Operation: Threads of Connection

Getting Her

Damain's POV:

It was all my fault. My selfishness has brought nothing but pain to the ones I love the most. Had I endured my fathers wishes none of this would have happened. I shouldn't have gone against my fathers wishes, I should've stayed quiet- in doing so, I would have saved her from so much pain. Why did I ever think I was capable of ever being free?

The tension in the car was suffocating, a storm of emotions swirling around us that none of us dared to voice. Each of us was lost in our thoughts, but all of them led back to one person: Yor. She had been taken because of me. Because of my foolishness. I couldn't help but look at the three men seated besides me. Usually full of life, without a care in the world, Franky drove in complete silence. His knuckles clenched against the steering wheel, so hard his knuckles turned white. He kept his gaze fixated on the road and only the road. Yuri sitting right beside him on the passenger seat kept his gaze low as he looked out the window. His bangs covered his eyes, but I just knew he was feeling like his world was falling apart.

And finally Loid, sitting right besides me, his usual composed self was slowly cracking as he kept his gaze locked on his wedding ring. His finger played around with the band as he closed his eyes. I couldn't imagine how he felt knowing his wife, the mother of his children was taken...

Franky suddenly slammed the brakes, jerking the car to a halt at the edge of an old, desolate warehouse district. "This is where Reed's men were last spotted," he muttered, his voice low and strained.

Loid opened his eyes and slipped the wedding band off his finger, holding it tightly in his fist as though drawing strength from it. "We'll get her back," he said, his voice quiet but steady. Yet, I could hear the barely concealed fear beneath his words.

I nodded, though my throat felt tight. "It's my fault," I admitted in a hoarse whisper, unable to look at any of them. "I dragged her into this—if something happens to her..."

Yuri whipped his head around, his eyes blazing with anger. "Don't you dare finish that sentence," he hissed, his voice trembling. "Yor is strong, stronger than any of us. We're going to save her, so stop wallowing in self-pity and focus."

I flinched at his words but nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. He was right. Sitting here and drowning in guilt wouldn't help her. If I wanted to make this right, I needed to act.

Franky grabbed a bag from the backseat, pulling out a set of earpieces and a tablet. "I've hacked into Reed's comms," he explained, handing each of us an earpiece. "I'll guide you through the building. Stick together and don't make any noise." Yuri was the first to exit the car, as he began walking a bit ahead of us. Once we reached the end of the courtyard, Yuri crouched down awaiting Franky's orders. Suddenly, Loid placed a hand on my shoulder as he stood, his grip firm but not harsh. His usually composed face was softened by an expression I hadn't seen before—something close to vulnerability. His eyes met mine, and I could see the weight of responsibility and fear he was carrying.

"Damian, I need you to promise me something," he said softly, his voice steady but laced with urgency.

"What is it, sir?" I asked, startled by the gravity in his tone.

"If something happens to me in there," he continued, his gaze unwavering, "you must promise me that you will take care of Anya and Yor. They mean everything to me. I need to know they'll be safe."

The weight of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. I was just a kid, barely keeping my own life in order, and yet this man—Twilight, the legendary spy—was trusting me with what mattered most to him. I swallowed hard, my throat dry.