You will never know how strong you are if you don't fight for yourself. ~Atriya Alva
Ajax parked his car in front of a building that looked like a cross between a two storeyed house and a godown. His car was followed by Viren's, Erik's and Natalya's shortly. Ajax led them towards the door. He placed his eye near the scanner.
"Scan identified. Ajax. Welcome to Base 6." a mechanical voice blared through the speaker as the door opened. Hayes looked around, taking in his surroundings. He was still on guard. The place was modern. It resembled an undercover military base on the inside, yet it had a homey feel to it. A woman was waiting for them inside. She looked to be in her 40's. Her eyes were alert as she scanned them though her body appeared relaxed.
"Aria." Ajax addressed her with a polite nod. She nodded back at him. Enrique gasped while Jason had his mouth hanging open. Aria Cadman was standing before them with a deadly aura.
"Maddox and Sawyer are inside. They will check you. Don and Jericho are in the tech bay along with Nox. We have Elenore on call and Cassian is here." She informed them and turned around walking in.
"Follow her. Please refrain from irritating anyone. Tensions are currently high." he muttered closing his eyes. Rueben winced looking at Ajax. He looked extremely exhausted yet energized at the same time. His hair was messed up. His right side of the shirt was soaked in blood from the knife cut. He had a bruise forming on his left cheek.
"Tienila d'occhio" (Keep an eye on her.) he ordered lookin at Addyson. Evangeline and Natalya gave curt nods as they ushered all of them inside. Ajax took in a deep breath and held it in for a few seconds before exhaling. He braced himself as he made his way towards the tech bay.
"Where is Aj going?" Atriya voiced out Vincent's inner question. He's been wondering about it. He went through all the conversations he had with Ajax and Hope, yet none of them ever mentioned having a military base.
"He's going to meet Don Cadman." Aria answered as she led them into a secluded part of the base. It looked like the medical bay. There were two people in the room. A man and a woman. They looked young.
"Hello Eri, Nat, Eve." the man greeted them with a warm smile.
"Hi Maddox, Sawyer." Natalya greeted them both while the other two gave them a smile.
"Where's Ajax?" the woman asked with a frown as she looked around the room.
"The tech bay." Valeriano answered. She came forward and hugged him.
"It's good to see you munchkin." Val muttered letting her go.
"The feeling's mutual Bubba." she replied. She gave Maddox a troubled look. He smiled in return.
"Go." he told her.
"But there are so many here." she objected looking conflicted. He sighed pulling her to his side.
"I'll treat them. Go check on him." he assured her with a peck on her palm.
"Atriya and I are doctors. We can help." Rueben offered with a kind smile. Atriya nodded in agreement.
"I'm also a doctor." Jason added.
"And we know basic first aid." Eriks spoke pointing towards himself and the other two girls.
Sawyer beamed at them. She picked up a medical kit and rushed out of the room.
"I'm Maddox. Sit down." he motioned towards the chairs and beds. He started treating them one by one while Atriya, Jason and Rueben helped him.
"So, how do you know the American Don?" Nikon asked them. He winced looking at Eriks's arm. The cut was looking nasty. Realization dawned upon him when no one answered.
"Don't tell me you joined the Mafia." he muttered as he looked at his sister for assurance.
"Not exactly." Natalya replied. "We work for Shiloh." Evangeline added.
"How is that different?" Jason chimed in.
"Hope will explain. Let her get back." Maddox suggested softly. The look on his face 'don't you dare disobey'. They worked in silence after that.
Hope walked towards the commotion along with the others following behind her.
"There." she pointed out towards a man holding a little girl in the air by her tee shirt collar, pointing a gun towards the girl's temple. To their surprise, the girl wasn't crying or looking even mildly scared. Instead she was glaring at her attacker. Though she looked adorable.
"She doesn't look scared." Aleksandr muttered under his breath as he pulled out his gun.
"Of course. She's my niece after all." Hope responded with a chuckle. The others let out chuckles. There were 15 attackers for five of them.
"Come on." she muttered as she walked out of the shadows.
"So Shiloh Cadman is finally here." one of the men sneered.
"Looks like I was late to the show." Hope said nonchalantly as she examined her finger nails.
One of the men charged towards her with a knife. Hope stood there still examining her nails. Devon tensed as he watched her. She pulled out a pen and uncapped it. She sidestepped the attacker and succeeded in effectively tripping him. She stabbed him with a pen in the neck.
"Start shooting them you brainless jackasses." she yelled at them as she pulled out a pair of daggers. They sprang forward at her command. Hope concentrated on the man holding Thia. He was holding someone she considered family at gunpoint. These men signed their death warrants when they decided to kidnap Thia. She marched towards him. One of them tried to attack her. She thrust her dagger towards his abdomen. He dodged it.
'Trained newbies' Hope thought as she thrust her dagger once more. This time the dagger met its mark. She started sprinting towards the man when he pulled out an injection. She threw a knife at him, successfully killing him. She caught Thia just before the little girl crashed into the ground. She failed to notice a man advancing on her with a knife.
Devon's eyes widened when he saw an attacker approaching his sister with a knife. He raised his gun to shoot but Carver beat him to it. He watched as the man crashed onto the road but the man had succeeded in stabbing her. What surprised him was his sister didn't make a sound when she got stabbed. She was still checking the little girl for any visible injuries.
Hope was aware of the stab wound on her shoulder and the blood gushing out of it. She was aware of the others walking towards her. So she picked up Thia and stood up.
"You're bleeding." Carver observed as he checked her for any other visible injuries.
"I know." she muttered.
Devon observed the little girl in Hope's arms. She was looking at them with curious yet cautious eyes. Her emerald green eyes narrowed when they landed on him. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a printed tee. The tee read 'Aunt's little girl'. Her black hair was short, its tips brushing her neck.
"You look like Aunt Lily." she said, her tone a little accusing as she pointed a finger at him. Everyone let out amused chuckles.
"Whom do you want to sit with Bug?" Hope asked her. Thia pointed her finger at Devon. She stretched her hands towards him. He picked her up and she snuggled into him, burying her face into his neck.
"We need to go. The base is a forty five from here." Hope stated as she moved towards her car.
"Can you drive?" Aleksandr asked as he pointed towards her injured shoulder. She nodded.
"Aunt Lily. I'm sleepy." Thia mumbled, fifteen minutes into the drive. Her eyes were droopy and her tiredness was visible.
"30 minutes Bug. Then Maddox or Sawyer will take a look at you and you can go to sleep." Hope assured her." Tell Devon about your name." Hope added as she glanced at Thia.
"My name is Thia Emelyne Lilith Morgan. Thia for my aunt Cynthia, Emelyne because momma wanted to and Lilith after Aunt Lily." Thia explained chirpily looking proud of herself. "I am three years old." she added. Devon chuckled at her. She reminded him of Hope when she was younger.
"Aunt Lily?" Thia started after a while. Hope hummed in acknowledgement.
"Am I a mistake?" Thia asked, her voice small.
Hope's brain froze at that question. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened.
"Who told you that?" she asked trying to keep her anger at bay.
"The mean men. They told me that I killed momma and Aunt Cyn. Did I?" Thia asked . Devon's hold on her tightened. He rubbed her back in an effort to comfort her. He wondered who would tell a child such a vile thing. Then again they did kidnap her.
"The men are mean Bug. Momma and Aunt Cyn love you, ok. You didn't kill them. And you aren't a mistake, you hear me?"
Thia stayed silent, clutching Devon's collar as he rubbed her back.
"Thia Emelyne Lilith Morgan, do you hear me?" Hope asked once more, her voice firm.
"Yes Aunt Lily." Thia mumbled.
"Good." Hope said as her brain raced through the possibilities of the mastermind behind the kidnapping. Devon sensed her restlessness.
"What's wrong?" he asked her. She pondered over his question for a few seconds.
"I have a pretty good guess on who is behind the kidnapping."
"Who?"
"Pazienza fratello, pazienza." (Patience brother, patience) she replied as she parked her car.
The tech bay was a mess. Cassian was tracking someone. Don Cadman was sitting beside him and Jericho pacing behind them. Nox was standing beside the Don calmly.
"Any progress? " Ajax questioned as he stepped in.
"Little Don is near. Ethan's team is fast approaching." Cassian answered looking at the screen.
"You are hurt." Don Cadman stated giving him a disapproving look. Ajax gave him a tired smile in return as he bent down to touch the Don's feet. He stood up and pulled a chair, settling himself beside Cassian.
"Is she hurt?" the Don asked after a while. Ajax shook his head. "Not in the mansion."
"Ajax Ryo Sinner, I will kill you." Sawyer snarled as she stepped in with a medical kit. She froze in her tracks when her eyes landed on the Don.
"Don, I- I'm sorry, I-" she stammered.
"Come in Sawyer." the Don said with a small smirk.
"Next time you have an injury, get treated you little piece of poop." she reprimanded him as she cut out his shirt. The stab wound was looking hideous.
"Little Don got Thia." Cassian notified them. They let out a relived sigh. Ajax winced when she dabbed alcohol on his wound.
"That hurts." he gritted out.
"Serves you right for not getting it treated first." Sawyer snapped.
"How far are they?" Jericho asked.
"10 minutes." Cassian said as he turned his attention back to the screen.
937 miles away a young man in his 20's smirked as the call ended. He has been waiting for this moment for months. He contemplated the choices he made in the past few months. The Grandmaster has laid a foolproof plan in front of him six months ago and he had accepted her deal without hesitation. He thought he would feel guilty of his actions. But right now, he felt no remorse. He felt marvelous at the moment. He had achieved his goal after months of careful planning.
"Welcome to Base 6." Hope quipped as the door opened. Nox was standing there waiting for them on the other side of the door. Base 6 was a two storeyed building. Though it looked like a cozy house on the outside, the insides resembled a military base of sorts. The base has a medic bay, tech bay, meeting area and kitchen on the first storey. A couple of bedrooms, few washrooms and round 30 bunkbeds on the second story. Training area, a gym and shooting range in the basement and a garage.
"Come with me. Don is waiting for you." Nox said as he turned around. He pulled out his phone and dialed someone.
"Aria, please send some clothes for Little Don." he requested and cut the call.
They walked towards the southern part of the base. The tech bay.
"You look comical." Nox commented looking at Hope.
"Thanks Night." Hope replied as she narrowed her eyes at him. Nox shrugged in response. He ruffled her hair as they neared the entrance.
Ajax, Cassian, Sawyer and Don Cadman were waiting in the tech bay. Don Cadman or Rahas Cadman was extremely fit for a man in his late 40's. He was dressed in a plain white tee with a with a black blazer and a navy blue jeans. His aura radiated dominance, authority and attention. It commanded respect and a sense of fear. His brown eyes held a spark in them.
Hope entered the tech bay followed by the others shortly. She bent down to touch the Don's feet in respect before straightening. The Don pulled her into a one armed hug carefully, not touching her wound.
"Come here." Sawyer motioned towards one of the chairs looking at Devon. Devon went and sat down with Thia in his arms.
"Where's Jericho?" Hope implored looking around.
"He'll be back in a minute." Nox informed her. She nodded. Sawyer checked Thia for injuries. She found nothing except a few marks of restraint. She applied a cream on them, giving Thia the all clear.
"Emmy!" a man exclaimed rushing into the bay. His rigid shoulders slumped in relief once his eyes landed on Thia.
"Papa." Thia mumbled sleepily stretching her arms out as the man walked towards her. He plucked her out of Devon's arms and let his eyes wander over her checking for any visible injuries. He held her close to him as he reassured himself that she was safe. His daughter was back in his arms and she wasn't harmed majorly.
"I'm off." he said as he made his way out. Aria met him near the entrance, gave the little girl a peck on her cheek and came in carrying a pair or black cargo pants, a black sleeveless crop top and a black sleeveless zip up hoodie. She handed them over to Hope.
"You're getting treated first." the Don told her, his deep voice firm. She nodded as she sat in one of the chairs removing her bulletproof vest. Nox wasn't joking when he said she looked comical. The left side of her bear onesie was soaked in blood, her hair was sticking in all directions.
"You freakin got stabbed." Sawyer shrieked as she cut open Hope's clothes. She cleaned her wounds gently and dressed them in record time.
"How come she gets gentle treatment.?" Ajax grumbled.
"She's Shiloh." Sawyer's voice rang out along with Aria, Nox, Cassian and Rahas. Ajax grunted in reply.
"Go change." Aria ordered motioning towards the entrance. Hope picked up her clothes, gave Devon a reassuring look an walked out.
"Nice to meet you, gentlemen." Rahas addressed the men in the room once Hope stepped out.
"The feeling's mutual." Devon replied politely. The others nodded in confirmation.
"The others are treated and everyone is in the meeting area. Shall we?" Aria asked them though her gaze was fixed on Rahas. Rahas nodded as he motioned them to follow him.
They walked in silence. Devon was glad for the silence. It gave him a little time to process everything. His little sister is Shiloh Cadman. The Heir to the American Mafia. The strongest one. And she knew Night, aka Nox Cadman one of Underworld's most feared assassin who wasn't a part of the D'Aboville clan. He sighed as they neared the meeting room.
Hope could feel a headache forming as she changed her clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror. Nox wasn't wrong when he said that she looked comical. Her silver eyes looked tired with dark circles under them. Her hair was sticking up in all directions. Her bandages were visible under her top. She let out a snort as she put her hoodie on.
She picked up her phone dialing Alan as she walked towards the meeting room.
"Boss." Alan greeted her as he answered the call.
"Change of plans Alan. Get plane 1 ready. We're flying to Jacksonville." she ordered as she entered the meeting room. Everyone was there including the doctors. the meeting room has a long table with around fifty chairs. Rahas sat at the head of the table. Aria was sitting to his left followed by Devon, Atriya, Vincent, Vaughn, Riven, Rueben, Everett, Hayes, Addyson, Calix, Jason, Aleksandr and Nikon. Rahas's right side had an empty chair followed by Viren, Nox, Valeriano, Enrique, Carver, Evangeline, Eriks, Natalya, Maddox, Sawyer and Cassian.
She was aware of everyone's eyes following her as she made her way towards the chair between her father and Viren.
"Noted Boss. Any other instructions?" Alan asked her.
"No."
"Yes Boss." she hummed in acknowledgement as she cut the call. She raised her hand to stop Rueben as he opened his mouth.
"I know that all of you have questions. I will answer them. Right now is not the time. Enrique, Calix, Aleksandr, I want all of the family in Jacksonville. Get to the task. Carver it's your choice." she told them as she scrolled through her contacts.
"They'll be there." Carver responded as he pulled out his phone.
Hope waited as the dial tone rang in her years.
"Hi Bunny." Raziel's voice rang through the phone.
"It's time Raze." she murmured into the phone.
"Are you sure Bunny?" Raziel asked her softly. She hummed in response.
"Ok. We'll be there Bunny. Remember, you are a fighter and a survivor." he told her before ending the call. She wanted to close her eyes and just lay down. But right now she has things to do. So laying down has to wait. She exhaled as she dialed another number.
"Little one." her grandmother's soft and warm voice greeted her. She smiled a little.
"Grannie, it's time." she muttered as she stifled a yawn.
"Ok. We'll be on the plane as soon as possible. Remember, you are brave and selfless." her grandmother told her.
"And Grannie, tell Vit that I'm done." she added. The last thing she heard was her grandmother's tinkling laugh as the call ended. She looked up only to see Viren and Nox coming into the room holding a plate full of chocolate chip cookies and milk. She grinned at them as they set them down and ruffled her hair.
"Now, I have a question." she announced, her voice blank and her gaze fixed on Addyson.
Addyson shuffled in her seat as Hope continued glaring at her. Hope drummed her fingers on the table as seconds ticked by. Her annoyance was showing. She stood up and made her way around towards Addyson. The latter bit her lip in anticipation. Hope placed her hands on Addyson's shoulders as she bent down.
"One question. Honest answer." she told her as she straightened up.
"Why are you working with Cathal Walsh?" Hope questioned her, her voice deadly while she glared at Addyson.
##################
Hey lovely readers,
First of all, sorry for the late update.
How is the chapter.
Any guesses on who might have targeted Thia?
Any guesses on who Cathal Walsh is?
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