MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Forty-Six: The New Enemy
---
The peace lasted three months.
Three months of waking up beside Keifer. Three months of Keiran's laughter echoing through the halls. Three months of Percy burning breakfast and Ci N recording everything and Lyra standing in her corner with Alex beside her. Three months of healing. Three months of quiet. Three months of believing the war was over.
The call came on a Tuesday.
Jay was in the study, going over the final reports from Singapore, the accounts closed, the assets frozen, the man who had started the war sitting in a prison cell where he would spend the rest of his life. Keifer was beside her, his hand on her back, his eyes on the screen. He was healed now. The scar on his chest was white against his skin. She touched it sometimes, when he was sleeping, when she needed to remind herself that he was alive.
Her phone buzzed. Mica's name flashed on the screen.
Jay answered. "What?"
Mica's voice was tight. "There's someone new. Someone who's been watching. Someone who's been waiting."
Jay's hand tightened on the phone. "Who?"
"His name is Jason. He's been in the shadows for years. He worked with your uncle. He worked with the man in Singapore. He was the one who planned the attack on the warehouse. The one who almost killed you. The one who almost killed Lyra."
Jay stood up. Keifer's hand was on her arm.
"He's been hiding," Mica said. "He's been waiting. He's been planning. And now he's ready to move."
Jay walked to the window. The garden was green. The flowers were blooming. The steps where she had sat with Keifer were empty.
"Where is he?" Jay asked.
"He's here. In Manila. He's been here for weeks. Watching. Waiting. He wants to finish what your uncle started."
Jay looked at Keifer. His face was steady. His eyes were dark.
"Then let him come," Jay said.
---
The meeting was called for noon.
The living room was full. Her girls. His boys. Everyone who had been through the war, who had bled, who had survived.
Ci N was on the sofa, his phone in his hand, his face serious for once. Felix was beside him. Percy was in the armchair, his feet up, his face unreadable. Aries was beside him, their hands in their pockets. Yuri was in his corner, his arms crossed, his face cold.
Freya stood by the door. Erdix was beside her. Rakki was sprawled on the floor, her head in Mayo's lap. Mica was at the table, her laptop open, Calix beside her. Ella was in the chair by the window, her hands folded. Care was on the sofa, Cole beside her. Grace was at the back, Denzel beside her. Kit was with Mayo, their shoulders touching.
Lyra was in her corner. Alex was beside her. Her hands were empty. Her face was blank.
Jay stood at the center. Keifer was beside her.
"There's a new enemy," Jay said. "His name is Jason. He worked with my uncle. He worked with the man in Singapore. He was the one who planned the attack on the warehouse. The one who almost killed us."
The room was silent.
"He's been hiding," Jay said. "He's been waiting. He's been planning. And now he's ready to move."
Mica's voice was steady. "I've been tracking him. He's been in Manila for weeks. He has money. He has weapons. He has people. He wants to finish what your uncle started."
Rakki sat up. Her face was sharp. "How many?"
"At least fifty. Maybe more. He's been recruiting. He's been training. He's been waiting for the right moment."
Percy stood up. His face was serious. "When?"
Mica looked at the screen. "Tonight. He's planning to hit the warehouse. The same one. The one where Lyra was hurt. The one where Jay almost died. He wants to send a message."
Jay walked to the map. It was still on the wall, the pins and strings and photographs, the face of the man in Singapore at the center. She put her hand on it. She looked at the room.
"He wants a war," Jay said. "Let's give him one."
---
The planning lasted all day.
Mica laid out everything she had found. The warehouse. The men. The weapons. The routes. Jason had been planning for months. He had money from accounts that hadn't been frozen, weapons from sources that hadn't been found, men who had been loyal to her uncle, who had been waiting for someone to lead them.
Freya stood at the map. "We hit them first. Before they hit us."
Erdix was beside her. "We hit the warehouse at dawn. Catch them before they're ready."
Rakki was at the table, her hands flat on the wood. "I'll take the front. I'll draw them out."
Mayo was beside her. "I'll take the back. I'll cut off their escape."
Kit stood up. "I'll go with Mayo."
Grace cracked her knuckles. "I'll take the side entrance. Denzel, you're with me."
Denzel put his phone away. "I'm with you."
Care stood up. Cole was beside her. "I'll be at the entrance. In case someone gets hurt."
Cole took her hand. "I'll be with her."
Percy walked to the map. "I'll take the roof. Aries, you're with me."
Aries was beside him. "I'm with you."
Yuri moved from his corner. His arms were still crossed. His face was still cold. "I'll go with Percy."
Percy looked at him. "You always go with me."
Yuri's face didn't change. "I always go with you."
Ci N put his phone in his pocket. "I'm going. I'm filming everything."
Felix was beside him. "I'm carrying the bags."
Freya looked at Jay. "What about you?"
Jay walked to the map. She put her hand on the warehouse. The place where she had almost died. The place where Lyra had almost died. The place where the war had almost ended.
"I'm going in," Jay said. "I'm going to find Jason. I'm going to end this."
Keifer was beside her. His hand was on her back. "I'm going with you."
She looked at him. His face was steady. His eyes were dark.
"Together," she said.
"Together."
---
The sun was setting when the planning ended.
The room was empty. The maps were on the table. The plans were made. Everyone was ready. Everyone was waiting.
Jay stood at the window. The garden was gold. The flowers were blooming. The steps where she had sat with Keifer were empty.
He came in behind her. His arms went around her waist. His face was in her hair.
"You're thinking," he said.
"I'm always thinking."
He turned her to face him. His hands were on her face. His eyes were steady.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
She looked at him. The man who had saved her life. The man who had almost died for her. The man she loved.
"I'm thinking about the war," she said. "About the people we've lost. About the people we might lose."
He pulled her close. His arms were tight. His heart was steady.
"We're not going to lose anyone," he said. "We're going to end this. Together."
She held him. His chest was warm. His breath was steady.
"Together," she said.
---
Lyra was in her corner.
The sun was setting. The garden was gold. Her hands were empty. Her face was blank. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"You're thinking," he said.
She looked at him. His face was close. His eyes were bright.
"I'm thinking about the warehouse," she said. "About the last time. About the knife in my side. About the blood."
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair.
"This time is different," he said. "This time, you're not alone."
She held him. Her hands were steady. Her heart was full.
"I'm not alone," she said.
He kissed her forehead. "You're never alone."
---
The night came.
The house was quiet. Keiran was asleep in his room, his arms around his dinosaur, his face soft. Keigan was in his room, his light on, his door open, watching.
Percy was in the living room, his feet up, his eyes closed. Aries was beside him, their head on his shoulder. Yuri was in his corner, his arms crossed, his eyes on Percy.
Ci N was in the garden with Felix, their voices low, their laughter soft. Care was in the kitchen with Cole, making tea, her hand in his. Lyra was in her corner, Alex beside her, her head on his shoulder, his hand in hers.
Jay was in her room. Her room. Their room. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"Tomorrow," she said.
He kissed her forehead. "Tomorrow."
She closed her eyes. She slept. She dreamed of the garden, of the steps, of the mud they had thrown at each other. She dreamed of his face, of his hands, of his heart beating beneath her ear.
He watched her sleep. Her face was soft. Her hands were still.
"I love you," he said.
She smiled. Her eyes were still closed. "I know."
He laughed. It was a real laugh, the kind that came from somewhere deep. She was laughing too.
They were together. They were ready. They would end this.
---
END OF CHAPTER FORTY-SIX