CHAPTER 20: CH 20: BETWEEN US.

"Answer me Jace, What the fuck is my sister’s name doing in this file." His tone rose with his anger.

Jace took a step back, "How bout you calm down before you act like a dumbass— I mean rashly."

Levi kicked the rack— it fell to the floor scattering files everywhere and echoing throughout the chamber.

Jace jumped back a little, arms slightly raised.

Levi, still holding the file slapped it, while holding it in Jace’s direction, "Ivery Kane, that’s the name here and in case you’re confused that’s a little picture of her pinned to the side."

Jace stopped him, "There could be a million explanations for that, she could be a lookalike I guess?"

"A lookalike? With the same name? Same date of birth? Same height? Same eye color? And same fucking everything!" Levi roared.

His chest heaved in and out, brows furrowed together, "Jace do I look that dumb to you?"

Jace muttered under his breath, "You really don’t want an answer to that, man."

Levi pulled his gun fast, aiming at Jace, "Korran, I need answers...

The only reason I joined you people was because you all told me that your job and only purpose was to end all vampires, and that’s the only place where our interests align."

Jace tracked back slowly, nothing good ever happened when an irate man pulled a gun, "Kane, you need to relax, our job’s still our job and this..."

He pointed at the file, "means nothing now. Especially when we’re in enemy territory... So drop the gun and let’s talk about this."

’I should really hear him out, maybe it’ll make sense.’

Levi reluctantly lowered the gun, placing it back in its holster.

He folded his arms, gaze fixed on Jace and waited for an explanation.

’You, Levi Kane, are the most difficult person in the world.’

Jace rubbed his temple.

"Alright, look, I might be breaking about ten protocols or more telling you this but I don’t really care and you seem to really want to kill me...

It’s not just your sister— it’s your entire family—"

Levi’s hands waved wildly at the idea, stopping him, "What do you mean my family? "

"Ughh," he placed his hands at his belt, "Levi, the entire point of the Darwin serum was that everyone could be affected right—"

Levi nodded in agreement.

Jace continued, "Well what do you think the government that tried so hard to make the perfect serum— so much time, so much money, so much resources...

Yet it wasn’t, some people’s genomes just reacted differently to it. Of course it was always a goddamn given, I mean we might have similarities but we’re far from the same."

Levi cut in, "I don’t care about the fucking history! Just get the goddamn point."

Jace sighed through his nose, "Rude. A certain set of families would react to the serum in different ways. Some mutated beyond their greatest imaginations."

"Back to my sister, Korran" Levi demanded.

"Your family’s one of them, one of the lineages that would just not respond the way it was meant to... So half the government wanted to study you while the other half thought of you all like the neanderthals...

Destined to be phased out of existence and become extinct."

Levi stepped forward, "Are you saying the government was responsible for what happened to my family?"

"Technically yes and no, yes they flagged your lineage as high profile when they found out but it was the someone else entirely who put that hit out—"

"Who?"

Jace raised his hands, feigning innocence, "I honestly have no idea—"

Levi cut him off, "Don’t lie to me anymore."

"Despite what you might think Kane, I’m not afraid of you, you have the strength of a bull, the cunning of a fox but the temper of a teenage girl and that makes you smart yet very fucking dumb."

Levi remained silent yet gritted his teeth.

Jace continued, "But I’ve already broken about ten government sanctions by telling you this or whether you like it or not. I’m in this mess with you now."

Levi arched a brow, "You are?"

"Unfortunately, I am. If I tell L.U.X that I told you classified information then I’m as good as dead too."

"So is my sister alive?" He asked as a bit of hope reignited in his eyes.

"I don’t know, I know your entire family was taken, dead or alive, they were moved but I don’t know where nor if they’re alive... It was even a lucky coincidence you survived."

"So do you know the other families and if they’re still alive?" Levi asked.

"Nope. But I do know the list is probably back in the base’s archives collecting dust." He said matter-of-factly.

"So what are we doing here then?"

He said.

Jace dragged a hand across his face, "Because you keep picking a fight with me and won’t let me fucking complete the mission."

Levi shot back, "So how do we complete the mission dumbass?"

Jace pointed at the only unshattered containment pod, "We need a vial of that."

Levi and Jace stood before the last intact containment pod.

It was tall, cylindrical, and sealed with reinforced glass. Inside floated a pale figure—motionless, suspended in a thick, amber fluid. Tubes ran along its limbs, and a small panel blinked softly at the base.

Jace crouched beside the pod, pulling a compact extraction kit from his belt. "We just need a vial of its blood. That’s all."

’Please don’t fucking wake up.’

Levi kept watch, rifle slung but ready.

Jace tapped a few commands into the panel. A small port slid open with a soft hiss.

He inserted the needle carefully, watching as the vial filled—slowly, steadily—with dark, viscous fluid.

"Almost there," he muttered.

The vial clicked into place. Jace sealed it, tucked it into a padded case, and stood.

"No alarms. No movement. We’re good."

Levi nodded once. "Let’s move."

They turned from the pod, leaving behind the silent chamber and the figure still floating in its glass prison.

~Ding.~

They got off the elevator once more as they headed straight for the beach.

Passing by countless dead vampires, dead teammates and silent halls that Levi felt still held secrets.

They moved together and as one, after all the fights on this mission they finally understood each other to some point.

Making it to the beach as Jace brought out the flare.

The sea of crashing waves— the most natural thing they’ve heard all day.

He struck it across his thigh in one swift motion as its cap twisted off and it lit up.

The bright red light radiated onto both of their faces.

They waited for a minute before they saw the streak light up the sky— the jet was back.

Jace turned to Levi just before it touched down, "If they know what I told you, we’re both dead. So let’s keep that between us."