Kingdom of the Nine: The Bridge (IV)

Chapter 14

———Kat———
I stare at the glowing screen of my laptop, fingers hovering over the keyboard as I sift through article after article, database after database, looking for anything on M.V. or his connection to Smith Inc. The deeper I dig, the more I feel like I'm spiraling. Whoever he is, he's a ghost. No records, no trails, no digital footprint—it's maddening. How are the others managing to sleep when we're dealing with someone this elusive?

With a frustrated sigh, I close the laptop and lean back in my chair, the soft click of the screen snapping shut echoing in the dark room. Silence settles over me, the weight of unanswered questions pressing down on my chest. Then, a knock breaks through the stillness.

"Kat, it's Keegan," a familiar voice calls from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

I smirk to myself. "Sure, Walker. Enter my humble abode," I say, my tone playful.

The door creaks open, and Keegan steps in, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Your residence, huh?" he says, playing along. "Quite the upgrade from the warehouses, I'd say."

I chuckle softly. "What can I say? I have a taste for luxury now."

He leans against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "So, I was wondering... Do you regret it yet? Trusting these people?"

I shake my head, meeting his gaze. "Not yet. Honestly, it feels like a solid choice so far. I mean, you know me—I'm not exactly a team player. I usually prefer working alone. Less drama, fewer complications. But the Smiths? They seem... different. Alyse and Red are alright, Claire's got a good head on her shoulders, and that Kylen guy is sharp as hell. And then there's Hail..." My lips curl into a smirk. "There's definitely a story there. Can't wait to figure out what it is."

Keegan nods, his expression thoughtful. "You're good at reading people. I trust your instincts. But still, you really have no idea who M.V. is?"

"Not a clue," I admit. "Didn't even know those were his initials until we found that briefcase."

Keegan frowns, his mind clearly working through the puzzle. "That's weird, though, isn't it? He hired you for multiple jobs, but you never met him. Yet those goons are involved once, and suddenly they have his initials? That doesn't add up."

I raise an eyebrow, impressed. "That's why I like you, Walker. You actually think. You see the threads and start connecting them."

He grins, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks, Kat. But seriously, doesn't that strike you as... odd?"

I nod, leaning forward. "It's strange, no doubt. Scarface and his crew couldn't even handle us—they were a mess. Sloppy, dumb, the kind of people who barely qualify as henchmen. Maybe they were his goons, or maybe M.V. just didn't trust me the way he trusted them. Hell, it could be something else entirely..."

My voice trails off as a thought hits me like a freight train.

Keegan notices instantly. "What is it?"

I sit up straighter, the realization swirling in my mind. "What if he wanted us to find that briefcase? What if he planted it, knowing I'd interfere?"

Keegan furrows his brow. "You think it was a setup? Why would he do that?"

"Think about it," I say, my voice quickening with the rush of my theory. "This whole time, I've been thinking it was a mistake—that Scarface slipped up. But what if it wasn't? What if M.V. left it there on purpose? A calculated move to get us riled up, to make us dig deeper, chase after him?"

Keegan's face darkens, his mind turning over the possibility. "So, you're saying this whole thing was a game? A way to manipulate us?"

"Exactly," I reply. "And if that's the case, then we're not just dealing with someone who's hard to find. We're dealing with someone dangerous. Someone who knows how to stay ten steps ahead."