The force in redemption | Kylo Ren x reader | ✔

Chapter 116, Sneaking

/ First Person Protagonist POV /

" This is such a bad idea..." I huffed to myself, sneaking down alleys that led to a secret entrance the Crimson Hunter used to take to enter Kothari's underground lair. " But what other idea do I have? It could be worse." I reassured, getting a hold of my emotions, lamenting hadn't gotten me anywhere. 

It was easier to avoid people at night time with the outfit I had on, and based on my past experiences as a bounty hunter working for Mithus Kothari, I knew what routes to take to avoid... unpleasant interruptions. 

Was it always this cold late in the evenings? I asked myself as a frigid whoosh of wind hit my face. " This feels so familiar, it's like I'm living a memory..." I sighed, getting lost in thought for a second, but brought back to reality as I heard some rustling noise close by, and the light of a flashlight came into view.

I scurried and hid behind a couple wooden crates that were abandoned on the edge of an alley, waiting for the passerby to leave. It might be one of Kothari's security. If I recall correctly, I should be above his underground lair. I told myself.

I crouched and remained still as the crunching sound of footsteps approached my location, and held my breath as I saw the light of the flashlight directed my way, but fortunately, I hadn't been seen. Talk about security. I chuckled under my breath and climbed on top of the big crate, jumping on the opposite side to continue down the intersecting alley. 

" I hate to admit it, but Mithus was ingenious to build his fortress under ground. He's completely safe. If only his guardsmen could do their job better, his lair would be impenetrable." I whispered to myself, jogging alongside the wall of a dusty building.

If my memory isn't failing me, the hidden entrance should be somewhere around here... I hummed, looking around me discreetly. Hopefully Mithus didn't seal it off when me as the Crimson Hunter left with the First Order.

There was a large bush inside of a house that looked more like a dusty ruin. Parts of the walls and roof had crumbled, causing a lot of debris along the way to get to the plant in the center of the home. Before entering the destroyed household, I skimmed my surroundings, even if it was night, I tried my best to see if there was anyone near or approaching. 

I'm not sure anyone knew about this entrance except for me and Mithus, but it's better not to take the risk of being caught. Not when I'm so close to my objective. I told myself, climbing on top of a half way torn down wall and crawled inside the building. 

I crouched so the destroyed walls would cover my silhouette in the night and covered my eyes as I entered the bush. Little cuts from the branches of the bush wounded my cheeks and arms, and I tried my best to keep pushing my way through the plant even with the pain of the branches and thorns cutting me as I did so. 

" I don't recall the bush having so many thorns." I complained, but finally made my way past it. There was an opening inside the large plant, and on the ground was a metal trap door. 

I smiled in victory and began opening the heavy metal aperture, luckily it didn't make any sound as the metal lid fell to the ground. " Thank gosh it's not sealed up." I sighed in relief, yet I kept my guard up. Why would they not seal it, if I was possibly the only other person that knew about it? And when I left, they didn't need it anymore, did they? 

Questions and insecurities buzzed through my mind. " What if there's another bounty hunter now?" I muttered under my breath. If they used this same hidden exit as the Crimson Hunter used to, it could blow my cover and reveal I am trying to enter the underground lair...

I shook my head and frowned: I couldn't let vague assumptions get the best of me, especially when I had important things to do in a near future, and for that, I needed a ship. I took a deep breath and slipped inside the underground opening, falling loudly on the metal ground of the tube- like underground hallway, which looked like the large tubes used in a ventilation system. 

"Well, that wasn't a graceful landing at all."

I tried to make as less sound as possible since I was nearing the underground lair, but boots against metal did the exact opposite and every step I took was welcomed with an unpleasant clanging sound, which wasn't too loud, but it could definitely be heard from a short distance. 

The tube- like hallway took a sharp turn to the left, meaning it would drop to an opening in the 'roof' of the underground lair in a couple yards only. It was dark, and without a flashlight, I didn't have much of a visual aid, to the point where I tripped over something solid that was on the ground and fell face first into the hall, making yet again a loud disruptive noise, this time louder.

" This just isn't my day." I groaned through gritted teeth, making sure my nose wasn't bleeding from the sudden face plant into the metal ground, luckily it wasn't. 

I sat legs crossed, stretching out my arms in front of me to see what it was I had tripped on, and my hands found a cold metal handle. Ah, here it is. I mentally huffed. The other trap door that leads inside the lair. What a pleasant coincidence. I rolled my eyes. 

As slowly and carefully as I could, I opened the lid to this trap door and set it beside me on the corridor. " I should put it back once I'm inside, just so no one sees..." I planned in a whispered. 

I peeked my head through the trap door and looked around the underground lair, the smell of rust filling my lungs. Yep, this is definitely Mithus Kothari's place. I sighed in annoyance. There was no one around, so I slipped inside, not thinking about the approximately three meter distance from me and the ground until it was too late.

I made sure to land a little more silently and with class this time, the boots making less sound as they hit the ground. I looked up, noticing the lid of the trap door was still open, and it was way to high for me to reach. I concentrated on the lid and outstretched my arms, using the force to drag it along the corridor above the roof of the underground lair. It didn't look closed, but at least if no one paid a lot of attention to it, they wouldn't notice. 

I didn't waste time, and immediately entered 'Crimson Hunter mode' in my head, remembering every hallway I had to take to get to Mithus' office. " Here goes nothing." I sighed, running behind big wooden crates along the hallways.

Sneaking past Mithus' security detail had been easier than I thought, but it didn't really surprise me. The crime lord was a smart man, but he didn't take the best decision when choosing muscle over brains for his guardsmen. Not complaining though, I joked.

As I neared closer to his office, where he would probably be bragging to himself while counting money, I thought about a crucial detail I had totally forgotten. What am I going to do or say when I barge into his office? I can't just order him to give me a ship. I sighed and rolled my eyes, I was too close to back down and think of a plan now, I'd have to improvise something, and fast. 

The large maroon doors of his office where in front of me, and before my I stared overthinking and doubting my plan. I flung them open with the help of the force. Inside was, without a doubt: Mithus Kothari, doing exactly what I had expected: counting golden coins on his desk. 

His eyes widened as he saw a cloaked figure appear into his headquarters, and he dropped the bag of coins he had. " Good evening Mithus." I said out of the adrenaline of the situation.