# CHAPTER 31 #
Something happened, didn't it?
After knocking the intruder out cold, using the toe of his sneaker to turn the man's head before he crouched beside the unconscious intruder and pulled the mask away from his face.
A middle-aged man stared back at him with his eyes closed, his features now fully exposed. There was nothing particularly remarkable about his appearance. He looked like an ordinary man someone might pass on the street without giving a second glance.
Krist studied him for a moment.
Nothing fancy, just another hired hand.
He shook his head slightly.
Krist stood up, wiped his hands, and walked back into the living room leaving the man where he was. His phone was still lying on the couch, and the moment he picked it up, he noticed several missed calls from Harrison.
Another call came in almost immediately.
Krist stared at the screen and sighed.
Here we go again.
He let out a tired breath. *Looks like I have to pacify him before he does something stupid.*
Krist pinched his earbud into place, tapped the side to sync it, and picked up.
"Hey, bro, what happened?" Harrison's voice burst into his ear the second the line connected. There was a noticeable hint of worry beneath his usual energetic tone.
"Relax, Harry," Krist replied casually, his tone smooth and entirely unbothered as he turned on his heel and walked toward the estate's heavy garage doors. "Just a minor inconvenience. Handled it. No big deal."
Harrison let out a loud, shuddering exhale. *"God... you almost gave me a heart attack! I was literally five seconds away from dialing 911 to send a squad car to your house when you stopped answering!"*
"I appreciate the concern," Krist said, stepping into the dimly lit garage, Krist walked past a row of shelves and began gathering a few items.
He grabbed a spool of heavy industrial zip-ties, thick duct tape, and a roll of steel wire from a workbench. "But under no circumstances do you *ever* call the police to check on me unless you've confirmed that something is actually wrong. Alright?"
"Why?" Harrison demanded, sounding baffled.
Krist stopped briefly.
Krist grabbed the supplies and turned back toward the house. "Do I really need to spell it out?" Krist asked, "After everything we uncovered today about precinct corruption and Vane's informants, I thought you'd grasp my thought process.... were you even paying attention?, Or were you just daydreaming?"
*"I get the corruption part!"* Harrison argued passionately. *"But what if an actual team of hitmen moves on you?! By the time I drive all the way over to check on you myself and then call the cops, it'll be way too late!"*
"Do you honestly think a random mercenary crew can take me hostage inside my own home?" Krist asked, walking back into the kitchen where the disarmed, paralyzed intruder lay sprawled out on the cold tile floor.
*"Uh, YES!"* Harrison snapped. *"Kid, you're good with tech and you can handle yourself in a pinch, but you don't have the real-world combat experience to trade blows with career killers! These guys are ruthless professionals! If a high-tier hit squad comes for you, hostage is the best-case scenario! Isn't that the exact reason you've been lying low—so Vane Industries doesn't mark you as an active threat?"*
Krist, who was just about to bend down and secure the mercenary's wrists, paused mid-motion. He stood up straight, processing Harrison's argument. The kid actually had a point.
"Fair point," Krist conceded, nodding slowly to himself. "You're not wrong about the risk factor. But the rule stands: do *not* call the police."
*"Give me a single valid reason, or I'm apologizing in advance because I am calling them the next time you drop off the grid,"* Harrison threatened flatly.
Krist hauled the unconscious mercenary up by his collar, dragging his heavy frame into a sturdy wooden dining chair. He began wrapping the industrial zip-ties around the man's chest and arms, anchoring him securely to the heavy frame.
"For a guy who constantly claims to be the smartest mind in the room, Harry, do you really need me to break down basic logic? I thought you could piece two and two together." Krist sighed, placing a thick strip of heavy-duty duct tape over the mercenary's mouth "Do you really think my parents—the biggest tech developers in the country—would leave their own house unprotected? That's why I said no one can take me hostage in my home."
Harrison fell quiet for a moment. *"Okay... I hear you. But Krist..."*
"Yeah?"
*"Don't you trust me?"* Harrison asked, his voice dropping into a quiet, serious register.
"Of course I do," Krist answered smoothly, expertly knotting the steel wire around the man's ankles so there wasn't a single inch of leeway.
"Then why aren't you telling me what's going on ? By this I mean telling me the truth."
Krist frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb with me."
"You keep saying everything is fine, but I know you well enough to realize when something isn't right. You disappeared in the middle of our conversation, stopped answering my calls, and then came back acting as though nothing had happened."
He took a breath.
"Something happened, didn't it?"
Krist remained silent.
*"You keep repeating that everything is 'fine'!"* Harrison barked over the line. *"It's not fine! I know you're hiding something. Even right now—I can hear it in your voice. Something went down at your house just now, and you're brushing it off like you tripped over a rug. Who was in your house, Krist?"*
"I genuinely don't know who he is yet," Krist replied honestly.
*"See?! There it is! You're doing it again!"*
Krist double-checked the restraints. The zip-ties were digging deep into the mercenary's jacket, the steel wire locked down hard, and the mouth tape sealed tight. The guy wasn't breaking free unless he amputated his own limbs.
Krist let out a long, weary sigh, walking back into the living room. "Look, Harry. I don't know what grand answer you're looking for, but I haven't lied to you. If I'm holding back certain details, it's because I have solid reasons to keep them close. And to be completely transparent... I feel the exact same way about you. I feel it about Maya, and I feel it about Luna."
He paused, letting the weight of the words settle. "That's just the reality of the world we're in right now. We all have secrets we keep to protect each other."
*"What do you mean you feel like I'm keeping things from you?"* Harrison asked, sounding genuinely offended.
"Do you really want me to open that door?" Krist asked, his voice taking on a dark, teasing edge.
*"Yeah, let's hear it!"* Harrison challenged. *"When have I ever kept a secret from you?!"*
"Are you sure you want to go there?"
*"100% sure!"*
"Fine. Did you tell me about Ash—"
*"Woah, woah, WOAH!"* Harrison cut in frantically, his confident tone instantly shattering. *"Dude! Come on, man! Why would you bring that up?! That's completely different!"*
"Heh," Krist chuckled quietly. "How is it different?"
*"It's... it's personal!"* Harrison stammered, visibly flustered on his end.
A small smile tugged at Krist's lips. "Then let's just agree that my situation is also... personal."
*"You are literally using my own words against me,"* Harrison grumbled, sounding thoroughly defeated.
"I'm not using anything against you, Harry. I'm just applying basic logic."
*"Krist, man... you know what I'm talking about,"* Harrison said softly, dropping the defensive act. *"We're in this together."*
Krist closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the couch cushions. "Fine," he conceded with a quiet breath. "I'll tell you what's going on. But only if you swear on your life that you will not jump in and interfere. The entire reason I kept this quiet was to keep you guys out of the firing line."
*"No way,"* Harrison protested instantly. *"I'm not making a blind promise to sit on my hands!"*
"Then the conversation ends right here," Krist said coldly.
*"God, why are you always like this?!"*
"Like what? Cautious?"
A long, agonizing pause stretched over the line before Harrison let out a dramatic groan. *"Fine! You win! I'm listening!"*
"I need the explicit promise first," Krist pressed, unyielding.
*"I promise not to get directly involved with whatever crazy secret you're about to drop,"* Harrison grumbled, before adding in a hasty, muttered whisper, *"...unless it becomes absolutely necessary."*
Krist stopped, his eyes narrowing. "Hey. That wasn't part of the script. What do you mean 'unless it becomes necessary'?"
"Oh? Did you hear that?"
"Harrison."
"Look, I promised not to get involved. I just said there might be exceptions."
Krist stared at the ceiling.
Why do I even bother?
Krist walked over to his backpack, pulled out his system, and booted it up without replying.
*"Look, it's a fair compromise!"* Harrison continued quickly, sensing Krist's silence. *"As long as you're not drowning, I won't dive in! That's a solid promise!"*
"And what's your definition of 'drowning'?" Krist asked dryly, After placing it on the center table, he opened it and pressed the power button.
*"I don't know... when you're pinned in a corner with no way out?"*
Krist let out a low sigh, setting his terminal on the coffee table. "Alright, Harry. I'm taking a massive risk telling you this."
*"I'm listening, I'm listening! I won't interfere!"*
"Someone—specifically Adams—has been hiring high-grade mercenaries and independent contractors to abduct me," Krist said calmly, as if discussing the weather. "When they show up... I make them disappear."
Silence deadened the line.
*"Wait..."* Harrison gasped softly. *"You mean... the guy in your house just now... was a mercenary sent to kidnap you?"*
"Yes."
"And he came into your house?"
"That's generally what breaking into someone's house means."
"KRIST!"
Krist winced.
"Would you stop shouting?"
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO STOP SHOUTING WHEN YOU JUST TOLD ME THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN SENDING MERCENARIES TO KIDNAP YOU?!"
Krist leaned back against the couch.
"Well, you're doing a terrible job of it so far."
Harrison took a deep breath, apparently trying to calm himself down.
Then another.
Finally, he spoke.
"Okay. Okay. I'm calm."
"Congratulations."
"Don't push it."
Krist smiled faintly.
Harrison was quiet for a moment before asking, "How many?"
Krist's expression became unreadable.
"Enough."
"That's not a number."
"It's the only answer you're getting right now."
Harrison groaned.
"You're doing it again!"
"Doing what?"
"Giving me half an explanation and expecting me to be satisfied!"
"Then perhaps you should learn to appreciate what you're given."
"One day, I'm going to throw something at you."
"Get in line."
Harrison muttered something under his breath.
Then, after another pause, he asked, "Does anyone else know?"
"No."
"Not Maya?"
"No.Word of this doesn't leave your mouth."
*"Not even to Luna?"* Harrison asked, his tone shifting. *"I thought you trusted her judgment more than mine."*
"I trust her," Krist clarified. "But if Luna or Maya find out contractors are actively breaching my perimeter, they'll do something rash and compromise my counter-grid. This stays strictly between us. So that goes to show that I don't trust anyone completely."
He glanced at his laptop.
"I have plans, and I don't need anyone doing something stupid that could ruin them."
Harrison remained silent for a few seconds.
Then his usual energy returned.
"Alright, then. It'll stay between us, bro."
Krist nodded.
"Good."
"So, what are we going to do about Adams?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing that involves you."
"Krist, you can't just—"
"I have something else to take care of, Harry."
"Wait, wait! We're not finished talking!"
Krist closed his laptop halfway.
"Actually, we are."
"Krist!"
" So if you don't mind get off my phone, Harry."
"Don't you dare—"
Krist ended the call.
For a moment, he stared at the phone in his hand.
Then he placed it on the table and returned his attention to the laptop.
Back in his room, Harrison stared at his own phone in disbelief.
The call had ended.
Just like that.
He slowly lowered the device.
"That damn bastard!"
He threw his free hand into the air.
"I DO MIND! I VERY MUCH MIND!"
But the person he was shouting at had already hung up.
Harrison slumped back in his chair, glaring at the screen as though Krist might somehow hear him through sheer force of irritation.
Back in the mansion, Krist set his phone down, pulled up the floorplan layout of the Middle District, and looked toward the kitchen door where his bound prisoner sat waiting in the dark.