Ruin (The Rhodes 1)

“Honestly, there is no guarantee.” Dylan showcases his politician’s smile. “But you know me. I don’t hurt innocent people.”

“How did you know about her?” Crow slurs.

“You hid her very well, I’ll give you that,” Dylan says, “But you see, we’re obsessed with The Pit. We know a lot about you. More than you think.”

He laughs long humourless which ends in a fit of coughs. “Doesn’t matter, anyway.” Crow releases a heavy sound, sounding defeated. “Even if you don’t hurt her, she’s been on Hades’ radar. If he finds out I’m still alive, he’ll kill her.”

“If you don’t tell us what you know, she’ll also dead.”

Crow snarls, looking as if he can rip Dylan’s head with his glare.

Something in his stance relates to me. The unexplainable urge to protect. To shield.

Crow wasn’t forced to fall. He willingly chose to fall because something a lot stronger than The Pit and his loyalty to Hades is at stake.

And that someone is a nameless nurse.

Sort of like Mae.

Hell.

I thought I would never understand this type of impulsiveness, but now, I kind of do.

If Mae was in that nurse’s position, would I do the same?

The answer is dangerously hovering on where it shouldn’t.

I shoo those thoughts away and step back into the room, Tristan on my tail.

Dylan’s left eye twitches, and he’s nearing the edge himself. I step between him and a still snarling Crow.

“Hold the death glares for a minute, chaps.” I smile at the both of them. “Here’s a deal. Crow, tell us what we want, and Dylan here won’t hurt your nurse.”

“I told you—”

“I haven’t finished.” I cut Crow off. “We’ll continue making Hades believe you’re dead. We will even send a few of our men to watch over your nurse. Once Hades and The Pit are news, and you’re no longer in danger, you can go back to her.”

Tristan gives me a knowing look. I shrug. True we never discussed this, but it’s the only way to make Crow talk.

Hope springs in the latter’s eyes before he shakes his head. “I can’t betray Team Zero.”

“You won’t have to,” Tristan says. “If things go according to my plan, they’ll soon join you. There’s no need to fight with them if we share the goal of taking Hades down.”

Crow remains silent, a tremor taking over his limbs. It’s only after what seems like forever that he sighs. “The three of you were pawns in a greater game. The purpose of the operation wasn’t only to take and mould you into professional killers. Hades holds a great grudge against your fathers and toyed with you to extract revenge.”

“What’s Hades real identity?” Dylan’s eye twitches.

Crow shakes his head. “I barely met him in my career. I have no fucking clue about his real identity. For me and Team Zero, he’s just Hades. Hell’s keeper. He’s posh, though. So he’s likely someone from your noble circle. If you follow the lines, you will get to him. But I assume your fathers did a lot of bad to follow, didn’t they?”

“Shut up.” The grey in Dylan’s eyes clouds the grey. “Who are you to judge our parents. You may not call the shots, but you trained us. You played a part in turning us into the pathetic beings we are. Never fully a monster. Never entirely a human.”

“At least you didn’t have to do it under the influence of the fucking drugs.” Crow grits out. “Stop acting like a pathetic little bitch, Dylan. You would never erase the lives you’ve taken, so how about stopping being sorry for yourself and use that energy to hunt Hades?”

I whistle. “Tell him, Crow.”

Dylan glares at me, and I glare back.

“And you, Aaron.” Crow coughs, and more blood splatters on the white tiles. “You’re drifting from the real world and losing touch with reality. So you better find something to hold onto before it’s fucking too late.”