35. XXXV
XXXV
Echo
T he next day, we all congregated in Aster’s apartment, her call requesting our presence.
Spencer and I arrived first, the Kings following not long after.
When Aster entered from the elevator, two Vice members followed behind, carrying a large wooden box between them—which they unceremoniously dumped in the foyer before departing.
A loud thump came from the inside.
Micah stood. “What have you brought us?”
“A gift,” Aster replied, beelining for her bar.
Micah approached the offending object as the pounding grew in intensity, beating like a repetitive drum.
“You’re not going to go with her?” I asked Psycho. He pitched a brow in return, tipping his chin to Micah, who unlatched the lid and wrenched it open.
A blurred figure leapt out the bottom, but before he could make contact, Micah had already dodged his assault and slammed his ass down to the ground in two seconds flat, his bones creaking from the impact.
I cringed, and Psycho clucked, leisurely making his way over to Micah’s side, looking down at the middle-aged man like he was no more than a cockroach that needed to be squished.
“Who would have thought you’d be bested by a female so easily, Verus?” The name was distinctive enough that his identity pulled from my memory index.
“Who is he?” Spencer asked, meandering her way over as I followed close behind. I didn’t like the idea of her being so close to a legitimate fighting machine that was in fact the enemy.
“He’s one of Maximus’ lapdogs,” I said, stepping slightly in front of her. “The last one left in his trusted inner circle.”
Aster sipped from a full martini glass as her eyes razed over Verus’ crumpled form. “He has all the information we need. I saved him for last.”
Verus remained silent, watching and assessing our every move. He’d been a part of the underworld for many years, and subjected countless others to the tortures of our lives. He didn’t have to be smart to know that he wasn’t making it out of there alive.
Then, Emerson’s soft voice raised from the other side of Spencer. “What equipment do you have? He won’t crack unless your methods are severe. The Ludus train their soldiers well. It took me hours to break Titus, and in the end, I couldn’t do it alone.”
My lids rapidly blinked on the petite blonde, my mind doing a double take to ensure I wasn’t hallucinating. The meaning behind her violent words was disproportionate to her saintly image.
Verus sat up after her statement, palms raised to appear as a non-threat. But despite his aged, wrinkled appearance, no one was deceived, everyone in the room fully aware how dangerous those hands could be, a deathly weapon all on their own.
“No need for torture just yet. Let’s talk like civilised people, aye?” His eyes bounced from one to the other until they settled on Psycho. “You got a cigar anywhere in this rich, shiny place, boy?”
“It’s her place,” Psycho said, referring to Aster. “Maybe, if you ask her nicely, she’ll give you one.”
Aster gave a shining smile. “Call me Mistress, and I just might.”
“How about this, then , Mistress ? For the duration it takes me to smoke one cigar, you can ask me any question you like. After that, you can do whatever you want. Torture me, kill me. I have nothing to live for anyway.”
Spencer leant into Emerson’s side, lowering her voice into a whisper. “Depressing old man. If I ever get like that, kill me.”
We’d relocated to the balcony, sprawled in front of our prisoner in various positions, the foot of the cigar toasted ember while Verus sucked. He sat alone on a white leather couch, the bannister at his back giving a clear, unobstructed view of the countless spires shaping the distant horizon, sunshine beating down on his wrinkled face as he considered his audience.
And when his gaze hit Spencer, I’d never been more grateful for her fear of heights. Refusing to breach the threshold of the glass doors, she leant against the doorway instead. The further away she was from Verus, the better.
“Go ahead,” he said, tipping his head back as if on a throne. My jaw ticked. I didn’t know why the fuck we were accommodating the senior citizen and his requests, but it wasn’t my show to dictate—yet.
“Where is Gannicus? Is he dead?” Psycho asked, lighting his own cigarette. As pressing matters go, that wasn’t the first on the list, but I had to acknowledge that it was Psycho’s domain, and the Kings must be privy to information I was not aware of.
Verus shook his head. “ Docture is locked up and kept safe for the upcoming games.”
“What for? He should be training the new challengers.”
“Maximus has made his final move and turned on his last remaining family.” Verus delayed for a full second, puffing on the end of his stick. Gannicus was the infamous trainer to the Ludus gladiators, but most importantly, he was the nephew of Maximus himself. Not that you’d know it, vicious rumours constantly circulating of their absolute revulsion for one another.
Psycho looked on the verge of jumping Verus before he continued. “Gannicus is now a future challenger, the main spectacle in the next gladiator death match. Tonight.”
“Tonight?” Psycho scoffed. “The games aren’t due for months.”
“Things have changed, boy. Maximus moved them up in honour of a special guest.”
“Special guest? Let me guess, that bitch running Khaos?”
Verus raised a foot to rest above his knee like he had all the time in the world. “Theres a power imbalance, and Maximus has gone off the fucking deep end. He’s as crazy as those fuckers in Oakview.”
Micah sneered, and I straightened, taking over. “Is that why he’s targeting Vice?”
“Not Maximus, per se. That’s all Khaos. You know how to shove it to a bitch, don’t you? That little Appleberry situation cost you.”
Psycho ran an errant hand through his hair, pulling at the roots, his tone sceptical at best. “I never liked you, but I never thought you'd squeal like a pig, either. You were always loyal to Maximus.”
“My friend died a long time ago.” Verus puffed again. “I don’t know who that person is.”
“Tell us what you know of Khaos and the woman who leads them,” Aster piped up from the side.
“Nothing. They have offshoots down there, in the Caverns, and have been utilising them for transport. For what and where to, I don’t know. Nobody does.” His muscles seemed to tighten from the declaration, friction on edge. “They’re up to something down there. Not just Amp—something more sinister. But Maximus has that shit locked up so tight, his fear has overridden any sense of reason. Ludus has firmly come to heel under that bitch’s heavy, demanding foot. An unseen cunt behind the scenes, pulling the strings of our fucking organisation!”
Tanner shifted, crossing his arms. “Time’s up. We’re going in during the gladiator games.” All Kings gave some form of acknowledgement, motions fully aligned. Trippy motherfuckers.
Aster's expression turned dubious. “We can’t rush this. There’s much to prepare.”
Psycho paced, a fresh cigarette hanging from his mouth. “I don’t give a fuck. I haven’t heard from G in months. I’m going. With or without you all.”
Spencer rolled her eyes. “Enough of that macho bullshit, Mr 10%. Even you can’t take the whole Ludus on your own,” she said, waving her fingers in the air. “Expert planner right here. You can be my backup.”
I cringed. “Over my dead body are you going into those Caverns.”
“Talk dirty to me, Echo. You know the thought of your death only turns me on,” Spencer said, sending me an air kiss. I couldn’t help the smile that I hastily squished down.
Psycho geared his attention towards Verus once more, who remained vigilant and attentive throughout the entire exchange. The Kings unperturbed, we were talking in front of him.
“Ah, so you got Titus, too?” Verus asked, voice drifting off in contemplation.
“Many months ago,” Emerson said.
Verus nodded, expression clear, resigning to the fact that the Kings had tortured and killed one of his associates.
“I’m the last one left.” Verus cleared his throat. “If you reclaim the Ludus and overthrow Maximus, there will be little dissension. I’m the one remaining loyalist.”
“You don’t seem loyal,” Psycho spat. “Letting Maximus run the Ludus into the fucking ground. For what?”
“Do not underestimate the power they have, boy. This is fucking child’s play compared to what Khaos can do. What they’re capable of.” His eyes bounced to each one of us in turn, measuring our stature for what’s to come. “Let’s hope you’re strong enough.” His crinkled eyes gleamed as if he was pleasantly surprised to find that we just might be.
Verus raised his cigar, perusing the smoking end. “I have no final words or death speech. Just an old man’s request—bring the Ludus back to its former glory, boy. You hear me?”
Psycho grit his teeth. “How do we get in, old man?”
Verus smirked. “Ask your sister.”
Then, with more speed than I could have thought, Verus threw his cigar butt to the ground, leapt to his feet and jolted over the balcony bannister, careening to his death.
It happened so fast, I didn’t even know how to process the sudden change of our reality. Everyone seemed to have the same mindless thought as we all stood frozen, staring at the vacant spot our prisoner had sat a moment before.