CHAPTER 89: NO MERCY

Aries groaned softly as she stirred, her head throbbing from the blow that had knocked her out earlier. Cold metal dug into her wrists, handcuffs fastened tightly to a rusted pipe overhead. Her vision was slow to adjust, the flickering industrial light above casting sharp shadows across the damp concrete walls.

"Beatrice?" Aries whispered hoarsely, her voice rough.

"I’m here," came a strained voice just a few feet away.

Beatrice was slumped against a rusted support beam, her hands zip-tied tightly behind her. Her blazer was torn, blood dried at the corner of her mouth, but her eyes remained sharp, fixed on the only door in the room.

They didn’t cuff you?" Aries asked weakly.

"I fought back. Guess they didn’t want to risk the trouble," Beatrice muttered. A dark bruise was forming along her cheekbone.

Before Aries could say more, heavy boots echoed down the corridor. A shadow passed by the small, fogged-up window near the ceiling. Then the door creaked open.

The man with the cold voice stepped inside, his presence oily and smug. He crouched in front of Aries, a smirk tugging at the edge of his scarred face.

"Comfortable?" he sneered.

Aries spat at his boots. "Go to hell."

He chuckled. "Fiery. That’s good. But let’s see how long that fire lasts."

He stood and tapped on a tablet, bringing up the front-facing camera. "Time for your brother to see how fast his world crumbles. Let’s make it personal."

But then he paused, looking back down at her with a mocking grin.

"You know, you and your brother... you’re not so different." Aries frowned. "Always falling for the same trick," he drawled. "Some lost kid crying for help, begging for mercy and just like that, you walk into the trap."

He leaned in close, voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You should’ve minded your business, sweetheart. Back then, your brother got in the way and took our prize. We lost the kids we’d already marked. Now, we’re going to make sure we get them back and this time, we’ll let your brother die screaming in our hands."

"You sick bastard," Aries growled.

He only grinned wider. "And you? You’ll watch it happen. All of it. Starting now."

He tapped the tablet again and began recording. "Smile for the camera."

Aries turned her head defiantly, but he grabbed her by the jaw and forced her to face it.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?!" she shouted. "If you want money, I’ll pay you. I’ll pay double, just let us go!"

The man snorted and let go of her. "Money? This isn’t about money anymore. This is about sending a message to the one idiot who thought he could cheat us."

He turned to Beatrice. "And you... you’re just a bonus. The traitor’s old flame, right? Poetic."

Aries bit her inner lip, the sharp taste of blood grounding her. Guilt twisted in her chest as she glanced at Beatrice, slumped against the rusted beam. She never should have been dragged into this.

Beatrice had only come out to see an old friend. Now they were both trapped, caught in the hands of dangerous men.

The ones who took them weren’t just criminals. They were likely part of the same syndicate responsible for kidnapping the children Theo, Calix and Uncle Andres had rescued.

One of the men entered and paced the room now, arms crossed, expression sour with bitter memories.

"Your brother and his little team," he spat, voice full of venom. "Damn bastards had my men rot in jail!"

He turned, eyes glinting with twisted amusement as he looked them over.

"But never mind those low-lives," he added with a sneer. "I’ve got something better now. You two."

His grin widened as if he was savoring the power. Beatrice glared at him, saying nothing, while Aries felt her stomach churn.

Then, without warning, he pulled out Aries’s phone from his coat pocket and began dialing.

"Let’s see how your dear brother reacts when a man answers his baby sister’s phone," he said, chuckling to himself. "Bet he’ll love that."

He put the call on speaker and waited, tapping his fingers against the back of the phone. The room went silent except for the soft beeping of the line connecting.

Then it clicked.

"Oh, you finally picked up," the man said cheerfully, his tone mocking and smug. "You see, I’ve got these two gorgeous girls with me right now... your sister Aries and this Beatrice."

He turned toward Aries and gave a mocking wink. "Say hi, sweetheart."

Aries stared at him, refusing to speak.

"She’s a little tied up at the moment," the man said to Theo with a chuckle. "But don’t worry. She’s still breathing... for now."

***

Theo’s body went rigid. His pulse pounded in his ears.

His breath hitched - not out of fear, but from the seething rage building beneath his skin.

He didn’t speak. Not yet. His jaw clenched as the voice continued, deliberate and amused.

"They were just walking in the park. I didn’t even have to try that hard. You left them unguarded, Theo. Tsk tsk. Bad brother."

Theo’s fingers gripped the phone tight. Flames flickered under his skin, veins glowing faintly from the activation of Ignite Form, uncontrolled.

The infected behind him groaned. He didn’t even flinch as he grabbed its head and smashed it on the wall with his left hand.

His entire body was taut, every muscle coiled like a spring. The man on the other end of the line continued, voice still laced with cruel amusement.

"Here’s the deal, Theo. Bring back my kids. The ones you took away, my Max, my Lilia, the twins, Rose, Ben and Carlo. Or your dear sister’s going to die in a very, very unpleasant way."

Theo’s grip on the phone tightened, the plastic casing beginning to crack under the force of his hand.

"You have two hours. I’ll send the location where to drop them. Come alone in picking up your sister, and don’t even think about playing hero. If I see any of your little friends hovering nearby..."

click

"...Aries will be in a wretched state before you even get to say goodbye."

There was a brief pause, then a shuffle, and suddenly-

"Theo?"

It was Aries. Her voice came through the phone, shaky but composed.

"Don’t listen to him. I’ll be okay," she said, her voice steadying despite the situation. "Just make sure the kids are safe, okay? Please... protect them."

Theo’s heart clenched. Of course she would say that. Even with her life on the line, Aries still thought of others first.

Then the man’s voice returned, sharper this time. "Don’t test me, boy. I’m not bluffing."

Seconds later, Theo’s phone buzzed, a new message received. He opened it.

A video began playing. His blood turned to ice. Aries and Beatrice, tied to metal chairs in what looked like a dim warehouse. Both were gagged, Aries had bruises on her wrists, and Beatrice’s lip was bleeding. A man in a black jacket stood behind them, lazily twirling a knife in his hand.

Theo’s breath came out in ragged bursts.

His vision blurred, not from tears, but from the fury burning at the edges of his control. His system flared, instincts screaming at him to attack something, anything.

He forced his thoughts into order, making a call.

"Brix," Theo growled, voice low but firm. "I have to go. There’s been a situation."

"What-? Theo, are you still in the red zone?!"

"D5-Municipal Hall has survivors. A man, three kids, from the second floor, nearing the hatch now," he said quickly. "Mark the area as compromised but clear for retrieval. Repeat: mark it. There are survivors."

"What about you?!"

"I’m leaving. Pass it to the response team. I’ve got a bigger problem now." He hung up without another word.

Theo bolted down the stairs and out of the building, using Ember Step to dash toward his vehicle.

Once inside, he immediately called Calix.

"Pick up. Pick up. Pick up!"

The line clicked.

"Yo, Theo?"

"Calix, listen. Get Kael. Bring the kids. Now. There’s an emergency."

"What happened-"

"Aries has been taken. It’s the same syndicate, the bastards who had the kids before. They’re threatening to kill her if I don’t bring the children to a drop site. Coordinates are incoming. Don’t ask questions, just do it. You and Kael stay with the kids. Get reinforcements too... I’ll come after I get Aries and Beatrice out."

Calix fell silent on the other end. Theo could hear the tension, the held breath.

"Did you put a tracker on Aries like I asked?" Theo asked quickly, fingers tightening around the wheel.

"I did. Sending her location to you now," Calix confirmed. "Don’t worry about the kids, Kael and I will protect them no matter what. You just focus on getting Aries back... and kill those bastards."

"I will," Theo said through gritted teeth. "Just make sure the kids stay safe. We don’t have a choice, they need to see them to keep Aries alive."

"I understand. I’ll prep the kids. Be careful, Theo."

"I will." Theo ended the call, slammed his fist into the dashboard with a muted curse, and floored the accelerator.

The engine roared as the vehicle sped forward, the coordinates loading on his dashboard screen.

He had to reach the holding site before the kids arrived at the location where to drop them off. He couldn’t risk Aries or Beatrice getting hurt.

His mind was racing.

He didn’t know who the bastard was yet. But he would. And once Theo found him... There would be no warnings. No mercy.