The air in the underground hideout was thick with tension. Jaxon hadn't moved from his mother's side since the moment she arrived. He sat next to her on the cot, his hand gripping hers as if she might disappear if he let go. Rina still looked fragile, her skin pale from years of captivity, but there was a quiet strength in her eyes that hadn't been broken.
Celeste and Andrew stood a few feet away, watching in silence.
Eric paced near the door, restless. "Collaway knows by now."
"We were fast," Andrew countered. "He won't have enough time to track us."
Eric didn't look convinced. "We need to assume he will, eventually."
Jaxon spoke without looking up. "Let him come."
His voice was quiet, but the weight behind it was deadly.
Celeste folded her arms. "We'll be ready. But first, we need a plan. We can't just wait for Collaway to make the next move."
Jaxon finally looked up, his expression cold and calculating. "We won't be waiting. We're taking the fight to him."
Andrew frowned. "You're not thinking straight—"
"I've never thought clearer," Jaxon cut him off. "For years, I had to play his game. Act like his perfect little soldier. That ends now."
Rina squeezed his hand. "Jaxon…"
He turned to her, his gaze softening for the first time. "I have to end this, Mom. He took everything from us. I can't let him take anything else."
Rina hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I trust you."
Jaxon exhaled. "Eric, what's our status?"
Eric stopped pacing and turned toward him. "Your recruits are ready. The ones inside Collaway's compound are waiting for the signal. We just need to decide when to move."
Jaxon's jaw clenched. "Soon. But first, I need to see Aster."
Celeste's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
Jaxon stood, rolling his shoulders. "Because he needs to know what's coming."
---
Meanwhile – Aster and Rea
The school day had been long and uneventful. Rea had been distracted the entire day, her mind drifting back to her parents' sudden departure and the strange note they had left behind. Aster, on the other hand, had been eerily calm. Too calm.
Rea wasn't fooled.
She watched him as they walked home from school, his hands tucked in his pockets, his gaze fixed straight ahead. He had been quiet all day, barely speaking unless necessary.
"You're thinking about something," she finally said.
Aster smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I think about a lot of things, Jones. You'll have to be more specific."
Rea frowned. "You're not even making fun of me properly. That's how I know something's up."
Aster let out a short chuckle but didn't respond.
Rea sighed, bumping her shoulder against his. "Look, I know we're used to dealing with insane, life-threatening situations, but that doesn't mean you have to act like nothing is wrong."
Aster stopped walking.
Rea turned to face him, surprised by his sudden stillness. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes… there was something there. Something dark.
Before she could say anything, a voice cut through the air.
"You're still as annoying as ever, Jones."
Rea whipped around, her heart skipping a beat.
Jaxon stood a few feet away, arms crossed, his usual smug expression replaced with something far more serious.
Aster's body tensed immediately. "What do you want?"
Jaxon tilted his head. "You should be thanking me. I came all this way to give you information."
Aster scoffed. "Oh, this should be good."
Jaxon took a step forward, his gaze locked onto Aster. "Collaway knows."
Silence.
Aster narrowed his eyes. "Knows what?"
"That Rina is gone. That it was an inside job." Jaxon's voice was steady, but there was an edge to it. "It won't be long before he starts hunting. And when he does, he's going to come after everyone involved—including you."
Aster smirked. "Let him come."
Jaxon's jaw tightened. "Don't be stupid."
Aster's smirk grew wider. "You sound worried about me, Jax."
Jaxon took another step forward, his expression darkening. "I don't give a damn about you."
Aster tilted his head. "Really? Because you've spent a lot of time making my life hell. Seems a little obsessive, don't you think?"
Jaxon's fists clenched. "You look like him."
Aster's smirk didn't falter. "We have the same father, you know."
Jaxon punched him. Hard.
Aster staggered back, the impact rattling his skull, but he didn't fall. He wiped his mouth, feeling the sharp sting where Jaxon's fist had connected.
Rea immediately stepped between them. "What the hell, Jaxon?"
Jaxon's breath was ragged, his hands still balled into fists. "You don't get it, do you?" His voice was hoarse, filled with something that almost sounded like desperation. "Every time I see you, it's like he's standing right in front of me."
Aster wiped the blood from his lip, his expression unreadable. "Then stop looking."
Jaxon exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He looked away, shaking his head. "You're an idiot."
Aster snorted. "Takes one to know one."
Rea looked between them, frustration clear on her face. "Are you two done with your little macho fight, or do I need to knock some sense into both of you?"
Neither of them answered.
Jaxon finally turned back to Aster. "Just stay alert. Things are about to get worse."
Aster's smirk returned. "Oh, I'm counting on it."
Jaxon rolled his eyes, turning away. "You're impossible."
Aster watched him go, his expression finally shifting. The smirk faded. His fists clenched.
Because despite everything, despite the fights, the insults, the years of hatred—
For the first time, Jaxon had looked at him like a brother.
And that scared Aster more than anything.