She decided that without including Jace, her chances were even slimmer to succeed in her plan. She wasn’t going to tell him everything, just the important parts. She was tired of constantly being treated like a child by everyone.
She saw him bent over the workshop desk, goggles in place, smelting something. White and blue sparks flew in bursts, cascading around him like erratic fireflies. He didn’t hear her enter the room. The blackboards hanging on the walls were cluttered with layers of equations, some scribbled hastily over older ones. No time to clean the boards first—that was just typical Jace. Always consumed by the problem at hand.
Despite herself, she smiled. She was proud of him, proud of his determination, his drive to make a difference. Stubbornness was one thing they had in common.
She cleared her throat. When he didn’t react, she moved around to stand at the other side of the table, careful to stay out of the reach of the flying sparks.
Jace looked up, his focused gaze giving way to a surprised smile. It had been years since he was the awkward young teenager she’d befriended. Now, he was a man of progress—a poster boy for Piltover’s brightest future.
“Ah, my favorite girl in all of Piltover!” he exclaimed, lifting his goggles and setting them aside.
“I thought Mel was your favorite girl,” she quipped, her tone light.
He smiled sheepishly. “That she is.”
His expression turned serious as he leaned on the table. “How did you manage to get out of your parents’ grasp today?”
Caitlyn sighed. “Let’s just say I had to convince them I was attending another ‘societal session’. I may have dropped a few names of their friends’ daughters who would be there. They didn’t bother to check.”
Jace laughed softly. “Ah, the art of strategic fibbing. I should write that one down. You’ll teach me sometime?”
She smirked. “Maybe. If you promise not to rat me out to my mother.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Never.”
“Also, I promised them to attend the gala on Saturday. That pleased them enough.”
Her expression sobered. “But this isn’t just a social call, Jace.” She placed the pistol on the table, the scratched surface catching the light.
Jace’s brow furrowed as he picked it up, inspecting the weapon. “What happened to it?”
“Got ambushed, sorry,” she admitted.
He gave her a pointed look. “You need to be more careful, Cait. People are watching.”
“I know,” she replied.
“I’ve got something for you. Two things, actually.” Jace moved to a large drawer near one of the tall windows. “But seriously, Cait, you need to keep a low profile with this. If your parents find out I’m providing you with illegal weapons, they’ll pull my funding faster than you can say ‘hextech.’”
She rolled her eyes. “It won’t come back to you. I promise.”
“First,” he said, retrieving a smaller pistol from the drawer. “Something more discreet.” He handed it to her. The pistol was sleek, its design minimalistic with an iridescent blue hue. “I modified it to make it completely silent. It’s upgraded with hextech, so it packs more punch than it looks like it would. But Cait…” He fixed her with a serious look. “Be careful. Whatever you’re doing—it’s dangerous.”
“It’s fine, Jace.”
“It’s not fine.” He didn’t let it drop. “You don’t have to do this alone. If you just told me what’s going on, maybe I could help. Or I could talk to Mel—”
“No!” Caitlyn cut him off sharply. “Absolutely not. This isn’t something that can come out.” She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “Listen, Jace. No one can hear about this. It’s too dangerous. I don’t even know how deep this goes yet. And no, I’m not saying Mel is involved,” she added quickly at the protest forming on his face. “But I can’t risk anyone finding out. Especially not my parents.”
She glanced down, her voice dropping. “This shimmer business… It has to stop. People are dying, Jace. And we’ve become so numb, so desensitized, that no one even notices anymore.” She looked up, meeting his gaze. “Thank you for your help. But I really can’t tell you more. Not yet. I promise I will, once I have more evidence.”
Jace sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You know, for someone who hates being compared to your mother, you’ve got her stubbornness in spades.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand. “Relax. I was just joking.”
She gave him a withering look, which only made him grin. “In that case,” he said, his tone softening, “I have something else for you. You’ve never been as good with a pistol as you are with one of these.”
From the same drawer, he pulled out a rifle. Its polished surface gleamed, intricate designs etched into the metal.
Caitlyn stared at it, awe-struck. “I… Thank you,” she said quietly.
“I just want you to be safe,” Jace murmured.
She tightened her grip on the rifle, a mix of gratitude and determination in her eyes. “I will be. And Jace?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t tell anyone we had this conversation. Please.”
He nodded. “You’ve got my word.”
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Two days remained until Friday, and Caitlyn knew they had to act before then. If she stalled any longer, Vi would grow suspicious, and Marcus might make a move they couldn’t undo.
She sent Vi a discreet message. They’d agreed on a neutral drop-off point—an inconspicuous spot where they could exchange updates without drawing attention—and finalized their plan. For Caitlyn, it meant another late-night operation. Her parents’ strict oversight left her no other option. It was for the best; the night offered cover for what they had to do.
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They passed a wall plastered with graffiti and wanted posters, most of them featuring Jinx’s manic grin. If Vi noticed, she didn’t show it. Caitlyn assumed she was used to it by now—those posters were everywhere.
Summoning her courage, Caitlyn decided to broach the subject she’d been avoiding. Against her better judgment, she asked, “Why Jinx?”
Vi turned to her, surprised. If she understood the question, she pretended not to, staying silent.
“Why do you want her to go free?” Caitlyn pressed.
Vi’s response was sharp. “Stop asking questions and focus on the mission. No wonder you got ambushed by Sevika’s people—you’re clearly incompetent.”
Caitlyn bristled but bit back a retort. She noticed Vi’s shoulders tense as she quickened her pace.
“If you think I’m incompetent,” Caitlyn said finally, unable to resist, “why did you agree to work with me?”
“Maybe I took pity on you,” Vi shot back with a hint of condescension.
Caitlyn felt her blood boil. She opened her mouth to reply, but Vi suddenly stopped her with a firm hand on her chest, pulling her behind cover.
“Shh!” Vi whispered, peeking around the corner of a narrow street. “Two guards. That’s bad.”
“What’s the plan?” Caitlyn asked, keeping her voice low.
“We sneak past them. Knocking them out could alert others.”
“And leave enemies at both ends?” Caitlyn let her frustration seep into her tone. “Brilliant strategy.”
VI looked back at her.
“I thought this was a reconnaissance mission?” she whispered to her, clearly irritated. “Do you want to announce to everyone that we are here to expose their operation, princess? How do you think it will go? Let me tell you, we either come back in two boxes, or we manage to survive and they disappear and we’re left with nothing. No prospect of ever ending shimmer and Silco. Is that what you want?”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Cairlyn didn’t notice when they got so close to each other. She could almost feel the heat radiating from VI’s body, her chest rising in short breaths clearly angry. Caitlyn swallowed her retort and followed Vi’s lead.
Sneaking past the guards turned out to be easier than Caitlyn expected, thanks to Vi’s effortless but reluctant maneuvering through Zaun.
“Wait here,” Vi instructed, motioning for Caitlyn to hide in a shadowed corner. Vi disappeared down another alley.
Moments later, a commotion erupted—shouting, the sound of smashing bottles. The guards abandoned their post to investigate. Vi returned, her hair was dishevelled and she flashed Caitlyn a cocky grin.
“Let’s go, princess,” she said.
“What did you do?” Caitlyn asked, hurrying to keep up.
“Just a small diversion.” Vi’s tone was light, but gave Cait a side look.
The pipes they entered were massive, their walls slick with grime and mold. The air was damp and carried an acrid scent Caitlyn didn’t want to think about. The women moved carefully, their steps muted against the hollow echoes of the underground.
At one turn, Caitlyn pointed to tracks in the mud. “Look at the floor. Tracks—probably from carts.”
Vi nodded. “Makes sense. They’re moving the packages through here.”
They stopped before an entrance to a bigger chamber. Sounds of men playing cards and loudly talking came from inside. They sneaked in, hiding behind a large pack of old barrels with a strong chemical smell. Five men were inside, working on something. A large container stood at one side of the chamber. It was full of shimmer vials that flickered in violet in the eerie industrial lights that illuminated the place.
“Are they repacking it? Why?”
Vi rolled her eyes and moved to get a closer look.
“It looks like they are spreading the load to smaller packages. Easier to distribute. What’s that sign?” She pointed to a pattern on the wooden boxes.
Caitlyn squinted her eyes. She froze, her heart pounding. She stepped closer, desperate to confirm what she was seeing. It can’t be...
“I... I’m not sure.” Caitlyn stepped past Vi, her eyes fixed on the pattern. Her pulse quickened as she leaned in, nearly brushing against Vi without noticing, too preoccupied with the growing dread in her chest. It can’t be. This has to be a mistake.
“I don’t know it,” she said finally, her voice strained. She avoided Vi’s gaze, staring instead at the ground.
A heavy silence lingered between them.
“Alright,” Vi said at last, her tone unreadable. “Time to move.”
Caitlyn carefully drew the pistol Jace had given her, the faint metallic click muffled in the still air. Vi raised an eyebrow.
“What’s the plan?” Caitlyn whispered, her voice steady despite the tension knotting her stomach.
Vi gave her a flat look, as if she’d asked the most idiotic question imaginable. “We’re going back,” she hissed. “We’ve seen enough. This is clearly a dangerous setup, and staying here is suicide. Let’s go.”
“No.” Caitlyn’s hand shot out, gripping Vi’s arm to stop her. Her voice was low but firm, carrying a weight of determination that made Vi pause. “We need evidence. We need to see where they’re taking this.”
Vi frowned, her jaw tightening as she glanced toward the men, then back at Caitlyn. Her displeasure was written all over her face. “Fine,” she muttered, her tone laced with irritation. “But keep your voice down.”
The sharp sound of footsteps interrupted them.
“What was that?” one of the men asked, his voice cutting through the quiet.
Vi’s eyes snapped shut for a brief second, and Caitlyn felt her grip on the pistol tighten.
“Is someone there?” another voice called, followed by the sound of movement—one of the thugs was coming closer.
Vi sighed, the exasperation audible even in the tension of the moment. “So much for low profile,” she muttered, rolling up the sleeves of her red jacket with deliberate calm. Her lips curved into a tight smirk. “I’ll take the three on the left. You handle the two on the right.”
Before Caitlyn could protest, Vi surged forward, launching herself over the barrels and crashing into the nearest man with the precision of someone who had done this a hundred times before. Her fists flew, raw and unrelenting, turning the first thug into a crumpled heap before the others could react.
The first man Vi had attacked lay unconscious on the ground, and now she was locked in a brutal struggle against two more. One of them was built like a tank, his raw strength evident in the way he blocked and countered her strikes. But Vi’s speed and brute strength were gaining her the upper hand, her fists landing without mercy.
She didn’t see the second man stepping back, pulling a pistol from his waistband. He raised it, the barrel trained squarely on her. Caitlyn’s breath caught. Vi was still beating the other guy, they were switching positions constantly. In that moment it was clear to Caitlyn that the other man would take a shot no matter what, no matter if it meant that he could open a friendly fire.
Caitlyn’s grip on her pistol tightened. She couldn’t let him hurt Vi. She aimed and fired.
The shot rang out. The man staggered, clutching his side, and crumpled to the ground. Caitlyn’s heart pounded as the realization of what she’d done hit her. She’d aimed for a nonvital spot, but he had shifted at the last second. He didn’t get back up.
Her shock left her momentarily vulnerable, and she almost missed the third thug lunging for her. She twisted out of his grasp just in time, slamming the butt of her pistol into his temple. He dropped with a grunt.
Vi whirled at the sound of the gunshot, her eyes locking onto Caitlyn. For a fleeting moment, there was something unreadable in her expression—surprise? Gratitude? It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by her fierce focus. Without missing a beat, she turned back to finish the brawl, her movements as fluid and ruthless as ever.
Then came the blast.
Suddenly, a deafening blast erupted, shaking the entire space. One of the thugs must have fired a shot and missed, striking one of the old barrels. The explosion sent a shockwave through the room, throwing everyone off their feet. The acrid stench of chemicals filled the air and the dim light flickered precariously in the aftermath.
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A metal rod was bent around her body and crushed into the wall, there was no way Caitlyn could get out of it by herself.
Caitlyn groaned, pinned between a twisted metal rod and a wall. She was fine, but couldn’t free herself. Fortunately, Vi was the only one left standing and Caitlyn felt relief as she walked slowly to her.
“Quickly, help me get this off, more will come here soon,” Caitlyn urged, her voice strained as she pushed against the bent rod trapping her. She looked up at Vi, expecting her to jump into action, but the woman didn’t move. Instead, Vi stood there, in her personal space, unnervingly close, her sharp gaze fixed on Caitlyn.
“Help me!” Panic began to claw at Caitlyn’s chest. Was this a mistake? Had she misjudged Vi entirely? Doubts swirled in her mind: Had she just been used as a pawn to get inside the pipes? Was this where Vi would leave her—helpless and exposed? Caitlyn searched her face for any sign of intent, but Vi’s expression remained unreadable.
“Let’s get something straight, cupcake,” Vi finally said, her tone cold and measured. Caitlyn froze. In the distance, faint echoes of voices filtered down the pipes, growing louder. The thugs were on their way. A lump rose in her throat.
“I’m risking my life here,” Vi continued, her words low but laced with a threat that made Caitlyn’s pulse spike. “We’re working together, and I need to trust you.” She stepped even closer, and Caitlyn’s wide eyes locked onto hers.
“Vi,” Caitlyn felt her panic mounting, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but the others are coming—we don’t have time for this!” Desperate, she shoved against the rod again, her frustration rising. Vi’s hands landed lightly over her own, halting her movements without much force but delivering a wordless warning. Caitlyn stopped, her heartbeat hammering in her ears.
“What’s the pattern on the boxes?” Vi asked, her voice dropping to a near growl. “You clearly know it. You’re a shit liar, cupcake.”
Anger flared in Caitlyn, momentarily burning away her panic. “You want to talk about this now ?” she hissed. “They’re closing in on us, and you’re risking our lives?”
“No,” Vi shot back, her tone cutting. “You’re risking our lives by not telling me the truth. What is that pattern?”
The heavy thud of boots and clanging metal filled the air as the voices of the thugs drew closer. Caitlyn clenched her jaw. She couldn’t escape without Vi’s help. Her chest rose and fell with frustrated breaths as she met Vi’s unrelenting gaze.
“Here! There are no patrols here, something happened!” a voice from the pipes came. Sounds of heavy boots and metal against metal resonated in the underground chamber.
“Fine!” she snapped, her voice just shy of a shout. “It’s the Kiramman crest, happy now? Now, help me! ”
Vi smirked—infuriatingly—and finally moved. She gripped the rod with surprising ease and yanked it free with one strong pull. Caitlyn barely had time to register her relief before Vi grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward a narrow drainage pipe hidden in the shadows.
“This way, cupcake,” Vi muttered as she shoved Caitlyn ahead into the tight, grimy passage, just as the room filled with the approaching voices.
Caitlyn tumbled into the pipe, her feet hitting something solid after just a couple of meters—a crate. The space was damp, grimy, and reeked of mildew and rot. She swallowed hard against the nausea rising in her throat, steadying herself as Vi landed behind her with practiced ease. Above them, the room was filling with voices.
The pipe was barely wide enough for them to stand side by side. Instead, they were forced into an awkwardly close proximity, chest to chest. Caitlyn could feel the heat of Vi’s body and channeled every ounce of her frustration into glaring daggers at the smirking woman. Vi, ever infuriating, simply brought a finger to her lips in a silent shush .
Caitlyn clenched her jaw. I’m going to kill her. If we make it out of this, I’m going to end her life.
“What happened?” a voice called out from above, halting Caitlyn’s spiraling thoughts.
“Five men taken out. Looks like there was a fight,” came the reply.
“Did they take anything?”
A pause. Then, “No.”
“Strange. Why come here and leave empty-handed? They either missed the stash, or they’re still close by. Check the grounds thoroughly!” Heavy footsteps and the scrape of boots against the floor punctuated the order. “Move this load faster. Hey, you two—grab this!”
Caitlyn tensed as the noises above grew louder. Scrapes and shuffling signaled the thugs were moving closer. Her mind raced. What if they find us? What then?
Vi’s breath fanned against her cheek, pulling Caitlyn out of her spiraling thoughts. She looked up to find Vi watching her, calm despite the tension thrumming through the air. Vi nodded subtly, her eyes flicking to the rifle slung across Caitlyn’s back. Caitlyn caught the signal and reached for it as quietly as she could. The movement brought her even closer to Vi—too close.
The rifle finally came free, and Caitlyn angled it toward the pipe’s entrance above them. She steadied herself, hyper-focused on the task. For a brief moment, Caitlyn caught Vi staring at her with an unfamiliar expression. It wasn’t mocking or smug, but something almost… soft. Caitlyn blinked, but the moment passed as quickly as it had come. Vi’s smirk returned, sharp and self-assured, and she shifted her attention upward, muscles tense and ready to jump into action if they were discovered.
Time slowed as they waited, each second stretching endlessly, the muffled voices and scraping sounds above keeping them on edge. Caitlyn’s finger hovered over the trigger, her breath shallow, her mind locked on one thought: Stay quiet, stay ready.