Bound by Shadows

28

There was no escaping the thirty thugs waiting for us at the airport when we landed. They swiftly transported us from our brief stay in Ilha Grande, cutting it short due to an urgent call from Stella.

As Caelus and I entered Zavian's office, we found him already there, frowning. We were in one of Zavian's clubs in New York, "Vortex," an exclusive VIP-only establishment that also served as his headquarters.

Without looking at me, Zavian handed his tablet to Caelus. "The guy you're looking for is dead."

We both stared at the screen, repulsed by the image of a decomposed body infested with maggots.

"By the looks of it, he's been dead for a week," Caelus said, handing back the tablet. "Who found him?"

"Tadashi," Zavian answered curtly. "Isn't it odd how he found Ethan Calbert so quickly and then tried to hide the body?" His voice dripped with suspicion.

"Where is he?" Caelus asked, his voice low, understanding the implication. Zavian was notorious for his ruthless methods of extracting information. I glanced nervously between the two men.

Zavian chuckled, but there was no humor in his eyes. "He's resting after a hectic discussion."

"What did you do?" I demanded, but Zavian ignored me. His anger was palpable, and it hurt to be dismissed. Was this how he felt when we ignored his calls, coming back only because of Stella?

"You know Tadashi would tell you everything you needed to know. Let me talk to him," Caelus insisted, stepping toward Zavian, only to be met with a gun pointed at him. Zavian looked disheveled, his eyes devoid of any sympathy.

"You hired Ethan to kill my sister, didn't you?" Zavian accused.

"Are you insane?" I retorted. "Ethan was around long before Caelus and I even met. You're just looking for a reason to kill him for your own satisfaction, aren't you?"

Zavian's gaze flicked to me, hurt. "Fuck you, Zanya."

"Enough!" Caelus shouted, raising a fist. Just then, Stella walked in, her stoic demeanor unwavering as she whispered something to Zavian, who lowered his gun.

"What now?" I asked as Zavian stormed out, grabbing his flight jacket along with him, slamming the office door.

"A major drug transaction was busted. The supply was supposed to reach Russia this week. With the delay, our clients there will have to wait another month, and they're not lenient. Mr. Bianci will have to convince them to keep working with us," Stella explained, leading us down to the basement. "Someone higher up is behind this, and Ethan Calbert was just a pawn."

When we reached the basement, Caelus's breath hitched.

"Tell me he's still alive," Caelus growled. Stella gulped and nodded, opening the metal door.

I gasped at the sight of Tadashi. He was bound to a chair, his head hanging low in the darkness. The only light source was a single, dim bulb swaying from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows across the room.

Caelus strode past Stella and approached Tadashi, lifting his chin to assess the damage. Tadashi's face was a mess of bruises and cuts, his features almost unrecognizable beneath the blood and swelling.

"I... I got a tip," Tadashi mumbled, his voice barely audible through his drowsiness. Caelus cursed under his breath and began untying him. When I moved to help, Caelus shot out an arm, wincing as blood dripped from his finger. "It's barbed wire," he hissed.

A chill ran down my spine as I scanned the room, finally spotting a toolbox in the corner. With Stella's help, I flipped it open and rummaged through the contents, pulling out a wire cutter. I handed it to Caelus, who took it with a grim nod.

"It was... an unknown number," Tadashi continued, his voice weak and slurred as Caelus worked on the wire. "I just wanted to give him a proper burial, but Ian's men... they came in—"

"Shut up," Caelus muttered, his voice edged with frustration as he cut through the last of the wire. Tadashi collapsed forward, and Caelus caught him just in time, his body going limp in his arms.

"Doctor Nicholas will be here soon to treat his wounds," Stella said, her lips pressed into a thin line. She led us to one of the unoccupied rooms in Vortex, and we carefully laid Tadashi on the bed. Blood soaked the sheets as we tried to clean his wounds.

Moments later, Doctor Nicholas arrived, his blonde hair neatly combed back, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. He moved with calm precision, but Caelus intercepted him, gripping his shoulder with a steely hand.

"If he dies, I'll kill you. Got it?" Caelus's voice was a low, dangerous growl.

Doctor Nicholas didn't flinch. "It seems your shoulder has healed well, Mr. Hudson," he remarked coolly, brushing Caelus's hand aside. "Now, let me do my job of saving lives rather than taking them," he added with a glare, then turned his attention to Tadashi.

We stood outside the room, tension thick in the air as Caelus paced back and forth, his impatience evident. He made a move to follow Nicholas inside, but I grabbed the hem of his shirt, shaking my head. "Let him work. Tadashi will be okay. I promise," I whispered, my voice soothing, trying to calm him down.
We stood outside the room, the sound of our own breathing loud in the tense silence. Each minute felt like an eternity as we waited, hoping for any sign that Tadashi would pull through.

After what felt like an forever, Nicholas finally emerged from the room. Stella handed him an envelope, presumably filled with cash. Nicholas took it, slipped it into his bag, and turned his attention to me and Caelus. "He kept telling me to pass this on to you," he said, handing Tadashi's phone to Caelus.

Caelus accepted the phone, his expression tense. "How is he?"

"Stable. He'll need a few days of rest. I've prescribed some painkillers. Make sure to clean his wounds regularly," Nicholas replied, adjusting his glasses. Just then, his phone rang silently. He glanced at the screen and answered. "Alright, I understand. On my way." He gave me a brief look before walking away.

Stella checked her watch and turned to us. "Mr. Bianci will need me soon. I'm sorry I didn't intervene earlier; I just found out today." With that, she hurried off.

Caelus and I exchanged weary glances and sighed. This is what happens when you're absent for a few days. Caelus scrolled through Tadashi's phone and dialed the last number that had contacted him, only to reach voicemail. He cursed under his breath.

"Have your men track the number," I suggested, and he looked at me, eyebrows raised.

"You're starting to think like me," he remarked before dialing someone who could trace the call and find out who had set Tadashi up.