will escort you to the ring. It looks like you’ll be up soon.”

As the bodyguard from before motioned Xavier forward I jogged to keep up and grabbed Xavier’s shoulder.

“What the hell are you thinking?” I hissed.

“Relax, I can handle myself.”

The referee was doing the final count, and I swallowed hard as I saw the unconscious body of the loser, multiple visible injuries on his body. I did not want this night to end with me scraping Xavier up off of the cage floor. Especially not when he still bore the scars from Killer’s torture. I didn’t want to see him hurt like that again.

He sensed my unease and paused briefly to hold my hand as the crowd erupted in cheers and boos depending on who won or lost bets.

“I’ll be okay,” he said softly. “You know I’m stronger than I look.”

I sighed heavily. “Just…don’t do anything stupid—anything more stupid than you already are, anyway.”

Xavier grinned. “I wouldn’t want to miss the date I promised you, would I?”

I gave him a longsuffering look as the bodyguard motioned him forward while the winner leapt out of the cage and the attendants dragged the loser out behind him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” the referee called. “We have a surprise guest tonight! Let’s all welcome the infamous killer in the shadows—Hermit!”

Xavier gave me one last look and jogged up the steps, taking his place inside the cage, standing on the blood-stained mat as the crowd either cheered or jeered at him.

“This pretty boy is Hermit? I could break him like a toothpick!”

“I’ve seen him fight—he’s incredible! Absolute savage!”

The referee cast his arm back at the door behind the cage. “And our reigning champion: Crusher!”

A huge Praedator stormed out of the entrance to the crowd’s explosive cheers. He punched his fist in the air, hands clad in fingerless gloves with brass knuckles built in. The sides of his hair were shaved in obnoxious patterns and his teeth were filed into points. A leather harness with spiked studs crossed over his chest, some coated in dried blood from a past fight, leaving little to the imagination as to what would happen if someone got close enough to grapple.

My heart dropped into my stomach as I swore silently at Xavier for his lack of self-preservation.

The Praedator in question however, didn’t so much as blink as his opponent. He simply stood indifferently as Crusher climbed into the cage, leering at him.

“You’re going down, pretty boy! I’m gonna make you squeal real pretty before I’m done with you.”

Xavier simply shrugged. “We’ll see who’s squealing by the end.”

The Praedator laughed and the referee brought the tray of frenzy enhancers into the ring. Crusher grabbed a syringe instantly but Xavier made no move to take one.

“No thank you,” Xavier said simply.

Crusher scoffed, then, to my brief relief he tossed the syringe back onto the tray. “Nah, I don’t need enhancer to break you. I’d rather remember the feel of your guts through my fingers.”

Bets were being placed. I glanced over at Commodus who seemed to be watching with indifference as a serving girl poured him more wine.

Logically I knew Xavier could handle himself. I’d seen him fight—or, rather, seen the results of him fighting. He was dangerous, even without going into a frenzy. But I couldn’t help but think he had made a really bad decision going against someone twice his size whose fighting style he wasn’t familiar with. At least Crusher hadn’t taken the enhancer.

The referee exited the cage, closing it up behind him, and the countdown began.

“THREE—TWO—ONE!”

The bell rang.

Crusher was on Xavier before I could even take a breath.

The huge Praedator wasted no time in grabbing Xavier by the throat, slamming him back against the chain-link cage and leveling a brass-knuckled fist into his stomach.

I winced as Xavier let out a muffled grunt, heart leaping in my throat, fists clenched at my sides.

“What the hell, Xavier?” I hissed as the crowd started to roar in support for Crusher as he added another fist, and then his knee to the party. Xavier doubled over only to be slammed back again with Crusher’s hand tightening around his neck.

“Crush the little bitchboy!”

“Break his balls!”

“Make him choke on his own guts!”

Xavier began to go limp, and I started to push my way toward the cage when there was a sudden shift.

Crusher relaxed his grip and opened his arms as Xavier slumped against the side of the cage. “That’s it? Pathetic. I guess it’s time for the Hug of Death!”

The crowd screamed in anticipation as Xavier slid down onto one knee. I watched as his hand went behind him, pulling a knife from the back of his belt.

The tone of the fight changed in an instant. As Crusher went to grab him, Xavier whipped out at the Praedator with the knife, slicing it along the back of his thigh as he darted around him to the other side of the cage.

The crowd gasped ad Crusher roared in fury and pain. “You little—!”

Xavier flung himself at his opponent, neatly avoiding a haymaker, ducking in and delivering two neat slices to the Praedator’s ribs in the shape of an X.

“Show off,” I muttered, unable to help a smirk.

Crusher spun around, trying to grab Xavier again, but he was too fast. Xavier was toying with him, darting in like a wasp, so quick it almost looked like he was teleporting.

“AGGH! Get over here you little bitch! Let me crush your bones!”

Xavier leapt over another blow, kicked off of the side of the cage for momentum to slam his boot heel into Crusher’s nose.

The Praedator’s head snapped back in a spray of blood. He howled and frenzy overtook him.

The crowd cheered as he dashed toward Xavier, slamming him back into a corner of the cage. Xavier’s shoulder hit the support beam and he grunted, dropping to the ground and rolling to avoid Crusher’s stomping foot.

“You little shit! I’m going to rip your nose off and make you eat it!”

Xavier kicked his legs out from under him and Crusher went down hard.

It was then I saw a red glow on the back of his neck. He had an activator.

“Xavier!”

His eyes glanced toward me and I pointed to the back of my neck. Xavier nodded, but the distraction was all Crusher needed to grab his ankle and yank him down.

Xavier gasped, slamming into the floor, breath knocked out of him. Crusher was on him in an instant, straddling him and pinning him to the floor, doing his best to pound Xavier into the floor with his fists. Xavier dodged and deflected what he could, but some still got through, having to hurt like hell.

Crusher was in too much of a blind rage to realize until too late that Xavier had shifted into a position that left him able to execute a submission hold. He flipped their positions neatly and as Crusher struggled, Xavier grabbed the back of his neck and pressed the activator.

Crusher’s eyes flew wide and he choked out a protest before his body went limp, completely drained of all energy.

Xavier staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his lip.

The referee stepped into the cage again and grabbed Xavier’s arm, raising it. “Hermit wins!”

The crowd was silent for a beat before they erupted in cheers. I finally released a breath of relief, shutting my eyes briefly in gratitude that Xavier was still standing.

It took everyone a moment to recognize the sound of sirens cutting through earsplitting cheers.

“Raid!” someone shouted and the whole place erupted in cries and screams, as the attendees began to rush for any exit available.

I swore, and shoved my way to the back of the cage, reaching to open the door for Xavier.

“Xavier! We need to leave now!”

“You go, I’ll catch up,” he insisted, looking around the room, trying to spot the seller.

“Don’t be stupid, I’m not leaving you here!”

“You can’t be seen here,” he insisted.

“What about you?”

He shook his head. “It will be worse if you’re found here. Please go. I promise I’ll be right behind you.”

I gritted my teeth, but I knew it would be easier for us to escape notice if we separated. “Okay. But call me the second you’re out of here. I’m heading to the safe house.”

He nodded and I pushed away from the cage and hurried out the back exit with the rest of the fleeing Praedators.

I dashed through the shadows as the sound of sirens and the flashing lights of the Enforcer vehicles lit up the night. I didn’t take a breath of relief until I was three blocks down and could see my car in the distance.

I didn’t wait for Xavier. I didn’t know how much I would come to regret it, but I drove straight to the safehouse, confident that he would find me there within the hour.

I couldn’t be farther from the truth.

***

Xavier wove through the rushing crowd, finally spotting the seller dashing outside, staggering as he fought to keep hold on the case.

“Hey!” Xavier shouted, running after him. “Wait!”

The man didn’t stop, simply yanked the door open and slammed it in Xavier’s face as he made a break for it. Xavier swore, barely keeping himself from running straight into the door. He flung it open and dashed outside into the alley, looking left and right.

He could hear the Enforcers entering the building but he couldn’t be bothered by that right now. He was sure Ariadne had escaped and now all he needed was to get to the seller—

“No! don’t! Please!”

The pleading cry was followed by the muffled bang of a suppressed pistol. Xavier rushed around the corner just in time to see the man he was looking for slumping down the wall, blood gushing from his chest. The case slid from his hand and clattered onto the concrete as he collapsed.

“Hey!”

Xavier rushed toward the dark figure bending over the man, but the assassin simply snatched the briefcase and dashed into the night.

Xavier was about to go after him when the seller gurgled. Empathy surged through him and he reluctantly paused, turning back to crouch beside him.

“You…promised…” the man choked out.

Xavier felt guilt crush his insides as he tried to reach out to stop the flow of blood. “You’ll be okay, I’ll call an ambulance.” More lies.

The man choked up blood, then slumped forward, breathing halting all together.

Xavier let out a shuddering breath, reaching to check his pulse when bright lights nearly blinded him as footsteps stomped around the corner of the alley.

“That’s him! That’s Hermit!”

Shit.

Xavier stood, shielding his eyes from the lights, seeing a Praedator and several Enforcers standing there as the Praedator pointed him out.

“You! Stop!” one of the Enforcers shouted out.

Xavier turned and dashed away.

He heard the sound of a gun and something hit him in the leg. He staggered with a cry, looking down to see a tranquilizer dart sticking out of him. He ripped it out, but it was too late.

He began to feel woozy. He knew these were made to help stop Praedators who were in a frenzy. They worked fast. He collapsed fully, the concrete cold and rough on his cheek as he simply tried to stay conscious.

The Enforcers descended on him, shoving him forcefully onto his stomach and cuffing his hands behind him.

“Get him in the car, we’re taking him back to headquarters.”

Xavier was hauled upright, firm hands under his arms, dragging him toward the vehicles.

“What the—isn’t this Captain Celest’s rookie? From Sector I?”

“Holy shit.”

Xavier didn’t have the capacity to protest. The tranquilizers darkened his vision. The last thing he was aware of was being shoved into the back of a car, then everything was just an ocean of darkness.

***

I had barely gotten to the safe house and changed before my phone rang.

I glanced down to see Grant’s name and picked up, a sick pit forming in my stomach.

“What is it?”

“Captain…you need to come to the office.”

The pit deepened as I slid my gun into my holster again. “What happened?”