The master bedroom was a breath of fresh air. The bathroom was clean and had both a tub and a shower, extra soap and supplies left from the owners. As for the bedroom itself, the carpets had no tears on it, no stains. Even the arched windows were perfect. The sunlight peeking in illuminated the neutral color scheme the room had, the light turned off so they could bask in the natural light. It was breathtaking.
Or, it was until Byun June came in.
Asa, Theo, and Kayden were gathered in Theo and Asa's room to discuss what had been going on with the others. They were taking time to settle down and adjust to their new lives. Everything happened so fast that they didn't get a chance to relax. They took a few days off. Now, it was time to get back on the saddle.
June burst into the room and had no respect for the door. The only door on the property that didn't have squeaky hinges or cracks on it. The nightstand resting by the king-sized bed almost got knocked over thanks to June's recklessness. Kayden scolded him, but it was too late. The cinnamon candles were overpowered by June's stench of death and betrayal.
There was no one Theo hated more than June. After he exposed Theo and Asa's plan, there was no reason to like him. June single-handedly ruined their lives. Yes, Theo and Asa were the ones most at fault for doing the plan at all. However, the plan likely wouldn't have been exposed if it weren't for June being such a nosy bitch.
"Are you guys forming a plan?" June asked, the others shrugging. Theo was the only one who didn't out of fear of hurting his shoulder. "I can help. I don't want to sit around all day." June explained why he was there and how he helped Charlotte, Jericho, and Ivan at the museum, but Theo still didn't trust him. The odds were he never would. "Ivan's injury can't be for nothing, so I've been thinking. There's a few leads I have. By leads, I mean people. I have three names. Three that can hopefully guide us down the right path. By right path, I mean we torture it out of them and kill them when we're done."
"Sounds good to me," Theo replied. "I can handle the torture part."
"We'll do it together. The more ears, the less likely we forget any details. Anyone squeamish?" June asked, which resulted in a handful of head shakes. "I think we can all agree I'm a friendless asshole. That means no one knows where my hideouts are, and no one's looking. At my hideouts, I have resources, maps, weapons, and most importantly, transportation."
"Does that mean those 3 names aren't in our area?" Kayden asked.
"Correct. Back when I was rising in rank, I didn't want to risk being tracked by using local airfare, so I learned how to fly. Poorly, but good enough that I can take us to where we need to go. My hideout has a helicopter that flies well."
"Back up, I appreciate you guys taking initiative, but shouldn't we run this by Jericho, Charlotte, and Jimin? They're kind of our unofficial leaders. Last time I disobeyed authority, I got yelled at and demoted, so I don't want to take any chances here," Kayden said, Theo humming.
"Fair point, but Charlotte's a mess, Jimin's an even bigger mess, and Jericho won't leave Ivan's side. I doubt they'd notice if we left, but let's tell them then leave. This is how it's going to be, and they're accepting it. June, how far is the hideout with the helicopter?" Theo asked.
"Not far. It's outside the city, private property in a location that's not too secluded, but not too public at the same time. Perfect mix. We'll go, check out the helicopter and fuel it up if it needs it, make our plan, then head back and get the others ready to go. While we're there, feel free to take anything you'd like from the place. Lots of weapons and medical supplies, might be able to find something useful for Ivan."
"Let's hope this works," Kayden said, leaning against the wall. Theo wasn't sure what to expect, but June interrupted his thought process. A grin spread across his face, and he clapped his hands together.
"Who wants to go on a trip?"
~~~
June's mansion was larger than Theo was anticipating. Walls matching Theo's skin tone surrounded the two-story building, the mansion spreading its wings and showing off its width. A helicopter was on the roof, but Theo didn't know enough about aircraft to identify what type it was.
There were trees surrounding the space, the home elevated due to it being slanted on a hill. There were other mansions around, but far enough that each neighbor got their own privacy.It was a rich neighborhood that Theo huffed at. He didn't much care for neighborhoods like these. It wasn't the people or the riches that bothered him, rather the locations. They were so far from the rest of the world. That was what it felt like, anyway. Theo didn't much like isolation. This whole journey was rough on him, but he only had himself to blame.
As much as June was at fault, Theo was even more so. June wouldn't have exposed them in the first place if Theo never did what he did. Now, Theo still hated the man, but that didn't mean he wasn't aware of how June didn't cause this. That was Theo and Asa who did.
Speaking of Asa, the man was by his side with his shoulders set back. The front yard of the mansion was made up of a concrete path with grass patches on either side. Asa leaned down and felt the grass, his eyes sparkling from that.
"I'm impressed you take care of your grass. Is the inside just as clean?" Asa asked, June shrugging.
"Don't know, don't care. I have a system in place for cleaners to come. The better it looks, the more it looks like I'm actually living here. Keeps the suspicion down. Why? Will you clean it for me if I say no?"
Asa chuckled. "I'd consider it. I've had to live with these slobs, I'm sure I can handle you."
"We're not slobs," Kayden said, but Asa gave him a side glance that said it all.
"I have to clean the dishes every day at least twice. Twice," Asa replied just as they went up to the front door. It was a cream-colored door, a glass pane in an oval shape taking up the center of it. June twisted the golden knob and stepped in, the others following with their jaws dropped.
Although it was a minimalist style interior, June still had an eye for furniture. The front space was a living room with wooden floors and carpets that matched the door and walls. Theo thought it'd have a warmer inside, but June chose cooler colors.
"You can tell I don't live here," June said, pointing to the lack of decorations on the walls. "Way too depressing for my liking."
"Don't you wear all black?" Kayden asked.
"Sure, but that's for my job. I work mostly at night, so blending in means wearing darker colors. If it were up to me, I'd love to rock some lime green shorts and a yellow t-shirt."
"Please never be a fashion designer," Asa replied, June snickering. Asa kept looking around, Theo behind him. "This place is massive. Do you know your net worth?"
"If I had to guess, same as Ivan's. 20 mil."
Asa's eyes bulged. "20 million?"
"No, 20 millimeters."
"Fuck off, Byun," Kayden said, brushing by him and going up the grand staircase near the back of the living room.
Chandeliers hung above them, the ceiling high above Theo. It had to be two Theo's tall, and maybe twenty Theo's wide. The TV was gigantic and a flat screen, placed on the wall with a mahogany table planted in front of the couch. There were butterfly coloring books organized on the table, Theo going over and picking one up.
"Don't touch that," June said, snatching it from him as soon as he picked it up.
"I didn't know you were into coloring," Theo replied, doing his best to be curious instead of hostile.
June peeked down at the book, blowing out some air. "My sister and I separated when we were young. She loved butterflies, so I guess I have this childish hope that one day we'll be reunited. I have a bunch of butterfly books around my houses. I guess by having them, it makes me feel more connected to her."
"That's... surprisingly not shitty of you," Theo replied, June keeping his eyes on the book. "I understand, you know. Asa's like my older brother. One time, we got separated on a mission. It took a whole week for us to find each other again. Asa made chamomile tea every day, and I made hot chocolate. Both of us did that for the same reason you collect butterflies. Sometimes all it takes is an item to remind you of the person you love most."
Kayden was by the stairs listening to it all, as was Asa. The Hakai member came over and peeked at the book, chuckling. "I hate coffee," Kayden said, shaking his head. "But I still drink it all the time. Jericho and I might never repair our relationship, but to me, he was never really gone. Or maybe I was just too scared to let go."
The four went quiet. June set the coloring book down with the others, making sure the pile was tidy before he moved on. Kayden and Theo watched him soar up the steps. Asa cleared his throat, tilting his head in Theo's direction.
"How's your shoulder?" Asa asked.
Theo tapped on the bandage that was hidden underneath his shirt. "Better than it was a day ago, but still weak. I can barely move my arm. At least that gets me out of driving."
"Do you even have a license?" Kayden asked.
"I don't want to answer that." Theo followed June up the stairs, Asa and Kayden deciding to do the same. The second floor was just as massive as the first, only it was split into hallways and rooms. There were more doors than before, and they were littering either side of the corridors. The walls were the same palette, the ceilings identical. This time there were no chandeliers, but there were lights covered in box cases. None of them were turned on. The arched windows lining the vicinity brought enough illumination inside.
"Over here," June said from his corner. He was at the very end of the left pathway where a ladder was, Theo picking up his pace so he could meet up with June. "I'm gonna go check my basement for extra supplies. Want to check out the helicopter and get a feel for it?" They agreed, June sprinting off to go do his task.
"You sure you can climb?" Kayden asked, Theo humming.
"I'll be okay. Thank you for caring."
"I really don't, if I'm honest. You and Asa dragged me into this mess, and now I have to deal with an angry Charlotte, a depressed Jimin, and a grumpy Jericho. You guys kind of ruined my life." At their silence, Kayden brushed it off. "But if Charlotte, Jimin, and Jericho went on the run, I probably would've joined anyway. I'm not mad, but I am upset. You two are fucking idiots."
"We know," Asa said, hanging his head. "It might not mean much, but we're sorry. It was a mistake, and I wish I could go back and change it."
"Do you? Really?" Kayden asked.
Asa found the courage to meet Kayden's eyes. "I do. We don't know each other well, but I'd like to get to know you. Maybe we can atone for this."
Kayden considered him, then, he went up the ladder first. He motioned that it was all clear, and Asa made Theo go next. Asa was right on Theo's ass the whole way up, making sure he wouldn't fall. To be extra careful, Theo ascended with one hand and let his injured shoulder rest. It made the climb longer, but at least he didn't stumble or feel pain.
He was amazed to see a hand waiting for him. As carefully as he could, Theo took it, Kayden hoisting him up to the roof. It was spacious, glass railings around the sides of it. The helicopter wasn't far, and there wasn't anything else of note there. No couches, no pools, no bars - nothing.
Theo went to the helicopter and piled in. It had six seats. Two up front, four in the back. Metal surrounded the sphere, and everything seemed intact. Theo couldn't tell. His specialty was medicine and talking, not weaponry and helicopters. So, he left the vehicle. Kayden was running his hand down the side of it, Theo leaning against it.
"Aren't they fascinating? Helicopters, I mean. Flying is such a fascinating concept to me, I don't know why," Kayden said, parting from the body of it to instead turn around. He went over to the railing, chuckling as Theo approached him. "Or maybe I just like heights. It makes me feel free. You know what? This isn't so bad. Where else am I gonna get a view like this?"
Kayden was right. It was a gorgeous view, the city's skyline on the horizon as the sun lowered in the sky. Clouds were forming shapes of bunnies and bears, Theo staring at them and grinning. Asa was still inspecting the bird, but he came over to enjoy the scenery with them after a moment.
The breeze was cool and made goosebumps form on Theo's figure. It smelled of freshly cut grass. That scent rested in the air, swimming around Theo's nose as he took it all in. The tops of the trees, the skyline, the roads not far with cars zooming down them. Beauty was an understatement. Serenity was too. Theo was in heaven as he pressed against the glass, his eyes refusing to miss any detail.
"This feels too easy," Kayden said, Asa turning to him.
"Flying a helicopter God knows where to track down people, kidnap them without anyone noticing, and torture them is... easy?" Asa asked.
"We've all done it a hundred times before, I'm sure even Ivan has. It's not just that. It's the idea that we're going to find the High Council this way. I don't know, it's strange. I don't know how to phrase it."
"Here's the thing, Kay. Can I call you that?" Asa said, Kayden nodding as the rays of light tickled his sharp cheekbones. "We're going to be doing dangerous, risky things for probably the rest of our lives. We don't get the easy way out no matter what. Nothing we do is going to be easy. Ever. It may sound easy now, but so far, no plan of ours has gone smoothly. Theo and I's went so far to shit that I'm surprised we're alive, and we all saw what happened to Ivan."
"I can't disagree," Kayden replied. "But I still don't trust June."
"Neither do I," June said from behind them. They turned, and they saw June there with a giant bag that needed both his hands for support. "Listen, I know you don't trust me. I don't trust any of you either, but I think you're forgetting something very important: I left the Underworld to protect your sorry asses and am giving you the gear I spent years gathering. A thank you would be nice."
Theo swallowed his pride. "Thank you for saving us and Ivan, we appreciate it. You didn't have to do that."
June struggled with the bag before placing it in the bird, checking the fuel the helicopter had before dusting his hands off and motioning for them to come closer. Theo stole one more glance at the skyline, loving the way the skyscrapers looked in the lighting. That was an image he was sure to never forget.
"Damn right I didn't. I threw away a perfect reputation, and for what? To help some dimwits who don't have any supplies. God, you'd be screwed without me. Come on, hop on and strap in," June said, Asa staring at the chopper as if it were foreign.
"Don't we need headphones?" he asked.
"Don't be pussies. Get in the helicopter," June replied, going to the driver's side and plopping in. He fiddled with the controls, and Theo had to say it was impressive how he knew what he was doing. Maybe June wasn't so bad after all.
And with that, they sat inside and flew away.
YOU ARE READING
Heartless || •OG• ✔️
Misterio / Suspenso|| 18+ Enemies to lovers gxb and bxb || Infamous NYC mafia leaders Charlotte and Jericho have been rivals for years. However, all of that changes when one of the leaders of their Underworld is assassinated. The rivals are forced together and must re...
