The rain painted the city in streaks of silver as Jade and Kelz sat in his blacked-out car parked two blocks from the De-Light Enterprises tower. Neither of them spoke for a long time.
Jade stared out the window. "I didn't come back to fall in love."
Kelz lit a cigarette. "Good. I didn't come back to save anyone."
She turned to him. "Then why help me?"
He exhaled smoke, eyes on the glass. "Because I hate them more than you do."
His voice held no emotion, but Jade caught it—that raw, buried fury. The kind you can't fake.
They had both been made victims by the same bloodline. Different nights. Same monsters.
"I read your file," Kelz said. "What they did to you… I was there. I saw you run out the gym doors. No one followed. Not one teacher. Not even Lauren."
Her jaw clenched. "Because they owned the school. The town."
"They don't own fear," Kelz said, looking at her. "And fear can be a weapon."
She nodded slowly. "So what's the first move?"
Kelz pulled a small flash drive from his coat. "You're now Lauren's assistant. Good. This gets us into his schedule, accounts, even his private surveillance. But there's more."
He handed her a photo.
Jayden. In a luxury club. Hands on a girl who looked far too young. In the background—*Louis*, exchanging something with a man in a white suit.
"That's not just a party," Kelz said. "That's where the bodies start to pile up."
Jade's eyes narrowed. "They're trafficking."
"Or laundering. Or both."
She exhaled. "If we can tie them to this... we don't need to kill them."
Kelz smiled darkly. "But wouldn't it be more fun if we did?"
The words lingered.
Then he started the engine. "Jayden's the weak link. He thinks he's untouchable. Let's make him feel touched."
Jade didn't flinch. "I want him to beg."
Kelz glanced at her. "He will. But not yet. First... we strip his power."
They drove into the night, two shadows plotting against giants.
Let the games begin.
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