Chapter 28

Mark was up to his elbows in soapy water, attacking a pile of dishes that seemed to have multiplied since dinner.

“Ugh, I swear, Ria, you eat like a wild animal. You’re going to make yourself sick.”

“Heh, don’t knock it ‘til you twy it. This pie... mmmph ... is s’ooooo good!”

“Are you sure it’s not your turn to do dishes?”

“Pretty sure it’s yours,” she said, forking another bite.

“I did them last night.”

“And it was your turn last night.”

“And the night before that, too. Because you were so busy with your... ‘research,’” he said, using air quotes.

“Hey, that research is important for my paper.”

“You were watching reruns of ‘Friends’ again.”

“And that was part of my research. I was studying the dynamics of 20th-century social interactions.”

“Bull—”

“Just get on with it, Mark,” Lida chuckled, wiping down the counter. “Stop complaining. You’re making a bigger mess than Ria with all that whining.”

“Whose side are you on, anyway?”

“The side of cleanliness. Which, in this case, happens to be Ria’s side. Now hurry up. Those dishes aren’t going to wash themselves.”

“See? Even Lida agrees with me,” Ria said, sticking her tongue out.

She always takes her side. He scrubbed at a stubborn stain, the mountain of dirty plates and silverware seeming to grow larger with every passing minute. This is going to take forever.

“Hey ... at least save me a piece of that pie.”

“We’ll shee,” she said, her cheeks bulging with pie, crumbs falling from her lips. “Once you’re done, I’ll mmm assess your dishwashi—mmmph—skills. If you did a good enough job, I mmm might consider sharing...”

A sigh escaped him, his mouth quirking up despite trying to stay annoyed.

After finishing up, Mark plopped down in the living room, letting out a satisfied sigh. Finally, free from dish duty.

“So,” Lida asked, “how was the trip?”

“Oh, it was wonderful,” Ria began, her voice animated. “You should’ve seen the place. Miles away from the nearest soul, under stars like you wouldn’t believe. And the quiet ... it was so peaceful, just being out there, away from everything. It was exactly what we needed.”

“Sounds rejuvenating.”

“It was, except for the fact that I got conned into doing the dishes,” he grumbled. “Seriously, it’s like I am tied to a sink. No escape.”

“Only because you’re so good at it, babe,” she teased, giving him a playful nudge.

They shared stories from their trip - the hilarious mishaps, the surprisingly decent campfire songs, the quiet moments spent watching the stars.

Lida, however, suddenly interrupted Ria’s fervent retelling of her disastrous attempt to roast marshmallows. “Before I forget, I’ll be away for a couple of weeks.”

“What?” He asked, surprised. “Where are you going?”

“Just some ... business I need to take care of.”

“Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine, dear. Just catching up with some old friends. They need my help with something.”

“Who are these friends?”

“You wouldn’t know them, Mark,” Lida replied, waving her hand dismissively. “I knew them way back.”

“What kind of help do they need?”

“Honey, relax. I know you’re just concerned, but it’s truly nothing more than meeting with some old pals. It’s been too long and they reached out. That’s all there is to it.”

“When are you leaving?” Ria inquired.

“Day after tomorrow.”

Mark let out a heavy sigh. It’s been too quiet lately. There was this nagging sense in his gut that trouble was brewing, something dark and dangerous.

The uncertainty was like an itch he couldn’t scratch, a constant buzz of worry at the back of his mind. He knew Lida could handle herself; she was powerful, resourceful, more than capable of taking care of herself. But he couldn’t help but worry.

Ria’s hand on his shoulder brought him back to the present. He turned to Lida. “You’ll tell me if something’s wrong, right?”

“Of course. You know I will.”

They chatted away, jumping from Lida’s upcoming trip to Ria’s cool new animation project, and then veered into Mark venting about Julian’s bizarre training techniques.

“Night, you two,” Lida said, getting up from the couch with a tired smile. “Don’t stay up too late.”

“Night, Lida,”

“Goodnight.”

The couple went to their room upstairs.

“Want to take a shower, babe?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

Ria nodded and slipped into the bathroom, leaving him alone with the shadows that danced at the edges of his mind.

Slipping into his worn-out sweatpants and a faded t-shirt, the simple act felt too mechanical. His head was a jumble of thoughts, each one elbowing for space with worries that just wouldn’t quit.

This unnatural peace ... felt wrong... fragile, like a house of cards built on a foundation of sand. It’s too quiet.

Elia was still out there, and whoever had hired him, whoever was targeting Ria, they were still pulling the strings, their motives unknown, their power unseen.

And then there were his parents. Who killed them? And why? I’m no closer to finding out the truth than I was a year ago.

He felt a surge of helplessness, a wave of anger that made his fists clench, his jaw tighten. I’m so fucking tired of this. All he craved was justice, closure, to bury the skeletons of his past once and for all.

Ria emerged from the bathroom, her hair damp, her skin glowing, the scent of her vanilla body wash filling the air. She slipped into bed beside him, snuggling close, her warmth a welcome distraction from the turmoil in his mind.

They kissed, a soft, lingering kiss that spoke of comfort and connection and then, exhausted, they drifted off to sleep.

But sleep offered no escape.

His thoughts raced like a wild horse, fear and worry mixing together in a messy swirl. The ghosts of yesterday danced with the unknowns of tomorrow, creating a storm inside him that just wouldn’t settle down.

▲▼▲—∞—▼▲▼

“We must always account for the shifting equilibrium, the marginal utility curves—”

Professor Wilson’s lecture was the perfect soundtrack for a nap.

”—and, of course, the interrelationship of elasticity and supply-demand shifts...”

Mark snorted, a quick burst of laughter that startled the girl sitting next to him. He shot her a quick, sheepish grin before diving back to the elaborate doodle taking shape in his notebook – a fire-breathing dragon battling a giant robot armed with laser cannons.

“Remember, optimal production requires understanding both fixed and variable costs. Efficiency in cost allocation is—”

I am so fucking bored. He’d been bitching about the constant chaos a few months ago, about the fights, the near-death experiences, the supernatural drama.

Now, with Lida gone and things being relatively quiet, he was... bored. Sure, there were classes, chores, training to keep him occupied.

But it had all settled into a predictable routine, a monotonous cycle that made him restless. I need something ... more.

The rest of the day crawled by, a blur of textbooks, tasteless cafeteria food, and professors whose lectures could cure insomnia. Another day, another existential crisis.

Finally, it was time for his training session with Julian.

He practically sprinted, eager for the physical exertion, the mental challenge, the chance to push himself, to escape the monotony. Julian’s brutal training methods were the highlight of his day, second only to Ria’s enthusiastic way of relieving his stress.

He pushed open the shop door, the familiar scent of dried herbs and incense filling his nostrils.

Julian was hunched over his workbench, examining a stack of papers covered in strange symbols. But what really caught Mark’s attention was was that Luna wasn’t around. She was usually perched behind the counter, her fanged grin and unnervingly knowing look a constant presence.

“Where’s Luna?”

“Sent her on an errand,” Julian said, without looking up.

“What kind of errand?” He asked, dropping his bag onto the floor.

“The kind that requires a certain ... delicacy of touch that you are sorely lacking.”

Mark sighed. Always with the cryptic bullshit. “So, what are we working on today?”

“No training today. I’m busy.”

“Busy doing what? All you ever do is mope around this dusty old shop, muttering to yourself.”

“Don’t be a smartass, kid. I have important things to do.”

“Right...” Mark said, unconvinced. “ ... what’s got you so busy?”

“It seems our friends at Crescent have finally tracked down your ... mercenary friend.”

“They found Elia?” Mark asked, his voice sharp. Finally! “Where is he? I’m gonna...”

“Whoa, there, cowboy,” Julian chuckled, raising a hand. “Calm down. It’s not like you’re about to reunite with your long-lost lover.”

“You don’t get it. I’ve been waiting for months to get my hands on that bastard.”

“I know you are, kid. But I’m afraid that’s not happening anytime soon.”

“Why not?”

“The situation is ... complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“Elia’s attack on the mansion ... it’s a stain on Crescent’s honor. They’re not just going to let it go. They need to make an example of him, to show everyone that they’re not to be trifled with. Especially not by some two-bit mercenary.”

“Honor my foot. It sounds like they’re just covering their own asses. They were the ones who couldn’t even protect their own headquarters.”

“Vultures circle when there’s blood in the water. It’s not just about Elia anymore. It’s about sending a message. And it seems our one-eyed friend has some ... influential protectors. Some of them even have ties to Crescent. They’re walking a tightrope. Trying to maintain a delicate balance of power.”

“So they’re getting you to do their dirty work?”

“More or less,” Julian admitted with a shrug. “Adira asked for my help. Discreetly, of course. They don’t want to risk a direct confrontation, given the ... political ramifications.”

“Who’s protecting him, though? Who are these powerful friends?”

“Adira didn’t say. She just told me what she needed. And frankly, I didn’t ask. Sometimes, it’s better not to know too much.”

“What’s in it for you, then?”

Julian smiled a cryptic glint in his eye. “Favors owed. Favors gained. It’s the currency of our world. The only currency that truly matters.”

“So, let me get this straight,” Mark said, rubbing his temples. “Their alliances are more important than the fact that this guy attacked their headquarters, nearly killed Ria.”

“As I said it’s complicated,” Julian sighed, his voice laced with a weary patience. “This world ... it runs on favors, debts, alliances. They want Elia dealt with, yes, but quietly. Discreetly. I’m just the ... middle man, making sure everyone gets what they want, minimizing the collateral damage. Ensuring sure things are handled according to protocol.”

Protocol my ass. It’s all about politics and power plays. Anger boiled in Mark, cold and hard, wiping out his earlier excitement.

“So, what’s the plan, here?”

“Simple. Crescent has a team en route to Elia’s hideout. I’ll waltz in, neutralize him, and bring him back for ... a chat.”

“Let me handle it, Julian.”

He wasn’t about to let Crescent steal his chance for revenge. He wanted to confront Elia, to finish what they’d started, and to finally get some damn answers. Who was calling the shots? Why were they after Ria?

“Your ability to completely ignore what I say and just bulldoze ahead with your own agenda is truly remarkable,” Julian said dryly. “I wish your skills developed at the same rate.”

“Come on, Julian, I have a stake in this. More than anyone. That bastard tried to kill Ria, and he nearly succeeded.”

Julian sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I understand where you’re coming from. But you need to see the bigger picture. This isn’t just about your grudge. There are bigger forces at play here. Alliances, treaties, political maneuvering...”

“So what? I’m supposed to just sit back and let it be? Let those assholes clean up the mess while I’m left wondering who the hell is trying to kill me and why?”

“It’s a bad idea,” Julian said, his voice patient, though a flicker of annoyance crossed his face. “Adira won’t be happy. She’ll see it as a challenge to her authority. To Crescent’s control.”

“I don’t give a shit. This is personal. He hurt Ria. He hurt me. I’m not going to let him get away with it. He’s my problem.”

Julian studied him for a moment, amusingly. “So, you’re determined to stick your hand in the hornet’s nest, are you? Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Thanks, Julian.”

“Don’t get cocky, kid. This isn’t some playground brawl. This is a hunt. And you’re not the only predator in the jungle.”

“I took care of him once. I can do it again.”

Julian sighed. “That’s what I’m afraid of. You beat him in a straight fight, yes. But this is different. You’re walking into his territory, his rules. These hunters ... they’re cunning. They adapt. They plan. They play the long game. Walk into this expecting a rematch, and you’ll find yourself out of your depth.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Be vigilant, blah ... blah ... blah ... Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ll just ... be ultra careful while I’m kicking his ass.”

Julian shook his head, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Stubbornness is definitely your most endearing quality. Just ... try not to get yourself killed. Lida would never forgive me. Or you, for that matter.”

▲▼▲—∞—▼▲▼

Mark followed Julian’s directions, driving further and further out of town, the city lights fading behind him, the road twisting and turning through dense forest. Thick trees surrounded either side, sunlight peeking through the leaves.

He was surprised he even had cell service out here. This is the middle of nowhere. He finally reached a small clearing, where a handful of cars and tents were clustered near the edge of the woods. He pulled over, a flicker of unease in his gut.