"You really wish to send me with someone as weak as her father?" a 12‑year‑old boy with black hair and sharp green eyes said, stepping out from the shadows. The rooftop lights caught the edges of his silhouette, making him look even smaller—and somehow more dangerous.
"Silence," Richard said simply, not even turning his head. His voice carried the weight of command. "Davina, this is your younger brother Killian. I leave his care in your hands."
"How kind of you," Davina replied, her tone flat but her jaw tightening for just a second.
Killian walked over, his footsteps surprisingly quiet for someone his age. He stopped in front of her, tilting his chin up. "How weak," he said, as if stating a fact rather than an insult.
"Let's go," Davina said, pushing open the metal door leading off the roof. The hinges groaned softly.
As she descended the stairwell, she pressed a button on her wrist. The nanites shimmered faintly before retracting into their casing with a soft mechanical hum. Killian followed behind her, hands in his pockets, eyes scanning everything.
"Nice tech," he said.
"Ren Tech is the top in its field, so it better be," she answered as they stepped outside. Her black Dodge Charger rolled up to the curb on its own, headlights sweeping across them.
"I'll drive," Killian said.
"You're twelve," Davina replied.
"I know how."
"No way. Get in." She slid into the driver's seat, the leather creaking beneath her.
Killian climbed into the passenger seat, crossing his arms as she pulled away from the curb. "So you're my long‑lost sister."
"I wouldn't really say long‑lost, considering tonight is the first time I ever heard of you."
"I've known of you my whole life," Killian said, watching the city lights blur past the window. "The apparent rightful heir to The Association."
"The Association? Is that what you call your little group?"
"You know less about us than I thought," he said. "The Association is a large group of highly trained assassins disguised as the Russian Mafia. There are many more layers beyond that."
"So why did Richard stick you with me?"
"Perhaps to test you. Or even me. I know nothing of what goes on in his mind."
Davina exhaled through her nose. "So do I have to call you Killian, or do you have a nickname?"
He hesitated. "Ian."
She pulled up to the mansion, the driveway lights flickering on automatically. "This is your home?" he asked, eyeing the tall windows and ivy‑covered stone. "It will do."
Sebastian appeared beside the passenger door almost instantly, as if he'd been waiting. Davina rolled down the window.
"Sebastian, this is Ian—the little brother I didn't know I had, who will be staying with us. Ian, this is Sebastian. On paper he's the butler, but to me he's family. So be nice."
"You're leaving me here alone with him?" Ian asked.
"Is that a problem?"
"Of course not," he said, crossing his arms again.
"I have some things to do at my company. I'll be back shortly."
"It's 9 p.m."
"Which is exactly why I have to hurry so my employees can go home," she said with an awkward smile.
Ian stepped out, closing the door with a soft thud.
"Be careful, Miss Davina," Sebastian said.
She nodded once before driving off.
Ian looked up at Sebastian, who gestured toward the front door. "How about we go inside, young master Ian?"
By the time Davina reached the company, it was nearly 9:30 p.m. Police lights flashed against the glass exterior, painting the street in red and blue. Officers moved around the entrance, their radios crackling.
When she approached the doors, an officer stepped in front of her. "I'm sorry, miss. This is an active crime scene."
"This is my company. I was called here by Detective Anders."
"Let her in," a blonde woman said, poking her head out from inside.
The officer stepped aside.
"So what the hell happened for you to text me out of the blue?" Davina asked as they walked toward the elevator. Her heels echoed sharply in the quiet lobby.
"About an hour ago, a device was stolen from lab A23 on floor six. While that was happening," Anders said as they entered the elevator, "one of your employees who was in your office at the time was attacked."
"Which employee?" Davina asked. "Are they okay?"
"Unfortunately… they were killed." Anders stopped her before the office door. "This may be a little freaky."
She opened the door.
Davina froze. Her assistant, Lisa Belonta—green‑eyed, long black hair—lay on the floor, still and silent.
"She was mistaken for me," Davina whispered.
"What was stolen from the lab?" Davina asked turning to Anders. "We don't know" she said honestly. "Then let's go find out" Davina said turning towards the elevator again.
"I think we should give you a security detail" Anders said following her. "Just until the investigation is over" she added. "Cory, my mom had me trained in 7 different types of martial arts just to make sure I was safe growing up, I'll be fine" she said as they got back into he elevator.
"Martial arts can't save you from a Sniper" Cory said. "Neither can a body guard unless they intend to jump in front of a bullet" Davina said as the elevator doors opened to the 6th floor. "I just think you should consider all your options, I mean your a very rich highly influential figure who owns a company that creates the best medical technology in the business" Cory said as that began to walk down the hall.
"Its no wonder when someone puts a target on your back" she added "it's just not a good time especially since I just found out that I have a brother and my biological father who just appeared after 22 years magically appeared and just kinda threw him at me" she told Cory.
"That's not a reason and you know it" Cory told her as they entered the lab. "Miss Davina!" A man said standing up. "How come we don't know what was stolen?" Davina asked. "It was a classified device, no one was supposed to know if it's existence until after you determined it to be completed" he answered. "Well I'm here so tell me what it was that was stolen" Davina demanded.
"It was a device that can inject any type of cure or serum from a distance, you asked we make one due to the strange drug that began flooding the streets of United city York City and Sloane before it reached Welson" he answered.
TO BE CONTINUED