Sabir’s reluctance didn’t stop him from finishing the plate of mashed potatoes. They were one of the most delectable dishes he had eaten, but they could not substitute for the anguish and torment he felt. He had turned over the photo so that he could eat without seeing her blood-soaked image. But when he looked at the picture again, it was unmistakably his sister. The longer lines of her forehead indicated she’d experienced more in life than he had, but they’d both always been told they were too young to have so many life experiences. He didn’t know how to look at her photo, which showed her in her last moment, without amping up the anger and sorrow that he already felt. “I have to know why,” he whispered. “Why her?”

Cassius nodded, his expression firm. “We will find out, Sabir. You and I together will uncover the truth.” In the next moment, he had leaned forward, and the serious look on his face was enough to make Sabir pay closer attention. “First things first,” he said. “I need to take you to my office.” “Why?” Sabir asked. He honestly couldn’t see what it had to do with anything. “Because I want you to be safe, and I don’t think this is a safe place for you anymore,” Cassius said. “And I think it’s okay to say we’re in a hurry, because whoever’s after you is watching us right now.”

Cassius moved in closer, his eyes sharp and focused. “I’m pretty sure it’s The Triads. They’ve found out about you.” A cold shiver moved down Sabir’s back. “The Triads? But how is that even possible?” Cassius’s answer wasn’t one that Sabir wanted. His voice was an indistinct murmur as he dropped the next bit of intel. “Your pass had a bug in it.” From nowhere, really, in the small room Sabir occupied with Cassius, a metallic glint appeared. “What?” Sabir asked, looking at the chip. “What do you mean my pass had a bug in it?”

Cassius tossed a piece of paper on the table and slid it over to Sabir. Sabir’s eyes widened when he recognized it—it was a temporary pass to Havana. He picked it up to look it over. It was his pass! “How in the name of everything holy did you get this?” he practically shouted. “I checked your pockets when we traveled here,” Cassius answered, calm as a spring day. “Good thing I did, because I found this.” He held up a small, metallic, but oh-so-not-pass chip. “This chip was planted here. It’s a tracking device.” He looked at Sabir. “Can you think of anyone who could’ve planted it?”

Sabir thought deeply. “The only person who handles my pass regularly is the guard I give it to everyday. But he barely looks at it—even on the close calls when I thought he might not let me through, he nearly always let me through—so I can’t imagine he looks at it well enough to memorize it on any significant level. And this is assuming the guard is normal and not some kind of Unreality Plant.” He paused. “And yet, for someone to get it, they would have to either be really good at disguise or have two people together at the same time to do the pick-pocketing.”

After a moment of intense concentration, Sabir recalled the incident. “There was this really powerful Esper. His name was... Noah... Noah Voltik or something similar,” he said. Cassius’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “You mean Noah Voltaire?” Sabir nodded. “Yeah, him.” Cassius looked just as impressed. “A Voltaire, huh? Do you know who you just met?” “No,” was the simple answer. “How do you not know the Seven Noble Families?” Sabir was no less shocked than Cassius. “Of course, I’ve heard of them. I just missed that part of the education boat. I was too old when I started school.” Hearing this, I almost felt bad for him.

Cassius couldn’t understand it at all. “What in the world is a Voltaire doing in The Limbo? And what’s more, why would they be interested in you?” He didn’t wait for my answer. Instead, his face contorted into a dark scowl. “I was really hoping it was a member of The Triads. So I could kill one more of those bastards.”.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Cassius cursed under his breath. “Noah Voltaire, the first in line to the Voltaire family, is after you. Damn.”

Cassius placed the tracker in his palm, crushed it with a quick, powerful squeeze, and let the pieces fall to the table like crumbs. Then he grabbed Sabir’s hand. “We gotta leave quick. Who knows if they’re watching us right now.”

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Cassius stood up, dropping a few coins on the table to cover the meal, and gestured for Sabir to follow him. As they exited the diner, Sabir couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched, the weight of the tracker’s implications heavy on his mind. Cassius’s grip tightened on Sabir’s hand as they hurried into the shadows.

“One lesson I’ve learned as a government enforcer,” Cassius said grimly, “is never mess with the Seven Noble Families. They’re crazy as hell, and they can do whatever they please.”

He glanced around to ensure they weren’t being followed before continuing, “The Voltaire family is perhaps the most distinguished of them all. Many of them are high-ranking politicians. And as for Noah Voltaire, he’s a celebrity hunter—everyone loves him. But let me tell you,” Cassius’s voice lowered, his expression darkening, “he has a superiority complex larger than any noble I’ve ever met.”

Sabir swallowed hard, the gravity of their situation sinking in even deeper. Cassius gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Come on, kid. We’ve got to get to my office.”

Cassius’s eyes closed briefly, his expression growing even darker as shadows seemed to envelop them. The weight of what they were up against pressing heavily upon them.

“Here we go again,” Sabir thought, focusing on keeping his stomach steady and pushing away thoughts of nausea.

RING RING. Noah Voltaire was relaxing in a luxurious bath, the warm water easing his muscles. His tranquility was interrupted by the sharp ring of his phone on the side of the tub. With a sigh, he reached for it, checking the number. His eyes narrowed as he recognized the caller—it was one of his operatives.

He answered the call, keeping his tone composed. “What is it?”

The voice on the other end was tense. “Sir, we’ve lost track of the target. And... the Hound is with him.”

Noah sat up straighter, water sloshing around him. “The Hound? Why would he be interested in Sabir? He should be hunting the Triads like the good hunting dog he is.”

A flicker of fear crossed Noah’s mind, but he quickly buried it under a rising tide of anger. “Damn it,” he muttered. “I expected complications, but this...”

The man on the phone stammered, “What should we do, sir?”

“Return to the house and await further orders,” Noah commanded, his voice icy. He ended the call and was about to curse aloud when the bathroom door swung open.

“Elektraaa!” he yelled, his irritation boiling over. “I’m taking a bath!”

His sister, Elektra, stood in the doorway, unfazed by his outburst. “Oh, sorry, brother, but I couldn’t help overhearing. You’re tracking a lead. Let me go out and deal with the bastard.”

Noah glared at her, his frustration palpable. “You’re too young, Elektra. Father would be furious.”

She crossed her arms defiantly. “Young? Maybe. But I’m just as capable as any of your operatives. Besides, I’m tired of being cooped up. I want some action.”

“No,” Noah said firmly. “This is too dangerous. The Hound is involved now and he is not someone you can take lightly.”

Elektra rolled her eyes. “I know who the Hound is, Noah. And I also know that you won’t get anywhere if you keep underestimating me.”

Noah’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t about underestimating you. It’s about keeping you safe. The Hound is... different. He’s unpredictable.”

Elektra smirked. “Then it’s settled. I’m the perfect one for the job. I can handle unpredictable.”

“No, Elektra. That’s final,” Noah snapped, his voice leaving no room for argument. “Go back to your room and play with Warren or something. Stay out of this.”

Elektra’s eyes flashed with irritation. “I’m not hanging around with that pathetic loser. Sometimes I doubt we’re even related. Maybe he should go down along with the bastard.”

She huffed, clearly annoyed but turned to leave. “Fine. But don’t expect me to sit around and do nothing.”

Noah watched her go, his eyes narrowing. “I mean it, Elektra. Stay out of this.”

As she walked out, Noah sank back into the water, trying to calm his rising frustration. He needed to regain control of the situation—fast.

Elektra left the bathroom, her mind already racing with plans. She pulled out her phone and made a call. “Yo Arran, it’s me. I need to know where the government enforcer’s office is. The one they call the Hound.” A voice on the other end replied quickly, and Elektra’s lips curled into a dangerous smile. “Good. Send me the location. I’m going to pay him a visit.”

She ended the call, a hunger for amusement in her eyes. “The Government’s Hound, huh?” she muttered to herself, a dangerous glint in her eye. “He won’t stop us from killing the bastard.”