The Dome (Shadow Origins, Part One)

Cold Family

Damian's POV

After Zyana left I couldn't help but feel like I shouldn't have hugged her but my 'tough guy' act as Z called it, crumbled as soon as she started to bawl. This wasn't me! I wasn't a comforting sort of guy, I was the 'smack you in the face and tell you to man the hell up' type of guy. Why was I acting like this?

My new cell phone started to ring just as I was starting to go down my stupid emotional rabbit hole. Pressing the answer button, I readied myself for my newest assignment.

"Hello."

V's voice answered me back in his usual deep, mean business voice, "Where the hell are you?"

Crap, he must be back at the mansion, "Uh, I just had to get a change of clothes, I'm on my way back."

"Did you get what I asked?"

After a few days of investigating Sandrino while pretending to investigate V, all the while hiding the fact I was helping the police investigate Ed, I had gotten used to my new situation.

I gathered as much information as I could and reported back every night to V when all his little cronies left. I didn't expect him to be back home so soon, it was only a little past four.

"Yeah, I got some interesting news. Sandrino is--"

"Not over the phone! Meet me back here. Now."

And that was my queue, shoving a few ripped and tattered clothes into a garbage bag, I lugged myself out the church and down the dirty streets of the Blade Zone.

Letting myself into V's home had gotten to be something of a habit of the past few days when I felt hungry and knew that his little lackeys would be gone, I ate almost everything in his kitchen. Not my fault by the way, if he didn't want me to eat it, he should know to put a lock on his food.

Opening a window in the back of the house, I listened closely for any sound of footsteps or talking. Hearing nothing I figured the house was empty but always best to be ready. No one could know I was here, word might get back to Sandrino and Lord knows I'm already on his bad side. I had a feeling he didn't quite buy what I was selling him but he had no reason to suspect me.

Finding my way into V's private office I realized he was all alone, without looking up he invited me in...well invite is a nicer way of saying he just growled at me to enter.

Making myself comfortable on his plush cushioned chair, I waited until he told me to speak. Two days ago I tried speaking to him before he told me to and almost lost my tongue, yeah...not an experience I want to go through again.

I waited patiently while he finished up some paperwork and finally decided to look up at me, I guess that meant it was time to speak.

"I found out the Sandrino is investigating the North and South gangs and he's been sending a few men back and forth for a few days."

V's body stiffened as he stared straight at me, I almost felt like crawling away from his deadly gaze but before I could he stood up and walked to a cabinet behind him. Pulling out a pair of keys he tossed them to me, "I want you to find out what those men are doing with Queenie and Winter. Don't get caught and don't be seen. I expect you back here in two days, by sundown."

Looking back and forth between the keys and V, I was completely puzzled.

"...uh V? What am I supposed to do with these?"

Barely even glancing at me, he sat back down and set to his work, "You can't exactly walk back and forth between the North and South territories. There's a bike in the garage that should be fast enough. Don't scratch it or that's your ass."