Isaac studied his reflection in the mirror. He had never been the most handsome, thanks to the physical traits that came with his albinism. But by now, he was practically disfigured. He first touched the ugly scar on his neck, then the others he would have to carry for the rest of his life—thanks to Benedict.
His fingers trembled slightly as he traced the raised scar tissue on his abdomen. Benedict had nearly killed him. Because of that damn cop, he had not only almost lost his life, but also part of his organs.
He didn't really understand why he, of all people, seemed to have a talent for escaping death. Twice he had flipped the Grim Reaper the finger. A third time would surely not work. Next time, he would almost certainly die. Strangely enough, the thought frightened him. It had never mattered to him before. He had always known how dangerous his environment was and how quickly a criminal could die. Yet he had always been ready to give his life for the boss.
But now, after everything he had experienced in the past few days…
His hand was still shaking, so he clenched it into a fist, trying to suppress the tremor. His behavior was ridiculous. Why was he afraid now, of all times? Because it had been Benedict who had nearly killed him? Because all the memories of Levi had come flooding back? Was it the guilt he felt toward Noctis, because he had been unconscious while his former lover had been fighting for his life? Or because he still had feelings for Noctis—despite the betrayal and all the lies?
Internally, he berated himself for letting his thoughts run wild again. He needed to stop overthinking everything.
He grimaced in disgust and put on his choker. At least it hid one of the scars. No one would ever see them—unless someone saw him naked.
For a brief moment, the memory of what had happened in the training hall two days ago flickered in his mind. But just as quickly as it had surfaced, he pushed it away.
Since the unplanned night he had spent with Noctis—and telling him afterward that he didn't want to see him again—Noctis hadn't shown up. Had he withdrawn, or was he giving Isaac space? No matter how much Isaac thought about it, it didn't suit Noctis. Normally, he ignored anything he didn't feel like dealing with.
And yet, instead of feeling relieved, Isaac kept thinking about him.
He caught himself wondering what Noctis was doing—training, killing someone, or deliberately stopping himself from going to Isaac. He liked the idea that Noctis might be suffering a little from his words. It was a small satisfaction for everything Noctis had done to him.
With determination, Isaac grabbed the outfit Vincent had gotten for him and styled his hair so it wouldn't get in his way. He had made sure he smelled like absolutely nothing. Neither his soap nor his deodorant had any distinct scent; they were designed to mask natural body odors.
It didn't surprise Isaac that a clan of assassins would be equipped with such products. After all, it had always been Noctis who provided him with them.
He exhaled slowly. Just this one last job, and then it would finally be over—he could disappear. He had to. He would leave Noctis and everything else behind and move somewhere where there was nothing but him and the wilderness. He'd cultivate a small field, go hunting, and spend the rest of his days painting.
No one and nothing would disturb him.
Maybe he'd even get a dog. Or a cat.
The main thing was that he'd never have to deal with other people again.
Finally, he put in his contact lenses, slipped the gloves into his pockets, along with the face covering he would wear for this heist. Where he was going, he wouldn't need a mask. If they caught him, that was it. The estate was too well secured. They had to break in carefully, without anyone noticing—and for that, he definitely couldn't use a mask that covered his entire face.
He left the bathroom adjoining his room and stepped into the space he had been living in for nearly two weeks. More or less. Sitting down on the bed, he laced his boots as tightly as possible and cast one last glance at Eclis Sun.
For a moment, he simply sat there, staring at the ring. This small, unremarkable piece of jewelry had cost him everything. Everything he had lived for. Slowly, he stood, walked over, and picked it up. The metal was cool, and aside from the gemstone, it barely weighed anything. He turned it between his fingers, watching the way the light played across its surface.
For a brief moment, he considered simply taking the ring with him. He could leave it for the boss as an apology—for all the trouble he had caused.
He would never witness the man's reaction, but he wanted to do something.
That small spark of loyalty toward the boss still burned within him. No matter what he was about to learn, the man he was about to rob had been his only family for the past seventeen years. That wasn't something that could simply be erased.
A knock pulled him out of his thoughts.
Isaac had been so lost in them that he flinched slightly, then slipped the ring into his inner pocket with a quiet sigh. No one needed to know about it. Besides, it weighed almost nothing—he wouldn't notice it under any circumstances.
Quickly, he checked that his knives were in place and that he had everything he needed.
Then he went to the door and opened it.
"Evening, Isaac," Moz greeted him, a bit nervously.
Isaac exhaled slowly. Ever since he had learned that Moz had killed Noah, he had kept his distance, avoiding him as much as possible. Instead, Noctis had started coming by more regularly again, and over the past two days, either Vincent or Lucy had brought him food.
He cast Moz a cool look. "After you," Isaac said, gesturing for him to go ahead.
Let's get it over with.
Together, they went to Vincent's office, where the others were already waiting. Isaac knew the basics, but they always seemed to hold a brief meeting right before a job. He glanced around discreetly. Vincent and Lucy were already there. Noctis, however, was missing.
"He'll be here in a moment," Vincent said in his calm, deep voice. Apparently, Isaac's searching look hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Whatever…" Isaac muttered, moving silently to a corner of the room.
His gaze fell on the clock, ticking away steadily. Moz and Lucy spoke quietly with each other, while Vincent was occupied with his phone, occasionally smirking to himself. Whatever he was looking at seemed fairly amusing.
Time passed painfully slowly.
Isaac shifted his weight slightly, crossed his arms over his chest, and found himself wondering more than once where that damn idiot was. At the same time, he forced himself to stay focused.
He knew the estate and its layout. He knew where they would break in and how far they would have to go to reach the safe. But to get there, they had to pass the boss's office—without any of the guards noticing. There was no other way. Everything depended on how well their planned distractions would work.
Once they got past the office, the safe wasn't far, and things would get easier. The boss had hidden it well, and hardly anyone knew about it. The fact that Noctis and Vincent had found it was proof of their years of work infiltrating him.
He closed his eyes, repeatedly visualizing the layout in his mind—until he was completely absorbed in it and felt himself growing calmer. He knew what he had to do.
When he opened his eyes again, the door opened, and Noctis stepped in—closely followed by Ashe.
Isaac froze.
He stared at her in disbelief. He hadn't expected her. He hadn't even thought about her since he had collapsed, bleeding. Guilt hit him immediately. There were dark circles under her eyes, and they were red. She looked like she hadn't just slept poorly, but had cried a lot.
The guilt weighed heavily on him. His chest tightened. He hadn't called her. And he knew how close she and Noah had been—even if they had never really become a couple.
Did she know that, at this very moment, she was surrounded by Noah's killers?
Had Noctis told her? Isaac shot him a cold glance. What was she even doing here?! Noctis looked at him briefly, then turned to his brother.
"Sorry, took a bit longer," he said.
Ashe looked over the people present—until her gaze landed on Isaac.
"…Isaac…?" she murmured in disbelief, stepping toward him. "You're alive…?"
He nodded. "Sorry I didn't get in touch. A lot has… happened," he replied quietly.
He couldn't say more. The next moment, she was in front of him. Her arms wrapped tightly around him—so suddenly and forcefully that he held his breath for a brief second. He could feel her trembling.
"I thought you were dead too! I checked every hospital, but you were nowhere to be found. Your apartment is under surveillance, and I didn't hear anything from Noctis until he contacted me!" she snapped, her voice shaking. "I was worried about you after Noah—!"
Her voice broke.
Isaac awkwardly put his arms around her and gently stroked her head. He had never comforted anyone before and wasn't sure if he was doing it right.
"I'm sorry, Ashe. They got me. I've only been back on my feet for a few days."
She sobbed against his chest, her hands clenching into his shirt before she struck him weakly.
"I thought you were all dead!" she whimpered. "First Noah stopped responding, then you! And in the end, Noctis shut me out too. I sat at home for days, just waiting for someone to reach out!"
Isaac cursed quietly under his breath.
Over Ashe's shoulder, his gaze drifted to the others in the room—to those responsible for this exact pain. One by one, they averted their eyes, more or less guiltily.
"I…" Isaac began, but trailed off. His lips pressed together. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
He couldn't tell her that Noah's killers were standing right behind her. Especially Moz. Ashe was clearly here to help with the break-in. If he told her now, the mission would be compromised. He hesitated.
If he kept it from her, he'd be no better than Noctis and his damn brother.
His hand clenched into a fist.
Damn it…
Before he could say anything, Vincent placed a hand on Ashe's shoulder.
"Isaac was in bad shape when Noctis brought him to me," he explained in his usual calm tone. "He was unconscious for several days and needed time to recover afterward. Don't judge him. His phone was destroyed during the operation as well."
His gaze remained fixed on Isaac, making it unmistakably clear that this was not the right moment to tell her anything.
Isaac wouldn't have known how to explain it anyway. He couldn't exactly point at someone in a room full of assassins and bluntly tell Ashe that Moz had killed Noah—on Vincent's orders, with Noctis silently approving it, despite having grown up with Noah all those years.
Ashe looked at Isaac, disbelief still written across her face. "Sorry… I didn't know that—"
Her face was tear-streaked. He didn't even want to imagine what she must have gone through alone. On top of that, he was part of the problem. Gently, he brushed a tear from the corner of her eye.
He liked Ashe. She deserved the truth.
"Let's talk after the mission, okay?" he said quietly.
She wiped her face and nodded. "Sorry… I was just glad to see you."
A faint smile crossed Isaac's face. "Really? If that was you being glad, I'd hate to see you angry."
"Idiot," Ashe sniffed, wiping her nose. "Noctis is a bad influence on you."
Isaac didn't respond.
Seems like he left his marks on me, even in this way...
But he left the comment unanswered.
"Good," Vincent cut in, breaking the brief silence. "Now that you've greeted each other, I'd like to begin. We're running out of time."
"Of course, sorry, Vincent," Ashe said immediately, straightening up a little.
Isaac frowned slightly.
They know each other?
Vincent guided Ashe to the couch and handed her a pack of tissues, while Lucy offered her something to drink. Ashe accepted both with thanks. The familiarity between them felt strange.
"We haven't seen each other in a long time, Ashe. I hope you've been well in the meantime," Vincent said.
Ashe nodded. "Aside from the thing with…" she began, then shook her head. "I'm doing okay. I'll be back to normal soon."
Vincent gently brushed a hand over her head. "I'm glad to hear that. Do you feel capable of breaking into the system shortly?"
Ashe blew her nose loudly, took a deep breath, and then looked at him with a clearer, more focused expression.
"More than ready. I brought a few things we absolutely need."
She stood up and stepped over to Noctis, who handed her the backpack without a word. She rummaged through it briefly, then pulled out several small devices and carefully spread them across Vincent's desk.
"I need access to his computer so I can extract all his data. I tried accessing it remotely, but I need direct access. And it would help if these little assistants were placed throughout the area."
She pointed at a set of small black speakers. Her gaze met Vincent's.
"You'll probably want to know what's going on over the next few days, so I figured we could plant a few bugs. But for that, you'd need to get into his office—and I doubt your people on-site can access it right now without blowing their cover."
Vincent picked up one of the bugs, examining it thoughtfully.
"It would indeed be useful to listen in on a few things," he murmured.
Isaac stepped closer to the table, letting his gaze pass over the devices.
"The boss is often in his office until late at night. When are we supposed to plant these bugs? Without a proper distraction, he's not going to leave his office that easily," Isaac pointed out.
He knew what he was talking about. More than once, he himself had been summoned there in the middle of the night.
Noctis crossed his arms slightly and gave a short nod.
"Isaac's right. Getting to the safe will be difficult enough. If we also have to break into the office, there's a lot in our way—aside from the guards and the boss himself, who practically lives in that room," Noctis agreed.
Ashe carefully pulled a small wooden box from her backpack and placed it on the table.
"That's what this little beauty is for. If Lucy can plant the charge outside—say, near the entrance gates—they'll have to move the boss to safety," she suggested. "Which means he'll leave his office."
Vincent raised a hand before she had even finished speaking.
"No. They'll tear everything apart afterward and find the bugs. And I don't want them realizing we've tampered with the safe."
Ashe cursed under her breath. "Then explosions aren't exactly helpful," she said thoughtfully.
"What if we send a threat targeting his wife and younger son?" Isaac suggested as soon as the idea occurred to him.
The moment the words left his mouth, his jaw tightened. The thought alone left a bitter aftertaste.
Vincent glanced at him in brief surprise, studying him a moment longer than necessary. Then he turned to Moz.
"Send someone. Have them check if they're at home right now. They rarely stay in the main house." A short pause. "This could work."
"Understood."
Moz reacted immediately, turned, and left the room. He already had his phone to his ear as he stepped through the door.
Noctis wore a diabolical grin. "Who would've thought such a wicked idea would come from you, darling? The boss will be terrified for his youngest."
Isaac raised a hand defensively. "Cut it out. I already feel bad enough."
The boss had already lost Noah. Threatening the life of his youngest just two weeks later didn't sit right. Even if it was only a threat and they wouldn't actually harm him… would they?
He kept the thought to himself. Time was running out, and even though they had scheduled the briefing early, they had less than two hours left to wrap everything up and get there. There was no room for hesitation over a sudden moral impulse.
"Alright. Then we'll place the bugs strategically." Ashe pointed to the small devices one by one. "One under the desk, one on the sideboard, one by the door, and one by the window." Then she lifted another device. "And this goes on his router. It should be in the same room. With it, I can monitor his activity and, if possible, intercept calls."
Vincent nodded in approval.
"I still enjoy working with you, Ashe. You're as well-prepared as ever." A brief, almost nostalgic expression crossed his face. "Our last mission together was too long ago."
Ashe let out a satisfied huff. "I don't do things halfway. Besides, I want to see him burn," she said firmly. "That bastard didn't even let me attend the funeral."
For a moment, the determination left her face. Grief took its place.
"Even now, the grave is guarded," she said quietly. "No one's allowed near it. Only family. They're afraid enemies—or some fans—might desecrate it."
The room fell silent.
Noctis stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"When this is done, I'll make sure you get the chance to say goodbye to him," Noctis promised.
Isaac felt his stomach tighten. Again, these half-truths. This constant game of omission and manipulation.
He couldn't stand it any longer.
Ashe placed her hand over Noctis's and gave a slight nod.
"I'd really appreciate that," she said quietly.
Vincent leaned against the desk, arms loosely crossed. "Can you handle all of this from here, or do you need to be closer to the estate?"
Ashe shook her head. "It would be best to be on-site. If necessary, the street in front of the house will do. I have everything I need to intercept the signals."
Vincent nodded. "I'll come with you and make sure no one notices anything."
Ashe wiped at the corner of her eye with the back of her hand.
"You want to play my bodyguard? What an honor," she replied, a hint of sarcasm barely masking her exhaustion. "Fine. At least I won't be alone."
She picked up a small stick and held it out to Isaac.
"You know your way around this. Can I count on you?"
Isaac took it without hesitation and slipped it into his inner pocket, next to the ring.
"You can always count on me."
"Perfect," she said with a faint smile, handing him the bugs and the connector for the router as well.
She briefly explained how to install everything and how the bugs needed to be positioned for optimal signal. After that, they went over the plan again, just as Moz returned. Only once every question had been answered and everyone knew exactly what to do did they set out for the estate.
On the way, they dropped Moz off at a building whose rooftop gave him a clear view of the estate—at least the front. Lucy would handle the back, covering the garden.
They got out a few streets away and walked the rest of the distance. The streets were quiet; only a few streetlights cast their cold glow onto the pavement. Lucy hurried ahead to scout the route, leaving Isaac alone with Noctis.
Isaac and Noctis walked side by side without looking at each other. Only their footsteps broke the silence.
"Are you nervous?" Noctis finally asked.
Isaac's hand clenched into a fist without him noticing. Nervous was an understatement. The calm he had felt back in Vincent's office was gone. In its place was a pressure in his chest that grew heavier with every step. He was on his way to rob the man who had raised him.
And who now wanted him dead.
"No," he said.
Noctis glanced at him from the side.
"That's good. I was worried you might get cold feet."
Isaac exhaled slowly.
"It's just a strange situation," he admitted. "Whatever. I'll open the safe and set everything up for Ashe. Then we're gone."
A brief moment passed. Noctis stopped and kept Isaac from moving forward. He placed a hand on Isaac's cheek and gently brushed his thumb over his lips. He looked like he was about to kiss him.
"We?" Noctis asked quietly. "You're not just going to disappear?"
Something tightened in Isaac's chest. He pulled away from Noctis's touch and kept walking.
"…are you sure I'll get answers to my questions there?"
He changed the subject instead of answering. His plan was to disappear before Noctis or the others noticed. He intended to make the escape a bit chaotic—and then use that chaos to slip away.
For good.
Noctis watched him in silence for a moment. Then he nodded.
"Yes," he said. "He keeps all important documents in that safe. Our people have often observed him locking them away there."
"If he's being watched that closely, why does no one know the combination?"
"For one, he changes it constantly. And for another, the cabinet door is always in the way—it blocks the view."
"Right, it's inside a locked cabinet," Isaac muttered.
They reached the estate and moved quietly toward the spot where they could get over the garden fence unseen. Lucy was already waiting on the other side. Isaac pulled the face covering over his mouth and the hood over his white hair. But just before he could climb the fence, Noctis grabbed him.
Isaac paused and turned slightly toward him.
"What is it?" Isaac asked, irritated.
"No matter what happens in there, I've got your back," Noctis said seriously. "No one's going to lay a finger on you—even if I have to take them all out."
A weight settled in Isaac's chest.
So this was it. Everything he had been preparing for over the past few days was now within reach—the safe and all the answers it held, and then his escape into the unknown. He would have to make one last stop at his apartment to retrieve his hidden cash reserves.
For one last moment, he looked at Noctis more closely, memorizing those golden eyes he would never forget for the rest of his life.
What if you just stayed?
Isaac pushed the thought aside.
You could just forgive him.
He pulled his hand away from Noctis and ignored the inner turmoil that threatened to overwhelm him and scatter his focus.
Focus. There are more important things right now.
"And I'll cover you," he replied. He glanced at the fence and jumped up in one motion, landing in a crouch on top of it. He looked back briefly at Noctis. "Best case, we won't get caught at all. Come on."
With that, he leapt down to the other side, landing almost silently on the grass. At least he hadn't lost his light footing. He glanced back again at Noctis, who was still standing on the other side.
Noctis looked at him as if he could see straight through Isaac's facade—as if he knew exactly what was going on inside him. He exhaled, pulled up his face covering and hood, and followed.
"Let's hope nothing goes wrong this time."