a little death ➴ ᵏᵃᵗᵉ ᵇⁱˢʰᵒᵖ

𝟷𝟻

➴

Clint B.

No news on our guy. I start at Bishop this week, I'll look more into A.I.M. via Bishop's database. In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying your flight. I'm sorry you got roped back into this.

—

It started like a game in Remy's head— an internal checklist forming in the silence of an old warehouse she's agreed to meet Hanover in, the early morning sun casting long shadows across the floor. Her chest tightened as she made her mental notes.

First: She'd remain calm. Remy thought not to panic. This was a long game. Her vulnerability would only give Hanover the upper hand.

Second: Pack light; No guns, no heavy artillery, nothing that'd make Remy seem as though expecting a fight.

Third: Negotiate, Don't Cave. Hanover seemed to've thought he held all the cards, but he didn't know Remy, not really. She was not giving him anything without something in return. This was chess, not checkers. Every move counts.

The abandoned warehouse was dimly lit. The air was thick with dust and the sharp scent of rusted metal. Remy stepped inside, her eyes quickly adjusting to the shadows. She kept her steps steady, casual— every part of her demeanor confident, though her stomach was churning.

Adrian Hanover stood at the far end of the room, waiting for her. His figure was tall, imposing, yet composed. He turned as soon as she entered, the faint outline of a cigarette glowing between his fingers.

"Remy Bass," he greeted, his voice smooth but laced with menace. "Spitting image of your mother, you."

"That's not my name." She folded her arms across her chest, keeping a safe distance between them. "You've been making a lot of noise."

Hanover chuckled, taking a slow drag of his cigarette. "Making noise? No, no. Just been clearing up loose ends."

"You call holding a wedding hostage clearing up loose ends?" Remy's voice was sharp, the bitterness slipping through her careful exterior.

Hanover shrugged, the movement casual, as though the incident hadn't been anything significant. " I don't particularly enjoy it, but sometimes things get messy when you're trying to get someone's attention."

"And you think you have mine now?"

His eyes flickered, a dangerous gleam there. "I'd hope so. I've been waiting for this conversation."

Remy stared at him for a moment before taking a step closer. "Why am I here?"

Hanover took another drag before flicking the cigarette to the ground. "This is about unfinished business. Your mother, Beverly, left a lot of things unresolved when she disappeared."

The mention of her late mother hit Remy like a punch to the gut. "She's dead. That business ended years ago, I'd bet."

Hanover's grin widened. "You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you? Beverly was more involved in A.I.M.'s work than you realize. She was integral to some of their most... interesting projects. Banner's gamma research, for example."

Remy's eyes narrowed. "Still not following how I fit into this."

"Your mother wasn't just a scientist, Remy. She had access to data— data that could bring down A.I.M.'s entire operation if it got into the wrong hands. She had a contingency plan, some way to keep that information safe. But when she disappeared, she took those secrets with her."

"How do you know I'm not 'the wrong hands'?"

"I think you, little girl, are forgetting how this works. You fuck me over, I kill the boy.. Or that Bishop girl, or your brother," He paused, jaw clenched in a loss for patience. "Your roommate.. All of them, even.—"

"—I understand."

Hanover gave a slow, deliberate nod. "You help me, and I'll make sure A.I.M. doesn't touch you. We'll protect each other."

Remy's mind raced. Hanover wasn't just a threat; he was an opportunity. A chance to finally understand what had really happened to her parents, to untangle the web of lies A.I.M. had spun. The two stood in silence for a moment, the tension thick between them.

Finally, Remy let out a slow breath. "What do you need from me?"

Hanover's eyes gleamed. "Your mother's files. Her research. Everything she took when she disappeared. You find that for me, and this all goes away."

—

Clint B.

No news on our guy. I start at Bishop this week, I'll look more into A.I.M. via Bishop's database. In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying your flight. I'm sorry you got roped back into this.

👍

—

Kate B.

Incoming Call

Declined

—