Nova's Blade

Chapter 8

At the funeral, a somber crowd gathers around the casket of the Taft family. Their picture stands in front, eliciting tears from some, while others maintain a heavy silence. Seraphine steps forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Richard Taft was a complex man," Seraphine begins, her voice wavering. "Though the world may remember his darker actions, his friends and family knew him as a devoted husband, father, and public servant." She pauses, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "We mourn not only him, but his wife Nessa, and their precious daughters Tessa and Kaida."

Swallowing hard, Seraphine continues, "Such a vile act – taking the lives of innocent children – is beyond comprehension. I leave the pursuit of justice to the Corporate Syndicate . As for myself, I will pray alongside you and contribute to the Taft Foundation, a charity I've established to support orphans. Their deaths won't be in vain."

Seraphine lifts the CSA flag from the casket, presenting it to Cyrus, the young man left behind. "I'm so sorry, Cyrus."

Cyrus's eyes fill with anguish. "Why? They were just kids!" He collapses to his knees, sobbing. Seraphine wraps her arms around him, holding him close. "I want to kill the monster who did this!"

After the funeral, Seraphine and Davion stand with Cyrus and Detective Ulysses. Seraphine offers her support, "If you need anything, just let us know. We're here for you."

Cyrus manages a smile, "Thank you. My sisters adored you on Last Valkyrie. They had posters of you in their room."

"Cyrus," Detective Ulysses speaks up, "during the autopsy, we found metal balls inside your sisters. Do you know what they might be?"

Cyrus nods, his expression pained. "They're trackers my father placed inside them. He was overprotective and paranoid because of the increasing threats. I should have mentioned it earlier."

"Don't worry," the detective reassures him. "Though the trackers were damaged by gunshots, my team can repair them. We just need the password to access the data."

Cyrus looks hopeful. "What for?"

"We can trace your family's movements before they died," the detective explains. "With that information, we might be able to find Taranis."

Seraphine interjects, "Is it difficult to retrieve the data?"

"Not if we have the password and the trackers are repaired," replies the detective. "We could locate Taranis within 24 hours."

Cyrus seems more at ease. "I know a few passwords my father used. They might work."

"Excellent," the detective says. "Once our techs fix the trackers and we have the right password, we'll be one step closer to justice."

Seraphine smiles. "That's good news."

As they part ways, Davion shakes his head, his voice filled with disbelief. "That Taranis Kane is a devil. Can you imagine someone like that raising a child?"

Seraphine's eyes narrow for a moment, and she swallows hard. "No, I can't."

Taranis Kane strides into the underground base, his footsteps echoing through the dimly lit hallway. Franco greets him with a grin. "Ready to see the remodeling?" he asks.

Taranis nods, following Franco onto a bridge that overlooks the vast space below. Members of Hades Legion move about, tearing down the gaudy decorations that once adorned the club. They pass by a room where several members haul carts filled with weapons, while in another, they sort through stacks of cocaine.

"Burn it," Taranis orders, his voice cold.

The members freeze, looking up in surprise. Franco hesitates. "But we could make so much money from it and fund our operations."